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Reviews
Blue Beetle (2023)
Family-centric Super Hero
Listen - Blue Beetle isn't going to win an Oscar. But it's a fun, family themed superhero movie.
The Good:
Xolo as Jaime. The young man has such an earnest demeanor, and his portrayal is very enjoyable. Even with a less than stellar script, you root for him.
Nana - some other reviewer referred to her as the GOAT. I do not disagree. She's just fun. More Nana, less Rudy would have been fabulous.
Family dynamic- it was heartwarming. They are there for each other, even in the most insane circumstances. It's the glue that holds this movie together.
The Bad:
Uncle Rudy - listen, I like George Lopez. But this character was kinda grating. He does have some good scenes, but overall, he was pretty one-note.
Susan Sarandon - again - one note. No depth, no good lines, nothing. She deserves so much better than this role.
The writing - Listen Hollywood- we get it. White people = bad. It was very 'of the time', and it was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Another reviewer likened it to a script written by AI, and there are times I wouldn't have doubted it. It was clunky and rather preachy.
That being said, I would watch it again. Would I go out of my way to see it whenever it's on? No. But if I ran across it while scrolling, sure. And I'd let the littles watch it, too. There is some violence, but I'd liken it to a video game. Definitely less than most superhero fare.
Karroll's Christmas (2004)
Very sweet retelling
My husband and I stumbled on this movie last year, and just loved it. Wallace Shawn as the crotchety Scrooge-like character is a joy to watch (although the scenes when he was supposed to be younger were a little painful due to the poor make-up job). He plays sweet, wistful, mean, and nasty with such dexterity. Truly a gifted performance.
The ghosts are a blast, particularly Larry Miller (whose comedy routines I love!). Tom Everett Scott does a very good job as the unwitting recipient of the ghost-visits - a man who is on the verge of becoming just like his Scroogy-neighbor.
The casting of the children in this story, however, seems like an after-thought. Only one little boy actually shines in his portrayal. The others are wooden, and they mumble through their horribly written lines. Thankfully, they don't have much screen time.
This isn't the greatest re-telling of A Christmas Carol, but it is a very sweet and fun way to get into the Christmas "Spirit".