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Child’s Play (2019) Movie Review

Hello ladies and gentlemen. We’re doing a quick review on the new Child’s Play. This is gonna be pretty quick and although i wouldn’t call them spoilers, I will say that there might be some moments. So just just a heads up. You know the original Child’s Play in 1988 so we won’t spend any time talking about what it’s about. You already know. Anyway, Andy is played by Gabriel Bateman and the mother Karen is played by Aubrey Plaza. Are you ready? Cool.

I wasn’t too excited with the lead up to the movie actually. The marketing and advertising of the movie was overall kind of mediocre. I’m sure you saw them on your instagram and Facebook feeds where he’s roasting the Toy Story characters which is kind of cool the first time but eh. The movie first off has a really lazy intro. It’s hard to not compare it to the original but here we are. There’s no supernatural element in this version of Child’s Play. “Chucky” is basically a violent version of an Alexa in the sense that it controls all the electronics in the house. Yeah, I know. Just kind of disappointing that the back story behind a killer doll is so shallow and has absolutely no follow through. I know it’s a remake but at least put in some effort. This lack of development is pretty consistent throughout the film too unfortunately.

The casting as well was alright. I know we were all really anticipating Mark Hamill’s portrayal of such an iconic character with such a resume. He did good i thought but it wasn’t anything wow-worthy. The overall script wasn’t too compelling. I was disappointed that there was no laugh to compare but I suppose it makes sense since this doll has no human element so oh well. Aubrey Plaza was okay as well. I’m not gonna lie, I was disappointed when i saw she was going to be the mother because she’s good and all but i couldn’t bring myself to buy the performance from her. Andy on the other hand did a good job i thought he showed great potential for future films possibly.

The storyline itself is pretty bland. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good and fun but it just lacked that depth. I think the overall depth of the film wasn’t there and I wasn’t able to lose myself in the story itself if that makes sense. There were some fun parts where Chucky learns to take on a more violent self. I will give it that. However, even the climax is pretty anticlimactic. I did like how much conversation there was between the two but the conversation was pretty bland. A lot of “if i can’t be your friend then no one can” kind of stuff. Now that I’m writing this i really wish that there was so supernatural element. It’s weird to say the i believed the original voodoo supernatural version more than a violent Alexa doll. Besides that I suppose it was a fun film to watch but i wouldn’t call it amazing by any means. I’d say go see just to say you did but it wouldn’t be terrible if you waited for Redbox or even a Netflix. With all this in mind I’m gonna give this movie a 5.8/10

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When They See Us (2019) Review

Hello ladies and gentlemen. We’re discussing the Netflix Original Series When They See Us. To catch you up to speed, it’s about the Central Park jogger case that occurred in 1989. It’s based on the attack and rape of Trisha Meili who was a white woman that was jogging in the park when she was attacked. Five boys were falsely accused. I would suggest looking up the cast because there are too many names to not get confused so we’ll leave that out. What you should know is that there are a lot of notable actors/actresses in this series and is definitely worth a watch. You ready? Cool.

So to begin with, the show does grab your attention right away. This is only a 4 part series and the structure of which it is laid out is very convenient since the episodes can last as long as an 1+ hour very easily. It takes a lot of time but all the parts are in blocks and keeps the story going so it’s easy to do one part and start the next some other time. So anyway, this lady gets raped, abused and is left for dead. It’s 1989 and the cops just know that there was a group of teenagers that were in the park but they got these five boys and were determined to charge them with the crime. The coercing that took place was extremely well portrayed but that would be nothing without the acting from these five actors. In the series their age ranged from 14-16 years old and being interrogated without counsel or their parents really makes you feel for them. It’s all very emotional and you pretty much have no choice to watch the show. Go.

What was also really good was the trial itself. Since the episodes are so long they don’t skip any details or lead up to the trial itself. It’s clear what everybody’s intentions are and what the goal is. There’s even really good sub stories about the children and their families. In particular, there is one relationship between a child and his father that really hits home. It doesn’t distract from the story itself but does add more of an emotional element that is relatable. The lawyers defense is great and does a good job of giving hope when we know that there is none. I think they showed a lot of the defense to draw out or trigger people since they didn’t show too much of the prosecution. I wish they would have shown more of that since we know that they are innocent. The trial is the second part and parts 3 and 4 are prison life and after prison.

So the portrayal of life after prison for these kids is also well done. I know people don’t like long episodes but this show wouldn’t have been as good if it were the usual 45-50 minute format. It really goes into how difficult it would be after prison for someone to adapt and become a productive member of society. It hits harder with these ones because they are innocent and lost their childhood due to this conviction. In the world they are rapists, abusers, convicts and for them to be none of those things but have that permanent label is terrible.

The most important part of the series is part 4 where they focus on Korey Wise who was sent to adult prison since he was 16. This actors performance was hands down the best performance from this series. I really don’t know how this guy didn’t off himself. The details are brutal and is upsetting. I’ll leave that be and finish this review up. This show had great writing, actors, actresses, plot and character development. There’s not much to criticize so with all this considered i will be giving this series a very solid 8.8/10.

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The Dead Don’t Die (2019) Movie Review

The Dead Don’t Die. That’s what we’re talking about today. So this movie stars Adam Driver, Bill Murray and a bunch of other big names as well. This is. Zombie comedy where the dead begin to rise due to some lunar activity and others things as such. It’s based in a small town with a small police force and Officer Ronnie Peterson (played by Adam Driver) and Chief Cliff Robertson (played by Bill Murray) go out to seek out the undead. Pretty straightforward. Alright so lets get on to it.

So the trailer to this film looked great. It has kind of a dry humor feel and having this cast definitely supported that idea so i was pumped about that. Getting to the movie itself, it does have a very slow build and the conversations may seem dull to some. Now, i do not want take away from the performances of these actors because they did do very good job. I felt that the most of the scripting was where things were lacking. There’s a lot of conversations/moments that occur that don’t really seem to go very many places. For example, there’s a couple scenes where there are these kids and it’s not much, but it seems like enough screen time for it to mean something. However, it doesn’t really go anywhere and if that had been cut, the overall movie probably wouldn’t have changed very much.

Now i know what you might be thinking. It just wasn’t my type of comedy and i can see that. Maybe it’s because Zombie movies are usually pretty fast paced and this was a slow burn. That may be true, but i suggest you watch it and let me know.

The ending is pretty rushed i felt. As mentioned, it’s a slow build and a lot of conversations, but the whole message of the movie is pretty vague and seemed kind of plopped in. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely parts that i enjoyed, but overall I’d maybe suggest waiting for this movie to come out on Redbox. Everything considered, I’m giving this movie a 6.1/10

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Booksmart (2019) Movie Review

Hello. How are you? Great. We’re talking about Olivia Wild’s director debut Booksmart. No spoilers here because I really think you should see it. So, Booksmart is a movie about Amy (played by Kaitlyn Denver) and Molly (played by Beanie Feldstein) who spent their whole high school careers studying diligently and not going to any parties with the goal of attending an Ivy League school. It’s the last day of school when they find out that the students who partied also got into these schools. So they decide that they are going to go to the best party that same night to redeem themselves and get some experience prior to graduation. All caught up? Cool.

So the movie does a really good job on establishing Amy’s and Molly’s friendship. It’s kind of odd because there’s not much about their past, but the chemistry from the two characters really shows through and brings you to the understanding that they have been through a lot and have a great friendship. The performance throughout the entire movie is actually really great if you ask me. Molly is more of the aggressor whereas Amy kind of plays the part of doing whatever since Molly is her best friend. The dialogue is pretty in your face but not so much in a way that feels forced. Now that doesn’t mean that this movie is absolutely realistic but that’s okay. Their role in school is shown right away as kind of the geeks that no one hangs out with because they are so into their studies. The way Molly finds out about the others getting into the same schools is well done and seems like something that would happen. So here’s where Molly convinces Amy that they are gonna go out that very night.

I really liked this movie because of the urgency aspect since the majority of the movie is all in the same night so it feels like you’re there. I would compare this feeling to Superbad as the set up is relatively similar. I also really liked how much music they used throughout this movie to set the scene and keep things flowing. Well done. So the events that occur are pretty out there but the writing of the movie and the way they use all their characters to their full potential helps with the movie not getting dull. You know. How many times can you hear “we need to find this party” before you find yourself saying “can you get to the party already”. They do this a couple different ways. There’s some love interests and they play on it really well i thought.

The movie does have a good build and the character arcs are very good too. However, with all the events that are happening through the movie, I wouldn’t really say there’s a climax. There’s a scene where there’s an argument and that might be the climax, but honestly there’s so much that happens afterwards that it makes the movie somewhat of a roller coaster. The good thing is that by the end of the movie you can really connect with both of the characters. I found myself wanting the best for them and was invested in the outcome of the night for these two.

The last quarter of the movie is pretty great and i found myself happy with the way things turned out. It’s all in the open for everyone and things are pretty clear. The part that I didn’t love all too much was the closure for each of the characters. Yeah, things came out great but it does kind of go from devastating to happy real quick. I would have liked a little more insight to where these things kind of shifted. The same goes for the very end. Everyone gets what they wanted from the night before, but the vision of what might happen next was kind of a loose end so there’s that. One other criticism i would have is how much the movie felt improvised. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of it was great but at times the dialogue kind of tried to pull out a laugh when the laugh wasn’t there. That’s the thing with comedy though. It’s subjective and it may have really worked for others. All in all, I think that this is going to be a movie that’s going to live on for quite some time and I would definitely suggest supporting this movie by going to a theatre to watch it as opposed to waiting for Redbox. It’s a good laugh and we all need that. With all things considered, I’m giving this movie a 7.3/10.

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Ma (2019) Movie Review

Hello ladies and gentlemen. We’re gonna be discussing the movie Ma today real quick. It’s still in theaters just in case you care. So the movie follows a group of teenagers as they encounter this woman named Sue Ann (played by Octavia Spencer). We’ll just reference her as”Ma”. So they’re high schoolers and they need someone to buy them alcohol and that’s where she comes in. She’s a lonely woman that befriends this group of teenagers and decides to let them party in her basement instead of being out there drinking and driving. So the kids are pumped, right? I know I would be, but some weird things start happening and that’s basically the movie. So are you ready? Cool.

So what I really enjoyed about the lead up to the movie was that the trailers did a good job to catch your interest but held back enough to keep you intrigued throughout the movie. The movie mainly follows Maggie (played by Diana Silvers) and her mother Erica (played by Juliette Lewis) since they’re new in town and Maggie is getting adapted to the new school and such. The plot is simple and something that most of us can relate to since we were all there once. The casting for the movie is good and everyone plays there parts well. Especially Maggie’s mother, Erica, and Octavia Spencer. Juliette Lewis does a great job being the protective mother and Octavia also does a great job in the movie with the whole creepy nice old woman character. Again, very relatable!

The script to the movie is decent and gets the job done. Overall, it keeps the movie moving forward but can get kind of cheesy at times. I mean, yeah they’re in high school and I suppose the more serious scenes kind of balance it out but still. Meh. Anyway, I know this movie has a lot of hype about it being a horror/thriller but it’s honestly a suspense movie. I think people that will say it’s not good are going in to be scared and that’s not the idea of this movie really. I know we all want a good horror movie but we’re gonna have to wait for that a bit longer.

Moving along, there’s a couple of curve balls in the movie that keep it up but they’re aren’t too drastic. There is one scene that is really good though. It’s in the trailer so I’ll at least mention it. It’s when the dad confronts Ma about why his son is at her place so frequently and all that jazz. That scene is intense and realistic. By the time you get to the end of the movie you can kinda see why she did what she did because what happened to her is really messed up. It’s honestly terrible, but you know she can’t win in the movie. That brings me to the climax. The climax is pretty good and there really are some good relatively gory parts that might make you cover up your eyes. Unfortunately, there’s a couple holes in the scene where you kind of sit there like, “come on” but it’s still pretty good.

In conclusion, it was a good movie but it got over hyped. I don’t think it’s a real in depth movie that’s gonna have people talking very long, but it is really fun. So if you’re going in to be wowed, you’ll be disappointed, but if you’re going in just for fun, you’ll be happy. I’d say to wait for it to come out on redbox though. With everything considered I’m gonna give this movie a 6/10.

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Slasher: Season 1 (2016)

What’s up, guys. We’re doing our first review of a tv series and getting away from a movie. Thanks Brandon. So we’re discussing the show Slasher that recently came out on Netflix. There are currently three seasons but we’re just talking about the first season which is only 8 episodes. I’ll keep this as brief as possible for you guys so don’t worry. You ready?

So right off the bat I want to mention that this series is pretty gory and lives up to the name Slasher. There’s a lot of blood in the first episode and does a good job in getting the story out in the open. Basically this girls parents are murdered by this person named The Executioner and the main character Sarah isn’t even born yet but is literally cut out of the mother. Sounds intense right? Because it is. Now, with this being a series, the writing is a little shallow but it’s to the point and every episode keeps the story moving forward. I can’t really knock it on the way people die either. There’s quite a few “c’mon” moments but it is all evened out with the storytelling and progress of the show.

The acting on all parts is pretty decent. Sarah (played by Katie McGrath) probably puts on the best performance and rightfully so since she is the main character. Also the sets of the show aren’t over the top and are just right for what they are trying to do. There’s also a few twists and turns but aren’t too exaggerated which is good cause it keeps to the over all storyline consistent and doesn’t go off on meaningless tangents. The climax in itself is good too. For only 8 episodes they got a lot in there. I will be watching the remaining two seasons. Overall it’s great watch and not so big of a commitment. It’s checks the boxes and is really enjoyable. Given everything through the first season I’m giving it a 6.2/10.

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Brightburn (2019) Movie Review

Hello ladies and gentlemen. If you haven’t already seen it, I’m sure you’re interested in the movie Brightburn. Jackson Dunn plays Brandon Breyer who is the antagonist of the whole film. His mother, Tori Breyer, is played by Elizabeth Banks and his father, Kyle Breyer, is played by David Denman. So the movie follows Tori and Kyle as they have been trying to have a baby but have been unsuccessful so far. In comes Brandon from the sky on some sort of space ship and they raise him from birth but things have changed a bit and Brandon is getting a bit abrasive. Now this movie has been compared to an evil version of Superman which I can see but we’re gonna keep that to a minimum. It’s a simple plot. Are you ready? Good.

So the beginning gives as much background as you need. All we know is that he came from space and they keep this space ship in their barn outback but Brandon isn’t aware of it and where he’s from. He just knows he’s adopted. I think they did a great job assigning the characters because Elizabeth Banks does a great job as the loving mother who will never betray her son whereas you can tell something is off about the dad. It’s not clear or obvious but you know something is there since Brandon isn’t his biological son. The supporting cast is a good fit and Jackson Dunn portrays his character well. He’s got this absent expression that works well and draws you into his character.

The build up to when Brandon starts hurting people is also well done. Something from that ship calls to him and he begins to realize what he’s capable of doing after hurling a lawn mower and stopping the blade with his arm. Things begin to get really interesting because in school, he’s in the top 1% but is bullied quite a bit to the point where he hurts one of the other students. Not a spoiler, it’s in the trailer. What the trailer doesn’t give an idea to is how gory this movie is. I know it’s a anti-hero horror movie but it’s kind of in a class of its own which is kind of brilliant. Although there are quite a bit of pop up scares, they’re done tastefully. Unlike most movies where it seems that it’s nothing but jump scares, what helps is the scripting of this movie because it created loads of suspense.

I loved how they kept all the characters in their lanes and built on it. The mom begins question her son but loves him, and the dad is getting to the point of “he’s not our son” which is kind of heartbreaking because this kid needs all the support he can get. Things escalate further to the point that the mother cannot deny that Brandon is hurting people and let me tell you, there’s some extremely gory stuff that made my friend close her eyes and she’s not sensitive to these things. It’s quite the build and the relationships that crumble make you feel terrible for the kid because he’s just as lost as anyone else.

The lead up to the climax is extremely intense and you know that Brandon is at his end. I won’t spoil it but you feel for the kid. The effects of this movie as well are very good. There’s some cool points of view and and interesting shots of overall. Now there are some big criticisms that i have of the film that I’ll share with you now. They are mostly follow through items though. For one example, there’s a scene where blood is found on Brandon shirt (and this is a huge deal) but neither the mother or father follow up with anyone which would have been logical given the circumstances. Also, I would almost say that the climax was rather weak. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good and intense, but i think there could have been more to it. Unfortunately, the climax being rather meh is gonna drop the score quite a but it needs to be understood that this movie is the stepping stone to something huge. This whole movie is a build up to something bigger so it makes sense that this movie wouldn’t leave it all out on the table. So overall, some good acting, good effects, original storyline, and quality of the movie given these criticisms, I’m giving this movie a solid 7.3/10 and a must see in theaters.

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Rocketman (2019) Movie Review

Hello ladies and gentlemen. We’re doing a quick review of Rocketman. Elton John is played by Taron Egerton and this musical follows his childhood into adulthood. That’s right. It’s a musical. So if you don’t fancy musicals then I suggest waiting to rent it from your local movie store. Also, I feel the need to get it out of the way that Bohemian Rhapsody and this movie are very different but if i had to choose one, I’d go with Rocketman. That’s all i will mention on that topic. I normally would give spoilers on a biopic but i guess this kind of gives a couple if you’re unfamiliar so just a heads up. Okay, so you know who Elton John (who will be referred to in this review simply as EJ) is and such so no need for the overview, right babe?

So the movie has a good starting point. EJ is in full costume and goes into an AA meeting where he gives all his flaws and how he’s feeling stressed and such. Pretty quick right? The course of the movie does take a retrospective view on his life since he’s in the meeting but it works. The build up from childhood through adulthood happens very very fast. He’s a child prodigy pretty much and finds himself in a band before you know it. As a child he didn’t have acceptance from his father and touch on the gay aspect right from the beginning which i thought was interesting. The comment is from his father when he was at least younger than 10 years old. So anyway, he’s in this band and plays in the background. Before you even know what’s going on he’s already EJ. If you haven’t picked up on it yet, this review is kind of like a check list, right? Yeah, so is the film.

Don’t get me wrong though. The acting is pretty great and you buy Taron Egerton as EJ right away. He’s got a great voice and looks damn near similar so what else could you ask for? Not much. Remember this is a musical and even the performances are spot on great with the choreography and how they were weaved into the film. However, the film doesn’t give you enough to really connect with the characters for the long run. It’s like going to Costco and getting a bunch of samples. You know, it’s good but you’re kind of like “meh” I’m not gonna buy it. That’s kind of how i felt with this movie.

So getting into the performances. Unfortunately, it does have the same choppy feel as the other scenes but they are pretty amazing to say the least. The first show they play at the Troubadour is electrifying and exciting but it just doesn’t last long. There’s a big fantasy aspect to the film during the performances where it gives a euphoria feel where people are floating and all that stuff but it overtakes the actual performance if that makes sense. Ironically for a musical, the performances were very short in comparison to the other scenes. That’s where I’m torn on this movie. It looks amazing and has the capacity to be an amazing movie, it just felt rushed. One huge example of this is when he gets married and divorced in, I kid you not, like 3 minutes. Who was the wife? Who knows and who cares because if you went to the bathroom you would have missed the whole thing. Kind of disappointing right?

His character development is shown pretty creatively however. For a lot of the film hes very self-pity negative Neil and gets a little old naturally because we all get down and it’s annoying, but he moves forward and says all the right things in really touching way. I understand that timeline is something that people are gonna moan and groan about it and i get it but let’s face it, there’s no way a Hollywood Movie is gonna get it perfect. Anyway, one of the best scenes i thought was when he comes out to his mother and she says something very hurtful and that was the most i connected with the character. I’m not gonna tell you of course since you should see this in theatres, but Tarons emotions and the depth from this scene really makes you feel for the guy. It simply is a great performance. Overall I was torn on this movie, but looking at it objectively, it was a pretty great movie and would see it again, likely. Not for sure for sure, but likely. I’m giving this movie a 7.6/10.

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Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) Movie Review

Hello ladies and gentlemen. We’re talking about Godzilla: King of the Monsters. So we have some notable actors here with Kyle Chandler playing Mark Russel and also Vera Farmiga playing Dr. Emma Russel. I usually don’t mention much characters for the sake of time but we also have Millie Bobby Brown playing The daughter Madison Russel. I will give a heads up that this does provide SPOILERS. So this movie continues on from the 2014 film and Kong: Skull Island and goes into a relatively interesting plot where the titans all respond the alpha Ghidora and things backfire quite a bit. Who knew! Anyway Godzilla is there only chance for the human race to survive and they need to help him out a lot. That about sums it up. You ready?

So the movie right off the bat gets into the whole story and the opening scene is very intense. I was really looking forward to this movie because of the casting but hands down the CGI and effects were the highlight of this movie for sure. In case you haven’t seen the movie from 2014, Mark and Emma are separated and Madison stays with the mother while Madison and her father, Mark, haven’t spoken in 3 years. So Emma creates a device that allows people to communicate with these titans via sonar and after the successful use of it, Madison and Emma are “taken” and now Mark needs to find them.

Now the movie definitely has a lot of plot holes and reaches quite a bit. I was kind of disappointed in the writing of film because it seemed to leave some great actors with characters that were pretty flat throughout the movie. On the bright side, there’s a twist where Emma sides with the “bad guys” because they believe that the titans are rising because they are a natural cleansing for the earth which makes the human race a “fever” that needs to be disposed of. Or at least winded down. You get the idea; pollution, overpopulation etc. it’s a good concept right? However, things backfire when they release Ghidora and ultimately end up regretting it because they never knew that the titans would respond to Ghidora in way that is not favorable to humans. There are some very amazing battle scenes that had me on the edge quite a bit, but you know what ruins hype? Reaching plots that require too much attention and not enough movie to go around. During a battle scene between Ghidora and Godzilla, they try and nuke them both and kill Godzilla but Ghidora doesn’t die because it’s some being from space and doesn’t die the way things are supposed to die on earth. Wait, did you hear that right? Yeah, you did. Alien. So we’re well into the movie where Everyone knows that Dr. Emma is trying to release all the titans to provide this “cleanse”.

Back to the alien thing though. If we’ve learned anything from The Avengers we know that if there is one alien then there must be more out there, right? Who knows in this movie because they never touch the idea again throughout the movie. Again, battle scenes are great and they bring Godzilla back in a way that makes sense for the movie so no disputes there. The movie has some good build up to the climax of the movie which is where we’ll go next.

The climax is, well, meh. The characters haven’t done much in regards to bringing you into the film. There’s quite a bit of comedic relief in this movie that was very rarely in the right place. During a major explanation of why these things are happening and who the hell Ghidora is, there’s a joke due to a relatively thick accent that and misunderstanding that totally steals from the drama. That sucks. Kinda like when you’re about to eat those leftovers only to find out someone already ate most of them. Now moral conflicts between the characters is pretty good. Madison really doesn’t agree with her mother’s decisions and ultimately takes things into her own hands.

So Godzilla is back and strong as can be and the climax begins. Remember that device that allows people to communicate with these titans? Well, so conveniently Madison is able to take it and use it for everything she wants. You’d think that such a device would be locked up or something right? Nope. So the climax is everything you would hope it to be. Looks and sounds absolutely amazing. Had me on the edge of my seat and anticipating that next part. Of course you know that Godzilla wins because of the title the movie and the screen fades out with promises of Godzilla and King Kong probably battling things out to the death. Overall a very fun movie to watch that’s exciting and thrilling, but the movie is nothing to rave about regarding best movie of the year or anything like that. I’m glad i saw it but would wait for redbox to watch it again. With all this considered I’m giving this movie a 6.8/10.

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Long Shot (2019) Movie Review

Okay guys we’re talking about the movie Long Shot starring Seth Rogan and Charlize Theron. There’s a few notable characters but I won’t bore you with those. Look it up on IMDb. So Seth Rogan plays Fred Flarsky who is an off the wall journalist who quits his job due to moral reasons. He’s also super prideful and it’s his way or the wrong way. Charlize Theron plays Charlotte Field who’s the Secretary of State and is a presidential candidate. Charlotte use to baby sit Fred when they were younger and Fred has a crush on her. They cross paths at an event where Fred needs a job and Charlotte needs a writer to improve her speeches. All caught up? Cool.

So the beginning is totally In your face. It’s a white power neo nazi party where Fred is trying to get the inside scoop. If you’ve seen the movie Sausage Party then you’d get kind of nervous. Cursing and in your face comedy is cool but too much is just too much. You know? Luckily things tone down a bit and some good scripting comes to play. There’s good supporting actors introduced and Rogans character flaw is introduced from the beginning. Hello good character arc. I liked how there was a good in-depth explanation how they met and how crazy it is that they are in the same room. I will mention O’Shea Jackson Jr. is Fred’s best friend and is actually hilarious. The film wouldn’t be the same without him and Seth Rogan’s friendship.

Anyway, the movie builds well. Charlotte hires Fred but gets some resistance from her team because, remember, Fred isn’t exactly politic material and can be a liability due to previous articles. Now what I appreciated is the way the relationship between Fred and Charlotte is slow and steady. It’s not forced at all and you get why she would even like someone like him. I do gotta say that they’re on screen chemistry is really good as well. We’re talking Mr. GQ you know. Now let’s not forget Fred’s flaw that he’s super prideful. The way Charlotte has to run things (and i say has to because she’s looking to be the first woman president so she’s gotta please a lot of people) doesn’t jive with Fred because she needs to make sacrifices that he simply doesn’t understand at this point of the movie.

So on, things go on well and the relationship blossoms to a great under the table situation. Now in a story like this you gotta know that the “we can’t be together” thing is coming. And it does in a very good way. Charlize plays this role extremely well and shows a lot of depth with her dramatic and also comedic acting. It’s not forced. You empathize with her quite a bit because she has so much responsibility but doesn’t let that stray her away from falling in love with Fred and being okay with people know that. While Fred over here is all in his head and becomes kind of a jerk. Not on purpose though, keep in mind. It’s just he hasn’t overcome his flaw. In comes O’Shea. The light from the dark clouds finally turns Fred’s mindset around in a way that’s hilarious and also relieving.

On goes to the end of the movie which I’ll let for you to see because this is definitely worth watching. The originality of the movie, character development, and acting is a big win. The only criticism i would have would be with some of the commentary that happens, the length of the movie and also that beginning. If you like Rogan or even remotely liked Zack And Miri then you’ll really enjoy this one. I’m giving this movie a solid 8/10.

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Aladdin (2019) Movie Review

Okay so I saw the original Aladdin sometime ago before I turned 10 years old so this review is pretty unbiased. Aladdin is played by Mena Massoud and Princess Jasmin is played by Naomi Scott. It goes without mention that Will Smith plays the iconic genie that was previously played the late Robin Williams. There were some surprising elements in this movie so let’s get started.

The movie jumps off pretty quickly. I was surprised that Aladdin didn’t get much of an introduction to who and what he is. I was ironically also fooled that Princess Jasmin made such a quick appearance and believed when she said she isn’t the princess and is Dalia. The introduction to both characters and love interest all happens in about ten minutes which I thought was pretty quick. It was like somebody put their hands up and said whoa whoa whoa because the movie does slow down quite a bit. Aladdin is charismatic and his bond with the monkey, Abu, really shine through and you clearly get that Aladdin is a good dude and only does what he can to survive. Basically he’s not greedy despite the monkey taking Jasmin’s bracelet that her mother gave her.

The same is true for the Villain Jafar who is played by Marwan Kenzari. He’s introduced very quickly and I wasn’t sure what his place was in the kingdom. As mentioned, the movie does slow down a bit and the characters arcs are well established. We know what they want and we’re locked in for the ride. In comes Will Smith. I was so surprised by Will Smith. He got so much backlash from the media, but honestly, i think he was the best part of the movie. You can accept this if you accept that this isn’t Robin Williams. Simple as that. It was definitely an uphill battle for him and he clearly earned his paycheck. It was a little odd seeing him blue, but it’s really not that bad at all.

This does bring me to the set and wardrobe for the movie as well. This is totally a Disney movie in the way that everything is perfect. Despite the set of the scene being sandy and dirty (he is a thief) everybody is spic and span clean. That’s probably being petty and I agree. The Set is something that kind of takes away from the movie for me. The set was so pristine that it didn’t allow for the disconnect from reality that we crave when watching a movie. Rather than a film, it was almost like a play. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful movie to watch, but the attempt to make it like the animation didn’t translate so great film wise if that makes sense.

This brings me to the acting. Now I know that acting is an extremely tough job but some characters fell short. Aladdin for example is charismatic and the skill is obviously there, but the clumsiness and not knowing what to do kind of drags for a while and begs for a relief. Naomi Scott however does a very good job in the acting as well as the singing. She has a great voice and shines in the song A Whole New World. Hands down a great performance. I also felt that Mena and Naomi did have some great on-screen chemistry. I have seen better but it’s nothing to complain about. On the other hand, I’m not sure what was going with the close ups and camera angles. It may have been the wardrobe and play like set up that made this feel a bit corny. There’s a couple close ups of Jafar that are almost comical and over the top. The cinematography of the film really gives this movie some extra lives. Especially in the climax.

Overall this was a good movie and i did enjoy it a lot. I was pleasantly surprised by Will Smith’s performance, Naomi’s voice and acting, the brightness and vivid cinematography and Mena‘s and Naomi’s chemistry made for a good movie. With all this in mind I’m going to give this movie 6.8/10.

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See You Yesterday (2019) Movie Review.

It’s another Netflix Original, guys. See You Yesterday is a time travel movie. These are usually hit or miss and this is a miss. The movie follows CJ (played by Eden Duncan-Smith) and Sebastian (played by Dante Crichlow) as they have successfully created a time-machine that allows them to go back in time. CJ and Sebastian are the smartest kids in school but CJ is extremely impulsive whereas Sebastian is very logical. Simple set up, right? So CJ’s brother dies and they go back in time to try and stop this from happening. So here we go.

The movie does touch on a lot of injustice regarding police excessive use of firearms and innocent black individuals being shot and killed. This review isn’t about that but it does help to know that’s a focal point of the movie throughout. The movie itself is probably focused more towards the younger crowd with its super hip lingo but honestly it felt a little much and came off kind of childish. I get that these are high schoolers but it could have been toned down a tad. The first hour is pretty good but as most time traveling movies are, this movie is very frustrating. For example, kids successfully create a time machine and tell no one. I mean, alright. I’ll bite and keep watching.

The movie’s cinematography is entertaining and the movie set up is very bright. It’s definitely a fun watch if you’re not looking for a serious dive-in. There’s just so many frustrating pieces throughout the film that have you saying “come on, really?” The brother unfortunately is shot and killed by police due to a case of mistaken identity of individuals who just robbed a store and that’s they go back. To try and stop the robbery/shooting. Of course they fail at saving the brother and have to keep going back and back. There’s this other character Eduardo (played by Jonathan Nieves) that was a fun character that has a crush on CJ but she doesn’t feel the same and his character is probably unnecessary. Yeah, he adds some diversity but serves no real purpose. I will say that the characters in the movie are well executed and there’s definitely emotional ties that are built but overall the downfall of this movie is the lack of character development.

CJ continues to be impulsive which ends up with the death of Sebastian. She does save her brother but of course that isn’t good enough. Luckily she brings him back with yet another attempt but fails in saving her own brother... again. CJ doesn’t tell Sebastian that he just died and has to find out on his own. CJ tries to keep it cool but that’s not cool man. It’s overall an emotional battle with CJ and herself. She can’t let go and cannot realize that it is what it is. CJ convinces Sebastian that it’s done and too dangerous, but you know what she does? She goes back without him and the movie ends. Like literally, the movie ends with her going back and that’s it.

Listen, i get the whole dramatic attempt but it’s extremely frustrating. Why? Because from beginning to end, she shows no improvement. She doesn’t learn anything and Sebastian is still the voice of reason which clearly didn’t help at all. Her going back is just selfish because if she messes up AGAIN he can still die, her brother can still die, and she can still die but don’t worry about that because there’s no ending. This movie isn’t original and has a crap ending. Acting was decent and cinematography was decent. With all this in mind I’m gonna have to give this movie a 3.3/10

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The Perfection (2018) Movie Review

The Perfection

Okay, I’m sure you’ve seen the new Netflix original The Perfection. If you’ve seen the trailer then I’m sure it peaked your interest quite a bit. Stick around for a quick review.

This movie follows two woman Charlotte (played by Allison Williams) and Elizabeth (played by Logan Browning). Charlotte was the star musician until her mother became sick and Charlotte had to leave. Elizabeth is now the star pupil when Charlotte returns after her mother has died. The two become intimate and take a trip where a bunch of twisted things begin to happen. That’s about it. You ready? Alright, let’s go.

So the beginning is absolutely solid. The setting is dark, there’s the mother’s corpse. Overall a very grey setting. Even a quick-cut of a scream where the daughter is screaming. Hands down I was hooked to the movie. Anyway, charlotte was a star cellist back in the day and was one of the world’s best. After her mother dies, she calls her mentor asking if she can return. With no surprise, she does and is welcomed with open arms. This is where she meets Elizabeth who is the new star and basically took her place. Now this is where the movie begins to take off.

They meet and it’s very intense. The acting isn’t anything superb here and it’s pretty predictable. After Elizabeth and Charlotte meet and spend some time alone, you can clearly pick up on Elizabeth’s attraction to Charlotte. The dialogue between these two is pretty intimate. The two actors clearly worked good together. I say actors cause, again, the acting didn’t consume me. It was a movie at this point. This movie had a chance to be very deep and intense and build that interaction but it happens very fast. That’s okay though. It was still a strong beginning.

They have some drinks and are off on a trip early the next day. Now the trip is in another country and since they are big stars they do the bare minimum to “get away from the high life”. Cool right? So Elizabeth is hungover the next day and Charlotte isn’t. Right off the bat you think to yourself that something is up. If you’ve seen the trailer then you know there is. So again, this movie had a lot of opportunity to keep this movie simple and build on a strong foundation but the movie really picks up here. Elizabeth begins to become very ill on a bus where she’s throwing up and Charlotte is the good friend helping. This goes for a bit and the content of the scene kind of makes you squirm. Which is a good thing here. Things escalate to the point where they get off the bus and Elizabeth is puking and crapping her pants off. This is where the trailer starts. Elizabeth sees bugs in her arm and starts freaking out as she should. Squirm. Then out of nowhere Charlotte suddenly has kitchen chopping knife. How convenient. Charlotte’s acting here along with the script is below decent and kind of kills the scene.

So right here i was thinking to myself, “wow, what a great short film” but wait, there’s more. There’s 47 minutes left in the whole movie! The movie begins to become too much. They’re trying too hard. It goes from a psychological thriller to a Kill Bill Movie feel really quick. Of course Elizabeth finds out that Charlotte was the cause of all her sickness and hallucinations. So yeah, this star cellist didn’t need to cut her arm off. Sucks, right? Anyway, she goes off and finds Charlotte and is pissed but yet another twist. Charlotte convinces Elizabeth that it was for her own good and their mentor is actually the bad guy. I’m not even gonna go into the climax but just know that I’ve never scoffed so many times in a movie that was meant to be serious.

I don’t know what happened but the first half of the movie and the last half are completely different movies. Now that I think about it, this did seem to attempt a Tarantino feel but was an epic fail. Pretty much this review is keep it simple and stay in your lane. Overall gonna give this movie a 5/10.

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A Clockwork Orange (1971) . . . #stanleykubrick #clockworkorange #madness #beethoven #9thsymphony #music #movie #quote #moviequotes #review #movierev #amc #alamodfrafthouse #harkinstheatres #noovie #whatsnoovie #glendale #az #arizona #tempe #mesa #scottsdale #chandler #avondale #ca #california #hollywood #losangeles (at Glendale, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxxpiongF5/?igshid=1towzyrnau3zp

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Detective Pikachu (2019) Movie Review

Detective Pikachu

So if you want to read an honest review from a guy that still has all his Pokémon cards and often brags about it, stick around for the review.

Let me start off by saying that the movie is definitely entertaining and Ryan Reynolds did fantastic in his role as Pikachu. The movie follows Tim (played by Justice Smith) and Pikachu through an investigation where Tim needs to find his dad and Pikachu needs to regain his lost memory. In the movie, Pokémon and humans coexist in a place named Ryme City where Pokémon communicate only by saying their name. However, Tim understands Pikachu and they can talk to each other. A couple things before we get into the actual review. Pikachu turns out to be the partner of Tim’s father and was with Tim’s father when Mewtwo killed him. The only thing is that Pikachu doesn’t remember before this.

This is all taking place Ryme City where this billionaire named Howard runs the place along with his son Roger. Tim is called to his building where Howard tells Tim that his father is not dead and that Mewtwo abducted him followed by that his son Roger is out of control and is doing all these bad things. At this point the movie is in full swing. Of course the three of them go to the lab to investigate and come across some big clues. The lab is destroyed and abandoned except for some left behind Pokémon that were being experimented on. Roger catches wind of this and releases the Pokémon that force them outside where there’s a big action scene. It’s a treat to watch but I’ll let you see it for yourself but I’ll indulge a bit. Pikachu gets hurt right? Tim begs for help and the surrounding Pokémon take him to get healed. BUT WAIT, THERES MORE.

Mewtwo comes out and heals Pikachu. I won’t tell you what’s said between the two but right now I’m thinking, “hell yeah Mewtwo. Be the bad-ass you were in Pokémon The First Movie. Never mind that though. Robert recaptures Mewtwo and the climax begins. At this point the movie is almost lost. There’s a lot of new plot points as you can tell added throughout the movie and it makes it difficult to stick and actually commit. The climax is rather disappointing. I would have liked for Pikachu to use more of his powers and the twist was a bit much. I won’t mention what the twist was but you’ll know what I mean. Although the movie was visually stunning and the acting was decent, the plot is what was underwhelming and the ending is sweet, but a far reach. It was a fun way to spend a couple hours but it isn’t a movie i would watch again in theatres. With all things considered I’m giving this movie a 6.3/10.

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How do you feel about this? . . . #dcuniverse #batman #marvel #justiceleague #christophernolan #darkknight #robertpattinson #mattreeves #joker #harleyquinn #heathledger #movies #moviereview #film #screenplay #screenwriting (at Phoenix, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxkWaRdHGuL/?igshid=2gi9itndrpd1

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Have you seen the new trailer for Maleficent II: Mistress of Evil? . . . #disney #maleficent #angelinajolie #movie #moviereview #moviequotes #hollywood #phoenix #arizona #tempe #mesa #scottsdale #glendale #peoria #chandler #avondale #amctheaters #harkinstheatres #alamodrafthouse #noovie #mariamenunos (at Glendale, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxbdV2bnrbG/?igshid=pcc8y42gzbwq

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