A mediocre documentary. For only having a handful of actors, and non ever appearing on screen together (due to the pandemic), it was okay. The pay off wasnt enough to justify the hour plus of interviews.. I'd be eager to see the sequel with a bigger budget and cast and what they can do. The acting was average at best. The FX were hard to judge because they used film tricks (low lighting, grainy footage, etc.) to hide the need for much FX work. The plot was interesting enough, it just would have benefited from a bit better acting or the ability to have some scenes that werent in the interview format.
Reviews
11 Reviews
What Men Want
(2019)
Not what I want..
8 July 2019
Streaming In Between (Coal and Gems) - What Men Want
This was a Redbox on-demand purchase for just 1.99 during their special. We felt like it was worth the $2 rental and definitely held our attention through the film, and caused us to audibly chuckle a number of times. I am always a big fan of Taraji P Henson, Tracy Morgan (who feels like a carbon copy of his Tracy Jordan character from 30 Rock in this), and a number of the other supporting actors and actresses of the film.
This film's shortcomings lay in its own design. This is a rom-com through and through, and the storyline, lessons learned, and the outcome is predictable from the viewing of the trailer. Just like its predecessor with Mel Gibson (What Women Want) the cliches, poor (cringeworthy) choices/communication between characters and plot holes are abundant, but this one is still fun.
Don't go out of your way to seek this flick out, but if you're home on a rainy day and have nothing else to watch, it's worth the few bucks for a few chuck(les)!
What Men Want - 5.5/10
This was a Redbox on-demand purchase for just 1.99 during their special. We felt like it was worth the $2 rental and definitely held our attention through the film, and caused us to audibly chuckle a number of times. I am always a big fan of Taraji P Henson, Tracy Morgan (who feels like a carbon copy of his Tracy Jordan character from 30 Rock in this), and a number of the other supporting actors and actresses of the film.
This film's shortcomings lay in its own design. This is a rom-com through and through, and the storyline, lessons learned, and the outcome is predictable from the viewing of the trailer. Just like its predecessor with Mel Gibson (What Women Want) the cliches, poor (cringeworthy) choices/communication between characters and plot holes are abundant, but this one is still fun.
Don't go out of your way to seek this flick out, but if you're home on a rainy day and have nothing else to watch, it's worth the few bucks for a few chuck(les)!
What Men Want - 5.5/10
Crazy Rich Asians
(2018)
So-So flick
8 July 2019
This film was a fun rental from the local Redbox.
I love what this film does for equity in filmmaking for Asian filmmakers, the way Black Panther represented a stellar cast and crew of actors of color. The impact of that cannot be overstated. However, the film itself falls short in a number of categories that makes it feel drawn-out and trite.
I absolutely adore Constance Wu (The beloved matriarch, Jessica, from Fresh off the Boat), and think she did a great job in her role as Rachel Chu, as well as her counterpart Nick Young (played by Henry Golding). The supporting cast was also strong in conveying the over the top personality of their characters staunched in ritz. The set design, costumes, and props are utilized perfectly to create a beautiful world, outside of the bubble of normal society.
While this is a modern-day Cinderella (a classic genre) this film feels like it relied on the tropes and cliches a bit too heavily. The story plays out rather predictably (no spoilers here!) and the actions of certain characters are textbook for the genre.
This is worth a rental or bargain buy, and you should definitely enjoy it, but don't expect a classic or your new favorite flick here.
Crazy Rich Asians - 6/10
I love what this film does for equity in filmmaking for Asian filmmakers, the way Black Panther represented a stellar cast and crew of actors of color. The impact of that cannot be overstated. However, the film itself falls short in a number of categories that makes it feel drawn-out and trite.
I absolutely adore Constance Wu (The beloved matriarch, Jessica, from Fresh off the Boat), and think she did a great job in her role as Rachel Chu, as well as her counterpart Nick Young (played by Henry Golding). The supporting cast was also strong in conveying the over the top personality of their characters staunched in ritz. The set design, costumes, and props are utilized perfectly to create a beautiful world, outside of the bubble of normal society.
While this is a modern-day Cinderella (a classic genre) this film feels like it relied on the tropes and cliches a bit too heavily. The story plays out rather predictably (no spoilers here!) and the actions of certain characters are textbook for the genre.
This is worth a rental or bargain buy, and you should definitely enjoy it, but don't expect a classic or your new favorite flick here.
Crazy Rich Asians - 6/10
Toy Story 4
(2019)
Toy Story 4 - A Fun Family Film, but not a Fans Favorite
8 July 2019
Yes, I actually put up the money to see Toy Story 4 with the fiance and her niece and nephew. It's rarer than I'd like that we actually go to a theater..
I need to preface this review by saying I had EXTREMELY high expectations. Before this, TS3 was one of my favorite films of all time. The second was my least favorite, but I still enjoyed it immensely. The thing I think I loved the most is the ensemble that the toys create throughout the first three films. Yes, Woody feels like the main star, but then there's Buzz. #2 saw Jesse, and Rex, the aliens, Slinky, and all have their place to shine. #3 saw Trixie and others who really helped to build this cast of loveable characters.
Toy Story 4 felt more like a spin-off about Woody, Forkie, and (not a spoiler since shes all over the advertising-----) Bopeep. The scenes that included everyone were some of my favorites, however, they were far more seldom than the previous entries into the TS saga. The animation and voice-acting were top-notch as always. but that's not what I go to a toy story movie for. Everyone I was with liked the movie a lot, but no-one was raving about it like I had hoped. The story felt predictable, the Forkie character began to feel flat after the novelty wore off. Overall we just felt like something was missing to make it as classic as the previous entries.
For comparison, I've included my rankings of the previous Toy Story films and TV specials -
Toy Story - 9.5/10
Toy Story 2 - 7.5/10
Toy Story 3 - 10/10
Toy Story of Terror - 7/10
Toy Story that Time Forgot - 6/10
Toy Story 4 - 7.3/10
I need to preface this review by saying I had EXTREMELY high expectations. Before this, TS3 was one of my favorite films of all time. The second was my least favorite, but I still enjoyed it immensely. The thing I think I loved the most is the ensemble that the toys create throughout the first three films. Yes, Woody feels like the main star, but then there's Buzz. #2 saw Jesse, and Rex, the aliens, Slinky, and all have their place to shine. #3 saw Trixie and others who really helped to build this cast of loveable characters.
Toy Story 4 felt more like a spin-off about Woody, Forkie, and (not a spoiler since shes all over the advertising-----) Bopeep. The scenes that included everyone were some of my favorites, however, they were far more seldom than the previous entries into the TS saga. The animation and voice-acting were top-notch as always. but that's not what I go to a toy story movie for. Everyone I was with liked the movie a lot, but no-one was raving about it like I had hoped. The story felt predictable, the Forkie character began to feel flat after the novelty wore off. Overall we just felt like something was missing to make it as classic as the previous entries.
For comparison, I've included my rankings of the previous Toy Story films and TV specials -
Toy Story - 9.5/10
Toy Story 2 - 7.5/10
Toy Story 3 - 10/10
Toy Story of Terror - 7/10
Toy Story that Time Forgot - 6/10
Toy Story 4 - 7.3/10
Atypical
(2017–2021)
Laugh, Cry, Anger, and all the emotions in between crammed into two seasons!
19 October 2018
I have to start off and say this is one of the better (and more wholesome) shows available right now. Atypical takes the family sitcom formula and puts it on its head, exposing the real-life struggles, foibles, and triumphs of a contemporary family who just so happens to have a member with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Many other shows on many other networks would play this card heavy-handedly and distastefully, but Sam (Played by Keir Gilchrist) is just one beautifully acted part of a families growth and challenges.
I highly recommend this show to just about anyone with a heart. Season 1 and 2 are both streaming on Netflix and they only get better as the episodes go along!
I highly recommend this show to just about anyone with a heart. Season 1 and 2 are both streaming on Netflix and they only get better as the episodes go along!
13 Cameras
(2015)
Not as bad as some reviews say, but not anything special either
19 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This is not as bad as some of the reviews on this page are saying.. It held my attention the whole time in hopes of something more. The landlord character is played well in the fact that he gives off the ultimate creeps; the logic of the story and acting of the protagonists feels hard to believe because of just how creepy he is.
Spoilers -- I was really hoping for a twist, that the Husband character would be the one to cause physical harm/be disturbed and the voyeur landlord would save the day (blurring the lines of morality and who the actual "monster is") but it turned out to be as straight forward, and cheap as one might expect. Gross guy is bad guy, worse than bad husband who acts gross.
I don't see where a sequel can take off from this besides rehashing the same old storyline.. I am intrigued, but not sure if I want to commit the time.. I guess my interest is a sign that this isn't the WORST film, but don't expect much scares or entertainment.
Spoilers -- I was really hoping for a twist, that the Husband character would be the one to cause physical harm/be disturbed and the voyeur landlord would save the day (blurring the lines of morality and who the actual "monster is") but it turned out to be as straight forward, and cheap as one might expect. Gross guy is bad guy, worse than bad husband who acts gross.
I don't see where a sequel can take off from this besides rehashing the same old storyline.. I am intrigued, but not sure if I want to commit the time.. I guess my interest is a sign that this isn't the WORST film, but don't expect much scares or entertainment.
Misfits
(2009–2013)
What a fit it was (briefly)
30 July 2018
Misfits (TV) - Okay, maybe its just the first season or two that are actually good, but they are so good. A British show about a juvenile corrections community service group that has an accident and gains superpowers. This is not a family-friendly show, and the antics the characters get into are a blast and they certainly earn the series title.
28 Weeks Later
(2007)
A sequel that surpasses the first
30 July 2018
28 Weeks Later - One of my favorite zombie (yes zombie, don't start with that "they're infected with a rage virus, not zombies b.s.) movies. A much bigger budget than the first (28 Days Later), this one packs the punches and really keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. You don't HAVE to see the first to follow this one either, so dive right in!
The Girl with All the Gifts
(2016)
What a unique flick..
30 July 2018
The Girl With All The Gifts - This pulled me in just from the imagery of the muzzle alone. I immediately thought of Fido and hoped for another good film with a unique approach to the undead. I got what I was hoping for, and then some. This is not a zombie flick filled with action or even that much gore, but the character development, the post-apocalyptic world, and characters are all worth checking out.
Deadpool 2
(2018)
Not Quite Getting there..
11 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed the first Deadpool flick and gave it an 8/10 after two viewings of it. The action was great and the tongue in cheek humor really helped to make it stand out. I have always been fascinated with metafiction and its application in comics and had been writing one myself so when Deadpool came out I was hooked on that style of humor. Alan Moore also toyed with the meta in a lot of his work (Watchmen, Promethea, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). The style just fit.
What I'm about to say is really contradictory... but Deadpool 2 relies too much on the style of the first and it's strengths to hook me in enough to care. Cool visuals, great action/gore and hilarious yet cheap metafictional pops aside, this sequel is far from perfect in many ways.
Spoilers from here on out -- if you haven't seen it jump to the end of this review to see the final score.
Ryan Reynolds snark is on point when it needs to be, but any attempt at seriousness (the death of Vanessa - DP's girlfriend) falls flat. The X-force (Deadpools team of discount-store mutants) felt rushed together and the characters like Cable and Domino (no relation to the kick-ass Keira Knightly flick from 2005) had little to no backstory presented. It felt pretty obvious that a Cable or X-force movie may be in the works, and that's the biggest takeaway of importance I left the theatre with. While an X-Force movie has been cited as "in the works", the cast is still up the air as half of the team didn't make it out of Deadpool 2 alive.
Cable never felt like a threat due to his short and lackluster introduction and backstory, I'm not sure if Yukio ever showcased her abilities (turns out she did, and it was so fast I missed it in my first viewing), and the casting of Terry Crews and cameo of Ben Affleck (as well as the short-lived feature of Shatterstar) felt like such a waste. I grew to appreciate Domino's "luck" ability by the end and appreciated the cinematography used in the scenes where we saw her power at work. Russell "Firefist" was also one of the shining parts of the film, as Julian Denison (Hunt For the Wilderpeople) did a great job portraying the hurt and angst his character endured at the hands of those who tortured him.
While the two new characters of Domino and Firefist hit their strides, the rest of the supporting characters fell flat with a lack of direction. The action was great, but the writing was not there to get me to actually care about the characters or what may happen in the next film. I'm hoping Deadpool 3 or X-Force can put some actual emotional connection and appeal into Wade Wilson again, as the Merc with a mouth has great cinematic potential still to be tapped and there is still time to right the ship. This can be so much more than a cheap-superhero cash in...
TLDR: Action, fun, and laughs are here. Substance, a story with consequences, characters you actually care about? Not so much. Maybe I was expecting more because my last superhero experience was the impeccable Black Panther, but Deadpool 2 didn't quite get the job done for me. Deadpool 2 - 6.5/10
Do you agree? Are we big idiots? What should we review next? Let us know in the comments or share this on social media with your friends!
Till next time! Talkies and Jabberwocky
What I'm about to say is really contradictory... but Deadpool 2 relies too much on the style of the first and it's strengths to hook me in enough to care. Cool visuals, great action/gore and hilarious yet cheap metafictional pops aside, this sequel is far from perfect in many ways.
Spoilers from here on out -- if you haven't seen it jump to the end of this review to see the final score.
Ryan Reynolds snark is on point when it needs to be, but any attempt at seriousness (the death of Vanessa - DP's girlfriend) falls flat. The X-force (Deadpools team of discount-store mutants) felt rushed together and the characters like Cable and Domino (no relation to the kick-ass Keira Knightly flick from 2005) had little to no backstory presented. It felt pretty obvious that a Cable or X-force movie may be in the works, and that's the biggest takeaway of importance I left the theatre with. While an X-Force movie has been cited as "in the works", the cast is still up the air as half of the team didn't make it out of Deadpool 2 alive.
Cable never felt like a threat due to his short and lackluster introduction and backstory, I'm not sure if Yukio ever showcased her abilities (turns out she did, and it was so fast I missed it in my first viewing), and the casting of Terry Crews and cameo of Ben Affleck (as well as the short-lived feature of Shatterstar) felt like such a waste. I grew to appreciate Domino's "luck" ability by the end and appreciated the cinematography used in the scenes where we saw her power at work. Russell "Firefist" was also one of the shining parts of the film, as Julian Denison (Hunt For the Wilderpeople) did a great job portraying the hurt and angst his character endured at the hands of those who tortured him.
While the two new characters of Domino and Firefist hit their strides, the rest of the supporting characters fell flat with a lack of direction. The action was great, but the writing was not there to get me to actually care about the characters or what may happen in the next film. I'm hoping Deadpool 3 or X-Force can put some actual emotional connection and appeal into Wade Wilson again, as the Merc with a mouth has great cinematic potential still to be tapped and there is still time to right the ship. This can be so much more than a cheap-superhero cash in...
TLDR: Action, fun, and laughs are here. Substance, a story with consequences, characters you actually care about? Not so much. Maybe I was expecting more because my last superhero experience was the impeccable Black Panther, but Deadpool 2 didn't quite get the job done for me. Deadpool 2 - 6.5/10
Do you agree? Are we big idiots? What should we review next? Let us know in the comments or share this on social media with your friends!
Till next time! Talkies and Jabberwocky
Guess Who
(2005)
Slightly Dated, but a fun rom-com
11 June 2018
Guess Who (2005) starring Ashton Kutcher (That 70's Show, Butterfly Effect), an early-career Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avatar), and the late Bernie Mac (The Bernie Mac Show, Oceans Eleven). Is a fun rom-com about a loveable Kutcher trying to win over the over-bearing father-in-law, played by Mac. The movie has some shining and endearing moments that make you frustrated to love the characters of this movie.
I feel that the homophobia displayed by Mac's character and the interracial prejudice in the NY/NJ setting may not hold up as well in 2018 and can make the viewer suspend disbelief (side note - these observations are coming from a point of privilege for this writer.. and maybe I exist in a fish-bowl, but it's hard to picture many people like this). Dated views aside, the laughs are light enough and ubiquitous throughout to prevent it from hurting the film too much.
The plot is nothing revolutionary, but this is a fun movie. It's not receiving a higher score because it follows the rom-com formula too predictably and has some content that doesn't feel to hold up as well over time. However, that doesn't stop it from achieving its goal of making the audience laugh. Check it out, and let us know if you agree or not!
Currently available to stream on Netflix (as of 6.11.2018)
Guess Who - 6/10
I feel that the homophobia displayed by Mac's character and the interracial prejudice in the NY/NJ setting may not hold up as well in 2018 and can make the viewer suspend disbelief (side note - these observations are coming from a point of privilege for this writer.. and maybe I exist in a fish-bowl, but it's hard to picture many people like this). Dated views aside, the laughs are light enough and ubiquitous throughout to prevent it from hurting the film too much.
The plot is nothing revolutionary, but this is a fun movie. It's not receiving a higher score because it follows the rom-com formula too predictably and has some content that doesn't feel to hold up as well over time. However, that doesn't stop it from achieving its goal of making the audience laugh. Check it out, and let us know if you agree or not!
Currently available to stream on Netflix (as of 6.11.2018)
Guess Who - 6/10
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