2022 Movie Reviews

***: This was an enjoyable sequel with some predictable moments. With some brutal kills and I did hold on to my seat and jump once I admit. Even though some critic reviews said the movie wasn’t scary at all.
When the trailers dropped everyone said they were brilliantly misleading about who would die. Despite showing many attacks in the trailer. They unfortunately made one death way too obvious.
Early on in the movie I was able to predict who was a killer though and I was right. Which is some-what disappointing and I did leave wishing there was more surprises.
I can’t say I still didn’t leave thinking I just watched one of the better Scream sequels. Part 4 was held back by some pretty goofy moments. Like, silly kill scenes and Anthony Anderson over-acting during his death scene. There’s nothing goofy about the brutal kills in the movie. Which is a plus.
It is also a plus that the casting of the new characters was pretty good. Definitely better than some of the casting of new blood in Scream 3. Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) and Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle, You) are especially good as sisters.

***: Death on the Nile is some-what better than the first film. Kenneth Branagh steals the show more this time as the sleuth Hercule Poirot. With, even a backstory to why he has that silly mustache.
Death in the Nile is sexier, more engaging and nicer to look at than Murder on the Orient Express. Emma Mackey as Jacqueline de Bellefort stands out the most from the supporting cast. As a femme fatale like character who wants back her ex Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer).
Who was stolen from her by her former good friend Linnett Ridgeway (Gal Gadot). Linnett is targeted while on cruise down the Nile. Linnett thinks Jacqueline is involved since she finds them where ever they go. The couple recruit Poirot to talk to her about leaving them alone.
During the cruise there’s a murder and it is up to Poirot to figure out who on board is the murderer.
Death on the Nile isn’t as good as Knives Out but it is a good watch for those looking for more mysteries like Knives Out.

***: As a fan of the games, this doesn’t feel enough like them. Tom Holland as Drake and Mark Wahlberg as his mentor Sully have brother like chemistry. So Wahlberg should have played Drake’s brother Sam, not Sully. Who usually has a mustache and doesn’t show off his muscles in tank tops.
Holland and Wahlberg are miscast, yet good despite feeling like they wandered off the set of another movie.
While the games had a lot of shoot-outs. There’s not many shoot-outs in the movie either. Yet the movie did keep my attention there’s plenty of adventure and double crosses. There’s just not much suspense.

****: Despite Robert Pattinson being a little too quiet and emotionless as Bruce Wayne. It’s funny how much his Batman is alive. Though his Bruce Wayne does show the inner scars more of any other Bruce Wayne. It is a little too overdone where you could consider him emo Bruce Wayne.
After a few hundred more viewings, his Bruce will probably grow on me more. His Batman though definitely doesn’t need to grow on me however. He could possibly be the most bad ass.
Paul Dano and Colin Farrell are both equally ingenious as the Riddler and the Penguin. Though Dano is creepier and bone chilling at times. Farrell’s Penguin is like the mob boss we’ve been missing on film since DeNiro in the Untouchables.
While Zoe Kravitz is an excellent Catwoman as well. Who feels the more like the character jumped out of the comic pages. Than the Riddler I admit. Who’s look was changed a little too much. Though him being perfectly out of his mind does make up for that.
The 3 hour length goes so fast surprisingly since the story pulls in you. To learn more about the Riddler especially and who will his next target be. My only problem is that Batman/Bruce is mostly on a motorcycle throughout. Until he just suddenly has the Batmobile in one scene.
Other than that and Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne having to grow on me. The Batman was the most solid Batman film since the Dark Knight. It also might be the closest movie the Arkham video games. Which is a very good thing.

***1/2: A fun sci-if/action/adventure version of Disney’s the Kid pretty much. With some similar occurrences of the older and younger version of Adam bonding. There’s plenty of action but there’s a giant heart to the Adam Project as well.

***1/2: Meilin already has to deal with an embarrassing mother. Unknown to her though, her mother’s side of family turn into big red creatures when they get angry or excited.
Turning Red is occasionally pretty funny and charming but also full of heart and touching.

***: An entertaining Romancing the Stone rip-off. That is better than it has a right to be due to the perfect cast. As well as plenty of laughs. Though I was never feeling the romance aspect of the movie.

**1/2: While Morbius is at least much better than the Venom movies. Sony should just stop and let Marvel use the Marvel villains they are giving solo movies.
A lot of Morbius is even engaging and a way better movie if you expect something awful. Definitely shouldn’t even be rated lower than Venom 1 or 2.
It’s not hard to know who the villain will be. Though the villain is at least better than the one in Venom as well.
Another reason the reviews shouldn’t be so low is that the performance are actually pretty good. Especially Jared Leto and Adria Arjona. Matt Smith is a bit over the top but not bad either.
The movie moves along much more smoothly than what I expected from something rated so low. Morbius is actually well made for an unnecessary movie.
The problem is you will be entertained but not left with much.

***1/2

***1/2

***: The best thing I can say about these movies. Is that despite corny dance scenes and etc. They are better than the live action Smurfs and Alvin and the Chipmunk movies. Despite this too being too much about a CGI creature having a human family.
Since the Sonic movies are a combination of corny and entertaining. There’s still too much of the human side characters though.
Like who cares about Maddie’s sister getting married in a Sonic movie ? Though, there’s at least plenty of the CGI video game characters and we’re at least not smothered by the human story.

**1/2: Michael Bay shows talent with all his movies in the beginning but then they drag on and on until you have lost all interest. I wanted to love this movie and it starts out as a pretty good heist movie.
The story is a bit stretched though that the leads even have time to sing together out of nowhere, during a car chase.

**1/2: A bit better than the second film with more laughs and charm at least. While remembering to actually use the Fantastic Beasts.
Though like the second film. It forgets that
Katherine Waterston’s Tina was a main character. I liked her chemistry with Eddie Redmayne in the first film. She hasn’t had anything to do since.
Due to everything more about young Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Newt’s brother and Eulalie (Jessica Williams).
Since the movie didn’t make enough money for a 4th film. I am happy that this is sort of a conclusion. However, it is a forgettable conclusion that isn’t very epic.

***: It’s a bit revenge epic cliche. Alexander Skarsgård is solid though. Even if I saw some twists coming a mile away. The direction and performances make the journey worth it nevertheless.
I’ve seen fan reviews expecting Game of Thrones or Vikings. No, the Northman is closer to Conan the Barbarian meets 300, meets 12 Years a Slave “with all white people.”

***: A fun and trippy ride through the multiverse. That is the most Horror like out than any MCU movie. There’s also plenty of great appearances by Marvel characters.

**: Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Zack Efron are decent enough as a daughter and father. Who are hunted because they have Telekinesis powers.
The movie just wasn’t necessary especially by Blumhouse who usually make better original movies than remakes.
With Eleven in Stranger Things existing now, a young girl with Telekinesis powers is less fresh than when the original Firestarter came out. Firestarter might not have been better if the original never existed either.
Since it is still a B-Movie either way. Though, the ending is somewhat touching.

***1/2: It isn’t Roger Rabbit but it is the best movie like it.

***1/2:
A sequel that we didn’t need many years later. Yet it is actually better than the original. The enemy jets just don’t pop up out of nowhere unlike in the original.
The original is a classic but it was missing something. This movie fills in the blanks of what it was missing. Like, I said enemy jets that just didn’t show up out of nowhere.
I never really felt like anyone was ever in danger from the foreign Jets in that film. Everything always just felt like practice.
In Top Gun: Maverick you actually feel as if Maverick and other pilots are in danger. While Tom Cruise and Miles Teller actually make a great team with great chemistry.