Yesterday

Yesterday, everyone knew The Beatles. Today, only Jack remembers their songs. He’s about to become a very big deal. From Academy Award®-winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) and Richard Curtis, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually and Notting Hill, comes a rock-n-roll comedy about music, dreams, friendship, and the long and winding road that leads to the love of your life. Jack Malik (Himesh Patel, BBC’s Eastenders) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed … and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed. Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, and with a little help from his steel-hearted American agent, Debra (Emmy winner Kate McKinnon), Jack’s fame explodes. But as his star rises, he risks losing Ellie — the one person who always believed in him. With the door between his old life and his new closing, Jack will need to get back to where he once belonged and prove that all you need is love.

This was a very enjoyable take on a relationship movie.  The whole Beatles being erased from people's memories and riding fake fame and the cost of that was a very original twist of the whole destiny and relationships ideal.  I really enjoyed this movie a lot.  The music was great.  The pacing was great - although the movie was a little bit long and the characters were all great.

I would recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a very enjoyable watch.  And the music alone made it worth it.  

Annabelle Comes Home

The film will pick up with the Warrens bringing Annabelle to the place where it can really no longer wreak havoc, which is their artifact room, of course, it turns out she can also wreak havoc there. And she really awakens the evil within that room and they target the Warrens’ 10-year-old daughter, Judy.

This movie was pretty much a snoozefest - especially compared to the others in the "franchise".  There was a solid hour of pointless build in this before anything actually happened.  Strike one.   When stuff finally did start happening it honestly was not scary/creepy at all.  Strike two.  Once they did start with the traumatic sight gag type stuff it was honestly cheesy as hell.  Strike three.

I wouldn't really recommmend anyone bothering with this but my opinion is not much of a factor here.  Either you like the franchise and you will see it or you don't.  But it is a pretty lame entry compared to the others.

Child's Play

Chucky will be heading back to the big screen in a "Child’s Play" remake. The new version of the killer doll won’t be a doll possessed by a serial killer, but will be a defective ‘Buddy doll’ whose programming code was hacked so that he has no limitations to learning and also violence.

Oh my God this was atrocious.  Like just why?   It wasn't even scary at any point.  The doll looked lamer special effects wise than it did 30 years ago.  How is that possible!?!  Even the campiness of this one was just annoying and not enjoyable.  This is easily one of the worst remakes with this onslaught of them the last couple of years.   I can't believe I actually made it to the end of the movie.

I would not recommend anyone bothering with this.  Ever.  It is a blatant waste of time and a massive fail from a pretty enjoyable original.  

Toy Story 4

Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. So when Bonnie’s beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (voice of Tony Hale), declares himself as “trash” and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts). After years of being on her own, Bo’s adventurous spirit and life on the road belie her delicate porcelain exterior. As Woody and Bo realize they’re worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy, they soon come to find that’s the least of their worries.

I was beyond the realm of skeptical of this movie because I really thought that Toy Story 3 was one of the best franchise ending movies ever.  That ending still messes me up.  They even flashed through it at the beginning of this movie and I got choked up.  Anywho - I kept bringing my expectations down for this movie hoping that they had not caved and just made a money grab type of sequel.  They 100% did not do that.  This movie was excellent on many levels.  The kids will obviously love it.  The cords that it pulls in the minds and hearts of adults though . . . . . . WOW!!!  This movie made me crazy emotional a couple of times.  They new characters introduced were all awesome.  There were TONS of laughs throughout the movie and had an incredibly heartfelt ending.  Not as tear inducing as Toy Story 3 but kind of close.

I would 100% recommend people checking this movie out.  It is an awesome watch for all ages and I feel very guilty for having doubted Pixar.  I am ashamed.

Shaft

He may be a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s untimely death, JJ—aka John Shaft Jr. (Usher)—will need an education only his dad can provide. Absent throughout JJ’s youth, the legendary locked-and-loaded John Shaft (Jackson) agrees to help his progeny navigate Harlem’s heroin-infested underbelly. And while JJ’s own FBI analyst’s badge may clash with his dad’s trademark leather duster, there’s no denying family. Besides, Shaft’s got an agenda of his own, and a score to settle that’s professional and personal.

Keeping up with the why theme of the weekend.  Was there a demand for a continuation of Shaft and an expansion of the lineage that I was unaware of?  Like the movie was a decent watch but really don't understand the need for this movie to be made.  It really ends up just kind of there.  It even seemed kind of watered down and even campier than they had in the past.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It's not a bad movie but its just kind of there.  You will forget about seeing this 10 minutes after you do.

Men In Black: International

Men in Black International will continue the same fictional universe without the involvement of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones’ Agents J and K. Agents H and M, played by MCU stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, are part of MiB’s London branch, which is run by Liam Neeson’s character. H and M’s latest case will call upon them to solve a murder mystery with global implications.

Why?  Just why?  Was there some kind of a need for this movie.  Not a reboot.  Not a sequel.  Just a similar storyline but international?  This movie mattered pretty much not at all in any way.  Like I forgot about everything I watched five minutes after the movie was over.  This movie is nothing more than a blatant money grab.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  Like I said - totally pointless waste of time and just a money grab that is beyond the realm of forgetful.  

Dark Phoenix

In DARK PHOENIX, the X-MEN face their most formidable and powerful foe: one of their own, Jean Grey. During a rescue mission in space, Jean is nearly killed when she is hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. Wrestling with this entity inside her, Jean unleashes her powers in ways she can neither comprehend nor contain. With Jean spiraling out of control, and hurting the ones she loves most, she begins to unravel the very fabric that holds the X-Men together. Now, with this family falling apart, they must find a way to unite -- not only to save Jean's soul, but to save our very planet from aliens who wish to weaponize this force and rule the galaxy.

Wow!  This was such a mailed in X-Men movie.  Like massively mailed in.  It was as if they tried to remake The Last Stand which is so the worst of all the X-Men movies.  This was massively disappointing and I'm not officially thrilled that Disney is taking it over and can reboot the whole thing since the last two entries were total crap after what was an amazing reboot with this new cast.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It really was just a massive waste of time.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Following the global success of 2014’s “Godzilla” and this year’s “Kong: Skull Island,” comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ cinematic MonsterVerse: an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

This was very enjoyable for what it was - a summer popcorn monster movie.  I enjoyed it just like the last Godzilla movie but nowhere near as much as Kong: Skull Island.  It's basically the same problem I have with all Godzilla movies.  Why is it that they are never able to film anything Godzilla close up?  Everything is always from far away and with a wide angle type of lens.  In Kong you actually believed that there was a giant ape doing all these things.  They way it was shot made you feel like he was there with the humans in the movie.  I never feel that way in Godzilla movies though and it's always kind of annoyed me.  This movie had that same problem.

I would still recommend anyone interested in these kinds of movies checking this out though.  It is a good summer popcorn movie watch and worth checking out.

Rocketman

Taron Egerton is set to star as Elton John, aka "Rocketman." The film will focus on Elton John’s beginnings, starting when he was a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music and carrying over to when he reached global stardom through his influential and enduring musical partnership with his songwriting collaborator Bernie Taupin. It will be a biopic that looks at the performer’s life past the glitter saturated image we have grown so accustomed to associating with the performer.

This was a tough one to review.  I like Taron Egerton's performance a lot.  I liked how true the movie was to Elton John's life and NOT like the holding back that they did in Bohemian Rhapsody with Freddie Mercury.  I love Elton John's music BUT the playing of it in this movie felt extremely forced.  Like it was a musical that was not fluid at all with the music and that always annoys me.

I would lukewarmly recommend this movie to people.  It's not bad.  It's actually pretty good but the forced music thing held it back from being truly great.

Ma

Everybody’s welcome at Ma’s. But good luck getting home safe. Oscar® winner Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town (Diana Silvers, Glass), to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own. She offers the kids the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her home. But there are some house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don’t curse. Never go upstairs. And call her “Ma.” But as Ma’s hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on earth.

How in god's name was this a movie.  Better question - how in god's name did this movie have legit actors in it!?!  Like did they owe someone money?  I will never understand it.  Like ever.

I would absolutely not recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  Outside of joking with my friend about it who saw it opening day in theaters there is zero redeeming qualities to it.

The Secret Life Of Pets 2

The Secret Life of Pets 2 will follow summer 2016's blockbuster about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day. Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy will produce the sequel to the comedy that had the best opening ever for an original film, animated or otherwise. "The Secret Life of Pets 2" will see the return of writer Brian Lynch ("Minions") and once again be directed by Chris Renaud ("Despicable Me" series, "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax").

This is pretty much just an extension of the first one.  There were some laughs.  There were some cute characters.  Not really much else to say about it.  I liked the first one but didn't think it was the greatest animated movie like the high quality stuff that has come out.  And I feel pretty much exactly the same about this as that one.

I would still recommend people check this out - especially pet lovers and parents with their kids.