A Working Man

Grade: B+

In this new movie based on the novel Levon's Trade by Chuck Dixon (who is also a co-writer on this), Levon Cade (played by Jason Statham) is a former soldier and a construction foreman. His boss' daughter Jenny Garcia (Ariana Rivas), is kidnapped, and he uses his skills to try to track her.

This reunites Jason Statham and director David Ayer from the Beekeeper. One's surprised they just didn't do a sequel given its success and considering how similar Statham's character and the basic plot of a man avenging a wrong against a good person is, but apparently Sylvester Stallone (who also co-wrote) brought the script to Statham, and he brought the script to Ayer. Though I'd say Beekeeper was the superior film as it was more willing to go over-the-top, this film is a pretty solid follow-up.

The action gets violent and crazy; the final fight is delightfully insane and memorable. Like Beekeeper, you've got a ton of distinctive baddies (played by a pretty solid bunch of actors, including League of Extraordinary Gentlemen/Pennyworth's Jason Flemying, who I'm surprised isn't better known. He's good in whatever he's done.) 

There are also some unique outfits and hideout designs in here. It can be a little weird seeing Cade walk amongst regular people and architecture only to walk into someone wearing brightly colored outfit in an eccentric looking-chari, but I wouldn't call that a deal breaker. 

The setup is a little wooden (though not slow, the movie speeds right through). The exposition about Cade's life doesn't feel natural. Plus, he's got a custody battle subplot that is supposed to help endear the character, but it feels forced and the daughter (The Outlaw's Isla Gie) and the former father-in-law (sorry, couldn't figure which actor was him) he's having the custody fight with don't sound like real people. However, once the movie gets to the action, that's when everything comes into place and things get going.

Statham is again great as the tough guy who is determined and mows down everyone in his way, though he can't sell some of the poorly written dialogue moments. Michael Pena is good in his limited screen time as the emotionally distressed father of Jenny.

Recommended. If you loved the Beekeeper, like I said, it won't be exactly it, but it'll probably wet your whistle. (Just walk into this knowing that A Working Man takes itself slightly more serious than the Beekeeper.)

Snow White

Grade: A-

Next in Disney's growing longer line of live-action remakes is Snow White. (If you're wondering why this one took so long given its fame, I recall that they were working on a SW project from the very beginning, but it was going to be a Snow White/Rose Red movie that was going to be more of a re-imagining like Maleficent or Cruella. The project fell apart after a few years.) In this, Princess Snow White (played by the West Side Story remake's Rachel Zegler) must flee into the forest in order to escape her stepmother The Evil Queen (Wonder Woman/The Fast and the Furious' Gal Gadot), who wants her dead.

This differs a bit from the other remakes in that the creators approached this with a bit of a more light-hearted feel to it, giving the movie a more humorous nature. It's like they said to themselves "We've got seven funny dwarf sidekicks in this. Why not lean into the comedy?"

It helps that the plot to the 1937 film was really simple. So, this the gave the movie room to be its own thing and make changes. There is more to Snow White's journey here and more characters. A big weakness of a lot of the remakes is that the live action can't compare to the original animation films. I'm not saying this surpasses the iconic original, but honestly, a lot of scenes are filmed naturally and lively enough that the difference isn't egregious and you're not thinking as hard about it. The movie's version of Hi Ho is probably the musical number that comes the closest out of all Disney remakes to competing with the original. It's one of the most engaging parts of the movie. The final confrontation with The Evil Queen isn't as strong as the original. I'll give you that.

Admittedly, Snow White's quest to save her kingdom is a smidge predictable (we've all seen this story before). Also, the specifics for why The Evil Queen's been able to ensure loyalty from her guards and maintain power is really vague. (The strongest part of the movie is the middle which doesn't focus on kingdom stuff as much).

Zegler really drives the film. She is super sincere and does an excellent job of being kind and compassionate without seeming like a paper thin character. 

The Evil Queen, however, IS a paper thin character. She values beauty and power and that is it. I find it odd that she values personal appearance, but lives in dark, poorly lit interiors most of the time. Her decadence feels odd. She likes jewels and good food, but that's it. She doesn't have fancy parties or statues of herself and seems like a shut-in. Her lessons in beauty being power don't even make sense. However, Gadot is doing her best playing the Queen as a complete b***h.

The movie also has a pretty good cast as the voices of the seven dwarves. I'd say that Ted Lasso's Jeremy Swift's Doc is my favorite. He manages to pull off being a kind leader who's also sorta silly.

The movie looks great. This is directed by Marc Webb, who helmed the Amazing Spider-Man movies. Say what you will about the second film, but no one complains about the look of it. (In Webb's defense, that movie had a lot of studio interference.) The world of Snow White is so colorful, particularly the use of cherry trees and the princess' outfit. A lot of detail went into the sets, especially the dwarfs' house. The dwarfs are computer generated, and the switch to 3D came out looking good and detailed, managing to make them still look comical without feeling like they are in too separate a world from the human characters.

The movie ditches all the original songs except the classics Hi Ho and Whistle While you Work. Honestly, the rhythm for most of them are REALLY 1930's dated and will not work for some people. However, many will miss the song "Someday my Prince will Come". Yeah, it's a dated concept, but they could've reworked the lyrics. The new songs by Dear Evan Hansen/The Greatest Showman/Spirited's Benji Pasek and Justin Paul are fun. I'm not saying this makes the top ten of Disney movie soundtracks, but it knocks more recent entries like Moana 2 and Wish out of the park. (The songs are Hercules/Pocahontas level.)

Recommended. Yeah, the status of Snow White's kingdom is weakly written but on a whole this is an enjoyable time with an old-school sense of Disney joy. Most kids will enjoy themselves.

The Day the Earth Blew up: A Looney Toons Movie

Grade: B

The Day the Earth Blew up: A Looney Toons Movie is a movie of the Looney Tunes Cartoons, the Max show that was a throwback to old timey Looney Tunes cartoons. It was originally intended to air on Max, but Warner Discovery's new head David Zaslav had it canned with several other films. (Children's films with classic Looney Tunes and Hannah Barbara characters particularly got the axe because Warner's been having trouble hitting that children's market). However, this movie managed to escape oblivion when a separate distributor bought it. In this movie, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (both voiced by voice actor Eric Bauza) try to stop an alien invasion.

This is kind of like the Jetsons Movie back in the day in that it is not a perfect movie, but still pretty watchable and looks great. The plotting on this can be a little odd, with some stuff happening too quick or characters and plot points delivered at odd parts. It's partly funny. There are some truly great bits in here, but a lot of jokes are also just okay. Also, there are a few "modern" bits that don't mesh well with the more retro feel of the movie.

However, the story itself is a lot stronger than the jokes. It makes for a wild ride and has sort of an old school 90's feel to it. The alien aspect has a sorta of quasi-spooky, but isn't really scary atmosphere that can bring kids and adults a bit of excitement.

The brother-like relationship between the carefree Daffy and the cautious Porky (they were raised together in this story) makes for relatable protagonists. Funny thing is, I wouldn’t even say their personalities are as strongly written as some other incarnations, but it’s that bond that makes them compelling. The duo have your average “two-polar opposites-have-their-friendship-threatened-by-their-differences” storyline, but the movie has it developed mostly naturally. DtEBu shows their differences and building tension in smaller moments without having to yell the point of the story at you.

If you're a fan of talkative, self-centered Daffy, you won't find him here. Since this is a retro film, DtEBu went with old-school wacky Daffy. Some may not want this, but in fairness, some works, like The Looney Tunes Show, can go TOO far with his selfishness. I like friendly, well-meaning Daffy here. (BTW, Bauza is doing a great job as the duck).

The third main character of this is Petunia Pig (voice actress Candi Milo). I like what they did with her character. She's always been a bit of a blank slate, since her personality has always simply been "Porky's girlfriend," so the writers had some free room to work. In this, she's an eccentric and enthusiastic flavor scientist at a gum factory. You weirdly become invested in her obsession with the next flavor. (And yes, Daffy, Porky, and Petunia are the only Looney Tunes characters in this. This might disappoint some, but it keeps the story focused.)

The BIGGEST reason to watch this is the 2D animation. It really feels old school. It is so fluid with characters rarely being stagnant. The character designs in general work really well. Humans are all distinct and exaggerated without being too simple-looking. (Keep an eye out for Farmer Jim (voice actor Fred Tatasciore), the man who raised Porky and Daffy, who creatively shifts between being done in still background art and being SUPER fluid). Backgrounds are vibrant and colorful. Not loving Porky's light yellow gloves here. The color just doesn't blend well with anything else.

Recommended. Kids will probably like this and the humor more and not care too much about weaker plot elements. Adults will like the parts that do work and the fantastic animation.

In the Lost Lands

Grade: C

This adaptation of the short story by George R.R. Martin takes place in a futuristic dystopia after the collapse of society, which also has magic in it apparently. The witch Gray Alys (played by the Resident Evil movies’ Milla Jovovich) is given a task by The Queen (Amara Okereke). In order to do so, Gray must travel to the lost lands and hires the aid of guide Boyce (Dave Bautista).

This is directed by Paul W. S. Anderson (The Resident Evil movies, the first Mortal Kombat movie, Alien vs. Predator, and Event Horizon), and like with his last couple of films, he seems to be losing his touch. The movie at first keeps you a little interested with some of the mysteries and the intrigue of various parties with different goals working against each other, but the payoff at the end is disappointing, ridiculous, and overwrought. Also, they don't explain the rules of this world or how magic in this world that is also an apocalyptic wasteland works at all.

This is one of those adaptations where you say to yourself “Oh, I can see how this may have played out better in written form.” The problem is that Anderson’s basic-level “let’s have fun with the action and over-the-top moments” approach doesn’t jive with R.R. Martin’s more serious political intrigue style. Anderson tries to make stuff sound important, but he treats it all too lightly to ever sound sincere.

That all having been said, this is a Paul W.S. Anderson movie. Some of his movies can be disappointing, but I don't think he's ever delivered one that is completely awful. He's always been able to deliver at least some fun popcorn movie ideas or action, and this has its mindless fun moments as well. (I will glady watch this movie any day over Zack Snyder's sorta similar in spirit Rebel Moon movies. Anderson at least feels like he's having fun.)

Yeah, the director has once against cast his wife in the lead, and Jovovich again plays the same sort of character who is good at fighting, but she as always manages to give a decent performance. Jovovich and Bautista do pretty well with what little they have material they have and they do work well off of each other. Though her performance might not technically be good, Okereke plays her role more over-the-top than anyone else and it is something to watch.

The majority of this film is obvious and mid-level CGI. A lot of ItLL doesn't visually set itself apart from other apocalyptic movie worlds, but there are a couple good set pieces; the castle of the Overlord is a fun design.

Not recommended. Not something one can't get through, but nothing that makes this required viewing. 

Plankton the Movie

Grade: B+

In this new SpongeBob Squarepants movie on Netflix, the show's villain Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence, who also co-wrote this), the diminutive evil genius, takes the center stage. He and his computer wife Karen (voice actress Jill Talley) have a falling out after years of his evil plans not working and him not listening to her. She goes solo and proving herself to be a far more competent and dangerous threat to the underwater town of Bikini Bottom and the entire world. Now, Plankton has to team up with SpongeBob (voice actor Tom Kenny) in order to save his marriage.

This has been a real step up since the last two films. (They had their moments, but both left something to be desired.) This feels more like prime SpongeBob, with goofy jokes, including some strong physical humor, and a little classic weirdness thrown into the mix.

Honestly, I'm surprised that the show hasn't done this story in its 25 years before. The script writes itself. Plankton and Karen have always had a comically tense relationship, and it always seems like Karen would be a whole lot better at the whole evil plan thing if she took the initiative (honestly, she's the most level-headed character in the entire show). Nice to see her brought to the forefront. (In Sponge out of Water, her role just ends part way through the movie without any follow up.) Her updated form, with three new personalities make for a bigger threat than any other movie antagonist.

What makes the script work in particular is that even though Plankton is a real big jerk in the movie, it still strangely manages to make us want to see him repair his relationship. We get to see the history of Plankton and Karen's love story, which is weirdly touching while still having them both be bad guys. (I feel that it really helped that Mr. Lawrence was involved in this in that he knows Plankton down pat and what to do with him).

I wouldn’t say I had any major cons about this movie, but if you’re one of those parents who don’t like it when shows don’t set a good example for children, understand that there are some pretty mean insults thrown around in this.

It seems that over the past three movies the animators have been slowly trying to perfect the 3D animation in an attempt to best translate the look and feel of the original 2D show. (The last film only came out a year ago, and I’m surprised at the stark difference of the animation styles between these two.) This honestly feels the closest. Characters have a smoother, more painted feel to them. Also, the movie is really colorful. 

PtM is a musical. Some songs are better than others, and I'm not saying this is one of  the great children's musicals, but it works overall. Karen's solo song is a real banger.

Recommended. I feel this is the second best one next to Sponge out of Water. (Yeah, I know a lot of people love the first movie, but only the third act really works for me.)

Captain America: Brave New World

Grade: B

Sam Wilson (played by AnthonyMackie), the new Captain America, investigates an assassination attempt on new president Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (Harrison Ford taking over for the late William Hurt).

The general backbones of this are rather good, but the execution isn't perfect. The general story, villainous plot, and characters work well. This is a solid political thriller and feels more like the spy thriller we wanted than with Black Widow.

No complaints about Sam's ascension to the lead. He shares Steve Rogers' optimism, though he is more realistic about the obstacles the world throws at you. The movie also rolls with the fact that this Captain America doesn't have super strength, and he has to make the effort to deal with stronger threats. (Of course, he has years of military training and a cool flying suit; so that helps.)

Ross has been a semi-consistent face in the franchise since the second film, but always a supporting character. Him being the focus feels well earned and culminates his story. He's been a morally grey character, and this movie addresses this as he deals with actions from his past.

Also, Captain America works really well alongside his new sidekick (introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier limited series) Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon (Danny Ramirez). Whereas Steve and Sam work together, because they were two similar guys, Sam and Danny work, because they are opposites (Sam is more grounded, while Danny is more jokey), and they work well off each other.

However, the plotting  and dialogue aren't 100%. The movie doesn't feel as "realized" or as natural as the last 3 Captain America movies, not to mention a lot of other MCU films. Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah, who directed The Cloverfield Paradox, which a lot of people had a problem with structurally. (Honestly, I didn't hate it.) There were reportedly a lot of reshoots, and there are moments where characters were clearly green screened into scenes.

There is one moment in particular which partially states what we already know and feels odd. The main villain, who is played by a good actor, feels not used to their full potential. Also, Ross is trying to improve and Captain America is trying to see that in him, but it feels a little unbelievable when CA still tries to believe in Ross when he makes objectionable decisions.

No arguments with the casting. Mackie has all his scenes locked down. Though it’s hard to buy Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito, who is in his 60’s, playing evil mercenary Sidewinder, as a legitimate physical threat, Esposito does come across as a clever and effective baddie, even though he’s doing the sort of character he often does. (Given how popular he's been after BB, I'm surprised it took so long for him to make the jump from television and get a prominent movie role.)

A little of this movie is set up by the F&tWS, so you might want to see that first.

It is really too bad that Hurt passed before he got his big chance to shine. I think he would've done a great job with the role. Not only does Ford look really different from Hurt (and how Ross has looked in the comics and the first Hulk movie), but he also has a different energy: more grumpy and emotional. However, Ford does an excellent job and is not coasting. He makes one both hate and sympathize with Ross.

Yes the general look and action scenes don't match the first 3 films, but the movie still has its moments. There are two really standout, traditional over-the-top MCU fight scenes. I also like how this manages to be a political thriller, but also manages to use a brighter color scheme without sabotaging the mood.

Lightly recommended. It is the weakest CA movie, and maybe not one of the strongest MCU movies in general, but I still found this to ultimately be a fun time, and something that looks good on the big screen. I'd have no issue rewatching this any time.

The Cleaner

Grade: B

In this British take on the Die Hard formula, window cleaner and former soldier Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley from the most recent Star Wars trilogy) is stuck on the outside of a skyscraper when ecoterrorists take over the building.

Though there can be significant gaps behind fights, the action in this is good. (The director is Martin Campbell, the man behind The Mask of Zorro, Goldeneye, and Casino Royale. Yeah, he might no be longer at the height of his skill, but he still knows how to provide some decent action.) The Cleaner sets itself apart from other movies in the genre with the whole stuck on the side of the building gimmick. Joey's there for an unexpectedly long time, and her surviving out there as things get worse makes for some good and new spectacle.

I gotta say that ecoterrorism made for a watchable motivation for the villains. More stuff happens with them than you'd expect.

However, the build-up to the hostage situation is a slow burn. The beginning also shows Joey's relationship with her brother. I know it's to show her character and build her journey, but it's a LOT of them just being upset with each other. Tonally, the movie does feel a little confused and doesn't know how light or dark it wants to go.  

The Clean has a pretty good cast and characters. Ridley makes for a solid lead, though honestly, it's the group of villains that are the best performances and the most entertaining parts. (The villains are hidden a bit, so I won't spoil for them for you if you haven't seen the trailer yet.)

This isn't a movie you need to see in the theater, but it makes for a decent watch.

Dog Man

Grade: A-

In this movie adaptation of the popular graphic novels by Dav Pilkey, who co-writes this as well, a cop and his dog are both mortally wounded in an explosion caused by the villainous cat Petey (voiced by SNL's Pete Davidson). The doctor ends up sewing the dog's head onto the cop's body creating the super cop Dog Man (animal noises provided by director and co-writer Peter Hastings). Now, it's Dog Man's mission to stop Pete.

Though it has a few changes from the comic, the movie is pretty faithful to the tone of the graphic novels. The whole thing's very cartoonish and silly with some solid humor. (Some say that the subplot that is in addition to Dog Man/Petey's stories is too much, but I love how completely ridiculous it all is ). However, those new to Dog Man will be surprised at how much heart and emotion is in this. Both Dog Man and Petey, who is as much a main character as Dog Man, go through some sad stuff in their lives, possibly sadder than parents would expect for a goofy kids' movie but not heavy enough that it's too much for kids. The movie provides messages about trying to see the good in life.

I know many other critics are already saying it, but I can't not mention and repeat that the movie is very cluttered. Rather than try to adapt the first volume or a couple of them, this smashes multiple plot points and characters from multiple books in order to squeeze all the major parts of Petey's pivotal moments. The first act moves really quickly, and the final act has a few points where you think it's going to end, but it keeps on going. Also, the second half switches from the Dog Man movie to really being the Petey movie. Given that Dog Man can't speak and Pilkey liking other characters and/or wanting to keep things fresh, some of the latter books take the focus away from its lead, but that happens more naturally in separate installments. Here, it's a little jarring since it all happens in one sitting. That all having been said, I personally think this wasn't a deal breaker as the movie was still very entertaining and touching.

Dog Man makes for a great lead. He's cute, a good boy, and makes for some great physical humor. Petey, who is basically the personification of misanthropy, also works for a solid lead with more layers than you'd expect. I would not have thought of Pete Davidson as the voice of the villainous feline, but he is perfectly cast. Davidson might be giving one of the best vocal performances of the year. Pete’s more of a straight man, but Davidson really manages to wring out the humor with his delivery, and man oh man does Davidson put in the right emotional effort for the more human aspects (you know what I mean) of the character.

The movie also has a great supporting cast of weird, silly characters. (There is a character in this you may love as much as Dog Man and Petey. However, advertising has been light on them, so I won’t spoil anything.) Comedian Lil Rel Howery is pretty funny as the easily worked up police chief. (It’s too bad he doesn’t have enough screen time in the second half.) Now you See me/The Wedding Crashers’ Isla Fisher gets to use her regular accent for a change instead of the usual American one as reporter Sarah Hatoff. She brings a sort of confident and honest earnestness to her role.

Hats off to the animators. The 3D animation looks great. It really feels like the comics' crayon-styled drawings come to life. There is such a vibrant, colorful look to it all.

Highly recommended. Despite squeezing in a lot of material, this is a really funny work that is surprisingly one of the emotionally deeper films DreamWorks has ever made.

Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion

Grade: A

Well, it only took 7 years, but this movie has finally been commercially released in the US. (If you have any interest in seeing this, you may want to do so quickly. Some Asterix movies last on streaming for a while, but some disappear quickly.) In Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (original title: Asterix: La Secret de la Potion Magique), based on the long-running French comics series, Getafix, the druid who makes the magic potion Asterix and the other Gauls in his village (the French version of Vikings) use to make themselves stronger and protect themselves from the Roman Empire, realizes he isn't getting any younger and decides to go in search of a successor. 

This is a worthy follow-up to the previous computer animated movie Mansion of the Gods. The script flows nicely and everything works well together. The story is slightly more complex than you think it might be and makes you invested in what will transpire. Comedy is good, able to please kids and adults and to bridge the gap to non-French audiences (more so than that recent live-action movie on Netflix if you've seen it.)

Secret Potion makes good use of distinct characters both old and new. Though Getafix is a main fixture of the comics, he often isn't center stage. His movie is a bit of a showcase on his wise and amiable values and nature. The movie introduces Pectin, a young schoolgirl in the village and budding inventor who looks up to Getafix. She's an earnest character and she and Getafix make a good team. 

If there are any complaints, I feel that Asterix is a little too quick to anger. Yeah, it's not like he's never gotten annoyed before, but he's one of the more level-headed characters, and it feels like he is losing his temper due to plot reasons.

One of the best parts is the new villain Demonix, a banished Druid and Getafix's former friend. With the exception of Julius Caesar, most of the Asterix villains are one-dimensional cartoon characters. You get a few cleverer ones, but even their personas are kept simple. Demonix has a little more personality too him and steals all his scenes. His desire to obtain the magic Potion is a selfish one, but there are moments where you say, "He does have a point." He's also a clever one. It takes a while to figure out his plan but when you do it all makes sense.

Animation is colorful and manages to keep the essence of the original 2D-illustrations intact. Unfortunately, they keep the original "larger lips" for the black crew member of the pirate crew Asterix and pals keep running into. They really should know better by now.

Highly recommended. This is honestly one of the best Asterix movies and even if you're unfamiliar with the character, it's easy to jump into the story.

Love Hurts

Grade: C

Hitman-turned-successful real estate agent Marvin Gable (played by Ke Huy Quan) has his past come back to haunt him when former love interest Rose Carlisle (The West Side Story remake's Ariana DeBose) returns from hiding.

LH has a story that looked like it could work in a Wikipedia synopsis, but doesn't work in execution. There are fun moments (including a couple-laugh-out-loud parts), but a lot of stuff doesn't pan out, and the filmmakers' can't understand how light or dark they want to make this. A lot of people say narration in a movie can be a crutch, but I don't usually have a problem. Here, it really does feel forced.

The action is good, I'll give you that. The movie has some impressive choreography. There's a blade-throwing villain in this, and he has some of the most entertaining blade-throwing combat I've seen.

Quan is the best part. Like in Everything, Everywhere, all at Once, the actor is really good at switching between generally nice guy and a person of violence. Unfortunately, only him and Sean Astin as Marvin's boss are able to make the poor dialogue work. Rose's character isn't really that likable and her actions come across as selfish rather than courageous, and you're not really rooting for Marvin and her to get together. DeBose tries to use the enthusiastic energy she used in WWS, but it feels disingenuous here. Football-player-turned-actor Marshawn Lynch has been demonstrating that he is a real comic talent. (Ever seen the Netflix show Murderville where celebrities are put in improv situations? Lynch blew everyone else away.) Here he just isn't shining as brightly as he has, because he doesn't have much to go with.

Not recommended. I mean LH can work as background noise or Quan fans may want to see his performance, but overall this isn't something you NEED to see.

Heart Eyes

Grade: A

The notorious Heart Eyes Killer (or HEK for short), who targets couples on Valentine's Day, mistakes co-workers Ally McCabe (Kickin' it/Cloak and Dagger's Olivia Holt) and Jay Simmonds (Scream 5+ 6/Love, Victor's Mason Gooding) as lovers and makes them their new quarry.

The trailers made this look like more of a traditional slasher film, but this is a horror comedy. (It's co-written by Happy Death Day's Christopher Langdon who might be the most prolific director/writer of horror comedy there is and directed by College Humor alumni Josh Ruben who directed the rather entertaining Werewolves Within). 

Heart Eyes is basically a romcom if it had a serial killer in it. The budding relationship between Ally and Jay is surprisingly well done, and the dialogue really has that traditional romcom vibe to it. Doesn't hurt that Holt and Gooding have great chemistry together and are both super likable. The lighting also feels more like that for a romcom than a horror movie. The jokes themselves fly fast and loose and work really well. The whole thing feels like a pastiche of romcoms but not a full on parody.

However, when the killer pops up, the movie takes the kills seriously. This isn't one of those horror comedies that are light on kills and are aiming for a PG-13 rating. The deaths are creative and can be really bloody. There is also one of the most effective jump scares I've seen in a while in this.

Besides the leads, the cast is pretty good. The Fast and the Furious' Jordana Brewster is given the chance to show that she has a sillier side as an eccentric cop.

I can't say I'm loving the look of the killer's mask. The heart-shaped eyes are an interesting idea, but I'm not loving the flesh-colored look of the thing. The mask feels a little too busy. On the plus side, the killer always does look intimidating. 

There are moments where the director/writers are a little inconsistent on how broad or understated they want the comedy to be. This has this typical horror movie habit of having plot holes. Also, it isn't too hard to guess who the killer is. But, I wouldn't consider any of these issues to be a deal breaker.

Highly recommended. This is such an astoundingly unique and funny film that manages to balance genres.

Back in Action

Grade: B- 

In this Netflix movie, former spies Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Cameron Diaz), having gone underground to raise a family, are found out, and end up on the run.

The lighthearted person-used-to-be-a-spy/criminal/etc.-but-is-now-a-family-person story has been done often, and Back to Action is by-the-numbers and does nothing to reinvigorate the genre. 

To make things worse, the daughter Alice (The Young and the Restless’ McKenna Roberts), who is in a painfully obvious mother/daughter-not-connecting subplot, is way too much of an obnoxious brat. Also, this tries to be a family film (they go out of their way to prevent the leads from murdering anyone), but there are a couple moments certain parents may not want their kids to see.

That having all been said, this is a competently made and watchable film. There are some decent lines, Matt, the parent who has adjusted better to civilian life, provides has the best bits as the voice-of-reason dealing with insanity around him.

Diaz, who returns to film after an 11-year absence, is having fun with her part. Foxx just steals the show with his "dad" delivery and reacting to the chaos around him. Glenn Close, who plays Emily's mother, is also a highlight. I think when she does comedy, she has no restraints about being over-the-top, and her blunt, no-nonsense British mom persona is a good time.

Not particularly recommended or not recommended. There is nothing must-see about this, but it serves its function as a time waster.

Flight Risk

Grade: B+

In Flight Risk, U.S. Marshall Madelyn Harris (played by Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery) and prisoner and witness Winston (That 70's Show's Topher Grace), who is scheduled to testify against his former boss, border a small plane to take them to their destination. Unfortunately, their pilot Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg) turns out during the flight to be a sadistic hitman.

More entertaining than I thought this would be. To be clear, Flight Risk is a popcorn thriller that doesn't take itself too seriously, and the sillier aspects may not appeal to everyone. Parts of the dialogue in particular can feel hokey. However, the twists and turns and the moments of actual danger do work. Whereas the trailers often show too much, I felt they did a disservice by not showing that this has a sense of humor. There's some amusing lines in this.  

Best performance is Grace. Nice to see him get a break, because he's always tried to be a movie actor, but his big roles are few and far between. His character is a bit of a wisecracker, and Grace can both be comedic, but also does a good job depicting fear and anxiety when the s**** hits the fan. I think this might be Wahlberg's first villain job, and he's really giving it his all. Booth is a truly rotten and twisted but clever piece of work. I do think there's a little much of his dialogue focused on his love of torture that's too over the top, but Wahlberg completely rolls with what he's given.

There is one of the worst digital effects I've seen in recent years near the beginning, but as a whole the movie doesn't look too bad. A lot of this takes place inside the plane, but the outside shots get the job done. Wouldn't say this has the best footage of all time of the Alaskan landscape, but its still the Alaskan landscape, and it looks nice.

Recommended. I wouldn't say this needs to be seen in the theaters, but its a fun ride with a villain that works. (This is directed by Mel Gibson. If you don't want to watch this because of that, I get it.)

One of them Days

Grade: B+

In One of Them Days, roommates Dreux (played by Nope's Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (singer SZA) have their rent money stolen by Alyssa's boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal). Now, the two of them have to get the money before 6:00 PM or face eviction by their landlord Uche (Rizi Timane).

The very beginning starts out a little weak. The introduction to the characters and their surrounding apartment complex felt a bit obvious and not 100% natural. Keshawn and Alyssa's making lousy excuses for his behavior ingratiates. To be clear, my issue isn't with these plot points, but that they aren't done well. Keshawn is the typical movie loser boyfriend but he doesn't meet the basic bar for this type as none of his lines are really humorous or tolerable and Neal's performance just doesn't land. I know Alyssa is supposed to be a flaky free-spirit, but her dialogue for her defending her choices felt a little too vague. 

Once the crisis hits, however, things pick up and Alyssa becomes likable once the boyfriend isn't a major focus for her. Honestly, the movie continues to get stronger and stronger until the very end. The series of misadventures the two friends end up in are creative and diverting. I wouldn't say this is the most laugh-out-loud movie there is, but you still enjoy yourself due to the plot and overall vibe.

This is a very typical story about two friends who are opposites to each other with their personal needs for growth that go on a comic adventure. Their plot beats will not surprise anyone, but they are done competently. I also appreciate that this has social commentary, but it feels natural and not like with some works, like the National Treasure show, that its messing with the narrative flow and the scriptwriters are directly talking to the audience. When Dreux and Alyssa go to a loan bank, that's just peak satire.

Palmer and SZA have excellent chemistry, feeling like real friends. This is SZA's first acting major acting job and she is a natural, performing effortlessly. However, Palmer remains the star player. I'm surprised that it took so long for her to be in another movie after killing it in Nope. (Perhaps it's because Palmer has her hands in a lot of projects, or that I kinda get the feeling based on what I've heard is that she doesn't play Hollywood's games). She has this rare energy that few possess.

Other cast highlights include Freeridge's Keyla Monterros Meija, delivering a standout performance as a give no f***s loan agent, and Katt Williams as a homeless man desperately trying to act as the duo's common sense. 

Love the lighting and cinematography in this. Everything looks colorful.

Recommended. One of Them Days (great title by the way) is just a fun ride. 

Cunk on Life

Grade: A+

Journalist Philomena Cunk (played by Diane Morgan) returns in this Netflix mockumentary special to look at life itself.

Honestly, this was funnier than Cunk’s previous outing, the miniseries Cunk on Earth. They just killed it with the jokes, including some pretty bold, unexpected choices. 

Morgan’s performance is what keeps her character coming back again and again over the years (for those unfamiliar with the character, most of Cunk’s specials and miniseries were never released in America unfortunately).  She provides uneducated nonsense delivery in a manner that is both deadpan and undeservedly confident.

There was also something about the sketches sandwiched between Cunk’s narration and interviews that stood out more and felt funnier than Cunk on Earth.

Highly recommended. This is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while.

The Damned

Grade: B+

The members of a small 19th century coastal outpost decide not to rescue the crew of a nearby crashed ship due to the risk. However, soon bad events and visions begin to follow them.

The Damned is a very competently made historical horror movie with a decent script, including a few really standout scenes, and some decent startling moments. This is one of those films that are "is it real or in their heads" and is handled in the right manner where a lot of the fear is derived from uncertainty.

The strongest part of this is the cinematography. The stretch of coast they chose is both beautiful but also bleak in its barrenness and excellently shot. The movie also makes good usage of fog and background and foreground focusing.

The Damned, in a world in which it seems that all movies these days have to be 2 hours or more, runs at an old-fashioned hour and 29 minutes. The quick pace is refreshing, as a lot of these psychological horror moves like to drag things out. Or at least refreshing for some of us. I can also see the fast plotting annoying certain people. Early on I was like "Oh, we're getting to this stage of the plot already? That's soon." When the movie ends, it immediately ends.

Recommended. This is one of those international English language horror movies you know nothing about, and come across by chance but end up enjoying yourself. The Damned works as both a scary movie and a drama.

Nosferatu (2024)

Grade: B

In this remake of the 1920’s silent film which was based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, real estate agent Thomas Hutter (played by Nicholas Hoult), is sent to finalize paperwork with the mysterious Count Orlock (Bill Skarsgard). Soon he learns the truth of his client: a vampire who desires Thomas’ wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp).

Robert Eggers, who has made a name for himself directing historical horror such as The Witch and The Lighthouse, returns to the genre after a one-film absence for this, and Nosferatu might be his best looking film, as well as one of the best looking movies this year. This is one of those films with a clear stylistic vision. The sets and camera work all evoke another time and a sense of dread, including one of the scariest alone on a road at night scenes I’ve ever seen. This is a bleak movie and the lighting is appropriately bleak to match. However, it can make it harder to see in the darkly lit scenes, though this isn’t one of those films where it’s completely dark the entire time.

I’ve got mixed feelings about the look of Orlock. I see what Eggers was going for, but the look can’t match the distinct appearance and menace of the original. That having been said, Orlock is definitely is set up as someone you don’t want to cross paths which. He is supposed to be an old-school folkloric creature of death vampire, not a suave, sexy type. He is also probably one of the most dangerous and powerful vampires put to film. (One must also give credit to Skarsgard’s performance. Unlike with Pennywise in It, you can’t tell it’s him at all). 

As for the script, it has good dialogue and is scary. However, it’s stretched way too long. There is waaayyy too much of Ellen having ill forebodings of the future and being generally upset.

Eggers has a reputation for trying to be more historically accurate than other directors. Of course, liberties are still taken, but the movie tries to fit within the rules of the time. Nosferatu goes for a an old-school, grounded sort of feel that really helps its mission of being a harsh folk tale.

Solid casting in this; Hoult does a great job of reacting to ancient horror. I’d like to put the spotlight on a couple supporting players: 1) Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Thomas Hutter’s friend, a man who life has been good to and not prepared for the events to come. Taylor-Johnson gets cast a lot in action films, but this movie gives him a chance to show that he has acting chops. 2) The Witch’s Ralph Ineson as a doctor. He plays a character that has been mostly extinct since the 50’s/60’s: the man of science who is surprisingly chill when facing the unknown or unexplained. I honestly didn’t realize it was Ines in the role. He sounded and looked differently than he usually does. In a movie full of distraught or zealous people, he was kind of comforting as the level-headed guy trying his best.

Kinda recommended. This may be too long for some and it may frustrate some with how seriously Eggers takes a story about a vampire, but this is an ambitious, stylish work that looks great and is scary.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Grade: A

(Note: This review will briefly discuss an element in the movie that has already been shown through a lot of promotional material. However, said element is kept a mystery for a little bit of the film and if you're coming in completely cold turkey to this, you may want to avoid this review if you want to be completely surprised).

In the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) and friends must confront the mysterious and dangerous Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) who is angry at the world.

3 differentiates itself from the last two movies by being the franchise's Empire Strikes Back. This is noticeably darker and contains more mature, tragic elements. (Since the movie features Shadow, they drew a lot of the story from his premiere game which had his origin story Sonic Adventure 2, one of the most serious games in the franchise. Yes, there are more serious Sonic games).  This culminates in a touching and well told story about loss and about how we deal with our past. 

Using the Sonic games anti-hero Shadow was always going to be a bit of a risk as they had just already used an equally fast rival to Sonic in the form of Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Of course there was the risk of Shadow being just more of the same, but he manages to feel fresh. Whereas Knuckles was goodhearted but misguided and had a silly side to him, Shadow is bitter and angry and is played completely straight. He works as a great opposite to Sonic. He's also a boss when he fights, being faster than Sonic and friends and has a wider skill set than them, featuring some style of fights that haven't been done before.

As much as I've talked about the darker elements, that's not to say this movie doesn't have jokes. Honestly the more serious parts and the humor manage to coexist really well. That all having been said, I did think they could've cut down on a few of Sonic's snarky lines.

The whole story culminates in the most impressive final battle in the series. It knocks the other two out of the park as it goes full EPIC.

Admittedly due to the movie being plot heavy and having a lot of characters, some scenes and elements felt like they were sped through too quickly. Also, some of the human characters from the previous films don't have much screen time. (I know some people complain about them, but I like 'em).

Shapiro remains a great casting choice as Sonic. He's an expert of displaying bravado in a fun manner, but when it comes the time for Sonic's more emotional side, he's able to pivot so easily. 

Yes, Jim Carrey as Sonic's enemy Dr. Ivo Robotnik, and this time also playing his grandfather Prof. Gerald Robotnik, continues to be one of the highlights with his comic performance. I was worried that Gerald would be played too similarly to his grandson, and while there are similarities between the two, the guy really feels like a separate person. While in the previous, Robotnik has basically been played as a cartoon villain, this movie dives into his past and what makes him tick, and for the first time Carry gets some more dramatic material, and he really manages to knock it out of the park. (Given that in the past Carry hadn't been a fan of making sequels and that he'd said recently that he was planning to retire, the script here makes it completely obvious why he decided to come back as it gave him more to do).

Highly recommended. Director Jeff Fowler and his writers have reached that extremely rare achievement where all three films in a trilogy are good and there is no quality degradation. 3 manages to be as good as its predecessors but in a different way. 

Y2K

Grade: B

SNL alumni Kyle Mooney's directorial takes place on New Year's Eve 1999. In this alternate reality, Y2K wasn't fixed in time and electronical devices start attacking and killing people. The movie follows unpopular teen Eli (played by It's Jaeden Martell) as he tries to survive the night. 

The movie is fairly funny, has some surprisingly well-written character progression with a couple supporting characters, and a couple of moments that really take you by surprise. This was clearly made on the cheap, but the mostly practical electronics effects look good.

The first half is really well-paced and moves quickly. However, the plot slows down for the second half, and a few of the dialogue exchanges really feel like they could've been cut down and cause you to lose your enthusiasm a little.

Eli's goal of landing the popular girl is a pretty basic high school comedy storyline that we've all seen before. I honestly wished they'd gone with another scenario for this premise. 

The best performances in this are the supporting players. Mooney plays a druggie DVD rental clerk, and he's good with making fun of laid back 2000's-personalities. Hunt for the Wilderpeople's Julian Dennison as Eli's best friend brings the same loud personality he's known for being good at. Yeah, it's nothing new, but he still has one of the best scenes in the movie. The actors who took me most by surprise are Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's Lachlan Watson and Tales from the Loop's Daniel Zolghadri as a couple of rap enthusiasts with differing philosophies (mainstream vs. non-commercial). 

Not particularly recommended one way or another. Some will have genuine fun while others may be bored with the second half or Mooney's over-reliance on references to the 2000's rap/rock scene.

Hot Frosty

Grade: B-

In this new Netflix Hallmark-esque romcom, a snow sculpture named Jack (played by Schitt’s Creek’s Dustin Milligan) is brought to life by a magic scarf and falls in love with the widowed Kathy (Mean Girls’ Lacey Chabert).

This movie has garnered itself a bit of attention with its basic premise of what if Frosty the Snowman was hot (and heterosexual and bi ladies and gay and bi men, the advertising is not false; you briefly see Milligan shirtless, and he does not skip gym day). Writer Russell Hainline (who has 3 different Xmas romcoms made from his scripts this year; good for him) runs with this silly idea with a decent script by the standards of these of these films.

The romance is standard, but the script is having more fun than you would expect. Honestly, Jack’s interactions with the local townsfolk are more entertaining than his courtship of Katie. 

There is more comedy than expected with one joke that made me chuckle a little. They hired a couple of comedy veterans to play the comic relief: The Office’s Craig Robinson and Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Joe Lo Truglio as the town’s ego-driven sheriff and simple-minded deputy, respectively. They really are the most entertaining part as they do the most with their characters and have the best delivery.

Milligan was prime casting: a handsome guy who knows how to do comic delivery. Chabert, however, is just okay, doing a basic performance.

Kinda recommended, if you don’t like Hallmark-style films at all, this will not do much to change that, but I do feel it is stronger faire for what it is, and effort was put into the setting and humor.