It’s clear to see the talent behind the camera in this film. Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio team up for the first time, and the result is exactly as good as it sounds. Daniel Day-Lewis’ character is terrifying, but extremely watchable. Solid acting and directing makes Gangs of New York an achievement of a film. It’s a long movie, grab a popcorn. Happy watching.
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If you haven’t seen this movie before, you might think it’s overrated, but I can assure you it is not. This “coming of age” movie pulled me in right away and was a blast to watch! Robin Williams teaching poetry and mentoring a small group of boys doesn’t necessarily sound like a movie you “have” to see, but this film is executed so beautifully that it is. There is a hint of nostalgia I get from some of the classroom scenes, although this was years before my time. I could have swore I was watching young children at the beginning of this movie, but along the way it’s clear to see that these boys are actually young adults. And Robin Williams is there to guide them and us through their journey. There is a fantastic scene where Ethan Hawke adlibs a poem in front of the classroom with the support of Robin Williams and it’s tearjerkingly satisfying. I honestly can’t say enough great things about this movie. I’m surprised it’s only rated 8/10 stars on IMDb. This is a must see. Happy Watching.
“O Captain! My Captain!”
This dark comedy is just what the doctor ordered! At this point, I’ll give any Netflix original I try and Little Evil doesn’t disappoint. It has it’s lulls, but it makes up for it with well timed jokes or scares. Adam Scott is always a pleasure to watch and I think that’s partly due to his characters being super relatable and engaging. He’s easy to root for and, in this movie, he needs all the help he can get. it’s your typical step-father film, but the twist is that his step-son may or may not be the anti-Christ. And the hilarity ensues from there.
Opening line: “I.. Want.. A divorce!”
Regrettably, I’ve never seen the tv show Lost in Space was based on, but don’t hold that against me. I’m reviewing the movie here, not the show. I was 6 when this movie came out and probably at the perfect age to really get sucked into this story. Almost 20 years later and I still have a good time watching it. It’s like a space, road trip, adventure movie which are all positive things in my book! In fact, I foresee myself reviewing a lot more sci-fi movies in the future. There’s something about being in space that makes even the lowest budget flicks seem grand and expansive. Anyways, Lost in Space banks on that love for space by having the Robinson family continually hurdle over space related obstacles, only to find more hardships (pun intended). I could list several things that I like about this movie, but I’d rather list the one thing that I don’t: the ending. Aside from the fact that the movie gives itself at least 3 acceptable opportunities to end, but gets dragged out, somebody decided it would be a good idea to add a time travel element to this space, road trip, adventure move. See, that’s when those positive things I mentioned earlier become too much. If there’s going to be time travel in your movie, please warn me right away and don’t try to sneak it in during the last scene. I’m no time travel expert, but I guarantee you that the people who made this movie weren’t either. Did I mention that Gary Oldman turns into a spider-crab monster? Because they also throw that in there at the end. Happy Watching.
“Danger, Will Robinson, danger!”
I guess I’ve been on some kind of horror kick recently. It’s ironic too, because horror movies generally tend to have the most flaws compared to any other genre, in my opinion. However, horror movies are a good way to get your heart racing and usually offer a welcome change of pace after watching the endless stream of comedies and dramas. Regardless of all that, you may want to stay away from this movie. Sitting at 5.3 out of 10 stars on IMDb, this movie is grossly overrated. Now, that doesn’t mean that the acting was bad, quite the opposite in fact. Sarah Wayne Callies could go toe to toe with any other actress in a horror movie and come out on top, but in the end, not even acceptable acting could distract from this movie’s ridiculous premise. This is where most horror movies are lacking, but what really got under my skin was the title “The Other Side of the Door”. Now, I think that’s a title worthy of a horror movie, but what does that make you think of? I like going into movies sometimes knowing as little as possible about what I’m about to watch and when I saw “The Other Side of the Door”, I thought monsters, I thought the Boogie Man or something like that. The movie delivers something else and it just falls flat for me. If you want to know what is on The Other Side of the Door, you can read the movie’s summary. It’s not trying to hide it, which is also disappointing because that could have added another horror element. It has a few moments, but mainly relies on jump scares. Anyways, I’ve already spent too much time on this movie! If you liked it better than I did, let me know why in the comments!
The whole movie summed up by one quote: “Did you think that you could bring back somebody from the world of the dead and they would be the same? Did you think there would be no consequences?”
I can’t imagine a bigger consequence than having to sit through that again! Happy Watching.
I’m not sure how this comedy slipped past me during my first year in college… I guess that explains it, but in all seriousness, this was a hysterical movie! Who knew the world of competitive butter carving could be so cut throat?! There’s a lot to like about this movie, but I think Rob Corddry steals the show. He is, by no means “the main character”, but this toned down version of the Rob Corddry I know from Hot Tub Time Machine and Children’s Hospital, meshes perfectly with the rest of the cast. He also delivers on a couple of key emotional moments. I think it was great casting all around really. All of the characters have funny moments, but it’s definitely geared toward an adult audience. Olivia Wilde plays Brooke, a vengeful stripper with rent to pay. And while I don’t understand or believe in all of her motivations, I have a hard time faulting her because she’s just so easy to watch! Anyways, hide your kids, hide your wife (just kidding), this movie is full of laughs! Happy Watching!
“So, I get pregnant like once a month.” – Brooke
This roller coaster of a movie is quick out of the gate and does not slow down! At first, that’s not exactly in the film’s favor, but if you can forgive how easily the main character finds the “Death Note”, you’re in for a wild ride! The notebook is connected to a death god, and kills whoever’s name is written inside. It’s a solid concept and it’s actually an adaptation from Japanese comics (manga). I never read the comics, but the movie is very engaging. My biggest issue is that once the main character figures out the powers of this “Death Note” book, he immediately tells his high school crush. Like seriously, the guy has known this girl for maybe a week or two and he goes and tells her about the crazy phenomenon that is the “Death Note”. That’s my main issue, but of course he only tells her so she can betray him later. That wasn’t much of a surprise, but the rest of the movie was very thrilling!
Lakeith Stanfield is someone to watch out for in the coming years. He is a regular on Donald Glover’s show Atlanta and he’s stared in a handful of movies already. His acting is superb and he’s one of the highlights in this dark movie.
This movie seemed oddly appropriate when I put it on the other day. Tarantino gives us a couple different perspectives in this masterpiece and they’re all very inspired. They also come together quite brilliantly later in the movie, but a haunting performance by Christoph Waltz sells me on this movie within the first 15 minutes. It’s hard not to praise this film and it’s directing. I think Tarantino does a terrific job of lingering on scenes for just the right amount of time.
“And once we’re in enemy territory, as a bushwhackin’ guerrilla army, we’re gonna be doin’ one thing and one thing only… Killin’ Nazis.”
This movie was an instant classic and continues to impress on repeat viewings. Spoilers aside, we don’t get villains as ruthless as Javier Bardem’s character in this movie anymore. His performance alone is worth watching, but everyone else in this movie is cast perfectly as well! The Coen brothers, once again, deliver a solid A film. Happy Watching.
I have a soft spot for comedies and this silly movie pulled me in from the get go. Zach Gallifinakis is as lovable as ever and I don’t get tired of watching his character fumble through situations. The entire cast is stacked with comedic power, so what’s not to like? Don’t take this movie too seriously, although it was based on true events. Happy Watching.
“That’s a good GooGoo Cluster!”
Side Note: It’s half the cast from the new Ghostbusters and twice as funny.
