mattkratz Reviews

Falling Down (1993)

Relatable

[8/10 · 7 April 2024]

This is a decent movie about a man who gradually cracks as things start to "happen" to him.he abandons his car in the middle of a traffic jam, is having problems with his wife, is attacked by gang members, will not be given change by a store employee for a pay phone, and my favorite scene is when he pulls a gun when he is not served breakfast at a fast food place because he is a few minutes late for the meal. All this causes him to break down and crack. Michael Douglas gives a terrific performance, and Robert Duvall also gives a good performance as a cop suspecting this is the same person. A good commentary on what the pressures of everyday life can do to you.

** 1/2 out of ****

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Good movie

[8/10 · 6 April 2024]

A guy travels to Paris with his fiancée and finds himself being transported back to the city in 1920 each day at midnight. The famous people there wind up giving him advice on his writing and life. The was a terrific little movie with a good cast as Owen Wilson gives a good performance as the writer. The Paris settings were first rate, and I loved seeing Martin Sheen and Kathy Bates in it. They were good in it too. Everyone was good in it. It was basically a movie and story about following your dreams and taking advice on how to do it. Woody Allen knows how to give a good film, and this was no exception!

*** out of ****

Second Act (2018)

Decent

[8/10 · 6 April 2024]

This was an average movie with multiple storylines. It is basically about second chances. Jennifer Lopez plays a lady who gets passed up for a promotion at a Wal Mart type store where she has worked at forever because she does not have a college degree. A relative then "bloats things" a bit so that she can get a job a prestigious consulting firm, and she winds up working on a big project and uncovering some surprises. The movie is pretty formulaic, as most movies and comedies are, but you can forgive it for that. Jennifer Lopez does a good job in the lead and is given a good character. It has a good cast too. Not too bad a way to spend an hour and a half.

** 1/2 out of ****

Uncle Buck (1989)

A classic

[8/10 · 27 January 2024]

This is a John Candy and John Hughes comedy classic featuring a typical John Candy character-but it is a good character. Candy is a commitment phobe and slob who is a last resort to look after a family's children when a family crisis pops up. He doesn't exactly impress the semi delinquent teen, but the younger kids love him and he does his best and his heart of gold shines through as he bumbles his way through looking after the kids in a mostly successful manner. My favorite scenes include the scenes with the enormous pancake and the tool drill. This is a good movie for Candy and a showcase for his comedic talents and a good family film.

*** out of ****

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Good marvel comics movie

[8/10 · 21 January 2024]

I enjoyed this movie, as it serves as a good entry in the Marvel Comics movie world and sequel to Spiderman:Far From Home. Peter Parker's identity as Spiderman has been exposed by J Jonah Jameson, and he asks Dr. Stephen Strange to cast a spell to help people forget that he's Spiderman. Problem is that the spell goes awry and leaves the world and multiverse open to new villains and new threats. I enjoyed watching Tom Holland working with the actors from the previous Spiderman movies, both those who played Spiderman and the villains, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange. The action scenes were fun to watch, and Dr. Octopus and Green Goblin were terrific. It was overall a great movie.

*** out of ****

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)

Decent

[8/10 · 14 January 2024]

This was a decent follow up to Avengers:Endgame as Peter Parker travels to Europe on a class field trip and winds up having to use his Spiderman alter ego to fight off evil. I liked the use of Quentin Beck/Mysterio and Jake Gylenhaal's portrayal of that character. Most of this movie clicks, including Gylenhaal, Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spiderman, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Zendaya as MJ Watson. The story was decent too, and the special effects were good, and things were worth seeing for things involving Mysterio's character. It is a decent entry in the Marvel Comics movie series.

** 1/2 out of ****

The Last Boy Scout (1991)

Good action movie

[8/10 · 14 January 2024]

This was a good action movie as burned out detective Bruce Willis and former football quarterback Damon Wayans team up to investigate and solve a murder case and political corruption. A female client of Willis's is murdered at the start of the movie, and he needs Wayans's help in solving things. This movie features plenty of explosions, chases, and other such disasters, but at least those scenes are good, as are the characters and the chemistry between the leads and the rest of the cast. It does feature a decent supporting cast of characters and actors as well. I loved the action and football scenes, and this movie will satisfy any action movie and Bruce Willis fan.

** 1/2 out of ****

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)

Decent sequel

[7/10 · 17 December 2023]

This wasn't too bad a sequel as Whoopi Goldberg reprises her role from the original Sister Act movie and takes a job teaching music and choir at a Catholic school. The school is in danger of closing, and she enrolls the choir in a major contest to raise money in order to prevent that from happening. This movie follows a decent, predictable, and likable formula, and the results are a pretty good movie. You will like the performance, contest, and classroom scenes, as well as Lauryn Hill's conflicts with her mother and Whoopi Goldberg's role in this. Just don't expect a classic and you might like it.

** 1/2 out of ****

Sister Act (1992)

Awesome movie

[8/10 · 16 December 2023]

This movie is hilarious from start to finish, from the great opening scene to the end. Whoopi Goldberg stars as a lounge singer who has to go into witness protection hiding after she witnesses a mob hit, and she drives the nuns and the cops who put her there crazy. The convent scenes are great and first rate, and all the performances, especially Whoopi's, are terrific, as is the cast, which works well together. I loved Bill Nunn as her police officer in charge. The choir scenes were also fantastic. This was a good combination of comedy and action, and any Whoopi Goldberg fan will love it.

*** out of ****

The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)

Good movie

[8/10 · 10 December 2023]

This is a good movie and tear jerker that tells a story from a dog's point of view. Everything was just right as the dog narrates his owner's story. The owner is a race car driver who falls is love, gets married, has a child, and continues to pursue his Fran as a driver. The line "No race is won in the first corner but many have been lost there" is prevalent throughout the movie. I loved the race scenes and the battles with the in-laws, the custody battles, and both halves of the well done movie. It was well cast too, especially Kevin Costner as the voice of the dog. I might read the book sometime now!

*** out of ****

Burnt (I) (2015)

Good movie

[8/10 · 10 December 2023]

It would be interesting to compare this movie to Chef. I enjoyed watching this movie as Bradley Cooper plays a flawed and perfectionist chef who gets fired from his previous job for drug use and attempts to pick himself and his life back up and a new culinary job in London. The interactions with his kitchen staff is first rate, and it was fun watching them prepare the meals. This was a good movie ti watch and a good role for Cooper, and I enjoyed watching it, and I guarantee you will too. It was also fun watching them speak in French! If you are a Bradley Cooper fan and enjoy watching movies about Europe and food, give this one a try.

*** out of ****

Barbie (I) (2023)

Decent

[8/10 · 26 November 2023]

I like what they did with this movie and the characters with its combining the Barbie world and the real world. Barbie starts getting "vibes" and has to go into the real world to find the girl who played with her to set things right and winds up in the Mattel headquarters. Something resembling chaos ensues. Ken joins her and winds up causing further damage. I like what they do in various stages of the story and with the characters. It was overall a very pleasant surprise snd a good movie with a good cast. Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, and Will Ferrell were all good in their roles. If you are a movie and/or a Barbie fan, you will love this movie.

*** out of ****

What Women Want (2000)

Good comedy

[8/10 · 13 November 2023]

After getting electrocuted by a hair dryer, a chauvinistic business executive suddenly gains the ability to read women's thoughts and has to decide how use them. He uses them to his advantage in the boardroom and the bedroom, but soon learns how to channel things. Overall the movie was good, well written, and well acted and sort of reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode where a guy can read thoughts after one of his coins lands on its side.

The movie uses the basic moral lessons learned and other similar things, but it is still an enjoyable and entertaining movie. Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt were good in the leads.

*** out of ****

Now You See Me 2 (2016)

Decent sequel

[7/10 · 12 November 2023]

The Four Horsemen are back, this time with a different lead lady and the same guy tailing them and Morgan Freeman still in prison. This time, they have to pull off an even more difficult illusion stunt, and this one is next to impossible. The cast works well together again, but this time some of the magic is missing. It is still s bit of a fun ride watching them pull things off though. You might enjoy watching it of you enjoyed watching the first movie. It would be interesting to compare the two movies to see which one you like better. This one was ok, not great. The good and bad guys were fun to watch as were the illusion tricks.

** out of ****

Miracle (2004)

Good sports movie

[8/10 · 21 October 2023]

This is a good example of how true stories make good movies. You know how it is going to turn out yet the movie provides decent suspense. It starts off with preparation for the games and Olympics and then shows the actual games against European countries, especially the Soviet Union. The hockey game scenes are first rate, the the Soviet upset game was terrific. Kurt Russell was great as Herb Brooks, the head coach, was was very tough and disciplined, and the movie was very well cast overall. I enjoyed watching it and guarantee that you will too. Sports movies, especially hockey movies, are always fun to watch. This was well done.

*** out of ****

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

Classic comedy

[9/10 · 15 October 2023]

This was one of my favorite Robin Williams movies as "Good Morning Vietnam!" has pretty much entered popular culture. I loved Williams's radio broadcasts as they were hysterical, and his interactions with the Vietnamese people and army officers were first class. The scene "What does three up and three down mean to you?" "The end of an inning?" gets me every time! I loved the scenes in the classrooms and his playing ball with the village folk. What makes it even better was that this movie was based on a true story! Any Robin Williams fan will love this movie-I guarantee it. It is filled with classic moments and classic lines and classic characters.

*** out of ****

The Batman (2022)

Good Batman movie

[8/10 · 7 October 2023]

I enjoyed this movie. The only disappointment was that it didn't have the Joker in it, while it did have the classic villains The Riddler and The Penguin in it. The movie is dark, like most Batman movies, but still enjoyable. A serial killer was striking Gotham City, and of course batman had to come to the rescue. I enjoyed all the performances, especially the lead as Batman. The interactions between batman and the villains and the police were also good. A bit long, but that was forgivable. The action sequences were first rate. I am glad I watched this and got the dvd. Overall a really good movie.

*** out of ****

Operation Dumbo Drop (1995)

Good movie

[8/10 · 7 September 2023]

I enjoyed this movie as army men had to deliver an elephant to a village in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was enjoyable and funny.throughout. My favorite scenes were the airplane scenes, the scene where they have to chase the elephant through the streets, the scene where they parachute the elephant, and the scenes in the river. The cast led by Danny Glover, Ray Liotta, and Denis Leary works well together, and the music soundtrack is a real plus, and it was very well written. It is a feel good movie, and I think the entire family will like it. If you enjoy a good Disney movie, you will like the one.

*** out of ****

The Caller (2011)

Good film

[8/10 · 10 August 2023]

This movie had a good air of mystery about it as a young divorcee moved into an apartment and started receiving strange phone calls from a mysterious lady. She learns that the lady might be calling from the past and might have malicious intentions.

It works well with a limited setting and very limited snd talented cast, and Rachelle Lefevre was good in the lead with good support from Luis Guzman and the lady making the phone calls and the guy paying her the visits for support. The overall creepy atmosphere really helps. I enjoyed watching it, and it will keep you guessing. There might or might not have been connections to a murder I the phone calls.

*** out of ****

He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

Decent

[7/10 · 7 August 2023]

This was an average movie with an ensemble cast about relationships and friendships.the characters basically spent the movie discussing their own infidelity and relationships and each other's in various alternating storylines. It was aiming for both comedy and drama, and succeeded and failed in both areas. It did have a good cast, and the cast did work well with the groups they worked in. I found the alternating stories to be a bit distracting, but it did contribute to the movie as a whole. I think that if you like the stars in it like Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, and Drew Barrymore, and you are into this type of film, this is the movie for you!

** out of ****

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Decent

[7/10 · 6 August 2023]

This was basically an updating of A Christmas Carol as a serial womanizer is shown what has happened and what might happen if things continue and if he doesn't mend things. I loved the ghost scenes with my favorite ghost being the third one, and I loved the scenes between him and his brother and with Michael Douglas . It could have used more humor, but the story was ok. It was basically a showcase for Matthew. McConaghey and Jennifer Garner, and it was a good showcase at that. I liked the wedding cake scenes and interactions between the cast members. It was well cast. It had a decent ending and I liked the performances.

** out of ****

47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)

Decent

[7/10 · 22 July 2023]

This was a decent "sequel" to 47 Meters Down as some girls go on a scuba swimming trip to Mexico and wind up being pursued by a bunch of sharks while their air starts to run los. The maze scenes in the waters are good and the sharks are amazing and scary, especially close up. I enjoyed watching them crash into the cages and chase the girls as they swam for their lives. It wasn't a classic movie, but it did provide decent entertainment and suspense and scares-stuff you might like from an ok horror movie. Just don't expect too much and you will not be disappointed. The main highlights were the sharks and the suspense! The final scene was also terrific.

** out of ****

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

Ok sequel

[7/10 · 15 July 2023]

This was a decent sequel to the original with Robert Englund reprising his role as the maniacal Freddy Kruger. It seems to rely more on horror and the killer dream sequences than it does on plot. The killer dream sequences are the main highlights and are actually not that bad, I loved the gym sequence, the o pool party, and the school bus scenes at the beginning and the end as well as Robert Englund's usual unforgettable performance as Freddy Kruger. This movie is shockingly violent at times but worth a watch if you are a fan of the series and of the Freddy Kruger character. Not too bad a way to spend and hour and a half.

** out of ****

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

A classic horror movie!

[9/10 · 15 July 2023]

This movie set standards for the way horror movies and horror movie characters should be made. Robert Englund was perfectly cast as Freddy Kruger in this classic movie as a monster who would enter teenagers' dreams and kill them there. The dream killing scenes are downright scary as is the character of Freddy Kruger! I enjoyed watching this movie as the teens try to figure out what was happening and mount to defeat hm. The.movie has what you need in a good horror-a good monster, good scares, a creepy atmosphere, and good writing. You will try to decide what your favorite death scene was. It truly earned its place in movie history!

*** out of ****

Zombeavers (2014)

Decent horror movie

[7/10 · 7 July 2023]

Two men in a truck hit a deer, loose a toxic filled canister into a river, and it sprays beaver in a dam. In the meantime, some college kids visit a resort near the lake, and the beavers start terrorizing them. What happens next is sort of a combination of the Scary Movie franchise and the Purple Smurfs episode. The movie has some decent scares with the zombie themes and beaver origin and is a bit hokey, but is a bit enjoyable if you don't expect too much and just sit back and relax. It is also a bit fun to watch if you enjoy being scared. The cast members work well together. I am glad I watched it.

** 1/2 out of ****