Prey has literally no reason to be as good as it is. Somehow this straight to Hulu Predator movie isn't only the best Predator movie to come out in years, it's also the best one period in my opinion. Fantastic action, stunning cinematography, and great performances by its cast. Everything just seems to work really well. The story is simple and familiar, but the setting makes it feel like a fresh new take on the Predator franchise. A franchise that hasn't had a good movie in over a decade. That being said, Prey still pays homage to what came before. It should make Arnold fans smile a few times, I know i did. This was one of the biggest surprises of the year. Definitely check it out if you have Hulu.
Reviews
19 Reviews
Bullet Train
(2022)
The Train Stops a Bit too Much
6 August 2022
Bullet Train is super fun, at times. Brad Pitt is great, and the action sequences are fantastic. The problem is everything else. There are too many main characters, and not enough character development. The story is bland and predictable. The cast is great, but the script is so pedestrian that no one is able to have a really good performance aside from Pitt. Even with all of its flaws, Bullet Train was still very enjoyable. If this came out on Netflix, it would be one of their best action films. But it didn't. Bullet Train is a blockbuster movie, and an average one at that. Fun, dumb, forgettable.
The Gray Man
(2022)
Mindless Fun
22 July 2022
The Russo Brothers have yet to prove themselves after their Marvel projects. This movie doesn't help their resume. The Gray Man is a mindless summer action flick. One that will probably be instantly forgotten once watched by many. Everything from the story to the acting is just so average. The Russo brothers gave their best attempt at making a John Wick movie. Even with a great lead performance from Gosling (who carries the hell out of this movie) they still failed to achieve that kind of greatness. With all that being said, there is one aspect of The Gray Man that is great, the action sequences and set pieces. The action is amazing, and while it's not at the level of John Wick, it's not too far off. Overall this is a slightly above average action movie that's worth a watch on Netflix if you've got nothing else to watch. Comparable to another slightly above average Netflix action movie, Extraction. Great action, good lead performance, zero substance whatsoever.
Nope
(2022)
Fun, Terrifying, Original
22 July 2022
There is so much going on here and ultimately that is the films biggest weakness. It doesn't really commit to any certain genre. It's genre blending to the max! Still, it's a total blast that will have you laughing in one moment and screaming in the next. The horror elements are my favorite. At this point Peele has proven himself to be a horror master. But this is not really a horror film per say. It's got horror elements as well as comedy, thriller, action, and western. Probably the most unique film to come out in the Covid era. It was a total blast.
Thor: Love and Thunder
(2022)
Marvel Still Got It
8 July 2022
Love and Thunder is a reminder that Marvel can still get it done. It's funny, action packed, and even emotional at times. Much like Ragnarok this one feels like it's own little adventure, which is perfect for the MCU today. The score/soundtrack is amazing, and the visuals are really good. Christian Bale played a great and honestly terrifying villain. He had limited screen time, but he stole the show for me. Everything in Love and Thunder just worked so well. The cast played well off each other, and you can tell they have a real chemistry. Overall, this film is a relief that MCU fans deserve after a slew of mediocre films recently. A reminder that the MCU is still king.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
(2022)
A solid start
27 May 2022
Ewan McGregor is amazing in the first two episodes. Unfortunately everyone aside from Joel Edgerton didn't match Ewans greatness. Some bad acting and rough action cinematography hold back the first two episodes from being great. Still, it's a good start. I'm looking forward to what comes next.
A Big, Dumb Mess
6 May 2022
I had high expectations for this Doctor Strange sequel. Unfortunately, In the Multiverse of Madness failed to meet any of my expectations. It's big, colorful, and absolutely stupid. There's nothing in the movie that feels original. It takes concepts that were introduced in WandaVision, Loki, and Spider-Man No Way Home and does nothing to build upon them. The plot also relies too heavily on shock factor cameos that add nothing to the story. Cameos are fine, but they need to contribute to the plot in a meaningful way. Which they did not in this film. Sam Raimi, the director, who is most famous for directing the original Spider-Man trilogy, shows that he hasn't grown at all as a director since Spider-Man 3. This is essentially a Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie starring Doctor Strange. It feels so off. The score is bad, the dialogue is at times cringe worthy, and surprisingly the CGI was very underwhelming. The story was rushed and at times felt outright dumb. Luckily, it's not all bad. As always, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda is amazing. She really carries the film. Her performance makes it worth the trip to the theater. Cumberbatch and Rachael McAdams are both good too. The action, while visually lacking at times (messy CGI), was still entertaining. I think my biggest problem with this film is that it bites off more than it can chew. It tries to be too many things. It has a lot of interesting ideas, but it's all too rushed and poorly put together. Raimi tried to add in horror elements, but it ended up being more laughable than scary, and not in the good way. It's just a mess, but an entertaining mess at that. It's not bad, but for the MCU it's definitely underwhelming. Ultimately I don't think Sam Raimi was up for the task. MCU fans will enjoy this film, but it is deeply flawed.
Make it make sense
31 March 2022
The Batman
(2022)
A Batman for the New Generation
4 March 2022
This new Batman is exactly that, new. It's nothing like we have seen before, live action. Elements of all the greatest Batman's are present within this film. From comic books to Nolan's films, to the Arkham games, to the animated versions. At times this film really does feel like you are watching a playthrough of the Arkham games. It's got a very video game feel to it. The action is by far the best out of any Batman film. It's not even close. It's impressive how well they choreographed and shot the action sequences. That being said, I think the real strength of The Batman is the cast. Farrell, Kravitz, and Wright are perfect castings. They play their respective roles so well. Personally, they stole the show for me. Farrell in his limited role as the Penguin was hilarious and frightening, just as he should be. Wright as Lt. Gordon has elements of comedy and elements of seriousness. His relationship with Batman is also just as perfect as it can get. But the real show stealer was Kravitz as Selina Kyle. I say this with complete certainty, Zoe Kravitz is by far the best Catwomen ever put on screen. She NAILS the character. Her voice, her action, her relationship with Batman, it's all just perfectly done. Paul Dano as the Riddler is also really good. He is scary, but he's also got some Jim Carey goofy Riddler vibes to him as well. He plays the Riddler just like Joaquin Phoenix played the Joker in his film. Which to most people is probably a really good sign. Personally, I wish they leaned more into the darker side of the Riddler. You can see the Zodiac vibes, but they didn't capitalize on that as much as they should've in my opinion. Dano's Riddler was really good, but not quite great. Now of course I must talk about Pattinson. The thing I love about his Batman is that you clearly are seeing a new take on Batman. This isn't Bale, Keaton, or any of the other previous caped crusader's (and thank god for that). This is a gritty Batman, but he's not a murderer like Affleck or a robot like Bale. He is gritty but he has some fun too, which I enjoyed seeing. It's a fresh take on Batman that combines the best elements of the ones that came before it. Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is a completely different matter entirely. Probably my biggest complaint of the movie is Pattinson's Bruce Wayne portrayal. He nails the Batman aspect of the character, but his billionaire playboy leaves much to be desired. I have to give it some credit because it's a totally different take on the character. But frankly Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is just a bit too depressing. I get what they're trying to do, but if you're going to change the character like that, you better do it right. And for me it's just a bit too much. The duality of Batman/Bruce Wayne is an integral part of the character, and you just don't see a difference between them in this film. Even with that I will say this is definitely my second favorite Batman, right behind Bale. As for the movie itself, everything is really, really good. It's three hours but it moves fast. The Riddler plot is great, even if the writers hold the audience's hand a bit too much. Some elements from comic storylines are cherry picked to create this original story. It's simple, but it works well. This movie really is more character based anyway. It's setting up a world. And to that end it does its job well. There are definitely some rough edges to the story, and it doesn't quite achieve greatness in my opinion. But for the most part it is an intriguing mystery/detective narrative that keeps you attached. This is not a clean-cut Nolan film. Yet, it holds itself together well enough to keep the audience engaged. With all that being said, I have to say, this is not the best Batman film. Not even close. Maybe not even the second best. It sits comfortably in the top three best Batman films ever made (live action) for me personally. And while it may not be the best, it is probably the most fun out of them all. The action, humor, score, and setting of this film create a truly unique tone that makes it as enjoyable as any film can be. The Batman is clearly setting up a new "Batverse" and this film does exactly what it was made to do. Entertain. I enjoyed every second of it.
The Tragedy of Macbeth
(2021)
Fantastically Crafted Adaptation
4 January 2022
There have been many screen adaptations of Macbeth, some of them really good, others just okay. This is another one of those really good ones. As far as filmmaking goes, this movie is shot perfectly. The cinematography alone will certainly win an Oscar, and the film will be nominated for many other awards. Also Denzel and Francis give two fantastic lead performances, and the surrounding cast are great as well. The only negative thing I can say about this film is that it is very safe. There's no significant adaptation going on here. It's very faithful. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make the story feel a little boring and slow at times if you've seen any other Macbeth adaptation. Overall this is a well rounded adaptation. The cinematography alone warrants a watch. A truly beautiful film.
Don't Look Up
(2021)
Look Up
24 December 2021
If you've seen the Big Short or Vice, you know exactly what you're getting into with this film. Adam McKay (the director/writer) pulls no punches when it comes to the message he's trying to convey through this story. It's blatant satire. It's hilarious and scary. Blending both tones perfectly in my opinion. It has one of the most star studded casts I have ever seen, and they all do a great job, DiCaprio especially. But the strength of this film is the story. It's all very political, but it shouldn't be. That's the point of it all. As far as political satire, this is as good as it gets. The only problem I had with it is that it's trying to tackle way too many societal issues at once. Sometimes it feels a little overstuffed. But it all works in the end. It shows just how pathetic our society is becoming, and predicts how it's all gonna end. It's dark, it's funny, but most of all it's true.
Eternals
(2021)
Good Movie, Bottom Tier MCU
22 December 2021
Eternals may be the worst rated MCU film to date, but it is far from terrible. It's a modest attempt at shaking up the old MCU formula that admittedly has gotten stale as of late. It tries to be different, and it succeeds in that respect. Up until the very last minutes of the film, it didn't feel like an MCU movie at all. Which was refreshing, but it felt disconnected with the other MCU films. It tries to do too much. Essentially it's a poor mans Avengers. The story is rushed and since the characters are all new to us, it's hard to connect with them. The film does have good moments. There are fragments of a great movie in Eternals. Ultimately it just didn't quite fit together well enough. That being said it was entertaining enough to warrant a watch in the theater, and it does have large MCU implications. It's final post credit scene was the first one in a long time that got me excited. Overall it's a bottom tier MCU film, which makes it a pretty good superhero movie all things considered.
West Side Story
(2021)
A Well Crafted Remake
22 December 2021
There's nothing special about Spielberg's West Side Story remake aside from its two lead actors. Ansel and Rachel absolutely dominate the film with brilliant performances. Tony and Maria were perfectly casted. Their chemistry is amazing. Unfortunately the story is underwhelming. Spielberg makes a few changes but he mostly remains completely faithful to the original, and the changes he does make add nothing to the story. It's well done and is filled with great performances, but none of it justifies a remake. I can respect remaining completely faithful or making changes and adapting the story for a new generation, but Spielberg does neither. Ultimately it was a good film, but I was disappointed. It could have been something great. The story fails to do Justice to its main leads and their performances.
The Matrix Resurrections
(I) (2021)
The Matrix Has Evolved
22 December 2021
This was the biggest surprise of the year, and maybe my favorite film of the year. Not because it's perfect, because let's be clear, it's not. My biggest fear for it going in was the same fear I have for any reboot/long delayed sequel. I feared it wasn't gonna feel like the original Matrix. Or that it would be the same and outdated. It turns out it was neither. This film does something truly rare. It stays faithful to the original while simultaneously evolving it. It's so meta, to the point where it borders parody. But it all serves a purpose. Lana Wachowski (the director) understands exactly what she needed to do here. She understands that this movie was almost certainly doomed to fail. She used that and turned it into the main plot line of the movie! It's one of the most unique storylines I have ever seen. Up until the third act I was almost ready to call this the best matrix movie. Unfortunately it gets a little too silly for me at the end. All things considered this was a triumph. Although I have a feeling a lot of people will hate this movie. It's different, and it's not afraid to show it. It's goofy, and the action isn't as good as it was in the OG trilogy. But the matrix has evolved, and I'm here for it.
The Harder They Fall
(2021)
Don't Listen to the Haters, this is a Solid Western
3 November 2021
A black western that tries its best to be something special but falls just short in my opinion. Clearly inspired by Tarantino's Django, The Harder They Fall has some great action. It just doesn't quite have all the necessary elements of a truly great film. That being said, it's one of the best Netflix movies in recent memory. Worth the watch.
Vesemir literally cries. Witcher's can't cry ðŸ˜
23 August 2021
Mortal Kombat
(2021)
Another Failed Attempt
23 April 2021
Aside from a few good action sequences, this film is exactly what we have learned to expect from live action mortal combat properties. The story is butchered, the dialogue is terrible, and the acting is sub-par. As a fan of the video game series, this was another huge disappointment. I wasn't expecting much, but even coming from that I was let down.
A Good and Safe Start
19 March 2021
This first episode felt like the first half hour of a great action film. A lot of setup, some good action sequences, and a promising premise. Unfortunately we don't get the full length film here obviously. The episode does a good job at convincing us that Sam is a worthy character. So far in the MCU he hasn't been developed at all, but in this first episode we are starting to see some life in the character. The episode also doesn't forget about Bucky, which was my favorite part of episode one. His character seems to be the 1B protagonist, which is fine because he's always been that way. I like where the series is going, and I can't wait to see more.
Zack Snyder's Justice League
(2021)
Not Perfect, but a Great Redemption
19 March 2021
The film is still marred by some of the same story elements and dialogues that Snyder's previous DC films have had. But overall this is infinitely better than the 2017 version. I loved the R rated action and the 300 type score. It is really the first great DCEU film to date. Four hours is a lot to stomach for any film, but this one kept me entertained throughout. I was a skeptic when I heard about the Snyder cut, but I can now say that I'm pleasantly surprised at how good this film was. It gave a title like the Justice League the film it deserves. A great redemption story for Snyder, and DC.
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