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MEG 2: THE TRENCH REVIEW

The summer is coming to an end and Jason Statham returns to the waters to battle the biggest sharks on the planet, the Megalodons. Years after the 2016 first film, Statham and his daughter are part of a research team traveling the deep ocean to discover creatures never seen by humankind before. When their ships get sabotaged and they are abandoned, they must travel the deep Trench to reach another functioning ship while battling the sea creatures hunting them down.

The original "Meg" is a rather generic and forgettable shark attack movie that has moments of terror that audiences are paying to see. This follow-up doubles down on the generic and forgettable elements while sidelining the sharks until the final twenty minutes when it becomes a completely different movie. For two-thirds of the bloated runtime, audiences are left with boring and irritating characters traveling in a visually dark setting while the tone is taking itself too seriously.

Nothing about the first two-thirds is entertaining or engaging. Aside from Jason Statham being his usual "Hero Man" persona and Jing Wu who remains likable throughout, every character is either forgettable creature food, uninteresting side characters, or over-the-top/poorly acted villains. The deep sea Trench includes nothing interesting to explore and action that's hard to follow due to the terribly shaky filming. Nearly an hour and a half of this two-hour creature feature is completely forgettable and a waste of time.

Even in the finale twenty minutes when the shark action does ramp up, nearly every fun moment was showcased in the trailer. The marketing for "Meg 2" is manipulating, misleading, and sells a goofy fun shark attack movie that royally doesn't deliver. Even important characters have their deaths spoiled in the trailer. While there are a handful of cool shots and exciting action, it's far too little to appreciate and forgive the countless shortcomings. If you have seen the trailers for "Meg 2", you have seen everything the movie has to offer.

Do not waste your time and money on "Meg 2". The movie isn't funny, lacks any good surprises, and fails to entertain even as a mindless dumb blockbuster. There are countless other shark movies with more of a bite and quality blockbusters that will deliver more thrills.

3.5/10

#meg 2 #meg #the meg 2 the trench #jason statham #action #shark #shark week #suspense #movie #review #summer #blockbuster #ocean

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM REVIEW

There have been countless interpretations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles across various decades. From the original black and white comic books, the 80s cartoon and 90s movies, and the most recent Michael Bay produces live-action movies, the franchise has spanned multiple generations. Does "Mutant Mayhem" bring a fresh take that'll satisfy all levels of fans?

Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael have spent their lives underground being raised by their father figure, Master Splinter. As the four brothers grow into teenagers and are curious about the above-ground world, they sneak out at night and get involved in stopping an army of other animal-based mutants trying to make their species dominant over humans.

Across the various iterations of the franchise, the biggest element "Mutant Mayhem" has nailed is portraying the four leads as genuine teenagers. Voiced by younger actors; Nicholas Cantu, Shamon Brown Jr., Micah Abbey, and Brady Noon; there is a perfect balance of immaturity and adolescent curiosity between the four distinct turtles. There is so much charm and comradery between the four brothers that's insanely entertaining to follow as they learn about the world.

The supporting cast is well performed, especially with Jackie Chan's Master Splinter and Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil. Chan's Splinter is not the typical strict ninja master this time around, as he is portrayed much more as a single father simply trying to keep his kids safe by training them to fight and defend themselves. April O'Neil is also different than in previous adaptations. This time, she is a high schooler trying to build her confidence to become a reporter. Making April closer in age to the Ninja Turtles allowed for a stronger connection and allowed for more character growth.

As for the villains, there are too many of them forced to share screen time. Ice Cube's Superfly is very good and menacing, but his henchmen and woman struggle to stand out. With seven different side characters following Superfly, only three really leave any sort of impression while still feeling underused due to the other four that waste screentime. Each actor is delivering in the vocal department, but some of the side villain characters easily could have been dropped.

Visually, the movie is wildly energetic and creative. Both the animation itself and the unique way some of how the fight scenes are coordinated are very memorable. Even though the style is very similar to "Spider-Verse", "Mutant Mayhem" does show off its unique style that fits the world and characters' designs.

"Mutant Mayhem" is the defining cinematic Ninja Turtles adaptation. The movie is full of great humor, charming characters, plenty of heart, and a deeper story about acceptance that works well. While it does suffer from too many characters, hopefully, these characters that didn't get to shine in this film get the chance in a sequel. Both for newcomers and established fans, "Mutant Mayhem" will not disappoint.

9/10

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #ninja turtles #mutant mayhem #paul rudd #seth rogen #cartoon #80s #animated #family #spiderverse #movie #review #jackie chan

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HAUNTED MANSION REVIEW

Disney clearly has their priorities mixed up regarding the release strategy for their film adaptation of "Haunted Mansion". Clearly, a movie that would fit more releasing in late September or October for the Halloween season, Disney has decided to get the theatrical distribution for "Haunted Mansion" out of the way in July to prioritize the Disney Plus streaming release later in the Fall. Watching a movie clearly intended for a Halloween release in July is rather confusing. That being said, that is on the idiotic executives to face the mediocre box office results than docking points off in this review.

Imagine now it's Halloween time and "Haunted Mansion" is out to celebrate the spooky season! This second theatrical attempt adapting the haunting Disney World ride to the big screen stars LaKeith Stanfield as a grieving paranormal tour guide that gets a tip about a mother and son (Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon) needing help investigating the supernatural beings roaming the halls of their new home. With the help of a priest (Owen Wilson), a college professor (Danny DeVito), and a psychic (Tiffany Haddish), they must all uncover the mystery of where these ghosts are coming from and stop from getting trapped in the mansion forever.

The tone of "Haunted Mansion" makes for a very child-friendly horror movie. Being less scary and more spooky, there's some great imagery and creature designs throughout the film. Early on as the basic premise is being established, the reason these people become trapped and invested in uncovering the mansion's mystery is sadistically clever and allows for the spooks to go beyond the mansion itself. On paper, this adaptation of "Haunted Mansion" has enough spooky scenes and likable characters to be the adaptation fans are looking for.

Unfortunately, while the premise and ideas are there, the execution is rather standard and underdeveloped. With plenty of forced eye-rolling comedy routines and a lack of development between characters, there's too much unnecessary fluff between the genuinely fun moments of exploring the mansion. For every great moment of all the ghosts scattering and fleeing away from the intimidating Hatbox ghost, there's a lackluster comedy routine like being stuck in an unfunny tour of the Crump estate with two pointless cameo appearances.

"Haunted Mansion" is a perfectly decent movie to watch that does deliver on a handful of spooky scenes, but otherwise feels like missed potential on what could have been much greater. The characters are likable enough, the tone adds to the (eventual) spooky season, and the creature mansion and character designs are amusing. While unlikely to become a Halloween classic, it's perfectly good enough to be worthy of a watch.

6.5/10

#haunted mansion #movie #review #disney world #theme park #halloween #disney #spooky #horror #ghosts #haunted #mansion

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BARBIE REVIEW

The multi-generational toy line has finally gotten a theatrical release live-action adaptation. Written and directed by the multiple Oscar-nominated director, Greta Gerwig, "Barbie" is not exactly what everyone had in mind for the kid-friendly property.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling play the literal stereotypical Barbie and Ken living in Barbieland. Everything is perfect according to Stereotypical Barbie; all Barbies and Kens get along, the days are sunny at the beach and the nights are upbeat dance parties. After the perfection of her day goes away, Barbie starts questioning her purpose and existence, realizing the only way to find the answers she's looking for is by traveling to the real world.

At the very root of it, "Barbie" is a "fish-out-of-water" story similar to other family movies like "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "The Smurfs". The fictional characters must leave their bright and colorful world to travel to the downer and depressing real world. The biggest improvement "Barbie" makes over other films of its type is the story circles back around to returning to Barbieland. The real world is more of a pit stop to receive information and characters that will forever change Barbie's home world.

Greta Gerwig's adaptation of "Barbie" is the most intellectual and entertaining version a Barbie movie could ever achieve. The film starts out like a standard live-action Barbie movie but then dives deeper into the positive and negative impact the Barbie brand has had on womanhood. Especially in the second half where gender stereotypes are satirized, the movie goes above and beyond delivering a genuinely clever and entertaining movie where women truly get to shine.

Unlike other movies like "Captain Marvel" and "Wonder Woman", the themes of female power are showcase not exclusively through strength and perfection. Margot Robbie's Barbie becomes more relatable as she struggles with the expectations of perfection forced upon her. While a female viewer or critic would have a more definitive opinion on how "Barbie" tackled these themes of womanhood, even as a man the positive inspiration of "Barbie" is apparent.

The biggest issue "Barbie" has is the size of the role Will Ferrell has as the President of Mattel. Comparing his role to other performances of his, Ferrell's role here should have been limited to having the level of screen time he had in "The LEGO Movie". Instead, the President of Mattel is the tertiary lead as his subplot is constantly cut back to. Decreasing the size of this role would either decrease the runtime to make the pacing better or give more time to develop the second act plot-turn.

"Barbie" had no right to be as good as it turned out. There is so much thought and creativity that really makes the movie unique and memorable. While "Barbie" is unapologetically a movie aimed at women, it's not a movie "only for women". Universally, "Barbie" is very entertaining and a lot of fun with plenty of surprises to enjoy.

8.5/10

#barbie #barbenheimer #movie #review #Margot Robbie #ryan gosling #ken #pink #mattel #dolls #greta gerwig #woman #womanhood

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OPPENHEIMER REVIEW

Whenever Christopher Nolan has a movie coming out, audiences are highly anticipated to see what the critically praised director delivers next. Nolan has that classic Hollywood magic of the filmmaker being the selling point who can make an otherwise indie-level or Oscar contender concept into a blockbuster hit.

A long-time collaborator with Nolan, Cillian Murphy stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as "the Father of the Atomic Bomb". The movie chronicles the development of the deadly weapon and how catastrophically the world changed with this population-destroying device. The structure jumps back and forth from the development of the bomb to courtroom and testimony hearing of the aftermath of Oppenheimer and his team's involvement.

Packed with an all-star cast, "Oppenheimer" has top-tier performances all around, especially with star Cillian Murphy. Years of playing supporting roles led him to deliver his greatest performance in this leading role. Having to play Oppenheimer at various ages, Murphy adjusts his performance naturally to display a true evolution of an aging man. Robert Downey Jr. gives a career-defining performance as well as Lewus Strauss. While giving limited screentime, Downey Jr. commands the scene and stands out as a defining supporting role.

Where the magic of how Nolan's name on a movie sells tickets is how much "Oppenheimer" is a dialog-heavy drama. Anyone expecting a lot of explosive and intense action will be disappointed with how much the three-hour runtime is simply people talking. Any other director's name on the poster besides a director like Nolan, Scorsese, or Spielberg would not have given the film as much commercial success as it is getting.

The big set piece of the bomb being testing is clearly the highlight of the film. Seeing the various perspectives of characters experiencing the explosion is exciting and terrifying knowing the implications of their success. While the film is filmed in 70mm IMAX with an expanded aspect ratio for particular scenes, it is the only sequence that's worth experiencing in the format.

As for the quality of the dialog-heavy scenes, it does lead to the runtime feeling too long. Every scene is important and engaging to follow, but it's also a lot of information to take in so quickly. In the latter half after the bomb is tested and its solely procedural court hearings, the movies does get a little confusing as to who is being referred to.

"Oppenheimer" is an incredibly made drama with an exciting nuclear explosion set piece in the middle to keep audiences' blood pumping. The entire cast is well-acted, the dialog is well-delivered, and there are some truly haunting moments that will stick with you. The three-hour runtime does make the movie feel bloated and over-extended, but audiences looking for a riveting drama will be awed with "Oppenheimer"

8.5/10

#oppenheimer #barbenheimer #christopher nolan #drama #movie #review #double feature #cillian murphy #j robert oppenheimer

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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE REVIEW

There comes a point in an ongoing well-received franchise where not every entry can outdo the last. The "Mission: Impossible" franchise has consistently been getting better since the third entry (especially after the fourth one). As the movie continues to rise in quality, there comes a point where they run out of elements to improve upon. Does "Dead Reckoning Part One" fall in this camp?

Tom Cruise once again stars in the seventh entry in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise as Ethan Hunt. This time around, he and his IMF team must stop a secretive artificial intelligence weapon from getting into the wrong hands. The two-part key to this weapon is divided across the country and Ethan and the team must track down the full key before anyone can gain access to the cybernetic weapon.

The "Mission: Impossible" franchise has become known for its dangerous stunts and practical special effects, and "Dead Reckoning Part One" delivers strongly with them. It's fascinating to compare two summer blockbusters, "Fast X" and "Dead Reckoning Part One" both have car chases in Venice, Italy and realize how much more creative and exciting "Dead Reckoning Part One" sequence is based on real stunt driving and creative situational writing. Right when audiences think they've seen it all, the final action set piece arrives, leaving the film on the highest of notes.

The performances all around continue to be great. Of course, Tom Cruise showcases his stardom by executing all these stunts, but everyone is also pulling their weight. The two standouts are Vanessa Kirby and a newcomer to the franchise Hayley Atwell. This time, Kirby makes a much bigger impression in her scenes and has to balance charm, menace, and fear. Right when she enters the movie, Atwell completely steals the movie with her highly skilled, but imperfect character. Atwell does a fantastic job playing up her character's pick-pocketing skills, but also not being perfect at every other skill needed for the mission.

"Dead Reckoning Part One" is a really good movie, but it is a minor step down from the other spectacular entries. With the marketing showcasing so much behind-the-scene footage of the various stunts, there's little surprise as to where the action scenes are going. Especially with a special look featurette showcasing the stages of the Venice car chase, the wonder and edge-of-your-seat excitement is limited when spoiled of each set piece. While the story is convoluted and purposely a secondary element below the action, the movie is fairly predictable and has a mystery to which audiences immediately know the answer from the first scene.

Absolutely, "Dead Reckoning Part One" is considered a win and a must-see on the big screen, but it doesn't reach the heights of other entries in the franchise. While the anticipation for "Dead Reckoning Part Two" is limited based on the clean-cut ending spot in this film, audiences can expect nothing but edge-of-your-seat action in both this entry and its upcoming second half.

8/10

#mission #mission impossible #impossible #dead recokoning #dead recokoning part one #part one #tom cruise #hayley atwell #movie #review #action #spy #franchise #ghost protocol #rogue nation #fallout #stunts #summer #blockbuster

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JOY RIDE REVIEW

The comedy genre is heading back to theaters this summer! With the release of "No Hard Feelings", "Strays" next month, and now "Joy Ride, the genre appears to be making a comeback. What makes "Joy Ride" stand out above the rest is the high critical praise it's received and comparisons to other classic raunchy comedies like "Bridesmaids" and "Hangover". Is "Joy Ride" the breakout movie of the summer?

"Joy Ride" follows two childhood friends, Audrey (Ashley Park) and Lolo (Sherry Cola) as they embark on a business trip to China to find Audrey's birth mother. Along with them are Audrey's old college roommate (Stephanie Hsu) and Lolo's cousin (Sabrina Wu) as they have a life-changing adventure for better and worse.

The top priority of a comedy is to make audiences laugh, and "Joy Ride" has plenty of hard laughs to offer. Pushing its hard R-rating as far as possible, writer and director Adele Lim leave nothing off limits on what these characters will do. There's no romance anywhere to be found; these women are here to have fun!

The four leads are great at working off each other and evolving their respective roles. Whether they're in the middle of hiding drugs in their body or having a clean morning coffee, their chemistry as evolving friends is engaging to follow. Even when the movie gets more sentimental, audiences will care about where they end up as individuals and as friends.

Where "Joy Ride" missing is with its consistency of laughs and the pacing involving the lackluster plot. "Joy Ride" is easily the funniest movie of the year, but more with sections of hard laughs than a consistent pace of laughs. Especially during the "third act break up" cliché portion, the laughs are halted while the characters just mope around. This is a consistent criticism with comedies though, but the third act always has to stop the fun to see the characters miserable instead of keeping the laughs going.

Lackluster pacing aside, "Joy Ride" is the stand-out comedy in recent years. The actresses are great, the comedy is funny, and there is some genuine heart too. While not every single person will find it hilarious, "Joy Ride" is the event comedy that's worth seeing

8/10

#joy ride #comedy #movie #review #hangover #bridesmaids

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ASTEROID CITY REVIEW

There's no other director with more of a unique style than Wes Anderson. From his precise cinematography, his recurring cast, and his quirky humor, Anderson continues to strive for original storytelling in an era of sequels and remakes. With his films having so many similar traits though, are his movies becoming less entertaining?

"Asteroid City" follows a fictional playwriter (Jason Schwartzman) and his kids grieving the loss of their mother while traveling to the open desert of Asteroid City to participate in a technology competition. When a world-altering event occurs in front of all the town people's sight, they all must quarantine and face the new reality of their worldviews shifting forever.

"Asteroid City" can be split up into two categories; Classic Anderson and Pretentious Anderson. The majority of the film with the grieving family and townspeople feels closer to the quality of Anderson's classics like "Royal Tenenbaums" and "Grand Budapest Hotel". The characters are all charming and deliver that signature quirky dialog. Especially in the first two acts, the movie is very charming and entertaining.

Where the "Pretentious Anderson" comes in is with the other side of the movie. Right from the start, the movie is set up as a stage play, with Bryan Cranston playing the narrator. This black and white, 4:3 aspect ratio side of the film feels closer to the disappointing "French Dispatch" where everything feels overly complicated to confusion. While there are still a couple of clever sequences involving the behind-the-scenes play development portions, the film would have benefited from ditching this plot convention in favor of more development of the real story.

"Asteroid City" is more entertaining than it is not and does manage to still reach the level of recommendation. While it is a mix of the best and worst aspects of Anderson's work, it still favors the better half with its interesting characters and bright visual style. "Asteroid City" won't be for everyone, but will entertain fans of his work.

7/10

#asteroid city #wes anderson #movie #review #scarlett johansson #tom hanks #aliens #space

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INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY REVIEW

For over 40 years, the Indiana Jones franchise has defined the action and adventure genre. Any property in the genre, whether it's the Mummy and National Treasure movies or the Tomb Raider and Uncharted games, is always compared to the Indy franchise. With an 80-year-old Harrison Ford back at defying agism stereotypes, does Dial of Destiny live up to the standards of its predecessors?

Indiana Jones is retiring both as a professor and a globe-trotting archaeologist. When his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) comes to him to retrieve the second half of an artifact her late father was obsessed with, Indy must go on one final adventure with her while also stopping the Nazi enthusiast Dr. Voller (Mads Mikkelsen).

In every element of what makes an Indiana Jones movie great, Dial of Destiny misses the mark and never justifies its existence. Nothing new or memorable is brought in with this final entry. While performances throughout are fine, all of the characters are lackluster and forgettable at best. Waller-Bridge's Helena is a low point to the cast, where the actress brings her natural charm, but the character herself is unpleasant to follow.

The visuals are also distractingly fake looking and a far departure from the true spectacle of the other films. The opening with a young CGI Indy looks good in photos, but the movement of the character is floaty and near-expressionless. Starting off with the distracting young Indy CGI just emphasizes how fake-looking the set pieces turned out.

Lackluster visuals can be forgiven if the set pieces still remain memorable and exciting, which they do not. Say what you will and Crystal Skull, but everyone remembers the warehouse opening, the "Nuke-the-Fridge" explosion, the jungle chase, and the extraterrestrial climax. Nothing in Dial of Destiny comes even close to being as memorable as anything in the four other movies.

Whether you consider the ending of Last Crusade Indy's fitting send-off or how Kingdom of the Crystal Skull leaves the character satisfying enough, Dial of Destiny is literally a punch in the face for fans wanting something new with Indy's conclusion. The sharp left turn into the supernatural and fantasy is a staple of the third act of Indy's movies. The actual concept of where the film goes is exciting and has potential for fun, but it would have been much more of an impact with the main focus on it and more of the runtime dedicated to it. The actual final moments wrapping up the characters might as well have just reused the ending footage of Crystal Skull.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a massive miss and disappointment. The characters are misused and underdeveloped, the runtime is a bloated snore, and there's nothing fun to get sucked into. Dial of Destiny is a movie audiences will leave coming up with better stories and characters that should have been brought in instead of actually recalling anything that's actually in the movie.

4/10

#indiana jones #dial of destiny #indiana jones and the dial of destiny #harrison ford #adventure #indy #movie #review #disney #spielberg #raiders of the lost ark #temple of doom #last crusade #kingdom of the crystal skull

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NO HARD FEELINGS REVIEW

The era of theatrical comedies is near extinction. What once was a genre with multiple high-profile releases each year in theaters is now being found as streaming movies or extended limited series. With a high profile Oscar winning actress as the lead, can No Hard Feelings be the movie to bring the genre back? 

“No Hard Feelings” stars Jennifer Lawrence as Maddie, a down on her luck Uber driver/bartender who accepts a job listing to “date” a wealthy couple’s son to get him out of his shell before college in exchange for a car. With the young Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) being overly sheltered and anti-social, it’s going to be a challenge for Maddie to get with Percy to earn that car. 

Jennifer Lawrence shines in this straight up comedic role. While she has played characters before with some humor, this is the first time the actress fully go deep into the comedy genre and she delivers a charming and hilarious character. Andrew Barth Feldman also shines as portraying his part genuinely as a young guy who is shy, but not incompetent. 

Majority of the laughs comes in the first half where the situation is at its most uncomfortable. Lawrence lays it on comedically strong and even performs a shocking fight scene that I would have never thought an A-List actress would agree to.

The movie has plenty of heart and charm, even to the point of bringing the second half down with less jokes and more story development. The story never gets into drama level territory, as the jokes still are being pumped out, but some of the bigger cliches in movies like this could have greatly been brought down to making the second half less predictable 

“No Hard Feelings” isn’t the breakout comedy that will bring the genre back in theaters, but it is a genuinely fun movie that worth checking out 

7/10

#no hard feelings #movie #review #comedy #summer #jennifer lawrence #ranchy

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ELEMENTAL REVIEW

Pixar Animated Studios have been releasing classic after classic since their debut in 1995 with Toy Story. For 28 years, Pixar has showcased the high standards of releasing event family animation movies that live on for generations to enjoy. Once COVID hit, the studio struggled to get its movies back in theaters and market them as "must-watch" event movies. Does "Elemental" launch the studio back on top?

"Elemental" is a romance movie starring Ember and Wade (voiced by Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie) as they meet, connect, and fall in love. Living in a city where fire, water, air, and land reside together, there is some prejudice against the fire woman and water man getting together. With the city's dam damaged and slowly flowing Ember's fire neighborhood, the duo must work together to resolve the issue and manage their love life.

Every Pixar movie delivers beautiful animation and "Elemental" does not disappoint in that department. Element City is full of bright visuals and creative merging of the four different character types. The animation of Ember's flames and Wade's flexible water body is bright and intriguing to follow. The voice actors of the two leads deliver on likability and genuine heartfelt exchanges.

Unfortunately, the writing and story of "Elemental" is simply not up to par, leaving the movie as basic and unmemorable. What should be the main plot of Ember and Wade falling in love and trying to win over each other's families ends up being more a subplot against fixing the dam and Ember struggling to take over her family's shop.

With a lack of time for development, the romance between Ember and Wade ends up feeling rushed and unearned. The moment a heartfelt moment is shared between the two, the movie immediately rushed to something lame like the typical "break up" cliche. On paper, the vocal performances and animation appear top-notch that would be enough to convey this love story, but the lack of development is simply pulling everything back.

Judging purely on an enjoyment level, there are plenty of cute little scenes throughout that will make audiences smile. Nothing about "Elemental" is bad by any means, but the film is missing that "Disney/Pixar" magic that makes movies like "Zootopia" (Disney) or "Inside Out" (Disney/Pixar) memorable. "Elemental" works more as a "rainy day" timewaster on Disney Plus than a high-quality theatrical family outting.

6.5/10

#elemental #pixar #disney #fire #water #land #air #animated #movie #review #family #colorful

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THE FLASH REVIEW

It's been a long journey with the development of this "Flash" movie. Originally announced in 2014, DC has had plenty of hurdles to overcome to get to this moment of release. The creators' biggest problem was the controversial behavior of star Ezra Miller. There were talks of reshooting with another actor, rearranging the movie to lessen Miller's role, and even scrapping the movie as they did with "Batgirl". Miller's personal behavior aside, how is the movie controversy aside.

Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen, the speedster superhero trying to balance his everyday life with his hero responsibilities. After stumbling across a new ability to travel back in time, Barry sets out to reshape past events to save his mother and father. By doing so, Barry messes up crucial elements that give the formally defeated General Zod (Michael Shannon) the upper hand in finishing what he set out to do in "Man of Steel". Barry must group together an alternate universe Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), an imprisoned Supergirl (Sasha Calle), and his younger self to fix what he started.

In an alternate timeline without the controversies with Miller and DC not in the middle of a franchise restart, "The Flash" would be the best DC Cinematic Universe movie yet! Miller truly shines in both Barry's immature new hero action and in the more emotional moments. Barry is a very likable and fun character to follow both in and out of the suit. The same way Tom Holland nails being Spider-Man, Ezra Miller is great as Flash.

Director Andy Muschietti truly is the MVP here in delivering a wildly energetic and genuinely funny film. Michael Keaton is great returning to the role that defined him and his charm shines onscreen. Sasha Calle as Supergirl is a welcomed interpretation, even when giving the least development.

Where the movie starts to crumble is with its third action and rushing crucial character turns that deserve a movie on its own. While the first two-thirds felt developed and had a good pace, the last third speeds (pun intended) along, dropping characters and the escalation of the story to get to its wrap-up ending. Here is where the controversies with Ezra Miller and the DC restart initiative cannot be ignored. The finale feels rewritten, rushed, and abandoning any sequel threads that, right or wrong, are caused by these two real-world events.

Judging solely on its entertainment values, "The Flash" delivers and is a thrill ride full of great action and crowd-cheering cameo appearances. "The Flash" is worthy to have come out, the story of Barry Allen deserves to be center stage, and Ezra Miller did a fantastic job in the role (as for returning for the role, that's a heated debate). The majority of the movie remains strongly made and well-performed. That last third does bring the whole movie down, no matter how many surprises are thrown onscreen. In an alternate universe, there is a fantastic Flash movie, but we're going to have to settle for just a good, yet flawed one in this timeline.

7.5/10

#the flash #flash #movie #review #batman #michael keaton #ezra miller #dc #supergirl #superman #multiverse #timeline #superhero #james gunn #andy muschietti #controversy #summer #blockbuster

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SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE REVIEW

The Spider-Man has never been stronger in recent years. Between the Tom Holland live-action MCU movies, the Spider-Man PS4 videogames, and the original "Into the Spider-verse", it's a great time to be a Spider-Man fan. Five years after the original animated Oscar winner, "Across the Spider-verse" sets out to expand the Spider-roster and the multiverse storytelling.

Where the original had the alternate Spider-People come to him, this time around the young Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), travels to them. Miles shares the starlight with Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld) as they both travel across dimensions to stop the ever-growing power of The Spot (voiced by Jason Schwartzman). With the

"Across the Spider-Verse" takes the already amazing "Into the Spider-Verse" and expands upon it in nearly every single department. The visuals are some of the most beautifully colorful animations ever made. The characters are deeper and more complex while all having believable motivations to be friend or foe. Each of the many different dimensions travel to are wildly fun to see explored while the stakes keep rising and rise in intensity.

The pacing is extremely tight as so much visual wonders go by that makes the 2-hour and 20-minute runtime fly by. Whether its the exciting Spidey web-slinging or the more emotional beats between characters, every second is engaging. It has been a long time since a movie managed to strap me in and engross me in the story and characters this much.

Both visually and through exposition, the multiverse storytelling is unbelievably incredible with the amount of connected Spider-People involved. Miguel O'Hara (voiced by Oscar Isaac) and Jessica Drew (voiced by Issa Rae) play important roles in explaining how every universe is connected and incorporating the tropes of Spider-Man stories into what defines all of these characters.

While complaints are sparse, the biggest warning to give is the expectations regarding this movie's conclusion. This is a two-parter that leaves on an "Empire Strikes Back" level of a cliffhanger. Unlike the last movie with a conclusive ending with a teaser of more to come, this sequel is technically part one of a two-part story arc. At the moment, some viewers are justified to be unsatisfied, but there is already so much content to be satisfied by that its cliffhanger ending feels earned. Luckily, the third entry "Beyond the Spider-verse" is expected to come out in March 2024.

"Across the Spider-Verse" is a rare movie that defies expectations and unleashes the endless imagination movies can offer. There are no setbacks or compromises needed to be made here. The story is top-notch, the characters are well-developed, and the action is incredible. This is a movie that needs to be seen to be believed.

10/10

#spiderman #miles morales #spiderman across the spiderverse #spiderverse #animated #marvel #movie #review #into the spiderverse #across the spiderverse

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THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023) REVIEW

Disney's recent trend of remaking their classic animated movies in live-action blockbusters has produced a fair share of hits and some hard misses. While box office-wise remakes like "The Lion King", "Beauty and the Beast", and "Aladdin" have been wild successes, the actual quality of each reimagining never comes close to matching or being worthy of its original. Does the 2023 live action remake succeed where others missed the mark?

Directed by Gary Marshall, this live-action reimagining has newcomer Halle Bailey in the titular role as Ariel, a mermaid obsessed with the above-water world. After witnessing a shipwreck and saving a land prince named Eric, played by Jonah Huer-King, Ariel makes a deal with the sea witch Ursula, played by Melissa McCarthy, to get a chance to live in the human world.

Disney's live-action remakes rely heavily on nostalgia for the animated originals to fill in the blanks when their reimaginings miss the mark. Having never seen the original "Little Mermaid" before seeing the remake, the 2023 version is magical and charming on its own. All the major plays perform well in their respective roles, especially Haile Bailey and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian the crab. The musical numbers are full of energy and bright visuals to dazzle the eye and ears.

After watching the remake, I decided to watch the original, which opened my eyes to just how similar the two are. The plot beats, jokes, and direct lines are reused throughout, which can be interpreted as a negative or simply what to expect with a remake. Surprisingly, after watching the two versions, the remake remains the superior version and I would return to watching it over the original.

The biggest problem that "Little Mermaid (2023)" suffers from is a long runtime that's 2 hours and 15-minute runtime feels dragged at points. Especially in the second half after Ariel goes on land, there are plenty of scenes that can be trimmed down that would help with pacing and still get the same message across.

In a sea (pun intended) of retellings of Disney's catalog, "The Little Mermaid" stands (pun intended) above the rest. There is plenty of heart and energy that other remakes lack to carry over. While nostalgic fans of the original might be unimpressed by the obsessive amount of carried-over lines and plot beats, there are still plenty more new additions and performances to enjoy

8.5/10

#little mermaid #the little mermaid #ariel #marmaid #disney #remake #live action #haile bailey #movie #review #melissa mccarthy

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THE MACHINE REVIEW

Are you a fan of comedian Bert Kreischer aka "The Machine"? If your answer is anything but yes, this movie is not directed toward you. Unapologetically, "The Machine" movie is intended for the die-hard fans of Kreischer's material and the legendary story of his time in college when he got caught up with the Russian mob.

"The Machine" movie is a fictionalized retelling and continuation of Kreischer playing himself twenty years of living up to the legend he created. Struggling to connect with his dad (Mark Hamill), the two get kidnapped by a Russian mobster searching for her family stolen pocket watch. Bert must retrace his step of that drunken train ride to corporate before his father and he gets killed.

As a fan of Kreischer's stand-up, his everyday buddy persona is very charming and entertaining to follow. This charm is carried over to the film as you see Kreischer playing out this over-the-top Hollywoodized interpretation of his infamous story. As an actor, Kreischer is very likable both in the comedic action and also in a couple of serious moments. Just like his big smile on the poster, you want to join him in having a blast throughout the movie.

Unfortunately, in reality, Kreischer is the only one getting any satisfying enjoyment in this "in-joke" movie. For a majority of the runtime, the movie is simply not fun and misguided. Seeing Bert's family feel miserable and embarrassed to be around him is unpleasant and nothing like how he describes them in his other specials. Mark Hamill just sits around bored only occasionally contributing to the story.

"The Machine" is much more focused on the serious tone Russian mob subplot than doing anything fun. Iva Babic who plays the main mobster is genuinely good in the movie, but she might as well be considered the lead as Bert and his father just stand in the background for most of the scenes. Occasionally there would be a laugh-out out moments that wakes the audience up, but its far and few between. The action is surprisingly well shot and executed, especially during the climax where the energy gets more crazy.

The biggest comparison "The Machine" could have strived for is to be like "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" which takes real-life events and heightens them to outrageous levels. With Jimmy Tatro playing the Young Bert, there are multiple angles the movie could have done to be a much more enjoyable film. One idea, for example, could be scrapping the father character and having Jimmy Tatro be in Kreischer head through the current-day plot, allowing the 20-something and 40-something Bert play off each other.

As much fun Kreischer is having onscreen, it does not translate to audiences. The movie lacks the laughs and fails to reach any potential it sets out for. When thinking about alternate possibilities of what COULD HAVE been done with the movie becomes more entertaining than the actual film itself, that's the sign of a true disappointment.

4/10

#the machine #the machine movie #bert kreischer #movie #review #train #russian mob #stand up

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FAST X REVIEW

The "Fast and Furious" franchise has had its shifts in genres and story developments. Starting off as simply a street racing franchise, the series really got a boost ahead when it diverted into being acting movies. The highest of heights the Fast and Furious reach came with the 5th, 6th, and 7th, installments. While over the top, the character and the minimal plot were engaging enough to overlook the implausibility. While the 8th and 9th entries took the implausibility too far, does Fast X bring the franchise back to where it was at its strongest?

Fast X tries very hard to recapture the magic of the better entries by connecting the plot and main villain towards arguably the entry that boosted the series up, "Fast Five". The villain Dante (Jason Momoa) wants to destroy Dom (Vin Diesel) and his family after Dom's crew ruined his family's lives with their bank vault heist.

What Dwayne Johnson's Hobbs was to Fast Five, Jason Momoa's Dante is the franchise's new spark. Momoa is having such a fun time playing this appropriately goofy, yet efficient villain to Dom's crew. While Fast X offers everything audiences expect from a "Fast and Furious" movie, Dante is the unexpected surprise the series desperately needs.

While Fast X is a step up from the underwhelming and convoluted F9, it still leans closer to the bottom of the ranking of each entry. As much as this 10th installment tries to minimalize everything about the last movie, including John Cena's former villain character acting nothing like he did in the 9th one, it still tracks a downward trail for the series.

With such a large cast of characters, everyone aside from Dom and Dante gets enough time to shine. Everyone else pops in and out, whether to do a forgettable fight scene or low-brow humor that's getting tiring. Even with the A-list cast, there are also unknown, replaceable characters that would have benefited from one of the established members in their place. The big race set-piece, for example, has an intense setup that is rather pointless when non-established characters are used.

The stakes and intensity overall are nonexistent anymore. Previous entries would have over-the-top and implausible action, but there was still this charm and suspense with the characters. The moment the franchise brought back the clearly dead Han (Sung Kang), any suspense for the fate of any character is thrown out the window.

Fast X has been promoted as the first part of the finale, as the cliffhanger ending definitely emphasizes it. Unlike any of the previous entries, this does not end on a clean note that concludes the story. On paper, everything this finale does to attempt to shock the audience is intense and engaging enough to anticipate the next one. In any other franchise, this would be a shocking cliff hanger.

However, the shock and fear of the fates of these select characters are nowhere believable based on the history of the franchise. Especially with the final reveal before the credits, no one will genuinely be worrying if these characters are going to make it out alive.

Fast X, and the Fast and Furious franchise as a whole, is difficult to review, as there are only so many times you can complement or criticize the implausible action. There's plenty of fun to take away from the film, but it does not match up with it's upper tier entires.

6.5/10

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GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 3 REVIEW

The Guardians we know and love is coming to an end in their third and final installment as we know them. After a devastating attack leaves one of the members in critical condition, it's up to the remaining Guardians to band together and search for a solution to save their friend's life. Along the way, Rocket's backstory is revealed and his connection to the sinister High Evolutionary, whose plan revolves around the torment and reconstruction of innocent animals.

Volume 3 of the Guardians franchise leans heavier on a darker and more disturbing tone. The light-hearted moments are still present and effective, but the drastic shifts in tone are balanced quite well. During Rocket's traumatic backstory, the darker moments emphasize the PG-13 rating, as bringing the little kiddies to this one would be unwise. Major praises for these flashback scenes, as the CGI and vocal performances really make the harsh moment worthy of tearing up.

Marvel has gotten the reputation of failing to balance the humor with its more serious moments, and Guardians 3 thankfully does not follow suit. Right when the movie starts to dive deep into its most disturbing moments, the present-day antics of the Guardians come back to bring the mood back up. Each member gets character development and exciting action to continue to show audiences why we all fell in love with this group.

Where Guardians 3 falls flat is regarding the characters of High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock. Due to the structure of the story, the High Evolutionary doesn't interact with the Guardians and only fights for a brief final encounter. With the majority of his scenes in flashbacks, the hate-ability of the villain comes more from dreading to see animal cruelty than anything from the performance of Chukwudi Iwuhi.

The biggest letdown of Guardians 3 comes with the lack of usage of Adam Warlock. Unlike the High Evolutionary, who's a generic character with cruel scenes connecting to him boosting him up, Adam Warlock is an interesting and powerful character that has little to nothing to do after the first act. Constantly he is forgotten about and never rises above his first encounter. While Will Poulter gives it his all and is great as the character, no one will leave the theater with the impression of Warlock being the best part.

As the MCU is stuck in a slump with the emphasis on quantity over quality, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is a step up from the most recent entries. The heart and humor shine bright again and wrap up the trilogy nicely. While no franchise can ever definitively end, if this is the end of seeing these characters, it was a satisfying ride!

8.5/10

#guardians of the galaxy #gotg vol 3 #volume 3 #guardians of the galaxy volume 3 #marvel #chris pratt #rocket #groot #superhero #movie #review #james gunn #MCU