December 2018!!

The last and best month of the year brings one film to close it all out first is one I have been looking forward to Aquaman.

Runtime:143 Minutes

Post Credit-One mid credits

Plot-"Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and to be a hero to the world".

Starring-Jason Momoa, Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman

My Thoughts 

Unlike many I did not mind Justice League I thought it was decent and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) was one of my favorite characters in the film and I have been looking forward to this film all year, unfortunately the film was a let down for me. One big reason that this film was a letdown for me was that I had high expectations down to the director, I am a big fan of James Waan especially his horror films as he directed the Conjuing 1 and 2 two of my favorite horror films of the past 10 years and he also directed the original saw and a favorite of mine Dead Silence. Not much in this film was engaging, the acting was okay but other than Jason Momoa the performances were below par for me. the plot overall was boring this film for all of its beautiful l visuals (and they were gorgeous) there wasn't anything that really kept me intrigued throughout the over two hour run time and for a film built on action this is very important to keep the viewer interested which for me it failed to do overall. The real major problem for me with this film other than it being boring was there there wasn't much character development for the title character, the development for the title character was lacking overall for a movie that is supposed to give a backstory. The visuals in this film were some of the best I have seen in recent memory and I had no complaints with the film in that regard, for anyone who sees this film it is a feast on the eyes, especially Atlantis. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 63% saying "Aquaman swims with its entertainingly ludicrous tide, offering up CGI superhero spectacle that delivers energetic action with an emphasis on good old-fashioned fun". I agree this film was a visual spectacle but not much else. Overall this film is one of the better films in the DCEU and i would go as far to say the best tot   date in my opinion and while it did not live up tho the expectations I had going in it was still a decent movie worth watching at least once.


Rating

Solid Film Best DCEU film so far for me, beautiful Visuals and Jason Momoa gave a good performance as Aquaman but other than that the boring plot and lack of character development brought down the film overall, still worth seeing though. 6.8/10!!

November 2018!!

November only brings two films to review the first being Overlord

RunTime:110 Minutes

Post Credit:None


Plot-"The story of two American soldiers behind enemy lines on D Day"


Starring-Wyatt Russell, Jovan Adepo and Mathilde Ollivier




My Thoughts

This film came onto my radar a little late in the game, but when it comes to films its better late than never. Originally this film was meant to be in the cloverfield (and as a huge fan of the cloverfield fans i was extremely hyped) universe but that was quickly changed. After seeing the trailer I decided to give the film a chance and I can say the film was okay, not great not bad either. The acting in this film was pretty good b y the main cast (the standout was Jovan Adepo  in the lead role of Boyce), but the rest of the main cast all did really good jobs and i was impressed overall. Some of the camera work especially in the beginning of this film (there is an airplane scene at the beginning where the soldiers had to jump out of the plane is a prime example) was really good and showed some angles I rarely see in film. which was a nice surprise. The beginning of this film in particular felt like a war film and there was a certain grittiness to it which I liked, there was a lot of chaos going on around the soldiers once they landed. Once the film started to pick up pace and go along through the story for me this is when it started to lose some steam, there where some plot holes that never got an explanation for why they happened and it bothered me. The overall plot of the film wasnt great either, I initially expected a zopmbie film set against the backdrop of WW2 and that was not the case at all. the film felt like a band of brothers war film with monsters thrown in, which was not what i expected and was a letdown overall for me. not saying it was the wrong choice but this film was a good example of how trailers can be misleading. The gore in this film was very good though, I enjoyed  it very much, if a film like this is going to be rated R make it R for a reason and the filmmakers really took advantage of that aspect of the film. It was a nice sight to see as gore fan.Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 82% saying " Part revisionist war drama, part zombie thriller, and part all-out genre gorefest, Overlord offers A-level fun for B-movie fans of multiple persuasions". I agree that the film did feel like a mashup of different generes at different parts but it was not a zomvie thirller in any way for me, which was a shame. Overall this film as I mentioned earlier was okay and worth seeing for anyone who wants to see a well acted gory, zombie-ish film.

Rating


Well acted, not really a zombie film though, but it was gory 7.0/10!!!


The Second film for the month of November is one I am really looking forward to Creed II.

Runtime:130 Minutes


Post Credit-None

 Plot-"Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, newly crowned light heavyweight champion Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago".

Starring-Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren


My Thoughts


I was a big fan of Creed and eagerly awaited a sequel to that film. I can say this film was very good and a welcome addition to the series. The acting in this film was very good overall, the main cast did a good job and i could not point out a weak performance among the cast. The plot for this film will be very familiar to anyone who has seen the the rocky movies, the plot centers around Drago's son challenging Adonis Creed and all the lives this effects while leading up to the fight. The lot flowed together pretty well and kept the film entertaining during the over two hour run time.  I will say there were a few plot holes that for me could have easily been explained during the film. One thing i really liked about this film was that it did not just focus on Adonis Creed and his family. Rocky V had a lasting effect on everyone involved and it was nice to see how things played out for the main characters after that film., The boxing scenes in this film were overall well done, there was an aggression to them that made them very enthralling in particular the hard shots when the camera would slow down and the viewer could really see the impact of the shots. When comparing this film to the first creed, I cant say this film was better, but I would say its very good on its own, both films were very good and some of the best I have seen for their respective years and that is a compliment in itself. I will say there were some verty predictable moments in this movie that the viewer will see coming, but when you see enough movies it becomes part of the movie experience. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending but I will say it wraps up the series pretty good if they decide to not do a Creed III. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 82% saying "Creed II's adherence to franchise formula adds up to a sequel with few true surprises, but its time-tested generational themes still pack a solid punch". I agree that the film does follow a specific pattern that has been sued in many Boxing movies before, but honestly for a boxing invite there is only so much different you can do. Overall this was a very good movie and one of the best I have seen this year, I highly recommend for anyone who was a fan of the rocky films or the first Creed or to someone who jsut wants to see a good film.



Rating

Very good film, well acted, solid pplot and impressive boxing scenes. one of the best I have seen this year 8.3/10!

October 2018!!

The Spookiest Month brings two films to review the first being Venom.

Runtime:112 Minutes

Post Credit-Two (One mid credit and one after credits run)

Plot-"When Eddie Brock acquires the powers of a symbiote, he will have to release his alter-ego "Venom" to save his life".

Starring-Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams and Woody Harrelson

My Thoughts

I will say that going into this movie my expectations were not that high. i am a fan of Tom Hardy and I do like venom as a marvel character. After seeing the film I can say that it was okay, not great or terrible but okay. The plot of this film for me was pretty weak, not in the sense that it was hard to follow but in the sense that there was not much too it. Venom isn't a huge character and doesn't have the background of Wolverine or Spiderman so  I understand there isn't as much material to work with. The acting was just okay, other than Tom Hardy (who did a good job as Eddie Brock except for the few times his English accent slipped out) the rest of the cast did passable Jobs, but he was clearly the standout in this film, not shocking he is a very good actor and you expect him to deliver and he did overall. The special effects for me were a big letdown, I understand practical effects for the Venom suit was probably not possible or financially doable but the end result was very cheesy looking, for me and any film with a budget over $100 Million should at the very least have decent special effects and that was not the case overall for with this film. I will say this film was action packed and very fun which at the heart of any Comic book character film should be (in my opinion), the film was overall enjoyable and worth watching. One other aspect I really liked was the interplay between Eddie Brock and Venom, there were some funny moments in there and they played off each other well which was a plus, if a sequel does happen (which is likely considering how well its doing at the box office) I look forward to the relationship between the two developing and leading to a deeper connection. Rotten Tomatoes  gave the film a surprising 31% saying "enom's first standalone movie turns out to be like the comics character in all the wrong ways - chaotic, noisy, and in desperate need of a stronger attachment to Spider-Man". While I agree that having spiderman in some capacity in future films would help for a stronger overall film, I wouldn't say the film was that bad. I enjoyed the film overall and while the ployt was weak and the special effects overall were a letdown, the film was enjoyable and as a venom fan I am enjoyed his big debut and woudl recommend for any Marvel character fans.

Rating

Enjoyable, fun and Tom Hardy overall did a great job. 7.0/10!!

The second and last film to review is Halloween.

Runtime:105 Minutes

Post Credit-Voice track after credits roll

 Plot-"Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago".

Starring-Jamie Lee Curtis,  Judy Greer and Nick Castle

 My Thoughts

I am a big fan of the Halloween films (except the terrible mid 90's ones with his niece). When this film was announced I have been eagerly awaiting this film and I can say it was overall worth the wait. for me this film is one of the best in the series and I highly recommend it to fans of slasher films or the Halloween series. The acting for me was overall good Jamie Lee Curtis was the standout and did a great job bringing the iconic role of Laurie Strode back for the new generation oi viewers. the rest of the cast was solid but I will say that Andi Matichak was a little annoying (in a bad way) with some her characters actions in the film. The plot of this film was pretty straight forward this film ignored all of the films \all that happened after the original Halloween in 1978 and went ahead 40 years (which I actually think was a good idea as it would be hard to keep track of all the films in between and still have this film make sense) where we find Laurie strode waiting fore the day that Micheal escapes and comes for her, overall the plot flowed together well and was fast paced and did a good job keeping the viewer entertained, there was a few well placed jokes sprinkled in the movie which were a nice change of pace.There were a few moments here and there that i felt were not needed in the overall scope of the film and there were some cliche horror film sequences that always seem to pop up which are funny to me as more often than not then not anyone who has watched enough horror films can see them coming,  but overall it was a good job by the screen writers. the kills in this film were exceptional, with this film being rated R there were no limitations on what they could show and the director took full advantage, this film had some of the better gore moments in recent memory for me and i thoroughly enjoyed it. Rotten Tomaotes gave this film a 80% saying " Halloween largely wipes the slate clean after decades of disappointing sequels, ignoring increasingly elaborate mythology in favor of basic - yet still effective - ingredients". I agree this film felt very old school slasher and it was great, i loved it, this film did not try to be something it was not and that is the best thing I can say about it. I recommend this film as i mentioned earlier to anyone who enjoys a good slasher film or is a fan of the Halloween series.




Rating
Very good film, I really enjoyed it, one of the best films I have seen this year. 8.5/10!!!

September 2018!!

The month of September brings four films to review and the first is one of my most anticipated for the year The Nun.

Runtime:96 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-"A priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun".

Starring-Talissa Farmiga, Demian Bichir and Bonnie Aarons



My Thoughts


Before I get into this I want to preface by saying anyone who knows me will tell you I am a big fan of the Conjuring Universe. I enjoyed  The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2 and Annabelle:Creation, I was not a big fan of Annabelle but not every movie can be good. I was eagerly looking forward to this film and sadly it disappointed overall. After having seen the film I can say that "The Nun" as a monster wasn't a great choice, in theory when this film was announced I imagined  everything being well done and showing the nun as a entity in a tasteful way. unfortunately the writes of this film and the director went the Sinister 2 route and decided to show the monster too many times and ruined the shock factor, in films of this nature showing the monster a lot can reduce the spooky factor and makers the monster seem less threatening and that is what happened here. The plot for the film overall was pretty weak as well and the origin of "The Nun" was a letdown as well and I expected something a little more imaginative. The acting was the best part of this film, overall the cast did a good job and all the performances were solid, no bad performances among the main cast. This film had a "Conjuring" vibe to it which was good but out of the 5 films in the conjuring universe I would say this film is only better than "Annabelle" which is not saying much. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 25% saying "The Nun boasts strong performances, spooky atmospherics, and a couple decent set-pieces, but its sins include inconsistent logic and narrative slackness". For fans of the conjuring films I say see this as it does tie in with the other films and expands the universe but for anyone expecting a good film on the level of The Conjuring 1/2 or Annabelle:Creation I say skip it.


Rating


Letdown for me as i was really looking forward to this. 5.5/10!!

The second film to review is The Predator.

 Runtime:107 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-"When a young boy accidentally triggers the universe's most lethal hunters return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the human race".

Starring-Olivia Munn, Jacob Tremblay and Yvonne Strahovski


My Thoughts

I am going to keep this review short, I had low expectations for this film so I went in not expecting much. this film to its credit started off well and kept me engaged, I liked the bond the group of soldiers led by Quinn Boyd Holbrook. The acting overall was okay, no terrible performances but none that stood out. the plot for this film was where it really fell apart, as i mentioned the film started off strong but around 45 minutes in the film feel off the rails and it lost me and it really took away from the film. Rotten Tomatoes  gave the film a 33% saying ": The Predator has violence and quips to spare, but its chaotically hollow action adds up to another missed opportunity for a franchise increasingly defined by disappointment". I agree overall the film did have plenty of violence but not much else and it is a shame i was really hoping thi would be a film that would reboot the franchise but after thsi film it looked like another reboot will be needed, i don't recommend this film to anyone.

Rating

Can not recommend one of the worst films I have seen this year, looks like another reboot will be needed, which is a shame. 4.5/10!!!

The third  to review is Hell Fest.

Runtime:89 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-"A masked serial killer turns a horror themed amusement park into his own personal playground, terrorizing a group of friends while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show".

Starring-Bex Taylor-Klaus, Amy Forsyth and Reign Edwards  

My Thoughts

Not going to spend much time on this, overall this film falls into the meh category, it was not terrible but wasn't good wither. the plot was standard horror fare for fans of the genre. the cast did a good job doing what they needed to be which was rowdy kids, it has been done dozens of times. one saving grace for this film was that it was rated R which meant the filmmakers were able to have some good kills which i will say it did not disappoint. The film is filled with the standard horror film tropes and the ending was predictable but I had a good idea what to expect going into this film so I cannot say I was super surprised by anything I saw.Rotten Tomatoes does not have a review for this fil but the score at the moment is 35%. As i mentioned this film was nothing special but not the worst film I have seen this year. if you are a fan of slasher films I say see it.

Rating

What I expected, nothing mroe nothing less 6.0/10!!!


The fourth and final film to review is Assassination Nation.

Runtime:110 Minutes

Post Credit-Yes (Ending music sequence)

Plot-"This is a thousand percent a true story about how the quiet, all-American town of Salem absolutely lost its mind".

Starring-Odessa Young, Hari Nef and Suki Waterhouse

My Thoughts

This film came onto my radar very late, But I will  say I am glad that it did. this film I didn't now what to expect going in I watched the trailer but it did not give away too much of the plot and what exactly was going on.Now having seen the film I can say while the film starts off slow and there is some randomness thrown in, it overall was a good film. The plot of this film teeters between how popular the internet (specifically social media) is and the influence it has over all of us in this day and age the film also has a message of  how hard it is being a girl and the expectations that are placed on them in society and the double standards they have to deal with. It was actually pretty interesting and engaging plot overall, was kind of fresh for me as movies made like this are rare and I enjoyed it. The acting i nthis film overall was pretty good, the main cast did a good job and there were not any bad performances I could find (other than Bella Thorne I found her character very annoying and I am not sure if that was due to her acting ability or her character in general) but solid jobs all around. As i mentioned earlier the film for me starts off slow (but I will say it did a good job of character development of r the main cast) but once the carnage breaks out this film really got going, it was very visceral and there were moments of tension, which I enjoyed I love a film that can create tension and a sense of investment in the characters and seeing how they will handle the situations they are put in. With the film being rated R there were plenty of bloody moments which is always a plus for me. One aspect of the film I did not really like was the randomness of some of the scenes, I felt some scenes were in the film for shock and awe and to me it came off as trying to hard to be different, I understand that this film was intentionally trying to be different but some of it missed the mark for me. This film did a really good job of showcasing just how important Social Media is in our socity and some of the dangers it can bring if too much is invented into it. I enjoyed seeing all the different characters handle what was going on, the added bonus of the majority of the action taking place at high school made it even better. Rotten Tomatoes  gave the film a 68% saying "Assassination Nation juggles exploitation and socially aware elements with mixed results, but genre fans may find it too stylish and viscerally energetic to ignore". I agree overall the film was trying to be stylish and that leads to what I was saying about the randomness of some of it, it was also very visceral but I enjoyed that aspect of the film. this film for me was better than I thought it would be and I enjoyed it.


Rating

Better than I thought it would be, well acted, very visceral and had an interesting message behind it. 7.5/10!!!

August 2018!!

We are in the dog days of Summer now and the month of August brings 3 films to review the first being Slender Man.

Runtime:93 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-"Slender Man tells the story of a tall, thin, horrifying figure with unnaturally long arms and a featureless face, who is reputed to be responsible for the haunting and disappearance of countless children and teens".

Starring-Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles and Annalise Basso

My Thoughts 

Every once in a while a film comes along that is so bad, I don't have words for it. the time has come around again and I will not waste any time on this film. all iw will say is do not see this film under any circumstance. Skip it. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film 11% saying ": Slender Man might be thin, but he's positively robust compared to the flimsy assortment of scares generated by the would-be chiller that bears his name". I have nothing to say about this film, easily the worst I have seen this year by a long shot.

Rating

Do not see this film, skip at all costs 3/10!!




Thesecond film to review is BlacKKKlansman.

Runtime:135 Minutes 

Post Credit-None

Plot-"Ron Stallworth, an African-American police officer from Colorado, successfully managed to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan and became the head of the local chapter".

 Starring-John David Washington, Adam Driver and Topher Grace

My Thoughts 

Spike Lee Movies can be hit or miss for me. This film came onto my radar right before it was set to come out and I am glad that I gave this film a chance. It was very good. from the acting to the story to the comedic breaks to the high tension parts this film was worth watching. Starting with the acting the entire cast was excellent there was not a bad performance i could find, special mention goes to John David Washington I had previously only seen him on "Ballers" and he does a good job there and did a great Job in this film, being Denzel Washington's son puts pressure on him and he did a great job, i look forward to seeing him in more movie roles and a continued main character role on "ballers", I also want to give special mention to Adam Driver  he was another performance that stood out to me among the very good cast, this was my first time seeing Adam Driver in a film role (I don't watch Star wars) but he was very good in this film as well. The plot of t his film was based on a real story and I am sure some parts of the story were changed to make it more entertaining, but the story that was told to the audience, flowed together and kept me entertained for the most part. I will say that some of the racial slurs that re used may be too much for certain people but I knew what kind of language was most likely going to be used considering the theme of this film. One plot point I was awaiting to see how it played out was how exactly a black man could become part of the KKK without them knowing his skin color and now seeing how it played out on the screen it made sense.There was not much I didn't like about the film, I will say some scenes in the film i felt could have been left out of the film and the story would not have changed at all, but I can say that about most movies. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 96% saying "BlacKkKlansman uses history to offer bitingly trenchant commentary on current events -- and brings out some of Spike Lee's hardest-hitting work in decades along the way". I would agree that this is one of Spike lees best films in recent memory and I would put in my top 5 favorite films of his for me. This was a very good film and I recommend it. it served as a interesting view into America's past and it had some parallels to some issues that are still going on today.


Rating

Very good acting, Very good story, recommend it 8.6/10!!!


The third and final film to review is The Meg.

Runtime:113 Minutes


Post Credit-None

Plot-"After escaping an attack by what he claims was by a 70-foot shark, Jonas Taylor must confront his fears to save those trapped in a sunken submersible".

Starring-Jason Statham,  Ruby Rose and Robert Taylor

My Thoughts 


When it comes to shark movies, I have seen so many that I don't really care to watch them anymore (thank you syfy channel for ruining shark movies for me). My expectations for this movie weren't very high and now after seeing this movie, I will say it wasn't great but it wasn't terrible. For a movie like this you have to go in with tempered expectations and know what to expect going in. I knew what I was in for and I wasn't let down. The special effects in the film were pretty good with the effects on the shark being the standout but overall the effects were good. The acting in a film like this sint important too me, it was okay what i expected, nothing spectacular. The plot for the most part made sense, I was curious to see how they would bring Megalodon into the film and while it wasn't the most plausible idea it made sense for the movie how this long extinct shark was brought back to life. The only reason I really wanted to see this movie was because Megaldon is my favorite animal of all time and I just wanted to  see a Hollywood interpretation on how it would react if still alive today, and in that sense it was entertaining and I enjoyed the film for what it was. Anyone willing to go in with that type of mindset and not expect A list acting or a top notch plot with a great story will not be disappointed. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 47% saying " The Meg sets audiences up for a good old-fashioned B-movie creature feature, but lacks the genre thrills -- or the cheesy bite -- to make it worth diving in". I am not going to harp on what I didn't like about the film because i wasn't expecting anything other than to be entertained by this movie and for the most part it did that, I will add this was another case of a film trying to force a love story that wasn't needed for the main character and it felt forced and could have been left out of the film completely.

Rating

Entertaining for the most part, know what to expect and the film wont be a letdown. 6.8/10!!

July 2018!!

We are in the dead of Summer and the month of July brings five movies to review the first Being One I am looking forward to The First Purge.

Runtime:97 Minutes

Post Credit Scene:One, Mid credits.

Plot-"After the rise of a third political party, the New Founding Fathers of America, an experiment is conducted, no laws for 12 hours on Staten Island. No one must stay during the experiment yet there is $5,000 for anyone ".

Starring-Y'lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis and Joivan Wade



My Thoughts

I am a big fan of the Purge series, while the first wasn't great i did enjoy the idea behind the film. I enjoyed Anarchy and Election Year much more and was eagerly awaiting the fourth film in the franchise. This honestly is one of my tougher reviews I have to write, I enjoy these films very much bu the tone of this film for me was polarizing to say the least. this film gives anyone who seen the other films in the franchise a look at what lead to the "Purge" night becoming a yearly mainstay in the franchise on the surface this seemed like a good idea on paper but honestly it mostly felt like  re-hash of  "Election year" with the very political tone and this brings me to my next point which had a lot of contention for me with this film being set in a low income area of Staten island the main characters we are introduced to were minorities and the main cast did a solid job acting (with special mention to Y'lan Noel for his portrayal as Dmitiri) but my issue with the movie came with the portrayal of a majority of the purgers, they were majority white and wore costumes such as kkk hoods, nazi jackets and blackface with big red lips. after a while it became apparent to me this film was basically going to boil down to black vs white and that is exactly what happened. I understand that this film was trying to tie in with the current landscape that is going on with the world right now, but I think the scriptwriters took it a bit far and this film honestly didn't really feel like a purge film after a while more like as social justice referendum and for me that is not what I wanted to see. for me there is a limit when it comes to racially charged situations like this film put many of the characters in and I felt that this film took it a bit far with the black vs white subject matter. I don't want to keep harping on it but it just ruined the movie for me a s a whole and it was such a letdown as I have mentioned I love the purge films but I have to be objective. Other than that the film had the gore and blood that the purge films are known for, it had the dark and gritty feeling and was suspenseful as the purge films of the past had, so I would say anyone who has seen the other purge films should see it but be prepared for the underlying themes. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_first_purge gave the film a 52% saying " The First Purge should satisfy fans of the franchise and filmgoers in the mood for violent vicarious thrills, even if its subtextual reach exceeds its grasp".  As I said anyone who is a fan of the purge should check this out, for someone seeing this who hasn't seen the other films and this is the first experience to the series, I suggest to not do that.


Rating

The udnerlying theme of this film ruined it for me overall, it still had the feeling of a purge feeling underneath it and for anyone who is a purge series fan i stil lsay see it, but for me it was a letdown. 5.5/10!!


The next film to review is Antman and the Wasp.

Runtime:118 Minutes

Post Credit Scenes:two (one mid credits and another after credits roll)

Plot-"As Scott Lang balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past".

Starring-Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Michelle Pfeiffer

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the original Antman  and was looking forward to this movie, I am going to keep this review short. The film had a good amount of laughs (Led by Micheal Pena as Luis) the cast was comprised of pretty much everyone from the original with a few new characters, the acting was sod overall and I had no complaints on that end, Paul Rudd had some laughs as well. The villain for me in this film was not a great choice that partly had to do with me not knowing much about the villain and partly with how the plot played out with that angle. The special effects  were great considering the budget ($162 million) and that was disappointing considering its marvel and at this point you would expect top notch special effects in all of their films. This film for me doesn't really add tot he MCU as a a whole other than the Quantum realm story arch which was cool to see that expended in this film, but other than that I this film just didn't hit the buttons for me, it was entertaining which is what i expected and it flowed together well. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 88% saying "A lighter, brighter superhero movie powered by the effortless charisma of Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, Ant-Man and The Wasp offers a much-needed MCU palate cleanser". I will say these films do carry al ighter tone which is refreshing when most of the other MCU films have a darker tone.Any fans of the MCU and the original ASnt Man film will enjoy this.

 Rating

What I expected, Worth seeing for MCU fans 7.6/10!!


The Third film to review is Skyscraper.

Run time:102 Minutes

Post Credit Scenes:None

Plot-"A father goes to great lengths to save his family from a burning skyscraper".

Starring-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Neve Campbell and Pablo Schreibber



My Thoughts

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am a big fan of Dwayne Johnson and will see pretty much any movies he does. I wasn't expecting muich from this film going by the trailer and the plot and honestly the movie didn't deliver much, it was pretty average overall. The cast was subpar for the most part for me, Dwayne Johnson was old in the starring role but even he could not save this below average plot for me. the story wasn't anything new or refreshing for the genre and it was cheesy but not in a good way. The villains were pretty generic and predictable. the special effects were solid but a film with this big of a budget that should be expected.. This for me was one of the worse films I have see nthis year and I do not recommend it to anyone other than big fans of Dwayne Johnson.Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 51% saying "Well-cast yet derivative, Skyscraper isn't exactly a towering action thriller feat, but it's solidly constructed enough to stand among the genre's more mildly diverting features". I do not agree overall with this, the cast for me was underwhelming as I mentioned and the idea wasn't exactly groundbreaking for the genre.

Rating

Film was underwhelming, I cannot recommend to anyone but fans of Dwayne Johnson 5.2/10!!


The fourth Film to Review for the month is Unfriended:Dark Web.

Runtime:88 Minutes

Post Credit:None

Plot-"A teen comes into possession of a new laptop and soon discovers that the previous owner is not only watching him, but will also do anything to get it back".

Starring-Rebecca Rittenhouse, Chelsea Alden and Betty Gabriel

My Thoughts 

I was a fan of the original Unfriended and wondered how a sequel would be, I got my answer and the answer was not a positive one. I wonder why this film was eve called unfriended it did not have any of the same aspects of the first film other than the film being a skype call as the original was, other than that there wasn't much of a connection. The acting was passable not great but the cast did a decent enough job. The plot of the film was wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either, some aspects of the plot were far fetched and not that believable if I am being honest about it. The film wasn't anything special but it wasn't the worst film I have seen this year, the original is easily the better film and I still question why this was even called unfriended it could have been called "dark web" and gotten the same effect.Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 57% saying "Unfriended: Dark Web is more interested in chills than an exploration of its timely themes, but horror fans should still find this sequel to be steadily, undeniably effective". I say see this film if you want to see a film that while the plot doesn't make much sense isn't the worst thing you could see, watching the original film has no connection with this film.

Rating

Not great, not the worst I have seen this year, the plot was far fetched at times and the acting wasn't anything spectacular. 6.8/10!!

The last film to review for the month is one I have been looking forward to The Equalizer 2.

Runtime:129 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-"Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, but how far will he go when that is someone he loves?".

Starring- Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Bill Pullman.

My Thoughts 

I was a huge fan of the first Equalizer it was my movie of the year in 2014, and I was hoping that a sequel would happen at some point. When news of a sequel broke I was ecstatic and eagerly awaiting its release. now that the film has come out I can say the film was disappointing in many ways. first the plot of the film wasn't that engaging or interesting to be honest, the first film flowed together much more than this film did. the plot in this film felt disjointed and not cohesive for me. The lack of a strong villain was a major problem for the story overall, I did enjoy that this film focused much more on Robert McCall's character making connections with people, the audience saw a more humane side to him compared to the first film which was nice, The acting was solid and Denzel Washington as expected was very good and I did enjoy the relationship between his character and Ashton Sanders  character "Miles" other than that the cast did a solid job and there were no poor performances for me, which is always a good thing. As I mentioned earlier what really drug this film down for me was the overall plot of the story, it was just not good. The film had a good amount of action\fight sequences which I expected but i would say it had a little less than the original and much more dialogue which isn't necessarily a bad thing but with a story like this film had that's not a good thing either. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 51% saying " The Equalizer 2 delivers the visceral charge of a standard vigilante thriller, but this reunion of trusted talents ultimately proves a disappointing case study in diminishing returns". I agree overall this film just wasn't as good as the original, and this is a reason a prime example of why Denzel Washington normally does not do sequels to his film, it was worse in every way for me. If you enjoyed the first film and want to see the sequel or are a fan of Denzel Washington I say see it but for me it was a letdown in many ways

Rating

Not as good as thew orignal and the story was weak. 7.5/10!!

June 2018!!

The month of June brings One film to review Jurassic World:Fallen Kingdom.

Runtime:128 Minutes

Post Credit Scenes:One after credits finish


Plot-When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event".

Starring-Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt and B.D. Wong

My Thoughts

I enjoyed Jurassic World and was looking forward to the sequel with pretty high anticipation. I can honestly say this film was let down of big proportions. For me it comes down to there is really only so much that can be done with dinosaurs, this is the fifth film in the franchise and for me this film felt stale. the plot wasn't engaging and honestly I was shocked at how lackluster the story played out.THE CG was solid not great and that was another disappointment for a film like this that inherently will have a lot of CG it should be top notch and that was another letdown. This film did use more Practical effects for the dinosaurs than Jurassic world and that was nice to see it gave me a vibe of the original Jurassic Park which was practical effect heavy that was nice to see. The acting in this film felt similar to Jurassic world Chris Pratt again was the comic relief which he usually is in his films and he did that but for me it wasn't funny but that is subjective. Bryce Dallas Howard in this film felt like her screen time was reduced just a little in comparison to the first Jurassic World but considering how thin the plot was that is not exactly a bad thing, the rest of the cast did their jobs no stand out performances among this group, but it was nice to see Jeff Goldblum back for a cameo Honestly this film was such a disappointment a couple times during the film i though to myself "What am I watching" it was so generic and the plot was so bad for a film of this caliber. Rotten Tomatoes  gave this film a %50 saying ": Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom adds another set piece-packed entry to the blockbuster franchise, although genuinely thrilling moments are in increasingly short supply". I honestly do not want to talk about this film anymore it was such a letdown for me and one of the worse films I have seen this year, and I did not expect to say that going in.. This film if anything should have been good fun but as I mentioned before this is the fifth film in the franchise and it really looks like the writers are struggling for ideas on how to keep this franchise going and there is a rumored 6th film in the pipeline and I shudder to think what the plot for that film will be, If you are a Jurassic Park\World fan I say see this film but otherwise I say skip it.


Rating 

Disappointment, Thin Plot, Terrible story, Subpar CG, cant recommend for anyone other than fans of the series as a whole. 6.0/10!!

May 2018!!

The Month Of May Has just one film to Review but it should be a good one and that is Deadpool 2.

Runtime:119 Minutes

Post Credit Scenes:5


Plot-After surviving a near fatal knee boarding accident , a disfigured guidance counselor (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Poughkeepsie's most celebrated French Bulldog breeder while also learning to cope with an open relationship. Searching to regain his passion for life, as well as a new stuffed unicorn, Wade must battle ninjas, tight assed metal men, and babysit a group stereotypical side characters as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and creative outlets for his very open-minded sex life. He manages to find a new lust for being a do-gooder, a sparkly Hello Kitty backpack, all while earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best 4th Wall Breaking Superhero".

Starring- Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin and Josh Brolin


My Thoughts

I am a huge fan of Deadpool and enjoyed the first film Deadpool and was eagerly anticipating the sequel. This review will not be long. this film for me wasn't as good as the first film. But It was exactly what I expected.  Ryan Reynolds  was as great in the sequel as he was in the original. Some of the jokes didn't hit as great as they did in the first film. The Plot was solid and flowed pretty well, I really enjoyed the soundtrack which fit in well with the scenes. the action scenes were well done and what was different about this film was there was more of a somber tone to it which was a nice change of pace. the CG was very noticeable when it was being used, which took away from the scenes when it was used. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 83% saying "though it threatens to buckle under the weight of its meta gags, Deadpool 2 is a gory, gleeful lampoon of the superhero genre buoyed by Ryan Reynolds' undeniable charm". Honestly if you enjoyed the first film you will enjoyed this film. and I enjoyed it very much. The Merc with delivered again, I recommend this film to anyone who wants to see a funny,Gory,Bloody film that does not take itself too seriosuly.


 Rating

What I expected, Not as good as the original but very close. it delivered on what I wanted to see. 8.2/10!!

April 2018!!

The Month Of April Brings four films to review the first being A Quiet Place.

Run Time:95 Minutes

Post Credit-None

 Plot-"A family lives an isolated existence in utter silence, for fear of an unknown threat that follows and attacks at any sound".

Starring-Emily Blunt, John Krasinski and Noah Jupe 


My Thoughts

This film came onto my radar late and I am very glad that I gave this film a chance. What really stood out to me was that this film had limited dialogue and this puts more stress on the cast to convey non verbal  communication when seeded and the cast did an amazing job in that regard. John Krasinski (who also directed) did an amazing job and Emily Blunt (his real life wife) was very good as well. as the parents and the viewer could really see the pain and anguish on their faces when certain parts would happen that were conveyed just with their eyes, it was very powerful, the standout for me in the cast though was Millicent Simmonds in the role of Regan the daughter who is deaf, I found out that she is deaf in real life and that added another layer to her character for me. She stole the show with her performance in my opinion and I hope she gets more work in the future. The plot wasn't exactly something new to this genre (Monsters have invaded earth that attack by sound). The story of the film played out very well and the pacing was very good, the cinematography was brilliant in this film. The setting of having it being the rural forest worked perfectly and really added a feeling of loneliness that t he family had to deal with everyday. The only use of special effects was with the monsters and it was actually pretty good considering the budget ($17 million) One other aspect a film with such little dialogue (and when sign language was used subtitles were provided) for me it was refreshing to see a film like this, it is very rare and it worked so well.. I will say that some parts of the film slowed down and a few scenes could have been left out in my opinion that would not have made a difference in the film for me, also the film was not very scary (but that comes down to personal opinion). The ending of this film was a bit emotional for me (I almost cried) which for me is the sign of a very good film and this film fits that. Rotten Tomatoes  gave this film a 97% saying "A Quiet Place artfully plays on elemental fears with a ruthlessly intelligent creature feature that's as original as it is scary -- and establishes director John Krasinski as a rising talent". I agree this film was very good and John Krasinski did a great job directing. I highly recommend this film, it was very good.





Rating


Great Acting, Solid plot\story, refreshing with very little dialogue and heavy use of sign language, highly recommend 8.5/10!!!.



The Next film to review is Truth Or Dare.

Run Time:100 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-A college student is haunted by a supernatural presence after being tricked into playing a game of 'Truth or Dare".

Starring-Tyler Posey, Lucy Hale and Landon Liboiron


My Thoughts

Every once in a while I get a bad feeling from a movie I am going to see, I know it will be bad, but I see it anyway. This film falls right into that category. I will not spend much time on this review. The acting was sub par by all involved, the plot while seeming interesting in the trailer played out poorly and the film was to long for what it accomplished. The CG was below average for a blumhouse film (which are usually pretty good). I couldn't think of any redeeming qualities of this film off the top of my head. I cannot recommend this film for anyone to see even if just to kill time. This so far is the worst film I have seen this year. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 15% saying "ruth or Dare's slick presentation isn't enough to make this mediocre horror outing much more frightening than an average round of the real-life game". Skip this film .
 

Rating

Bad Acting, Bad special effects, slow plot, long run time and a bad soundtrack equal a movie that should be skipped. 4/5/10!!


The next film to review is Rampage.

Run Time:107 Minutes

Post Credit-None

Plot-"Based on the classic 1980's video game featuring apes and monsters destroying cities".

Starring-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson,  Jefferey Dean Morgan and Jake Lacy


My Thoughts

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a big fan of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and will see most movies he is in (unless it was those child friendly films he did back in the mid 00's). I wasn't hugely interested in seeing this movie but I gave it a shot. And I can say that this film wasnt anything great, the plot for me was pretty generic, the CG wasn't great for the budget ($120 million). The acting was sub par. But to be honest most people seeing this film do not care  about those things, most likely they just want to see Monsters destroying things and the film does that well.  There is not much else to say about this film. it is what it is, going in expect a Movie with tons of destruction and not much else and the movie is enjoyable. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 50% saying "Rampage isn't as fun as its source material, but the movie's sheer button-mashing abandon might satisfy audiences in the mood for a brainless blockbuster". I agree that this film is what it is and if youy go in with the right expectations you will enjoy it.


Rating 

Know what you are seeing and this film is enjoyable. 6.8/10!!!


The fourth and final film to review for the Month of April is one I have been eagerly anticipating and that is Avengers:Infinity War.

Runtime:156 Minutes

Post Credi-One after the credits roll

Plot-"The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe".


 Starring-Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Josh Brolin


My Thoughts

Anyone who has had a marvel conversation with me will know that Thanos is my favorite Marvel villain and one of my favorite overall characters and I have been eagerly anticipating this movie since Thanos was introduced as the end game villain in the MCU. This film did not disappoint for what it needed to be, all of the MCU heroes team up and chaos ensued. Thanos was great for me, the viewer gets to see what Thanos does what he does and I actually sympathized with his reasoning which I did not expect going in.  The acting was solid and all of the huge cast did a solid job in the roles we have grown accustomed to. The special effects were top notch and I wouldn't have expected anything less
for a film with a reported budget of $400 Million. The overall plot of this film flowed pretty well but I will say certain parts of the film for me felt un needed particularly the Vision and Scarlett Witch love story, for me with super hero films Love stories always feel forced and that was the case with that part of the story. other than that the one other major gripe I had with this film was what I expected to happen with so many characters and only a finite amount of time to get the story told certain characters I felt left behind and didn't get the screen time I felt the should have but like I mentioned  with a cast this large that was expected to happen but that doesn't mean I have to like it. One other small gripe I had was the ending it was jarring at first but if the second film plays out how I think it will the ending is a bit weak. I could spend more time describing this film but I don't feel that is needed this film was what I expected and seeing Thanos wreck everyone was exactly what I wanted to see and this film is worth seeing for anyone who has followed the MCU over the last 10 years or who wants to see a good super hero film. I am really looking forward to part 2 next year. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 84% saying "Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions".

Rating

What I expected and while not perfect I enjoyed the ride of this film and I am sure anyone who has followed the MCU since 2008 will enjoy this film as well. looking forward to part 2 next year. 8.2/10!!!

March 2018!!

The Month Of March Brings Three films to Review the first being Gringo.

Run Time:110 Minutes

Post Credit Scene:None


Plot-"An American businessman with a stake in a pharmaceutical company that's about to go public finds his life is thrown into turmoil by an incident in Mexico".

Starring-David Oyelowo, Joel Edgerton and Amanda Seyfried


My Thoughts

This film came onto my radar late in the game, but after seeing the trailer and the cast that was involved I decided to give the film a try. I am a big fan Joel Edgerton and will see most films he is in, David Oyelowo is another actor who always gives a good performance. The plot of this film is what first caught my attention when i saw the trailer, I haven't seen many hostage films honestly and i was looking forward to hopefully seeing a good one, The verdict is okay not great. the cast all did a good job and there was no weak performances in the main cast (I really liked the job done by David Oyelowo as the main character and Sharlito Copley in his supporting role as a pseudo bounty hunter). What really bothered me about this film was the pacing, it was kind of all over the place at times, with so many different things happening with the plot , the story jumped around a lot and it could be hard to follow at times which was disappointing because overall the plot was solid add in a weak ending and the film feel flat for me. This film tried to have comedic moments but for me this didn't work for me, i didn't find any of the "comedic" moments funny, but this is subjective and others may laugh out loud at them. I did enjoy the settings of this film, having the majority of the film in Mexico was nice to see and it was authentic with subtitles when needed, I always enjoy movies that go to more exotic locations and it was nice to see in this film. One other aspect of this film I did not like was the run time I felt was way too long for what this film is, 110 minutes dragged on and this film could have been 90 minutes and still gotten to the same conclusion, maybe even have made the film better as it would as certain plot points could have been cut to make the film shorter.  Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 39% saying "Gringo rounds up a bafflingly overqualified cast for a misfire of a comedy that's fatally undermined by its messy plot, poorly conceived characters, and obvious debts to better films". Overall this film was okay could have been much better, but the pacing of the plot and the jumping around with so many plot points let it down.

Rating

Okay film, could have been better and would have been better if the comedic points were left and the run time shortened. 6.5/10!!


The Second Film To review for the Month Of March is The Strangers:Prey At Night.

Run Time:85 Minutes

Post Credit Scene:None

Plot-"A family staying in a secluded mobile home park for the night are visited by three masked psychopaths, to test their every limit".


Starring-Christina Hendricks, Bailee Madison and Martin Henderson


My Thoughts  

I was a big fan of the original Strangers and have been waiting for a sequel for years, when this film was finally announced I could not wait to see it. For me this film was solid and pretty much what I expected it to be. The original strangers was visceral and unforgiving, there was no happy ending, which for horror movies I like to see from time to time and this film was no different,. Once the action kicks into gear its pretty much nonstop and I loved it. The plot wasn't great but its a decent setup for what the film needed to accomplish, there was ample suspenseful moments and a few attempts at jump scares (which I am sure will get a few people), Honestly the plot wasn't great and was actually pretty weak, but anyone who is familiar with horror films will get what is going on. One aspect of this film I was really excited about is that it was rated R, I cannot stress enough how important it is for any horror film to be rated R it opens so many possibilities and I was glad to see that. The acting in this film was pretty underwhelming especially by Bailee Madison I found her very whinny and honestly I disliked her character very much, this wasn't down to thew writing this was down to her acting ability in my opinion and I don't look forward to seeing her in any movies any time soon, the rest of the cast was pretty bad as well but not as bad as her. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film "The Strangers: Prey at Night may appeal to fans of the original who've been jonesing for a sequel, but its thin story and ironic embrace of genre tropes add up to a bloody step back". I agree overall that the story was weak but i wasn't expecting a oscar worthy story, it was good enough for me for my expectations. This film checked all the boxesd I expected out of a sequel for the strangers and anyone who was a fan of the original will enjoy this film for what it is.


Rating

What I expected nothing more, nothing less. Any fans of the first film or fans of horror films should check it out. 7.4/10!!!!


The Last Film to review for the month is One I have been looking forward to for a while Pacific Rim:Uprising.

Run Time:111 Minutes

Post Credit Scene:Yes (one right before the credits roll).


Plot-"Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat".

Starring- John Boyega, Rinko Kikuchi and Scott Eastwood


My Thoughts

I enjoyed the first Pacific Rim and have been awaiting a sequel for a while now, I was really excited when news of a sequel was announced. Now having seen the sequel 5 years in the making, I can say it was okay. Not great, not better than the original but okay. First off the Plot starts off 10 years after the events of the original film and there are a few familiar faces from the original that help give the film a familiar feel for those who saw the original. The acting was okay across the board, the standouts for me where John Boyega  in the main character role as the Son of Idris Elba's character from the original as a kid struggling to break free from his fathers shadow, John Boyega did a very good job in this film and he for me has established his spot as an actor who should get more lead roles in the future. One other actor stood out too me and that was Cailee Spaeny in her role as Amara, I had never seen her in a role before or even ehard of her, but her performance was very good and her and Boyega's characters had some very good chemistry together and they played off each other well great performances for both of them, the rest of the cast was okay, nothing special or terrible. The plot for this film was a bit confusing at times, For me it was apparent that the writers of this film were grasping at straws to figure out how to get this film to continue from the original and form its own path, and it was hard to watch at times,. The film was all over the place at times and maybe this was a factor in a sequel being made, when the climax of the film finally comes and the grand scheme is revealed to the viewer I honestly said to myself "this is where they are going with this?' the plot of the film makes sense after the film is finished but getting there was the problem, a third film is rumored to happen and I can see where the franchise would go from there but this film in itself was hard to follow. One aspect of the film I did enjoy that was not shown in the original film was seeing the Jagers in daylight, the tone of the first film was very dark and rainy and it was nice to see the Jeagers in a different environment setting, The CG was top nothc which was expected with a film of this budget, but I have seen more than a few times when a film has a big budget and the special effects are fit for a syfy channel film.p One other aspect of this film that I enjoyed was seeing the Jeager pilot Academy angle, it was nice to see such young kids train to pilot these huge robots and seeing the interplay between them. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 46% saying Pacific Rim Uprising won't win any points for subtlety or originality, but it delivers enough of the rock 'em-sock 'em robots-vs.-kaiju thrills that fans of the original will be looking for". and overall I agree, the film was pretty much what I wanted\excpected it to be a continuation of Robots fighting Monsters, but the plot of this film was worse than the original and add in its confusing and it was a tough watch at times.

Rating

What I Expected overall, confusing plot. Boyega and Sapeny make a good combo. worth seeing for fans of the original or if you want to see a Giant monster vs Robt film with top notch special effects. 7.0/10!!!

February 2018!!

The Shortest Month Of The Year Brings two films to review the first being a film I am highly anticipating  Black Panther.

Run Time:134 Minutes

Post Credit Scene:Two


Plot-" T'Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king".


Starring-Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong'o


My Thoughts



Ever Since I saw Captain America:Civil War back in 2016 I have been eagerly anticipating the Black Panther movie, and let me say this film wa worth the wait. I was very impressed with this film. from the acting to the plot to the beautiful visuals this film was very good and a welcome addition to the MCU. I want to start with the acting, this film was one of the better acted MCU films I have seen to date, the entire cast did a very good job and i could not find a bad performance by anyone in the cast, I want start by giving props to Chadwick Boseman he was brilliant as T'Challa he showed a varying gamut of emotions that i have rarely seen in MCU films and it was a great performance, the second actor I want to single out was Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger the main villain in this film. In my opinion this was the best villain performance in the MCU to date, I have to praise the director and the writers for doing such a good job for creating a villain that the audience actually feels for and can understand where he is coming from. though he is the villain in this film I really felt for him and his cause even though he wanted to Kill T'Challa. I want to get to the plot of this film next, this film flowed together greatly and played out very well. This film had a much different tone than any other MCU film to date, it really let the audience see how Wakanda has functioned for so long as an independent nation and it was really nice to see how different everything was for them and the daily struggle they go through to keep separated from the outside world. I also liked how the film wove in social issues from past and present that are relatable to real life, it was refreshing to see. i really enjoyed seeing the rituals and the values that Wakanda employed it was different than any other MCU film for me in that regard. The visuals in this film were beautiful and very well done, Wakanda for me rivaled Sakaar in Thor:Ragnarok as one of the most beautiful MCU Worlds to date, I applaud the visual effects team for the great job they did, I will say that some of the fight scenes looked a little cheesy and it was easy to notice that it was CG. No film is perfect and the same can be said for this film, the soundtrack wasn't my favorite and i felt music was used at moments that did not need it and that took away from the scene that was playing out on the screen, also some of the flashbacks scenes for me were a unpredictable and I saw how they would play out and it went exactly like i thought it would but this is subjective and not everyone will have a problem with this.Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 97% saying "Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories -- and introducing some of its most fully realized characters". I agree most part the great acting job by the cast added to the great character development and this for me is on of the best MCU films to date and I encourage every marvel fan to see this film.


Rating

Great Acting, Great plot, beautiful visuals this was a great film and I am so excited a film i anticipated so much delivered 8.5/10!! see this film.

The Second and last film To Review For The Month is Annihilation.
.

Run Time:115 Minutes

Post Credit Scene:None

Plot-"A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don't apply".

Starring-Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson and Oscar Issac


My Thoughts

This movie came onto my radar very late but the trailer caught my eye. I have to say this was a solid film and I glad that i saw it. Starting with the acting the cast was very good Natalie Portman' is a good actress (when she is not playing Jane Foster in the Thor films) and this film was no exception, she did a great job in the lead role and I want to say I was impressed but she is at the point where you expect this out of her and she delivered. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez and Tuva Novotny all did great jobs completing the main cast and I could not spot a weak performance anywhere in the cast. The story of this film wasn't exactly something new but it was still engaging for me, what i really liked was the feeling of isolation the girls had once they entered the forest and seeing them deal with what was coming at them as they explored deeper. The cinematography in this film was very good and really added to the overall feeling of this movie as a whole and that can be hard to do, I congratulate the director for this. Though not used much the special effects in this film for me were below par, but I will say this film didn't have a huge budget so I can understand the special effects not being the greatest but still disappointing. The sound score for this film was a big miss for me it had a very 80's synth pop feel to it and for me it didn't fit with the pacing of the movie but some may like it, I didn't. My favorite aspect of this film had to be overall setting, the forest was beautiful and some of the shots while simple left a big impression for me, this was another aspect that helped tie the film together and made for a very pleasing movie. The ending for me was the weakest part of the film, for such an overall good movie the ending was going to be very important to finish off the experience and it left me feeling unfulfilled which was disappointing. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film an 87% saying "Annihilation backs up its sci-fi visual wonders and visceral genre thrills with an impressively ambitious -- and surprisingly strange -- exploration of challenging themes that should leave audiences pondering long after the end credits roll". Overall this was a solid film that had great acting, a strong plot, great cinematography and was a good suspense\thriller and I recommend.


Rating

Great Acting, Good plot\Story, Great Cinematography but a weak ending and an oddly placed soundtrack take away. 7.6/10!!!