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mr-jonathanmargolis
Reviews
Disenchanted (2022)
Clever, entertaining, but lacks the magic of the 1st film
This was a clever sequel. Usually sequels are just a rehash of the original, but this had a clever spin. This film sees the family move away from New York for a renewed life. With a magic wand, their lives turn into a fairytale, including the good and the bad parts of a fairytale. Performances were great especially Maya Rudolph and Amy Adams "evil" portrayals. Amy shifting between good and evil was especially fun to watch. The music was good but not as "catchy" as the first film. A fun watch, but not a classic like the first film. You don't have to have watched the original to see this film, but I would recommend it.
Palmer (2021)
Touching story.
While somewhat predictable, this was a great film with great performances especially by Ryder Allen. This kid is amazing. The movie has some little miss sunshine vibes in it but is definitely a drama. Highly recommend.
Host (2020)
Well done throwback
Reasons I enjoyed this:
1. Throwback to Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch
2. Clever writing to acknowledge Covid-19
3. All female actors were likable and real. (The male character was written to be obnoxious, and that he was.)
4. Less than an hour running time.
5. Unsuspecting moments in the writing. Mostly unpredictable.
6. Did I mention it's 56 minutes?
Looker (1981)
Loved this movie for decades
This movie still holds up. I'm incredibly impatient for films to get going. So, this one is a keeper. Truly entertaining from start to finish. Even the theme song is catchy. Visually fun. Well directed.
Unsolved Mysteries (2020)
Don't mess with the original formula
The original series had a captivating host with several segments built into one episode. It worked well.
This 45 min, one story per episode, format does not work. The stories drag on for longer than necessary.
Hopefully, they tweak the second season, if there is one.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Is this a Nickelodeon production?
The trailers really mislead this one. It appeared to be a dark and ominous horror film. Instead, it's a very mild mystery with some great visuals. No scares at all in this one. Somewhat interesting, but overall I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Brilliant
Had to leave a review. Very few films leave me this affected. Tears fell from my eyes for the last half hour of this film. Brilliant filmmaking. Superb performances. This film makes me want to dive deep into archival footage and research more about Freddie and Queen. That is truly the mark of a well made film. The vibrant images and colorful performances leapt off the screen. This is a film not to be missed in the theater. Damn, even writing this review is getting me choked up all over again. I see many academy awards in this film's future. Epic.
Ready Player One (2018)
Liked it
I never read the book, so I am only basing this on watching the movie. Spielberg has this magical way of making movies. This is a visually stunning and pulse pounding action masterpiece. The plot was somewhat easy to follow, though I did think a lot of information was being crammed in. The acting was great and I felt a certain Goonie camaraderie amongst the High five. Very very very fun to watch and I will be purchasing the 3d Blu-ray when it's released. And I definitely know who is getting the Oscar for visual effects next year!
Snatched (2017)
B or B-
I'm writing this in defense of all the haters. It's not as great as Trainwreck, but I wouldn't call it awful. It has plenty of laugh out loud moments. It was an entertaining and silly film. You can see that Amy and Goldie are having fun making this film. Wanda Sykes,Joan Cusack, and Christopher Meloni are also great in the film. I probably won't recommend this film to a friend to see. But I wouldn't say don't see it either. I will say that you need to be a fan of Amy Schumer to enjoy the comedy. Her timing and material is very specific to her. You either love her or hate her. And I'm a fan. She's just having fun without holding back. And I give her props for always just going for it.