Movies in Review: "Detroit"

I admit I am growing tired of seeing films like these. Films that tell stories of the past and are still far too relevant today. Stories of racism, and the racists acts against minorities and people of color in America, by "Americans" I often find myself angered when leaving the theater. I went to see this film because I love and wanted to support the cast. However, upon viewing and leaving the theater, something tells me I need to make this my last film like this.

Detroit is receiving critical acclaim for its direction and cast performances, and all are definitely well warranted. The film packs a punch and has major power performances from its cast. However the content just hit a sore spot with me, and I found myself rolling my eyes and sucking my teeth at what was being shown on screen. An event that took place in 1967 had me sitting there saying to myself "Shiiiiittttt, that happened to Sean, Rob and Richard (fake names) yesterday". This movie was a disheartened reminder of how the treatment of non-whites have not changed. It angered me even more sitting in a theater of mostly whites as they sat there watching the film surprised, as if they couldn't believe this happened ~rolling eyes. I wish I could stay calm and write this review properly, but I think it would be best if I step away from this keyboard now.

This film is great, and all that you would expect from a movie. It was very well written, performed and directed, and deserves all the praise critics are giving it. The content hit too close to home for me, and left me pissed and angered. Get your mind all the way right before going to see this film...fair warning...A+

Movies in Review: "Atomic Blonde"

I love me some Charlize Theron. So you can just imagine my excitement when I watched the trailer for Atomic Blonde. That trailer is kickass. I was more than excited for the release of this film. Theron is an exceptional actress, and my interest was piqued even further when I found out she did her own action scenes...Wow! I'm all for #GirlPower. I seriously would have bet money that this movie was going to be great...but I would have lost...

Ok...we get it...Charlize is beautiful...This film was so dull. The film focused on shots of Theron's eyes, blonde hair, and walking in that white or black trench coat...Oh Brother! Can someone tell me what the purpose of her putting her collar over her face in the one fight scene? It was so strange. The story was hard to follow, and got even harder to comprehend by the end...Wth! From what I watched in the trailer, I was definitely expecting some high powered action sequences, but this was not the case. It felt like the action scenes were filmed in slow motion, or that each movie was being calculated and counted so the Theron could hit her mark. The action scenes looked like a dance routine that only had about 4 moves...Knee, grunt, punch, and KICK...boring. It all felt contrived ~shrugs.

This was not at all what I was expecting from this film. Atomic Bomb was an atomic mess. If you are interested in just seeing Theron be sexy, then this movie is for you. However if you are looking for a real action flick with power, this one doesn't hit the mark...D+

Movies in Review: "The Emoji Movie"

I love a good animated film, but I don't think one has had me this excited in a while. A movie about Emoji's!? I seriously thought this was the cutest idea ever, and wondered what took them so long to release it. I thought my kid would be less interested, but the Poop emoji got him on board (my kid has a thing for poop...smh), and our movie date was planned. Initially I was thinking this movie had to be good. Emoji's are fun, who could mess this up? So I was surprised when I noticed critics were trashing it, like calling it a complete bomb. In my opinion critics are overrated, and I feel some get paid to trash or promote films...ijs. The reviews didn't deter me. I know it wasn't as bad as they were making it out to be...right!?

I was right...it wasn't that bad, but unfortunately it wasn't great either. I honestly though the script was a little dull, and thought the animation for Emoji's would be more exciting, but it wasn't...Meh. The colors were beautiful and bright, which kept my kid's interest, but there was really nothing special about the animation. The story was a little empty and dry, and very disappointing. Emoji's have great characters that got little shine in this film. Honestly if it wasn't for James Corden as Hi-5, I might have walked out of the movie. It's a good thing he was in most of the scenes because he saved this movie for me. I thought the writing was just blah. There were endless creative opportunities for this film and nothing seemed to be used except cute animation and James Corden...~shrugs.

I can't say I loved it, but it's not half as bad as critics are calling it. It doesn't live up to expectations, but it still has some entertainment value. If my son is able to keep his eyes locked on the screen instead of getting up and asking if we can leave, then it's not a bad movie in my book. I wouldn't run out to see this one, but if you're looking for something to do with the kids, I'd recommend paying matinee price, otherwise, catch it in Redbox...C+

Movies in Review: "Girl's Trip"

Let's just keep it real...we women love to get together with our girlfriends! So there should be no surprise at all the excitement around this film, especially from the ladies. We all love a girls trip, but sometimes life prevents us from these much needed getaways, and this film was a reminder to most that a girl's get together is in order. I was going to see this movie alone, as I do with most of my movie outings, but was blessed to have a few friends who wanted to see this film as much as I did. So just like most viewers for this film, we made it a girl’s night out. I had very high hopes for this film, especially surrounding all the hype. My fingers were crossed that I would walk out of the theater pleased and with expectations met.

I can say I was all smiles when I left the theater. This film definitely delivered on laughs, eye candy, and an entertaining movie experience. I was very pleased. Now this is not to say that this film was perfect or as great as all your friends are saying. It's good, and I loved the cast performances, but this movie wouldn't have been half of what it was if it wasn't for Tiffany Haddish. Now Regina Hall can hold down a film with her comedic chops, but that wasn't her role in this film. The comedy was held down by Haddish, who did an excellent job. I admit that I was expecting a little bit more from the story, but the laughs made up for it, not to mention it was just a feel good movie.

I enjoyed the time I had in the theater with my girlfriends, and this film reminded me of the bond that I love and share with my own sister-friends. I had a good time watching this film, and this is what mattered to me the most when it comes to rating it, because it honestly wasn't great, but it is good enough to gather your girls a check it out...B+

Movies in Review: "Dunkirk"

I used to enjoy war films very much. However, I noticed with age I've acquired a small distaste for them, and often can't stomach the reasons behind the killing of men, women and children. So when I watched the trailer for Dunkirk, I wasn't as excited or impressed as I guess I should have been. Again, critics are giving it critical acclaim, which is the only reason I even went to see it. Although I think war is dumb, I'm always interested in a good story, and this is what I expected to receive from this film.

I hadn't heard of the Dunkirk evacuation before this film. So I went in expecting a war film that involved fighting, and instead got a movie that centered around over 400,000 men just trying to survive and get home. Needless to say, the story was really exhausting. It was well filmed, and the story was decent, but offered me very little to keep me totally interested. It was actually a little depressing. Imagine watching men for the next 2hrs continuously jumping out of ships that have been bombed, dodging bullets, and trying to keep from drowning...Exhausting. This is what you have to look forward to in this film. I think it's a beautiful story, and it did have some thrilling moments, but critical acclaim??? Nah...Don't get me wrong, it was a good film, but I was definitely expecting more.

If you like war films, just note, there are little battles to be seen in this film, just in case that's your thing. It is a very well written, directed and performed film, but it's not the best movie out in my opinion, as a movie-goer. I do believe sometimes what critics want and viewers want differ. This is one of those films...B+

Movies in Review: "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"

To be quite honest, I had very little interest in seeing this film upon reviewing the trailer, and it had a great deal to do with who was cast in the film. I'm not the biggest fan of the model turned actress Cara Delevingne, who continues to get cast in roles that are beyond her abilities (which would include all acting roles)...ijs. The only thing that changed my mind about seeing this film was that the trailer was visually appealing, and to my surprise, critics gave it a pretty decent rating...considering. So against my better judgement, and my fear that I might be missing out on something, I went to see...and I'm not that happy about this decision.

I really do have to stop listening to critics, because they know nothing. This film was damn near awful...seriously. It was 45min too long and dull as hell. Yes it was visually appealing, at times, but those scenes were short. The story was all over the place and had a lot going on, that at times didn't make sense. I wasn't a fan of the acting, especially from the model, and the love story they tried to throw in the mix was corny. The best parts included scenes that included those 3 creatures who looked like ducks, and surprisingly the character named Bubble, played by Rihanna. To add insult to all the time I wasted in the theater, the ending was the worse...Uuuugggghhhh. You guys know how I hate a stupid ending!

I left the theater tired and annoyed. The only good thing that came out of it was that I didn't actually pay for the film, as I snuck into the theater after seeing another film, because I would have definitely wanted my money back. I don't think anyone has 3hrs to waste, so I suggest you stay far away from this one. There were some decent moments, but none that are worth paying for this film...D+

Movies in Review: "War of the Planet of the Apes"

I have said this many times, I am not the biggest fan of film reboots. However the reboot for The Planet of the Apes is one of the only few I have ever loved, and felt it outdid its original films. I think I have raved about each film in this trilogy. It doesn't happen too often that a franchise can produce sequels on the same level of excellence, but this franchise has been doing it. I was most excited to see this third film. I am an ape, especially Caesar, fan. The trailer gave me goosebumps, and I had to see how this would end. My expectations were definitely high for this film. I at least expected the same experience as the others. There was no way this film would fall short...right?

Can I say Caesar gives me chills? When he came on-screen, my jaw dropped. This ape is strong and has a presence that intimidates and captures your attention. I love him because he is for, and protector of his apes. I enjoyed the introduction to the film, which let viewers know where we are at with this story and how we got here. There were some great acting performances, especially from Andy Serkis as Caesar, but also from Woody Harrelson as The Colonel (human). My favorite addition to the cast was "bad ape" Steve Zahn. He was absolutely hilarious, and added the bit of humor needed in the film. This story has a number of heartbreaking moments, but also moments of triumph. The only part of the story I didn't understand was the mute aspect of it. It was explained a little in the story, but I felt like I needed more, since it played a role in what was happening ~shrugs.

I walked out of the theater getting everything I expected and more. I believe this film needs to be seen on the big screen so that you can get the full Caesar experience. Watching this film on TV would do it no justice. This was a great story, and ending to this trilogy. I almost shed a tear when the credits started to roll. Definitely one of my favorite films of the summer...A-

Movies in Review: "The Big Sick"

I love a good romantic comedy, especially one with a fun, quirky feel to it. When I watched the trailer for this film I was definitely like "Oh! This looks cute!” I think I have a thing for all things cute...lol. The trailer made me smile and sparked my interest. I haven't had the time to indulge in as many movies as I would like this summer (a sister has been BUSY), so I was happy I was able to make time on a Tuesday. This movie isn't being wide released until this Friday, so I kind of feel like I'm ahead of the game with this review...lol.

Was this movie worth seeing??? I was questioning it a bit at the beginning. I wasn't laughing much, and kind of felt a little annoyed at how it started ~shrugs. However, please don't let this comment worry you, because the movie was really good...like really. I think Kumail is a funny comedian on his own but the comedic chemistry between him and the actress who played his girlfriend Emily was magical. They played off each other so perfectly, their exchanges were some of the best parts in the film. I wasn't a fan of the comedy show scenes, especially since the comedians kept telling the same jokes. My favorite scene from the comedy show involved Ray Romano and Holly Hunter. That scene had me dying. The family dinner scenes were really great and some of the most entertaining. 

This movie wasn't all humor and gets a little emotional, although still keeping comedy in the foreground. This movie doesn't miss a beat or hitch, except maybe at the beginning, but definitely rounds out well in the end. This is a good movie. It's written well and has a cast that gives great performances. The humor wasn't forced, or over the top, it just felt like life, and I enjoyed it...A

Movies in Review: "Spider-Man: Homecoming"

Seriously...how many times does a film need to be rebooted? What is the infatuation with Spider-Man? He is like the most rebooted superhero out now...but why? I can't say I was too excited about this film, especially since this is the 3rd reboot of this franchise in less than 15yrs. How many times can we keep retelling this story without getting bored? However I think I must be the only one who feels this way since this newest installment killed at the box office, and I was also there in the mix. I admit the first 2 reboots had me excited about their releases, but I can't say the same about this one. I enjoyed the cameo this newest Spider-Man made in the last Avengers movie, which is probably the only reason I gave this reboot a chance. My expectations were about average, although critics are raving about this one. 

This movie is as cute as the actor now playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The actor Tom Holland was a good pic to dawn the red spandex suit. He had all the cute, awkward, quirkiness we expect from Peter Parker's character too. I thought the story had some great humor and fun characters, especially Zenadaya, and the kid who played Parker's best friend Ned. The story was cute, but more teeny-bopper than the previous films. The biggest thing this film lacked though was powerful action scenes. Spider-Man spent most of the film fumbling and learning his power/skills, and getting saved by Iron Man, who I thought had too much screen time in this movie. I don't think Spider-Man really shined in this film. The action and stunts were mediocre, especially when compared to the first 2 reboots. In my opinion, this film definitely lacked excitement at times. However, I did think Michael Keaton was a great villain as Vulture. He was the most exciting part in the film.

All in all, not a bad movie, but I can't say I liked it better than the earlier films. It was cute, but I think I wanted to be amazed. I'm guessing this film was an introduction to this new reboot. I'm just hoping they pick things up in the next film or I can't see myself riding out with this new reboot...B-

Movies in Review: "Despicable Me 3"

Here we are on another adventure with Gru, now with his family, and Minion crew. I swear these Despicable movies never get old and have been great so far. When I watched the trailer for this 3rd installment, I liked where they were taking the story. Despicable Me has some great writers that have this story progressing in a way that makes sense and is still very entertaining. My kid is a minion fan, as I am, so we were both looking forward to see this one. I walked into the theater with the same expectations I carry with me each time I see these films, there was no doubt I would walk out of the theater unsatisfied.

How can you not love this franchise? Steve Carrell is always on point with his humor and very entertaining. I love how Gru's character has turned into the family man as a doting father and husband, and transitioning from a villain to an anti-villain. Gru's wife, played by Kristen Wiig, has always been one of my favorite new additions to this franchise and she also shined in this film as well. I liked that all characters received enough screen time, and the story wasn't just focused on Gru's twin brother (whose character I also loved). The story is well rounded, and has enough entertainment for the whole family. Not only is the movie good, but the musical score is everything. Pharrell Williams and The Despicable Me franchise are a match made in heaven. I could imagine someone else writing the score for these films...can you?

The first film is by far my favorite, but this 3rd installment doesn't disappoint. From the opening weekend box office numbers, it is apparent that we all know that Despicable Me is family entertainment at its best. These films are as entertaining for the parents as they are for the kids...B+

Movies in Review: "Baby Driver"

I seriously didn't think I would find myself sitting in the theater watching this one ~shrugs. I wasn't really a fan of the first trailer, and seeing Jamie Foxx cast in it definitely didn't help. However, the 2nd trailer peaked my interest a little more than the first, and I felt that there would be enough going on to get past any bad acting Foxx was going to sprinkle in his scenes. Besides, I had no problems with the rest of the cast, and to my surprise, critics were raving about this movie so much, perhaps there was a chance not seeing it would be a big mistake.

My expectations were minimal for Baby Driver, but everyone is raving about this movie, and I'm sitting over here like "It wasn't bad."...lol. The best part about the movie was the driving scenes, which were off the chain, and deserve an applause. However the story took a while to get going and the musical themed style throughout the movie was a little corny in my opinion. I liked the character Baby, but the love story was womp womp, and to my surprise, Foxx wasn't horrible. He was actually a great character addition to the film, along with Jon Hamm. It took a minute for the pace of the film to get going, but once it did, it was an entertaining ride.

I can't say I enjoyed the film as much as most viewers (mostly male), but it was definitely better than I thought it would be. The driving scenes were fierce, but the style of the film was a little less desirable for me. This movie packs some excitement, but there are also enough scenes that may leave you asking why you came to see it...lol...B+