IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios- their home page is here) had sent me codes to several of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. Part 1 was all about Underwater and Part 2 focused on The New Mutants. Part 3 we talked about The Personal History of David Copperfield. Part 4 discussed The Empty Man. Part 5 talked about Nomadland and Speed 4K Ultra HD. Part 6 discussed The Night House and Free Guy. Part 7 focused on The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Part 8 had The Last Duel. Part 9 discussed Ron’s Gone Wrong and Part 10 talked about The King’s Man and Summer of Soul. We’ve returned with Part 11 to discuss Nightmare Alley and West Side Story!
Nightmare Alley
After torching his family home, Stan wanders around a carnival, eventually taking a show and leaving without payment. After getting caught he accepts a job doing manual labor and eventually learns the art of mentalism. Throughout his mentalism performances he is reminded to never perform what they refer to as a spook show but don’t give too much insight into why. He eventually leaves the carnival to take his mentalism act tot he big city and gets an offer of a large sum to start performing these shows. Greed is the cause of many men’s fall from success and watching as things start to unravel make this film worth the watch as tries to pull himself out of trouble while being manipulated from outside sources. The acting is fantastic but the overall story failed to impress.
West Side Story
This was directed by Steven Spielberg, telling the story from the classic play. Having never seen the original material I can’t say with certainty if anything changed between the original and this adaptation but I can say I did not enjoy the film. The cast did a great job but the story felt like a retelling of Romeo and Juliet but based in the slums of a US city.
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios- their home page is here) had sent me codes to several of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. Part 1 was all about Underwater and Part 2 focused on The New Mutants. Part 3 we talked about The Personal History of David Copperfield. Part 4 discussed The Empty Man. Part 5 talked about Nomadland and Speed 4K Ultra HD. Part 6 discussed The Night House and Free Guy. Part 7 focused on The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Part 8 had The Last Duel. Part 9 discussed Ron’s Gone Wrong and we are back for Part 10 to talk about The King’s Man and Summer of Soul.
The King’s Man
Telling the story of the origin of the Kingsmen, an elite group dedicated to protecting Britain and by extension the world. Following a Duke and his aides as they race to bring an end to the first World War, its secret organizer and the cabal he leads. The film is full of action, the acting and cast were great.
Summer of Soul
During the same summer as Woodstock was another similar musical event based in Harlem. The event was filmed and that footage was then placed in storage for decades. The documentary follows the event and some of the things that happened behind the scenes. Some of the biggest names in African American music were there and its amazing that many of us were not even aware this event took place. I am not a fan of documentaries but I was captivated by the story and I am even less of a fan of the music and it was an integral part of the story that and fan of music will enjoy.
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO DISNEY STUDIOS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at Disney Studios (their home page is here) had sent me codes to several of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. With Part 1 we were taking a look at the live action version of Mulan. Part 2 discussed Soul and Raya and the Last Dragon. Part 3 looked at the live action story of Cruella. Part 4 discussed Luca and Part 5 talked about Jungle Cruise. We have returned with Part 6 and will be discussing Encanto!
Encanto
The story follows the family Madrigal and more closely one of the grandchildren/ Mirabel. Mirabel is the only member of the family that hasn’t received a magical gift from the family’s magical candle and that doesn’t stop her from trying to do her part. The night her youngest cousin receives his gift cracks start to appear in their magical house and she is the only one that can save the magic. Knowing Lin Manuel Miranda was responsible for the music of this film we went into it with high expectations. Disney beat those expectations and then some but every member of the cast were fantastic but Stephanie Beatriz really shown as the amazing actress she is. This is by far one of the best Disney films we have ever seen!
Have you had a chance to see this film from Disney Studios?
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO Marvel Entertainment I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at Marvel Entertainment (their home page is here) had sent me a code to one of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on it with you. This will be a regular series and Part 1 we talked about Black Widow. Part 2 discussed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We have returned for Part 3 to share our thoughts on Eternals and straight to DVD release Spidey and his Amazing Friends!
Eternals
The Eternals have always been among the many characters I just can’t seem to enjoy in comics. Every story of theirs felt like a different world from the rest of the Marvel canon. The trailer for the film looked interesting but seemed like something was out of place because with as powerful as they were Thanos should not have been able to win his first battle with Earth. Thankfully the film explains why they weren’t involved and the reasoning actually makes sense. My two complaints regarding the film are both related to how the story is told, it skips around the timeline quite a bit and most of the story is more or less building up to the fight at the end but at a snails pace. Overall it was well told with amazing effects and a just as amazing cast but due to the pacing is not one for the whole family.
Spidey and his Amazing Friends
The series is made for younger viewers and follows Peter Parker, Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy as they help other heroes and each other deal with the likes of classic Spidey villains Rhino, Green Goblin and Doc Ock. The animation is adorable and the lessons it aims to teach are valuable for the younger audience. One example is when Spidey tries to teach Hulk about not letting his temper get the best of him and in the process they stop Rhino at the amusement park. This series is a must for any younger Spidey fans out there.
Have you had a chance to see this film or series from Marvel Entertainment? If not both can currently be seen in Disney+ as well as purchased from your favorite distributer (Eternals will release February 15th).
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO WARNER BROS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON THOSE I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at Warner Bros (their home page is here) had sent me codes to some of their movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. For the first part of this series we talked about Scoob, Birds of Prey, The Way Back, Goonies 4K, Beetlejuice 4K, Full Metal Jacket, Sherlock Holmes 4K and Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows 4K. Part 2 ‘twas massive and discussed V for Vendetta 4K, 300 4K, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 4K, The Hobbit Trilogy 4K, Blade 4K, Bill and Ted Face the Music, Tenet and The Wolf of Snow Hollow. Part 3 talked about Wonder Woman 1984, The Little Things and Judas and the Black Messiah. Part 4 discussed Tom and Jerry the Movie and Godzilla Vs Kong. Part 5 was all about Wrath of Man, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Space Jam. Part 6 had discussed Mortal Kombat and Those Who Wish Me Dead. Part 7 discussed In the Heights, The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 20 Years of Movie Magic edition. Part 8 discussed A Clockwork Orange, Space Jam: A New Legacy and Shawshank Redemption. Part 9 talked about The Suicide Squad and Reminiscence. We have returned for Part 10 and no better way to celebrate this milestone than to go big with The Outsiders, Cry Macho, Malignant, the Many Saints of Newark and the Mad Max film collection.
The Outsiders
The original film does not hold a candle to the book but this edition of the film also comes with the Complete Novel edition so you can actually watch the entirety of the story. With this addition it makes it much better but even then I still preferred the actual novel to the film.
Cry Macho
This was an odd film for me. I am not typically a fan of Clint Eastwood as a writer, actor or director but somehow I still give his films a chance. I went into this expecting to dislike it but hoping it would surprise me like The Mule did. After finishing it I felt it was okay at best but when describing it to my wife the next morning I realized there was a lot to it that I did enjoy. The film follows a aging cowboy that is sent to Mexico to retrieve the son of a rancher he sometimes worked for. Begrudgingly he goes and finds the boy and works towards bringing him to his father, along the way falling in love with a small community and it’s people. After analyzing the film I must admit it was surprisingly good.
Malignant
As time goes on I am learning to appreciate horror films and the trailers for this film looked fantastic. The story follows a person with some abilities and horribly disfigured is reportedly euthanized in the opening scene but not before killing several members of the hospital staff. Fast forward several years Madison is pregnant and had a long day of work at the hospital. Responding to her being abused a mysterious killer appears and murders her boyfriend. She is then tortured as she can somehow see the killer’s actions as he murders the people who attempted to kill him many years prior. This was a fantastic film that had some very impressive effects when Madison begins to see where the killer is, blending the room she is in with the room the killer is. This film is worth watching for the effects alone but coupled with an interesting story and a strong cast and you have a winner.
The Many Saints of Newark
I have never seen even one episode of The Sopranos but seeing how Tony became the mob boss was intriguing. The cast of this film were fantastic and despite not knowing the source material it was still an enjoyable film.
Mad Max film collection
Growing up I thought there were only two Mad Max films prior to Fury Road- Beyond Thunderdome and Road Warrior. I had no idea the film that started it all even existed- Mad Max. Getting to watch them again was a treat but none of them compare to Fury Road in my opinion.
Which of these films from Warner Bros have you seen and which did you enjoy? Let us know on our Twitter page!
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios- their home page is here) had sent me codes to several of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. Part 1 was all about Underwater and Part 2 focused on The New Mutants. Part 3 we talked about The Personal History of David Copperfield. Part 4 discussed The Empty Man. Part 5 talked about Nomadland and Speed 4K Ultra HD. Part 6 discussed The Night House and Free Guy. Part 7 focused on The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Part 8 had The Last Duel. We have returned for Part 9 and Ron’s Gone Wrong!
Ron’s Gone Wrong
The only thing I knew about this film before watching it was that it was made by 20th Century Studios. They have yet to steer us wrong and so we watched it without hesitation. The film is a look at how society relies too heavily on technology and that you don’t need to always be connected to our devices. The animation quality matches anything we’ve seen these days with a fantastic cast and story to match.
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios- their home page is here) had sent me codes to several of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. Part 1 was all about Underwater and Part 2 focused on The New Mutants. Part 3 we talked about The Personal History of David Copperfield. Part 4 discussed The Empty Man. Part 5 talked about Nomadland and Speed 4K Ultra HD. Part 6 discussed The Night House and Free Guy. Part 7 focused on The Eyes of Tammy Faye and we are back with Part 8 and The Last Duel!
The Last Duel
This film features a talented cast and follows the story of two French squires, their lust for power and wealth and the rape of one of their wives. The first two-thirds of the film is told from the perspective of each of them as they each experience the same events slightly differently. The direction and effects were masterfully done, showing how each person views themselves as the hero and victim of this tragic tale. My only complaint regarding this film is the pacing, seeing the story retold from each perspective left it feeling quite slow until we reached our climax. Despite this the film was well done and the cast were fantastic.
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO Marvel Entertainment I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at Marvel Entertainment (their home page is here) had sent me a code to one of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on it with you. This will be a regular series and starting with Part 1 and Black Widow. We’ve returned for Part 2 to discuss Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The movie begins with a brief history of the Ten Rings and learning about the relationship between Shang-Chi’s parents. Fast forward a few years and he is now an adult and going by Shawn in San Francisco. An altercation on a bus, a viral video of him fighting and a supposed note from his sister and Shang-Chi is now on a quest to find the hidden city his mother was from and stop his father.
The Ten Rings as a name seemed oddly specific at first and reminded me of the terrorist group called the same thing from Iron Man 3. Thankfully this film explained the link between the two through an unexpected cameo and delved deeper into the mythos of both films in the process. The action scenes were enjoyable to watch, the story absolutely enjoyable and the cast was fantastic. The only thing this film missed was a cameo from Stan Lee and even that wouldn’t have been needed as the film was fantastic from start to finish.
Have you had a chance to see this film from Marvel Entertainment?
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A FEW THAT I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios- their home page is here) had sent me codes to several of the movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. Part 1 was all about Underwater and Part 2 focused on The New Mutants. Part 3 we talked about The Personal History of David Copperfield. Part 4 discussed The Empty Man. Part 5 talked about Nomadland and Speed 4K Ultra HD. Part 6 discussed The Night House and Free Guy. We are back with Part 7 and The Eyes of Tammy Faye!
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Having grown up in a religious household I was aware who Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker were but thankfully my family was not one that watched them or their shows. The film follows the rise and fall of the televangelist duo and as those who were following the story originally will remember things weren’t as good as the duo would want the world to think. The story was well done but contextually was not something I would be interested in. Despite my lack of interest the film was captivating and both Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield deliver the best performances I have seen from either of them previously.
IT IS RARE FOR ME TO SEE A MOVIE WHEN IT’S STILL IN THEATERS BUT THANKS TO WARNER BROS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP ON THOSE I MISSED!
Recently the fine folks at Warner Bros (their home page is here) had sent me codes to some of their movies I missed so that I could share my thoughts on them with you. For the first part of this series we talked about Scoob, Birds of Prey, The Way Back, Goonies 4K, Beetlejuice 4K, Full Metal Jacket, Sherlock Holmes 4K and Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows 4K. Part 2 ‘twas massive and discussed V for Vendetta 4K, 300 4K, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 4K, The Hobbit Trilogy 4K, Blade 4K, Bill and Ted Face the Music, Tenet and The Wolf of Snow Hollow. Part 3 talked about Wonder Woman 1984, The Little Things and Judas and the Black Messiah. Part 4 discussed Tom and Jerry the Movie and Godzilla Vs Kong. Part 5 was all about Wrath of Man, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Space Jam. Part 6 had discussed Mortal Kombat and Those Who Wish Me Dead. Part 7 discussed In the Heights, The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 20 Years of Movie Magic edition. Part 8 discussed A Clockwork Orange, Space Jam: A New Legacy and Shawshank Redemption. We have returned for Part 9 to talk about The Suicide Squad and Reminiscence!
The Suicide Squad
This is the first film in the DC cinematic universe by James Gunn, and hopefully not the last. The squad has been assembled to remove another threat to the world, this time with two squads. Once again Margot steals the show as Harley Quinn as her team tries to rescue her. Out of the current cinematic universe this is by far THE BEST installment yet. It is even a close second behind Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
Reminiscence
Global warming has caused the world to flood and with it the military and law enforcement have begun utilizing the ability to view memories at command. Nick, played by Hugh Jackman, is a private investigator skilled in the process of viewing these memories and calling up specific details to either help with a case, help a woman relive time with a past love or even as simple as helping a woman find her keys. The story is wonderfully told and really captures Nick’s desperation as he tries to find the woman he loves.
