Vengeance

A journalist and podcaster travels from New York City to Texas to investigate the death of a woman whom he hooked up with.

This was a very simple independent film.   Take the craziness of online dating and turn it into a fish out of water story with a guy going from busy city life to small town Texas life and let it play out just like you think it would.   Add in that its a developing mystery podcast being told and you get some pretty decent laughs.

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it is a decent watch if you decide to do so.

Elvis

From his rise to fame to his unprecedented superstardom, rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley maintains a complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, over the course of 20 years. Central to Presley's journey and happiness is one of the most influential people in his life -- Priscilla.

Always been a big fan of Baz Luhrman movies and this one was no different.  His very specific filming style meshed very well with the story of Elvis and his manager.  The actor playing Elvis was incredible and although the fat neck makeup of Tom Hanks was annoying as hell he did a great job of playing someone you didn't like for what felt like the first time ever.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out.  It was a very enjoyable watch even though it was close to three hours long.

Lightyear

Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion, Sox.

This was a great set up.  Making it that this was the movie that Andy saw that made him want the Buzz Lightyear toy was such a simple but awesome launching point.  The characters were all great - especially Sox, who stole every scene it was in.  The story was a little overcomplicated with the time travel and what not but you are able to let go of it because Pixar is just so good at what they do.  

I would absolutely recommend everyone checking this out.  It's a very fun ride and a great family watch like only Disney/Pixar can do. 

Where The Crawdads Sing

Abandoned as a girl, Kya raised herself in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the marsh girl haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, she opens herself to a new and startling world.

This movie was a decent story that you can definitely invest in but the pacing was kind of brutal and there was no way that this should have been two hours long.  Trim a half hour off of this and you have an excellent young adult novel based movie but it just plodded along way too much.

I would not really recommend anyone rushing to see this.  Its a decent story that is dragged out and loses its emotional hooks along the way. 

Minions: The Rise Of Gru

In the 1970s, young Gru tries to join a group of supervillains called the Vicious 6 after they oust their leader -- the legendary fighter Wild Knuckles. When the interview turns disastrous, Gru and his Minions go on the run with the Vicious 6 hot on their tails. Luckily, he finds an unlikely source for guidance -- Wild Knuckles himself -- and soon discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

I have been a massive fan of the Minions since day one.  They do not get old to me at all.  That being said - this back and forth that they do between the current time based Despicable Me franchise and the prequel franchise of the Minions is so well balanced/done.   You end up loving the current adventures but also loving the backstory of how they all came to be because they do a really good job continuity wise for an animation franchise.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.   It was a very fun continuation of the backstory to these lovable characters.

Jurassic World: Dominion

The future of mankind hangs in the balance as humans and dinosaurs coexist following the destruction of Isla Nublar.

Ugh.  Just plain ugh.  This franchise has totally gone the way of the Transformers franchise.  The second Jurassic World was very cringey and then this one was off the charts.  The massive overacting, the way too long run time, the creation and forcing of new characters that we have not known from the previous 5 entries, and that damn hand thing to an oncoming dinosaur was just painful at times.  I went into this with super low expectations and it definitely met them.  Even the nostalgia stuff pretty much fell flat.  If it wasn't for making fun of a lot of the movie I probably would have left.  

I don't think my recommendation really matters at all.  People are gonna see this regardless but I definitely am happy that this franchise is allegedly closing its doors.

The Black Phone

Finney Shaw is a shy but clever 13-year-old boy who's being held in a soundproof basement by a sadistic, masked killer. When a disconnected phone on the wall starts to ring, he soon discovers that he can hear the voices of the murderer's previous victims -- and they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to Finney.

This movie was awesome.  I had a hunch from the trailer - which terrified the hell out of me but the movie wasn't just another horror movie with a good premise that doesn't deliver.  Even with some supernatural elements involved this movie was very grounded in fear or those things that were pushed on all of us as a child.  Ethan Hawke killed it as The Grabber and I was very happy that even thought I jumped out of my chair several times that it didn't mess me up so much that I couldn't sleep that night.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was an awesome watch all around and very well done.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove that he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns with a new partner, Knuckles, in search of a mystical emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

This was pretty much more of the same from the first one.  They didn't change anything that worked.  They perfectly introduced new characters from the video game series and they continued the story.  My only knock would be that there was no reason for this movie to be two hours long but any extra time seeing Jim Carrey be the Jim Carrey of old shouldn't be questioned.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's entertaining family time for the kids and the adults.

Crimes Of The Future

As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. Accompanied by his partner, celebrity performance artist Saul Tenser showcases the metamorphosis of his organs. Meanwhile, a mysterious group tries to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.

What the hell was this?  I tried.  I really did.  I made it about halfway through but this shit was so weird that I just couldn't keep watching and pulled the plug.  

I wish anyone the best of luck that wants to finish this.  Incredibly strange watch that doesn't do a good enough job of hooking the viewer.  Or at least this viewer. 

Men

In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to find a place to heal. However, someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her. What begins as simmering dread soon becomes a fully formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears.

What the hell was this?  This is another one of those movies that looks intriguing based off of the trailer and gets great reviews for its originality and creativity and blah blah blah but you sit down to watch it and from start to finish find yourself asking what the hell is this.   This movie was very artistic and very weird. I guess I could see how it was good from a filmmaking standpoint but I honestly thought it was just trash.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It was a weird waste of time that you will forget pretty soon after getting off the weirdness annoyance. 

Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness

Dr Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens a portal to the multiverse. However, a threat emerges that may be too big for his team to handle.

Marvel never fails.  It's like a given.  They are so good at storytelling and interweaving all the stories together.  This movie served as an awesome sequel to Doctor Strange and Wandavision while capitalizing on things started in Loki and the last Spider-Man movie.  The pacing was great.  The action was so intense that at times it felt like a legit horror movie with a couple of massive sight scares.  The cameos were not as crazy as expected but awesome.   No spoilers but they made me so beyond happy with a casting choice I had wanted to see forever.  

I would of course recommend everyone checking this out.  I will definitely be seeing this a couple more times in theaters. 

The Lost City

Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes she can lead him to an ancient city's lost treasure from her latest story. Determined to prove he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her.

This was a total throwback romantic action comedy.   It was formula in every possible way but it didn't matter.  The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum was perfect.  Sandra Bullock's physical comedy was priceless yet again.  Even Daniel Radcliffe's overacting as the villain was very enjoyable.  The movie was just a lot of fun with a bunch of huge laughs.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a very fun watch and just a good time while turning your brain off and enjoying the ride.

The Bob's Burgers Movie

A ruptured water main creates an enormous sinkhole right in front of Bob's Burgers, blocking the entrance indefinitely and ruining the Belchers' plans for a successful summer. While Bob and Linda struggle to keep the business afloat, the kids try to solve a mystery that could save their family's restaurant. As the dangers mount, these underdogs help each other find hope as they try to get back behind the counter.

I have always been a massive fan of Bob's Burgers so was very excited for the movie.  It did not disappoint.  It was a great watch that did justice by all the main characters and even a bunch of the side characters from the show.  I think the best part was that you could pretty much never have seen the show and would still be more than able to enjoy the movie and fall in love with the characters for the first time.

I would definitely recommend people taking in the joy of Bob's Burgers.  It is a lot of fun and a lot of laughs and a perfect escape at the movies.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.

WOW!   This was one weird ass movie.   And the weirdness along with the owning of how weird what we were seeing was by the director and actors make it very enjoyable.  The movie is worth seeing just because of the fanny pack scene but the crazy journey is an honestly enjoyable acid trip.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  You have to have a very open mind and just enjoy the weirdness of it all but if you can it is a very enjoyable watch.  

Memory

When Alex, an expert assassin, refuses to complete a job for a dangerous criminal organization, he becomes a target. FBI agents and Mexican intelligence are brought in to investigate the trail of bodies, leading them closer to Alex. With the crime syndicate and FBI in hot pursuit, Alex has the skills to stay ahead, except for one thing: he is struggling with severe memory loss, affecting his every move. Alex must question his every action and whom he can ultimately trust.

Yet another movie with Liam Nesson where he has a particular set of skills.  Only this time - he is also battling Alzheimers at the same time.  That is not a punchline.  That is actually the story of the movie.  Never in my life have I seen an actor doing a role and it completely taking over him in the most crazy type casting way.  This is just as forgettable as the 70 movies that he has made since the original Taken with him playing the same role over and over.

I would not recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It's is about as forgetful as you can get the second you are done watching it.