The Forever Purge

On the run from a drug cartel, a Mexican couple battle vicious thugs who plan to continue the violent tradition of the now-outlawed Purge.

I have to say that this is probably the most legit of all the Purge movies.  By saying that I mean that it was rotating around the actual kills and the gore/crazy costumes of it all.   This movie was much more grounded in current events and honestly felt kind of like I was watching a bigger version of the January 6th insurrection.  People against immigrants and seeing them as these massive enemies in the name of America.  What more else is there to say?

I mean . . . .  it's a Purge movie.  Does my recommendation really mean anything?   If you have watched the others you will obviously see this.  If you have not - why in the blue hell would you start now?

F9

Dominic Toretto and his crew join forces to battle the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they've ever encountered -- his forsaken brother.

I have always enjoyed the movies in this franchise.   I am well aware of how far over the top the action is at times but I am able to just push that to the side and watch anyway.   These are just summer popcorn movies and I have no problem taking them for what they are.   That being said - this one went so far above and beyond over the top that anyone who had a problem with that stuff before is going to lose it with the silliness at times of this one.   But regardless - still find them entertaining as hell.   John Cena is a great addition to the franchise and really just makes me want to see The Rock come back to the franchise even more.

It's honestly just another crazy action entry in the very successful franchise.  If you like the others I have no doubt you will like this one.  If you don't - then you won't and honestly why would you start liking them now regardless?  

Cruella

A live-action feature film following the evil exploits of Cruella de Vil, the villain from the Disney film, "101 Dalmatians'.

I really like this concept of Disney's.   The Malificent movies were enjoyable but this one really opened the door of giving classic Disney villains origin story movies.   The movie was honestly Disney's version of The Devil Wears Prada but was a very enjoyable watch.  Emma Stone was great as Cruella.  My only complaint about the movie is that it was definitely too long.   This movie should have been at least 30 minutes shorter and then it would have been even better.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a very enjoyable watch with an awesome performance that should open doors to a whole new set of Disney live action movies.

Black Widow

At birth the Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanova) is given to the KGB, which grooms her to become its ultimate operative. When the U.S.S.R. breaks up, the government tries to kill her as the action moves to present-day New York, where she is a freelance operative.

Marvel is honestly the most guaranteed thing that I know of.   I was a little skeptical about a movie randomly set in the already existing timeline that was not an origin story but they hit this one out of the park.  Black Widow got her due.  The new characters introduced were amazing and Yelena rocketed to the top of my MCU favorite characters.   The action was amazing.  There were a lot of great laughs.  And the story explaining origins while at the same time moving characters forward was perfectly done.   Possibly the most impressive part though is that the movie at the same time made it possible for more Black Widow movies if they want set in the past while bringing the surviving characters to current times too.   

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.   It is an incredibly enjoyable summer blockbuster and I'm so glad to see Marvel movies back.

The Boss Baby: Family Business

Now adults, Theodore Templeton and his estranged brother take a magical formula that transforms them into babies for 48 hours. Together, they must now go under cover to prevent an evil genius from turning fellow toddlers intro monstrous brats.

This was a better than average family movie watch.   If you like this first one I have no doubt that you will enjoy this one too.   They did a good job of getting the adults to be kids again and the voice additions were great to the already existing ones.  Dreamworks animation is not on Pixar's level but its a pretty good second best in terms of churning out animation movies that kids and adults can both enjoy.

I would recommend families looking for something to watch check this out.   It's definitely entertaining enough and teaches enough lessons along the way to the younger kids watching it.

In The Heights

In Washington Heights, N.Y., the scent of warm coffee hangs in the air just outside of the 181st St. subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies a vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is a likable and magnetic bodega owner who hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.

Had never seen the original musical and really didn't have any idea what it was about but almost instantly didn't care.  You get pulled in to this town and the different characters in it and automatically want to know their stories and how they will turn out.  The music from Lin Manuel Miranda is as great as his stuff always is and keeps you dancing in your seat throughout the movie.

I would definitely recommend people check this movie out.  It was a very enjoyable movie and just a great all around time watching it.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one of the most sensational cases of their careers after a cop stumbles upon a dazed and bloodied young man walking down the road. Accused of murder, the suspect claims demonic possession as his defense, forcing the Warrens into a supernatural inquiry unlike anything they've ever seen before.

I have always been lukewarm at best about this franchise and its spinoffs.   I am all for quality scare spots and there is no shortage of them in the previous Conjuring movies or this one.  My problem is that I find myself only watching them for those.   Like as this franchise has gone on they have tried to make it more about the characters and I'm sorry but I just don't care about them and their character development.  These movies are just about the scares for me.   And this latest entry really went in on the two recurring characters and it very much watered the movie down for me.   Again - there were decent scares and its not a bad watch but character caring is not what these movies are about for me.

I would still recommend that any fan of the franchises check this out and I'm sure that they will enjoy it but if you were on the fence about it all along like I have been, this one continues the decline from movie to movie.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Getaway

Despite his efforts, Peter can't seem to shake his reputation for mischief among the other rabbits. Once he adventures out of the garden Peter finds himself in a world where mischief is appreciated, but soon his family come to bring him home.

There are times when you know that a movie is destined for a sequel.  And then there are others where you just kind of tilt your head like a confused dog and think really?   They spent millions of dollars on that?   Was there that big of a demand for this?  This one definitely falls into the latter.  Don't get me wrong.  I understand its a family movie and what not but like put that money into something good for families to watch.  Not just a retread of the original.  Literally - the same movie over again.  

I would not really people, including families, bothering with this.   This should not be the way that you get back to going to theaters.  That needs to be saved for something more worthy.

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

The world's most lethal odd couple -- bodyguard Michael Bryce and hit man Darius Kincaid -- are back for another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius's even more volatile wife. Soon, all three are in over their heads when a madman's sinister plot threatens to leave Europe in total chaos.

Very difficult to think of a sequel that was less in demand than this one.  Adding to that it being a summer release that is supposed to help people get back to going to theaters and my mind is beyond baffled.  Not to say that the first movie wasn't enjoyable.  It very much was because of the off the wall banter and the fact that honestly they really didn't take themselves too serious with the movie.   And this one was exactly the same.  Even adding in a lot more of Salma Hayek.  She was perfect playing off the other two.  Just one of those sequels that makes you do the dog head tilt like "really?"

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this out.  It is not by any means whatsoever a must see.  But if you are a fan of Ryan Reynolds banter and want to see it going back and forth perfectly with the other two in this then you will enjoy it.  Just not sure its honestly worth money and a trip to the theater for it.

Luca

Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, the original animated feature is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the water's surface.

The two things that you can always count on is Marvel and Pixar not letting you down.  Even their less than excellent movies are still great.   Luca is yet another triumph for Pixar when you really don't expect it at all.   A movie about sea people that turn to humans and want to win a race to get a vespa with very heavy Italian culture involved.  Read that again.   That would sound like an absolute trainwreck to me.  Yet since it's Pixar, it was a very enjoyable ride with incredibly original and diverse characters that keeps you hooked right from the start.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.   I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and am eternally grateful for the excellence of Pixar.

Those Who Wish Me Dead

A smoke jumper and a 12-year-old boy fight for their lives as two assassins pursue them through the wilderness.

This is one of those movies that although it is watchable because of action stuff and the fire effects, you find yourself wondering the entire time why this movie was made.   I still don't know.  Like what was the need for this movie?   How does the title describe this movie in any way?   Again - it's a decent watch and entertaining at times but just overall an extremely pointless movie.

I would only recommend this movie to someone wanting to turn their brain off for 90 minutes and enjoy a pointless but watchable ride of a movie.

Here Today

When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz meets New York singer Emma Payge, they form an unlikely yet touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust.

This was a decent watch and the pairing of Crystal with Haddish actually felt like it worked.   That being said - this is really not much more than a massive heartstring pulling movie.  They don't try to hide it at all.  They are milking all sorts of emotions through this.  

I would very lukewarmly recommend people checking this out if they like heartstring dramas.   It's not a must see by any means but not the worst watch either.   

A Quiet Place Part II

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

Wow!  John Krazinski really has established himself off of these two movies as one of the best directors of massive amounts of tension and creating edge of your seat situations.  This movie was not as insanely intense from beginning to end like the first one.  There were a couple of breather moments here and there but when he turned it up holy crap.   And he managed to make things even more intense because of the single moment with the stress getting more and more - he would have three separate holy crap situations side by side and jumping from one to the other as the tension built up.   So well directed and acted.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out.   It is an incredibly directed and acted movie and that makes it so much more than the alien invasion story.   I love these movies.

Spiral

Working in the shadow of his father, Detective Ezekiel "Zeke" Banks and his rookie partner take charge of an investigation into grisly murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city's gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer's morbid game.

Not going to lie.  I did not remotely see this as a franchise that needed to be brought back in any way.  Like it had pretty much run its course but if Chris Rock and Samuel L Jackson wanted to get involved for some reason I would still check it out.   Didn't really have any expectations on it and it was a better than average watch.  Very predictable but still a good story to follow and not as many of the gruesome nasty scenes.  Still plenty of them but it's not on screen essentially the whole movie because that was what it had pretty much devolved in to.  

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  It is not a must watch by any means but if you are a fan of these kinds of movies it is entertaining.

Dream Horse

The true story of Dream Alliance, an unlikely racehorse bred by small-town bartender Jan Vokes. With very little money and no experience, Jan convinces her neighbors to chip in their meager earnings to help raise Dream and compete with the racing elites. Their investment pays off as Dream rises through the ranks and becomes a beacon of hope for their struggling community.

This movie had no business whatsoever getting me hooked like it did.  But when the textbook underdog story hooks you then there is no point to fighting it.   The connection between the horse and the lead/town folk that I found myself enjoying and rooting for.   Sometimes that's all you need to make a movie enjoyable.

I would recommend people checking this out.  It was a very enjoyable watch with a lot of chemistry throughout the cast surrounding the horse that was kind of infectious.