nathanpendley Reviews

Birds of Prey (2020)

A Refreshingly Coherent, and Small Scale Film From The DCEU

[8/10 · 8 February 2020]

Honestly, I think this movie is easily the best thing that's come out of the DCEU since they decided they wanted a piece of Marvel's action. The acting is great, the story is enjoyable and actually makes since, everything moves along at a rapid clip so it's never boring, and there's no massive, god awful, never ending CGI battle sequence at the end. Is it the greatest movie ever made? No. Will it satisfy as a Friday night popcorn flick? Absolutely! I had fun watching it, and I think you will too. Forget about the burning trash heap that is Suicide Squad, and give this movie a chance. It works perfectly well as a stand-alone feature and you don't need any back story going into it. Enjoy!

Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Incredibly Good

[9/10 · 17 February 2019]

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this film. Really I only wanted to see it because I knew Rodriguez is capable of making a really good movie from time to time, and he definitely hit the mark with Alita. The CGI is actually amazing, but everything else about this film is great too. Within the first few minutes I forgot about Alita's oversized eyes, and got sucked into this amazingly detailed and interesting world Rodriguez has somehow managed to bring to life. There are a few, brief moments that are a little too melodramatic, but the rest of the movie is so good, I really wasn't bothered by them too much. It's worth seeing for the action sequences alone, but there's much more than that to stay for here. Definitely give this movie a chance. You won't be disappointed!

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

So good it makes the first one better in hindsight

[9/10 · 17 February 2019]

This movie is amazing. Funny, scary, heartbreaking...it hits every note, and Jessica Rothe maneuvers through each change with ease. She's seriously underrated. These movies would not work without her. This movie has classic 80s sequel vibes. I hope they make more. Definitely give it a look, it's worth a couple hours of your time!

The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

A fantastic addition to the franchise

[9/10 · 10 November 2018]

Look, I loved Fincher's Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movie too. It's one of my favorite films. And yes, this movie is not on Fincher's level, but it's not trying to be either. Let it go and enjoy it for what it is. An amazing action thriller, with a fantastic cast, breathtaking imagery, and brakeneck pacing, than never lets up.

I love this film, and I'll definitely be watching it again. I hope Fede and the cast make more!

The Nun (2018)

Not Terrible. I enjoyed it.

[6/10 · 8 September 2018]

The Nun is not great, but it's decent enough for a creepy horror flick. There were a few corny moments, and some plot holes, but there were some good scares, an unsettling atmosphere, and the characters were likable. The story was sort of basic, but it worked well enough, and the way they connected it to The Conjuring 2 was pretty cool. I don't know why The Nun is getting so much hate. If you're looking for a scary movie to watch, you could do a lot worse.

Never Goin' Back (2018)

Loved it

[9/10 · 19 August 2018]

This is a great buddy flick. It's full of hilarious moments, the actresses killed it, and I felt good when the credits started rolling, and it never got boring. If you're looking for some fun entertainment with a heart, check it out.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Zach Snyder's Batman Is Legit, Unfortunately The Rest Of The Movie Isn't

[6/10 · 24 March 2016]

Zach Snyder's vision of Batman is soo bad ass. Ben Affleck, my apologies for ever doubting you. This dark knight is a violent, gritty beast, with no rules, and I loved every minute of it. (Side note: Affleck got crazy swole for this role. Mad respect.) Jeremy Irons similarly slayed as Alfred, who is a much more morally ambiguous and hands on Alfred then we've seen in previous films. If this had been an R-rated standalone movie of just Batman, It would've beaten out The Dark Knight as the greatest incarnation of the capped crusader of all time, and I love Nolan's movies so that's saying a lot.

Now for the bad news. The rest of the movie is tolerable at best, and at it's worst (I'm looking at you Doomsday) it's an absolute mess. The last 45mins of the movie suffered from the same issues Man Of Steel had. There were no stakes (since most involved in the fight were immortal), just mindless destruction, and tiring visual effects (which look terrible by the way). If you're a Batman fan like me, I would recommend you check this film out for the parts with, well, Batman. The rest of it is weak sauce. Just be prepared for that.