It's a good movie overall with great directing and incredible performances. However the book is so much better. The movie changes so much and almost every single change makes the story weaker. I never got the sense that Danny and Jack ever loved each other in this version. I really missed the internal monologues of the characters and they easily could've been done with voice over. Killing off Hallorann like that was down right disrespectful to how important he was in the book and how vital he was to saving Wendy and Danny. Jack's death by freezing was a stupid change and pretty anti climactic. The hotel burning down was a much better ending. I did like the addition of the creepy girls in the hallway. I thought it added another cool element as Danny was connecting with the children of the previous caretaker. It has great horror scenes and the tension especially during the third act is fantastic. It sounds like I hate this movie but I don't. It's still pretty solid especially for a horror movie but I was hoping to like it more.
Reviews
60 Reviews
Worthy Follow Up
13 May 2024
This movie takes place hundreds of years after the events of the Caesar trilogy. Those movies especially the first two are so incredible and I was really interested in how they would be able to continue the story after what seemed like a pretty definitive ending. This movie managed to be really good. I love how so many generations later Caesar has become a Jesus like figure for the apes. There are some groups who follow Caesar's words but twist them to gain political power and help their own agenda. Then there are some who use his words and genuinely try to follow what he would have done. These movies have always have really interesting commentary and I thought this religious parallel was a very unexpected but cool way to expand the story. The visuals in this movie are also flawless. The action scenes are great and I like Mae, the human character. She had a good amount of depth to her. There were many cool references to not just the trilogy but also to the original 1968 movie which I really appreciated. It's not as amazing as Rise or Dawn but Kingdom is a very solid entry in the franchise and I'm excited to see where it goes next.
Dance Moms Reunion 2024
(2024 TV Special)
Genuinely Awful
4 May 2024
Warning: Spoilers
There was a lot that could have been done with a Dance Moms reunion but this just didn't work. This felt so fake and planned out. Besides the Hylands and Chloe it didn't feel like any of the emotions were genuine. The Hylands were easily the best part of this reunion. Seeing Kelly, Brooke, and Paige reflect on their dramatic exit and how it impacted them was actually really interesting and I felt sad for Kelly. I felt like Chloe was actually showing emotion but it didn't feel like she was very comfortable being there. Lifetime doing this reunion themselves really limited what the cast could say and it felt like they were just throwing in random things to try and create drama. This would've been much better if it was done by anyone besides Lifetime. The producers literally try to guilt trip Chloe into forgiving Abby by showing her a video of Abby going through cancer treatment. The biggest problem with this reunion is Jojo Siwa. She felt like such a weird inclusion especially since Jojo wasn't even on the show with half of the girls there. Jojo had the most screen time and it felt like the reunion wanted to focus so much on her because she is the most famous but the other girls needed their time to shine. Jojo literally had scenes describing how the other girls were feeling. It was weird and annoying especially since she was on the original series for the least amount of time. Jojo's constant defense of Abby and the way that the reunion almost plays off the abuse that the girls suffered by showing clips of Abby being funny is very messed up. Also Kendall didn't get anything to do. It felt like her and Jill were just there and the show focused so much on Jojo that Kendall never got to dive into her trauma, which she actually jokes about on the reunion. All of this despite the fact that out of all the girls at this reunion, Kendall was on the original show the longest. The show felt incomplete without The Zieglers and Nia but it felt even more weird how the show kept bringing up the Zieglers in a really negative light. It just felt mean spirited. If I were them I probably wouldn't want to come back and do this over edited trashy reunion either. Also the fact that Brynn wasn't even invited or talked about at all left a bad taste in my mouth. She was literally on the show longer than Jojo was.
Abigail
(2024)
Good Vampire Movie
27 April 2024
Abigail is pretty much what you would expect it to be based on the trailers. However I think the plot line is pretty interesting and unique. It was a fun vampire flick. The first two acts were really good at both building the intrigue and the characters. I think the third act kind of let the movie down a little bit. They fall into the common horror trope of trying to shove in too many plot twists and the ending doesn't really make much sense. The directing, cinematography, and music are all good and the action scenes are entertaining. Melissa Barrera stars here and I think this is her best performance yet so I'll be interested to see what her career looks like post her firing from Scream. Radio Silence has made a solid horror film here and while I don't think it's as good as Scream 6 I think they they still have a pretty bright future in the horror genre.
Civil War
(2024)
A Masterful and Emotional Warning
14 April 2024
A24 took over the horror genre and at this rate they may take over the blockbuster genre. This movie is brilliant on so many levels. Telling this story through the eyes of journalists was so smart. This movie showed the horrors of war through the eyes of a hardened and desensitized journalist (Kirsten Dunst) and we watch as she goes on this terrifying road trip with newcomer (Cailee Spaeny). That dynamic is one of the things that makes this movie really interesting, as they both grow to be more like the other person. Dunst gives a great performance as to be expected and Cailee Spaeny blew me away. The fact that her character here was so different from Priscilla but her performance was just as good is absolutely wild. I think she's definitely going to keep getting more and more work after the last couple months she's had. Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Nick Offerman were also all good, but the other huge stand out was Jesse Plemons. What he was able to do with his one scene was actually nuts. I was on the edge of my seat during his performance and genuinely moved back in my seat multiple times. He brought so much evil and made me hate his character so fast that it was impressive. The script here is a little political and I definitely had a side I was on by the end but for the most part the film just focused on the the human response to something like this and although that might be controversial I really liked that. The film shows that a conflict like this would bring so much destruction and really acted as a warning against a Civil War in these times of high tension politics. The action scenes were fantastic and the production design really immersed me in the story and the war that was going on. The soundtrack was solid and I loved some of the unique editing choices. The cinematography was beautiful and Alex Garland knocked it out of the park directing (please stop threatening to quit). Overall Civil War was phenomenal and it's my personal favorite movie of the year so far.
Born on the Fourth of July
(1989)
Tom Cruise's Incredible Performance in a Powerful Story
8 April 2024
Nobody makes anti war movies quite like Oliver Stone. Even though I think Platoon is better overall I don't think this one is talked about nearly enough. I think it does a brilliant job showing how the people in the United States tore each other apart as a reaction to the Vietnam War. The story of a young pro war soldier to an anti war veteran is very powerful and Tom Cruise gives arguably the best performance of his career. And John Williams obviously over delivered with the musical score. My only issue is that the actors for the parents were doing a lot of overacting towards the beginning of the movie.
Monkey Man
(2024)
Not Awful but Pretty Disappointing
8 April 2024
Monkey Man has cool action but it's not really anything that special or unique. Dev Patel is good in the lead role but it's definitely not his best performance. This is Patel's directing debut and honestly the directing is probably one of the strongest parts of the movie so he has that going for him. The elements of Indian culture definitely added something to the movie to make it stand out but it also felt forced into the story and messed up the pacing. The movie kind of drags. The last like thirty minutes of the movie could've been over in like five minutes if every single character just didn't lose their gun before the final battle for some reason. I think the heart of the movie and the lead character's quest to avenge his mom is solid, and I love the flashback scene with the mom. However the backstory for the main plot of the movie doesn't even happen until like halfway through so I was already a little checked out. There's also a bit of a romantic storyline that has absolutely no development and doesn't really make any sense. The music choices here were also felt really random and usually distracted from the scenes. I'm complaining a lot because I thought the trailer was excellent and I was really excited for the movie, but it's not terrible. It's totally watchable and there's some enjoyment to be had with it. The action scenes are genuinely really impressive and cool to watch on the big screen. It's a mix of John Wick and Kill Bill but not as exciting as either. I was just expecting more from it.
The Great Gatsby
(1974)
Incredible Version of Daisy but Disappointing Overall
1 April 2024
I have always believed that The Great Gatsby is one of the most fascinating and complex stories in fictional history. This adaptation has some strong points but is overall disappointing. Starting off, the story is obviously great since it is an adaptation of the novel. The dialogue here is actually very strong and I think it even enhances some of the scenes from the original book. I also believe that this is the best version of Daisy when it comes to the way this story has been told. The movie isn't restricted to Nick's point of view and we actually get to spend some more time with Daisy by herself and with Gatsby and I think it helps to flesh her out more than other versions. I always thought Daisy was such a compelling character and I love how she was explored here. It also has more scenes showing the dynamic between Tom, Daisy, and their daughter which I appreciate because she feels like an afterthought in other versions of this story, when I believe she is a driving force in Daisy's arc. However there are some issues I have with this version. The energy just isn't there. The film kind of drags and it isn't as fun or engaging as the book or the 2013 movie. The cast is a mixed bag here. I think that Gatsby, Daisy, and Jordan were all great. However Nick and Tom were both embarrassingly miscasted. Tom wasn't the evil force that he should be and he wasn't even that threatening. Nick was just a wet blanket. His dynamic with Gatsby fell completely flat in this version and the actors didn't have any chemistry together. You don't feel the love and admiration that Nick is supposed to have for Gatsby, which is a problem because it is his main character trait. Due to that the ending just doesn't hit like it's supposed to. There are a couple cool shots, like the scene with Gatsby and Daisy's reflection in the fish tank, but for the most part the directing and editing isn't very good. The movie just looks bland, especially compared to the vibrant and glamorous 2013 version. The characters also have sweat dripping from them in every scene which is very weird. It's got some good things but isn't great overall.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
(2024)
Decent Ghostbusters Film
23 March 2024
This film is okay. It's not nearly as good as Ghostbusters Afterlife but it's about what you would expect from a follow up. The new ghosts and elements added to the lore are very cool and some of the visuals are very nice. Some of the jokes are very funny and some aren't. The cast is pretty good here but nothing exceptional performance wise. The action scenes are ok but the final battle is pretty short and a little anti climactic. The original crew is just there to be there with the exception of Dan Aykroyd, who actually has quite a bit of screen time. If you're a Ghostbusters fan you'll probably have a good time with it but don't expect to be blown away.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
(2014)
Tons of Fun
10 March 2024
Wes Anderson movies are always a blast and The Grand Budapest Hotel is no different. This movie is so much fun. The set design here is insane and the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking. The performances all have a perfect balance of humor and heart to them. The movie is purposely campy and over the top but that adds to the charm. It's shot and directed to perfection. The sound design adds to every scene and the editing here is sharp. The movie has extraordinary pacing. The script is really well written. I think sometimes the characters talk too fast (but that's just kind of Wes Anderson's thing) and the whole storybook idea wasn't really all that necessary, but those are my only complaints. I think that this is a great movie and it's highly entertaining.
The Aviator
(2004)
Great Performance: Decent Movie
6 March 2024
The Aviator features an incredible lead performance by Leonardo DiCaprio. Just as always his range in this movie is insane. Cate Blanchett is also really good here but a little underutilized. Scorsese's directing is obviously great. The movie has great atmosphere building and production design. The visual effects are hit or miss but the practical ones look good. The music is also pretty solid. However I think the movie is too long and the story loses momentum. I just wasn't incredibly interested in the plot. This is a good movie and I would recommend it if you like Leonardo DiCaprio but it isn't one of the best Scorsese movies.
Dear Zoe
(2022)
Solid
6 March 2024
Dear Zoe is a mixed bag. Sadie Sink obviously gives a fantastic performance, and she shows so much range. Her character is also taken on such an emotional journey throughout the film and everything related to her learning to move on with life after the death of her younger sister is excellent. The movie also was very well directed, so many shots looked beautiful, and the transitions especially early on in the movie were awesome. However the script of the movie leaves quite a bit to be desired. The dialogue is clunky, the love story is very forced and the age gap is questionable to say the least. Story wise the best part of the movie was the relationship between Tess (Sadie) and her father, it felt very natural and the two had great chemistry. The movie had some good emotional scenes and nice performances but the lackluster script holds it back from greatness.
She Said
(2022)
Very Good
6 March 2024
A very interesting film about the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the start of the #metoo movement. The lead performances by Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan were great. The film had a solid script that kept me actively engaged. I think it did a great job tackling how difficult this situation was for so many women that were victims of this man. The dialogue really highlighted that. I liked the music a lot in this movie too. The directing was basic but still got the job done. Some of the editing choices were a little weird but some of them were very cool. Overall a solid movie about an interesting and important story that changed the Hollywood industry and the world in general.
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
Good Sequel
3 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Dune Part II is a very good sequel. The world building in this movie is great and really establishes the Fremen culture. I love how the movie dives deep into how they view culture and religion and the split that they have over their belief in Paul. Timothee Chalamet is excellent as Paul Atreides. His character arc is amazing. He starts off as someone who just wants to help and then through his time with the Fremen he starts to use them and their faith to get his own revenge. Zendaya was also great and her character's dynamic with Paul was very fleshed out. I loved how she went from loving him to despising what he represents. Florence Pugh was a good addition here although she didn't have much to do. Austin Butler stole the show in my opinion. He was a perfect villain and his pure psychotic nature was frightening. The costumes, visual effects, and set design all looked great. I especially love the design of the black and white planet. There were a lot of cool things they did with it, like the fireworks for example. The action scenes are pretty good. The cinematography is very good and Denis Villeneuve crushed it directing. Hans Zimmer delivers a killer score here as he always does. I only have a few minor issues with the movie. Just like the first movie I think the pacing was a little off and despite Rebecca Ferguson giving a great performance I didn't really think her storyline was that interesting or well explained. Overall Dune Part II is a really good movie and if you liked the first one you'll have a great time here.
Lisa Frankenstein
(2024)
Fun Little Movie
18 February 2024
Lisa Frankenstein is a blast. It obviously takes inspiration from Edward Scissorhands, but the story is very unique. The movie does a great job establishing the eighties setting. The costumes and makeup are fantastic. I was surprised how much I liked Kathryn Newton's performance. I wasn't very impressed with her work in Ant Man but she was really good here. Zelda Williams did a good job directing this messed up love story, and the movie was pretty funny. This movie is not anything groundbreaking but it doesn't have to be. This movie will definitely be looked back on as a classic in the future. It's an acquired taste and the story won't work for everyone but I personally had a great time watching it.
Prey
(I) (2022)
What This Franchise Needed
16 February 2024
Prey did a very good job of reviving the Predator franchise in a new and exciting way. Placing the Predator in a Native American setting is very unique and they movie did a cool job exploring that. There is a nice blend of Native American culture with the action sequences. The action here is very good in general. The movie also has solid visual effects. I like the lead actress quite a bit but some of the side characters were definitely a bit one note and bland. I also would've liked for some more of the dialogue to be in the native language instead of English. Although Prey isn't perfect I still think it was a really good time overall, and is exactly the breath of fresh air that this dying franchise needed to keep going. 7/10.
Pearl
(2022)
Great Prequel
7 February 2024
Pearl is a brilliant prequel and I think it is quite a bit better than X. Mia Goth gives a masterful performance here. She was absolutely perfect in this movie, and the amount of range she brought to this character is insane. I felt sad for her at some points and actually felt scared of her multiple times. This film is directed well by Ti West and I think the script is a pretty big improvement from X. The setup for the film is great and Tandi Wright is great as Pearl's mother. Their dynamic is a huge reason why the movie works so well. The set design and atmosphere along with the costumes all help add to the movie as well. Pearl is an underdog story turned into a disturbing horror adventure and I had a very good time with it. 8/10.
X
(II) (2022)
Mediocre Film With Great Acting
4 February 2024
X is a decent film. It's a pretty basic horror movie with too many sex scenes. The directing here is solid but nothing extraordinary. The cast is what really makes the movie memorable. The entire cast is great and they all add to their characters. Mia Goth is phenomenal as the lead and it's easy to tell why everyone was talking about her after this movie. What's really impressive is how she played the older woman, Pearl, as well. That was really cool and I didn't even realize it was her until the credits. The makeup team deserves a lot of crest for that too, it was awesome. The movie also had good world building and set up the time period well. I liked a good amount of the movie but towards the end it got a little too disturbing and the kills became pretty lazy. It's not a masterpiece but I think it's a fun time for the most part. It's worth a watch because of the performances and atmosphere. The movie also gets better and more interesting after watching the prequel film, Pearl. 7/10.
Argylle
(2024)
Not Unwatchable But Not Very Good
3 February 2024
Argylle is a pretty funny movie. The humor lands most of the time. The action scenes are also solid and Matthew Vaughn did a good job directing. I also like how the film's main concept is unique. However there are quite a few problems with the movie. The plot makes no sense and has way too many plot twists to keep track of. They were just twists for the sake of having twists and it got exhausting to watch. The film is too long and it felt dragged out. The visual effects are also pretty bad, especially that weird looking cat. I get why they couldn't use a real cat for some of the scenes but it looked like it stepped right out of the 2004 Garfield movie. Most of this great cast isn't given anything to do. However Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell are very entertaining together. They definitely have great comedic chemistry. While it's a movie I had some fun with, it's far from good. 6/10.
Mean Girls
(2024)
Just Watch the Original
15 January 2024
This film failed to justify its own existence. This remake keeps a lot of jokes from the original movie but doesn't execute them as well. The film also gets rid a lot of the original film's funniest jokes. It seems like most of the jokes they removed were the ones that could be seen as controversial or offensive but that's the whole point. The characters are supposed to be dumb and mean so removing those jokes hurts the characterization. There are a couple new jokes that hit but not enough. The cast here is simply not as good as the original, especially when it comes to Regina George. Renee Rapp is fine but she's no Rachel McAdams. Her version of the iconic character is nowhere near as interesting or memorable. The film feels like is rushes through the story unlike the original movie which had excellent pacing and a tight script. This could be due to the musical numbers which I normally wouldn't mind but the music here isn't anything special. The costumes here aren't very good. They seem cheap and it doesn't feel like the plastics would wear these outfits. The original Mean Girls is so good and the general story still follows over here so there's a little fun to be had, but the film falls completely flat in every aspect when compared to the original masterpiece. I don't know why they don't just make a true sequel to the original film already because that's what people actually want to see. 5/10.
Leave the World Behind
(2023)
Solid Thriller
11 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Leave the World Behind is a very solid thriller. I really like how this movie is a slow burn that builds up the confusion and mystery about what's going on. The cast here is stellar. Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mareshala Ali, and Kevin Bacon all kill it. The directing is also pretty good. I do have a few complaints. I think all the kid characters are annoying and don't add all that much and I think some of the scenes like the deer and flamingo ones are pointless and don't really make much sense. I did like the ending scene fading to black as the little girl watched the final episode of Friends. I thought it was a bittersweet nostalgic feeling and I though it was done well. Overall I enjoyed this movie quite a bit but I would've made a couple changes. 7/10.
Blue Beetle
(2023)
Thank God the DCEU is ending
9 January 2024
Blue Beetle's story is generic, the script is painfully formulaic, and it fails to make you feel anything. The film lacks any sort of style and you can tell this was originally made to go straight to streaming until they made it a theatrical release for some reason. The acting isn't very good most of the time, the humor falls flat, the emotional scenes don't hit, and the editing is horrendous. There are some shots where the Blue Beetle suit looks cool but for the most part the visual effects are ugly to look at. The villains are just over the top comically evil and the film has no idea how to deliver exposition. The action isn't memorable and neither is the score. The final battle is one of the weakest and most predictable final battles in a superhero movie. The sets look fake and the world building is mediocre. Characters also do things that make no logical sense multiple times just because the plot needs them to. The tone is also all over the place and the pacing never lets you catch your breath. There's nothing in this movie that hasn't been done before and done much much better. 3/10.
The Burial
(II) (2023)
Deserves More Attention
4 January 2024
The Burial features amazing performances from Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones. They have excellent charisma and play their parts to perfection. Jamie Foxx especially really owns every scene that he is in as lawyer, Willie Gary. The story is also very interesting I was invested all the way through. The directing is good especially during the court room scenes. The script has a great balance of character drama and the ongoing court battle. The movie is engaging, entertaining, and it has some powerful messages. I think this movie is one of the most under appreciated movies that came out this year and I hope it gets some more recognition eventually. 8/10.
Saltburn
(2023)
Very Few Redeeming Qualities
4 January 2024
I did not like Saltburn at all. The movie is very boring and the story isn't engaging. The story is an ok character study but it's not very well written. It's predictable and cliche. The acting and directing here is good but it didn't help me enjoy the movie. The film is also very disturbing and not in a good way in my opinion. I just felt disgusted watching the movie and not in a way that I found it interesting. It was just weird. There weren't any scenes or characters that stood out to me either. Overall it's a pretty well made movie from a technical perspective but it's not one that made me think or one that I had any enjoyment with. 3/10.
The Iron Claw
(2023)
Zac Efron's Best Performance
27 December 2023
The Iron Claw is really good. Zac Efron gives a career best performance here with a character that has an amazing arc. This is one of many family wrestling movies (Fighting With My Family, The Fighter, Warrior, etc) but this one stands out with just how sad it is. The film is very depressing and I think it does a great job exploring how the family deals with grief and how the father's strict rules when it comes to showing emotion causes even more tragedy. The way this shapes how Zac Efron's character Kevin wants to be a parent is great writing. The movie is very well directed by Sean Durkin and I think the sound design team was a standout. There were multiple times where I noticed how cool and unique the sound design was. The supporting cast is also phenomenal. While there are some differences from the real story, like the fact they completely left out one of the brothers, the team still managed to take this tragic story and turn it into a wonderful film. 8/10.
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