Sing 2

Can-do koala Buster Moon and his all-star cast of animal performers prepare to launch a dazzling stage extravaganza in the glittering entertainment capital of the world. There's just one hitch -- he has to find and persuade the world's most reclusive rock star to join them. What begins as Buster's dream of big-time success soon becomes an emotional reminder of the power of music to heal even the most broken heart.

This is another one of those Universal animation franchises that are watchable but pretty forgettable right after.   Like they have the Despicable Me franchise that I love but then all the rest are decent watches but I feel no real connection to the characters and stuff to care.  The music in this was great just like the first one but you really forget all about the movie like 15 minutes after you watch it.  

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this unless it's families with younger kids.  They will certainly enjoy it and it's not beyond painful for the parents but it's not really memorable either.

Marry Me

Pop superstar Kat Valdez is about to get married before an audience of her loyal fans. However, seconds before the ceremony, she learns about her fiance's cheating ways and has a meltdown on stage. In a moment of inspired insanity, Kat locks eyes with a total stranger in the crowd and marries him on the spot. As forces conspire to separate the unlikely newlyweds, they must soon decide if two people from such different worlds can find true love together.

I was stunned by how much I enjoyed this movie.  Was it corny?  Yes.  Was it beyond predictable?  Yes.  But there was something about the cast that just made me let all that go and enjoy the ride that the characters went on.  Not going to remotely say that this is a well done or must see movie but it was very enjoyable.

It's been a long time since a rom-com came out that I enjoyed as much as this one.  I would very surprisingly recommend that people check this movie out. 

Nightmare Alley

In 1940s New York, down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle endears himself to a clairvoyant and her mentalist husband at a traveling carnival. Using newly acquired knowledge, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy. Hoping for a big score, he soon hatches a scheme to con a dangerous tycoon with help from a mysterious psychiatrist who might be his most formidable opponent yet.

This is very much one of those movies where the cinematography makes the movies.   The overall appearance of everything was like an extra character.  Regarding the rest of the characters - there was some truly excellent acting in this movie across the board.  Very stellar cast delivered throughout.   And finally the direction of the movie really takes you there and sucks in the viewer to this world that. you feel like you are on the journey with them.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.   It was a very enjoyable watch and could definitely garner some year end award consideration. 

West Side Story

Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks -- two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

This one is a little tough to review.  It was very excellently made.  Spielberg's camera work and using the background setting as a character in pretty much every shot was beyond top notch.  The performances were all great.  The singing and choreography were all great too.  I just have never been that big of a fan of the story.  I was hoping that maybe this would help me like it more but it didn't.  

Again - I would still recommend people checking it out because it is an incredibly well done movie.  Don't let my lack of enjoyment of the story be a downer.  

The Matrix Resurrections

Plagued by strange memories, Neo's life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself back inside the Matrix.

This is a weird one to review.  The original Matrix is one of my favorite movies of all time.  The sequel had quite honestly one of the best long action sequences ever with the freeway scene.  The third one was very enjoyable although I had my issues with it.  I assumed that this movie would just be the fourth sequel but it was more of a reboot kind of.  Like it was weird.   They didn't really step on the gas with it too much and kept it grounded because honestly it played like more of a romance movie.  Like even writing that feels weird.  And all of that is not to say the movie was bad.  I actually liked it for the most part.  I could have done without the long talky talky stuff with the old Jada Pinkett Smith character but I really liked how they set it up.  I really liked the ending.  It just was more of a soft reboot as opposed to being a sequel or like the other Matrix movies.  

I would definitely still recommend people checking this out.  I mean it's a Matrix movie.  It's worth watching alone just because of the visuals.  Just be prepared that it's very different from the other Matrix movies.

A Journal For Jordan

Deployed to Iraq, First Sgt. Charles Monroe King starts to keep a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back at home, Dana Canedy, a senior editor for The New York Times, revisits the story of her unlikely, life-altering relationship with King and his enduring devotion to his beloved family.

This was a very well done and nice movie but it was all about pulling heartstrings.  You cared about the couple.  You cared about their journey.  You cared about their story but it was kind of forced and there was nothing that you didn't know was going to happen.  But credit where its due - even with that it was still a very enjoyable movie/story.  

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this movie out.  It's not a must see by any means but it is a good heartstring pulling kind of movie.

National Champions

Three days before the college football national championship game, star quarterback LeMarcus James and teammate Emmett Sunday ignite a player's strike -- declaring they won't compete until all student athletes are fairly compensated. With billions of dollars at risk and legacies on the line, the stakes couldn't be higher. Now, with only hours until kickoff, their head coach and various power brokers must race against the clock to protect or destroy the prevailing collegiate athletics system.

I really liked this movie alot because it is about a topic that has bothered me for a long, long time.   This movie basically perfectly addressed the absolute bs that exists in college sports with the players that universities and coaches are making billions of dollars off of not getting paid in any way for essentially their name.  This movie covered pretty much every point I have ever made when debating this and told it in a way where the escalation and politics of it all was perfectly played out.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out and hopefully it opens lots of eyes about college athletics moving forward.

House Of Gucci

When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge -- and ultimately murder.

This is one of those movies that is tough to review.  Was it a phenomenal all around movie?  No.  It was honestly trash entertainment.  But it was really good trash entertainment if that makes sense.  The actors all were top notch.  Adam Driver was great.  Jared Leto was excellent.  And Lady Gaga was amazing.  Like she really made this movie.  You could feel the difference when she was on screen and when she wasn't.  You were so hooked by how unhinged her character was and wanted to know what she was going to do.  

I would recommend people checking this out just so you can enjoy the evolution of Lady Gaga as an actress.  I could see her being nominated again for this performance and the rest of the movie was pretty good as well although pretty trashy.

The King's Man

One man must race against time to stop history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds as they get together to plot a war that could wipe out millions of people and destroy humanity.

This was strangely like two separate movies.  The first half dragged ALOT.  Had some very weird and funny moments with the over the top characters and acting but dragged overall.  The second half was alot better with the faster pace and what not and made the movie rebound nicely.  But honestly - this movie is just a prequel that nobody was asking for.  I would much sooner be excited to see Kingsman 3 instead of this kind of forced prequel. 

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but a worthy watch if you have the time.  Just no need to go out of your way to see it.

The 355

CIA agent Mason "Mace" Brown joins forces with a rival German agent, a cutting-edge computer specialist and a Colombian psychologist when a top-secret weapon falls into the hands of a group of mercenaries. Together, the four women embark on a breakneck mission to save the world while staying one step ahead of a mysterious figure who's tracking their every move.

There was a lot to like about this movie.  Great cast.  Great character development.   Great story build.  And great action when there was action.  The main problem with this movie is that I really wish that there was more action.  The pacing was kind of off overall and there was not enough action - especially not based on what all the ads for the movie showed.  That held the movie back.

I would somewhat recommend this movie to everyone.  Not a must watch.  It's a decent movie that could have been awesome if they stepped on the gas with more action. 

Eternals

The Eternals, a race of immortal beings with superhuman powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, reunite to battle the evil Deviants.

This movie was a really tough sell for Marvel.  Probably their hardest one since Guardians Of The Galaxy.   It was a whole new group of characters that had to be introduced and developed.  It did a great job of telling you the present story and going back through time to show the relationships and connections between all of them.  The witty banter was still there and a lot of the characters were really great.  I very much look forward to seeing more of these characters moving forward in the MCU.  

This was a great watch although much artsier and more dramatic than the rest of the MCU movies.  Was it one of the lower rung Marvel movies like Captain Marvel?  I would say yes but definitely still very enjoyable. 

Wolf

Believing he's a wolf trapped in a man's body, Jacob eats, sleeps and lives like one -- much to the shock of his family. When he's sent to a clinic, Jacob and his animal-bound peers are forced to undergo increasingly extreme forms of curative therapies. However, once he meets the mysterious Wildcat, their friendship blossoms into an undeniable infatuation, and Jacob must decide whether to renounce his true self for love.

Um . . . . .  I have no idea what this was.  Like I get the artistic premise and stuff but this was a super strange watch.  One of those critically praised independent type movies that is 10000000% not intended for mainstream audiences.  Like at all.  This was just weird as hell.

I would not recommend anyone really bothering with this.  It's just a strange watch.  I understand the artistic hook of it but still.  Just weird as hell.  

Encanto

The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift -- every child except Mirabel. However, she soon may be the Madrigals last hope when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is now in danger.

This was yet another very entertaining Disney princess kind of movie that involves cultural representation.  I'm sure that this movie will mean much, much more to the cultures it is trying to represent but even if that is not you it is still a very enjoyable movie.  The animation was great.  The music was probably the best in a Disney movie since Moana and you can't help but get wrapped up in the story as it plays out.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out.  You can never go wrong with Disney animated releases around a holiday.  They are pretty much guaranteed to deliver.

King Richard

Armed with a clear vision and a brazen, 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his two daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on tennis courts in Compton, Calif., Richard shapes the girls' unyielding commitment and keen intuition. Together, the Williams family defies seemingly insurmountable odds and the prevailing expectations laid before them.

This movie was exactly what you expected it to be.   A great biographical movie with a stellar performance by Will Smith.   I have no doubt that he will be in award contention this year and I was never a big tennis person so it was very enjoyable to learn alot more about the history of the Williams sisters.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a little bit longer than I think it had to be but it was a very enjoyable watch. 

Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City

Welcome to Raccoon City, once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corp. The company's exodus left the city a wasteland, a dying town with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.

Don't get me wrong, this movie was definitely one of the more watchable entries in recent memory.  They kind of went back to the beginning and tried to reboot.  And it wasn't as beyond over the top as most of the others have been until towards the end.  Like it got held back on the crazy gore and makeup effects and kept it alot more human which was definitely better.  That being said - I honestly don't know of a franchise that has been more over done than this.  Like honestly - how many of these movies have been made.  I feel like there is a new one every 2-3 years just as like a money grab for gamers and what not.  Like how about we just leave it alone.

I would not really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It's watchable only when compared to the last 4-5 entries in the franchise and that is setting the bar extremely low.