Black And Blue

Black and Blue follows a rookie cop in New Orleans who accidentally stumbles on some fellow officers murdering a drug dealer, an incident captured by the body cam on her uniform. When they then fail to execute her she escapes and is hunted throughout the night by the narcs who are desperate to destroy the incriminating footage.

This movie was 100% what you would expect it to be from the trailer.  It's a PSA type of movie showing people how they should be.  Exposes bad cops that can't be trusted.  Exposes society for being wrong at times and shows how both should be by the actions of the two leads.  Still a very watchable movie regardless though.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this movie out.  It is not a must watch by any means but I didn't hate watching it.  

The Lighthouse

From Robert Eggers, the visionary filmmaker behind modern horror masterpiece The Witch, comes this hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

What the hell did I just watch?  Like . . . . . . . . . . . what!?!  I get it.  This is one of those very well filmed movies from a directorial standpoint but what the actual hell did I watch?  So weird.  So random.  This movie was like a tough to make it through two man play that was turned into a movie for some reason.  Yet - it will have critics oohing and aaaahhing because of the style of it.

I would absolutely not recommend anyone bothering with this.  It's a giant waste of time while you try to hold out for a payoff.

Jojo Rabbit

In "Jojo Rabbit", writer director Taika Waititi, brings his signature style of humor and pathos to a World War II satire. The story follows an awkward young German boy (Roman Griffin) raised by a single mother (Scarlett Johansson), and whose only ally is his imaginary friend Hitler (Waititi). His naïve patriotism is tested when he meets a young girl (Thomasin McKenzie) who upends his world views, forcing him to face his biggest fears.

This was such an awkwardly funny movie.  Like I did not want to be laughing about this subject matter but I was straight up cracking up at times.  Like from completely out of nowhere satire humor about stuff that satire is very difficult to accomplish.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  This movie was very well written from a satirical standpoint and like I said makes you laugh about something that I never thought could make me laugh.  

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil

A fantasy adventure that picks up several years after Maleficent, in which audiences learned of the events that hardened the heart of Disney’s most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora, Maleficent II continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen, as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.

This was a very enjoyable fantasy movie.  Angelina Jolie was excellent again as Maleficent.  The action was good, the pacing was good and everything built up to a huge payoff fantasy creatures battle.  Was there a lot of substance to it?  Not really.  But was a fun ride at the movie theater?  Yes!

I would recommend people checking this out.  It was not a must see by any means but it was a very enjoyable ride type of a movie.

Zombieland: Double Tap

Set in a zombie post-apocalypse and filtered through a darkly comic lens, the original "Zombieland" hit theaters in 2009 and stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin as survivors attempting to outlast the living dead.

This is basically more of the same from the first.  Great cast.  10 years later.  They mock how much zombie stuff has happened since then.  They mock themselves and that it took 10 years to make the sequel.  They took some shots at The Walking Dead.   And there were lots of laughs from beginning to end.

I would absolutely recommend anyone who enjoyed the first one.  This is a textbook more of the same sequel that was lots of fun.

The Addams Family

Get ready to snap your fingers! The Addams Family is back on the big screen in the first animated comedy about the kookiest family on the block. Funny, outlandish, and completely iconic, the Addams Family redefines what it means to be a good neighbor.

A cute enough family film with really great voice casting.  Its the same characters that we have known for years and have been reinvented over and over again but this time its animated for kids.  Parents are able to enjoy it along with the kids so it's not just a money grab.

I would recommend families checking this out.  Its a good Columbus Day weekend release to kill some time together.

Gemini Man

"Gemini Man" is an innovative action thriller starring Will Smith as Henry Brogan, an elite assassin, who is suddenly targeted and pursued by a mysterious young operative that seemingly can predict his every move.

This movie was a decent watch.  Honestly can't complain about it.  Come on - its TWO Will Smiths.  The action was great.  The pacing was good.  The only thing is that there was not a major hook that really got you.  It was watchable and enjoyable but I will forget about this movie in less than a week.

I would kind of recommend people checking this out.  It is not by any means a must watch.  

Joker

Director Todd Phillips’ original, standalone origin story “Joker” explores the world of—and according to—Arthur Fleck. Indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur is a man facing the cruelty and outright scorn of society, along with the indifference of a system that allows him to spiral from vulnerability into depravity. A clown-for-hire by day, he strives to be a stand-up comic at night…but finds that the joke always seems to be on him. He’s out of tune with everyone around him, as evidenced by his uncontrollable, inappropriate laughter, which gains momentum as he attempts to contain it, exposing him to further ridicule—and even violence. Arthur, who devotes himself to caring for his fragile mother, seeks out every father figure he’s never had, from wealthy businessman Thomas Wayne to TV host Murray Franklin. Caught in a cyclical existence teetering on the precipice of reality and madness, one bad decision brings about a chain reaction of escalating, ultimately deadly, events.

Okay.  This one was rough.  IF this was a movie about someone struggling with their mental health and their downward spiral into being psychotic, this would be one of the best movies of the year with a lock for Best Actor for Phoenix.  Like my best friend said - they could have even called it Clown if they wanted and had him paint his face as part of his act or whatever - still awesome.  Perhaps if it was even advertised as an artistic character drama - still all good.  But as an origin story of Joker - this fails on pretty much every level.  This should never have been tied to a known entity much less several known entities because they will go nowhere with it moving forward PLUS its a totally different origin than we have been shown more times than I can could already.  Imagine watching a new Spider-Man but he gets stung by a bee instead.  Like that is how this felt.  It basically annoyed the hell out of me that this was tied to a known character and essentially prevented me from liking it.

Whether I recommend it or not really doesn't matter.  If you want to see this you are still seeing this.  It is just MASSIVELY falsely advertised and 100% should not have been about Joker.  

Abominable

"Abominable" takes audiences on a 3,000-mile journey from the exotic streets of Shanghai to the breathtaking Himalayan snowscapes. When a group of misfits encounter a young Yeti named Everest, they embark upon an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth.

This is the textbook end of September family release that tries to capitalize on the Jewish holidays and the kids having off so much.  The movies released around now are usually pretty hit or miss in terms of being worth it.  I actually enjoyed this one.  It was better than the usual entries and what not.  Cute enough characters and the movie was well paced until some extra stuff towards the end.

I would recommend families checking this out.  It is worth the time and money or at least much more than the usual options are.

Judy

Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland (Zellweger) arrives in Swinging London to perform in a sell-out run at The Talk of the Town. It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of romance seem undimmed as she embarks on a courtship with Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband. Featuring some of her best-known songs, the film celebrates the voice, the capacity for love, and the sheer pizzazz of “the world’s greatest entertainer.”

This movie was all about Zellwegger's performance as Judy Garland.  And all the buzz was spot on.  She was absolutely incredible.  Like beyond incredible.  The thing is that the movie basically has no substance whatsoever outside of the performance.  Like it ends up being pretty boring once you get past her acting.  But the acting really is going to get a bunch of nominations.

I would recommend people checking this out solely for the performance.  But the movie itself is not all that good.