The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent

Unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, actor Nick Cage accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan's birthday party. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when a CIA operative recruits Cage for an unusual mission. Taking on the role of a lifetime, he soon finds himself channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to save himself and his loved ones.

This movie was ALOT of fun.  They didn't take themselves seriously and it made the movie so entertaining because of it. What should have honestly been a SNL skit or a punchline somehow turned into a pretty well done movie with a ton of laughs and the perfect role for Nicolas Cage at this point in his career.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.   It is a very enjoyable watch all around.  

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore

Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards and witches. They soon encounter an array of old and new beasts as they clash with Grindelwald's growing legion of followers.

These Fantastic Beasts movies are very hard to review.  The Harry Potter franchise is and will forever be in the upper echelon of filmmaking and no matter how hard they try to recapture that magic with this prequel kind of spinoff franchise, they are always just kind of there.  This one is no different and was even more cursed with the controversies of the cast and the creator leading to changes and recasting that ultimately takes away from the continuity.   It really is a shame that even using familiar characters from the Harry Potter franchise can't really help this one out.  

I would sort of recommend checking this out.  I mean if you saw the others then why not see this one.  But it's just not remotely up to par.  None of them have been and this one least of all.  

Father Stu

When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long moves to Los Angeles to find money and fame. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen, a Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. However, a motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others, leading to the surprising realization that he's meant to be a Catholic priest.

This was a surprisingly good watch.  Probably one of Mark Wahlberg's better overall performances.  Is it sometimes too heart string pulling?  Yes.  Is it beyond the realm of predictable?  Yes.   But even for someone who has very questionable levels of faith, this was a good watch and made you care about the character's and the side characters' journeys.

I would sort of recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a better than average watch.  

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove that he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns with a new partner, Knuckles, in search of a mystical emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

This was pretty much more of the same from the first one.  They didn't change anything that worked.  They perfectly introduced new characters from the video game series and they continued the story.  My only knock would be that there was no reason for this movie to be two hours long but any extra time seeing Jim Carrey be the Jim Carrey of old shouldn't be questioned.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's entertaining family time for the kids and the adults.  

Ambulance

Needing money to cover his wife's medical bills, a decorated veteran teams up with his adoptive brother to steal $32 million from a Los Angeles bank. However, when their getaway goes spectacularly wrong, the desperate thieves hijack an ambulance that's carrying a severely wounded cop and an EMT worker. Caught in a high-speed chase, the two siblings must figure out a way to outrun the law while keeping their hostages alive.

This movie was just high octane and adrenaline fun.  This was a throwback to Michael Bay's pre-Transformers movies.   Well built characters through banter and over the top acting, crazy action with the right slow motion scenes at the right time to build drama/intensity, and you can just turn your brain off and enjoy the ride.  These have always been my favorite kind of movies to see in the theater.

I would definitely recommend people who like action movies checking this out.  It's beyond predictable and corny at times but if you just turn your brain off you honestly don't care.  

Morbius

Biochemist Michael Morbius tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but when his experiment goes wrong, he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead.

Dear lord.  I think that the Sonyverse might be competing with DC for what can be a bigger joke.   The movie itself was just kind of there.  Felt like it was written by a 13 year old.  The editing job was horrible and it just jumped from random scene/location way too much.   The timeline made no sense with how important it was for him to keep drinking the synthetic blood.  And honestly there was just no reason to care about the character or anything.  Like at all.   And then the credit scenes just completely infuriated me because they will take the whole multiverse thing that Marvel is massively and specifically crafting and just kind of wing it with theirs with nothing making any sense whatsoever.

I would not recommend anyone bothering with this.  This movie was so lame that it managed to make Venom a better movie basically by default.  

Everything Everywhere All At Once

An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.

WOW!   This was one weird ass movie.   And the weirdness along with the owning of how weird what we were seeing was by the director and actors make it very enjoyable.  The movie is worth seeing just because of the fanny pack scene but the crazy journey is an honestly enjoyable acid trip.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  You have to have a very open mind and just enjoy the weirdness of it all but if you can it is a very enjoyable watch.  

X

A group of actors sets out to make an adult film in rural Texas under the noses of their reclusive hosts, but when the elderly couple catches their young guests in the act, the cast finds themselves in a desperate fight for their lives.

This was a really good throwback horror movie.  Like you legit feel like you are in the 70s watching this and it captures all those sight scares, creepy music brewing intensity and then the violence/gore stuff.  The elderly couple was a little bit unrealistic but you pretty much don't care and just enjoy the scary journey.  

I would definitely recommend horror fans checking this out.  It was a great throwback with the style and camera work along with what I mentioned before.  

The Outfit

Leonard is an English tailor who makes suits on London's famous Savile Row. He must outsmart a dangerous group of criminals to survive a fateful night.

This movie was a pretty decent espionage film.  I mean you kind of know where its going and stuff but its still good because of the simple characters and the setting never leaving the shop.  It actually felt more like the movie could have easily been a play instead.  

I would somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  Not a must by any means but it's a decent and short enough watch.

The Lost City

Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes she can lead him to an ancient city's lost treasure from her latest story. Determined to prove he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her.

This was a total throwback romantic action comedy.   It was formula in every possible way but it didn't matter.  The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum was perfect.  Sandra Bullock's physical comedy was priceless yet again.  Even Daniel Radcliffe's overacting as the villain was very enjoyable.  The movie was just a lot of fun with a bunch of huge laughs.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a very fun watch and just a good time while turning your brain off and enjoying the ride.  

Turning Red

Mei Lee is a 13-year-old girl who is torn between being her mother's obedient daughter and the chaos of her youth. As if that were not enough, when she gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda.

This was one of Pixar's weirder movies.  Not bad at all.  I mean they honestly don't know how to do bad.  This was just one of the most specific target audience movies that they have ever made.  Like this was legit for young teenage girls of Asian descent.  Does that mean it sucks for everyone else?  No.  Not at all. I enjoyed the movie alot but was definitely thrown for a loop with how targeted it was for that audience when Pixar has always done such an incredibly job of their movies being for all audiences.  Still very cute message and lots of laughs.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out because like I said Pixar doesn't make bad movies.  Just a heads up that it is very specifically targeted much more than all their other movies.  

Studio 666

Members of the rock band Foo Fighters move into a mansion to record their 10th album. Once in the house, singer Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the band members' lives.

How is this a movie that was ever made?  Like honestly.  This was not only made but also got a theatrical release.  Few things will ever baffle me more than this.  The Foo Fighters are lucky that I will not hold this against them musically and will happily still keep rocking to that.  This movie was just a giant turd and not even worth any details.  

I would absolutely not recommend anyone ever watching this.  It is a total waste of time.

The Batman

Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.

First going to make the major knock against this movie.  There was ZERO reason for this to be 3 hours long.  That being said, I have no other complaints about this movie.  It was really really great.  The cast across the board was awesome - especially Dano as the Riddler.  The action was great.  The story was great.  The character development and setting things up for sequels was great.  This was probably my third favorite Batman movie after The Dark Knight and the original Batman with Nicholson.  Still could have used a bunch of editing to shorten it but when that is your only complaint about a DC movie is that it was too long that is so much better than the usual.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a great watch with great casting.  Definitely worried about how DC moves forward with any connections to the other pieces that they have in motion but as a standalone this movie was great.  

Dog

With a dog named Lulu by his side, Army Ranger Briggs races down the Pacific Coast to make it to a soldier's funeral on time. Along the way, Briggs and Lulu drive each other completely crazy, break a handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.

This movie was exactly what you thought it would be from the trailer.  Dog and human bond over the course of the road trip and there is a lot of heart string pulling along the way.  What honestly made the movie was Channing Tatum's physical reactions to the dog.  He really nailed a lot of facial WTF moments that had me cracking up.  

I would very lukewarmly recommend this movie to people.  It couldn't possibly be less of a must see but its not a bad movie.  It ends up being a decently enjoyable watch and actually a must for any animal lovers.  

The Cursed

In rural 19th-century France, a mysterious, possibly supernatural menace threatens a small village. John McBride, a pathologist, comes to town to investigate the danger and exorcise some of his own demons in the process.

This was a surprisingly creepy horror movie.  I'm usually not a fan of anything 19th century.  I was skeptical even more about a good horror movie from that time period but this one kind of worked better than I thought it would.  Some good camera angle scares and then some really creepy effects at time too.

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by ay means but it is a decent watch.

Uncharted

Nathan Drake and his wisecracking partner Victor "Sully" Sullivan embark on a dangerous quest to find the greatest treasure never found while also tracking clues that may lead to Nate's long-lost brother.

This movie was great at being what it was supposed to be.  This was a over the top adventure movie like National Treasure with sarcastic dialogue and constant backstabbing.  This was just a fun, turn your brain off for two hours break from the world.  There will always be a big part of my movie fandom for movies like this.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out and just enjoying the ride.  Tom Holland continues to be one of the more enjoyable up and coming actors regardless of what he is doing.

Marry Me

Pop superstar Kat Valdez is about to get married before an audience of her loyal fans. However, seconds before the ceremony, she learns about her fiance's cheating ways and has a meltdown on stage. In a moment of inspired insanity, Kat locks eyes with a total stranger in the crowd and marries him on the spot. As forces conspire to separate the unlikely newlyweds, they must soon decide if two people from such different worlds can find true love together.

I was stunned by how much I enjoyed this movie.  Was it corny?  Yes.  Was it beyond predictable?  Yes.  But there was something about the cast that just made me let all that go and enjoy the ride that the characters went on.  Not going to remotely say that this is a well done or must see movie but it was very enjoyable.

It's been a long time since a rom-com came out that I enjoyed as much as this one.  I would very surprisingly recommend that people check this movie out.  

Blacklight

Travis Block, a shadowy government agent who specializes in removing operatives whose covers have been exposed, uncovers a deadly conspiracy within his own ranks that reaches the highest echelons of power.

There is honestly no reason to even bother reviewing this.  It's Taken 28 basically.  I don't know that Liam Lesson has done anything other than Taken knockoff movies since doing Taken.  They are the same movie over and over again and this one is really no different.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this.  The movie was barely marketed.  It's like even the studio is like whatever - just throw it out there and it will bring in the same shrunken base crowd.  

Death On The Nile

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple's idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short.

So the movie has actually opened finally.  This movie has been delayed probably more than any other movie with the pandemic.  It was delayed so much that in the time while it's been on hold most of the cast have gotten themselves stuck in massive controversies to the point that nobody could even really market the movie.  But anyway - regarding the movie itself - it was pretty much a giant snooze fest.  It was like an hour before the death even took place.  The cast was good with som cool characters but definitely not enough to make the movie worth it.  

I would not really recommend anyone bothering with this.  The movie is ultimately just kind of there and you forget about it 2 minutes after watching it.

Jackass Forever

Celebrate the joy of a perfectly executed shot to the groin as Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and the rest of the gang return for another round of hilarious, wildly absurd and often dangerous displays of stunts and comedy.

Does this really have to be reviewed.  It's Jackass.  Its a bunch of grown ass adults acting like fools.  You either find it funny or you don't.  I find it funny like 50% of the time because some of the stunts are legit funny as hell and then I wince through the rest.

My recommendation means absolutely nothing here at all.  You either see these or you don't.  If you never have why the hell would you start now?  

Moonfall

The world stands on the brink of annihilation when a mysterious force knocks the moon from its orbit and sends it hurtling toward a collision course with Earth. With only weeks before impact, NASA executive Jocinda "Jo" Fowler teams up with a man from her past and a conspiracy theorist for an impossible mission into space to save humanity.

This movie was even more of a joke than I expected from the trailer.   Like I'm always down for one of those end of the world kind of movies as long as the effects are cool enough and the story is somewhat digestible.  But this had neither of those things.  The effects were nothing that we have not seen a ton of times already.  And the story was absolute garbage with some of the lamest and unnecessary character development I have ever seen.  

I wouldn't recommend anyone remotely bothering with this movie.  It's a big giant turd and is pretty much the first lock for the Worst 10 Movies of the year list 11 months from now.  

Cyrano

On one side, the passion of a teacher seeking to pass on the beauty of the texts to his pupils, on the other the commitment of a director to his troupe. An in-depth look at the recreation of "Cyrano de Bergerac", Edmond Rostand's masterpiece, by the Théâtre de Carouge, Geneva. 

I really enjoyed this movie and that speaks volumes because these types of movies are usually my kryptonite.  They basically always put me to sleep so when I enjoy one so throroughly that is very impressive.  I loved the somewhat musical part of the movie at times and Peter Dinklage really was perfect for the role.

I would definitely recommend people checking out this version of the age old story.  It was a very enjoyable watch and I never thought I would be saying that about this.  

Scream

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past.

This was pretty disappointing because it really was just subpar casting that ruined it.  Enough time had gone by for it to be brought back.  The horror genre has changed so much that they were able to do new sarcastic commentary on how the movies are and this one was just like the original.  The problem is that there was no Matthew Lillard or Jamie Kennedy to deliver great scenes.  Words do no justice to how much that held this movie back.   

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It ended up being a pretty poooooooooooooooooooop watch.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

Van Helsing's mysterious new invention transforms Drac and his pals into humans, and Johnny into a monster. With their new mismatched bodies, Drac and the pack must find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.

This movie is pretty much exactly what you would expect.  Continuation of a decent kids/family friendly franchise.  It's simple, short, has good characters that you are familiar with and comes together in a cute way.  Outside of that - you will most likely forget watching it 5 minutes after its done.

I would recommend families checking this out.  It came out on Amazon Prime instead of theaters so it doesn't cost anything.  It's short enough to not be considered a waste of time.

The 355

CIA agent Mason "Mace" Brown joins forces with a rival German agent, a cutting-edge computer specialist and a Colombian psychologist when a top-secret weapon falls into the hands of a group of mercenaries. Together, the four women embark on a breakneck mission to save the world while staying one step ahead of a mysterious figure who's tracking their every move.

There was a lot to like about this movie.  Great cast.  Great character development.   Great story build.  And great action when there was action.  The main problem with this movie is that I really wish that there was more action.  The pacing was kind of off overall and there was not enough action - especially not based on what all the ads for the movie showed.  That held the movie back.

I would somewhat recommend this movie to everyone.  Not a must watch.  It's a decent movie that could have been awesome if they stepped on the gas with more action.  

The Ten Best Movies of 2021

 Honorable Mention - Dear Evan Hansen

I understand that the movie version wasn't as good as the musical and the knocks against casting and what not but I don't care.  This musical was one of the most important and influential things I have ever seen and it was an absolute joy to finally see a movie version of it.  

10 - Black Widow

Marvel kills it again.  Even an after the fact, flashback and overdue solo movie for one of the characters from the start is beyond enjoyable.  Most importantly - it brought us the character of Yelena who will undoubtedly be one of the greatest additions to the MCU.

9 - American Skin

This movie was so incredible in that there was no way to watch this and not get triggered emotionally in some way.  It's social commentary is pretty spot on and it sticks with you for a very long time.  

8 - Luca

A very different kind of movie for Pixar but just like Marvel they don't disappoint.  Like ever.  This one was a tough sell on a couple of levels but completely roped you in and got you invested in the main characters voyage.  

7 - Don't Look Up

Incredible cast.  Incredible sarcasm.  Incredible social commentary.  It's insane how much this movie could be related to how so many things in the world today are addressed.   Very funny watch.

6 - Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

Again - Marvel doesn't fail.  This was honestly one of their better intro/first movies for one of their characters.  They managed to turn a pretty much unknown character into an instant favorite after one movie.  Very impressive.

5 - Jungle Cruise

Let's be honest - how the hell can you go wrong with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in a movie together?   This movie was just plain fun.  This is the type of throwback summer popcorn movie ride that made me love going to the movies in the first place.  Very very enjoyable.  

4 - Everybody's Talking About Jamie

This is one of the best movies about representation I have ever seen.  Felt so genuine and was really enjoyable with great acting throughout.  

3 - Monster

This movie massively messed me up.  It was the type of movies that keeps you so glued to the screen and hooks so many different emotions that it leaves an incredibly lasting impression.  This was very much one of those movies.

2 - Tick Tick Boom

I absolutely loved this movie.  Andrew Garfield easily put in his best acting performance to date in this.  The music was awesome.  The story progression was too.  I have always been a huge fan of Rent so this movie connected with me even more seeing how it came to be.  

1 - Spider-Man: No Way Home

This movie was not only beyond enjoyable with great action and story telling but it really is a once in a lifetime experience.   Still too soon to spoil anything but they really put a bunch of things on screen together that at no point did my imagination think would be possible . . . . . . . . . and hit a home run with it too. 

The Ten Worst Movies of 2021

 10.  Dune

I'm sorry.  Like I get how great this was visually and what not but this was one of the biggest snoozefests of an "epic" movie I have ever seen.  I purposely saved this to watch on a long flight so that I could watch it with no distractions and I still had trouble following and/or caring.  

9.  Cry Macho

Yet another example of how every other movie that Clint Eastwood directs is a giant turd.  I will never understand how this guy can go from directing best movie of the year contenders to absolute garbage.  Weirdest thing ever.

8.  Separation

The first of several lame ass horror entries on this list.  I can't even say too much about this one simply because there was nothing memorable about this outside of horrible side effects.  

7.  The World To Come

Like I get the need for more representation like this in film but the way that that they did it and the time period they chose was just so supremely silly to me.  

6.  Annette

I have no idea how this movie has been so well reviewed.  This is the type of movie that is so absurd that I almost want people to watch it just to see the confused dog look on their face's as they do.  

5.  Don't Breathe 2

Any time a movie is hyped as "Stephen Lang in .  . .  . " then it simply shouldn't be made.  The fact that a sequel nobody wanted was done using a side character from the original just adds more to that.   Sorry, buddy.

4.  Escape Room 2: Tournament Of Champions

Another sequel that absolutely nobody wanted.  This was just plain over the top and silly throughout.  

3.  Wrong Turn

The original is one of the most joked about movies of all time for me so I was stunned at the idea of them redoing it.  Yet somehow - they managed to make a movie even worse by taking away the stuff you could at least make fun of.  This was like a boring horror movie.  How the hell do you do that?

2 - The Unholy

Catching the vibe here of how bad horror movies were this year.  How do you put Jeffrey Dean Morgan into one of those Conjuring type of movies and basically hold back and make it boring?

1 - Antlers

Words do no justice to how hard I laughed when they finally showed the monster in this movie.  The buildup to it was not the worst and kept you kind of interested but then the big reveal was something that a toddler would make in a pottery class.   All credibility was instantly gone and it earned the glorious title of worst movie of 2021.  

A Journal For Jordan

Deployed to Iraq, First Sgt. Charles Monroe King starts to keep a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back at home, Dana Canedy, a senior editor for The New York Times, revisits the story of her unlikely, life-altering relationship with King and his enduring devotion to his beloved family.

This was a very well done and nice movie but it was all about pulling heartstrings.  You cared about the couple.  You cared about their journey.  You cared about their story but it was kind of forced and there was nothing that you didn't know was going to happen.  But credit where its due - even with that it was still a very enjoyable movie/story.  

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this movie out.  It's not a must see by any means but it is a good heartstring pulling kind of movie.  

The Matrix Resurrections

Plagued by strange memories, Neo's life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself back inside the Matrix.

This is a weird one to review.  The original Matrix is one of my favorite movies of all time.  The sequel had quite honestly one of the best long action sequences ever with the freeway scene.  The third one was very enjoyable although I had my issues with it.  I assumed that this movie would just be the fourth sequel but it was more of a reboot kind of.  Like it was weird.   They didn't really step on the gas with it too much and kept it grounded because honestly it played like more of a romance movie.  Like even writing that feels weird.  And all of that is not to say the movie was bad.  I actually liked it for the most part.  I could have done without the long talky talky stuff with the old Jada Pinkett Smith character but I really liked how they set it up.  I really liked the ending.  It just was more of a soft reboot as opposed to being a sequel or like the other Matrix movies.  

I would definitely still recommend people checking this out.  I mean it's a Matrix movie.  It's worth watching alone just because of the visuals.  Just be prepared that it's very different from the other Matrix movies.  

The King's Man

One man must race against time to stop history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds as they get together to plot a war that could wipe out millions of people and destroy humanity.

This was strangely like two separate movies.  The first half dragged ALOT.  Had some very weird and funny moments with the over the top characters and acting but dragged overall.  The second half was alot better with the faster pace and what not and made the movie rebound nicely.  But honestly - this movie is just a prequel that nobody was asking for.  I would much sooner be excited to see Kingsman 3 instead of this kind of forced prequel. 

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but a worthy watch if you have the time.  Just no need to go out of your way to see it.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, our friendly neighborhood web-slinger is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life as Peter Parker from the high stakes of being a superhero. When Peter asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

Wow!  Just plain wow!   This has to be the most surreal movie going experience ever.   I can't really go into too much detail without spoiling anything but to be watching characters or actors from different versions of Spider-Man interacting was truly mind-blowing.   It would have been awesome even in a small sample of it like I honestly expected but to see it on as grand a scale as it ended up being was amazing.   Tom Holland cemented himself more as my favorite Spidey.  The returning characters that you have grown to love were all awesome.  Doctor Strange made a great addition.  The action and overall story were great and then all that other stuff that I don't want to spoil for everyone.   A very very enjoyable watch that had a very high bar of expectations and completely surpassed said bar.  

I would definitely recommend everyone checking this out.  As much as the Avengers movies - especially the last two were mind blowing with all the people on screen together, this one took that idea and topped it in a way simply because it never should have been possible to see this stuff.  

Nightmare Alley

In 1940s New York, down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle endears himself to a clairvoyant and her mentalist husband at a traveling carnival. Using newly acquired knowledge, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy. Hoping for a big score, he soon hatches a scheme to con a dangerous tycoon with help from a mysterious psychiatrist who might be his most formidable opponent yet.

This is very much one of those movies where the cinematography makes the movies.   The overall appearance of everything was like an extra character.  Regarding the rest of the characters - there was some truly excellent acting in this movie across the board.  Very stellar cast delivered throughout.   And finally the direction of the movie really takes you there and sucks in the viewer to this world that. you feel like you are on the journey with them.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.   It was a very enjoyable watch and could definitely garner some year end award consideration.  

Rumble

In a world where monsters are tame and monster wrestling is a popular sport, Winnie seeks to follow in her father's footsteps as a manager by turning an inexperienced monster into a contender.

This movie was nothing more than one of those animated money grabs for parents/families.  Got bumped around a couple of times because of Covid and then Paramount Plus decided to use it to drive up family subscriptions instead of the lame box office it was guaranteed to make.  Some good voices in this and it had its connections to wrestling and stuff but honestly not worth watching at all for anyone including families.  Very subpar by today's animated standards.  

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It's 90 minutes that could surely be spent better in any other way.  

West Side Story

Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks -- two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

This one is a little tough to review.  It was very excellently made.  Spielberg's camera work and using the background setting as a character in pretty much every shot was beyond top notch.  The performances were all great.  The singing and choreography were all great too.  I just have never been that big of a fan of the story.  I was hoping that maybe this would help me like it more but it didn't.  

Again - I would still recommend people checking it out because it is an incredibly well done movie.  Don't let my lack of enjoyment of the story be a downer.  

Licorice Pizza

Alana Kane and Gary Valentine grow up, run around and fall in love in California's San Fernando Valley in the 1970s.

This is one of those movies that is definitely effected by so much advance hype from awards consideration and what not.  It's a very enjoyable movie and you can absolutely feel like you are growing up with the characters in the 70s because of the very genuine overall feel.   There are tons of laughs - especially Bradley Cooper's hilarious part.  I just kind of felt myself thinking why did all the critics say this was so great all along and I feel like it took away from it a bit.  

Regardless, I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It is a very enjoyable coming of age story with some really great characters.  

National Champions

Three days before the college football national championship game, star quarterback LeMarcus James and teammate Emmett Sunday ignite a player's strike -- declaring they won't compete until all student athletes are fairly compensated. With billions of dollars at risk and legacies on the line, the stakes couldn't be higher. Now, with only hours until kickoff, their head coach and various power brokers must race against the clock to protect or destroy the prevailing collegiate athletics system.

I really liked this movie alot because it is about a topic that has bothered me for a long, long time.   This movie basically perfectly addressed the absolute bs that exists in college sports with the players that universities and coaches are making billions of dollars off of not getting paid in any way for essentially their name.  This movie covered pretty much every point I have ever made when debating this and told it in a way where the escalation and politics of it all was perfectly played out.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out and hopefully it opens lots of eyes about college athletics moving forward.  

Wolf

Believing he's a wolf trapped in a man's body, Jacob eats, sleeps and lives like one -- much to the shock of his family. When he's sent to a clinic, Jacob and his animal-bound peers are forced to undergo increasingly extreme forms of curative therapies. However, once he meets the mysterious Wildcat, their friendship blossoms into an undeniable infatuation, and Jacob must decide whether to renounce his true self for love.

Um . . . . .  I have no idea what this was.  Like I get the artistic premise and stuff but this was a super strange watch.  One of those critically praised independent type movies that is 10000000% not intended for mainstream audiences.  Like at all.  This was just weird as hell.

I would not recommend anyone really bothering with this.  It's just a strange watch.  I understand the artistic hook of it but still.  Just weird as hell.  

Sing 2

Can-do koala Buster Moon and his all-star cast of animal performers prepare to launch a dazzling stage extravaganza in the glittering entertainment capital of the world. There's just one hitch -- he has to find and persuade the world's most reclusive rock star to join them. What begins as Buster's dream of big-time success soon becomes an emotional reminder of the power of music to heal even the most broken heart.

This is another one of those Universal animation franchises that are watchable but pretty forgettable right after.   Like they have the Despicable Me franchise that I love but then all the rest are decent watches but I feel no real connection to the characters and stuff to care.  The music in this was great just like the first one but you really forget all about the movie like 15 minutes after you watch it.  

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this unless it's families with younger kids.  They will certainly enjoy it and it's not beyond painful for the parents but it's not really memorable either.  

Encanto

The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift -- every child except Mirabel. However, she soon may be the Madrigals last hope when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is now in danger.

This was yet another very entertaining Disney princess kind of movie that involves cultural representation.  I'm sure that this movie will mean much, much more to the cultures it is trying to represent but even if that is not you it is still a very enjoyable movie.  The animation was great.  The music was probably the best in a Disney movie since Moana and you can't help but get wrapped up in the story as it plays out.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out.  You can never go wrong with Disney animated releases around a holiday.  They are pretty much guaranteed to deliver.  

House Of Gucci

When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge -- and ultimately murder.

This is one of those movies that is tough to review.  Was it a phenomenal all around movie?  No.  It was honestly trash entertainment.  But it was really good trash entertainment if that makes sense.  The actors all were top notch.  Adam Driver was great.  Jared Leto was excellent.  And Lady Gaga was amazing.  Like she really made this movie.  You could feel the difference when she was on screen and when she wasn't.  You were so hooked by how unhinged her character was and wanted to know what she was going to do.  

I would recommend people checking this out just so you can enjoy the evolution of Lady Gaga as an actress.  I could see her being nominated again for this performance and the rest of the movie was pretty good as well although pretty trashy.

Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City

Welcome to Raccoon City, once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corp. The company's exodus left the city a wasteland, a dying town with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.

Don't get me wrong, this movie was definitely one of the more watchable entries in recent memory.  They kind of went back to the beginning and tried to reboot.  And it wasn't as beyond over the top as most of the others have been until towards the end.  Like it got held back on the crazy gore and makeup effects and kept it alot more human which was definitely better.  That being said - I honestly don't know of a franchise that has been more over done than this.  Like honestly - how many of these movies have been made.  I feel like there is a new one every 2-3 years just as like a money grab for gamers and what not.  Like how about we just leave it alone.

I would not really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It's watchable only when compared to the last 4-5 entries in the franchise and that is setting the bar extremely low.  

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

When a single mother and her two children move to a new town, they soon discover they have a connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

I wish more reboots, relaunches, or whatever you want to call them were done like this.   It was not a straight up redo.  It wasn't a straight up sequel.  It was a new, original and entertaining story with new characters that referenced known things from the franchise and actually managed to connect it all in a good way.  So many of these are either mailed in or just kind of attempting to modernize the original movie.   This one avoided that and was a really great watch.  

I  would definitely recommend people checking this out and honestly wish that more reboots would be more like this.  

King Richard

Armed with a clear vision and a brazen, 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his two daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on tennis courts in Compton, Calif., Richard shapes the girls' unyielding commitment and keen intuition. Together, the Williams family defies seemingly insurmountable odds and the prevailing expectations laid before them.

This movie was exactly what you expected it to be.   A great biographical movie with a stellar performance by Will Smith.   I have no doubt that he will be in award contention this year and I was never a big tennis person so it was very enjoyable to learn alot more about the history of the Williams sisters.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a little bit longer than I think it had to be but it was a very enjoyable watch.  

Clifford The Big Red Dog

When Emily Elizabeth meets a magical animal rescuer who gives her a little red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant, 10-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. With her single mother away on business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle set out on an adventure that takes a bite out of the Big Apple.

This movie is essentially exactly what you know it will be.  Cute family movie with simple story and cute morals and messages.  Roll the credits.  There is literally nothing else that needs to be said about this movie.

I would definitely recommend this movie for people with younger kids.  They will certainly enjoy it and the movie is not unbearable for you while they enjoy it so there is at least that.  

Spencer

The marriage between Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the queen's estate. There's eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game, but this year, things will be profoundly different.

I tried.  I did.  I made it about halfway through.  I'm sure that this will generate lots of Oscar buzz for acting and what not but I have never understood the Princess Diana fascination so I just wasn't that into it. It's Kristen Stewart who is honestly like the worst actress in all of Hollywood regardless of how good of a Diana that she played.  And its the same story I feel like I have seen told in every medium more times than I can count at this point.  

I wouldn't recommend this at all but like I said - this just really wasn't my thing so if it is you should disregard my recommendation.  

The Eternals

The Eternals, a race of immortal beings with superhuman powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, reunite to battle the evil Deviants.

This movie was a really tough sell for Marvel.  Probably their hardest one since Guardians Of The Galaxy.   It was a whole new group of characters that had to be introduced and developed.  It did a great job of telling you the present story and going back through time to show the relationships and connections between all of them.  The witty banter was still there and a lot of the characters were really great.  I very much look forward to seeing more of these characters moving forward in the MCU.  

This was a great watch although much artsier and more dramatic than the rest of the MCU movies.  Was it one of the lower rung Marvel movies like Captain Marvel?  I would say yes but definitely still very enjoyable.  

Last Night In Soho

An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. However, the glamour is not all it appears to be, and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.

This was a really weird yet intriguing watch.  It was artsy which would usually be a turn off for a psychological thriller but this one somehow broke through.  And even though I felt like they were too obsessed with the look of the movie instead of the substance I was still hooked.  Don't know if it was the two leads or the director but it was just done in a way that really made you want to see where it was going from beginning to end.  I can't really say too much more without spoiling anything.

I would recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see or anything but it was a very enjoyable psychological thriller.