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.

Red One

Grade: B+

In this new Christmas movie, Santa Claus (played by J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped. His bodyguard Callum Drift (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) is forced to team up with underworld tracker Jack O'Malley (Captain America's Chris Evans), who was used to locate Santa’s location, to find him.

This is sort of like the movie Constantine. It sounds like a concept that will be done in a very basic manner, but you are surprised to find out that the directors/writers put more effort into it than expected.

Director Jake Kasdan, who directed the recent Jumanji movies, brings the kind of energy he brought in those. The action scenes are well choreographed, and the movie is well placed. Also, the build up to final bad guy is built up to surprisingly well.

More importantly, it feels like Kasdan and the writers had fun with the idea of juxtaposing an action/spy movie with a Christmas movie, with ideas that could've been too obvious in theory that work in practice. What I liked best about this is that instead of going with a more colorful children's type of film, that could've had candy cane fighting staffs, a Santa's village with bright colors and traditional-looking elves in security outfits, this feels a lot more inspired by classical/mythological Christmas that's been getting more popular with the spread of Krampus. I appreciate that this includes a Christmas-related folkloric being that hasn't really been given emphasis in film before, and not just go with only Krampus again (there are actually a lot of other anti-Clauses and other Christmas-related figures throughout world history than you think; Alsac Lorraine has Hans Trapp, a scarecrow that eats children, for instance. No, he isn't in this. Yes, I'd like to see that one day, too).

The "guy-on-the-naughty-list-finds-his-Christmas-spirit-and-his-humanity-again" has been done plenty of times, and I cannot lie that Jack's character progression isn't the most obvious and least entertaining part of this, but I do give the writers credit for realizing that. Red One is kind of the movie Chef in that the redemption story is lean and mean and doesn't bog itself down with obvious "the-character-has-briefly-turned-away-from-what-he-has-learned" tropes. Also, Callum as Jack's conscious honestly gets through to him using some discussions that haven't been done in these films before.

Evans is a highlight of this, as he’s always good at playing the cocky guy. It is also appreciated that while he’s a criminal, they do make him three-dimensional enough and his apathy understandable instead of an over-the-top Ebenezer Scrooge-type.

Johnson on the other hand doesn’t fair as well. He’s being “serious Rock” here and not “charismatic Rock”. He feels wasted, and also it feels a little odd that his character, for a morally good person, is so unpractically aggressive and threatening to Jack, before he even has the chance to refuse to spill information.

The best part of this is the look. The movie’s takes on Santa’s sled and the reindeer are solid reinventions. (Not loving the elves, but it is a choice, and I give the filmmakers props for trying something new). Going back to this being more mythological Christmas-inspired. This has one of the most traditionally cozy-looking Santa villages (remember when they used to make Christmas-themed buildings for model trains? It is like that), and honestly I feel it is one of the best renditions.

The editing can be a little choppy at times, but it isn’t a deal breaker.

Recommended. Admittedly, having to go through the “message-of-the-film” moments again may kill the rewatch value, but this is a fun time. If you liked the recent Jumanji movies, you will probably like this.

Gladiator II

Grade: B-

In this sequel to the 2000 hit, Lucius (played by Paul Mescal), now grown up, is captured and sold into slavery as a gladiator after his wife is killed and his city conquered by the Roman Empire. Like Maximus before him, Lucius vows revenge.

The movie starts slow for the first two-thirds. It also feels like it's copying plot points too much from the first, such as the enslaving, the political intrigue against the current ruler, and especially the wife death, which just feels a little like a cheap trope the second time around and a little misogynistic that you need to kill a woman to spur a man's storyline. (When Casino Royale came out we were like "Oh, a Bond girl death. It's been a while". When Quantum of Solace came out we were like "Oh, the Bond girl death again, well it's still kinda effective". When Skyfall came out we were like, "Seriously? This one went real nihilistic, man".)

This felt rather like Gladiator-light, as the events don't feel quite as grounded as the original. Characterization is not as strong. Lucius' fellow gladiators do not get a lot of screen time and there is not a natural time line of them warning up to him, they just start working with him. (Also, the movie makes a mistake of having Lucius interacting with few people he likes and too many people he has got a beef with. I like Lucius, but he could have been given more time to really shine as a leader and a person people will follow.)  

Some of the deaths feel like overkill as well. Plus, this goes for the "ending of the last film meant nothing and things went bad" trend that a lot of sequels made decades after their predecessors have been doing. You know that you can have characters doing alright and then set up a new threat/conflict, right?

But there are also some good ideas, lines, and moments in this sprinkled througout. This is a Ridley Scott movie, and though I would not say this is the best of his in terms of visuals, they have been his strong point and he he will catch your eye at times, including some creative kills. A great idea is to have this Rome be more of a fancy-looking, corrupt decadent type of Rome.

It is when the third act comes and everything comes to a head, and we do not have to wait anymore, that things get interesting. Some of the best parts are here including some legitimate surprise moments (including one truly earned scene of melodrama) and the type of epic final battle that the audience wants to see. Though the movie starts out like the original, it definitely tries something different here.

The best part hands down is Denzel Washington's character of Macrinus, the gladiator owner who purchased Lucius and a master schemer who climbed up the ladder from the bottom. He gets the best lines and Washington gives one of the liveliest performances he's ever given in a style I dub "restrained flamboyance". His body language is killing it here.

Mescal is no Crowe (though, the script is not giving him any favors), but he ain't half bad. The character of Lucius is a little dull at first, but Mescal gets a chance to show his ability as the angrier and fed up he gets. You're rooting for Lucius as he wants to burn all the awfulness he encounters to the ground.

Though I felt the emperor in the last film was a little overwrought, he had better characterization than the twin emperors here. They given could have been given more backstory, personality, and stuff to do, but, as spoiled/foppish sort of rulers, they definitely have some fun scenes. All credit should be given to Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, the more juvenile of the duo. He IS the character, providing some great facial work.

Pedro Pascal is the head general of Rome, and I am sad to say that this is one of his less impressive performances. He feels so low-energy throughout most of this film.

A light recommendation. It is not as strong as the original, but when it works it works, and I truly enjoyed the finale. Honestly, some will find this too long and a little dull, while others will enjoy the action and grandeur of this all, and I feel a lot of Gladiator fans may be more forgiving of this than me (I honestly did not love the original as much as some).

Time Cut

Grade: B

In this new Netflix movie, smart high school student Lucy (played by Outer Banks' Madison Bailey) happens across a time machine and is sent back twenty years ago to a before Summer (Ginny & Georgia's Antonia Gentry), the sister she never knew, and her friends were murdered by a serial killer.

There are going to be the natural comparisons to last year's Totally Killer, given that they have similar concepts (also it's super weird that the killers' masks look alike), but it appears that production on this film actually started first. Just one of those X-Men/Doom Patrol parallel ideas at the same time situation.

I admit that Totally Killer was more entertaining and had a better cast, but I felt this had the more interesting story. TC does some stuff I haven't seen done before with a "someone-travels-back-in-time-and-meets-their-younger-family" story. We've seen people interact with their parents as teens and learn more about them stories, but meeting a sibling you never knew is one I haven't really encountered. The relationship between the two sisters with contrasting personalities and personal problems, but they also work well off of each other, is really the backbone of this.

I'm pleased with the killers' identity. This isn't one of those movies where the killer is too obvious or the movie is forcing on one suspect so hard that it's obvious a red herring.

This is probably more for time travel fans than horror ones. This honestly feels at times more like suspense than slasher. Totally Killer, which was also a comedy, actually had more slasher action in it.

Recommended. I know this has been critically panned, but I felt it had a solid story and characters with some interesting ideas.

Here

Grade: A

Here based on the magazine strip turned graphic novel by Richard McGuire is shot from the exact same angle and follows a spot of land and the house that is eventually built on it throughout history with emphasis on said house and the marriage of occupants Richard (played by Tom Hanks) and Margaret (Robin Wright). 

In recent years, Zemeckis' films have been more hit or miss and the last few in particular haven't been well accepted, but I felt this was a real return to form. It honestly feels like an old-school feel-good drama. Admittedly, some may feel the movie to be a bit maudlin, especially by today's more cynical standards, and the main sources of conflicts in Richard and Margaret's stories respectively may not feel quite like how these circumstances would play out in real life, but honestly this was still an entertaining slice-of-life film.

The slipping between timelines and the various vignettes is what really makes it work. You ever seen an educational video or animatronic performance at Disney World (World of Tomorrow is the best example)? It has that kinda feel, with sort of a lets have fun with the presentation kind of way. The stories work, heck most of the shorter ones are actually more interesting than the main story.

Zemeckis' does a solid job of transitioning between time periods, often in a way where things don't all change at once, and incorporates panels, being reminiscent of the format of the original comics. Hearing the basic description of this, you wouldn't think this would be fancy-looking giving the limited locations, but a lot of effort was put into making the background look like the appropriate time periods. The set design and props are also pretty effective at selling the era.

The deaging technology works really well and usually only seems odd if you're  specifically focusing on it. Zemeckis makes the wise choice of avoiding having the characters close up to the camera too often. I wished the movie had used makeup for old age instead of digital effects. There is a couple usages of that where it feels the most fake.

Hanks and Wright, not surprisingly, are solid. Yeah, Hanks does sound a little old if you listen to him long enough, but I did feel he intentionally put more energy into his younger performance. Wright manages to not sound old when playing her younger self. Honestly, some of the supporting actors here are even more entertaining. Paul Bettany as Richard's father gives a particularly lively and multifaceted performance.

The music didn't work for me. It was too 90's light-hearted and didn't feel like it appropriately fitted certain scenes.

Recommended. I know a lot of critics don't like this, and not to say there are no valid criticisms about the main story, but I thought this was a sincerely emotional, impressive, entertaining, and unique work.

Mr. Crocket

6/10 

In this Hulu full-length adaptation of the short Bite Size Halloween episode of the same name, the newly widowed Summer (played by Grey's Anatomy/Hunters' Jerrika Hinton), finds an old VHS copy of a kids' show starring Mr. Crocket (Godfather of Harlem's Elvis Nolasco). However, there's something not quite right about the show and its host and the grasp they have on Summer's son Major (Ayden Gavin). 

The best part of this is the titular Mr. Crocket. Nolasco delivers quite a performance and brings us an unsettling character. It's hard to put into words what makes Crocket scary. I guess it is sort of the fact that he feels like someone who has a figurative mask on over what he really is, but the mask has partially slipped off, and he's not putting it back on; often never playing the character as full psychotic or full his show persona. Crocket feels like that person you met in real life that had some red flag issues if they had the power to do whatever they wanted.

Crockett's playhouse and his "pals" are distinct-looking and pretty freaky. The pals in particular are straight up nightmare-fuel.

However, the script never feels like it reaches its full potential, making decisions that don't quite work. (Also, doesn't help that due to the, I assume, low budget, that there are not a lot of extras around making the world feel desolate.) 

The biggest issue here being the relationship between Summer and her son. Yeah, the mother and her child having difficulty dealing with the loss of a loved one storyline is well known and tried, but this oddly fails the formula. One could give the movie props for not being cookie cutter, but the storyline does not work. Major is portrayed as just too unlikable. Yeah, he just lost his dad, but the movie never shows like he was what before hand or any positive qualities whatsoever. Major feels more like a damaged child in real life that requires a fair amount of therapy. One could credit the movie for treating the topic more seriously, but this feels more like a topic that should've been in an A24 atmospheric horror movie, not one with an over-the-top murderous kids' show host.

Partially recommended. Lots of people will be into Crocket and his world, but others will just be bummed by the story.

Haunted Wedding

6/10

In this recent Hallmark Halloween entry, ghost hunters Jane (played by Pretty Little Liars' Janel Parrish), the more science-focused one, and Brian (Shadowhunters' Dominic Sherwood), the more spiritual-focused one, are getting married at a hotel. At said hotel, they encounter Angelique (Cassandra Potenza), a ghost pining over her one true love tragically separated by fate. Jane and Brian decide to help reunite them.

This is a Hallmark movie and fine for what it is. They're simple comfort food and not trying to be high art, and this is exactly what these movies' audience want them to be. The plot isn't complex, but it doesn't quite feel like it's coasting. There are some decent jokes and lines in this, and the writers felt like they took their job seriously. (I mean by Hallmark standards. I kinda love the fact that once the ghost hunters find true evidence of the paranormal for the first time, they don't try studying it at all. Absolutely, no use of scientific equipment or recording anything. They just immediately decide to help Angelique 'cuz the power of love.) Overall, the dialogue, acting, and script all have a good-natured feel to it.

Best performance is definitely Parrish whose Jane is fairly driven and empathetic. Sherwood brings a sort of likeable quasi-dorkiness to the role. Though, a lot of this movie is Angelique being ticked off or feeling sorry for herself (I also kinda like the fact that Angelique is just kinda peeved at the couple most of the time, even though they're trying to help her), Potenza makes it work. No one's trying to win an Oscar in these movies, but I felt that Lauren Cochrane as Jane's best friend was sorta stale.

Recommended if you like Hallmark movies. It's an alright way to spend time where you know you're watching something safe that won't mess with your expectations or require a lot of involvement. Most of the people behind this felt like they were game. I checked and, surprisingly, Hallmark hasn't done that many ghost movies, and a human-human, ghost-ghost romance is something new for them.