jarenlyman Reviews

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

The definition of hidden gem

[8/10 · 20 July 2021]

This movie deserves way more recognition among animated Disney movies. It never gets talked about, and it should. This movie is legitimately funny, has quotable lines, exciting action scenes, and heart. All the voice actors do a great job, the animation is gorgeous, and the story feels one step off from being an Indiana Jones adventure. This is one of the few animated Disney movies where I'd welcome a live action remake just to bring more awareness to it. If you haven't seen it, check it out on Disney+. It's a good one for the kids and whole family.

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

One of my favorite sequels ever in one of my favorite trilogies

[9/10 · 27 October 2020]

The original Back to the Future is my favorite movie of all time, so following it up was never going to be an easy task, and it'd be perfectly logical to assume it shouldn't even be attempted. That said, I'm so glad the sequels exists! This movie is so creative! It can't quite top the original, but for me personally, it gets dang close to matching it. The first act of this movie is the one most people recall, and it's what it's most known for, but ironically, it's my least favorite portion of the film. While the first half hour or so is perfectly entertaining, enjoyable, and even necessary for setting up the rest of the plot, it's after that when I feel this movie truly hits the gas! The formula gets changed up quite a bit this time around, and even when things get pretty familiar, there are new spins on them. The only thing holding this back from a perfect 10 for me is that first half hour. Some of the writing is a little clunky in the beginning and could've used a few more revisions. It's clear they wrote themselves into a corner on some small things that they had to work around. Other than that though, the writing and plot drastically improves at the beginning of the second act, and doesn't stop until the end...and what an end. If you've never seen these movies, and you're marathoning them for the first time, you will not be able to resist finishing out the trilogy. I love revisiting the experience that is Back to the Future, and part 2 is a very solid sequel, and one of my favorite sequels ever made. It's got heart pounding tension that isn't afraid to get dark at times, but is followed by great laughs to balance it out. If you haven't seen this movie or this trilogy for that matter, do yourself a favor, drop what you're doing, and binge them however you can!

1917 (2019)

I dare to say it's a masterpiece

[10/10 · 16 January 2020]

I've seen a decent amount of war movies in my life, and while I've always had an appreciation for such films as "Saving Private Ryan", and "Schindler's List", I've never been a war movie fanatic. Even though I have praise to give them, I tend to not revisit them too often. This film however, I can say that I can see myself revisiting at least a few more times, and more than likely while it's still in theaters. It's a marvel of an achievement in the cinematography department, and the production behind it is anything but lazy. The acting is superb, and believable in every scene. The lighting is very effective in a few key scenes that are standing out fresh in my mind. The movie also knows just when to have a lack of a score to build tension, and when to bring in the epic orchestra to ramp up the drama of the scene. The make up is top notch, and the wardrobe is indistinguishable from authentic uniforms of the time. The story, though simple, is very engaging, and does an outstanding job of plopping you right in the middle of it. For it being the "one shot" gimmick throughout the film, I never once felt that the pacing suffered from it, and it only added to the experience, and the immersion. Most movies I see, even the ones I adore, tend to have very small things here and there that I can find to nitpick if I really want to, but this film, I can't think of one thing I would change. Not one thing comes to mind that could've improved this experience for me. See this movie on the big screen if you can. I urge you to not let this movie fly under the radar. See it, tell people you know to see it. Help ensure that the very hard work that was put into this pays off for all of those involved! I cannot recommend it enough!

Child's Play 2 (1990)

I don't know why this got a 5.8 out of 10

[8/10 · 8 October 2019]

So I watched the first Child's Play a couple of months ago. I hadn't ever seen it growing up, even though I started really getting into slashers when I was about 16. I finally decided to watch it, and had a perfectly fun time, but not much more. I hadn't had the desire to rewatch it, or buy it. That said, I did still have a slight interest in seeing this one. Today, I finally did...and I'm really glad I did. I found this one more entertaining than the first one in every way. The movie flew by, and every scene I was intrigued to see where it was going. I found myself very invested in Andy's character, and seeing how he deals with the aftermath of the first one. I also found Kyle to be a really likeable, older sister type character. Between Chucky's one liners, the atmosphere, the pacing, and the acting, I was hooked. Not to mention the finale has an awesome setting. I'm glad I checked it out, and as a horror fan, I may just need to add it to my collection.

Toy Story 4 (2019)

For a movie I never wanted to happen, it was better than I thought it would be.

[8/10 · 27 June 2019]

I will say that this is possibly my least favorite of the 4, but it's still really good. It's like saying it was my least favorite flavor of cake out of four options, but it's still cake, and I will still indulge in it. I never wanted them to make a fourth one. I thought they wrapped up 3 so perfectly, and even the thought of a fourth one sounded like a distasteful cash grab. Even the trailers didn't get me excited, but darn it, this movie worked. Right from the get go, it's clear the film is being made with care. The performances from both new and returning characters are all good across the board. The animation is mindblowing, possibly some of the best I've seen in an all animated movie. The story, while nothing completely groundbreaking, does find ways of fitting in more adult themes, and hits some strong emotional keys. It's fun, funny, fast paced, and emotional. The ending didn't pack as much of an emotional punch for me as 3, but it still tugged at the heart strings. After it's all said and done, it's a fourth installment that I will gladly add to my collection.

Bumblebee (I) (2018)

More of what I wanted from the beginning

[8/10 · 24 December 2018]

Ever since I was a kid I've always thought that the concept of Transformers was really cool, but I've never cared for a single one of the live action movies. Even when people try to defend the first one, I just couldn't bring myself to like it. So when I first saw the trailer for this movie, I had zero interest, but knew I would probably get dragged to it by my buddies. Well I'm happy to say that this is easily the best Transformers movie so far. Not only is it the first one I've actually enjoyed, it's the first one to get me excited for the future of this franchise. It should come as no surprise that if you cut out racist stereotypes, junior high humor, annoying and unlikable human characters, and making women overly sexualized, it makes for a much less cringy film. For the most part, this movie does away with all of those major issues I had with all of the rest of them. It doesn't beat you over the head with product placement nearly as much, or it at least isn't as blatantly obvious about it. One of the glaring problems I've had with the last five is that they're all the same movie pretty much. They follow almost the exact same formula. While this one does have some similar plot lines, majority of the movie feels pretty fresh, especially the first half. It sort of breaks the mold a bit and tries a little harder to give the fans more of what they've wanted from the start. It's directed well, it has mostly good performances, and I found myself caring a lot more for this story than any of the previous entries. Really the only complaint that comes to mind is that there is still a small amount of annoying human characters. There is a step father character who got on my nerves a little, and a little brother who did the same. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little relieved every time they left the screen. I am happy to say though that they weren't enough to drag the movie down for me, and thankfully they're roles weren't major. If you were anything like me, and liked the concept of Transformers, and even the 80's cartoon, but haven't cared for any of the movies, I would say give this one a shot. It's a much better representation of what the franchise could've and should've been all along!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Could've been my favorite with some tweaks

[8/10 · 18 October 2018]

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. The only real issue I have with Temple of Doom is the side characters. The story (even though darker) is fine, the action is great, and the sense of adventure is real. Willy and Short Round are the only thing holding it down in my opinion. With just some easy changes to them, you would have a much better film. Indy is just as good and charming as ever. While that is the only big issue I have, it is a big enough one to drag the movie down. I still love this movie, but I have to admit that it does have to fall under worst of the original three because of it. Fix that, and I'd consider this on par with the other two. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull makes it look great in comparison.

The Haunted Mansion (2003)

Not great, but not deserving of a 5 out of 10

[7/10 · 14 October 2018]

Now let me say that I absolutely love the ride at Disneyland in California, and I do wish the movie was more like it. That said, it's not nearly as bad as everyone makes it sound. The movie does have some genuinely funny, and dare I say effective moments. While the special effects are dated now, it does have some impressive practical make up, and fun callbacks to the ride. At times there is a hint of a somewhat spooky atmosphere, but it is often undone by having throwaway jokes that don't always land. All in all though, I'd say it's perfectly harmless, and a good movie to watch with the family. Not perfect, but not deserving of the hate.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

A Really Fun Time. Emphasis On Fun.

[8/10 · 25 September 2017]

Now listen, I love the first Kingsman movie. I saw it back in theaters on word of mouth and loved it and have only grown to like it more with more viewings. So naturally I was excited to hear a sequel was coming out and that Matthew Vaughn was returning, and I can safely say I found it worth the money. There are a small handful of choices made in the movie that I won't spoil, but that I found just a little odd and thought they could have been slightly altered to easily get the same point across and not felt as weird. However, that said, I had a total blast with this movie. Yes, it's over the top and totally unrealistic, but that's part of the charm of it and one of the biggest draws of the original I thought. The performances are great, the story(while completely bonkers) is fun, the cinematography as well as the stunt work and visuals are incredible. I can't deny there were more than a few times I looked over to my buddies and commented on how awesome a particular moment was. And one thing I would kick myself for forgetting to mention, the musical score. I found myself wanting to look up the score after leaving the theater. Overall, a very enjoyable movie that you can easily have fun watching, with a few odd moments. I put it about on par with one or slightly below. A very good followup and I look forward to collecting the bluray and putting it next to the original on my shelf. If you enjoyed the first, I'd say definitely check it out.