Judy

Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland (Zellweger) arrives in Swinging London to perform in a sell-out run at The Talk of the Town. It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of romance seem undimmed as she embarks on a courtship with Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband. Featuring some of her best-known songs, the film celebrates the voice, the capacity for love, and the sheer pizzazz of “the world’s greatest entertainer.”

This movie was all about Zellwegger's performance as Judy Garland.  And all the buzz was spot on.  She was absolutely incredible.  Like beyond incredible.  The thing is that the movie basically has no substance whatsoever outside of the performance.  Like it ends up being pretty boring once you get past her acting.  But the acting really is going to get a bunch of nominations.

I would recommend people checking this out solely for the performance.  But the movie itself is not all that good.

Abominable

"Abominable" takes audiences on a 3,000-mile journey from the exotic streets of Shanghai to the breathtaking Himalayan snowscapes. When a group of misfits encounter a young Yeti named Everest, they embark upon an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth.

This is the textbook end of September family release that tries to capitalize on the Jewish holidays and the kids having off so much.  The movies released around now are usually pretty hit or miss in terms of being worth it.  I actually enjoyed this one.  It was better than the usual entries and what not.  Cute enough characters and the movie was well paced until some extra stuff towards the end.

I would recommend families checking this out.  It is worth the time and money or at least much more than the usual options are.

Ad Astra

Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones to star in James Gray’s "Ad Astra." The sci-fi epic will feature Jones as the father of Pitt’s character who, 20 years ago, left his son on a mission to Neptune in the search for extraterrestrial life. Pitt’s character, named Roy McBride, then sets out two decades later to find out what happened to his dad.

This was a weird ass movie.  And it certainly was not a mainstream offering.  This movie is much more of a cerebral type of movie.  Although there were parts of the most random action that was beyond unexpected that were actually really awesome.  But after those really out there scenes the movie would go back into deep thought mode for waayyyyyyy too long.  The only movie that I can honestly compare this to is 2001.  Like it was amazing visually and had some really awesome moments but bottom line I was bored several times throughout the movie.

I would sort of recommend people checking this out just because of how visually amazing it was and that it really is an excellent piece of filmmaking.  Just don't go into it thinking that you are seeing a mainstream type of space movie.  That is NOT what this is.

Rambo: Last Blood

The new film finds John Rambo coping with intense PTSD while living on a ranch in Arizona, trying to pick up casual work wherever he can. Soon his friend and estate manager Maria informs him that her granddaughter went missing after crossing into Mexico for a party, so John travels south of the border to find the youngster. The quest quickly turns into a violent descent into hell as Rambo uncovers a sex-trafficking ring, teaming up with a journalist whose half-sister has also been kidnapped. Rambo has to deploy all his skills to save the girls and bring down a vicious crime lord.

This movie was exactly what you thought it would be.  There was a bunch of pointless story build up that you honestly just don't care about at all.  And then there was awesome non-stop action.  The action was worth it if you are into these kinds of movie but it really did take way too long to get there.

I would still kind of recommend that fans of these movies check it out.  It's nowhere near the league of previous Rambo movies in terms of intensity until the last 20 minutes or so and even then it really still isn't but its watchable.

IT - Chaper Two

Because every 27 years evil revisits the town of Derry, Maine, IT CHAPTER TWO brings the characters—who’ve long since gone their separate ways—back together as adults, nearly three decades after the events of the first film.

The biggest challenge of every time that they try to make IT is the second part.  The first half where they are all children and its mostly the clown is creepy as hell.  The second part is always a problem.  I will say that this is the best attempt at it so far.  It really wasn't bad at all.  I liked it.  The problem was that it was almost 3 hours long.  That was so beyond not necessary in any way and it basically makes you stop being scared of anything.  There were so many point in the last hour or so that I was numb to be afraid and just kind of laughing at it.  I with this would have been at least an hour shorter.  Again - it was good.  Just could have been great like the first one.  I also have to give a shout of to Bill Hader and James Ransone playing the adult versions of Richie and Eddie.  They stole every scene that they were in with their physical and verbal reactions to things happening in the movie.

I would still recommend people checking this out.  I really did like it.  I just couldn't love it because of the long run time and how the scares just became like whatever because of it.

Hustlers

The Jessica Pressler penned true-life Robin Hood tale centers on a crew of former strip club employees who turn tables on their Wall Street clientele. Lopez is set to play the ringleader of the group of ambitious women who take their plans of getting their full cut too far. The film takes place in the late aughts of New York City in the wake of the financial crisis and explores the toll it took on the livelihood of the dancers who relied on their Wall Street clients.

This was ALOT better than I thought it would be.  Like the telling of the story was very enjoyable and well paced and the acting across the board was really good.  I watched this online and enjoyed it so much that I wish I would have seen it in theaters.  Easily the best performance of Jennifer Lopez's career.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  This is a much better watch than what would normally come out in September.  Definitely worth checking out.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Set in Los Angeles in the summer of 1969, Tarantino’s upcoming movie focuses on a male TV actor named Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) who’s had one hit western series and is looking for a way to get into the film business. His sidekick Cliff Booth (Pitt) who’s also his stunt double, is looking for the same thing. The horrific murder of Sharon Tate (Rick’s neighbor in the film) and four of her friends by Charles Manson’s cult of followers serves as a backdrop to the main story.

I have always been a huge fan of Tarantino.  Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are probably two of my favorite movies ever.  Most of his movies would also be way up there.  That being said, you can always expect certain things from his movies . . . . . They will take you to the exact time where the movie is supposed to take place almost flawlessly, the movie will be too long and there will be legendary dialogue or random action scenes.  This movie was no different.  The movie legit looked like it was right out of the 70s.  There was so much effort put into the cinematography and it really became kind of like a character in the movie.  The movie was definitely too long and to be honest was missing a hook for the first 40 minutes or so.  I was starting to get worried that I wouldn't like it (knowing I still had two more hours) just before it did get much better.  Could have done without that though.  And yes - the dialogue, one liners, random action scenes with Brad Pitt were all awesome.   And the bottom line is that even though it was too long - the movie came together awesomely and very Tarantinoesque at the end.

I would recommend people checking this out because just like all his other films - this is essentially a clinic on film making from every angle.  It is definitely too long and drags at times but gets better as it goes and the way it comes together at the end is awesome.

Ready Or Not

Ready or Not follows the story of a young bride who is invited on the night of her wedding by her rich and eccentric in-laws to participate in a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game of survival with everyone fighting to stay alive.

This was exactly what you thought it would be.  Over the top violence and silliness throughout.  The story is simple as hell.  The movie is very quickly paced and short.  Honestly - you forget about it like 10 minutes after you are done watching it.

I wouldn'really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It's not awful but it is extremely pointless.

Angel Has Fallen

Gerard Butler is gearing up for his third big screen outing as Secret Service agent Mike Banning, following "Olympus Has Fallen" and "London Has Fallen." The third film in the series follows Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) as he becomes the target of a terrorist attack, this time while mid-flight on Air Force One. The original film, Olympus Has Fallen, saw the White House (codenamed “Olympus”) captured by a terrorist mastermind. With President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As our national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning’s inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President, and avert an even bigger disaster.

Don't get me wrong.  This is a watchable and somewhat enjoyable action and political espionage movie.  All the characters did what they were supposed to.  The story did what it was supposed to.  But I kept finding myself throughout the movie wondering how in the hell this is a three movie franchise over and over again.  Like you want want to talk about making sequels just for the sake of making them when there is literally zero demand for them . . . . this has got to be a prime example.

I would sort of recommend people checking this out.  Again - its not great.  Its not bad.  Its a decent watch that ends up just kind of being there.

Don't Let Go

The film focuses on a detective named Jack Radcliff, who receives a call from his niece Ashley … which is strange because Ashley was recently murdered. Together, the duo work across time and race to solve her murder before it happens.

This actually could have been a really good movie.  It did a great job of hooking you with confusion but wanting to see it play out.  The problem is that after a while the movie tried to be too smart.  Like it was three different movies in one and each of them were interesting but when they were all mushed together it just didn't work.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing to see this.  It was an enjoyable watch until it got way too convoluted at the end but still not worth the time or money overall.

Blinded By The Light

The film tells the story of Javed, a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in the powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.

Wow!  I'm once again stunned at how much I enjoyed this movie.  Didn't go into it with much expectations and figured it would be pretty formula based on the trailer.  And it was in fact pretty formula but still more than enjoyable enough.  It had a great and organic hook and the use of music was beyond perfect.  It actually managed to make me like Bruce Springsteen even more than I already did.  

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a very enjoyable watch and the way that "musicals" should be where everything is just goes kind of fluidly.

Dora And The Lost City Of Gold

A live-action adaptation of the TV series “Dora the Explorer.” “Dora the Explorer” first launched on Nickelodeon in the year 2000 and aired over 170 episodes before ultimately concluding in 2015. The educational series followed the titular Dora and her monkey friend Boots going on interactive adventures with the audience. It was nominated for seven Daytime Emmy Awards, winning in 2011. The film would center around Dora as a teenager, who moves to the city to live with her cousin Diego.

This showed up online so I gave it a shot.  I lasted about 20-30 minutes in before she was singing a song about a poop shovel and I just couldn't do it anymore.  This is a blatant money grab and its insulting even to the parents of the young children that is the targeted audience.

I recommend nobody wasting their time or money on this.  It's another blatant end of summer money grab by Hollywood and it was too painful to even sit through and watch for free online.

Good Boys

The producers of "Sausage Party," "Superbad" and "Blockers" bring their signature R-rated twist to the classic coming-of-age story in Universal Pictures’ "Good Boys." The comedy stars Jacob Tremblay ("Wonder," "Room") as the mischievous leader of a group of 12-year-old boys whose day of skipped school will become an all-day odyssey of awesomely bad decisions.

I thought this movie was absolutely hilarious.  The trailer had me dying but I was scared that all the funny parts would have been given away in that.  They were not.  This movie was massively inappropriate like you would expect but I could not stop laughing.  The characters were awesome developed and all played their very realistic parts based on kids that age.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  I'm pretty sure it is the funniest movie of the year so far.

The Angry Birds Movie 2

"The Angry Birds Movie" slingshot to nearly $350 million in worldwide box office and launched a global movie brand.

This is literally just more of the first.  Decent laughs.  Pretty good voices.  Great use of music to make people laugh.  But you have pretty much forgotten all about it 10 minutes after seeing it.  Its more than decent enough for parents to watch if they are looking for something to do with their kids.  But it's not a must see.

Like I said - I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this out.  There is a reason this is coming out mid-August.  Its just an end of summer money grab for families looking to do something as the summer winds down.

The Peanut Butter Falcon

The Peanut Butter Falcon tells the story of Zak (Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, who runs away from a residential nursing home to follow his dream of attending the professional wrestling school of his idol, The Salt Water Redneck (Church). A strange turn of events pairs him on the road with Tyler (LaBeouf), a small-time outlaw on the run, who becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally. Together they wind through deltas, elude capture, drink whiskey, find God, catch fish, and convince Eleanor (Johnson), a kind nursing home employee charged with Zak’s return, to join them on their journey.

I can't really put into words how or why this movie hooked me but it massively did.  It is so random and some could think of it as pointless if not hooked but if you allow yourself to be this is such an amazingly enjoyable movie.  I never in a million years thought that I would enjoy it as much as I did.  It made you laugh, it made you cry and in some deranged way it made you feel good seeing this story play out.

I absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  Again - I can't necessarily put my finger on it but this is easily one of my favorite movies of this year.

47 Meters Down: Uncaged

47 Meters Down: Uncaged takes place in the backpacking mecca of Brazil, against the backdrop of the country’s vibrant culture, party atmosphere and beautiful beaches. A group of five girls from different backgrounds and countries are united by their lust for life and adventure in the coastal metropolis of Recife. Looking to get off the well-worn tourist trail, they hear about a hidden underwater ruin from a local guide and seize the opportunity to discover their own Atlantis beneath the turquoise waves. Unbeknownst to them, the caves where the forgotten city lies are not completely uninhabited, and as they swim deeper into the submerged labyrinth of caves they enter the territory of the deadliest shark species in the ocean.

This was a total waste of time and a blatant money grab.  It spend the first half lamely building up a bunch of characters that you couldn't care less about and then the second half was all dark and hand held camera underwater stuff where you really were just watching people spin around and breathe heavily.  That is legit it.  The first one was a surprisingly enjoyable watch.  This one was not.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It's a pretty big waste of time and money.

Hobbs & Shaw

The "Fast & Furious" spin-off will be a team-up between Dwayne Johnson’s Agent Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw.

This was textbook summer popcorn movie.  Crazy over the top action, tons of banter and laughs, an awesome villain, great chemistry between all parts and lots of random surprises.  I will always love The Rock no matter what.  The guy has made some giant turds of movies but I don't care because. . . . . . he's The Rock.  But outside of Fast Five - this is probably my favorite movie he has ever done.  It was just a very enjoyable ride.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It is easily one of the more enjoyable movies to come out this summer.

The Art Of Racing In The Rain

Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo. Through his bond with his owner, Denny Swift, an aspiring Formula One race car driver, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. The film follows Denny and the loves of his life, his wife, Eve, their young daughter Zoe, and ultimately, his true best friend, Enzo voiced by Kevin Costner.

Wow!  This movie massively and blatantly pulled every possible heart string it could but I didn't care.  I absolutely loved this movie.  I don't know how any pet lover or animal lover would be able not to.  I completely enjoyed this movie.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  Its a massive tearjerker and punches you in the heart over and over again but I absolutely loved it.  This movie is a must see for anyone who loves or loved their pet.

The Kitchen

The Kitchen is an adaptation of the DC/Vertigo female-fronted comic book series of the same name. The original series was written by Ollie Masters and illustrated by Becky Cloonan and Ming Doyle. The series takes place in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, in the 1970s and follows the wives of Irish mobsters. Ultimately, the wives step in and take over to start running the business after several men are arrested during a mafia sweep.

This movie is was pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be from the trailer.  Nothing special.  Not a bad movie.  Not a great movie.  Ultimately its just there and has some really strange casting for a dramatic movie.  It was tough to watch at times having to take two of the funniest women in Hollywood serious but it was still somewhat enjoyable.

I wouldn't recommend anyone rush out to see this.  Certainly not if you are fans of the two leads because this is NOT the type of performances that you would normally be going to see for them.  Its a decent watch but there is not too much more to say past that.