The Sun Is Also A Star

An adaptation of Nicola Yoon’s novel "The Sun is Also a Star." College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet—and fall for each other—over one magical day amidst the fervor and flurry of New York City. Sparks immediately fly between these two strangers, who might never have met had fate not given them a little push. But will fate be enough to take these teens from star-crossed to lucky in love? With just hours left on the clock in what looks to be her last day in the U.S., Natasha is fighting against her family’s deportation as fiercely as she’s fighting her budding feelings for Daniel, who is working just as hard to convince her they are destined to be together. A modern-day story about finding love against all odds, “The Sun Is Also a Star” explores whether our lives are determined by fate or the random events of the universe.

This was a decent "young adult" book adaption about the debate of science verses destiny.  There was a lot of cute romantic moments but unfortunately the movie lacks a true hook that prevents you from forgetting about the movie mostly five minutes after you have finished watching it.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing to see this.  It's not a bad watch necessarily.  It's just not really that memorable either.

Aladdin

The “Aladdin” cast includes: Two-time Oscar® nominee Will Smith (“Ali,” “Men in Black”) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (“Power Rangers”) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express”) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (“Homeland”) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (“Saturday Night Live”) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (“Into the Woods”) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (“Homeland”) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.

Aladdin is probably my favorite overall Disney movie.  Always has been since I've seen it.  So I was extremely nervous when I heard about this.  I was worried that it would never live up to the greatness that was the animated version.  I'm not going to say that this is awesome or must see BUT it was a pretty decent watch and they did a pretty impressive job with going live action on it.  The music was still there.  The laughs were still there.  I was pleasantly surprised.

I would recommend people checking this out.  But don't get too excited like I forced myself not to.  Because you will end up not liking it as much.

Booksmart

The story follows two academic superstars and best friends (Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever) who, on the eve of their high school graduation, suddenly realize that they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.

This movie was really funny.  I was surprised at how much it had me laughing from beginning to end.  Big fan of Beanie Feldstein and think she has a huge future and she killed it in this.  Her and Kaitlyn Dever had incredibly believable chemistry and played off of each other so very well.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It was very funny and very much worth the time to watch it.  

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is on the run for two reasons… he’s being hunted for a global $14 million dollar open contract on his life, and for breaking a central rule: taking a life on Continental Hotel grounds. The victim was a member of the High Table who ordered the open contract. John should have already been executed, except the Continental’s manager, Winston, has given him a one-hour grace period before he’s ‘Excommunicado’ – membership revoked, banned from all services and cut off from other members. John uses the service industry to stay alive as he fights and kills his way out of New York City.

It's absolutely crazy to me that this is a three movie franchise at this point.  It's even more baffling how much I thoroughly enjoy this franchise.  The action - while insane levels of unbelievable - is so badass that you can't not enjoy the crazyiness of it all.  I will happily keep watching Keanu Reeves mowing down guys for several more installments.

I would absolutely recommend people check this movie out.  Action fans will love it and its a great continuation of a surprisingly enjoyable movie franchise.

Detective Pikachu

"Detective Pikachu" is the first live-action film based on the globally popular Pokémon franchise and will star Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith ("Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom") and Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies). Smith will star as a teen whose father is kidnapped which leads him to Reynolds’ Pikachu and Kathryn Newton as a young journalist who team up in order to find him.

I was never into Pokémon so I'll be honest here.  I have absolutely no idea what I watched.  It was cool visually and Ryan Reynolds as the voice of a smartass Pikachu was entertaining but I have legit no idea what I just watched.

I'm really not the one who should say yay or nay to this because again I have no Pokémon knowledge whatsoever.  This is one of the only pop culture phenomenons that I was just never able to wrap my head around.

BrightBurn

What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? With Brightburn, the visionary filmmaker of Guardians of the Galaxy and Slither presents a startling, subversive take on a radical new genre: superhero horror.

This was an awesome concept, the trailer looked great and the movie absolutely delivered.  I love when a movie goes superhero but on a simple budget like this.  It had you on the edge numerous times.  There was not crazy special effects throughout and the movie was that much more intense and creepy because of it.

I would definitely recommend both scary movie fans and superhero movie fans checking this out because it is a very original take on the whole Superman story.  

The Hustle

Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson are nasty women in the big screen update of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." They’ll play variations on the roles originally played by Michael Caine and Steve Martin in the 1988 original. The new version will update the story by putting the focus on two lady cons attempting to get money from a rich tech prodigy.

This movie was massively disappointing.  I am a big fan of both of the leads and the chemistry between them was really good but it was an absolute waste in this movie with zero substance around them whatsoever.  Like nothing.  It was just the two of them and garbage.  Very disappointing.

I would not recommend anyone bother with this.  It is absolutely not worth your time or money.

A Dog's Journey

Audiences are invited along on A Dog’s Journey, the next chapter of the beloved bestselling series by author W. Bruce Cameron. The family film told from the dog’s perspective serves as the much-anticipated follow-up to the soulful story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love.

This was literally just more of the same from the first movie like this.  Total heartstrings but very cute from beginning to end.  Any animal lover is guaranteed to love this movie and any fan of the first one should obviously check this one out.

I would recommend this to all animal lovers.  It's a very cute family film that plucks every right heartstring along the way.

Breakthrough

Based on the Joyce Smith novel “The Impossible: The Miraculous Story of a Mother’s Faith and Her Child’s Resurrection,” based on the true story. When Joyce Smith’s fourteen-year-old son John fell through an icy Missouri lake one winter morning, she and her family had seemingly lost everything. At the hospital, John lay lifeless for more than sixty minutes. But Joyce was not ready to give up on her son. She mustered all her faith and strength into one force and cried out to God in a loud voice to save him. Miraculously, her son’s heart immediately started beating again. In the coming days, John would defy every expert, every case history, and every scientific prediction. Sixteen days after falling through the ice and being clinically dead for an hour, he walked out of the hospital under his own power, completely healed.

Usually these religious/spiritual movies are a total joke to me.  Like they are usually so blatant and forced that I pull the plug less than halfway through.  But there was something about this one.  It kept my interest straight through and found a lot of spiritually dead parts of me getting triggered a bit as I got caught up in the story.  That was pretty impressive.

I never thought I would say this but I would actually recommend people checking this bad boy out.  It's actually a very enjoyable and pretty realistic story - especially with the interactions between all the characters and what not.

The Best Of Enemies

The Best of Enemies follows the story of Ann Atwater (Henson), a civil rights activist in Durham, N.C., who battled Ku Klux Klan leader C.P. Ellis (Rockwell) for a decade until 1971, when the two agreed to co-chair a two-week community meeting to deal with a court-ordered school desegregation decree. That event changed both of their lives immeasurably.

This is one of those biographical movies that you know is good.  It's well acted.  It tells a great story.  But for some reason the movie is just kind of there.  You pretty much forget having watched it five minutes after its over.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing to see this.  There really is no reason to.  You can just wait to randomly catch this one on tv randomly.

Long Shot

Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen), an unemployed journalist battered by his own misfortune, endeavors to pursue his childhood crush and babysitter who now happens to be one of the most powerful and unattainable women on the planet (Charlize Theron).

Never in a million years did I think that this would be a good rom-com pairing.  Like it just didn't make sense whatsoever but that's obviously the hook.  This movie was very enjoyable.  You believe the chemistry between the two leads.  There are plenty of laughs throughout and you find yourself rooting for them and enjoying the ride.  By definition - this is a good rom-com.

I would surprisingly recommend people checking this bad boy out.  I enjoyed it very much and was pleasantly surprised.

Uglydolls

Unconventionality rules in UGLYDOLLS, the new animated musical adventure set in the adorably different town of Uglyville, where weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye.

This is not even worth me reviewing.  This is blatantly a kids movie.  This is very much NOT one of those animated movies that older kids and the adults that take them can enjoy too.  It is just for kids.  The message to the kids is great but it is not an enjoyable watch for anyone outside of them.

If you have small children - take them to see it and hopefully its in a theater with reclining seats so you can take a nap.  Outside of that scenario though - I would pass on seeing this ever.

Avengers: Endgame

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

Wow!  This is one hell of a massive wrap up to the 21 movie story that built up to it.  Like this movie was just an experience.  A massive experience that is so much bigger than seeing a movie.  Especially with the writing layers on top of layers in this movie.  Don't want to spoil anything but they really respect pretty much everything that came before this movie and then move forward effecting anything that will come out in the future.  This ride has truly been amazing.

I would of course absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a truly amazing watch and you really forget that you are sitting there and taking it all in for three hours.  

Little

The Universal Pictures comedy centers on a woman who gets the chance to relive the carefree life as her younger self (Martin), when the pressures of adulthood become too much.

Wow!  This movie was beyond unfunny.  I dozed off three times during an incredibly garbage first half of the movie and then decided to pull the plug.  Even without finishing it I have no doubt how the rest of the movie played out.  That's how formula it all was.

Nobody should bother with this movie.  Ever.  It was a really lame attempt at bringing back a beaten to death movie formula from the 80s and 90s that clearly should have been left alone.

The Curse Of La Llorona

La Llorona. The Weeping Woman. A horrifying apparition, caught between Heaven and Hell, trapped in a terrible fate sealed by her own hand. The mere mention of her name has struck terror around the world for generations. In life, she drowned her children in a jealous rage, throwing herself in the churning river after them as she wept in pain. Now her tears are eternal. They are lethal, and those who hear her death call in the night are doomed. La Llorona creeps in the shadows and preys on the children, desperate to replace her own. As the centuries have passed, her desire has grown more voracious…and her methods more terrifying.  In 1970s Los Angeles, La Llorona is stalking the night—and the children.“Ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own small kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm. Their only hope to survive La Llorona’s deadly wrath may be a disillusioned priest and the mysticism he practices to keep evil at bay, on the fringes where fear and faith collide. Beware of her chilling wail…she will stop at nothing to lure you into the gloom. Because there is no peace for her anguish. There is no mercy for her soul. And there is no escape from the curse of La Llorona.

This is one of those pretty watered down scary movies.  They had some good sight or moment scares but not really much past that.  The story was decent and had a pretty good build but it was just one of those watered down scary movies that could have been so much better if they really went all in for frights instead of making something for all audiences.  

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It's just background noise and not really worth anyone's time or money.

Hellboy

Hellboy is back, and he’s on fire. From the pages of Mike Mignola’s seminal work, this action packed story sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, “Stranger Things”) called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants. There he discovers The Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil series), a resurrected ancient sorceress thirsting to avenge a past betrayal. Suddenly caught in a clash between the supernatural and the human, Hellboy is now hell-bent on stopping Nimue without triggering the end of the world.

Wow!  This was really, really bad.  Like really bad.  Like why did they bother doing this?  I was ready to pull the plug halfway through and it really just became background noise at that point.  I was a big fan of the original one and was even okay with the sequel.  I tried not to get excited about this one but I kind of did and that might have backfired on me because I thought this was total garbage

I would not recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It was a total waste of time.

Missing Link

The charismatic Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by Hugh Jackman) considers himself to be the world's foremost investigator of myths and monsters. The trouble is none of his small-minded high-society peers seems to recognize this. Sir Lionel's last chance for acceptance by the adventuring elite rests on traveling to America's Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of a legendary creature. A living remnant of Man's primitive ancestry. The Missing Link.

This movie was a pretty decent watch.  It wasn't must see animation for all but it was worth checking out and should have done better box office wise than it did.  There were decent laughs, the story was well paced and the animation was pretty cool.  Cant really complain about the movie but can't really praise it either.  Ultimately its just kind of there I guess.

I would casually recommend families checking this out.  It is not a must see by any means whatsoever but you could definitely do much, much worse.

Shazam

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong).

This was one of those movies that is kind of hard to review.  Because superhero movies have become so much more for adults than kids you tend to watch them a certain way.  This movie went back to the roots of superhero movies and was very much for families and kids more so than adults.  It was not bad for what it was.  Honestly I can't complain about this one nearly as much as usual DC entries.  But it is nowhere near the level of most superhero movies of today.  It felt like an 80s family movie NOT your usual stuff now.

I would recommend families check this out because it is an enjoyable watch.  It's just not your usual superhero movie for those looking for something like that.

Pet Sematary

An updated version of Stephen King's "Pet Sematary." The following is how the 1983 book is described:
"The road in front of Dr. Louis Creed's rural Maine home frequently claims the lives of neighborhood pets. Louis has recently moved from Chicago to Ludlow with his wife Rachel, their children and pet cat. Near their house, local children have created a cemetery for the dogs and cats killed by the steady stream of transports on the busy highway. Deeper in the woods lies another graveyard, an ancient Indian burial ground whose sinister properties Louis discovers when the family cat is killed."

The first Pet Sematary was honestly one of the scariest movies ever when I was younger.  Like that movie royally messed me up.  I actually used to have to jump off my bed for years because of the paranoia created in my head from that movie.  So I was very torn on this one thinking that they would not be able to do it as well.  But I was wrong.  They did a great job of recreating the building tension and creepiness and the third act of the movie was edge of your seat stuff all over again.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out if you like scary movies.  It is a very enjoyable watch.

Dumbo

From Disney and visionary director Tim Burton, the all-new grand live-action adventure “Dumbo” expands on the beloved classic story where differences are celebrated, family is cherished and dreams take flight. Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.

This was a very cute and cookie cutter version of the animated movie from what I can remember.  It was never one of my Disney favorites but everything seemed pretty much the same.  I thought that it would be a little quirkier because of Tim Burton directing but it was not.  It was very simple, formula and  cute fun for a live action Disney remake.

I would definitely recommend people - especially families - checking this movie out.  It's not a  must see like some of the others but it is quite enjoyable.  

Us

A mother (Lupita Nyong’o) and a father (Winston Duke) take their kids to their beach house expecting to unplug and unwind with friends (including Emmy winner Elizabeth Moss from TV series The Handmaid’s Tale). But as night descends, their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some shocking visitors arrive uninvited.

This was one weird, disturbing and massive tension causing movie.  I was legit tense watching it from start to finish.  There were points where I had no clue what was happening.  There were points where I was getting annoyed that I didn't know why things were happening.  There were times where I was laughing and wondering why or if it was okay to be laughing.  But the whole time I was tense.  I also absolutely need to watch this movie again to make sure that I even really took it in right and am not overthinking or anything like that.

This was a very intense and enjoyable watch and very much a movie to talk about afterwards.  Great acting all around and the direction was once again awesome.

Five Feet Apart

What would love look like if you were forbidden to touch? "Five Feet Apart" is the story of Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) and Will (Cole Sprouse), two young people who refuse to be defined by the obstacles that separate them. Moises Arias will co-star as Poe, Stella’s lifelong best friend.

I thought that this movie would be massively melodramatic and I have to say I was shocked that it ended up not being that.  Outside of a little over the top stuff towards the end that was very not necessary drama wise - this movie was actually really enjoyable.  It didn't overdo it with the heart strings.  The characters and their chemistry was very believable.  Very surprised.

I would actually recommend people checking this one out.  Never went into it thinking I would be saying those words or that it would even be able to hold my attention like it was able to.

Wonder Park

Wonder Park tells the story of a magnificent amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive.

This was one of those animated movies that sucks by comparison to most others based on the standards that now exist about the movies being just as enjoyable for adults as it is for kids.  This movie was really just for kids which is funny when you think about it because that is technically who all of these movies are for.  It's a decent watch but nowhere near the level of others that I would usually recommend.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It's just noise to put on to distract younger kids for a while at home when needing a break.

Captive State

Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, "Captive State" explores the lives on both sides of the conflict – the collaborators and dissidents.

This was a very strange watch.  Like it was an alien movie with very little aliens.  It was like political but sci-fi at the same time.  And the weirdness of that kind of ended up making it a decent watch.  Not sure if that makes sense but it definitely was worth checking out.  I wouldn't say that it is must watch by any means but I enjoyed it.

I would sort of recommend it.  I just think I liked it because it was different but I'm not sure that I could just openly recommend people checking this out.  

Captain Marvel

The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, “Captain Marvel” is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Again . . . . . . . Marvel does not do bad.  I actually thought this might be the one with how it started.  It was very scattered and kind of all over the place at first but it managed to smooth itself out after about 20 minutes and become a very enjoyable ride that introduced a great lynchpin type of character in Captain Marvel.  It's going to be a lot of fun watching her banter with the current Avengers.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It was a great origin story.  It's not one of Marvel's top movies but still incredibly enjoyable and a great ride.

A Madea Family Funeral

A joyous family reunion becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil unsavory family secrets.

This is pretty much more of the same Tyler Perry stuff.  If you think Madea is funny (which I still do) there are lots of laughs in those parts.  The rest of the movie is over the top melodramatic nonsense.  These movies are always 50/50 for me.  

I would not recommend anyone rushing to see this.  Very much not must see material.  The Madea stuff has been getting old for years.  Some good laughs but not nearly enough.

Fighting With My Family

Fighting With My Family is a heartwarming comedy based on the incredible true story of WWE Superstar Paige™. Born into a tight-knit wrestling family, Paige and her brother Zak are ecstatic when they get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she must leave her family and face this new, cut-throat world alone. Paige’s journey pushes her to dig deep, fight for her family, and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star.

This was a really enjoyable movie.  Granted - it helps to be a WWE fan in order to enjoy it but honestly even if you are not - it was a really well developed movie where you get hooked by the characters and their voyage regardless of being a fan or not.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  Its a great story and you can't help but get wrapped up in it.  

The Prodigy

Taylor Schilling stars as Sarah, a mother whose young son Miles' disturbing behavior signals that an evil, possibly supernatural force has overtaken him. Fearing for her family's safety, Sarah must grapple with her maternal instinct to love and protect Miles in favor of investigating what - or who - is causing his dark turn. She is forced to look for answers in the past, taking the audience on a wild ride; one where the line between perception and reality remains blurry.

This is another one of those prime example early in the year horror movie releases.  They are just made for the quick opening weekend money and out of theaters within two weeks.  This was basically a made for tv movie on like Lifetime or something that somehow made it to the big screen.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bother with this.  It's pretty much just there and a big waste of time.  

Isn't It Romantic

New York City architect Natalie works hard to get noticed at her job, but is more likely to be asked to deliver coffee and bagels than to design the city’s next skyscraper. And if things weren’t bad enough, Natalie, a lifelong cynic when it comes to love, has an encounter with a mugger that renders her unconscious, waking to discover that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare, a romantic comedy and she is the leading lady.

I am shocked at how much I enjoyed this movie.  Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of Rebel Wilson.  I just figured that this would be one of those movies where all the good stuff was in the trailer.  But the fact that the movie didn't take itself seriously and really mocked the whole genre perfectly made it crazy entertaining.  The movie was short, to the point and really witty with its commentary on rom-coms.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It had plenty of laughs and was really an enjoyable watch.

What Men Want

Ali Davis (Taraji P. Henson) is a successful sports agent who’s constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. When Ali is passed up for a well-deserved promotion, she questions what else she needs to do to succeed in a man’s world... until she gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts! With her newfound power, Ali looks to outsmart her colleagues as she races to sign the next basketball superstar, but the lengths she has to go to will put her relationship with her best friends and a potential new love interest (Aldis Hodge) to the test.

This movie was watchable and had a couple of good laughs but it is very much the type of movie that gets ruined by the trailer.  All the good stuff was already in there and you pretty much have seen the movie by seeing the trailer.  There was nothing I didn't see coming and nothing original whatsoever.  It's a shame because I like Taraji P Henson a lot but this definitely continued her streak of blah movies.

I wouldn't really recommend that anyone bother with this.  It's just kind of there and again not much to see past the material in the trailer.  It could have been so much better.

Happy Death Day 2U

Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard will reprise their roles from the first film. Suraj Sharma is also joining the sequel as Samar Ghosh, a science enthusiast and geek who enjoys coding in his spare time. Sarah Yarkin will play Dre Morgan, a science geek and tomboy with a sleepy feline gaze who is Samar’s partner-in-crime. "Happy Death Day 2U" will pick up where the first film left off in a “Back to the Future-like style.”

Not really sure why a sequel was needed to this.  The first one was better than I thought it would be but only because I had bottom of the barrel expectations.  To make a sequel off of that is questionable at best.  And it very much was nowhere near as enjoyable as the first one.  This came off as much more rushed and desperate considering that there was barely enough material for the first one.

I wouldn't really recommend that anyone bother with what was a very pointless sequel.  It's really not worth it and should not have been bothered with at all.  

Alita: Battle Angel

Based upon the graphic novel ("Manga") series "GUNNM" by Yukito Kishiro - From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (AVATAR) and Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY), comes ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past - she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she's grown to love.

I really enjoyed this movie.   I wasn't really sure what to think from the movies because it was going to be one of those science fiction movies where how good it is was totally dependent on whether they were able to transport you to their made up world or not.  This movie did a great job of taking you there.  You really bought that this world could exist and visually effects wise it was really cool.  The action was also awesome throughout.  I really liked it a lot and was pleasantly surprised.

I would definitely recommend fans of these kinds of movies checking this out.  It really had a little of everything in it and I enjoyed it a lot.

Cold Pursuit

Cold Pursuit is an action thriller infused with irreverent humor, stars Liam Neeson as Nels Coxman, a family man whose quiet life with his wife (Laura Dern) is upended following the mysterious death of their son.

This movie was literally one of those where if you watched the trailer - you saw the movie.  No surprises.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Just a longer version of the two minute trailer that you essentially forget all about 10 minutes after its over.  

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this.   Wait for cable or something when you accidentally find it on because there is really no need to go out of your way to watch this.

heir son. Nels' search for justice turns into a vengeful hunt for Viking (Tom Bateman), a drug lord he believes is connected to the death. As one by one each of Viking's associates "disappear," Nels goes from upstanding citizen to ice-cold vigilante, letting nothing and no one get in his way.

Miss Bala

A beauty contest winner is forced to work for a crime boss after she witnesses a murder. The movie is a remake of the 2011 film, Miss Bala.

This movie was literally one of those where if you watched the trailer - you saw the movie.  No surprises.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Just a longer version of the two minute trailer that you essentially forget all about 10 minutes after its over.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this.   Wait for cable or something when you accidentally find it on because there is really no need to go out of your way to watch this.

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is the much-anticipated culmination of one of the most beloved animated film franchises in history. As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind.

Wow!!!   I can't think of a single movie franchise that means more to me than this one does.  Like even more than Star Wars.  I have been massively connected to these movies from the beginning because the Hiccup and Toothless relationship is virtually identical to the one I had with my son/cat, J.  And this entry was no different.  It was legit a perfect ending to this trilogy of stories.  The animation was absolutely amazing just like the previous two.  The characters were all great.  And the connection between Hiccup and Toothless as they both grow up is equal parts heartbreaking and the most beautiful thing ever.  I was pretty much ugly face crying by the end of this movie and loved every second of it.

I give this movie the must see stamp.  Again - it is a great conclusion to this story and these characters.   This series is the best non-Disney animation of all time as far as I'm concerned.  It's honestly better than most Disney too.

The LEGO Movie: The Second Part

A sequel to the original 3D computer animated film, which follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Let's be honest . . . . .  how could they go wrong with this movie?   Just do more of the same.  Have similar laughs, humor and references throughout and the movie would be all good.  And that is exactly what they did.  You still have the characters you love from the first.  You still have the constant laughs and sight gags.   You still have great musical numbers and songs that will stay with you long after the movie is over.  And you get a couple of new and interesting characters too.  Pretty much your textbook very enjoyable sequel.

I would fully recommend people checking this out.  Both adults and kids are sure to fully enjoy the break from the world and laughs while going to see this.

The Kid Who Would Be King

The Kid Who Would be King tells the story of Alex, a twelve-year-old British schoolboy whose everyday problems are dwarfed by his discovery of the mythical sword Excalibur. Now, with the most powerful sword in history in the hands of the most powerless schoolboy in Britain, an epic adventure begins as Alex and his friends must thwart a medieval villain named Morgana, who is hell-bent on destroying the world.

This was your textbook January released family film.  It has no business really being in theaters or getting a wide release but at this point families are so desperate to take their kids to something not called Mary Poppins that Hollywood throws something like this out there to take the parents' money.  And that is pretty much exactly what this is.  A borderline at best family movie to watch that takes a known story, puts a twist on it and preaches a bunch of morals and what not to the kids and families that are watching.

I wouldn't really recommend families drop the money it would cost to go see this on this movie.  I know it's like a few more weeks but there will be much better family movie options soon with Lego Movie 2 and How To Train Your Dragon 3.  Just wait for those.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Melissa McCarthy stars in the adaptation of the memoir Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer (and friend to cats) Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) who made her living in the 1970’s and 80’s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. When Lee is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant).

This is one of those movies where you know the movie is well done and the acting is really good but there was literally no hook fully keeping me interested in it.  Like I watched the whole thing.  Didn't want to pull the plug because it was bad.   But it was really just there without that hook.  Which is incredibly unfortunate because I love Melissa McCarthy and the story was really good.  I just don't know what it was.   It was definitely missing the emotional or attention hook.

I wouldn't really recommend people bothering with this.   It was just one of those "kind of there" movies.

Serenity

From the creative mind of Steven Knight comes a daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller. Baker Dill (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey) is a fishing boat captain leading tours off a tranquil, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island. His quiet life is shattered, however, when his ex-wife Karen (Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway) tracks him down with a desperate plea for help. She begs Dill to save her – and their young son – from her new, violent husband (Jason Clarke) by taking him out to sea on a fishing excursion, only to throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead. Karen’s appearance thrusts Dill back into a life he’d tried to forget, and as he struggles between right and wrong, his world is plunged into a new reality that may not be all that it seems.

Wow!  This was like legendarily bad.  How in the blue hell were there this many legit actors in this movie?  What was the thought process here?   This movie was outright garbage.  The acting was terrible.  The story was terrible.  The editing and camerawork were terrible.  Just straight yuck.  I'm usually a fan of Anne Hathaway but this was easily her most annoying performance I've ever seen.

I would not recommend anyone watching this.  Like ever.  It was really a giant piece of garbage.

On The Basis Of Sex

The film tells an inspiring and spirited true story that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the Supreme Court and overturn a century of gender discrimination. The feature will premiere in 2018 in line with Justice Ginsburg’s 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court.

I honestly saw this movie because it was free and a time killer and did not expect to get as hooked by it as I did.  The acting was really top notch and the story was told in a way that kept my attention much more than I thought it would.  I'm actually surprised that this movie didn't get more award season love than it did.

I would recommend people checking this out.   It's another movie that is not must see material but if you have the time it is a very enjoyable biographical watch.  

If Beale Street Could Talk

Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk is the story of Tish, a newly-engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first-born child. It is a celebration of love told through the story of a young couple, their families and their lives, trying to bring about justice through love, for love and the promise of the American dream.

I was a little bit sketchy about seeing this movie because it was from the guy that did Moonlight.  So I totally expected one of those movies that you know is a good movie but is boring as hell.  I was pleasantly surprised though.  This movie was actually really good and did a great job of showing the effects of what was going on through several different sets of eyes and ages.

I would recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it is a very well acted and scripted movie.  

Glass

Following the conclusion of Split, Glass finds Dunn pursuing Crumb's superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men. - Sarah Paulson joins the film as a psychiatrist who describes herself as someone that specializes in “individuals who believe they are superheroes.” Present among her patients at a Philadelphia asylum are David Dunn, Elijah Price, aka Mr. Glass, and Kevin Wendell Crumb, aka The Horde.

This was literally a movie split in two halves.  The first half was awesome.  The story was coming together awesome and all the characters were being done justice by equally.  The pacing was great and James McAvoy was killing it just like he did in Split.  But then once the three main characters were together - the movie suddenly stopped moving forward and slowed down to a snail's pace.  It was literally like night and day and extremely disappointing after such a solid start.

I would still recommend people check this out if you are invested in the two movies coming together but just be sure to keep your expectations low because it definitely plays out pretty flat after a very promising start.

A Dog's Way Home

Adaptation of the best-seller by W. Bruce Cameron. A Dog’s Way Home chronicles the heartwarming adventure of Bella, a dog who embarks on an epic 400-mile journey home after she is separated from her beloved human, Lucas, an aspiring med student and VA hospital volunteer. Bella touches the lives of many during her unwavering quest; from an orphaned mountain lion cub to a homeless veteran down on his luck, Bella brings joy and comfort to everyone she meets with her unique spirit and faith.

Wow!   This was pretty much one of the most blatant heart string pulling movies of all time but it was done in a way that I honestly didn't care and was able to enjoy it regardless.  It was pretty much the definition of cute and an absolute must see for any animal lover.  There is no way that you can watch this movie and not go home to your pet and love them that much more.  

I would definitely recommend anyone interested checking this out.  It is a very cute and fun watch that will make you laugh and cry.  Plus - it is a perfect family film.  

Mary, Queen Of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart. Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth 1. Each young Queen beholds her “sister” in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth’s sovereignty. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones – and change the course of history.

Like I said recently with my thoughts on The Favourite.   These period piece movies are just not my thing.  I just have such a mental block that I can't get past all the pomp and circumstance stuff to really enjoy the movie unless the movie is knock it out of the park great.   This one came pretty close and it was because of the acting of the two leads.  They really did an awesome job and kept me interested in the historical development of their roles and the connection between the two.  The pacing and story were told very well too.

I would recommend that people check this out.  Again - these are not really my kind of movie but this one was definitely done well enough with great acting in order to keep me hooked.  So I would give it the nod.  

The Upside

The Upside chronicles the unexpected friendship between Phillip Lacasse (Cranston), a Park Avenue billionaire left paralyzed after a hang-gliding accident, and convicted felon Dell (Hart), recently released from prison and in need of a job and a fresh start. From worlds apart, Phillip and Dell form an unlikely bond, bridging their differences and gaining invaluable wisdom in the process, giving each man a renewed sense of passion for all of life’s possibilities.

This was an awesome pairing onscreen chemistry wise.  Kevin Hart and Byran Cranston were perfectly paired in this movie and played off of each other so well.  You really believed a lot of the odd couple bantering and the caring that developed between the two characters.  The old two people from different worlds, both flawed and learning from each other how to change for the better story was perfectly played out because of this great chemistry.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It is a very enjoyable watch with lots of laugh and heart throughout.  

Escape Room

An elevated psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to survive.

This is one of those movies that you pretty much know exactly how its going to go from the trailer.  There was no curveballs whatsoever and it was a decent shut your brain off and watch movie.  It also wasn't overly gory in the Saw franchise way which I appreciated because there really is no need for that massive over the top stuff.  I only watched this to keep my mind busy and it did its job . . . . . . surprisingly better than I thought it would.

I would actually kind of recommend people checking this out.  It was a pretty decent watch based on what it was.  

The Favourite

The Favourite is a bawdy, acerbic tale of royal intrigue, passion, envy and betrayal in the court of Queen Anne in early 18th century England. At the center of the story is the Queen herself (Olivia Colman), whose relationship with her confidante, adviser and clandestine lover Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) is turned upside down by the arrival of the Duchess’s younger cousin Abigail (Emma Stone). Soon the balance of power shifts between the women as they jockey for influence with the Queen and the court.

These movies are just not my thing.  I always try.  Especially when they get the crazy buzz around award season.   But it is extremely rare that I am able to give a positive review to these period pieces.  I know that the movies are well done and this one was.  I know that the acting is top notch and it definitely was in this one.  But I just can't really get into them no matter how hard I try.

I wouldn't really recommend peeps checking this out but my opinion again is pretty biased with these movies.  If you are into period pieces like this - I am pretty sure you will like this one.  If you don't like me - this one will not sway you.

Vice

The project reunites award-winning director and co-writer Adam McKay with Christian Bale and Steve Carell, as well as Amy Adams. Bale will be headlining as former Vice President Dick Cheney, with Adams as his wife Lynne Cheney, Sam Rockwell as George W. Bush, Carell as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Tyler Perry as Colin Powell, and Bill Pullman as former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Cheney is regarded as one of the most powerful and influential U.S. Vice Presidents in history, having served under (and, as many regard, OVER) George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. The former Halliburton chairman/CEO — who also served in the Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush administrations — was a hawkish proponent of the War on Terror and the Iraq War, and eventually left office with a 13% approval rating.

I am at a total loss of how to review this movie.  I'm not really a political or history kind of guy so was not interested from that standpoint.  The filming style was weird as hell and I found it pretty annoying throughout.  I also could not remotely tell if this was supposed to be a drama or a comedy throughout the movie and that annoyed the hell out of me too.  I just really was not a fan in any way of this movie.

I wouldn't recommend anyone checking this out but this is one of those things where I'm probably not the best reference because of me not caring at all about politics or history.  So you should probably check out some other reviews.

The Ten Best Movies Of 2018

Honorable Mention - There are a couple of them . . . . .
Hereditary - this was a crazy psychological thriller that left a ton of screwy images in my head but the ending was a little bit off
Searching - never thought I would enjoy one of those gimmicky social media related, everything happens on a computer screen or monitor type of movie as much as I enjoyed this
Blackkklansman - very well done and deserves all the accolades it will get but was definitely waaaay too long
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse - shocked that the best Spider-Man entry to come from Sony is an animated one with a crazy over the top story and a ton of different main characters but this was awesome

10 - Ready Player One
I loved the book and I loved the movie although they were both majorly different.  It is beyond rare that a movie can change so much from a book and I still love it and honestly see it as a different entity that is better because of the said changes.

9 - The Incredibles 2
The movie was a little bit too long and I hate that I had to wait so long for what should have been the most obvious sequel of all time but the movie was still great and they did right by all the different characters that you are crazy fond of.

8 - Bird Box
This one didn't open in theaters and was a Netflix original and I will never understand why.  This was a very well done psychological thriller and much better than 95% of the garbage that gets released in theaters.

7 - The Mule
Clint Eastwood proved again how his movies that he directs with him as the lead are amazing and the ones that he directs and is not in are usually turds.

6 - Mission Impossible: Fallout
Always have been a huge fan of this franchise but this one took it to a whole other level.  The fighting and action were awesome and somehow seemed more real than before.

5 - Black Panther
This movie was absolutely amazing on so many levels.  The only knock that I can make against it is that it had two of the best villains not named Loki in the Marvel franchise so far and did away with both of them.  Outside of that - EVERYTHING worked in this bad boy.

4 - Avengers: Infinity War
I will never understand for the life of me how you could have this many characters in a movie, have such sky high expectations for it and completely drive it so far out of the park.  Marvel is truly amazing and we are all so privileged to be able to see this stuff play out so masterfully.

3 - Green Book
Excellent on screen chemistry.  Excellent story telling from both a nationality point of view and a historical point of view.  I figured I would like this movie but was caught way off guard with how much I actually ended up loving it.

2 - A Quiet Place
I have never had a more immersive and tense movie going experience than this movie.  I was legit sore when the movie was over because of how tense it made me from beginning to end.  And to do it with literally minimal amounts of actual talking is so impressive.  Didn't think I could be a bigger fan of John Krazinski and then he directed this.  Truly top notch.

1 - A Star Is Born
I have never seen better on screen chemistry between an actor and actress in my life.  I was so completely sucked in by this movie and loved this pairing so much.  Just like with A Quiet Place - the fact that Bradley Cooper directed this just makes the movie that much more impressive.  His camerawork and use of certain techniques to build drama or love was amazing.  I could see this ending up as my favorite "date" movie of all time.

The Ten Worst Movies Of 2018

Dishonorable Mention - Maze Runner: The Death Cure
I had read all these books, loved the first one and thought the second one was pretty good.  This last entry just seemed like a throwaway effort and was super disappointing.

10 - A Wrinkle In Time
It really is difficult for Disney to deliver any giant turds at this point with all that huge movies that they are churning out.  2019 looks like its going to be absolutely insane.  But this one was a huge piece of garbage.  And it involved Oprah too!!!  This was massively overdone and never hooked me one bit from beginning to end.

9 - Boo 2: A Madea Halloween
Don't get me wrong.  I somehow still find the Madea character very funny.  It just can't be so often and everyone of her movies is already kind of like a "sequel".  To make an actual sequel to one of the crappiest Madea movies is just a blatant money grab.

8 - Venom
This is proof yet again that Sony needs to just relinquish all rights of the Spider-Man franchise back to Marvel.  This movie was total garbage and even worse considering the quality of actors signed on to it.  I was so annoyed by this movie that I ended up being that guy in the theater that heckles the screen.

7 - Slender Man
Another one of those really lame PG-13 "scary" movies that I basically stop paying attention after like 20 minutes of boredom and annoyance.

6 - Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again
I will never understand what it is about these movies.  I love musicals.  I have always had a tremendous soft spot for them.  I love the majority of the cast in these movies.  The publicity for it was hilarious and I hoped this would be different than the first.  But it wasn't.  I tried but couldn't even make it past like 45 minutes because it just annoys me so much and feels so cartoonishly forced.

5 - Bad Times At The El Royale
There is something that always bothers me about movies that try really really hard to be edgy and different and completely fail.  Like wanna be Tarantino movies kind of.  That is exactly what this movie was and I couldn't even finish it.  Crazy considering the cast in it.

4 - Fifty Shades Freed
Thank god that this franchise is over.  Worst onscreen chemistry I have ever seen and I have never seen a less sexy movie mostly about sex before.  So bad.

3 - A.X.L.
How do movie studios have millions of dollars to make and market movies like this.  It is truly baffling.   Like make this truly pointless movie or feed the country of Ethiopia for months?   How is that a question?

2 -Alpha
What do you get when you have a filmmaker who is clearly just obsessed with amazing cinematography but obviously nothing else?  This movie.  Stick to the National Geographic channel, fella.

1 - Action Point
See my comments about A.X.L. above and add to it the amount of physical harm that people were put in making this bomb of the year.  I was a fan of a lot of the Jackass stuff but trying to put that to an actual story is just a recipe for the worst movie of the year.