2021M

I’ve decided to not repost movies starting December 1, 2021. You will still find these new entries in my blog.

10/24/2021: FIVE HALLOWEEN MOVIES I’VE NEVER SEEN AND ONE I’VE SEEN MANY TIMES

I have no idea why this is in yellow but I guess it’s fitting for Halloween?!

I’m behind on watching Halloween movies of any kind, new or old, as I’ve been more focused on TV shows and other things. I decided to give these movies a chance. Most of them were complete duds. There’s a reason they received the reviews from the critics. They became more background noise than anything although I paid the most attention to Salem’s Lot. The Last House on the Left was the worst. Shame on you Wes Craven. The blood looked a lot like ketchup in Salem’s Lot. The movie with the most promise was Come to Daddy with Elijah Wood. The ending was non-Hollywood. Kudos for that. Exorcist: The Beginning was okay. If you’ve seen one demonic possession, you’ve seen them all. The best movie of them all was The Lost Boys. I will never get sick of this movie. Joel Schumacher did this great with this movie. Not that he needs my accolades. Plus, you can’t beat the two Coreys and the gang of vampires led by Max/David.

September 11, 2021: The Best Last Eight Movies I’ve Watched Since July 2021

I’ve watched more movies than these eight, but these were the ones I think were the worthiest to watch out of all of them. This will basically be a quick recap of each one and the order from best to least liked. The Courier and Mary Shelley are the drama/biography movies. Godzilla vs. Kong and Along with the Gods are the action/sci-fi/fantasy movies. Unhinged and Escape Plan: The Extractors are what I call take it or leave it movies. Jolt and The Little Things are movies I expected more of by the end. As always, it is up to you whether you want to watch any of these or not. Also as always, whether experience gained or time lost is no fault of mine.

Godzilla vs Kong is a battle between bad and bad so to speak. While the story was decent, I really wanted to see more fighting between the two mythic creatures. For some reason, I felt sorry for King Kong much more than Godzilla. I’m not a die-hard fan when it comes to either one although if I were to come face to face with either one, I’d pick Kong because I feel I’d have a better chance of surviving if his animal instincts kicked in. Then again, maybe not. Overall, I wanted more action throughout the whole movie.

Along with the Gods is what happens after you die. It relies on the concept of heaven and hell. According to the movie, the purpose and quality of life is up for debate after the body is buried or cremated. This type of movie incorporates different planes and ones that are heavily immersed in spirituality and fantasy. The human interaction among the mother and sons tears at your heart strings as much as the relationship between the sons. There were a few scenes that stood out and made the movie worth watching.

Mary Shelley is about the creator and writer of Frankenstein. I remember studying her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, in an English class. This movie concentrates on her relationship to Percy Bysshe Shelley and other male writers during her time. It discusses the origins of her creativity and how she maneuvered herself in a world of male writers. Some writers are truly born that way and Mary Shelley was one of them.

Unhinged made me wonder why I was even watching it although it gives a good realistic view of road rage. People become extra brave when talking on cell phones, driving in cars, and on social media behind their screens. I not only got to see Russell Crowe doing his out-of-control schtick with a belly but was reminded to be cautious to not piss off the wrong person on the road. A person who doesn’t give a shit about the consequences is a dangerous combination anywhere so I’m glad this one only a movie—this time.

Little Things is one you’ve seen before. It’s a mediocre story without any thrills or consequences. I’m always up for a good detective story, but this one disappointed on many levels. The main issue was the storyline. It sat there like a lump on a log. There was nothing special about it and while the cast was well chosen, it wasn’t enough when the credits rolled. The ending was sort of a bummer too. I guess I’m not sure why I’m recommending it. Maybe, it’s to see Jared Leto as a convincing creep, Rami Malek post Freddie Mercury, and Denzel Washington with white hair.

Jolt is an interesting concept although there was something missing from it. I believe it was a few additional scenes that could’ve made it more cohesive as a visual experience. This movie reminded me of the Underworld saga due to its content. You get what you think you’ll get: a woman with an anger problem that has trouble trusting people where the trust is further eroded throughout the story. The vest she wears should have had more of a part. The story had a linear direction but by the end when a character showed up out of the blue, I wish she had shown up earlier.

The Courier is the best one out of all of them because I had no idea what really happened to the real life Greville Wynne and Oleg Penkosky. Their relationship makes for a great story. The fact it was during the Cold War doesn’t hurt either. It had everything I like in a movie including the great acting, suspense, and non-Hollywood ending. It didn’t take much for me to be invested since I enjoy reading and watching about espionage. As a dramatic story, this is one of the best I’ve seen in a while.

Escape Plan isn’t as machismo as the Expendables saga and it’s basically a revenge movie. The plot was sort of predictable despite not seeing the movie before and after it in the series. I still picture Sylvester Stallone as the actor from the original Rocky in terms of appearance, but he sure hasn’t lost his bravado. The scene between him and the younger antagonist was great. It was the best scene in the movie. I wanted to see more although seeing Dave Bautista mowing down guys with his machine gun was the next best thing.

06/04/2021: The Last Five Movies I Watched in May 2021

Because I never got around to writing my short movie reviews for these in May, here are the last five movies I watched last month. They are in no particular order and of course, the two movies I encourage anyone to watch or watch again are The Great Debaters and Dredd. Next, I would watch Ninja Assassin and The Greatest Show. I can’t really recommend Rampart because it wasn’t all that good. Woody Harrelson was convincing, but there wasn’t enough substance.

The Greatest Showman (2017) stars Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zach Efron, and Zendaya. Jackman portrays the real life P.T. Barnum. He goes down as one of the great rags to riches stories. He was a true businessman in every sense of the word. The acrobatics, singing, and choreography were done well for a musical. It purposely leaves out the whole controversy of animal entertainment, but the inequities of the freaks makes up for it.

The Great Debaters (2007) stars Denzel Washington, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Forest Whitaker. Washington portrays Melvin Tolson who coaches an all black debate team from Wiley College in Texas. The team wins enough debates to challenge Harvard for the national championship. The excellent performance by Nate Parker alone is enough to watch this movie.

Dredd (2012) stars Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Wood Harris, and Lena Heady. Urban portrays Dredd who is a police officer in a city where drugs and crime are the two main enemies. While training a rookie cop, he comes face to face with a drug lord named Ma-Ma. Think a lot of gun fighting, betrayal, and cool DP shots. This movie was a trip even without the drugs. I liked the ending too.

Ninja Assassin (2009) stars a K-Pop singer named Rain as Raizo. He’s a boy who was trained as a ninja by a ruthless man. It leads to him wanting revenge as he gets older. The ultimate fight is between him and the Yakuza. The choreography was good, but maybe I was wanting a little more substance. Overall, I did like the movie but it dragged a little bit in some scenes.

Rampart (2011) stars Woody Harrelson as a LA cop with Cynthia Nixon, Anne Heche, and Brie Larson as his family. He’s the burnt out, do it my way cop that needs to retire. Except he can’t because he doesn’t want to and won’t be told what to do. His family is dysfunctional because he is a drunk. I’ve seen this movie before. I should’ve watched Serpico again instead.

04/18/2021: Wonder Woman (2017) Vs. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

I wanted to see for myself if the reviews were justified. I’m not going to go so far as giving WW1984 a green splat (Rotten Tomatoes). It’s incredibly hard to have a second film be better than the first one. This franchise is similar to many other franchises. It is the repeated story over and over like Mission Impossible or Fast and Furious. This one is different as it is based on a comic and it seems the diehard fans tend to be pickier about these films. I will give a quick synopsis of each one and give reasons why I overall liked both movies and why one edged out the other.

Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 star Gal Gadot as Diana, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, and Robin Wright as Antiope. Both are rated PG-13 for action and violence and directed by Penny Jenkins. The WW script was written by Allen Heinberg and the WW 1984 script was written by Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham. Wonder Woman is about the evolution of a Amazonian princess named Diana. She is raised and trained by her mother and aunt, Antiope. As she grows, her fighting skills improve and become beneficial during WWI. Wonder Woman 1984 is about Diana trying to live a normal life as an archaeologist at the Smithsonian. She encounters an unstable entrepreneur named Maxwell Lord. This meeting sets off a chain of events where she must once again use her lasso and shield for the greater good.

I thought both movies were worth watching. Because it was the first movie in this “new franchise,” Wonder Woman had the advantage. Before WW, Gal Gadot was best known for her role in Fast and Furious movies. I had seen her previously on Conan when he visited Israel. She killed it in this role as Diana. She was the perfect actress to play her. It wasn’t only her previous experience in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces), but her beauty doesn’t hurt either. Previous to getting into acting, she was a model. The first movie opens up with strong women teaching strong girls to become better than themselves. This is the lesson Diana learns and keeps as a warrior. She expects the best from others and herself. This is quickly forgotten as she sees the effects of war and how her influence isn’t what it seems. As the war rages on, the battle of all battles presents itself and Diana must fight against Ares hopefully for the last time. Wonder Woman 1984 takes place in, you guessed it, 1984. If you haven’t noticed already, there has been a huge revival of this decade. This sequel begins with Diana learning a valuable lesson that she carries with her. It is that cheating even if you think it is justified only hurts yourself. Since this lesson and about forty years after WWII, Diana meets Barbara, who was recently hired at the Smithsonian. They both take interest in a stone with magical powers. If it falls into the wrong hands, it can do great damage. As Diana and Barbara learn more about the magical stone, Maxwell Lord has other plans. To make things more complicated, this stone sets off a chain of events where another war could begin, only this time nuclear.

Both of the WW movies were entertaining but because of the newness of the first one, I preferred it over the second. I could not see any character that weakened the story. The scenes were amazing to watch especially the fighting scenes. The enemies to Wonder Woman were creepy and disgusting. There was the notable sacrifice throughout and up until the end. The second one had a great opening scene with the horses. While all the scenes can’t be this exciting, the strength of the movie weakened as it progressed. I have to say Kristin Wiig was not my first pick as Cheetah. My personal preference was more along the lines of Anne Hathaway. While her role was not as powerful as Wonder Woman for obvious reasons, she was severely handicapped. I wanted to see her as more equal. Her outfits should have been less furry and not as subdued in their colors. She gave up all her smarts for dressing provocatively and became a power hungry woman. For what? She wasn’t going to end up with Maxwell. He was on his own collision course of crazy. The bottom line is the reasoning behind Cheetah turning so quickly should have been a little longer and more pronounced. I will hand it to Pedro Pascal as Maxwell because his character was down right creepy. The winner between Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 should be a no brainer.

March 24, 2021: The Ten Movies I’ve Watched in March

The Odd Couple (1968) is about two men, one already divorced and one in the beginnings of his separation, who end up living together. The only problem is they realize they can’t stand each other. I don’t know much about Neil Simon as a playwright, I look forward to watching more of his adaptations. The dialogue in this movie is so sharp and crisp, it’s like biting into an apple on a fall day. The duo of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau makes it even better.

The Quiet Man (1952) is about an ex-boxer who travels to Ireland to escape his torment of killing another boxer. I’ve been on a John Wayne kick of watching his older movies. Maureen O’Hara as his love interest holds her own. There’s a perfect scene near the end that by today’s standards is pretty terrible, but it’s the little details I noticed in the filming of it that I seldom see today.

The King (2019) is about King Henry V’s reign after his father died. He never wanted to be king, but he has no choice but to do his duty. He leads England into battles with France successfully and is played by Timothée Chalamet. The pageboy haircut also makes an unfortunate appearance, making Joel Edgerton as about as unattractive as I’ve ever seen him on screen.

The Informer (2019) is about an ex-con working undercover for the FBI to help them weaken the Polish mob. He basically is doing the dirty work without recognition. Not everything goes as planned and it becomes a race for survival for Koslow and his family. What is great about this movie is there is nothing to sidetrack the story.

Deepwater Horizon (2016) is about the true events of the 2010 explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil rig explosion led to miles of polluted water, investigations, and lawsuits. It’s the worst environmental disaster so far in U.S. history. It’s also the story of lost lives and traumatic memories of those that survived.

The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) is about a young boy growing up in Brooklyn, NY. He realizes his toys come alive when placed in a wooden cabinet. The problem is he needs to keep the peace between Litefoot and Boone. As a fantasy movie, the action is minimal, but it keeps the viewer’s attention.

Easter Parade (1948) is about a nightclub performer who has to find a new dance partner. It’s the first movie I’ve ever seen with Fred Astaire. It opens with a great dance number in a candy store and ends with a great dance number with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland.

Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) is about a CIA agent and KGB operative in the 1960s. They clearly don’t like each other for obvious reasons but have to work together for a common cause. Who’s the better spy is never answered as intended Guy Ritchie style.

In Time (2011) is about a futuristic movie where time is limited, and certain people have all the resources to live a long time. This movie is commentary on the have and have nots. This movie wasn’t well received, but I enjoyed the ruthlessness of Cillian Murphy’s character and survival of Justin Timberlake’s character

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) is about the continuation of Hiccup and Toothless. After they find wild dragons, a battle ensues to protect them. Since I watched them out of order, it made less sense to me, but a worthwhile rated PG movie.

February 25, 2021: Last Six Movies I’ve Watched in February

Easy A (2010) is about a high school student in Ojai, CA that enjoys the attention she gets when a lie is spread in the hallways and classrooms. It stars Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, and Penn Badgley. It is rated PG-13 and is one hour and 32 minutes.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013) is about P.L Travers resistance to having her book, Mary Poppins, adapted into a movie by Walt Disney. It stars Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, and Colin Farrell. It is rated PG-13 and is two hours and 5 minutes.

The Deep Blue Sea (2011) is about an unhappy wife and her affair with an Air Force pilot. It stars Simon Russell Beale, Rachel Weisz, and Tom Hiddleston. It is rated R and is one hour and 38 minutes.

Alone in Berlin (2016) is working class couple that denounces the German government during WWII. It stars Daniel Brühl, Emma Thompson, and Brendan Gleeson. It is rated R and is one hour and 43 minutes.

The House on Carroll Street (1987) is about an FBI agent and blacklisted journalist trying to uncover the smuggling of Nazi war criminals into the U.S. It stars Kelly McGillis, Jeff Daniels, and Mandy Patinkin. It is rated PG and is one hour and 41 minutes.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) is about Hiccup and Toothless trying to save the dragons before they are caught for greedy purposes. It stars Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, and F. Murray Abraham. It is rated PG and is one hour and 44. minutes.

February 1, 2021: Six Movies I’ve Watched in January 2021

Ava (2020) is about an assassin who is being targeted along with her family. The storyline is average and Jessica Chastain holds her own, but I wish there was more action. It is rated R and is one hour and 36 minutes.

R.I.P.D. (2013) is about a police officer who unravels the mystery of whose who betrayed him. A great movie from start to finish. Good concept and hilarious scenes. It is rated PG-13 and is one hour and 36 minutes.

Mr. Brooks (2007) is about a successful businessman trying to control his serial killer urges. The best part of this movie was William Hurt. The ending was a little off. It was okay. It is rated R and is two hours.

Chapter 27 (2007) is about Mark Chapman, the man who killed John Lennon. It fell flat because Mark Chapman was not all that interesting in how he was portrayed. I’m sure his personality was spot on, but there isn’t any redeeming quality I see in who he was and is today. It is rated R and is one hour and 24 minutes.

My Cousin Rachel (2017) is about a man who avenges to find out why his cousin died. It is adapted from the writer, Daphne Du Maurier’s book. It’s a slower movie but engaging throughout. It is rated PG-13 and is one hour and 46 minutes.

Deadpool (2016) is about a man who will go to any length to live and becomes an unlikely hero upon his transformation. The humor can be crude and dark but hilarious movie. It is rated R and is one hour and 48 minutes.

January 26, 2021: If I Was Stuck on an Island, I Would Want These Movies With Me

If I was stuck on an island and somehow found a way to provide enough electricity to watch a movie, these are the ten movies I would want with me. Hopefully, I would eventually be found but if not, at least there would be some form of entertainment to keep me company.

Independence Day (1996) because there are so many memorable lines and there’s never been the theme of working together for a common cause as this movie. “All right, you alien assholes! In the words of my generation: Up Yours!” “We’re gonna have to work on our communication.” “Oh god, I hope they bring back Elvis.” The only downfall is Dr. Brakish Okun (Brent Spiner) isn’t nearly on the screen enough.

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (2007) because there is nothing more comedic than Michael Myers as a thawed out cryogenic spy. Elizabeth Hurley doesn’t hurt either. It would hopefully cheer me up on those days I have lost all hope or delusional because I haven’t eaten in a long time.

Wizard of Oz (1939) is a movie where I can’t say enough good things about it. It’s a simple story that resonates with most people, those with feelings, at least. The great songs, the dance routines, and the magical world of Oz makes it pretty spectacular.

Jaws (1975) will serve as a reminder if I need to swim in the ocean for any reason while stranded. Most shark attacks happen in shallow water but due to the decrease in their food supply, I should be aware no matter how deep the water.

Cast Away (2000) for obvious reasons. I would watch this movie first after I stopped panicking about being stranded. I’m sure I would eventually talk to whatever floated on shore as if it was a real person. It would give me hope of being able to have the courage to survive on my own.

Ex Machina (2014) would be a reminder that things could always be worse. The motivations of animals on any island is pretty self-explanatory, but then again I might want to rather deal with a robot of undeterminable intelligence. Getting stung by mosquitoes all day long or having to protect yourself against a rogue robot are both miserable experiences. Okay, this movie might be the last one to watch.

Into the Wild (2007) for obvious reasons too. It can’t get any closer to realism than this. I would use this as an example of trusting my gut instincts and be cautious about eating anything. It would force me to accept I might never be found and deal with this possibility.

The Faculty (1998) because the teachers are creepy as all hell and it’s highly entertaining to see students outsmarting their teachers.

Breach (2007) would be my comfort movie. Sounds weird but espionage is a topic that not only intrigues me but makes me feel my life is okay. It gives me perspective that for all my faults, at least, I didn’t sell out my country.

Pretty in Pink (1986) is where James Spader plays such an asshole and Molly Ringwald wears that horrible looking dress at the end. This would be the movie that will remind me of my youth and how far I’ve come. If I knew my end was near, it would be one of the last ones to watch.