The Gray Man

Another case of seen it before and done much better then plus ooh let’s make this similar to this movie and that movie and this one as well. It is fine to do that if you can improve on the original but sadly that never ever transpires, This film almost comes off comical with awful dialogues with one over acting actor (go back to Bridgerton! You shine there!). This is a hot mess which is a shame because you have a stellar cast, $200 Million budget so what went wrong? The screenplay was bad because the characters didn’t come off believable and bad dialogues didn’t help much along with an unbelievable plot plus some of the scenes felt like it could have taken a few more takes because the actors were not as believable nor were there a sort of continuous flow on their interaction. The movie was pretty visually and we get to see exotic places but that’s not what should raise a film. Generic, stilted rehash mashup action flick that should have been so much better than what it is. And what it is, is not much.

The Gentlemen

There's a lot to love about this movie: the snappy dialogues, the gorgeous sets and use of colors, the style and mood it conjures by the visual feasts and the actors all delivering top notch performances. But what it lacked was an original soul. You've seen this before, in fact better. And the delivery of this one had exposition after exposition and so much as well as too bloody many dialogues when silent and leaving the audience with a bit more mystery would have been the better vantage point in telling the story. But, that would have robbed us of what Hugh Grant can do when he shines and in character but at the end of the day, isn't story more important than character, and a minor character to boot?

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Did I miss something? Of the 3 incarnations of Spider-man, this was by far the weakest and most lackluster so when it did so well in the box office during the pandemic, I had high hopes until I finally saw it and couldn't understand the massive love it got, if we are to judge the movie by itself and not due to the popularity of the actors. What I liked most about the movie is how it starts of and continues right after the last one and there's that real time scenario but as for the plot and what happens, it wasn't as dynamic as the other Spidey movies and how the story progressed didn't translate as fun to me, as a viewer maybe because the scenes weren't as inspired as previous movies and as a whole, it didn't deliver the emotional punch as well as it should have because when that "punch" happened, the movie was clearly lacking for "something" to happen. The script didn't allow me to feel that excited throughout the movie maybe because the bad guys didn't seem as menacing as they did in their original incarnation? And SPOILER ALERT: with 3 Spideys, surely the good guys will win??! And yes, the ending was bittersweet and I bet a lot of teenagers thought this is the saddest ending ever. Please. I've seen much better bittersweet endings delivered in a movie and this wasn't even in the top half quartile of the bunch. I expected more but maybe I should have followed MJ's advise on this one. Ha!

The Batman

Having to follow Nolan’s trilogy was a big ask, but clearly not from the guy (Matt Reeves) who allegedly called Chris Nolan to proclaim that his new version of the Batman is superlative. The wait is over. I can honestly tell you without a shadow of a doubt that Tim Burton’s Batman is leagues superior to this rubbish they are forcing the new generation of kids to swallow and at three hours long? No, thank you. This version has no identity as a film. It feels like a rehash of Burton and Nolan’s without the style, substance and wonderful writing that entertains the audience and make them care about the characters and where the story is headed. I was bored with this one, waiting for the excitement that was sorely missing in this Batman. And each time, I thought it was done. Nope. Suffice to say, the story dragged. One of the biggest problem with this (aside from the horrible script) is that it just wasn’t exciting and the mystery was pedestrian and the visuals and story progressions were similar to previous Batman outing so, what does that leave you? The actors. Again, with horrible script and a barely there sexual chemistry between Pattinson and Kravitz you can’t help but compare that to Keaton and Pfifer’s sizzling chemistry. That’s what a good script can get you! Hard pass on this outing. The cinematography was beautiful.

Wonder Woman 1984

An honest to goodness wonderful attempt to inject the comic book feel into the movie theater which director Patty Jenkins was able to deliver in more than a handful of scenes that looked beautiful on screen and was fun to watch. What caused its downfall was the 2 1/2 hour time it will take to finish which you will feel as the movie drags in many scenes. It’s a shame as it had a promising start but the two additional characters(Pascal and Wiig) lacked the scary feel of a real villain one can root against. The other has a cliche story line lacking connection. The writing didn’t impart enough reasons for viewers to care about them or make them do something we haven’t seen before which is a rare thing to do in films because let’s face it, we’ve all seen pretty much everything. Especially in a super hero genre. But the fact that this was Wonder Woman and remember the movie trailer was everything and then to watch this lackluster, uncompelling story line unfold that doesn't go anywhere, really... where you are not sure if you are enjoying it or not but Gal Gadot and Chris Pines are killing it every time they are on the screen. Pedro Pascal is doing his thing and Kristen Wiig is doing her best but the script was not very well written and so, it didn’t feel cohesive and there were no real urgency to the plot because as dire as the situation was happening, it just didn’t feel that epic because we’ve been there before and so much better and that’s basically what the movie was. Unlike the trailer that was epic. And the techno 80’s remixed song. But stay for after the credit as that is everything!

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

For having to pick up the awful mess that Rian Johnson did with The Last Jedi, J.J. Abrams did an admirable job of having to right the ship and come up with an ending that ties The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi as cohesively as possible, and at the same time try to satisfy all fans which can’t be an easy task. The beginning felt rush and frantic with scenes jumping too quickly without giving the spectator a chance to absorb what’s happening. What I found useful in enjoying the movie is to accept the fact that Rey (Daisy Ridley) has the combined forces of 100 plus Jedis so that when she does something that Luke Skywalker and Yoda combined can only dream of doing along with new powers that has never before been seen… rather than rolling my eyes (or getting up and leaving the cinema), I decided to just accept it as it is and lo and behold, I’m actually enjoying the movie. The script had lots and lots of holes that’s laughable and not properly addressed as well as too much exposition that detracted from the story but considering the rubbish of The Last Jedi, it is understandable the need for the explanation and the many plot holes throughout. Watching the film, was like experiencing deja vu over and over because elements from the Original Trilogy was peppered throughout the film. Not sure if that’s good or bad but I had hoped they would have come up with something more original and if I’m being highly critical, The Rise of Skywalker is basically a rehash of the Original Trilogy. Having said that, I was still able to have a good time watching the film and when it ended, I didn’t feel the joy and elation I did when watching the Original Trilogy but was relieved that it was over and this time around, they didn’t piss on the true essence of Star Wars… well, not too much. Yes, it could have been better but again it could have been much, much worse. Thank your lucky stars that Rian Johnson had nothing to do with it otherwise, oh boy.

Grave of the Fireflies

Rated as the best animation film out there by Rolling Stones Magazine, IMDB and USA Today dealing with adult themes that focuses on a young boy Setsuko and his little sister Seita and what they had to endure during the bombing of Japan. It’s a beautiful, touching and tragic with animations that transcends as it really tugs at the heartstrings and paints the horror of war that turns children into orphans and how they are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and find a way to survive in a cruel, uncertain world. The moments between the two siblings and the love they share is just lovely to watch and makes the viewer realize what a precious commodity love is and the length one will go through. Be prepared to cry.

Jezebel

From her entrance 7 minutes into the film, wearing black riding a black stallion that is spirited, one can’t help but be mesmerized by Julie Marsden (Bette Davis) as she is late for her own party and opts to not change her dress and attend it wearing her riding dress tells you exactly what sort of person her character is: wild, willful and a force of nature. She clearly dominates the film with her sassiness and how she carries herself: like a modern woman living in the wrong era, which is her strength and ultimately her demise. It’s a simple story of love gone awry due to Julie’s sassiness that is too much for her banker boyfriend Preston Dillard (Henry Fonda) to handle that results in his leaving her after she insists on wearing a red dress that is a major faux pas in society as white is the only color to be worn by self respecting southern gals, causing an uproar in the Olympus Ball that resulted in Preston leaving her and returning after a year’s absence with a new wife Amy Bradford Dillard (Margaret Lindsay) in hand. It is also a tale of redemption and understanding of human nature. Bette Davis’ compelling portrayal earned her second Oscar for the role.

Mud

A slow burn with a stellar cast that depicts life of two boys living in the Mississippi River and how they discover a boat lodged up a tree in a desolate island that they happily claimed as their’s however, there is someone else who has been living inside it. Enter, Mud (Matthew McConnahey) a “drifter” in need of help. As soon as they decide to help him, that’s when it gets complicated as we learn more about Mud, his past and the story gets interesting and exciting. This movie is more about relationships with family, friends, and even touches first love. It never dragged due to the beautiful scenery and camera angles featuring Mississippi - even in its poorest areas, it still comes out as gorgeous on film. The dialogue works well. The emotions feel genuine and the actions real and engaging. It’s not about the plot but more about the characters and their choices and second chances in life that makes this movie great.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

If you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead, this little zombie movie will have you laughing just as, if not harder at what Ben (Tye Sheridan), Carter (Logan Miller) and Augie (Joey Morgan), 3 scouts had to endure to save the world (well, their town, really) along with the help of Denise (Sarah Dumont) a stripper/bartender who’s savvy with a shot gun. It’s hilarious, it’s quite genius and silly but balanced with tender and honest moments that makes one think and realize what is truly important in this world: friendship, love and survival. It’s a bit raunchy but don’t let that deter you as that is part of the plot because the teenage boys’ sexual awakening is also an integral part of the story. A fun, laugh out loud movie that never takes itself seriously but delivers in guffaws, chuckles and memorable one liners (i.e. “Nailed it!”) that I predict will be a cult classic. Highly recommended if you are looking for a funny horror flick that will leave a big smile on your face. Oh, and the music is off the hook!