Reviews

Wow, there is so much to sink your teeth into with this film. There are two sides to good storytelling in movies. First the obvious, is it a good story that people want to hear. Check. Secondly, for screenplays a story should have a certain flow about it since the audience will not be using their imagination to visualize said story. This is where Hit Man really shines. It simultaneously leads the audience effortlessly, from one plot point to the next all while throwing curve balls the whole way so we don't know where to look. Truly a fun ride to take.

The acting is good on all fronts with special nod to Glen for having fun with multiple characters. Not much negative to discuss. Hit Man does drag a bit in the middle after starting strong but finishes even stronger. That is the key to rewatchability I think, a strong finish. A couple of characters don't add much but also don't detract so it's fine. Yes, green light, no spoilers. Go in fresh and have fun!

First of all, though the average rating of this film is middle of the road, I think action fans are going to be entertained quite a bit more. There is a lot of "Terminator", a good helping of "The Matrix" and a sprinkling of "Starship Troopers" in this film but that is not necessarily a bad thing. There have just been too many movies made by now and 100% originality is almost unattainable.

That being said Atlas does struggle to make its own mark among the sci-fi classics it draws from. The beginning is rushed, as is common in action films, to get to said action and character development suffers. The special effects are absolutely delicious. I was interested in this movie because it is in part a chamber piece and I was curious if J-Lo has the chops to pull it off. She does just fine in that regard.

All in all, though the quality of this film is marginal, the likability is markedly higher. Atlas is not thought provoking high art but it is fun and might make you think a bit. Go go gadget J-Lo!

Good Times was a classic TV show from a time long past when there was no internet and a new show meant new information. I was a young white person in a small town of 98% white people and this was my first exposure to another culture. That is what Norman Lear did. Expose people to things they hadn't seen or were hard to discuss. From tackling abortion and homosexuality in "Maude," racism with "All in the Family" and most importantly humanizing black life for stubborn white people with "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times." It would behoove anyone reading this to go watch any of these shows instead of this series. As I write this I'm realizing that this series isn't worth mentioning really and that 3 is to high a score. 1.7.

I doubt I'm alone in feeling that part one was great but ended right when it was about to leave the chain. Part two broke it and ran. I personally love it when the setting feels like a character in the movie and the desert is that in this one. Timothy Chalamet gives a performance beyond his young age. Zendaya does well and has a much larger part to play here. The direction by Denis is almost flawless and some shots are pure art.

Not much to say on the negative side. The third act feels rushed quite a bit. Act one and two move along at the same pace as all of part one, then it feels like the end is forced like someone was looking over his shoulder to finish up. This is a grand movie with a grand scope from grand source material and it shows.

What a massive undertaking. It must be so hard to film in a desert, with sand gumming up the technology but you'd never know by watching Dune. It just feels like you are there with them all. Great job! The sleeper has awakened!

This is not a film for fans of Adam Sandler movies. I have seen every Sci-fi movie of note. This isn't really a science fiction movie, it just happens to take place in outer space. It seems cliche to say a film is dreamlike but there is no other way to describe Spaceman. Imagine watching an entire movie through a Kaleidoscope. Not just through the lens of said scope, but also the lens of childlike wonder.

This is a heavy film that asks a lot of the audience. Anyone who sticks with it the whole way will be rewarded with a nice story of friendship and hope. Spaceman drags at points, can feel a bit claustrophobic and is honestly hard to wrap your head around. All in all good job by everyone involved. Again at least semi-pro movie fans only. Operaman-O Bye Bye!

This movie itself is not worth mentioning, save the finale and some of the acting. Dean Jagger is a swear word legend and does not know how to act poorly. Anna Camp did well. The good news is, on Enter the Dragon Special Edition, the entire cast (some of whom were removed in the bastardized version to fit a new narrative) and tower was fully filmed and roughly edited. It's called "Bruce Lee: The Warriors Journey", is about 40 minutes long and I do mean rough. The dialogue is not for performance sake, it was going to be over dubbed later. They sound silly but you can see where Bruce's original vision leads. Dan Inosanto and Kareem have some more screen time and so does James Tien whom any Bruce Lee fan is going to instantly recognize. This was going to be really something!

Dash is a fairly decent attempt at the hardest way to make a movie. One camera, one take. There are only a couple of slips in dialogue but like good musicians they just roll with it and keep going. It plays like theater more than a movie in that way. Since the setting never changes, the film relies on characters coming and going to set and change the tone and pace. And change it does. It's analogous to a car starting from rest and by the end is going 85 in heavy traffic with snow and hail then the tire blows out on an ice patch. Good job from Alexander Molina for memorizing 2 hours of lines, actions and placement.

This movie sets itself apart from the previous films while also holding true to the world of Predator. First the scenery is pristine and endlessly fascinating to witness. One advantage this picture has is everyone watching already knows the the back story and the filmmakers can just get on with it. What a great antagonist this series has that it isn't hard to root for him in some scenes due to a sense of honor. And this is I think is the key to its success, focusing on a group of people know for honorable warriors spirit. This film will appeal to fans of Predator, hunters, action buffs and anyone who likes a bloody good time. Just what the franchise needed! Top shelf!

The Russo brothers do what they do in this one. The first thirty minutes are rushed then the pacing evens out. Ryan Gosling plays a character that fits his personality well, Chris Evans not as much. There is a lot of action but little character development apart from the main protagonist. There are some really good shots, they must have used drones for some. The ending falls a little flat and is a bit unsatisfying. All said worth a watch but don't sweat it if you pass on this one.

Good 'ol Taila Waititi up to old tricks again. His humor is so hard to put a finger on. It is subtle and understated, at times silly but always unique. His new wacky Thor is ultimately better but maybe a bit too much in this one. Big Natalie Portman fan here and it is fun too see her jacked as Mighty Thor. Ragnorok was so good it was an uphill battle to reach that zenith and fell a bit short. Solid effort.

Not much to say about this one. It fails on all fronts. The drama is bland and it's not thrilling or horrific. The human characters are so bad you find yourself rooting for the sharks. The only good thing about it is the cover art which will make shark movie fans want to watch it. Please don't.

Everything about Ex Machina seems to draw you in further to this world. First the architecture seems merged with the surrounding earth like a Frank Lloyd Wright house. The director knows the power of silence in film. The small cast is exceptional with extra credit to Alicia Vikander for acting both human and inhuman simultaneously. I can't say enough good things about her or this movie, so in conclusion, GO WATCH IT!!