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Glass (2019)
Not a TOTAL train wreck...
Here it is, folks... the third movie in a trilogy that no one saw coming. A trilogy written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, a man of many talents, who has had some hits and some misses. Some very large misses. But that doesn't go without saying that this man has major skills, from both the writing and directing stand-points. Since Unbreakable was a movie that I really liked and Split was a surprisingly good movie that surprisingly tied into Unbreakable, it's no surprise that I was looking forward to Glass. Wow, I used surprise way too much in that sentence.
I was hyped for this movie. Now, listen kids. Riding the hype train is risky business. Sometimes you will end up like David Dunn, completely unbroken and unphased (which is a good thing). Other times, you'll just end up like the rest of the passengers on David's train... dead, but on the inside. So, is Glass any good? Or did Manoj Night Shyamalan once again let his fans down? The verdict is... it's okay.
It's not the best Shyamalan film, and is most definitely the worst in his superhero trilogy. But, this movie is not a total train wreck. There is a lot to love. All of the actors in this movie do an amazing job. Even Bruce Willis, who has been known for not really putting a lot in to the movies he's been starring in. In this movie, it really feels like Bruce enjoys playing the character of David Dunn. James McAvoy does an amazing job, once again, as Kevin Wendell Crumb and his other personalities. Samuel L. Jackson is still terrifying as Mr. Glass. Sarah Paulson was pretty good, too.
Shyamalan does a great job writing and directing. You can tell that he loves this movie and that he wanted to do a lot with it. This movie follows Unbreakable's traits of not being a typical superhero movie, which is sort of a relief in this day and age. It includes scenes from Unbreakable, including a deleted scene from the 2000 movie that was included in this one. It also takes some horror elements from Split. So, there is a nice mixture here. I am glad this wasn't a full on action movie, too. It kept the same feel as Unbreakable. There was action at the end, which was fun to see, since we hadn't really been able to see David Dunn's powers in action before. Yet, it wasn't full blown action. This is a character piece, just like Unbreakable and Split.
The problems I have with the film come from the fact that while this movie is titled Glass, Mr. Glass (Elijah Price) and David Dunn almost feel sidelined. This feels more like a movie for Kevin, or the Horde, which is disappointing because this was advertised as an Unbreakable sequel. It still is, yet it doesn't feel like a good ending to complete the trilogy. Shyamalan wanted to conclude Dunn's, Kevin's, and Price's stories all in one movie, and it just felt like too much sometimes. I won't get into spoilers, but a lot of the events that happen in the end just didn't do it for me. I did think, however, that the main big twist was smart.
This is a smart movie; don't get me wrong. Shyamalan is a great writer with many ideas. Sadly, he has many ideas that he likes to throw into one movie, which doesn't always work. This is not a bad movie at all. It just feels like he had so many things he wanted to do, but couldn't decide which ones to cut... so he didn't cut any. This movie was disappointing, but is not terrible at all. While it might not be the Unbreakable sequel I wanted, it is still a decent movie none the less.
Better Watch Out (2016)
Better Watch This Movie
This is a very fun spin on a classic tale. There was a lot to love with this film. The acting was pretty good. The twist was something I did not see coming; I actually expected this to be just another home invasion movie. I'm glad I was wrong. The movie is very smart, and I really appreciated it.
There are flaws, however. The characters are stupid. The older characters should be able to easily overpower the boy. There was some ideas that I feel could have been executed better. For being rated R, they really avoided showing a lot of the gore, sadly. Maybe this is because they were dealing with young actors. Still, I was a little disappointed with that. Lucas (the boy) was really annoying, and I really wanted him to get caught, so I'm a little disappointed about that, too.
Otherwise, I think this is a very fun film. I have really enjoyed the Shudder exclusives as of late. I highly suggest you check this one out.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
One Of The Best Sequels Ever
Blade Runner was a film that I thought was... okay. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I thought it was a decent sci-fi movie. So, going into the sequel, I didn't expect much. Boy, was I wrong. The acting is amazing. The effects are beautiful. The story is magnificent. The world that these films created is awesome.
I didn't know what the story was going to be going into this movie. The trailers didn't tell me much. So, I was very surprised while watching the movie. The movie is almost 3 hours long, but I was never bored. I was constantly intrigued, wanting to know what was going to happen next. I cared about the characters. I assumed the movie would end the way they were setting things up to be, but it didn't (if you have seen the film, you know what I mean). That, I think, is really cool. The movie ends the way you don't expect it to. It took a risk, and succeeded.
This is an amazing work of art. I highly recommend this film.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)
I Dread Ever Watching This Again
So, let's hope I don't have to watch it again. Bad acting, a relationship between two characters that wasn't compelling at all, a ending that I saw coming from a mile away: these are just a few reasons why I dislike this movie. I love horror and slasher movies, but only when they are good. This movie is not good. It's boring and unoriginal. There was no need to make it. They could have just kept with the original, but now I feel that this movie has ruined the original for me. The movie was slow, as well. Not very good at all.
Bird Box (2018)
The Happening and A Quiet Place Had a Baby
...and the baby is beautiful. This was a fun movie. The reason I am mentioning those two films is because of the similarities between them. In this movie, the creature (or whatever it is) makes people kill themselves, like in The Happening. Instead of being quiet, though, (like in A Quiet Place) you must be blind. While there are similarities, I don't think it is trying to completely copy the films. It's just using similar ideas.
Sandra Bullock is amazing in this movie. The whole cast is great, including the kids. You care about all of the characters (for the most part) and are left on the edge of your seat wondering who is going to die next. The storytelling is phenomenal and makes it easy to keep track on when the plot jumps back in time and back to present day. Whatever the creatures look like we don't really know (if they even have a physical body), and that can kind of be a let down for a big monster fan like I am. The ending also felt a little underwhelming to me, with it not really giving an explanation for the creatures or anything. But that's okay. Not all movies have to answer all the questions. That's what makes it fun. Overall, I think Bird Box is a great addition to the horror genre, and is very entertaining. Netflix, for the most part, does a very good job with it's original movies. I highly recommend this film.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
A Beautiful Tim Burton Film
Edward Scissorhands is a weird movie with a lot of heart; this is exactly what Tim Burton is best at. He is my favorite director, for he can take a weird plot idea and make it beautiful. The set and costume designs are amazing. The acting is great. You feel bad for Edward, because you know he is a misunderstood monster. Johnny Depp is (and I stand by this opinion) one of the best actors out there. He can take any character he is given and add so much personality to it. Winona Ryder was great in this movie, too. I know I gave this film a 10/10, but I have one minor flaw that I can easily look past: the relationship between Edward and Kim (Winona Ryder) feels rushed. Other than that, I think this is a beautiful film that I will watch every year around Christmas. With amazing music by Danny Elfman and wonderful direction, this is definitely one of Tim Burton's best films.
Bumblebee (2018)
The Best Transformers Film by far.
Bumblebee is a movie that I was really looking forward to. Although the Transformers franchise is one of my guilty pleasures, I can still acknowledge the fact that they are not good films. I wanted to see a movie that wasn't racist, sexist, or full of immature humor. I wanted a movie that took itself seriously, with good, non-annoying characters that I could love and feel for. Yet, for some reason, I walked into this movie expecting all of that. Does Bumblebee rise above these expectations? Yes. Bumblebee has none of it. Bumblebee is the best live-action Transformers film yet.
This movie is not directed by Michael Bay, and you can really tell. It's brighter and has a lot more heart. It isn't racist, sexist, or immature. It has everything a fan of the classic animated series would want, with costumes and sounds ripped straight from that show. It understood the source material, unlike the Bay films. It knew how to please the fans and give them what they want, unlike the Bay films. It wasn't overblown or over two-and-a-half hours long, unlike the Bay films. This film is so different from the Bay films, it doesn't even feel like it should belong in the same universe as them.
Hailee Steinfeld was great in this film, and brought a lot of heart to it. She played a good character for Bumblebee to bounce off of, and both of them could really relate to each other. Bumblebee was great in this movie, too, obviously. Unlike the other Transformers films, it solely focuses on Bee, with Optimus only showing up a few times. There were not many transformers in this film at all. It feels so condensed from what the other films were, which is something the franchise really needed.
The opening battle on Cybertron was awesome to watch. The fight scenes in general were all very exciting. They weren't full of explosion after explosion after explosion. The villains of the movie were bland Decepticons; nothing great about them, but nothing terrible. John Cena's character was fine. The movie didn't need a human villain, but he turned out a good guy in the end, so oh well. Charlie's (Hailee Steinfeld) family were okay. They weren't annoying like Sam's family were in the first 3 Transformers films, so that's a plus.
Overall, this movie is pretty awesome. It may seem cheesy and campy at times, but that's okay, because the classic animated series was, too. It brings heart and color to the Transformers franchise. There were some continuity issues that could come into play if they continue to stay a part of the first 5 films, but I feel they could call this a reboot and completely erase those other films from existence (but I don't think they will). This is, by far, the best Transformers film yet. I highly recommend this, even if you are a huge hater of the franchise. It brings a lot of great changes to the franchise; changes that were very much needed.
Aquaman (2018)
Not bad, DC. Not bad.
The DCEU, or Worlds of DC as they are now calling it, have released another standalone movie, this time with the character of Aquaman. Now, DC has been pretty good with their standalone films; the only films that I have major problems with are Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League. Justice League wasn't even that bad of a movie. It just felt rushed. One of the best parts about that movie was the character of Aquaman, a character that everyone thought of as weak and stupid before that movie was released. What Justice League did, however, was turn Aquaman into badass, so I was really excited to see how they would expand on his story in his standalone film. Luckily, he is still a badass.
Aquaman is not the best film in the DCEU, but it is definitely not the worst. I don't think this is James Wan's best work, either. However, I still think that is is a very enjoyable movie with a lot of stuff to love. It's weird to think that this movie belongs to the same universe as Batman V Superman, Man of Steel, and the like. It's so much brighter; so much more colorful. It is beautiful to look at. All of the CGI, makeup effects, and costumes look amazing. It is the most colorful film in the DCEU by far.
Aquaman is an awesome character, and Jason Momoa brings a lot of character and comedy to him. Mera was a very likable partner for Aquaman to have, and she also knew how to kick butt. Willem Defoe's character Vulko was fine; nothing great about him, but also nothing bad. The villains were actually quite good, and you could really reason with almost everything they were doing. Orm, played by Patrick Wilson, bounced off of Aquaman very well. The seriousness of Orm and the goofiness of Aquaman meshed together very well. Black Manta was a fun villain, too. I liked every scene he was in, and his on-screen suit didn't look half bad. I just feel that for being Aquaman's most iconic foe, he wasn't in the movie enough.
Now, this movie had some very cringy dialogue that took me out of the movie at times. There were also some shots in the film that made it seem like the movie was trying to be too mainstream. At one point in the film, Aquaman and Mera walk out of the ocean onto a beach in slow motion, like something you'd see during a swimsuit ad. While this is happening, a horrible - and I mean HORRIBLE - cover of Africa by Toto, being performed by Pitbull, was playing in the background. It was such a ridiculous shot, and it took me out of the movie. The film also had a lot going on, and I feel with a little more cutting, it could have been shortened without ruining the plot.
Overall, I think this is a very entertaining movie. It adds a lot more color and character to the DCEU, which is something it much needed. It's not better than Wonder Woman, but it definitely is better and more well put together than the other films in the DCEU. I'm excited to see where they go next with the character. If you are skeptical about seeing this movie, just give it a try. It's very entertaining, whether you like the DC films or not.
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
Read the book instead.
I just watched this movie because I just read the book, and... holy cow. 1. If you have not read the book, don't watch this movie. It will confuse the hell out of you. 2. If you have read the book, still... stay away. The movie feels so condensed and cut down. The characters are not characterized very well. The acting was fine, I guess, but the scenes with nudity were cringy. The whole movie was cringy and a huge let down. It contains nowhere near the amount of awesome story telling that the book had. Not all books should be made into film, and this movie proves it.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
The Spider-Man Movie Sony Needed
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an ambitious film. Sony's last few attempts with the character of Spider-Man have been underwhelming to say the least. I haven't seen a good Sony owned Spider-Man movie since 2004's Spider-Man 2. Luckily, Spider-Man: Homecoming turned out to be a pretty good film, but that was mainly Disney and Marvel Studios, so I still had low expectations. However, I am happy to say that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an awesome Spider-Man film, and an amazing film overall.
Instead of following Peter Parker like every other Spider-Man film out there, this film instead tells the story of Miles Morales and how he handles being Spider-Man. This is a bit different, however, because instead of skipping the learning and the suit making, we see his struggles firsthand. Miles makes a promise to his world's original Spider-Man that he would put a stop to Kingpin, but he has no idea how to control his powers, so he has a hard time.
Luckily, Kingpin's fancy collider machine happens to bring in some other Spider-Man, as well, so that Miles can get the help that he needs. The best part about this film is the way the characters are handled. The writers understand the character of Spider-Man, no matter what dimension he/she is from. They all have different personalities and art styles that make them stand out from each other. They did such a great job that I now want to see spin-off films for all of the Spider-Men in this movie.
Into the Spider-Verse is a lighthearted film, and is able to mix seriousness with comedy for the perfect effect. From the comedy aspect, the film, as I said before, understands Spider-Man. He is a funny character and knows how to stay calm in any situation. He cracks goofy jokes and says witty one-liners. With this movie, the different personalities of the different Spider-Men mixing together brings the comedy. On the other hand, the serious family issues bring some conflict to different characters, but in order to keep this spoiler free, I will not go in depth.
There is one issue I have with the film, but it isn't too big. Okay, the character is too big, but the issue is not. Kingpin, I feel, needed more characterization in order for me to think of him as a good villain. We learned some things about his family, but that was really it. He was a just a large man who wanted to conduct an evil plot. I can look past this, however, because the movie wasn't really focused on Kingpin. It was more focused on the Spider-Men, and most importantly, Miles Morales. Since this was done so well, I can forgive the film the Kingpin issue.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a film that was much needed on Sony's part, because it shows that they still have good things they can do with the character. Animation, I feel, is the best format for Spider-Man, but that might be because I grew up watching the Spider-Man animated series. Overall, this is an awesome film, and definitely deserves a watch. If you are a Spider-Man fan, I believe you will truly adore this movie as much as I did. If you are a heavy critic who doesn't know much about the character of Spider-Man, I think you will enjoy this movie too. If you just like movies in general, go out and see this movie. It's worth it.