Ghostbusters: Afterlife

I got the chance to see this last month at the New York comic con. This film exceeded my expectations and more. Without going into spoiler territory I will say this. Whether you're a longtime fan or a new fan there's enough entertainment for everyone. The number of callbacks and Easter eggs spread throughout the film is great. This film reminds me of star wars the force awakens as far as nostalgia. The cast is wonderful and you get the feels when you start to see the ghostbusters equipment. I was smiling from the moment the film started up until the second after credit scene played out and yes there are two after credit scenes. I can't recommend this film enough and I can't wait to see it again. I know this isn't a review but more my reaction than anything. If you have seen the trailers you pretty much know what to expect.

The Protégé

If you're a fan of the John Wick series then you will enjoy this film. An orphan child who witnessed her family being murdered and then being capture is rescued by an Assassin Samuel Jackson who raises her to follow in his footsteps. There's more to the story but I don't want to spoil it. Maggie Q is the lead character alongside Samuel L Jackson and Micheal Keaton rounds out the cast. It's a solid film and I recommend giving it a watch.

Concrete Cowboy

This film got little to no press upon its release on Netflix. I am glad I gave it a chance. The premise is about a teenage boy who can't seem to stay out of trouble and his single mom can't handle him anymore. Right after his last incident with the police, he is dropped off with his estranged father for the summer. The father played by (Idris Elba) is a down-and-out man with nothing going on in his life except for his horses. He's has a staple of horses and along with his friends, they take care of them and teach the neighborhood how to ride and train them. The son doesn't want anything to do with him or the horses but after a while he makes a connection to a horse and that leads to a relationship with his father. It's an odd premise but it works and this is based on a true story that takes place in Philadelphia. It's worth a watch for sure.

In The Heights

This is one of the best films I have seen in quite sometime. Let me say that I am not a huge fan of musicals in general but this film has changed my mind for the better. The music numbers the production and the choreography are excellent. You will be singing all the songs for a longtime.

Coming 2 America

Being a fan of the original film I didn't have high expectations for this movie because I didn't think they could repeat the humor and I was correct with this assumption. This film relies on you seeing the first film and that's not a bad thing but that's where the issue comes in. Instead of pushing the story forward they instead they relied on the same formula and it just doesn't work. With a pg -13 rating you kinda knew it was going to be toned down. Sure there are some moments of laughter but overall it's just kinda mailed in. Let's just say there was a reason why it's on Amazon prime instead of a full theater release.

Judas and the Black Messiah

The performances by the main characters are the best parts of the film. You feel the anguish that they are going through and it hits you hard. Other than that the film as a whole is not as impactful as I thought it would be. It's similar to many other films that I have seen before and it's not breaking new ground. It's a solid film and I recommend it.

Zack Snyder's Justice League

This cut of the film is much better than its 2017 counterpart. It flushes out the story for the characters and it fills in the blanks for sure. Cyborg is the heart of the film and he shines and for me, that is the best part of the film. My only issue is the four-hour runtime. I can appreciate the extra scenes and new material and all but at times it does drag and some scenes are not necessary. All that being said I would recommend this and the best thing is that it's on HBO max and you don't have to watch it all in one sitting.

Mulan

I didn't have high hopes for this film because I was not crazy about the animated feature. I was pleasantly surprised by this film. The story itself is fine but the way it was shot and the fighting scenes were excellent. It's worth at least one watch.

Wonder Woman 1984

This film was a disappointment. The story and the plot are all over the place and by the end of the film none of it makes any sense. Gal gadot is fine in the role but the film is called wonder woman and you rarely see her in action. Not enough wonder woman and too much time is spent developing the supporting characters.

The Wolverine