Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts

Series Review: 1883

 

Title: 1883

Genre: Historical

Release Date: December 19th, 2021

My Rating: ★★★★☆

IMDB Rating: 8.7/10

Cast: Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Isabel May

Watch On: Paramount +

 

Summary from IMDB: 

Follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

This review almost didn't happen.

Like so many people who have been invested in the Dutton story from the very beginning, we longed to know where the whole saga began. My husband and I tuned into the first episode the day it was release last December. We quickly found out after two or three episodes the dark cloud that hung over the story content and slow paced story telling was far to draining for us. We quickly abandoned the show and moved on to brighter pastures.

It wasn't until today how much I realized how deep this story cut through my soul. Watching a young woman, tear down the walls of society, embracing rebellion and purpose of self. Falling in love, probably too many times in a short six months, and facing death head on. Elsa was the driving character in this show.

Favorite Quote:

"I know death now. I've seen it. It had no fangs. It smiled at me, and it was beautiful."


The reason I gave this show 4 out of 5 stars was the slow pacing at the beginning.


Bring the tissue. I write this review with tears rolling down my cheeks, grieving for a fictional character who feels as real to me as my own family. I don't know when and where she changed my mind, but I draw strength from her.

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Movie Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

 

Title: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Release Date: November 11th, 2022

My Rating: ★★★★☆

IMDB Rating: 7.0/10

Cast: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira

Watch On: Disney+

 

Summary from IMDB: 

The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

Finally, I was able to watch Wakanda Forever. I've been waiting for to see how this movie was going to playout for a while now.

With the passing of Chadwick Boseman, there was the question of who would or could play the new Black Panther, or even if they should pass on the mantel at all. There was a lot of debate, but I'm actually happy with how this one turned out.

The movie starts off with the death of King T'Challa. Although they never say what the cause of death was, I think how the scene played out was more for Boseman. It was touching and heartwarming. I had tears in my eyes.

The rest of the movie was action packed and full of emotion. Shuri is struggling with her brother's death and how she wasn't able to save him. There is also a new contender on the horizon, one that can take down Wakanda and destroy the rest of the world.

There is a lot going on in this movie. The introduction of new characters good and bad, and a new storyline put into motion. The one thing that I can't get over is some of the costumes are ridiculous looking. Okoye's costume.... She looks like she has a squid on her head. If this is my only gripe, I can deal with it.

All in all, this was a great movie.
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Movie Review: Three Thousand Years of Longing

 

Title: Three Thousand Years of Longing

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: August 26th, 2022

My Rating: ★★★★★

IMDB Rating: 6.7/10

Cast: Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba

Watch On: Amazon Video

 

Summary from IMDB: 

A lonely scholar, on a trip to Istanbul, discovers a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom.

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

This movie was far from what I thought it would be, but in a beautiful way.

You would think from the description, this was a new world Aladdin retelling, but surprisingly it was not. Alithea (Swinton), Picks up a strange bottle on her journey through Istanbul. Her need to know the story of the burnt and twisted glass sends her on a journey of its own when a Djinn (Elba), appears in her hotel room. As the Djinn tries to convince Alithea to make her three wishes and set him free, he tells her of, not one, but three imprisonments he's had to endure over three thousand years.

These stories are the heart and soul of this movie and are full of love and betrayal. I found myself drawn to the Djinn and lifetimes he has lived, but also fully aware of the torture of living in the bottle throughout the years, alone and grieving.

The dynamic between the characters was fantastic. Alithea is a lone wolf, smart and independent, but still longing to feel a connection, just unsure how. The Djinn's stories draw her close to him, convincing her to make her first wish.

I cannot explain how much I was drawn into this story and how creative and unique it was. I even looked to see if there was a book this movie was based on, but sadly there wasn't. A great watch.

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Movie Review: Woman in Motion

 

Title: Woman in Motion

Genre: Documentary

Release Date: 2019

My Rating: ★★★★★

IMDB Rating: 8.8/10

Cast: Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Walter Koenig

Watch On: Paramount +

 

Summary from IMDB: 

Nichelle Nichols' daunting task to launch a national blitz for NASA, recruiting 8,000 of the nation's best and brightest, including the trailblazing astronauts who became the first Black, Asian and Latino men and women to fly in space.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

This documentary was not something on my radar, but came on randomly after I had watched another Star Trek show on Paramount. I'm really glad it did.

I loved Nichelle Nichols, but had no idea the impact she had, not only through her roll in the original Star Trek, but as a recruiter for NASA and beyond. If it wasn't for Nichols, many of the astronauts who weren't selected through military means, would have never been able to go to space. Regular people like you and me, who had an amazing life changing opportunity.

Great documentary, even if you're not a Trekkie.
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Movie Review: Top Gun Maverick

 

Title: Top Gun Maverick

Genre: Action

Release Date: May 27th, 2022 

My Rating: ★★★★☆

IMDB Rating: 8.1/10

Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly

Watch On: Amazon Prime

 

Summary from IMDB: 

After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

I have mixed feelings about this movie. Mostly good, but some "what the..." moments.

The plot was mostly well written. Loved the action, the suspense and the way it was acted, but what was with the half assed love story that was thrown in the middle?

The love story is even worse than I thought after I did some research into the character. In the first movie, there is mention to a specific "admirals daughter..", before Goose whispers her name to Maverick. She was never an actual character until this movie, where the scrip eludes to a pervious love history. And when I say elides, that's about it. There really wasn't much of a backstory there or any explanation other than the relationship ended well. Throughout the whole movie, Penny, the admirals daughter all grown up would show up, but in no way, shape or form advance the story in any way. And even at one point when one scene ends, the next scene picks up with Maverick and Penny on a motorcycle riding off into the sunset. Whoever produced this movie is ridiculous!.. Of course... It was Tom Cruise...

Looking beyond the unattached love story, the action was top notch. I really truly loved it. Although I found Tom Cruise to be extremally cocky at times, I guess he has the right to be so as the first movie was and still is iconic.

This was a fantastic movie that really held up to the original. You really need to see it.
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Movie Review: Jurassic World Dominion

 

Title: Jurassic World Dominion

Genre: Adventure, Thriller

Release Date: June 10th, 2022

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

IMDB Rating: 5.7/10

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum

Watch On: Peacock

 

Summary from IMDB: 

Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, Biosyn operatives attempt to track down Maisie Lockwood, while Dr Ellie Sattler investigates a genetically engineered swarm of giant insects.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

All I want to know is, why was this movie made?

Even the description from IMDB says nothing about dinosaurs, even though the whole franchise is about, wait for it... Dinosaurs.

This movie is about a swarm of locust that eat all the crops in the world and somehow all the characters from all the Jurassic movies that are still alive, plus a few other characters that show up and just decide to help for no reason, have to stop them. There are a few side plots. Maisie Lockwood and of course Blue's baby, but even those are forgotten until the end of the movie. I mean literally forgotten. I think at one point when the group is ready to escape the new dino island, they go "Oh yeah, blue's baby." And then track down the little flesh eating death machine.

The only thing that made me happy, was Jeff Goldblum and the OG cast. They were wonderful.

This movie fell flat on its face for me. I really couldn't hate it any more.
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TV Review: Echoes on Netflix

 

Title: Title: Echoes

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: August 19th, 2022

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

IMDB Rating: 5.9/10

Cast: Michelle Monaghan, Matt Bomer, Karen Robinson

Watch On: Netflix

 

Summary from IMDB: 

Leni and Gina are identical twins who have secretly swapped their lives since they were children, culminating in a double life as adults, but one of the sisters goes missing and everything in their perfectly schemed world turns into chaos.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

Have you ever been so invested in a show that you binge the entire series in one day, forgetting about all your adult responsibilities, only to be epically let down in the final moments?

The complexities of this show were really intriguing in the beginning. We follow Gina, or who we think is Gina as we unravel an odd truth that the twins have been switching lives every year for as long as they could remember. To top off that realization, Leni is missing... or is it Gina... Who knows at this point.

Half way through the season, the point of view is switched to the other twin, Leni. This is where things start to become jumbled and the weave of the story is so tangled its hard to keep things straight. Who is who? Is it really Gina playing Leni, or vis versa? Even with all of this confusion going on, I was still invested until the end, because I had to know who the psycho twin was.

The final episode was were it all went wrong. A good story is supposed to wrap things up, or leave the reader's mind blow with a truth so horrendous you can't think for days, but this story seemed to continue with the confusion long after the end. The twins are still out there causing mayhem and stalking people. At this point, it was all too much as my mind had been on high alert for the entire seven episode series and there were never any instances where I felt a resting point where things made sense and were calm.

If the story had ended at episode six I would have given this series five out of five stars, but that ending was trash.


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Movie Review: Thor: Love and Thunder

 

Title: Thor: Love and Thunder

Genre: Fantasy/ Action

Release Date: July 8th, 2022

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

IMDB Rating: 6.7/10

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale

Watch On: In theaters

 

Summary from IMDB: 

Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

I have so many feels about this movie that I don't know where to start, so I'm just going to dive in.

The amount of hate I have for Jane Foster, and this thought of a scientist turned superhero trope that has been beaten to death, is seething from my pours. Natalie Portman's portrayal rubbed me the wrong way, and at times, they made her character seem far more important that Thor himself.

Piggy backing off of that thought, why is Thor the dumbest person in the galaxy now? He has no serious feelings as he did in the original movies, even Dark World, and his dialog is all quirky one-liners with absolutely no substance. Thor has been absolutely ruined by the need to fill his space with comedy and they have lost who he really was in the beginning.

The action in the movie was a play off of every other action film known to man with no original content worth noting. The story line seemed like a filler movie to introduce new characters and villains.

I enjoyed the music and cinematics, but really nothing more. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement.

As a huge fan of Thor and the MCU, this movie is a waste of time. Wouldn't recommend to see it in the theater, but wait until its out on Disney +.

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Movie Review: The Gray Man

 

Title: The Gray Man

Genre: Action

Release Date: July 22nd, 2022 

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

IMDB Rating: 6.5/10

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas

Watch On: Netflix

 

Summary from IMDB: 

When the CIA's most skilled operative-whose true identity is known to none-accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets, a psychopathic former colleague puts a bounty on his head, setting off a global manhunt by international assassins.

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

Although I'm a big fan of Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling, this movie didn't sit right with me.

There was way to much action and not enough back story or downtime to breath. Within the last 15 minutes of the movie, there was so much info dumping about the characters past lives my head was spinning. And lets not forget the plot holes and odd relationships between the characters.

The only saving grace for The Gray Man was the fight scene at the end between Evans and Gosling. It was wonderful.

I had high hopes for this movie and was sadly disappointed. Still, if you like action, there was plenty of it.
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Movie Review: The Secrets of Dumbledore


Title: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: April 15th, 2022

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

IMDB Rating: 6.2/10

Cast: Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Eddie Redmayne

Watch On: Amazon Prime

 
Summary from IMDB:

Professor Albus Dumbledore must assign Newt Scamander and his fellow partners as Grindelwald begins to lead an army to eliminate all Muggles. 

 

IMDB Trailer

 

Review:

I wasn't as thrilled about this installment of Fantastic Beasts.

The story seemed lacking to me and the excitement around the characters were lacking. All the feelings that should be involved in a movie were missing and I felt bored at the end.

We also need to address the half assed relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. If you are going to give them a relationship, them make it believable. It felt forced and awkward.

Of course, this movie is a must watch for any Harry Potter fans, but make up your own mind about it. I wasn't as pleased with this one as I have been with others in the past.
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