Demon Slayer - The Movie

A boy raised by boars who wears a boar's head and another boy who reveals his true power when he sleeps, board the Infinity Train on a new mission with the Flame Pillar. Their mission is to defeat a demon who has been tormenting people and killing the demon slayers who oppose it.

I never in a million years thought that I would get into anime.  But Covid-19 forced down time has managed to open that door and I'm pretty much addicted.   This was the second show that I binged so I checked out the movie after the season was over.   This was a very enjoyable continuation of the series and even though the second half of the movie was much better than the first it was still a great watch.

If you are an anime fan I would definitely recommend watching the series and following up with this movie.   It is a great watch and continuation of a great story.

Wrath Of Man

Mysterious and wild-eyed, a new security guard for a cash truck surprises his co-workers when he unleashes precision skills during a heist. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman's ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

This is pretty much your textbook Jason Statham movie.  I have always been able to enjoy them and have been a fan of Guy Ritchie movies too.  Is this movie anything more than what you would expect after seeing the trailer?  Not at all.  There is some timeline jumping back and forth to mix it up but it's really unnecessary because you are not surprised at all with how it's going to play out because of said trailer.

If you are a fan of Jason Statham movies then I have no doubt you would like this movie.  If not - then why start now?

Separation

A lonely little girl finds solace in her artist father and the ghost of her dead mother.

As you can tell from that extremely vague movie synopsis, this movie had next to zero substance to it.   It's your textbook PG-13 creeper.  Lame acting, pointless story and minimal actual scares throughout.   I'll give this one a slight nod for a couple of creepy visuals where they used artwork but outside of that there is really nothing to see here.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  Certainly not if you have to pay to see it.  That would be just crazy.  

Without Remorse

Seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife, an elite Navy SEAL uncovers a covert plot that threatens to engulf the United States and Russia in an all-out war.

Wow!  This might be one of the best Tom Clancy books turned into a movie or tv show.  This movie was the kind of straight forward bad assery that you would hope for in a movie featuring military and espionage.  Michael B Jordan was perfect in this role and did a great job of carrying the movie.   It was definitely a great start for what could easily be a killer franchise.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.   Very entertaining with lots of action and a great set of twists throughout the story.

Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat is a mysterious, intergalactic tournament of ancient martial arts. Shaolin Monk Liu Kang, from Earth, gets invited as a competitor.

This movie was exactly what you would think it would be.  Essentially they took the version from years back and updated it with better effects.   If you are looking for quality acting and story - then why would you be watching this movie?   If you like fight scenes and the violence that comes with it then this movie is definitely watchable.

I would recommend it for fans of fighting movies.  Its a decently entertaining watch that definitely seems like the franchise can continue.

Voyagers

With the future of the human race at stake, a group of young men and women, bred for intelligence and obedience, embark on an expedition to colonize a distant planet. But when they uncover disturbing secrets about the mission, they defy their training and begin to explore their most primitive natures. As life on the ship descends into chaos, they're consumed by fear, lust, and the insatiable hunger for power.

This movie can very easily be summarized by describing it as Lord Of The Flies in space.  Like literally.  That's not to say that it was a bad movie.  I actually enjoyed it more than I thought but that one sentence so fully describes this movie that there really is nothing more to say about it.

If you enjoyed Lord Of The Flies and want to see a pretty good retelling of it in a different setting then I definitely recommend you checking out this movie.  If that is not something that would intrigue you then stay away from it.

Nobody

Hutch Mansell fails to defend himself or his family when two thieves break into his suburban home one night. The aftermath of the incident soon strikes a match to his long-simmering rage. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must now save his wife and son from a dangerous adversary -- and ensure that he will never be underestimated again.

I have always very much enjoyed movies like this.   You can easily question the need for them and acknowledge that it is not a good movie in terms of credibility or excellent filmmaking/acting.   But I don't care.  Sometimes you just need a guy getting wronged and wanting revenge kind of movie where you laugh off the over the topness of it.  This movie was exactly that and I thought it was a very enjoyable watch for what it was.

I would definitely recommend this movie for anyone who is looking for an entertaining break from it all and not looking to take anything serious.  

The Unholy

Terror strikes when a disgraced journalist investigates a girl who has the inexplicable power to heal the sick.

This movie was just as craptastic as I expected it to be.   9 times out of 10 when a scary movie is rated PG-13 it is guaranteed to be disappointing.  This one definitely fell into that category.  Not that the movie looked great to begin with, but it was just a very pointless and dull "scary" movie that had exactly no scares.  It also had no semblance of a storyline for the viewer to care about either.

I would not recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It's only 90 minutes long but there are so many things that you would be better off doing than wasting that time on this.

Godzilla Vs Kong

Fearsome monsters Godzilla and King Kong square off in an epic battle for the ages, while humanity looks to wipe out both of the creatures and take back the planet once and for all.

This movie was great for what it was.   If you are looking for a movie to just turn your brain off and enjoy the ride - aka popcorn movie - then this is a great watch.   It felt much more like Kong Skull Island than the last Godzilla movie which I think is for the best.   I definitely enjoyed it more because of you being able to see the monsters and them actually fighting instead of spending too much time with humans pointlessly talking and on screen.   This movie focused much more on the actual monsters and showing as much of them as possible.   That along with the action and the quick paced/short running time of the movie made this a very enjoyable watch.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a fun watch and the perfect break from all that is going on in the world and what not for a little over 90 minutes.  

The Courier

The true story of a British businessman unwittingly recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. Forming an unlikely partnership with a Soviet officer hoping to prevent a nuclear confrontation, the two men work together to provide the crucial intelligence used to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Benedict Cumberbatch has really evolved into one of those actors that I will pretty much watch him in anything.   Never really been a history or espionage buff so didn't have high expectations for this film and probably would have pulled the plug if someone else wasn't playing the lead.  But he does such a great job of keeping you hooked and watching his journey that the movie ended up being pretty decent.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this one out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a decent watch because of Señor Cumberbatch.

Boogie

Alfred "Boogie" Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, N.Y., dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.

This was a pretty enjoyable sports movie.   Not much at all is surprising.  Its all very formula to be honest.  But you are hooked by the journey of Boogie and his family, team and friends.  It does a great job of showing his cultural struggles and opening a lot of viewers eyes in the process.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.   It's a very surprising sports movie and a pretty enjoyable watch.

Raya And The Last Dragon

Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned, and it's up to a lone warrior to track down the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.

Disney animation does great yet again.  Why should anyone be surprised.  They took a very heavy fantasy storyline with all female leads filled with a ton of action and made it a very enjoyable roller coaster ride.  It accomplished the fantasy movie rule of taking you to the place where things are like this.  It hooked you into the main characters so that you care.  And the Disney staple of incredibly enjoyable side characters was on great display here too.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out because it was a very enjoyable watch.   Those of you with younger children though should be aware that there is a lot of fighting/violence in the movie.

Coming 2 America

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.

If you are going into this one thinking you will be laughing as much as the original you will no doubt be disappointed.   It is nowhere near as naturally funny because since its been 30 years for the sequel it falls more into the realm of paying homage to the original for its laughs.  The new additions are actually the best parts of the movie.  Wesley Snipes and Leslie Jones definitely had me laughing the hardest.   But there were more than enough laughs in the call backs to the original to make it an enjoyable movie.

I would recommend people checking this one out.  It definitely has enough laughs even if they are not on the level of the original.

Chaos Walking

In Prentisstown, Todd has been brought up to believe that the Spackle released a germ that killed all the women and unleashed Noise on the remaining men. After discovering a patch of silence out in the swamp, his surrogate parents immediately tell him that he has to run, leaving him with only a map of New World, a message, and many unanswered questions. He soon discovers the source of the silence: a girl, named Viola.

This is kind of a tough one to review.   I liked the premise a lot.  It was very different and completely caught your attention.  However, the rest of the movie and the story playing out just kind of didn't.  It wasn't bad necessarily it just kind of didn't hook you nearly as much as it should of.   It was cool seeing the two actors outside of their Spidey and Star Wars worlds and they definitely had pretty good chemistry together.   It just never really all came together.

I would not really recommend anyone rushing to see this.   It's not a bad movie at all but it really isn't a great movie either.   It ends up being pretty much middle of the road.

Tom And Jerry

A legendary rivalry reemerges when Jerry moves into New York City's finest hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century, forcing the desperate event planner to hire Tom to get rid of him. As mayhem ensues, the escalating cat-and-mouse battle soon threatens to destroy her career, the wedding, and possibly the hotel itself.

This movie was very annoying at first because the animation and the live action was not working for me at all.  Happily - that got better as the movie went on and combining that with the good music worked in throughout this turned out to be a cute enough family movie to warrant watching.   Not a must see by any means but a decent enough watch for what it was.

I would recommend families checking this out simply due to the massive lack of options.   But like I said it's not a horribly painful watch for the parents that would be watching with the kids.

The Mauritanian

Mohamedou Ould Salahi fights for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years.

This was a pretty decent watch.  The cast was great and all nailed their roles.  The depictions of the torture interrogations were beyond disturbing.  It was very eye opening to how things are when the curtain is pulled back.  Not that I remotely felt bad for this guy with all he was involved in but it was a decent watch regardless.

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  It was a pretty decent watch with not much out there anyway.

The World To Come

Somewhere along the mid-19th century American East Coast frontier, two neighboring couples battle hardship and isolation, witnessed by a splendid yet testing landscape, challenging them both physically and psychologically.

I couldn't even make it through the whole movie.   lt was essentially taking the forbidden lesbian love story and staging it way back in the day.  Completely formula in every way and honestly very much overacted and too dramatic for me.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.   This never would have made it to theaters without the coronavirus delaying everything.  

Land

A local hunter brings a grieving lawyer back from the brink of death after she retreats to the harsh wilderness of the Rockies.

Every year it seems there is always at least one movie that comes out that you know is a very well done and acted movie but it is ultimately a massive snooze fest even though you know that.  This would be that movie.  Its not that the movie was bad.  Like I said - I know that this was a well done movie but I just found myself not hooked by it in any way and was therefore completely bored.

I would only recommend this movie to fans of beautiful nature and living off the land.  Outside of those two things there really isn't much intriguing substance here.

Judas And The Black Messiah

Offered a plea deal by the FBI, William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.

Wow!   That movie was some powerful shit.  Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield continued their string of acting excellence in this.  And the pacing and laying out of this story was so well done.  You fully get hooked watching these people develop and go through their voyages.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.   It was a very well done movie on all fronts from beginning to end.

Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar

Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time ever.

This movie had ZERO business being as funny as it ended up being.   The random opening scene had me belly laughing at the randomness of it but then it fell flat for about 30 minutes.  I was about to fully stop paying attention when all of a sudden the jokes started landing and some of the most random lines had me completely beside myself.  It turned into like a female Austin Powers almost with innuendo jokes and silliness.  

I would actually recommend people checking this movie out.   Didn't remotely think I would be saying that at the start but I found myself laughing a lot more as the movie went on.

Supernova

A gay couple -- one a musician, the other a novelist -- embark on a road trip as dementia starts to take hold of one of them.

Wow!  This movie is beyond the realm of emotional watching this couple struggle through what they are dealing with and it features two of the best and most genuine performances I may have ever seen.   You felt like you were there with them as part of the relationship and completely forgot that these were people acting out the parts.   This movie should be shown for years in acting classes.

I completely recommend people checking this movie out.  Don't get me wrong - it is a very sad and tearjerking movie and for very good reason but acting like this should not be passed on.

The Little Things

Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.

This is a tough one to review.  It was a pretty good watch with the three actors all doing great jobs but it felt more like an episode of good tv than a feature movie.  Quite honestly - I am super confused as to why Denzel Washington and Jared Leto are even in this.  Like its really more of a "just there" or run of the mill January release that is kind of below both of these actors I would think.  Again - not that the movie is bad. It's definitely a better than average watch.  It's just not great and feels overall underwhelming based on the cast of the movie I guess.

I would still recommend people checking this out - especially in the comfort of your own home with the WB/HBO Max thing that they have going on for this year.   Just don't have super high expectations based on the cast or you will be let down.

The Marksman

Jim is a former Marine who lives a solitary life as a rancher along the Arizona-Mexican border. But his peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when he tries to protect a boy on the run from members of a vicious cartel.

I feel like at this point, Liam Nesson has a movie come out every January or September where he continues to showcase some of his special skills in the battle for good.   This movie is no different.  The special skill is his long distance shooting and he is protecting a child that crossed the border.   Just from reading that you pretty much have watched the movie and there is nothing unsurprising that happens whatsoever.

I wouldn't really recommend people bothering with this one.   It's just there and you can get Covid by going to see it so like why in the blue hell would you do that?

Nomadland

A woman embarks on a journey through the American West after losing everything during the recession.

I honestly don't know if there is a better movie that could hit home more than this during 2020.  Like you can't help but watch this movie during this past year and identify in some way with what the main character is going through and trying to deal with.  Frances McDormand is a lock for another acting nomination for this movie and the movie itself will definitely be an oscars frontrunner across the board.   It told a great story with great acting and the direction completely hooks the viewer into this awesome character and very relevant drama.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.   It was great and is sure to be winning lots of 2020 awards.

The Father

A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

This movie has to be a lock for acting nominations.   The daughter and the father were both absolutely amazing and this might be one of - if not - the best performances of Anthony Hopkins excellent career.  I would have to think he will win Best Actor for this.   This movie is not an easy watch at all.  It pulls at your heart massively from many different aspects of aging.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.   This movie could be shown in classes about acting.

News Of The World

Five years after the end of the Civil War, Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd crosses paths with a 10-year-old girl taken by the Kiowa people. Forced to return to her aunt and uncle, Kidd agrees to escort the child across the harsh and unforgiving plains of Texas. However, the long journey soon turns into a fight for survival as the traveling companions encounter danger at every turn -- both human and natural.

Westerns have never really been my thing so I tend to have no expectations for them.  There is just something about them that has made it really hard for them to hook me.  This one kind of did though.  It did a great job of kind of taking you there and feeling like you were in those times.  Tom Hanks is Tom Hanks and the story progression was good.  The only real knock that I'll make towards this movie was that I feel like it definitely didn't need to be as long as it was and that made it drag at points.   

I would recommend anyone that was interested in it.  It is definitely a decent watch.  Not a must see by any means but a decent watch.

The Ten Best Movies Of 2020

Well . . . . . . . . this is going to be pretty different than in years past.  A change that I made is that I'm including movies that were done for streaming services because there really wasn't too much that made it to theaters in this wonderful train wreck of a year we just went through.  And I'll be completely honest and say that once you get outside of the top 5 there is no chance these movies would be on a Top Ten list in any other year.  But regardless - the show much go on!

10 - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

This was a movie that came out on Amazon Prime.  I can't believe how much the Borat character was able to hold up after all these years.  And the fact that they worked in his popularity to the storyline honestly made it even funnier.  

9 - Antebellum

Jordan Peele is starting to be like Pixar and Marvel in that he doesn't make bad movies.  This movie was done in such a way that kept you very confused and on the edge of your seat at the same time.  When you do figure out what is going on it is such a gut punch and a really eye opening view on society and what not.  

8 - The King Of Staten Island

A movie starring Pete Davidson has made the top 10 in 2020.  That speaks volumes.  But this movie was a really great watch about growing up with awesome performances by all involved.  

7 - The Invisible Man

Again - this movie has no business being on a top 10 list but it was filmed in a way that had you on the edge of your seat the entire time with certain scenes (like the restaurant) to not leave. your brain any time soon.

6 - Bad Boys For Life

Easily the best blockbuster movie of the year by far (and by default).  This has always been one of my favorite movie franchises and even after the long layoff it very clearly still has legs and was an awesome popcorn movie.

5 - Da 5 Bloods

This was a movie that came out on Netflix.  It was a great job of direction by Spike Lee and awesome performances by the actors involved.  It was a great second to last performance by Chadwick Boseman and Delroy Lindo reminded everyone just how good of an actor he is.

4 - Tenet

Christopher Nolan is the man.  He is very much this generation's Steven Spielberg.  This movie was tough the first time to watch because it was a bootleg and there were already very specific things that Nolan did sound wise that you need to see it in the regular form.  I actually saw it a second time when theaters open and the movie was so much better even though I already loved it the first time.  In all honesty - it is just better watching it the second time regardless because there is ALOT of info for you to process the first time.   Genius filmmaking regardless.

3 - Uncle Frank

This was a movie that came out on Amazon Prime.  One of the most under the radar movies to come out this year - even on streaming where there was a lot of hype for some of them - yet it had the most heartfelt and genuine performances of the year.  It was about someone coming out as gay to their family and his struggles with it as well as their reactions to it.  Everything about it just seemed so real and gets you very emotional.

2 - Soul

Pixar does not know how to do bad movies.   When I first saw this movie I liked it a lot.  When I watched it a second time - I loved it even more.  Only Pixar could make a movie about jazz music and spiritualism and have you completely hooked by it even if you couldn't care less about those things.  

1 - The Trial Of The Chicago 7

This was a movie that came out on Netflix.  Aaron Sorkin is so fucking good at writing a sarcastic script.  This movie and the acting with said script was the most enjoyable thing that I watched this year.  The fact that it all completely fell in line with the events of this past year as well even though it was based back in the 70s was even more remarkable.  

The Ten Worst Movies Of 2020

 Well . . . . . . . . this is going to be pretty different than in years past.  A change that I made is that I'm including movies that were done for streaming services because there really wasn't too much that made it to theaters in this wonderful train wreck of a year we just went through.  But regardless - the show much go on!

10 - Underwater

I really don't understand why they continue to cast Kristen Stewart as a leading actress.  She is honestly the most blah thing in Hollywood.  Giving her a buzzcut and having her in an alien suspense movie - that's just all worse.

9 - The Grudge

Why bother remaking a movie if you are actually going to do it lamer and with a smaller budget making your current effects so much cheesier than the original effects from years ago?

8 - Scoob!

This was massively insulting to people who just wanted to watch a Scooby Doo movie and even more so to parents that were looking for something so desperately to watch with their kids.  This movie was such a throw away animated feature its not even funny.

7 - Monster Hunter

Do you think that Milla Jovovich (aka - Multipass) will ever do anything other than fighting monsters of some kind?   Like any movie that is more than just effects and her gritting her teeth?

6 - Wonder Woman 1984

What a truly massive disappointment.  I loved the first Wonder Woman and was of course geeked out as hell to finally see a big budget superhero movie after the blank slate that was 2020.  Unfortunately - this movie was pretty much a joke that was just made fun of the entire time I was watching it.

5 - Gretel & Hansel

Not going to lie.  This movie was from back in January.  I don't even remotely remember it but I know that I had it noted for 1 star so it lands on the list.  I feel as if the fact that it was a horror movie based on a popular folk tale and can't be remembered at all pretty much sums it up.

4 - The Photograph

I have never seen a date or romance movie that put me to sleep faster than this one.  It was a Valentine's Day release that pretty much closed the box office for the year.  I mean you could blame Covid for it too but still - this movie didn't help the fight to stay open.  Just saying.

3 - Honest Thief

I HATE when they advertise a movie as a suspense movie and there is not a single ounce of suspense in it. This is exactly that.  You had the Taken type trailer with Liam Nesson and then it was pretty much just him having conversations for the entire movie.

2 - Dolittle

Few things will ever baffle me more from the casting choice of following up Iron Man's death than doing this for Robert Downey Jr.  There was a reaching up an animal's ass scene I believe.  I didn't see that part because I pulled the plug on it loooooooooooong before that point.

1 - Brahms: The Boy II

What is The Boy I you ask?  EXACTLY!  How the hell was there a sequel?  How the hell was it a wide release?   And even though there were some very slight interesting creepy parts to the first - they seemed to forget that with this one because it was beyond the realm of not creepy.

Promising Young Woman

Nothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be -- she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs from the past.

This was a surprisingly enjoyable watch.   This was supposed to come out back near when all the movies first starting getting postponed.  Carey Mulligan did a great and convincing job of being out for revenge on the typical guy and what they have put her and friends of her through.  The movie keeps going up in intensity and the twists towards the end were really well done.

I would definitely recommend people checking this bad boy out.  It was a surprisingly good watch.

Wonder Woman 1984

Diana Prince lives quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s -- an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she's come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile by curating ancient artifacts, and only performing heroic acts incognito. But soon, Diana will have to muster all of her strength, wisdom and courage as she finds herself squaring off against Maxwell Lord and the Cheetah, a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility.

What in the blue hell was this?   This movie was pretty good for all of about 5 minutes.  The start of the movie where Diana is young and in training was great.   Unfortunately the other 2 hours and 25 minutes were total garbage.  Like seriously.  No point.  Massively overacting bad characters.  The lamest storyline reliant on making wishes that I think I've ever seen in a comic book or superhero movie.  And I guess that Warner Bros were the only ones that thought the effects from Cats were good last year because what the absolute f#@k with Cheetah in this?   

I would not recommend that anyone watch this.  Actually . . . . . . . . strike that.  This movie is so cheesy and bad that I actually think that everyone should check it out just so they can be as WTF as I am.

Soul

Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz -- and he's good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.

Pixar really doesn't know how to make bad movies.   This was a movie about jazz music - which I have never been able to get into no matter how I tried - and spiritualism/souls - which I have always had heavy doubts about and what not.   Yet - they completely pulled me into both because they were both so important to the movie that they pretty much became side characters.   This was not one of the more mainstream Pixar movies and I am not sure how well it would have done at the box office but it was a very well written and thought provoking movie.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.   It was an amazing watch and although this year in movies is definitely effected by covid - this was undoubtedly one of the better movies of 2020.

Fatale

After a wild one-night stand, a successful sports agent watches his perfect life slowly disappear when he discovers the sexy and mysterious woman he risked everything for is a determined police detective who entangles him in her latest investigation. As he desperately tries to put the pieces together, he falls deeper into her trap, risking his family, his career, and even his life.

Here is another great example of what the hell is going on with movies in 2020.  This movie would have normally struggled as a January or September release in any other year.  It is a movie that has been done 7,000 times and is really much more of a Lifetime movie than a wide release in theaters during what would normally be the second busiest time of the year.  This one at least had some name actors but really not much else in terms of substance or story.

I would not really recommend anyone bothering with this.  There is very little hook to this movie and certainly no sexiness in a movie that is supposed to be about seduction and intrigue and what not.

Half Brothers

Renato, a successful Mexican aviation executive, is shocked to discover he has an American half brother he never knew about -- the free-spirited Asher. The two very different half brothers are forced on a road trip together. masterminded by their ailing father, tracing the path he took as an immigrant from Mexico to America.

I don't know that there could be anything to better signal how crazy 2020 has been at movie theaters than the fact that this ended up being a December wide release and was a top 5 movie at the box office for it's first two weeks of release.  It's not that the movie is bad.  It's somewhat watchable . . . . . . . if you were to just randomly stumble upon it late one night on tv.  But for this to have been widely released in theaters is absolutely crazy.  

I would not really recommend people checking this out.  It's beyond formula, not really worth the time and ends up being a "just there" buddy comedy.  I can't believe that this movie is going to be on my blog.  2020 is something else.

Monster Hunter

A portal transports Lt. Artemis and an elite unit of soldiers to a strange world where powerful monsters rule with deadly ferocity. Faced with relentless danger, the team encounters a mysterious hunter who may be their only hope to find a way home.

This movie was kind of like if you combined Pacific Rim and Resident Evil.  If you are a huge fan of movies like that you might find this somewhat watchable.   For me - it was a 90 minute watch that I kind of forgot about like 10 minutes later.  

I would not really recommend anyone bothering with this.   It's just one of those kind of there movies when it really should have been more enjoyable considering the special effects and the basic watching of people avoiding and then hunting these monsters.

The Croods: A New Age

After surviving the end of the only world they knew, the Croods must find a new place to call home. They set off into uncharted waters, and soon enough, they come upon a haven that can provide for their needs. Unfortunately, there is a small problem: another family has already taken residence in the area. They are the Bettermans, and they have an intricately-made treehouse, effective farming, and many impressive inventions. It doesn't take long for the prehistoric to clash with the modern.

This is literally just more of the same from the original and the cartoon that Netflix did for a while.  The new characters don't really bring much and its the the original characters still carrying the movie that honestly just feels like a very delayed continuation.

I would not really recommend that anyone be rushing to see this.  It is not a must see by any means and even though its the only thing that has opened in theaters in what feels like forever- its not really worth the time or money.

Freaky

After swapping bodies with a deranged serial killer, a young girl in high school discovers she has less than 24 hours before the change becomes permanent.

Can't help but think that the only reason that this came out in theaters as a tongue in cheek serial killer movie is because of the studios not putting anything out there.  During regular times this might be a streaming services original movie release.  It was watchable with some gory moments with the girl and Vince Vaughn having some entertaining moments with their body switch performances.  But that was really it.  There is not a lot from this movie that will stay with you.

I would not really recommend people rushing to see this.  It's not really worth your time (or the risk to your health) at all.

Let Him Go

Following the loss of their son, retired sheriff George Blackledge (Kevin Costner) and his wife Margaret (Diane Lane) leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson. When they discover that he is in the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas, George and Margaret must fight for the survival of their family.

Not really sure why or how this as a major movie release with actors like Kevin Costner and Diane Lane in it.   This is at best a Law & Order type of television episode or a made for tv movie.   This was such a basic story that you are hooked by so minimally it feels like you are watching a documentary about what happened with legit actors.

I wouldn't recommend that anyone bother with this.  I pretty much forgot about it right after seeing it because of no connection made with the viewers at all.

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run

After SpongeBob's beloved pet snail Gary is snail-napped, he and Patrick embark on an epic adventure to The Lost City of Atlantic City to bring Gary home.

This was one of those movies that got shelved because of the pandemic.  I believe it got sold to a streaming service and is supposed to debut some time in 2021.  Luckily it showed up online so I was able to check it out.  I've been a fan of Spongebob since day one so I of course enjoyed this movie but they went one step further and showed all the characters at a much younger age and how they met and something and that alone was more than worth checking this out.

I would recommend this for any family watching or Spongebob fans.  It was very funny at points and a great entry in the world of Spongebob.

Spell

A man crash lands in rural Appalachia and awakens in the attic of a traditional Hoodoo practitioner. He desperately tries to break free from her dark magic and save his family from a sinister ritual before the rise of the blood moon.

I really didn't think I would like this movie as much as I did.  It was like Misery meets Ma.  Loretta Devine was creepy as hell as the main baddie.  And Ghost (he might as well legally change his name) did a great job of selling the pain and the confusion about what was going on.   Even if you saw some of the twists coming it was still a very enjoyable watch.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out if they get a chance.  It was a very surprisingly good watch.

Come Play

Based on Jacob Chase’s horror short "Larry." The short follows the story of a terrifying monster named Larry, who manifests through hi-tech devices, such as smartphones or tablets. The feature version will borrow this angle while centering the story on a troubled young boy who creates the monster from his own nightmares.

Another quiet "theater" release for October in 2020 . . . . . . . but might be one of the better ones.  This movie was very simple.  Didn't go over the top with gore or scares.  Didn't have tons of special effects.   They just did a good enough job of pulling you in and keeping you hooked to the story.  I was very pleasantly surprised by this one.

I would recommend people checking this out.  Its a pretty good thriller with good performances and doesn't go too over the top like most in this genre do now.

Synchronic

Mackie and Dornan will play two New Orleans paramedics whose lives are ripped apart after encountering a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre, otherworldly effects.

This movie was kind of watchable based on the options that are available during the joyous year of 2020.  I have always been a fan of Anthony Mackie and that is probably the main reason why I was able to kind of enjoy this movie.  If you take him out of this it's pretty much just a jumbled mess.  

I would not really recommend people rushing to watch this.  It's a somewhat decent watch but pretty forgettable I'm sure 10 minutes after I write this.

The Empty Man

Based on the 2014 comic written by Eisner Award-winner Cullen Bunn and illustrated by Vanesa R. Del Rey. It’s been one year since the first reported case of the Empty Man disease, and no drug has been able to slow its progress. The cause is unknown, and the symptoms include fits of rage, hideous hallucinations, suicidal dementia, followed by death, or a near lifeless, “empty” state of catatonia. As murder cults rise nationwide, the FBI and CDC enter a joint investigation of the Empty Man, hoping to piece together clues to stop the cult and uncover a cure. 

This was a decent watch and I was massively surprised by that.   I expected a textbook dumpster fire of a scary movie and got one that kept my attention all the way through.  You could tell that it didn't have much of a budget so the effects and scares were not holy shit moments but more of a psychological thriller kind of thing.   

I would somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  It's not a must see by any means but it is not bad either.  Pretty surprised again.

The War With Grandpa

Peter is thrilled that Grandpa is coming to live with his family. That is, until Grandpa moves into Peter's room, forcing him upstairs into the creepy attic. And though he loves his grandpa he wants his room back - so he has no choice but to declare war. With the help of his friends, Peter devises outrageous plans to make Grandpa surrender the room. But Grandpa is tougher than he looks. Rather than give in, Grandpa plans to get even.

Was this movie 100% formula in every way?  Yes.  Was it a Dennis The Menace/Home Alone wannabe with Robert DeNiro?  Again - yes.  But was it a watchable family movie still?  Somehow . . . . . .  yes.   I'm not saying its a must watch by any means but I was okay watching it and not itching to turn it off and for this movie I would call that a success.

I would somewhat recommend families checking this out.  It is beyond predictable in every way but still was a somewhat decent watch.

Honest Thief

They call him the In-and-Out-Bandit because meticulous thief Tom Carter (Liam Neeson) has stolen $9 million from small-town banks while managing to keep his identity a secret. But after he falls in love with the bubbly Annie (Kate Walsh), Tom decides to make a fresh start by coming clean about his criminal past, only to be double-crossed by two ruthless FBI agents.

Wow.  This was dull.  Like beyond the realm of dull.   Like how did I spend 90 minutes of my life on this kind of dull.  This would have been a lame made for tv movie.  Granted - Liam Nesson's Taken act has grown quite old but this movie was so non-suspenseful and lacking action that it actually made me miss that stuff.

I would not recommend anyone bother with this.  It's a complete an total waste of time.  It was trash even with a football game muted on the ipad.

Infidel

Infidel is a contemporary political thriller set in the Middle East and filled with suspense and intrigue, inspired by true events, and ripped from today's headlines. Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, Person of Interest, Deja Vu) plays an American journalist/blogger who is kidnapped while attending a conference in the Middle East. Taken hostage by the Iranian regime, he is put on trial for trumped-up charges of espionage. His wife, who works for the State Department, quickly realizes that the American government can do nothing. Feeling desperate and alone, she goes to Iran to try to free him herself. This exciting story sheds light on the plight of Americans currently held captive in Iran, about whom the world has forgotten.

This movie was a decent watch but had literally no emotional hook to it.  You pretty much forget about the movie five minutes after watching it.   That's no so good for the type of movie that this is.  Kind of defeats the purpose.  

I wouldn't really recommend people rushing to watch this.  It's not the worst way to spend two hours of your life but it's really not a memorable watch at all once its over.

Antebellum

Antebellum will follow the story of successful author Veronica Henley (Janelle Monáe), who finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late.

Jordan Peele killed it again.  Can't really say too much about this movie without giving things away but it was a great watch.  Very upsetting for the first 1/3 of the movie.  Kind of confusing for the 2/3 of it and then very pleasing in several ways for the last 1/3 of it.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's crazy to me that this movie was made and meant to be released prior to all of the current events we are going through because it really coincides with a lot of those things.

The Broken Hearts Gallery

After a break up, a young woman decides to start a gallery where people can leave trinkets from past relationships.

This was essentially your textbook rom-com.  Enjoyable but you pretty much knew every step this movie was going to take.  The comedic friend characters hit their spots.  The chemistry between the leads felt real and you find yourself hoping that they will work out.  The cast as a whole was really good with a bunch of former side characters getting more screen time than usual.  

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a decent enough rom-com and I guess a breath of fresh air since it has been so long since one came out.

Mulan

When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father.

If there was not an animated musical version of this movie with an awesome dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy - this would be a great movie about Chinese culture and family and honor.   It still was an enjoyable movie based on that.  But it was weird watching it without the songs and Mushu popping up.  I will never understand why they went the route of Dumbo with this one instead of Aladdin and Lion King.

I would still recommend people checking this out.  It was a decent watch.  Not worth the $30 that they are charging or whatever at all but if you can stream it online it is worth it.

Tenet

In a nutshell, Tenet is basically Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys if it was incorporated into a James Bond-style spy film. The Protagonist is recruited by a shadowy government agency to help bring a stop to World War 3, and thus the extinction of all life on the planet. The only way to stop this is using Time Inversion, which is basically a form of reverse time travel, where the entropy of objects is reversed to allow you to travel back in time.

Wow!   This was A LOT to take in.  Christopher Nolan managed to pull off a cinematic masterpiece again with his direction and storytelling but this movie was at times like cramming for a physics test.  It was A LOT to take in.  Like I even read a bunch of stuff after watching the movie to make sure that I understood all of the info that is thrown at you to bring you into this world.  Visually it's beyond stunning.  The characters are great and the hook is definitely there to keep you dialed in regardless of all the confusion and heavy stuff.   

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out. It is not a simple popcorn movie by any means.  This one will leave you exhausted and possibly give you a headache from processing all the info but it is an amazing movie.