1917, Movie Review

Not sure how much of this is a true story. I imagine its more a compilation of many soldiers telling their stories and it being put into one movie. Because the individual tales do seem very grounded in reality, but the overall one and all that the solider goes through might be a bit much for one person.

What I enjoyed the most is the style the movie was shot in. There are no scene breaks. The movie appears as if its all one long take, with a camera following the characters the entire time. There are a few tricks, like the scene going dark, or looking at a wall for a moment, where there was likely a scene break. But this style of footage makes the audience feel they are truly there with the characters, trudging along with them thru the mud and racing away from the gunfire.

The story itself has some plot twists that are unexpected. I can’t say much without giving the plot away, but it is a good one. The events are relatable, and it’s very easy to picture yourself right there with the character, experiencing his struggles.

It’s one of the best war movies I have seen in a while, and I highly recommend it.

Bad Boys for Life, Movie Review

Before I saw the newest Bad Boys movie, I decided to rewatch the first two movies, since the first came out in 1995 and I wasn’t sure how much of it I would remember. To be honest, it was a bit boring watching those movies again. Back when they were new, they were amazing, but now, with the effects outdated and the jokes being old, it wasn’t so thrilling.

The new movie did hold the Bad Boys recipe true. It was 90% gun fights and several high speed car chases. There are some women empowering roles thrown in, but not quite as front line as in the other movies. The characters had developed in age, and have entered new stages of their lives. There are comments made that refer back to the other movies, mostly the second one. So if you are wanting to “get” all the jokes, be sure to rewatch the second Bad Boys movie before you see this one.

With the new effects available, the car chases, fight scenes, explosions, and gunfire, are much better. Still excessive, still exaggerated, but well done, even though very unrealistic.

Overall, I would say this movie not only does the trilogy justice, but is better than the previous ones. So if you are looking for a good action movie, this should def be on your list.

 

Richard Jewell, Movie Review

I was unaware of this story until I saw the trailers. I decided to maintain my ignorance so I went into the film, not knowing if Richard Jewell was guilty or not of planting the bomb. The story does a good job of explaining the event from both sides and until the very end of the movie, a viewer like myself is left wondering if he did the crime or not. The reasons for him to do it are quite evident, but so is the supporting information saying he didn’t.

Although this plot is focused on one moment, it does a good job of keeping the audience entertained. The acting is great, and the cast was chosen perfectly. If you enjoy dramas I would highly suggest seeing it. It isn’t the most amazing movie ever, but it is one of the better ones I’ve seen this year.

The only parts I didn’t like was how the FBI was portrayed as playing games and trying to trick Richard Jewell. I don’t know if they truly did that, or if the FBI operates like that, but to me, they didn’t need to be cast in such a negative light.

Jumanji the next level, Movie Review

I am a huge fan of the first movie. The dynamics between the three male leads is great. Coming up with a fresh plot so the actors can work their magic again, a concern of mine. And I am happy to report they succeeded.

New characters are added, and more body swapping is done. I personally think this was some of the best acting I’ve seen “The Rock” ever do. He had to act like Danny DeVito–no small task. The jokes are abundant, the plot well writen, the acting great. My only complaint is the reason why they went back in the game. A new batch of in the real world characters would have done just as good for the movie, and avoided needing to create a reason for the people to go back in. But that is a very minor thing.

If you are looking for a great comedy or action movie, this is definitely the one to go see.

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

As I have seen happen with many movies that Disney makes, this one seemed to be all about the marketing. Or rather, the new products people would buy after seeing the movie. I’m sure that also went into the timing of the movie’s release, weeks before Christmas.

From the helmet with glowing red lines to the new tiny robot we meet, it was all new things for people to dress up as or buy. The plot was riddled with holes and many things happened as convenience to keep the plot pointed in a certain direction.

This movie could have been great, if the writing had just stepped it up a bit and focused more on a good story, rather than what Disney can make money on.

Cats, Movie Review

Cats is the movie no one asked for.

I have seen the Broadway musical, and it was a feast for the eyes and ears. I’ll admit, I had no idea what the real plot was, but that didn’t matter. It was a classic and I wanted to see it.

This movie does explain the plot better, even though its still vague what is really happening to the cat who wins the competition. But hey, they are cats, so to me its allowed to be crazy.

The best parts of the movie are the roles the famous actors play. I’m not sure if their story lines were added or if they simply added their own twist on the roles, but it added some much needed flair and comedic relief.

For the general viewer I would say to skip the movie. It is quite boring. But if you enjoy cats and singing, its worth seeing.