Brightburn Review

Brightburn was not without its moments but never came close to making full use of its premise. This movie is about a superpowered kid crashes on Earth but instead of saving it he has much more sinister intentions. Jackson A. Dunn gives a good performance. He can act creepy extremely well but really needed more development to fully care about him. Elizabeth Banks gives a great performance. She plays the conflicted nature of her character perfectly and you really feel for her. David Denman gives a fine performance but outside of one great scene is not given a ton to do. David Yarovesky did a good job directing. The actual scary scenes are well done but never quite as tension-filled as they should be. However, he should be commended for stretching his small budget as this is a beautiful looking movie. The script is a bit of a mixed bag. While I fully cared about Bank's character Dunn's journey is more rushed. This movie rushes too quickly to get to the violence but then goes long sequences with not much happening. The finale is more fun as it delivers the movie that people are expecting from this story. At 91 minutes the pacing is poor with many boring scenes. The movie starts well and ends extremely well but is sometimes downright boring in the second act. Also, note this is not a movie for the faint of heart. The violence here is extremely disturbing and bloody. Overall, Brightburn was an entertaining movie overall but wastes its awesome premise.
6/10

The Sun Is Also a Star Review

The Sun Is Also a Star was an awful romance movie that at least improves as it goes. This movie is about a hopeless romantic boy, unsure about his future, who falls for a girl who does not believe in love. Yara Shahidi gives an okay performance but she has nothing to work with. Charles Melton gives an awful performance. All his attempts at romance come across as creepy and stalker like. His chemistry with Shahidi is non-existent. Ry Russo-Young did a great job directing. The saving grace of this movie is the beautiful cinematography and camera work. The script is atrocious, but does get better as the film progresses. By the start of the third act, the movie became bearable and borderline good at times. A massive step up from the unwatchable first act and poor second act. At 100 minutes this movie feels like it drags on for forever. Overall, The Sun Is Also a Star was an absolutely atrocious movie with barely any redeeming factors.
2.5/10

A Dog's Journey Review

A Dog's Journey is easily one of the biggest movie surprises of the year so far. This movie continues the story of A Dog's Purpose as Bailey begins his quest to look out for his owner's granddaughter. Josh Gad continues to do great voicing all the main dogs. His voice fits perfectly and his comedic moments really land. Dennis Quaid gives a really good performance in a smaller role this time. Betty Gilpin's performance is fine, but her character is so unlikable for the majority of the movie she becomes annoying to watch. Abby Ryder Fortson does a fantastic job playing CJ when she is young. She is incredibly charming and just delightful to watch. Kathryn Prescott does a great job playing teenage and adult CJ. She is immediately likable and handles her emotional scenes perfectly. Henry Lau gives a decent performance and has good chemistry with Prescott but does not have a ton to do. Gail Mancuso did a really good job directing. The movie looks great and the way certain scenes are shot was very creative. The script is fantastic with likable lead characters and a compelling story. The movie might be a little overly emotional manipulative, but that did not stop me from crying numerous times throughout. I do want to stress while this movie might be PG, this is not a kids movie. The story deals with some extremely heavy and dark topics that kids will not understand. At 109 minutes the pacing is good though it does occasionally drag. Overall, A Dog's Journey was a massive surprise and really connected with me emotionally.
8/10

John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum Review

John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum is easily the worst of the series but still a great action movie in its own right. This movie picks up immediately after Part 2 and is about John Wick on the run from an assassins guild with no help and a 14 million dollar bounty on his head. Keanu Reeves turns in another fantastic performance as the title character. He continues to be incredible in the action scenes while just being an extremely likable presence. Halle Berry gives a great performance in her supporting role. She has a good dynamic with Reeves and is mindblowing in her action scene. Asia Kate Dillion gives a good performance. Their character is in many of the films weaker scenes, but they play the part well. Lance Reddick really gets to shine this time. He has numerous standout moments. Mark Dacascos gives a great performance in the action scenes, but I found his character to be a bit too over the top. Ian McShane and Laurence Fishburne continue to be fantastic in their supporting roles. Chad Stahelski did an incredible job directing. The action scenes of this series continue to be some of the best ever put to film. The script is where this movie falters. The start is incredibly strong with almost one long action scene. The second act slows down dramatically and is only saved by the scenes with Halle Berry's character. The movie also makes the baffling decision to explain Wick's past and give him weird motivations. Things pick back up for the awesome action-packed finale. At 131 minutes the first and third act flies by, but the movie does slow down way too much in its second act. Overall John Wick: Chapter 3 is a great action movie, but fails to live up to the perfection of the first two films.
8.5/10

Tolkien Review

Tolkien was a mediocre biopic with good performances. This movie is inspired by the life of J.R.R. Tolkien and tells his life story. Nicholas Hoult gives a good performance. He plays Tolkien well in the school scenes but struggles with other parts. Lily Collins gives a great performance. She nails her emotional scenes and any scene she shares with Hoult is easily the films' best. The supporting cast all turn in fine but unmemorable performances. Dome Karukoski's direction is okay. He handles the school scenes well, but his war scenes are bland and tensionless. The script is a mixed bag. When the movie is focusing on his school life I was really invested but everything else was a total bore. At 112 minutes the pacing is bad with a dull and boring first act and a second and third act that never remain consistent. The editing in this movie is noticeably awful. It is extremely choppy and makes keeping up with the order of events difficult. Overall Tolkien is a bland and mediocre biopic saved by its two lead performances.
5/10

Poms Review

Poms is a mediocre comedy that starts weak and never quite hits its stride. This movie is about a group of women in a retirement home who decide to start a cheerleading club. Diane Keaton gives a really good performance. She has good comedic timing and sells the dramatic moments well. Jacki Weaver gives an okay performance. She has a few funny moments but when she is not being funny her character is annoying. Rhea Perlman and Bruce McGill are the highlights of this movie. They had all of the funniest moments. Alisha Boe also gives a good performance in her supporting role. Zara Hayes' direction is very bland and looks more like a tv show than a movie. The script is not without funny moments, even including a few hilarious parts. However, the first act of this movie is painfully unfunny and hard to get through. Things pick up in the second act but the movie never has the jokes coming quite as fast as it needed. At 91 minutes the pacing is good, once you get past the awful first act. Overall, Poms was not without its moments but its awful start brings it down a lot.
5/10

The Hustle Review

The Hustle is a fun comedy with two entertaining leads. This movie is about two female con-artists who decide to make a tech billionaire their next mark. Anne Hathaway gives a great performance. Her accent takes some getting used to but she has spot-on comedic timing. Rebel Wilson gives a good performance. She has a fun dynamic with Hathaway and gets to shine most in scenes they share. Chris Addison does a fine job directing. The locals are beautiful to look at, but he never does anything unique. The script is a mixed bag. The lead characters are fun to watch but the movie was lacking some massive laughs. Instead, we just get a movie with just enough funny moments to keep you invested throughout. At 93 minutes the pacing is good, but slow at the start. The first act often goes too long without a laugh but things pick up at the start of the second act. Overall, The Hustle is a perfectly fine comedy with fun leads and just enough funny moments.
6/10

Detective Pikachu Review

Detective Pikachu is a very funny and enjoyable movie once you get past the slow start. This movie is about a boy who comes across a talking Pikachu who also happens to be a detective. Together they team up to find the boy's missing dad. Justice Smith gives a good performance. He does a great job playing against a completely CGI creation and is likable to watch. Ryan Reynolds is fantastic voicing Pikachu. He is absolutely hilarious while also nailing every single emotional scene. Kathryn Newton gives a great performance in her supporting role. She has an excellent dynamic with Smith and their interactions are fun to watch. Bill Nighy and Ken Watanabe are a lot of fun in their small supporting roles. Rob Letterman did a fantastic job directing. The visual style is incredibly unique and the action sequences are equally funny and thrilling. The script is really good but starts off weak. The first 20 minutes are necessary to the plot, but the movie does not really get going until Ryan Reynold's character shows up. The visual effects are incredible. All the Pokemon look fantastic and I always believed they were there. At 104 minutes the movie starts slow, but once it gets going the movie flies by. Overall, Detective Pikachu is an incredibly fun movie for anyone, you just have to get past the slow start.
7.5/10

UglyDolls Review

UglyDolls was an awful animated film, but it was not as bad as I expected it to be. This movie is about a group of UglyDolls who want to find their way to the real world to belong to a person. Pitbull gives an okay voice performance. He does have a few funny lines though. Kelly Clarkson gives a fine vocal performance as the lead. She's not awful, but there is almost nothing to this script. Blake Shelton gives a decent vocal performance. The cast has no problem singing as they are all singers before being actors; it's just all the songs stink. Kelly Asbury did a competent job directing but it feels more like a TV special than a film. The script is awful with boring characters, conflicting messages and dull songs. However, I will not deny there was a handful of lines that did make me laugh. The animation is a mixed bag with dull looking main characters but some really creative and cool looking backgrounds. At 87 minutes this movie drags on for a very long time. Overall, UglyDolls is an awful movie with a couple small redeeming factors.
3/10

Long Shot Review

Long Shot is a hilarious comedy with some serious pacing issues. This movie is about a reporter who reunites with his old babysitter who is now running for President of the United States. As they spend more time together romance begins to brew. Charlize Theron gives a fantastic performance. She has incredible comedic timing and is immediately likable. Seth Rogen gives a great performance. He is playing himself but he does it well and he has incredible chemistry with Theron. June Diane Raphael and O’Shea Jackson Jr. are hilarious in their supporting roles. Johnathan Levine did a good job directing, albeit, unspectacular. The script is great, filled with likable leads and numerous laugh out loud moments. At 125 minutes the biggest issue to this movie is its running time. While I was never bored at all, I felt every single minute of the running time. Overall, Long Shot was a really funny movie held back due to poor pacing.
7.5/10

The Intruder Review

The Intruder is an awful film but is somewhat entertaining due to unintentional hilarity. This movie is about a young couple who buys a beautiful country house only to find the former owner is struggling to let go of the property. Meagan Good gives an awful performance. Her character is so stupid the movie makes it impossible to like her. Micheal Ealy gives an okay performance. He is doing the best he can with the material, but is not given anything to do but complain. Dennis Quaid is the saving grace of this movie. He is the only person aware of the trashy thriller they're in and his performance is suitably over the top. I am not even sure if it is a good performance, but the movie becomes immediately watchable anytime he is on screen. Deon Taylor does a mediocre job directing. There is not anything outright awful, but he never does a single thing unique or creative. The script of this movie is atrocious with characters that act like such massive idiots its impossible to root for them. At 102 minutes the movie drags on anytime Quaid is not on screen. Overall, The Intruder is an awful movie that is still semi-watchable thanks to Dennis Quaid’s crazy performance.
3/10

Avengers: Endgame Review

Avengers: Endgame is a perfect conclusion to the 11-year Infinity Saga. This movie is about the Avengers who seek to undo Thanos's actions that left the universe in ruins. Robert Downey Jr. gives his best performance yet as Tony Stark/Iron Man. He brings dramatic weight to every single scene he is in while also bringing levity at the right moments. Chris Evans gives another fantastic performance as Steve Rodgers/Captain America. He has some incredible dramatic scenes while also being incredible in the action sequences. Chris Hemsworth continues to impress as Thor delivering a brilliant, but controversial performance with yet another bold take on the character. Mark Ruffalo gives a great performance as Bruce Banner. While he gets a few dramatic moments, Ruffalo really gets to show off his comedic chops this time. Scarlett Johansson also gives her best work yet as Black Widow. She is incredible in her emotional scenes delivering a heartbreaking performance. Jeremy Renner gives a fantastic performance with a new take on the Hawkeye character that is equal parts awesome and sad. Paul Rudd continues to be a pure comedic delight in these films while also really showing his dramatic chops. Don Cheadle gives a really good performance but is not given a ton to do. Brie Larson also gives a fine performance, but her role is minimal. Karen Gillian turns in another great performance as Nebula, continuing to develop her complex character. Bradley Cooper turns in another fantastic performance voicing Rocket. He is very funny while also delivering great emotional moments. I would not dare spoil any of the surprise appearances, but the entire cast turned in great performances. The Russo brothers did an incredible job directing. The action sequences are some of the best I have ever seen in film history. They also know when to let scenes breathe so you do not get exhausted. The script is masterful with complex characters and numerous hilarious moments, while not sacrificing a single emotional beat. The more of an MCU fan you are, the more you will appreciate every little detail in this movie. The visual effects are incredible and so seamless there never distracting. At 181 minutes this is by far the longest MCU movie and it flies by. This is the quickest paced 3-hour movie I have ever seen. The first act really takes its time bringing you back into this world and builds to the greatest action sequence in any comic book movie ever. Overall Avengers: Endgame is a near flawless masterpiece. This is one of my favorite films ever and the greatest superhero movie of all time.
10/10

Breakthrough Review

Breakthrough had a few redeeming elements but never escaped being a bad movie. This movie is inspired by true events and is about a 14-year-old boy who drowned and was declared dead. As the mom was praying loudly, all of a sudden, the boy had a pulse. Chrissy Metz gives an okay performance. She has a few really strong moments but for the most part, her character drove me crazy. Josh Lucas gives a good performance. He is not given a ton to do early on but really shines in the second half. Topher Grace gives a great performance. He did well with the dramatic scenes while also bringing a good sense of levity to the film. Mike Colter is the best part of this movie. He gives a deep performance with actual weight to it. Roxann Dawson did an okay job directing. The cinematography looks like a real film, but the direction is very bland. The script is a mixed bag filled with an awful main character and some really cringy dialogue but also some genuinely moving and funny moments. The side plots were all far more interesting than the main plot and the movie sets up numerous, more interesting stories but never develops them. The soundtrack of this movie is notably awful. The decision to use secular music that had to be censored for a Christian film kept taking me out of the movie. At 116 minutes the pacing is all over the place and sometimes drags and then speeds over the interesting stuff way too quick. Overall Breakthrough had some redeeming qualities but not enough to outweigh its poor main plot.
4/10

Penguins Review

Penguins was a cute documentary from Disney Nature. This movie is about a Penguin named Steve who wants to find a partner and start a family. Ed Helms did a great job narrating the factual information. He also was a delight voicing the thoughts of the main penguin, leading to numerous shockingly funny moments. Alstair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson did a fantastic job directing. The scenery in this documentary is beautiful. The movie does make the odd decision to incorporate the rare pop song and it always feels extremely out of place and sometimes unintentionally funny. At 76 minutes the pacing is fine but a little odd at times. There needed to be a better balance of factual information and cute voiceover. Overall, Penguins is a perfectly innocent documentary worth watching, especially for Penguin lovers.
6/10

The Curse of La Llorona Review

The Curse of La Llorona had great acting but consisted only of cheap jump scares. This movie is about a social worker who begins fearing for her own children’s lives after the mysterious death of two other kids. Linda Cardellini gives a fantastic performance. Any of the dialogue scenes involving her character I was invested in whatever was happening. Raymond Cruz is a lot of fun in a supporting role. Marisol Ramirez is suitably creepy as the title demon even if all she does is walk around dark hallways. Patricia Velasquez’s performance did not work for me as it was way too over the top. Roman Christou and Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen give good performances, especially for children actors, despite their characters being stupid. Michael Chaves does an okay job directing. The movie has a good visual style, but the scare sequences are practically nothing but cheap jump scares. Though he does begin to get a bit more inventive in the finale. The script has an intriguing story and mythology but writes its characters to be idiots at times. At 93 minutes the pacing is okay at best, though the movie can become frequently boring unless you’re watching it with an interactive crowd. The second half begins to pick up but then completley ruins any good will it started to build with an awful ending. Overall, The Curse of La Llorona has plenty of great performances but its lack of any inventive scares make it not worth a watch.
3.5/10

After Review

After is an awful and problematic movie that I enjoyed every single second of. This movie is about a young woman who falls in love with a guy with a dark secret and their rocky relationship. To clarify this right from the start this movie stinks, however, there are so many unintentionally funny moments that it is sure to have a cult fanbase. Josephine Langford gives an okay performance. She does what she can with the material, but the script never allows her to be her own character. Hero Fiennes Tiffin gives an awful performance. He always comes across as a creeper instead of the mysterious romantic he is supposed to be. Selma Blair and Dylan Arnold give hilariously bad performances and their characters are insanely problematic. Jenny Gage does a fine job directing. The movie is competently shot with the occasional impressive scene. The script is awful in all the best ways. Almost every single attempt at romantic dialogue is comedy gold. The movie also has a very problematic message about being an adult and who should control your life. At 106 minutes the movie drags on forever unless you just begin to laugh at the movie. Overall, After is an absolute trainwreck of a movie but I cannot deny how much fun I had watching it.
3.5/10

Hellboy (2019) Review

Hellboy (2019) is a serviceable fun B-Movie, but never justifies its existence as a reboot. This movie is about Hellboy who must work to defeat an ancient sorceress from medieval times. David Harbour gives a great performance. He plays the title character well and balances comedy and emotion equally. Milla Jovovich is a lot of fun as the villain. She is extremely over the top, but it fits the tone of the movie. Ian McShane gives a good performance in a supporting role. He provides numerous big laughs at the right moments. Saha Lane gives an okay performance. She has a good dynamic with Hellboy but her character is severely underdeveloped. Daniel Dae Kim gives a fine performance but I was not a fan of his character for a large part of the movie. Neil Marshal did a great job directing. The movie has a cool and unique visual style and plenty of fun action sequences. The script is a mixed bag. While I cared about the main characters and there were plenty of fun moments, the story is overly convoluted. At 121 minutes this movie drags way too much for a movie with so much going on. There are numerous sequences that just feel pointless. The visual effects are good, especially for the lower budget, with some really unique and creepy creature design. Overall I enjoyed Hellboy as a fun campy experience, but it never does anything quite good enough to justify its existence.
6.5/10

Missing Link Review

Missing Link is another good movie from Laika Animation but never reaches greatness. This movie is about Mr. Link who recruits explorer Lionel Frost to find his long lost relatives across the world. Hugh Jackman gives a fantastic voice performance. He has great comedic timing while also giving certain scenes dramatic heft. Zach Galifianakis gives a really good voice performance. His comedic timing is excellent, but I always just heard his voice instead of the character. Zoe Saldana gives an okay voice performance but outside of one scene, is given almost nothing to do. Timothy Olyphant and Stephen Fry are a ton of fun in their supporting roles. Their characters are very over the top but contributed well to the adventure vibe the movie is going for.  Chris Butler did a fantastic job directing. The stop-motion animation is great, but there was no big wow moment that made it look any different than your standard animated movie. The script has good lead characters with a few good jokes, but there are far too many segments with very little happening. The highlight of the movie is an action sequence in the second act that was truly thrilling. At 94 minutes the pacing is good but it does drag occasionally despite its short runtime. Overall, Missing Link was a fun animated film but never reached greatness.
6/10

Little Review

Little was not without its funny moments, but there was not near enough to justify a watch. This movie is about a business woman who is turned into a child in order to learn to be a better person. Issa Rae gives a good performance. She has good comedic timing and plays off the rest of the cast well. Regina Hall gives a fine performance, but her character has nothing to do but be mean. The star here is young Marsai Martin. She is great in this movie. She has excellent comedic timing and she even handles the dramatic scenes well. She fully sells being an adult trapped in a kid's body. Tina Gordon Chism’s direction is decent, albeit, unspectacular. It comes across a little too much like a Netflix special instead of a movie. The script has enjoyable lead characters, but there is just not near enough funny jokes here. I only had one big laugh and the occasional chuckle. At 108 minutes the first act drags a lot but picks up in the second act. Overall Little is a completely painless experience, but does not have enough funny moments to justify a watch.
4/10

The Best of Enemies Review

The Best of Enemies was an interesting true story movie with fantastic acting. This movie is about a real-life unlikely friendship between a civil rights activist and a local KKK leader in 1971 North Carolina. Taraji P. Henson gives a great performance. This is easily the best work I have seen from her yet as she brings her inherent likability to the role while also having a shocking amount of intensity. Sam Rockwell gives a fantastic performance. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. He has incredible comedic timing while also being able to carry heavy dramatic scenes. Any scene where Rockwell and Henson share the screen are the best moments. Anne Heche and Bruce McGill give good performances in their small supporting roles. Robin Bissell did a great job directing. The movie looks and feels like it takes place in the 70s. He also is able to ratchet up the tension to an extremely high level in the second half of the film. The script is good, albeit, a bit formulaic. This is definitely a case of the actors elevating the material given to them. At 133 minutes the pacing is decent but it does have chunks in the middle where it slows down way too much. Overall The Best of Enemies is a good movie led by two fantastic performances.
7/10