Reviews

The Raid: Redemption is a non-stop thrill ride.

If you're a fan of action by any stretch, you owe it to yourself to check this film out. The cinematography is top-notch. The editing and sound set the scenes perfectly. The performances are convincing. And the premise is so straight-forward that even those who are normally adverse to foreign films and relying on subtitles can follow along with ease.

The story and characters aren't going to surprise you. But the violence and mayhem will. This is a loud, bloody, violent affair. Some scenes will have you wincing and others will have your heart pounding.

The film does lose a bit of steam towards the end where everything is a fist-fight (although the fight with Mad Dog and its crazed ending are insane) as it hurts the believability a bit, but this is a minor gripe about what is otherwise one of the best action films ever made.

Do. Not. Miss.

Closer is a deceit-driven drama that struggles primarily with the viewer caring. If you're looking in as an observer and, like one may do with a car crash, you just want to see the chaos-you might get some enjoyment out of it.

But there's little in the way of relatability unless you're a sociopath or adulterer. Almost all of the main characters range from pathetic to abhorrent with their behavior and that the viewer to struggle to empathize with them.

That being said, there are some solid performances here. The cast is well-rounded with talent at every corner. And a few scenes do stand out, namely the confrontation between Dan and Larry near the end of the film.

It's not a great movie by any stretch. But if you like your drama thick with truly unlikable characters and gratuitous cheating, this is the film for you.

American Fiction surprised me.

Cord Jefferson has crafted a smart, thought-provoking, relevant, and funny satire that hits all the right notes to come together greater than the sum of its parts.

Monk, our main character, finds the way African-Americans are being portrayed in media as simple and stereotypical. So he writes a book that plays into everything people eat up about them as a joke-but publishers become legitimately interested in the work and putting it on shelves. What ensues is a fantastic story that's also woven with family drama and relevant social commentary.

The cast all delivers, though Jeffrey Wright steals the show. The pacing is worked excellently as well. You never feel blindisded by the transitions from hilarious scenes to heartfelt ones. It ebbs and flows with a strong sense of pacing.

Above all else, when the comedy comes, it induces laughter.

Incredibly well done.

Don't expect sunshine and rainbows here.

This is a strong film that portrays the complex and gray situations many people find themselves tangled in when marriage and children are involved.

Both Dean and Cindy, our protagonists, are fleshed out characters who really never should have ended up together. But they did. And they try to make the best of it. But resentment, disappointment, and regret takes a hold on them as they navigate the murky waters of their marriage.

You'll identify with both of them at least once. The nuances in each of their characters are excellently done-great job on writer/director Derek Cianfrance's part. And they're both brought to life in the third dimension by the talents of Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams, who both put in incredible performances.

It's raw. It's unfiltered. And it's real.

Don't miss this one.

I didn't know what to expect with The Holdovers. The description had me expecting a Breakfast Club-style teen film where a bunch of stereotypical kids stuck at school over Christmas eventually bond together. Though this was different, it was for the better.

By focusing in on a small cast of characters, we really get to see into each of their lives, their troubles, and what makes them tick. The theme of being alone during the holidays only amplifies it more. Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa do an excellent job bringing their characters to life. Each one is different, contrasting the others in lifestyle, appearance, how they think, etc. It's a unique blend that makes for some great comedy and hard-hitting drama.

Alexander Payne manages to make a film that's mostly talking still feel engaging. What might appear as stereotypical characters are given time to develop and have their layers peeled back throughout the runtime, and it's a film that deserves it.

Give this one a shot.

Sisu has everything I would've loved as a teen. Crazy action segments, gore and blood aplenty, and a pace that keeps steady to prevent you from getting bored.

The problem is, where something like John Wick mixes the well-choreagraphed action pieces with a story and characters that you learn about and get invested in, Sisu lacks any substance at all.

The characters are one-note. Little more than bullet fodder for our protagonist. The action is good and entertaining, but without a reason to care if our protagonist survives or not it doesn't matter. The dog ends up being the best character in the film just by nature of being a dog.

I didn't hate the film. Jalmari Helander has created some truly great action scenes thick with tension and chaos. The entire mine field sequence. The hanging. The battle in the plane. It's all entertaining.

But it's not greater than the sum of its parts.

This day in age, it's always nice to get a horror film that feels unique and keeps you intrigued to the end.

The concept's simple enough-a hand that you can clasp on to, see spirits, and invite them to possess your body. Now, what does today's youth do with such a tool? Record videos, laugh, and not take it seriously.

The movie isn't unpredictable, but the cast has plenty of talent and we're given enough of a fresh coat of paint on a familiar topic to keep the viewer engaged. I was rarely bored or waiting for time to pass.

Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou should be proud of the film they created. There's a race against the clock, shocking scenes, a few well-placed jumpscares, and a lingering fear once the credits roll.

If they do a sequel like I'm hearing, I'm there for it.

Anatomy Of A Fall, at its best, is captivating and draws you into its world. It has you trying to figure out what happened, questioning the motives of characters, and trying to deduce the truth from the information provided. At its worst, it's droning on with overly-talkative scenes that feel similar to others you've already seen and will have you looking at the clock.

Props all around to the cast-Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, and Milo Machado Graner all deliver excellent and convincing performances in their respective roles. They're allowed to fully steal scenes, and it works great. Particularly in the courtroom scene with the recording, which is both the highlight of the film and an incredible scene against any other film.

Though the film doesn't resolve neatly with a bow, it also doesn't need to. Plenty of theories exist online, and I enjoyed deep-diving them once the credit ran.

Check it out if you dare, but the runtime feels excessive given the repetitive nature of the scenes.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fun and funny return to the big screen for the webhead, and arguably one of the best Spider-Man movies to boot.

Spider-Man doesn't have the best track record, between a cancelled Sam Raimi Spider-Man 4 and a troubled end to the Amazing Spider-Man series, things haven't always gone well for Spider-Man. Seeing him in the MCU has changed things, and so far it's only for the better.

The plot is light and funny, keeping a constant tone and pace. But even so, the cast does a tremendous job. Particularly, Tom Holland continues to capture a high-school aged Peter Parker with near-precision, and Michael Keaton nails the role of Adrian Toomes/The Vulture. Seeing these two against each other is a real treat.

The movie is lighter than a lot of the MCU stuff, but it works well. If you stop and examine the plot, it's nothing groundbreaking, bu it's done well enough that it doesn't detract from the quality of the film.

Tony Stark in the film isn't the problem a lot of people thought he would be. Acting as a kind of father figure to an overly-ambitious Peter Parker, the moments he does show up feel important, but not overused. I may be in the minority but I'm fine with him in both this film and the role he's playing to Peter. Though it does feel a bit like Tony Stark is replacing the Uncle Ben role.

Jon Watts directs, and does a great job. In particular, the scene with Spider-Man trapped under the rubble was particularly awesome (except for the Tony Stark voiceover.) There's some great camera work on the shot of Spider-Man scaling the Washington Monument and leaping over a helicopter. Watts directed this one well, and I'm glad he'll be back for the sequel.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fantastic film and a great first entry for the webhead in the MCU. It's recommended for Spider-Man fans all over. I'm not sure it reaches the heights of Spider-Man 2, but it holds its own ground and solidifies Tom Holland as our next Spider-Man, and he's doing a great job.

Tangled is an enjoyable and surprising film that surpasses expectations one might have given the source material.

Disney strikes gold again, this time with Tangled. Between a surprisingly humorous plot and great characters, mixed with smart direction and the occasional musical number to break things up, Tangled ends up being quite an enjoyable film.

The film's plot isn't anything you wouldn't expect, but it blows away expectations on the character front. Flynn Rider's an awesome character, and he has some of the best (and funniest) bits of the film when playing opposite a horse named Maximus.

Even the main character, Rapunzel, exceeded what expectations I had. Between the creative uses of her hair and some great bits involving a frying pan, she's a great lead in this film.

The plot chugs forward at a good pace. My only real complaint would be the slightly cheap revelation of Rapunzel being a princess: it's not done in a terriby convincing manner and it felt like the writers had written themselves into a corner and had to get themselves out any way they could. It wasn't enough to harm the film overall but it does stick out considering how well the rest of the film did at exceeding expectations.

Tangled is directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. The duo do a respectable job. There's some great shots particularly of the lanterns above the castle, and the movie itself has a vibrant, strong color scheme to it.

Tangled comes recommended if for no other reason than being far better than it has any right to be. It's funny and entertaining, boasts some strong characters, and ends as strong as it begins. The plot won't surprise you, but the characters will.

Leave No Trace is a thought provoking film that sticks with you after you're done watching it.

Leave No Trace sees Will and his daughter Tom living off the grid in a public park. He's a war vet with PTSD, trading his medication for money and short of the occasional shopping trip staying away from society. It's interesting to see how the two survive in throughout the film, and it certainly makes the viewer contemplate that lifestyle.

The cast is phenomenal. Ben Foster plays an excellent role in the PTSD-stricken father Will. Tom is played excellently by Thomasin McKenzie. She's a curious teenager more interested and intrigued in the world around her, wanting to find a group of people and fit in with them.

The plot keeps the viewer engaged. Will and Tom are on the move throughout a good chunk of the movie. But it's also the quieter moments that can be the most engaging, such as seeing Tom adjust to being in society and Will struggling to make it day-to-day in the same scenario.

Director Debra Granik does an expert job with the film. There's some great shots of the environment and landscapes, and Granik pulls strong performances out of already-skilled actors. Also serving as the writer with Anne Roselini, the duo tell a great story. I haven't read the source material, but the film is very impressive in its own right.

Leave No Trace is an excellent film. It's got a powerful story and a strong ending, complete with perfect pacing. I recommend it to all, it's a must-see.

Rocky IV is a fairly formulaic entry in the Rocky franchise.

Before we get started, it's worth pointing out how polarizing my reviews of these films have been when compared to the general opinion. I rank Rocky III as the best of the series, though most people certainly don't agree with that.

Rocky IV tells what's arguably the most personal story for the hero yet, but it falls flat in more than one respect. It's got a few strong moments, but the reliance on the series' formula mixed with more than a few missteps puts this entry towards the bottom of the series.

Sylvester Stallone returns as the writer, director, and star of Rocky IV. Carl Weathers is also back in his last appearance as Apollo Creed. Both do a great job, as does Talia Shire as Adrian.

The plot sees an older Rocky and Apollo disagreeing on whether they're changing into regular people at one point. Determined to get back in the boxing ring, Apollo Creed takes a fight with a new Russian boxer named Ivan Dragov. During said fight, Ivan kills Apollo, and this is where the problems with the plot start.

The death itself feels very ham fisted and forced. The writing tries to save it by having Creed directly instruct Rocky not to stop the fight, but even with that factored in, the death felt manufactured purely for plot tension.

I knew seeing how the film proceeded from this moment would make or break the film, and it let me down. The film devolves into standard Rocky fare from here, despite having the setup to truly have this film stand apart. Rocky goes to Russia, trains, and wins. We don't get the shock of seeing him lose like we do in the previous film, and the movie is so interlaced with music montages it bogs it down.

The antagonist of the film, Ivan Dragov, is an intimidating force. Dolph Lundgren has the stature for it. But he's a one-note generic giant who hardly speaks and has no personality. As the series' most intimidating opposition thus far, even if they were dead-set on having him play the huge, silent type, we could've seen his internal struggle fleshed out more in the final fight. Rocky starts slow but predictably takes him down by the end. This is a man who killed Apollo Creed, if you forgot.

The directing work by Stallone is serviceable, but the aforementioned music montages get old quick. The overlay shots seemed more in your face and annoying this time around. There are some great shots of Rocky training in Russia, however. Namely of him running up a mountain.

Rocky IV has set the series back several paces after making progress with each entry. This could've been the most personal, hard-hitting, and different Rocky yet. But it's so stuck on following a formula it can't match the heart of the first two films or the surprising deviation from formula of the third that worked. Rocky IV is the lowest of the series, and I can't recommend it.

A Simple Favor is a fun, comedic take on the novel.

I went ahead and took the initiative to read the book prior to this film coming out. It was decent but certainly nothing incredible. An okay little mystery with thriller elements. The movie spins it into more of a comedy, and it works surprisingly well.

Director Paul Feig did a good job with the comedic twist on everything. Most of the jokes land, but the film is able to take a step back and have serious moments every now and then. The humor keeps things fresh and enjoyable, a major improvement over the novel.

The cast, particularly our two leads Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, both perform well. Lively plays an alcoholic, much less affectionate mother to Anna Kendrick's Stephanie. Stephanie is a very involved mom, going as far as to vlog about it and be over-involved in her child's life.

The film has a solid plot. Some notable changes from the book keep things interesting. The pacing is solid, the reveals aren't overdone, and by the end it's told a cohesive story. All checks on that front. The story makes sense, character motivations never feel out of place. The cabin scene at the lake would've been a bit better if it had been adapted right from the book in my opinion, but that's a minor gripe.

I thoroughly recommend this movie for comedy fans, thriller fans, and people who read the book. This is a rare example of the movie significantly overshadowing the book by keeping what works, and adding a genre twist that keeps things even more engaging.

Collateral is an engaging thriller with a strong performance from its two lead actors

One of the main things that drew me to this film was the idea of Tom Cruise playing a villain. On that front, it definitely succeeds and the actor expands his range by providing some great stuff here. Jamie Foxx is also great as cab driver Max, who finds himself the unwilling driver of Tom Cruise's Vincent as he performs hit after hit, conversing with Max in between.

The film definitely has its moments. Some of its best stuff is during the slower beats where Max and Vincent are conversing. Two men who couldn't be more different. Vincent urges Max to take more chances, act on his dreams. Max points out how little regard Vincent has for other human life. Vincent fires back at one point about how meaningless their existence is. There's some great back-and-forth stuff.

The story itself doesn't unfold in much of a surprising way. Halfway through the movie we know the motives of everyone. That doesn't affect the tension, but you won't be in for too many surprises if you're the type of viewer who likes a ton of twists and turns throughout. This is a more linear tale, and it succeeds in that regard.

I'm not too familiar with Michael Mann's work, but the way Collateral is shot isn't bad. There's some nice shots of LA throughout, and the ending sequence where Vincent is chasing Max and Annie kept things moving at a well-shot, brisk pace.

Collateral is a nice little thriller that sees Tom Cruise cast in a unique roll. There's some good stuff between him and Foxx dialogue-wise, and a few cool action scenes. The club shootout scene in particular is strong, as is a scene where Foxx has to lie and say he's Vincent to obtain lost information. Performances are strong all-around, and while the story won't hold a ton of surprises, this is a competent thriller if you're a fan of either Foxx or Cruise.

Searching is a surprisingly apt thriller set in the digital age. It maintains tension and strong performances within its unique style of being shot.

The premise is simple: David's daughter Margot ends up going missing, and he traces her footsteps through her computer, social media, bank accounts, etc to try and find out where she is and precisely what happened to her.

The story unfolds with us learning with David as he conducts his research. There's plenty of crazy twists and turns throughout that ultimately lead to a fitting ending with a father concluding the search for his daughter.

The film is surprisingly intelligent. Hints and clues are displayed on screen early on the film that come up later. It keeps you guessing, leading to a pretty strong reveal at the end about what happened to Margot.

The way the film is shot helps set it apart as well. We see this story unfold through a purely digital medium, whether it's facetime video chats or seeing what David's doing on his computer, it's different. I had major concerns this would be a limiting factor in telling the story or coming off as gimmicky, but it works very well.

Director Aneesh Chaganty brings a strong, distinct style to this film accompanied by a very strong performance by John Cho. I'm looking forward to seeing what Aneesh Chaganty does next, this film has certainly helped him come out of the gate strong.

There's plenty of twists and turns in Searching, paired with strong performances and a distinct shooting style. You will think you have things figured out only to be left guessing again. Highly recommend any thriller fans check this one out.

The Meg is a fun, but ultimately forgettable film.

It doesn't quite embrace the B-movie goodness the trailers hinted it, and it has a romance plot that feels a bit tacked on, but at the end of the day Jason Statham taking on a giant shark is fairly entertaining.

The script and characters are often predictable and can be ridiculous, but they mostly work in context of the movie. The romance plot is incredibly stereotypical and doesn't offer much, the film would've likely been better abandoning it.

The cast does solid work. Between Jason Statham and Rainn Wilson there's some decent work. Everyone else kind of falls by the wayside and either doesn't deliver a memorable performance or the character is so one note the actor couldn't do much to improve it.

I haven't seen a ton of Jon Turteltaub's directing work other than National Treasure and The Kid. There's some good underwater shots and some really neat stuff that paints The Meg as an intimidating force (like devouring the other Meg by jumping into the boat) and those moments are enjoyable. The story has a good pace to it, slowing down the action every so often.

The problem is nobody really gets much character development other than Jonas, and his is mostly done at the start of the film. There's a "big" character moment for him at the end when he realizes it's about saving as many people as he can, but it doesn't end up resonating as well as it should because it's not explored terribly well in the film. There's an odd dialogue line here and there thrown in to remind you the opening scene shaped his character but the film would've done better to abandon the romance plot and dig deeper into Jonas as a character.

The special effects are decent enough, but the film either needed to take itself more seriously and further develop its characters, or embrace its cheesiness and abandon the serious stuff. As of right now the film sits in this weird middling limbo. There's some genuinely funny stuff, but it's hampered down with a half baked romance and generic storytelling that isn't self aware enough to be fully enjoyable, and that leaves The Meg feeling incredibly average to me.

First Reformed tackles some heavy themes, but a lot of it ends up not working by the time we reach the conclusion.

Ethan Hawke plays Reverend Ernst Toller, the pastor of a tourist church that has dwindling attendance. He's an intriguing enough character, having lost his son and his marriage having fallen apart, he finds himself turning to alcohol every night.

The story of the movie is what I'm most conflicted on. There's some stuff in here that really works, such as a great conversation between Toller and an environmental activist named Michael who is struggling with whether it's moral to bring a child into the world with the state it's going to be in.

These themes weigh on Toller, and though Michael ends up committing suicide, Toller becomes even more interested in Michael's findings and starts seeing the world the way Michael did. The film does well with these themes, and Toller is given a lot of unique ways to wrestle with them given his faith and the people around him.

Things aren't quite so strong in the second half. There's a very strange sequence where Mary lays on top of Toller and they levitate, the background imagery shifting to many different things. It felt out of place, and though I like the idea of it, I didn't feel the execution worked well.

Toller, fully on board with all of Michael's findings, ends up rigging himself with Michael's explosive vest and plans to detonate it during a celebration of the church's sestercentennial, but his plans don't go off without a hitch because Mary (whom Toller had advised not to come) ends up showing up anyway, ultimately preventing Toller from committing suicide and the film ends on them embracing one another.

I liked how the film had Toller's faith challenged by Michael, Michael's findings, and ultimately the state of the world we're in. There's also a great conversation between Toller and Pastor Jeffers about the concerns Toller has come to adopt that is easily the highlight of the back half of the film.

Some sequences just didn't hit the way I think director Paul Schrader intended, and it left the back half of the movie and the ending feeling weak. I think there's some provactive ideas here, and Paul Schrader made a film that certainly got me thinking about things, but it doesn't quite have the effect that I hoped it did. The cast was solid, and Ethan Hawke did a fantastic job as the lead.

Ultimately the film will leave you thinking about some heavy themes, just maybe not quite as much as you'd have liked.

Alpha is a great movie with amazing visuals and an inspiring tale of perseverance.

The story here isn't anything you wouldn't expect, but it's done in a way that works incredibly well and is supplemented by some awesome visuals and memorable moments.

Kodi Smit-McPhee carries the movie as Keda, and he delivers a well rounded performance. He grows from a scared young boy into a man braving the harsh winter weather, desperately trying to get back to his family.

The relationship between Keda and Alpha is a great component to the movie. It weaves a nice tale of earning the animal's trust. We see as the movie goes on just how great their bond becomes, and it leads to a fantastic ending where Keda's tribe embraces Alpha, and her newly-arrived puppies as part of their tribe.

The directing work of Albert Hughes should be commended here. The film is visually striking, with some fantastic shots that both set the era/setting and awe the audience. There's a lot to unpack, bet everything from the opening hunt to the sweeping shot that takes us through an entire landscape during the tribe's expedition is done incredibly well. There's a fantastic shot towards the back half of the movie where Keda is under ice and Alpha is on top and we see it from the side. Amazing work.

The plot and story work well, it's visually stunning and beautiful, and it works cohesively well. There's a few minor quips I have, like not immediately understanding why Alpha left her pack after rejoining them (my wife had to look it up online) but it does little to detract from the overall impact of the film. It's incredibly well done and I recommend it to everyone.

Crazy Rich Asians is a formulaic romcom with some good comedy work at points.

I'll say this up front: I'm not a huge romcom fan, and when I am I tend to lean more into the comedy elements than the romance. I can appreciate romance when it's done a certain way, but typical romcoms don't do much to break the mold. There's usually a very predictable story pattern involving someone's family disliking the significant other or a secret that was kept and them ultimately reconciling and deciding to get together.

Crazy Rich Asians doesn't break any of those patterns, but it is fun at times.

The story boils down to Rachel Chu going to meet her boyfriend Nick Young's family and discovering that they're absolutely rich. It makes for some comedic moments with Rachel trying to adjust to being around her boyfriend's rich family and often feeling like she doesn't belong. We see this illustrated in both herself and those surrounding her, particularly in a scene where some of the other rich women around Rachel's age leave a dead, gutted fish on her bed.

The story isn't bad, but it does hit all the familiar beats and leads to a predictable ending. I won't hold much of that against the film because it fits within the context, but those looking for a surprise won't get it here.

The cast delivers a solid performance all around, with highlights coming from Awkwafina and Ken Jeong being the funniest two in the film.

Jon M. Chu directs this film. I can't say I've watched any of his other work but there are some great shots of homes, both interior and exterior. All of the cast seem plenty comfortable in their roles and give solid performances. This is a perfectly respectable directing job.

Crazy Rich Asians isn't a bad movie. It's iust a bit formulaic with its approach so those looking for a story different from the typical romcom formula may be left feeling a bit disappointed or underwhelmed. There's some funny stuff here, though, and it's not a bad way to spend an evening.

Aliens is a nice surprise and a new direction for the Alien franchise.

Few franchises can say their second installment is on par with their first. That's the general consensus with Aliens, with a lot saying it even bests its predecessor with its quicker pace and bigger scope.

Aliens picks up 57 years after the original with the discovery of Ripley who had been floating through space. Though initially skeptical, Ripley agrees to accompany a military squad to LV-426 (the original site of the beacon from "Alien") to investigate a terraforming colony they lost contact with.

Thus ensues a tense build to an epic series of encounters. I watched the director's cut, and the film certainly isn't shy about keeping the monsters off the screen in the name of mystery and suspense. Critics of the first film's pace should be quite pleased when things pick up halfway and don't much slow down after that.

We get some great imagery in this one. Ridley Scott doesn't return to direct, instead we get James Cameron. The bigger scope and more action-based encounters are no mistake, and they work well. It's entertaining, and seeing how the xenomorphs fare against a squad of soldiers (or vice versa, really) allows us to see them function to their fullest extent instead of a stalker stalking their prey method of the first film.

Cameron compliments this faster action-oriented pace with some great combat shots. There's quick cuts as the soldiers frantically battle the aliens, and we see these scenes through actual shots and through helmet cam footage as well

There's some great and memorable scenes as well. The scene where the alien queen is first revealed is expertly done: Cameron captured everything perfectly about that scene, and the same can be said of when the alien queen stabs Bishop.

The returning Sigourney Weaver does a great job as Ripley, and the new cast members are all solid. Particularly Bill Paxton when he's playing a panicked Hudson, and Lance Henriksen as the android Bishop. Carrie Henn's newt isn't bad in the first half of the film, but the screams become a tad annoying in the back half.

Aliens properly expands the franchise with higher stakes, strong action scenes, and some truly memorable sequences. The alien queen is amazing creature design and I can't praise the reveal enough. I do miss the serial killer/stalker feel of the first film, but this one ups the ante in every other way possible. A classic for a reason.

Rocky III delivers some of the series' best moments along with the most unnecessary in the third installment.

The film opens strong with an awesome montage set to "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor. The plot of the film comes in after: Clubber Lang wants a shot at Rocky's title. He's upset because Rocky's made him wait so long, and we start the build towards the big bout.

I like the risks this Rocky took compared to the others. I like that we get the "big" fight halfway through, I like that Rocky loses, and I really enjoyed the fact that Apollo Creed stepped up to train Rocky. These are all fantastic components to the film, and with a trimmed-down runtime this Rocky moves at a quick pace.

The problems unfortunately weigh the film down. Hulk Hogan's presence is incredibly distracting and the entire boxer vs wrestler segment added little to the film and was ultimately unnecessary. The film also seems to be a bit too aware of itself at times. This is seen with the "Gonna Fly Now" song apparently existing within the universe of the film, and Apollo Creed constantly referencing "Eye Of The Tiger" to a distracting degree.

The cast is all good as usual. Mr. T holds an intimidating presence as Clubber Lang, and everyone else who's returned continues their streak of solid performances.

Stallone returns in his roles from "Rocky II" as director and writer. My praise for the story will be repeated here: I think structurally this is stronger than the prior two installments. The direction is solid as well, though it continues to feature the more cinematic feel of the boxing matches with some slow mo shots. That will come down to the individual whether you prefer it or the more "realistic" feel of John G. Avildsen's work on the original "Rocky."

Rocky III has some of the strongest moments of the series thus far, and easily the best story and writing. It does tend to lose its focus occasionally, and has some distracting elements, but it's well worth a watch. I put it above the last film, and so far is the best Rocky film I've seen.

A slight surprise that's still light on laughs.

I heard a lot of negativity surrounding Overboard before I saw it, and after the disappointing The Spy Who Dumped Me, I was a bit hesitant to do another comedy so soon.

I ended up mildly surprised.

The cast does a pretty decent job. Anna Farris is entertaining and Eugenio Derbez is solid. They play off each other well. Not having seen the original I can't comment on how much this film changes anything, but it's a fairly by-the-numbers comedy film with a predictable plot.

The main issue I had with the film, similar but less so than The Spy Who Dumped Me, is the lack of laughs. There's plenty of jokes throughout but many don't land.

The directing by Rob Greenberg is alright. I don't remember having any particular issues but none of the shots stood out either. It was an average job.

If you don't have anything better to do, Overboard is a fairly stereotypical comedy that doesn't do much to reinvent the genre. That being said, genre fans will find some funny stuff here. I'm not terribly impressed with what's here, but it got a few laughs out of me and was better than the disaster that was The Spy Who Dumped Me.

The Spy Who Dumped Me is a case of an unfunny movie that wastes a talented cast.

Going into this film, I had low expectations. Even those weren't met: the film's got a fairly decent premise and a fun pair of leads that could've made something akin to The Kingsman, but it fails on nearly every front and ends up being nowhere near as good as the aforementioned film.

Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon are an entertaining duo, and they certainly have their moments throughout the film. In particular, a scene in an Uber and the party scene are both enjoyable and had a few chuckles.

But the plot is bloated with jokes that don't land and a head-scratchingly stupid twist involving the titular spy who dumped Audrey, Drew. It made no sense and served no purpose other than to set her up with Sebastian.

It's unfortunate because the one area where this film works and is entertaining is in the action scenes. I wasn't expecting it, but it works fairly well. They're nowhere near as good as Kingsman, but they're over the top and entertaining. The car chase mentioned a few paragraphs above and a shootout in a restaurant serve as highlights.

I can't say much about Susanna Fogel as the director. I don't remember having many problems with the shots or the performances of the actors themselves. The issues lie predominately with the script which is littered with unfunny jokes that the lead duo's chemistry can't save.

I can only recommend The Spy Who Dumped Me to big Mila Kunis/Kate McKinnon fans. Anyone else is better served finding a good spy action movie (Mission: Impossible or a Bond film) or a spy comedy (Kingsman.) Both are significantly better than this.

The Spy Who Dumped Me is among the worst of 2018 thus far.