tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44346799643840292472024-03-15T18:11:26.798-07:00The Movie GuyMovie Reviews, Trivia, and ResourcesTomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-84331382334138114572024-02-07T06:01:00.000-08:002024-02-07T06:01:54.638-08:00The Last 3 Movies I've seen in Haiku form<p><span style="background-color: black; color: #fcff01;"> The Shift-</span></p><p>Film from VidAngel</p><p>Sci Fi Religion Hybrid</p><p>Not bad but not great</p><p>6.6 Stars</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Flash-</span></p><p>Time Travel Movie</p><p>Liked it more than expected</p><p>Keaton was nice touch</p><p>6.8 Stars</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Sound of Freedom-</span></p><p>Serious Drama</p><p>Depressing Subject Matter</p><p>Cavizel was good</p><p>7.3 stars</p><p><br /></p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-81354447388783262602023-12-03T17:47:00.000-08:002023-12-03T17:47:38.920-08:004 More Movie Summaries<p>I've seen four movies since my last post, and as usual, here is my short take on each, ranked from best to worst. </p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</span>- This prequel to the Hunger Games tells the story of the early years of President Snow. I enjoyed this more than I expected. I always enjoy movies where the main characters have to fight against a corrput and powerful system that controls them. Towards the end of the movie, when he goes to a military academy, I was a little distracted since I thought the main character looked like Eminem with his short haircut. Overall, it was good, but it's definitely a dark and depressing tragedy. I give it 7.3 stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHB-0e4qHdWlVV_wfbAcsKkTkthVRtcl0qagVc8I9Z1buJnCVH6heLs27nQ8t9FyOXyLgZKSF-K403sjMDzlJ-MPYk9hmukp5mxUP0aZD9yV9ttEhh7Mxru6dJDlYiEEvQPtfndYeIyoc2mJ1wv9txIVI7tYHPWFHuzgmblGLM_bmfVSxq8hIVSbC4g0/s750/hunger.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="750" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHB-0e4qHdWlVV_wfbAcsKkTkthVRtcl0qagVc8I9Z1buJnCVH6heLs27nQ8t9FyOXyLgZKSF-K403sjMDzlJ-MPYk9hmukp5mxUP0aZD9yV9ttEhh7Mxru6dJDlYiEEvQPtfndYeIyoc2mJ1wv9txIVI7tYHPWFHuzgmblGLM_bmfVSxq8hIVSbC4g0/s320/hunger.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Creator</span>- This futuristic science fiction movie covers the topic of man vs AI/robots, as many other prior movies have. I liked this flm. It was directed by Gareth Edwards who also directed Rogue One, and I recognized several similarities between the two films. The acting and special effects were good and I give it 7.2 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">A Haunting in Venice</span>- I have really enjoyed all of Kenneth Brannagh's Poirot movies. The previews made this one look more like a dark horror movie since it takes place on Halloween, but it definitely turns into a mystery. I liked it, but not quite as much as the prior two installments. I still give it 6.7 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Lady Ballers</span>- I thought I would be entertained by a film that satirizes men abusing women's sports, cancel culture, and extreme wokeness, but this movie was horrible. The concept had potential, but no subtlety. It felt like it was written by a 5th grade boy who watched a bunch of Adam Sandler movies, then tried to copy their formulas. The problem was, this was not funny. Aside from the many political pundits making cameos in the film, the only actor I recognized was Tyler Fischer who is a hillarious impressionist, but he was limited with what he could do with his character. I consider myself to be fairly conservative, but I was embarrased by this. I was also surprised for how much The Daily Wire bashes Hollywood, and claims to be pro- family, how much crude and raunchy humor it contained. I give it 4.6 stars. My message to the Daily Wire- Don't quit your day job. </p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-64868967306659878662023-11-15T11:09:00.000-08:002023-11-15T11:09:35.273-08:0065<p>A Couple Monthe ago I saw 65 while on an airplane. This is a science fiction movie starring Adam Driver and 65 refers to 65 million years ago. In this film an astronaut crashes on a planet and soon realizes it is the home to dangerous dinosaurs he has to avoid while protecting a young girl.</p><p>This movie was trash. I like Adam Driver and think he's a good actor but he didn't have a chance in this movie. I'm usually a fan of sci fi./action movies, but I'm not sure if it was the script, directing, or acting, but this movie was just missing something. I got bored watching it. I was shocked when I learned the writer/directors were the same guys who did A Quiet Place.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrhk7nW52cpXk2Nm8EGn2jLMEZRhyxNmN8yPypVzEGyJDDSiq9vb7jjuqbVu5cRSz7jsqRn4p_0FP5Pf3cS60nze9RntOBoeEQrupDEfsnNWt3kH4_J4NxGJtANL-8KTRt3mPq3djAhQbNvC2VplwQiyYgh1a0RmubAr1TGeKTiEjlDXgbvvAXRn2FZo/s660/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrhk7nW52cpXk2Nm8EGn2jLMEZRhyxNmN8yPypVzEGyJDDSiq9vb7jjuqbVu5cRSz7jsqRn4p_0FP5Pf3cS60nze9RntOBoeEQrupDEfsnNWt3kH4_J4NxGJtANL-8KTRt3mPq3djAhQbNvC2VplwQiyYgh1a0RmubAr1TGeKTiEjlDXgbvvAXRn2FZo/s320/poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p>Anyway, the best part about this movie was probably the poster. I don't even remember if I finished it or how it ended. I give it 5.5 stars.</p><p><br /></p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-62586019802625082762023-08-17T08:08:00.000-07:002023-08-17T08:08:17.933-07:00MI 7 Vs. Inferior Action Movies<p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1</span></p><p>I have loved the Mission Impossible movie franchise and was looking forward to this latest release. I liked this installment, with one exception. </p><p>There was a scene towards the beginning of the movie where several top government officials were discussing what they were up against. It was basically an excuse to explain the plot. Movie plot exposition is a common thing in many films, but this was the most blatant example of this I've ever seen. The camera panned around the table as each person said a few sentences and then the next person would take over the briefing and pick up right where the last person ended. It was like the director said instead of having one person give the plot explanation to get the viewers up to speed, let's spread it over six actors. It just felt so forced and unnatural that it really bothered me. Sorry to spend so much time nitpicking that one scene. </p><p>Besides that, I found it very entertaining and Tom Cruise was great, as usual. I think I actually enjoyed the prior Fallout installment a little more, but I still give it 7.9 stars. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CW7gaXv6zki5L2FExm5m_CJGXCf4Y5nC8kOlcJhWUhk4SjOlxeyNuNdX_Dd43NTDf5lxZLjfXwFkWy4wYBgLf5-faamSUktDDSPjMkp6dMYD8svnymtvIRbmYFSMAgyQiTV06qzFPIBgNxig6MaOW_OPZktGof_l4lVxXczlakUjO317C2Ivsi-o6DM/s300/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CW7gaXv6zki5L2FExm5m_CJGXCf4Y5nC8kOlcJhWUhk4SjOlxeyNuNdX_Dd43NTDf5lxZLjfXwFkWy4wYBgLf5-faamSUktDDSPjMkp6dMYD8svnymtvIRbmYFSMAgyQiTV06qzFPIBgNxig6MaOW_OPZktGof_l4lVxXczlakUjO317C2Ivsi-o6DM/w329-h184/poster.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><p>Contrast that with two different action movies that recently came out on Netflix. These were <span style="color: #fcff01;">Heart of Stone</span> starring Gal Gadot and <span style="color: #fcff01;">Hidden Strike</span> starring Jackie Chan and John Cena. Both were ridiculous and I couldn't take them seriously. I wanted to enjoy them but they were so unrealistic.</p><p>I know Mission Impossible is not a Ken Burns documentary and is also totally fake, but it's done well enough that you can entertain the premise. That is something I could not do watching 120 lb. Gal Gadot defeat multiple soldiers in hand to hand combat or watching her supervisor pull CGI surveillance data displays into the air and knowing what was happening all around the world at any given minute. Nor could I believe that John Cena has a jet engine in the desert that can create a dust storm to create cover for him to hijack 2 buses from a military convoy with a couple guys on dune buggies. Maybe he learned those physics from the Fast and Furious Franchise.</p><p>Anyway, I couldn't even finish the last two movies so it's unfair for me to give them a number rating, but they made me much more grateful for Mission Impossible 7. Now I just have to wait a couple years for part 2.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-79292375806446944932023-07-18T07:07:00.000-07:002023-07-18T07:07:33.822-07:00Ranking the 5 Last Movies I've Seen<p>Since my last post several months ago, I've seen 5 movies. I'm ranking them by how much I enjoyed them. I really don't care who agrees with me.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</span>- I am the furtherst thing from a D&D enthusiast, and know little about that nerd world, but I still really enjoyed this movie. It was kind of like a comedy version of Lord of the Rings and I laughed hard several times and that's enough to move it to the top of my list. I give it 7.5 stars. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhG17cYlQeRDTu-t9eDC8nfZlM9XwOXsZ6g0f4OEUV2amhPK2brvWZO_w1DXK3Otq3kVfL-vl9PVkZ1XX8NOkW8RjYeMo3-pWdeAdOypeB7x-k0KAtY6W1RfJuFOP1ywarWdlaMLdVpw84Vn-2kbvKmLgGz_z9xioTpDsEpchP-rKzuJz2YXap6km1pA/s300/d%20and%20d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhG17cYlQeRDTu-t9eDC8nfZlM9XwOXsZ6g0f4OEUV2amhPK2brvWZO_w1DXK3Otq3kVfL-vl9PVkZ1XX8NOkW8RjYeMo3-pWdeAdOypeB7x-k0KAtY6W1RfJuFOP1ywarWdlaMLdVpw84Vn-2kbvKmLgGz_z9xioTpDsEpchP-rKzuJz2YXap6km1pA/w326-h182/d%20and%20d.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Guardins of The Galaxy: Volume 3</span>- Marvel/Disney has been cranking out a ton of stinkers since Infinity War, so I didn't have super high expectations about this. It was better than I thought it would be and much better than so many of the recent super hero movies, so I give it 7.4 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</span>- Speaking of low expectations, after seeing Crystal Skull I was afraid they'd further taint the image of one of my all-time favorite movie characters with this 5th Indiana Jones installment. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. I really liked the first half and enjoyed the action and thought they did a good job making Harrison Ford look younger for trhe flashbacks. The second half kind of bogged things down. I didn't care too much for his female sidekick companion in this movie. I give it 7.0 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Greenland</span>- This disaster/action movie came out years ago during Covid, but I only recently saw it on a plane flight. It was more engaging than I expected for an end of the world film. I know it was not a great movie, and would love to get an explanation why Gerard Butler's character had a thick Scottish accent, or why he and his family were selected for the salvation lottery, but it was at least entertaining and I give it 6.9 very generous stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Creed 3</span>- I've really enjoyed the Creed series so far and was looking forward to this movie. I liked the first half, but then I had a hard time looking past some really dumb details like how an ex con with minimal boxing experience could rise through the ranks so fast or how he could be watching a Steven A. Smith broadcast on ESPN, then pull out his cell phone and calls the program and immediately get put on the air with him. Then there was the scene at the end when the two rival characters talked to one another in a completely empty sports stadium. So after a huge championship boxing match there were no fans,trainers, media, security, janitors, or anyone else right after the event? I know those are nitpicky things, but little things like that really bothered me. I give it 6.7 stars. I wanted to like it more.</p><p>I guess one thing I need to work on is my movie watching endurance. I've noticed a trend where I enjoy the first half of a movie much more than I do the complete film. </p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-61066212740207166832023-04-14T10:27:00.002-07:002023-04-14T10:27:45.636-07:00Time for Sequels: Murder Mystery 2 and Avatar 2<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Murder Mystery 2</span>- I thought the first Murder Mystery movie was funny so I was glad when I saw a sequel was coming out. I watched the second movie last week and enjoyed it. When I later went on IMDB to look up the cast and trivia information, I was baffled to see it had such a low rating. As of today it is only 5.6 stars. I think that is very harsh. I just had to remind myself that Nacho Libre only has 5.8 stars, so I guess some people just don't understand what a comedy is. I'll be the first to admit that not all Sandler movies are winners, but I was entertained and laughed out loud several times during this movie and that's exactly what I wanted out of it. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I also like Sandler's character in these movies. He's aging, a little more relaxed, and can make fun of himself. Overall, it was a silly movie and I liked it enough to give it 7.1 stars. I don't remember what I gave the original one, but it was pretty close to that too.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFEPz-q8Dhy29OAN-1fJtxhoNrEHFtSZW2e-6TSXtJhKUJKKwmzVyrXghonRN7lVMKdusS2HMcWJd3PrDmKksU2aP0v1wLZfEBEtUDhwbDGqWl48E7ZWOYq0Gkut6TvnfuUjhGsOby9DvJ91_Xp0QanBqj5k4CtzTQShYKmSj4xr7RbMffzA9hb78/s1222/mm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1222" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFEPz-q8Dhy29OAN-1fJtxhoNrEHFtSZW2e-6TSXtJhKUJKKwmzVyrXghonRN7lVMKdusS2HMcWJd3PrDmKksU2aP0v1wLZfEBEtUDhwbDGqWl48E7ZWOYq0Gkut6TvnfuUjhGsOby9DvJ91_Xp0QanBqj5k4CtzTQShYKmSj4xr7RbMffzA9hb78/w348-h233/mm.jpg" width="348" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Avatar 2</span>- I'm too lazy to look up the official sequel name, but it's something about water. I originally decided I wasn't going to see this, but a friend bought it and shared it, so I gave it a shot. It was better than I thought. Even though I didn't see it on a big screen, I was impressed away with the FX details behind the movie. I was blown away when I realized they had all the actual actors in the water when they filmed it and then later added the CGI and skins to everything. James Cameron's attention to detail and willingness to do things the hard way should be commended.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUv-xw29oRoiB0NV8YShatx06jmYfeywChoZgGKkCJXzF_7a2fD8ph5X7eGq1YNU9JksICgFOrCDQp-vQyMmyC_7FelJxnbuBlLpdKLzdCNgXR4ExjCRMOT2FUZUjnW76QrfLzHml18P0luD4aGwCnkXDAL4KHSHd7_a_1Evt-_t_mkexfm6VTLAwd/s1200/avat.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUv-xw29oRoiB0NV8YShatx06jmYfeywChoZgGKkCJXzF_7a2fD8ph5X7eGq1YNU9JksICgFOrCDQp-vQyMmyC_7FelJxnbuBlLpdKLzdCNgXR4ExjCRMOT2FUZUjnW76QrfLzHml18P0luD4aGwCnkXDAL4KHSHd7_a_1Evt-_t_mkexfm6VTLAwd/w349-h262/avat.webp" width="349" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I give this movie 7.4 stars mostly because I still can't believe how much time, money, and details went into making it. </span></p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-61928140796370353092023-03-25T12:25:00.002-07:002023-03-25T12:25:57.942-07:002 Recent Mystery/Suspense Movies<p>Since I last posted a review, I have watched two mystery/suspense genre movies. The first was Glass Onion and the second was Missing. I enjoyed them both but am too lazy to write a real review or even post pictures from the movies so I am just going to write a Haiku about each movie along with how many stars I give each film.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Glass Onion</span>- <span> </span><span> Sequel to Knives Out</span></p><p><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Sad fate for Mona Lisa</span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Benoit is too smart</span><br /></span></span></p><p>I give Glass Onion 7.3 stars</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Missing</span>-<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Sequel to Searching</span></p><p><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Different story, but same style</span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> I recommend it</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>I give Searching 7.5 stars</span></span></span></p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-1452368030060024342023-01-02T14:18:00.000-08:002023-01-02T14:18:14.192-08:00Movies That Didn't Look Interesting To MeAs I get older I am getting more particular as to what movies I watch. I used to be on board to see any new big release but I've gotten fussier these days. In this post I will list some of the movies that were released over the last year and why they didn't appeal to me and as a result, I never saw them.<div><br /></div><div>First of all, I am usually not a fan of animated films. Some of the cartoon movies I've seen and enjoyed over the years include The Incredibles, The Emperors New Groove, and Coco but usually when I see an ad for an animated feature, I have no desire to see it, even if it is a fun movie like Toy Story or <span style="color: #fcff01;">Minions: The Rise of Gru</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I loved most of the Marvel movies and felt they reached their pinnacle with Avengers End Game but I have not been a fan of the frequency or quality of what they produced since then. I had no desire to see <span style="background-color: black; color: #fcff01;">WandaVision, Loki, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</span>, or really anything put out by Disney over the last couple years. Below are some other movies that just didn't look enticing for me to watch.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Morbius</span>- It seemed like the trailers for this movie were teasing the public for years before it was finally released. I know you are not supposed to judge a movie from a preview, but I did and from what I heard about this film, I'm pretty sure I made the right choice.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Uncharted</span>- I love action movies but seeing Tom Holland jump out of an airplane and run across cargo boxes falling out of it turned me off. I can occasionally suspend my sense of reality at times in order to enjoy a Luc Beeson movie but this one featured the physics from a Fast and Furious movie and did not appeal to me at all. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Moon Fall</span>- I usually enjoy a good disaster movie but my Spidey senses warned me not to watch this one for some reason. I'm not even sure if it was good or not, but something told me not to pay to see it in the theater so I didn't.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Jurassic World: Dominion</span>- There have been too many sequels to this series and I already had enough of watching Chris Pratt hold up his hands in front of a green screen to control imaginary dinosaurs in the prior installments. I think it sounds cool to see the original cast meet up with the next generation of dinosaur advocates but it just didn't look like it had the substance of the original movies.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqws1mXDXE_X3u78-F5WlpfGh7Zjqy6_wy-TjHtpITigsJPEjPN1O-DlPvEKB3fR1v-rnWQV-qkorAxwq7dnrSU5undo9rxp3_6TcHb1yLyShZr1LkJLfb36nXrRKExwhzQKkuXB3ns0OD3zWqZbsYLMGOY2xQFo9LE-XcTcN7lbvzvBq_g9uFU6tA/s1200/pratt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqws1mXDXE_X3u78-F5WlpfGh7Zjqy6_wy-TjHtpITigsJPEjPN1O-DlPvEKB3fR1v-rnWQV-qkorAxwq7dnrSU5undo9rxp3_6TcHb1yLyShZr1LkJLfb36nXrRKExwhzQKkuXB3ns0OD3zWqZbsYLMGOY2xQFo9LE-XcTcN7lbvzvBq_g9uFU6tA/s320/pratt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore</span>- I've only seen some of the Harry Potter movies. I really liked the final two darker episodes more than the earlier ones featuring cute little kids. I just have no desire to see a prequel or origin story of some wizard and a bunch of characters in a magical world that I don't know anything about.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Devotion</span>- I usually like war/military movies but for some reason the preview for this movie just didn't do anything for me. The co star pilot that was in Top Gun sure got type cast quickly. I'm looking forward to seeing Jonathan Majors in Creed 3 soon but this role did not appeal to me . It's not that I don't respect those who served in Korea or care about racial injustices, it just looked really boring. I hopefully it wasn't but I was not going to take the risk.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Avatar: The Way of Water</span>- This might sound a little blasphemous but I don't really care to see this massive James Cameron movie that has been in the making for years. I was blown away with the special effects when I saw the original on an IMAX screen in 3D, but I actually liked the story more when it was called Dances with Wolves or the Last Samurai. I'm sure the sequel will look amazing and considered seeing it, but I heard it is over 3 hours long and I just don't feel like watching giant blue people for that long.</div><div><br /></div><div>There you go. I'm done venting and showed that I am a judgmental, cynical, party pooper when it comes to many popular movies. I can't really rate any of these movies since I haven't seen them but I'm okay going with my gut and missing out on these films.</div>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-79098328588125160432022-12-07T12:46:00.001-08:002022-12-07T12:46:21.282-08:00Black Panther Two- Wakanda ForeverWakanda Forever started with a nice little introduction honoring Chadwick Bosman. When they usually play the opening Marvel theme and show highlights of all the superheroes, they just showed images of him with silence. That was one of my favorite parts of the movie. That doesn't necessarily mean it went down hill from there. I actually liked it a little more than I expected I would.<div><br /></div><div>This sequel features the upheaval and problems Wakanda experiences as Black Panther has just died and world powers are beginning to plot against their country in order to obtain vibranium. During this time, a new adversary from the ocean is introduced who gives Wakanda an ultimatum that they can assist him to attack the rest of the world as an ally or be destroyed. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-de61hqwkIq9h2DIPFXmcEe3oOjON2RiWuKqHJszSpgbX7av6SMDLo-6W4IxS8M8oh3PHZVI0V2kQiUeFpHJGjbRckyWQJYF9Vq2aDe9UpGXk1XElA9-z_V7b-sv11uURpDHiYCxkQ48hzIMka6Dpthr93ScBMXlsDVSAvy5GzgWrkYPwfaxAfD7b/s717/wak1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="717" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-de61hqwkIq9h2DIPFXmcEe3oOjON2RiWuKqHJszSpgbX7av6SMDLo-6W4IxS8M8oh3PHZVI0V2kQiUeFpHJGjbRckyWQJYF9Vq2aDe9UpGXk1XElA9-z_V7b-sv11uURpDHiYCxkQ48hzIMka6Dpthr93ScBMXlsDVSAvy5GzgWrkYPwfaxAfD7b/w365-h239/wak1.png" width="365" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Other things happened but I really don't want to write a book report about this movie. Proceed to last paragraph for summary.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was afraid Marvel/Disney would mess with this movie sequel like they did with the most recent Thor installment. There were plenty of plot holes and problems with the movie, but it was not that bad. Black Panther 2 was alright. I give it 6.9 stars.</div>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-54516682065144406062022-10-27T20:29:00.006-07:002022-11-07T07:37:53.274-08:00Black Adam<p>When I saw the trailer for Black Adam I was not very excited. I've been conditioned not expect too much from DC comics movies over time (aside from the Batman movies.) I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and liked it more than I thought I would. </p><p>I'm not a comic book nerd so I had never heard of any of the characters, which was kind of nice because I didn't have expectations or preconceived notions about this movie. Black Adam is basically an anti-hero who doesn't want to cooperate with the other superheroes who are policing the world against their enemies. There are many action scenes and just the right amount of humor.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9SF9ssdxIfaWN3tMRkVRuVJmQoavKB21PgD5Sk7vxzit0MDAar-2uNlhcoW8NB7GxhOjhmQO5rqHp3Kr6TEfvqfq0-SnkT24nD0XFRUcgWFxWxZPVaOch8QqgzKmcmGuu4SNfyy3Qduc8tsZkZ6pR6DakA2CeqGiDxxRQgvb0OoTNOxN85PGEb9g/s724/adam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="724" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9SF9ssdxIfaWN3tMRkVRuVJmQoavKB21PgD5Sk7vxzit0MDAar-2uNlhcoW8NB7GxhOjhmQO5rqHp3Kr6TEfvqfq0-SnkT24nD0XFRUcgWFxWxZPVaOch8QqgzKmcmGuu4SNfyy3Qduc8tsZkZ6pR6DakA2CeqGiDxxRQgvb0OoTNOxN85PGEb9g/w371-h163/adam.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><p></p><p>There were plenty of predictable moments and shortcomings in this movie but I found it entertaining enough give it 6.8 stars. I also enjoyed Pierce Brosnan's performance<br /> as Dr. Fate.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-38049054157662499652022-09-05T13:41:00.002-07:002022-09-05T13:43:33.494-07:00RRR<p>Last month I watched RRR on Netflix which stands for Rise, Roar, Revolt. I wasn't sure what to expect from this Indian action movie but was pleasantly surprised. The first several scenes of the movie got me hooked mostly from the beautiful cinematography and special effects. A few minutes into the movie I realized that this movie was not going to be bogged down by the laws of physics. Much of the action was incredibly fake but it looked so amazing I didn't even mind.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2S0muxfpQdg-ZDLH33SfMyxQ6Q-rtubv4gNIfEghMUXfXJsUErLAKjyqRFsq9jFAyK7eKV_BI00F3aK1kNC40Nzu7MAbwx3KoxEN_8DCqBdJK1NPnndJqymXUFM3pUauiuZCotV7FPvdzg0qCLOfpSflIUYQyfbzHm_C5RM8gwtehr26sOmfxzON/s1300/civer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1300" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2S0muxfpQdg-ZDLH33SfMyxQ6Q-rtubv4gNIfEghMUXfXJsUErLAKjyqRFsq9jFAyK7eKV_BI00F3aK1kNC40Nzu7MAbwx3KoxEN_8DCqBdJK1NPnndJqymXUFM3pUauiuZCotV7FPvdzg0qCLOfpSflIUYQyfbzHm_C5RM8gwtehr26sOmfxzON/w406-h229/civer.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><p>This movie takes place in India in the 1920's. A young Indian girl is kidnapped from her village by a cruel British governor. A warrior is dispatched from her people to go and find her and bring her back. At the same time, an elite Indian soldier serving in the British military is sent out to locate and stop this man. They meet one another unaware of each other's true identities or intentions and quickly become good friends. There are some plot twists and surprises as the film progresses but I won't spoil them here.</p><p>All the British people in this movie except for one woman are portrayed as heartless, sadistic colonizers. The near three hour movie features a bromance among the two main characters that crosses the entire spectrum of intense emotions. There is plenty of crazy, unrealistic CGI, but because it was so beautiful and entertaining I could not really hold it against the movie. Since this was an action movie, I was unprepared for the two or three traditional Bollywood musical/dance numbers it featured. It felt kind of like watching Indian Jones and then having it morph into the Sound of Music.</p><p>After seeing many mediocre superhero movies over the last few years, I felt this was a breath of fresh air and very entertaining even though it is a little long. I give it 7.7 stars.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-84792480283369188552022-07-27T06:46:00.000-07:002022-07-27T06:46:33.158-07:004 Big Summer Movies<p>I recently saw four movies that are currently in theaters. I'm ranking my reviews in the order that I enjoyed them from best to worst.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Top Gun: Maverick</span>- I wasn't a huge fan of the original Top Gun when I saw it as a teenager. It's crazy that someone could do a sequel nearly 35 years after the original movie and it could be so successful. This movie has been postponed since 2020 because of Covid so I think people were ready to see it when it finally made it to theaters. I liked this sequel. I especially enjoyed the fighter scenes. They were so intense that I found myself clinching my muscles in the theater so I wouldn't pass out with the excessive G force. I hope Hollywood takes note at how successful this pro- America, toxic masculinity movie was and realizes not every film has to be politically correct and push a woke agenda. It was like going to the movies in the 80's again. I give it 7.8 stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjB1797TBgFEcTnXZl6jx1Nmn_utbvh1ZiIC5MUPsbguCxw1e9aK1XoMd8jPtUFWHmXBDlznHA0ZeiWYntLaGeG1zXlcQVxtwhx3hpz-4z-FS6WRi46tVXBpi7kWQlqIh7DHzQnLVyxNMjw067TeTMJxnMNtGHQUBG4d81B5oxUoGkh5qyp5ZzLaVS/s310/averick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjB1797TBgFEcTnXZl6jx1Nmn_utbvh1ZiIC5MUPsbguCxw1e9aK1XoMd8jPtUFWHmXBDlznHA0ZeiWYntLaGeG1zXlcQVxtwhx3hpz-4z-FS6WRi46tVXBpi7kWQlqIh7DHzQnLVyxNMjw067TeTMJxnMNtGHQUBG4d81B5oxUoGkh5qyp5ZzLaVS/w366-h192/averick.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Gray Man</span>- I only heard of this movie a week ago. I noticed it was playing in theaters but then realized it was also on Netflix so I watched it from home. This movie is extremely fake and predictable but I still liked it. There was more globe trotting around Europe than most James Bond movies. The action was non-stop and it was fun to see Chris Evans as the villain. I was thoroughly entertained and surprised at what had to be a huge budget for a Netflix movie. I give it 7.3 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Dr. Strange In The Multitude of Madness</span>- At least they named it accurately. The last Spider Man movie set a high bar for confusing plots spanning multiple universes and realities, and this movie tried to keep that concept going or even surpass it. I have not seen the WandaVision series on Disney so I'm sure I was missing something about her backstory which didn't help. It was interesting and action packed but I felt it was too busy and jumbled. I also didn't care for the new America Chavez character that much. It was ok but I only give it 6.8 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Thor: Love and Thunder</span>- There have been too many movies and spin off series from the Marvel Universe over the last 4 years. I feel they really hit their peak with End Game and have just been pumping out mediocre stuff since then. I liked Thor Ragnarok and appreciated the light hearted and humorous style. Korg was funny in that movie but is starting to turn into Jar Jar Binks the more we see him. Christian Bale was a great in his role and I wish he had more screen time. Some of the special effects were amazing but others, not so much. I usually like most stuff from Taika Waititi but some parts of this movie just bothered me. An example of this is Thor giving the kidnapped kids a big group hug and each of them shooting lighting out of their fingers and stuffed animals to kill the monsters. It's hard to take a superhero movie seriously when it's so whimsical and keeps changing gears. Also, it appears that Chris Hemsworth hogged all the budget for personal training, gear, and nutrition. He looked incredible, but he should have shared some of his secrets with Russell Crowe. I give Thor: Love and Thunder 6.4 stars. </p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-4267118806540652922022-04-06T16:44:00.000-07:002022-04-06T16:44:07.389-07:00Last 5 Movies Scene Ranked<p>Here are some of the movies I've seen over the last couple months. As usual you are lucky to get more than two sentences from me on these. I've ranked them in order by how much I enjoyed them.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Batman</span>- I saw this movie twice and actually liked it a little bit more after the second viewing. This version of Batman is a little more goth, broody, and withdrawn, but I thought Pattinson did a decent job. The film was very dark, in fact during some scenes I was wondering why the police and forensic workers didn't bother turning on any lights to look for evidence. I enjoyed it and am glad to see DC produce a better super hero movie. I give it 7.9 stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW5LVL-eDmMAz5L5cGuENNpFC1hZClQo4qNqomseTtexOg3bR19Dwe7RXGu_-FZW9togw0qmlLdkJWfV8ZW8YSxNs7l9eP5cITR36duAeoO2sAKfuAQwrAfVCOcqhT3aD-bs8HyfODpOzcpxtB91Al9rtDQDxjE9cgSGgcnx3-NadZZjeFFQzZqLb/s1024/batman.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW5LVL-eDmMAz5L5cGuENNpFC1hZClQo4qNqomseTtexOg3bR19Dwe7RXGu_-FZW9togw0qmlLdkJWfV8ZW8YSxNs7l9eP5cITR36duAeoO2sAKfuAQwrAfVCOcqhT3aD-bs8HyfODpOzcpxtB91Al9rtDQDxjE9cgSGgcnx3-NadZZjeFFQzZqLb/w396-h223/batman.webp" width="396" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Death On The Nile</span>- I've been waiting for 3 years for this movie to finally come out in theaters. I may be in the minority here, but I really liked it. Having re-watched the original recently, I was concerned there would not be any surprises but this remake took some liberties by modifying original characters, creating some interesting back stories, and still keeping some twists and surprises for viewers who may think they already know how it will turn out. I really like Kenneth Branagh and he moved up the ranks as one of my favorite actor/directors with this. I give it 7.7 stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVzXf8f9SXPSSU-XwjRNrMJ7xl2OyZTxkXvYA6-QRBTozskD7ddF_c6ZfsDazOd4xCDAzd1lRJWoi5vGgyArFJecd__B5uNrP-_0D3Ghz7kVMBvedCVMPYPjuzTs17b-VzOIMehvJmWAXNFeG37GGH0cYP9mJ8A3UdVio54CFEeBt0wl5s8fVybFW/s1200/death_on_the_nile_review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVzXf8f9SXPSSU-XwjRNrMJ7xl2OyZTxkXvYA6-QRBTozskD7ddF_c6ZfsDazOd4xCDAzd1lRJWoi5vGgyArFJecd__B5uNrP-_0D3Ghz7kVMBvedCVMPYPjuzTs17b-VzOIMehvJmWAXNFeG37GGH0cYP9mJ8A3UdVio54CFEeBt0wl5s8fVybFW/w368-h276/death_on_the_nile_review.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Ghostbusters: Afterlife</span>- This was a nice sequel. My kids were unfamiliar with the original Ghostbusters movies so I had to get them up to speed about the plots of the prior movies and certain details like the stay puff marshmallow man. I liked seeing the second generation's experience with Ghostbusting and I thought it had a touching tribute to Harold Ramis and the original cast in the end. I give it 7.1 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings</span>- Not a fan of the long title and maybe I'm a little burnt out on Marvel super heroes, because I've had a hard time getting excited for one since Infinity War had such a nice conclusion but I guess Disney will continue to pump out sequels, prequels, alternate universe movies, etc. Overall, I liked it, but it's not one of my favorites. I give it 6.9 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Lost City</span>- I was not expecting anything more than a silly romantic comedy and that's what I got. I thought it was a fun movie and it didn't take itself too seriously and that always makes it easier to overlook movie flaws. I think it makes a great date movie. I give it 6.7 stars. </p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-78567447571988993002022-02-12T10:59:00.000-08:002022-02-12T10:59:26.862-08:00Spider Man: No Way Home<p>I recently saw <i>Spider-Man: No Way Home</i> and I really liked it. I'd rank it as one of the best Marvel Movies. I didn't think Marvel could outdo Infinity War with complicated plots and multiple characters from different movies interacting with each other but they did a great job doing so with the entire Spider Man franchise. I give the writers, researchers, and comic book geeks who contributed to the story a lot of credit for a job well done of using the Metaverse concept and having a complicated yet entertaining plot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj435WocS9GpH5MiHDiIbrdyvbTTuFyip3G7UjBiKFqV7xOEd8DMMPuzZWnbhxOFhGX3KYZ03wpAk9URQZZsLdCF5x6njIPlryzMohHCd3nd0mXItQ3LyS1NVLtxUFCLDTW3DL0Yeom-kzetoal7tsYmP7VOipdYWBO-HVDKkqDJXVk6svKlxy069_a=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj435WocS9GpH5MiHDiIbrdyvbTTuFyip3G7UjBiKFqV7xOEd8DMMPuzZWnbhxOFhGX3KYZ03wpAk9URQZZsLdCF5x6njIPlryzMohHCd3nd0mXItQ3LyS1NVLtxUFCLDTW3DL0Yeom-kzetoal7tsYmP7VOipdYWBO-HVDKkqDJXVk6svKlxy069_a=w358-h201" width="358" /></a></div><br /><p>I've enjoyed Toby Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland in the role of Spider Man, but Holland is probably my favorite. It was fun to see all three of them working together at the end of the movie and to see the things each of their characters had in common despite their differences. It was also a nice touch to let Garfield Save MJ from the fall in this movie since he was unable to in his own universe.</p><p>I think all the performances were good but Willem Dafoe stole the show. He was even better as the Green Goblin in this film than he was in the original. The other villains paled in comparison to him. The only thing that could make it better would be if Bully Maguire also made an appearance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgck1kZcD6zEFNWevHmO74YUGIp1fFuVVk-RIpWTQ1Y1PuGMnGE9yg43fGRm-UfKm05oA3c3hY9Z2GTqVB9WqpX4NKA9BBJQXQ3Fq8bV2LJjkVkyYHv-StlsYHaIeLi0RSKc6M0jMd7l1blG5MHYrq0YfxBMLQNI7Pz7TZ7I2EjQe3-5XG4qhmIXRTG=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgck1kZcD6zEFNWevHmO74YUGIp1fFuVVk-RIpWTQ1Y1PuGMnGE9yg43fGRm-UfKm05oA3c3hY9Z2GTqVB9WqpX4NKA9BBJQXQ3Fq8bV2LJjkVkyYHv-StlsYHaIeLi0RSKc6M0jMd7l1blG5MHYrq0YfxBMLQNI7Pz7TZ7I2EjQe3-5XG4qhmIXRTG=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Anyway, I thought this was a fun movie and I give it 8.1 stars.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-23903716300740597462021-11-19T06:57:00.003-08:002022-02-12T11:02:38.614-08:00My Latest Movie Rankings<p>Since being back in the U.S. I've watched several movies. Here are my rankings for the most recent films I've seen. This time we will rank them from best to worst (according to my opinion.) If you disagree feel free to comment or start your own blog where you can be a powerful critic like myself.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Dune</span>- I was really looking forward to seeing this updated version of Dune and was not disappointed. Everything was great including the cast, special effects, and the entire production quality. It may be a little dark and dramatic for some but is very well done. Even someone who is not familiar with the background or story of the Dune books would like it. My only suggestion is to not stream it at home but to see it on the big screen. I saw it in an IMAX theater and was glad I did. I give it a solid 8.2 stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsby7DaeCdeugR4F6V5AGpO7zbnaY9GX7XsKCBQ5NWkca8fIvdO2rS21O6gN31XiS8IOvogCHmXpFkKPcqani12fl2J3DPQXC3u6GFMK4krSuKuoFvpqO0ZNJanTgM7SXAhIdCCZMuYE/s1500/dune.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsby7DaeCdeugR4F6V5AGpO7zbnaY9GX7XsKCBQ5NWkca8fIvdO2rS21O6gN31XiS8IOvogCHmXpFkKPcqani12fl2J3DPQXC3u6GFMK4krSuKuoFvpqO0ZNJanTgM7SXAhIdCCZMuYE/w441-h147/dune.png" width="441" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">No Time To Die</span>- Daniel Craig finishes out his run as James Bond and nicely wraps up all of his prior movies with this one. Unlike the prior Bond actors, Craig's movies have been more linear and built upon each other with recurring characters more like a series. I've enjoyed Daniel Craig as James Bond and it has fun to see his gradual evolution in this role. This may not be my favorite in the series but it was a satisfying finale for his character. I give it 7.6 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Eternals</span>- I have enjoyed most of the prior Marvel movies but this one just felt different. There were too many characters and back stories unleashed at once. I liked the concept behind the movie but it probably should have been a series of movies instead of one busy movie. It also seems like some of the super powers were copied from more popular characters. I felt like I was watching a lesser version of Superman, Flash, Magneto, etc. I also did not care for the villains in this movie, there was no heart to them. They just looked like crazy CGI monsters. Eternals still had some entertaining and funny scenes but I only give it 6.6 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Old</span>- I have a love/hate relationship with M. Night Shyamalan. I love the concepts behind most of his movies and his surprise endings, but I am also irritated with little details and and simple things he could tweak to make the movie so much better. This film was missing a big movie star name unlike many of his others. The best known actor in this was Rufus Sewell. I'm not sure if it was the awkward dialogue or the actors but something just felt off. The family all had different accents and didn't look like they belonged together. Anyway, I'm glad he made another movie and I only give it 6.0 stars.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-30416114865954896362021-10-03T18:08:00.001-07:002021-10-03T18:08:31.134-07:00A Plethora of Reviews<p> A couple weeks ago I flew back to the United States and watched a bunch of movies on my plane rides as well as some recent movies in the theater. Here is my lists of one paragraph reviews ranked from worst to best.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Chaos Walking</span>- This movie had a lot of potential and an interesting plot. I didn't think it was as bad as I had heard, but it still fell flat. I had a hard time with Daisy Ridley's character who made Kristen Stewart in Twilight seem like Meryl Streep. I give it 6.2 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Black Widow</span>- I love superhero movies but am a little Marveled out. I kind of wish they would have let things rest a while after Infinity War. I suppose this prequel was ok but I had a hard time really getting into it. I give it 6.6 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Jungle Cruise</span>- I really like The Rock, Emily Blunt, and bad puns but I'd have to put this in the category of The Haunted Mansion movie. Maybe next year Disney will make the movie Thunder Mountain Railroad staring Brad Pitt. It was still entertaining enough to give it 6.7 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">A Quiet Place 2</span>- I really enjoyed the first one and this prequel/sequel just felt like a re-boot or seeing more footage of the same thing. I was entertained by it but just felt like the story was repeated as opposed to progressed. I give it 7.1 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Free Guy</span>- This was a fun movie and it reminded me a lot of The Truman Show. It was a creative idea that I'm sure most gamers would appreciate. Ryan Reynolds and Taika Waititi were very entertaining. I give it 7.4 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Courier</span>- This was a more serious movie than the previous ones mentioned in this post. It is a true story about a British spy in Russia during the Cold War. Despite being slow paced and not having any action, it was suspenseful and held my attention and Benedict Cumberbatch had a great performance. I give it 7.5 stars.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSEMwGLqb3q5yo8k6b0IMK7vmnoVCscsBcaENZY4eHwQxzBnzP94bqdlUiVkwoRh2MjuU-0X6A2FFCVBeBmLvZIsDLEDx-j9ksfBNMC8aq_oTjf7Mx7FfiiRdJHCJEfObeV2x-2R_zHQ/s2048/jojo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSEMwGLqb3q5yo8k6b0IMK7vmnoVCscsBcaENZY4eHwQxzBnzP94bqdlUiVkwoRh2MjuU-0X6A2FFCVBeBmLvZIsDLEDx-j9ksfBNMC8aq_oTjf7Mx7FfiiRdJHCJEfObeV2x-2R_zHQ/s320/jojo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #fcff01;">Jo Jo Rabbit</span>- I'm slow getting around to some movies and finally saw this film. I knew it was a parody of Hitler but I wasn't sure what to expect. I was surprised by the combination of humor mixed with very serious subject matter. I really liked it and give it 7.9 stars.<p></p><br /><p><br /></p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-61994768124588002742021-09-05T05:31:00.003-07:002021-09-05T05:31:49.578-07:00The Chosen<p>One of the positive things that happened in 2020 was my introduction to the series "The Chosen". I've seen many movies and short films about the life of Christ over the years but none have felt as real or been done as well as this show. </p><p>I like the old epic films like the 10 Commandments and Ben Hur but am always a little nervous when Hollywood adapts any story from the Bible. It's common for a director to put his spin on a story or just outright change the story from the scriptures (the Movie Noah from 2014 is a good example of this.) The Chosen is not a Hollywood production. Dallas Jenkins uses crowdfunding to pay for it so no major studio or executive is calling the shots. I have been impressed with the amount of detail that goes into each episode and story from the New Testament. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pUKR1_B9b0BCMzAn7ZYgcVSNyo3CD7lm6ZrQjPvigsjvyabvCdEMNxsTF5aAuvDY_GqBX9Zmr0iY9LGhQRmEg8HbWcL5HNQl2dEMTm9pBsKj2AiDT1ZRlFAtxnvaTP998fRjTRX6AJs/s940/the+chosen.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="940" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pUKR1_B9b0BCMzAn7ZYgcVSNyo3CD7lm6ZrQjPvigsjvyabvCdEMNxsTF5aAuvDY_GqBX9Zmr0iY9LGhQRmEg8HbWcL5HNQl2dEMTm9pBsKj2AiDT1ZRlFAtxnvaTP998fRjTRX6AJs/w402-h226/the+chosen.webp" width="402" /></a></div><p>The makers of The Chosen obviously use artistic license to embellish and create details about Jesus and his ministry, but it is done well and with respect. One of the things I really like about it is how it show's the weaknesses and challenges of each of his disciples. For that matter it even shows the human side of what Christ experienced while on the earth. </p><p>I've seen the first two seasons and they were very good. The production quality and acting are excellent. One of my favorite things about this series is that it does more than merely entertain. It causes some introspection and forces you to think about your own belief in, and relationship with Jesus.</p><p>I recommend this series to anyone, even non believers, since it is better than so many other programs that are available for streaming these days. I give the Chosen a solid 8 stars.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-4356558369557203902021-07-17T11:44:00.004-07:002021-07-17T11:46:37.009-07:00Finally Some More Movie "Reviews"<p>I've been putting off writing about the movies I've seen over the last several months but it's time to finally bite the bullet. As usual, here are some very short and lazy reviews.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honest Thief</span>- I think I saw this over a year ago on a plane but can't really remember. It stars Liam Neeson as a middle aged one man wrecking crew. Imagine that. An old thief tries to turn his life around and make restitution but is set up by crooked cops so he has to clear his name, get revenge, etc. I'm not a big fan of Jai Courtney in anything I have seen him in so that didn't help either. It only gets 6.2 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Tomorrow War</span>- I love Sci Fi, time travel, and Chris Pratt so this had a lot of potential but I had a hard time really enjoying it. The aliens and special effects were good, and I liked the premise, but there were too many plot loopholes and logic issues. I can only give it 6.3 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">News of The World</span>- This Tom Hanks western was good, but it was a little slow. I can't really think what to fault it with but it was kind of a slow, somber depressing western. Did I mention it was slow? I give it 6.5 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Only The Brave</span>- I know this movie came out forever ago, but I finally got around to watching it and I really liked it. Great performances by the entire cast and a true heartbreaking story. It's kind of frustrating to watch a tragedy with an ending like that. It was good enough to make me cry so I give it 7.8 stars.</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Cruella</span>- To be honest, I was expecting a super woke version of 101 Dalmatians from Disney, but was pleasantly surprised by this back story to Cruella. It was entertaining and well done. The wardrobe department for this movie deserves a ton of credit. Emma Stone was good, but Emma Thompson stole the show. She was by far one of the best villains I've seen in a long time. I give it 7.8 stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sejBPsHcj9oJLZiFBFuS1NEqpWrEJyFjEWRp1XY0Yj2yyhzGbnpWH-lr8vt8fCNxyqDSMyQHxy66XsK8TylxSqelbE880TcVXZedkjdNZhzkpUEXWd2mCHLebjTqwFR94koRADnWmmc/s1200/snyder+cut.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sejBPsHcj9oJLZiFBFuS1NEqpWrEJyFjEWRp1XY0Yj2yyhzGbnpWH-lr8vt8fCNxyqDSMyQHxy66XsK8TylxSqelbE880TcVXZedkjdNZhzkpUEXWd2mCHLebjTqwFR94koRADnWmmc/s320/snyder+cut.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Zach Snyder's Justice League</span>- I saw this several months ago when the original director's version was made available. I was expecting a few extra scenes that had been deleted but had no idea the amount of work that went into this version. It is significantly longer and offers much more back story to each character. It also has a darker, more serious feel to it than the original. It's not perfect but I enjoyed it much more than the first attempt. It would be nice if people could clean up and improve more movies after the original release like they did this one. I give it 7.9.stars</p><p>It has been nice to see some of the movies that were held in Covid limbo for so long finally hit the theaters. I'm looking forward to many more by the end of the year. </p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-68766992816104310702021-02-05T06:32:00.003-08:002021-02-05T06:32:35.252-08:00Did Covid Kill The Traditional Movie Experience?<p>I have always loved going to the movies. My wife prefers watching videos at home while multi-tasking, but I really like the traditional movie experience in a theater. There is something magical about watching previews before the movie starts with the smell of popcorn in the auditorium. The excitement generated in a packed theater watching Star Wars, LOTR, or a Marvel movie is something magical. Take a look at the short clip below from Avengers Endgame to see what I'm talking about. By the way, I'm all about theater etiquette and not being noisy but there are times when the audience can't help but react out loud. I'm afraid that enjoying a movie with a large group of strangers may be a thing of the past after this last year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-vjTgsScGxI" width="320" youtube-src-id="-vjTgsScGxI"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Well over a year ago I was looking forward to seeing No Time to Die, A Quiet Place 2, Ghostbusters, Top Gun 2, Death on the Nile, and many other movies in the Spring and Summer of 2020. As theaters began to speculate about shutting down over Covid concerns, studios began pushing their release dates back. When we were told to social distance for "2 weeks to flatten the curve", most movies pushed their release dates back a couple months in order to avoid losing money in empty theaters and I can't say I blame them, but I continued to watch in agony for months and noticed each of these movies getting pushed back further and further every time I checked on updated release dates. </p><p>Since the lockdown efforts started last year, Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 were the only two big movies that have been released in theaters. (Fortunately I missed Wonder Woman.) So many movies have gone direct to streaming thanks to Netflix, Disney, HBO, and other studios who have seen the writing on the wall. I have no idea how movie theaters can stay in business these days, especially if they have to social distance and only sell a portion of their available seats. Even extremely over priced popcorn and soda can't compensate for the kind of losses they have experienced over the last year. </p><p>I'm afraid going to a movie in the theater might become a thing of the past like drive in theaters, or renting a video from Blockbuster. I've been pretty angry about Covid-19, our response to it over the last year, and how those changes have affected up so many of the aspects of life I used to enjoy and look forward to including something as simple and enjoyable as going to the movies!</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-71827961015784859162020-12-08T05:23:00.000-08:002020-12-08T05:23:45.908-08:00Movies That Changed My Life<p>The title of this post may sound a little dramatic but there are definitely many movies that have impacted my life and that I regularly make references to. These movies also set the standard for their genres. I was pretty young when I saw the first several movies featured below and I think that helped create my love for movies.</p><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Rocky</span></b>- I remember watching Rocky for the first time and thought it was kind of boring except for the boxing scenes. The sequels that followed got more exciting even though the actual films got worse over time. Regardless of your appreciation for the Rocky movies, few things are as motivating to a young kid as watching one of the many work out montages from these movies. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1K3c03Ip5sX4MXUPD9OgE2ISY09NSdkVTqOlMixH3P6yoSk_gYpyh-_MDFytYX9TjbLDhzIzAQA0pk2yNE7pV14wMnM4d1O7l58U5nFRRNx5YH1Lx33lUkN_G5983_ieyym3b4LmY50/s305/rocky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1K3c03Ip5sX4MXUPD9OgE2ISY09NSdkVTqOlMixH3P6yoSk_gYpyh-_MDFytYX9TjbLDhzIzAQA0pk2yNE7pV14wMnM4d1O7l58U5nFRRNx5YH1Lx33lUkN_G5983_ieyym3b4LmY50/s0/rocky.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Ben Hur</span></b>- My dad took me to this Hollywood epic when I was about 10 years old and I was entertained by the amazing action, the large scale scenes, Heston's charisma, and the spiritual story behind it. It is still a favorite of mine to this day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMjP61MlPembcDO7yUnaBoDROCpl0wYq7Lr5wlSXbjnD9-zHxz9di56oU6V_yj-VpeSAoS7R_IDG2oieJVakBRleaAW6uYCPBH71I3iHgCVstYaJVCVMQNPguw58k4uSLuw8_YgfWR-A/s341/ben+hur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMjP61MlPembcDO7yUnaBoDROCpl0wYq7Lr5wlSXbjnD9-zHxz9di56oU6V_yj-VpeSAoS7R_IDG2oieJVakBRleaAW6uYCPBH71I3iHgCVstYaJVCVMQNPguw58k4uSLuw8_YgfWR-A/s320/ben+hur.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Raiders of the Lost Ark</span></b>- This movie was a game changer for action and adventure movies. It set the standard for non stop action in movies from start to finish. Spielberg did such a great job with all the details in this movie. I remember getting home after watching it for the first time and I couldn't stop thinking about it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCsuzKOE4coKFOjOdzMnIWXUemFnjaQCoTQlerFpdutxVXMU1ZFZqWHKWE-MqermZw3LxqcyChfZXBEFbSoXhIFLptcVXfvnqCELA-6Hs6TegsO_KahaqqCe5LBEr6_Y1lVDx9WV1mSI/s345/raiders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="146" data-original-width="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCsuzKOE4coKFOjOdzMnIWXUemFnjaQCoTQlerFpdutxVXMU1ZFZqWHKWE-MqermZw3LxqcyChfZXBEFbSoXhIFLptcVXfvnqCELA-6Hs6TegsO_KahaqqCe5LBEr6_Y1lVDx9WV1mSI/s320/raiders.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Psycho</span></b>- Unlike horror films like Jaws, and Poltergeist, this film didn't deal with creatures under the water or ghosts, but with the human psyche which makes it that much creepier. Hitchcock was a master of suspense. I never liked going down into the basement to get a jar of fruit after watching this movie.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbm0QQJEIXHMvVh8yOgRm4bVtmFDlcfkvQ1oSSK-y7v9QxMJdkDYVsqI_P5UB8fBlhM0mt4RoFd-qTEpVUyxU-gZvsYisN795isEiJsi8tm3bCvgwXp5M9zCXmR-y_CcqEqaubuUzZQE/s500/psycho.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbm0QQJEIXHMvVh8yOgRm4bVtmFDlcfkvQ1oSSK-y7v9QxMJdkDYVsqI_P5UB8fBlhM0mt4RoFd-qTEpVUyxU-gZvsYisN795isEiJsi8tm3bCvgwXp5M9zCXmR-y_CcqEqaubuUzZQE/s320/psycho.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Aguirre: The Wrath of God</span></b>- While growing up, my Dad frequently took me to foreign films. Some of them were pretty boring but this was one of the more memorable and frankly traumatic ones. This movie portrays the thin line between determination, commitment, and out right insanity. Klaus Kinski still freaks me out to this day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkDPapdGPvuLsHbQGbqZfd-qxM-EChaWWNkAZqKRYo0_PvQLLEF58JbGCbcreWng-MtU8J9cn9Uqtvn4Qcq7WmSJx3DBBdYo4O8_3S2pU_8WLCMeMc-z1uRSkcxner8d3Ok3zUHy5lHI/s1189/aguirre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="1189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkDPapdGPvuLsHbQGbqZfd-qxM-EChaWWNkAZqKRYo0_PvQLLEF58JbGCbcreWng-MtU8J9cn9Uqtvn4Qcq7WmSJx3DBBdYo4O8_3S2pU_8WLCMeMc-z1uRSkcxner8d3Ok3zUHy5lHI/s320/aguirre.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Shawshank Redemption</span></b>- I love a good prison movie, especially if it involves an escape, and especially if the prisoner is innocent. This movie is excellent on so many levels and the storytelling is great which explains why it has such a high IMDB ranking.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUFwxSIYHYnNNF6lCZAG9NOXvjaOGf_dWewxJ-8D13XYxzCEDgr9a16ylauYzgmiTYknP79CJ7NoilIut3C8J6AM_cADPihqKxOOzxMmLzN9Wmuhk0fcAh5SPflJKdKyXP4NIs_fu9ZE/s1280/shawshank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUFwxSIYHYnNNF6lCZAG9NOXvjaOGf_dWewxJ-8D13XYxzCEDgr9a16ylauYzgmiTYknP79CJ7NoilIut3C8J6AM_cADPihqKxOOzxMmLzN9Wmuhk0fcAh5SPflJKdKyXP4NIs_fu9ZE/s320/shawshank.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Matrix</span></b>- Most people just think of gun fights but this movie offers so much more. It features action, martial arts, science fiction, style, philosophy, etc. Despite being an action movie it is also expands your mind. "Do you think that's air you're breathing?"</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RLA23y8Sr4RzL_jq8Dpin-Ylg9ZC25cDN91JCIA5BCYmxZHQWV_Q9SQ4rBUKVK1pHyC5RXzWSvFGezjl2CHK-y4Bk1JdjqpQL0k7OhvWauymuo8V5VPMONtsEuMFjtMxC2jshzMQI6M/s480/matrix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RLA23y8Sr4RzL_jq8Dpin-Ylg9ZC25cDN91JCIA5BCYmxZHQWV_Q9SQ4rBUKVK1pHyC5RXzWSvFGezjl2CHK-y4Bk1JdjqpQL0k7OhvWauymuo8V5VPMONtsEuMFjtMxC2jshzMQI6M/s320/matrix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #fcff01;">Most Any Christopher Nolan Movie</span>- Speaking of expanding your mind, almost every film directed by Christopher Nolan does just that. He is not the lazy movie-goers director of choice. Be prepared to think and have to sit through a second viewing to make sense of all the details. I like all these films and wish movies like them came around more often.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-34897517474894830722020-09-17T07:42:00.004-07:002020-09-17T07:42:43.012-07:00Tenet<p>I've enjoyed every movie I've seen that was Directed by Christopher Nolan. I am a big fan but there is a regular problem with his movies. They are very complicated with many details to keep track of. Movies like The Prestige, Inception, and Intersteller require multiple viewings to let things sink in and make sense. With the recent closure of movie theaters and social distancing and lower numbers attending them now, the movie industry has been hit pretty hard. I was wondering how they could survive with so few movies out and so few people attending. I think Nolan figured out a way to deal with that. Make a movie so complex that people will have to come back and see it 3 or 4 times to really understand it and to appreciate all the details. </p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7UcAdt-_iZ4q9oyTgFFLgXdGcyPspQFY2IQNcZ29fMLqXwRbwzckNymwAH9zlk0mrWWU572gV0Dwy3Q1xn2cPiFvhpTD99lfkRJJ8D8ow_ixlG6lQR75ww34djFmcrhbr3CYuuzRBDs/w400-h226/tenet.jpeg" width="400" /></p><p>I saw Tenet recently and enjoyed it (at least the parts I was able to wrap my head around.) I appreciate movies that make you think and expand your horizons. This movie does that while also serving up action, suspense, and style. </p><p>I like movies that make you keep thinking about them after you leave the theater. That was the case with Tenet which I give 8.0 stars to. I also saw Bill and Ted Face the Music this week. I kept thinking about that too after viewing it but mostly about how bad it was and how embarrassed I am for sitting through the whole thing. It is a 4.9 star movie at best. </p><p>Anyway, Tenet is great. John David Washington was good in the main role, but I also loved Kenneth Branagh. He's been great in everything I've seen in him over the last 5 years. I highly recommend Tenet but you may need to take a notepad and see it several times to really appreciate the intricate details.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-8726479282381958792020-05-09T13:10:00.000-07:002020-05-09T13:10:45.340-07:00Catching Up On Older Movies"DURING THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES" we have not had any movies released in the theaters. As a result, the only company that is getting new movies shown to people is Netflix streaming movies that finished filming prior to the pandemic. Last month while browsing Netflix I got caught up on a couple movies that have been out of the theaters for some time but I had never seen before.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">White House Down</span>- I knew this was a rival movie of Olympus Has Fallen. I first wrote about rival movies 12 years ago and you can see that post <a href="https://focusonmovies.blogspot.com/search?q=rival+studio" target="_blank">here</a>. I wasn't expecting much but for some reason when I watched it with such low expectations, it was actually better than I thought it would be. It was totally fake but I was entertained. It was also odd to see James Woods on the screen since it's been such a long time since I've seen him in a movie. I give White House Down 6.6 stars.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">Escape Room</span>- I was interested in this last year when it came out but missed it in the theaters. I have never experienced an escape room but it looks kind of fun. I'm not a big horror fan but from the previews I knew it also featured a certain amount of mystery and suspense too. I was curious to know exactly what this movie was about so I decided to give it a shot. It ended up keeping my attention as I was trying to guess what would happen next and who was in control of the Escape room behind the scenes. The movie reminded me of winning a ticket to Willy Wonka's Factory but they kill you for real. I suppose it was alright. I give it 6.5 stars.<br />
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These movies were entertaining, but due to being so bored over the last 2 months of social distancing I was still entertained and not as picky as usual and therefore more generous with my ratings.Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-286741342925574432020-04-01T11:57:00.001-07:002020-04-01T11:57:17.335-07:00Ranking the James Bond FilmsI was so excited for the new Bond film <i>No Time To Die</i> to be released in April and was saddened last month when it was announced they would postpone it's release to November due to the Corona Virus pandemic. At the time I'm writing this it is impossible to see any new movies in theaters.<br />
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During this down time, I've been thinking about my favorite 007 movies and I decided to rank them. I am including the bootleg Bond movie Never Say Never Again, but I'm not including the 1967 Casino Royale spoof movie or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which is <a href="https://focusonmovies.blogspot.com/search?q=chitty" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">technically</span></a> a Bond film.<br />
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I didn't really start watching Bond films until the late 70's so I grew up with Roger Moore as Bond, but I have seen every movie multiple times. I appreciate what each of the actors who have taken the role have brought to the table. I love Connery's charisma and power. Lazenby did better than he is given credit for in his one installment. Moore and Brosnan were both good but usually kept their hands clean and relied heavily on gadgets and technology. Dalton was an angrier more brooding version of 007. Daniel Craig revitalized the character by showing a very inexperienced and unpolished Bond who has grown and matured over each installment.<br />
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I know many of you will scoff at some of the rankings on my list but it's just how I feel. Several years ago I wrote that I liked <i>Die Another Day </i>but after several viewings it has plummeted due to the invisible car and the windsurfing scene. I know that some of these are not the greatest films but many still have memorable stunts and action scenes so I can kind of turn a blind eye to their weaknesses.<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 294px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 8009; mso-width-source: userset; width: 164pt;" width="219"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 2742; mso-width-source: userset; width: 56pt;" width="75"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 164pt;" width="219">Casino Royale</td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 56pt;" width="75">2006</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Golden Eye</td>
<td class="xl63">1995</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Skyfall</td>
<td class="xl63">2012</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Goldfinger</td>
<td class="xl63">1964</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">From Russia with Love</td>
<td class="xl63">1963</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">The Spy Who Loved Me</td>
<td class="xl63">1977</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Thunderball</td>
<td class="xl63">1965</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Dr. No</td>
<td class="xl63">1962</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">For Your Eyes Only</td>
<td class="xl63">1981</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Man With The Golden Gun</td>
<td class="xl63">1974</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">On Her Majesty's Secret Service</td>
<td class="xl63">1969</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">The Living Daylights</td>
<td class="xl63">1987</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Live and Let Die</td>
<td class="xl63">1973</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Octopussy</td>
<td class="xl63">1983</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Licensed to Kill</td>
<td class="xl63">1989</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Moonraker</td>
<td class="xl63">1979</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Spectre</td>
<td class="xl63">2015</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Quantum of Solace</td>
<td class="xl63">2008</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Tomorrow Never Dies</td>
<td class="xl63">1997</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Diamonds Are Forever</td>
<td class="xl63">1971</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">A View to A Kill</td>
<td class="xl63">1985</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">You Only Live Twice</td>
<td class="xl63">1967</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">The World is Not Enough</td>
<td class="xl63">1999</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Die Another Day</td>
<td class="xl63">2002</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Never Say Never Again*</td>
<td class="xl63">1983</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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There you have it. I look forward to November and hope the theaters are able to safely open soon. I also hope No Time to Die ends up with a ranking near the top of this list after I finally get to see it.</div>
Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-24786533761235056042020-03-17T03:18:00.000-07:002020-03-17T03:18:19.723-07:003 New ReviewsI flew to Kenya last week which meant I got to catch up on some movies on the plane. I was fortunate to fit in 4 of them and as much as I like watching movies on long flights, I'm sure they would be more enjoyable if the film didn't pause each time an announcement was made over the PA system.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">Ad Astra</span>- I love science fiction movies but the previews for this one looked like an even slower version of Interstellar. It was not super exciting but I still liked it. Brad Pitt portrays an astronaut who is sent on a mission to save the earth from electromagnetic flares originating from Neptune. The story develops as we find out his father was a famous astronaut who went missing in that area of space many years before. There were some interesting details in the film showing space travel to the moon and beyond. Any time you have a plot about someone on a mission for the government who is second guessing their motivation it adds some suspense. I liked the first 2/3 more but it was still ok. I give it 6.9 stars.<br />
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FYI- I got a second dose of Tommy Lee Jones when I watched The Fugitive which was an awesome 90's action/suspense film. Harrison Ford always seems to be great in everything he's been in. I'm not going to review it, but it's a great movie if you haven't seen it.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">Knives Out</span>- I wanted to see this when it was released, but it was only in African theaters for less than 2 weeks. Of all the movies I saw, I was by far most excited to watch this one. I really liked it. It was like an American version of Poroit and was sprinkled with plenty of current events and pop culture to make it comical and entertaining on another level. The talented cast was very diverse and I was entertained by all their performances. I still have a hard time hearing Daniel Craig speak with a southern accent as he also did in Logan Lucky. He certainly breaks the James Bond mold with this performance. I'm sure I would have enjoyed this movie even more in a relaxed setting as opposed to an airplane. It's kind of stressful when you start a movie and know you will be pushing it in order to finish by the time the plane lands and you have to disembark. I give it 7.9 stars.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">Ford vs. Ferrari</span>- I had heard this was a good movie but I am not a car guy and had no intention of seeing it. I'm glad I decided to watch it. The acting was great and the movie was well done. It was much more than a historic film about car racing. I liked how they captured the rivalry between these two car manufactures and their drivers and the subsequent races that took place in the mid 60's. Bale was so emaciated for this role that he looked almost like he did in the Machinist. Matt Damon was also very likable in this. It was interesting to have the villains be business executives but it was still very intense and well done. I give it 8.0 stars.<br />
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<br />Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434679964384029247.post-81067367638578584852020-02-03T14:58:00.002-08:002020-02-03T14:58:24.601-08:00The Invisible GuestUsually when I decide to watch a movie on Netflix, I spend more time scrolling through options than I do actually watching anything. I get frustrated when I just want to watch a movie but most of the recommendations are TV series. Even if they might be good, I'm not looking for a long term binge relationship, I just want to watch a 2 hour movie. I finally found a good one this week.<br />
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I watched a foreign film on Netflix that is not really new, it came out about 4 years ago. It is a Spanish film called Contratiempo. The English title is The Invisible Guest. It is a murder mystery about a successful businessman who is being tried for the murder of a woman he had been having an affair with. He claims he was set up and recounts the events that led up to his current situation with a high power attorney who is attempting to help him clear his name.<br />
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The story quickly gets interesting as he confessed about an auto accident that happened while he is having an affair. The other driver died but the main character and his girl friend don't dare to call the police for fear of what will happen too their careers and marriages so they end up rationalizing the situation and just disposed of the evidence.<br />
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The rest of the film features the complications that develop as he attempts to hide his secrets. The Invisible Guest has plenty of twists, turns, and suspense. Anyone who likes Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, or M. Night Shyamalan films should enjoy this well made mystery.<br />
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Not only is this a well made and suspenseful movie, but you also get culture points for watching a foreign film. I speak Spanish but those I watched it with don't but they didn't have any problem following along with the subtitles. I give The Invisible Guest a solid 8.0 stars.Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17679642225332541173noreply@blogger.com0