Roman Thrillers and Killers, with Christmas Fillers

 

GLADIATOR II

ACTION 

PLOT:  Lucius becomes a slave/fighter after his home was taken over by Rome and wants vengeance!

WHAT IS GOOD:  Paul Mescal as Lucius is good as a warrior who wants revenge.  He was in After Sun, a good movie but VERY slow.  Pedro Pascal (series Mandalorian) is good as warrior Marcus Acacius who enslaved Lucius. Denzel Washington is EXCELLENT as Macrinus, a calculating, charming slave owner who uses Lucius to carry out is sinister plan.  Washington is a joy to watch as an evil man.  The violence is vicious!

WHAT IS BAD:  Not as good as the first one.  Also there is a scene that is hard to believe in those times.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  It is bloody and the main actors are great but if you compare it to the first one you won’t like it.

 

CONCLAVE

MYSTERY THRILLER

PLOT:  The last pope died and now they have to vote in a new pope but not without scandal or secrets.  The meaning of conclave is electing a new pope.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The cast that include Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow.  They show the Vatican is lush and vast!  It also shows the candidate for the job as people-they are not perfect.  They are shown as ruthless, ambitious and racists.

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is a slow burn.  The film is only 2 hours but it feels longer.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES!  The group of actors are worthy of this film.  Oscar nomination is in Ralph Fiennes’ future.

 

ABSOLUTION

CRIME DRAMA 

PLOT:    Once a boxer now an aging gangster with CTE wants to connect with his family .

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Liam Neeson as an older thug who begins to have a conscience.  He is tough but he wants to do the right thing which is hard in organized crime world.  The title of the movie means forgiveness.

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is not action packed like the trailer.  It is a character story about a man who wishes he did things differently.  You have seen Neeson do these kinds of movies before but does it so well.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  You should watch if you are a Liam Neeson fan, if not wait for On Demand.

 

RED ONE

COMEDY/ACTION/ADVENTURE 

PLOT:   Santa Claus is kidnapped and his top security guard and a bounty hunter must find him before Christmas!

WHAT IS RIGHT:   Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam) as Callum plays it straight as Santa Claus bodyguard and Chris Evans (Captain America) is fun as a different kind of bounty hunter/hacker.  The special effects were good.  He has an amazing, hi-tech sleigh!

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is a different story of Santa Claus but at least he is NOT a serial killer!  It is an expensive movie but should have paid more on the script!

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you like an unusual telling of Santa Claus movie this is it!  If you like Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans you should see it too. 

 

Will Venom 3 Make You Smile 2?

SMILE 2

HORROR 

PLOT:    Pop singer Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is going on her world tour but strange things are happening to her and she has to face her past.

WHAT IS GOOD:  The opening you think you are in the wrong movie because it starts like a crime drama, not a scary movie!   Ms. Scott is very good as a successful but troubled performer.   It is psychological but there is a gory and blood! The jump scare is good and the special effects amazing.  Plus Ray Nicholson, son of Jack Nicholson is in the film.  His son has a wicked smile and character as his popular father.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Could have been shortened.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES!  If you liked the first movie this is a good sequel.

 

VENOM: THE LAST DANCE

ACTION/SUPERHERO 

PLOT:   Eddie(Tom Hardy) and Venom are hiding in Mexico but they decide to come back to clear Eddie’s name from a crime he didn’t commit and Knull, the creator of the symbiotes needs them both to escape his strange prison.

WHAT IS GOOD:  Eddie and Venom when the argue and when they work together!   Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) is great comic relief and Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is an officer who protects Area 51 who soon finds out he is over his head.  Knull who is voiced by Andy Serkis is fantastic as an evil being who is scattered throughout the movie but he is villain that is truly scary.  The other symbiotes are creepy!

WHAT IS WRONG:   They had characters that were not necessary.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES!  If you like the last two movies  you will enjoy this one!

Jokers, Robots, Transformers---Any Substance?

SUBSTANCE

HORROR 

PLOT:   Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a popular TV aerobics show host who is pushing 50.  She want to look young and beautiful so she finds a black market drug that fulfils her dreams but at what cost.

WHAT IS GOOD:  Demi Moore is amazing as Elisabeth trying to cling to beauty.  She is nude a lot and so is her younger self Margaret Qualley.  Dennis Quaid as Harvey is hilarious as a sleazy producer who wants a younger female. 

WHAT IS WRONG:   It went too long and it got more bizarre and bloodier as near the climax!

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Well, it is like a soft porno movie, a body horror movie and a satire so you have been warned.

 

TRANSFORMER ONE

3D ANIMATED 

PLOT:   How Optimus Prime and Megatron were in the beginning miners and best friends into rivals!

WHAT IS GOOD:  The action is AMAZING especially near the end.  Lots of humor too.  Hard to believe that Megatron was the sensible robot while Optimus Prime was the reckless and the adventurous one!

WHAT IS BAD:  Not bad but strange- teen robots!  That’s what the two were in the beginning and could not transform.  The voices, Chris Hemsworth (Thor) as Optimus Prime and Brian Tyree Henry

 (Godzilla V Kong) as Megatron!  That was stunt casting to me.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:   If you are a Transformer fan:  OH YES!  You will let a few things go to see how good the film is.

WILD ROBOT

3D ANIMATION

PLOT:   A shipwrecked android in the forest becomes friends with the animals and an adoptive mother to a goose.

WHAT IS GOOD:  The voice cast was nothing short of excellent.  Lupita Nyong’o  (Black Panther) as Roz the robot is great.  Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) is Fink the fox.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Typical story about differences but done well.

SHOULD YOU GO:  ABSOULTELY YES!!!  The film is beautiful to look at; it has action, drama comedy and heart.

JOKER 2:  FOLIE A DEUX

DRAMA 

PLOT:  The sequel to the Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix.  Joker is now in Arkham, a mental institution and soon to go on trial for killing six people.

WHAT IS GOOD:  Joaquin Phoenix/ Arthur Fleck  as Joker.  If you thought he was nuts in the last movie just wait to use see this one! He finds a girlfriend as crazy and destructive as she is named Harleen “Lee” Quinzel played by singer Lady Gaga. Both are good actors but the movie is well weird!

WHAT IS WRONG:  The two leads are mental and they sing a lot.  It is not the Joker people want to see like in the comics but they do have characters from the comics like Harry Dent.  No mention of Batman. If you like the first movie you may like this one.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Hollywood now like weird movies with talented casts such as:  Everything, Everywhere All At Once and Poor Things.  If you like those kinds of movies you will like this one but if you don’t, please don’t watch!!!

Alien Crows, Blinking Beasts and More Adventure Films

 

THE CROW

SUPERNATURAL/THRILLER 

PLOT:  Remake of  The Crow in 1994.  Eric and Shelly are lovers and are killed but he makes a deal with the devil to avenge his enemies.

WHAT IS GOOD:  In the 1994 version starring the late Brandon Lee, the girlfriend Shelly has more back story and more screen time. She is played by British singer FKA Twigs, a British singer.  Eric is played by Bill Skarsgard who played the lead role in the updated version of IT.  Danny Huston, who usually plays the bad guy and does it very well as a demonic crime lord.  He is not there much of time but when he is, he is great!

WHAT IS WRONG:  The film was based on a graphic novel and the 1994 version had much more villains that were horrible and died horribly.  The two lovers meet in rehab!  Eric has a mystical mentor to help him beside the bird.  The fans always ask the question:  Why a remake?

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  ONLY out of curiosity.  If you liked the film in 1994 you may be disappointed but if you never saw the original you might enjoy it.

 

ASYLUM’S ALIEN RUBICON

SCI-FI/ACTION

PLOT:   In outer space a giant grey sphere is coming to New York and the president and a scientists must stop it.

WHAT IS GOOD:  Low-budget Asylum movies are getting better in the special effects department.  B-movie action star Paul Logan is great as a soldier and dependable Michael Pare is good as the president.

WHAT IS BAD:  Asylum Movie Company makes better trailers than movies.  Spoiler:  if you have seen the trailer for this film at the end a hoard of monster dinosaurs leave the sphere.  The creatures are there for about two minutes and gone.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are a fan of Asylum movies you know what you will get!  This film is in theaters but should be seen  ON DEMAND.

 

THE BEAST WITHIN

HORROR 

PLOT:    A ten year old sickly girl living in an isolated area finds out something horrible about her dad.

WHAT IS GOOD:  The special effects are not bad, builds some suspense and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) is very good.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Pacing!  The movie is not that long but it feels way too long. 

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  The movie is a slow burn until the conclusion.  Wait until On Demand!

 

BLINK TWICE

THRILLER 

PLOT:   Slater King, a very rich guy takes a waitress and her friend to his own island only to find out it’s not paradise.

WHAT IS GOOD:  Channing Tatem (Magic Mike and Deadpool and Wolverine) as Slater King, he handsome, charming and a psycho.  Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody) is good as Frida, the waitress who finds out what is really going on and does something about it.  Adria Arjona (Morbius) as Sarah is great who is a tough chick.  Actress Zoe Kravitz, her directorial debut  has much going for her.  I hope she directs more films.

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is stylish but a slow burn.  The film is not that long but feels like it.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you can see it ON DEMAND is better.

ALIEN ROMULUS

ACTION/SCI-FI

PLOT:  An interquel(!) of the Alien series.  This film takes place between Alien and Aliens!  Scavengers find a creature on the USCSS Nostromo of the first film.  They take it to Romulus, a lab which also has Greek mythology meaning.  I guess the film makers didn’t want to just call it Alien 8!

WHAT IS RIGHT:  It is creepier than most of the movies.  It has jump scares, a tough female Carilee Spaeny (Civil War) heroine and gruesome Aliens!

WHAT IS WRONG:  If you seen one Alien film you have seen them all.  Dull characters that are just victims.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you like Alien franchise then go!

Adventure Flicks Get Stranger and More Violent

 

BORDERLANDS

SCI-FI/ACITON/ADVEVENTURE

PLOT:   Female bounty hunter must find young girl who has incredible powers and teams up with group of misfits for help. Based on a very popular video game.

WHAT IS GOOD: Cate Blanchett as Lilith who is a bounty hunter.  Never picture her as an action hero but she is an actress.  Jack Black as the voice of Claptrap, a funny robot who that looks like a takeout noodle box from Chinese restaurant with a wheel!  The crazy thing is Kevin Hart is NOT comic relief!!

WHAT IS WRONG:   The bad guy is NOT very threatening; the violence is very intense for a PG-13 film.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  For the fans of the game is fun to watch on DEMAND to see what they did wrong.  It might be good for others who don’t know the video game.  Not the best but it is B-movie good!

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

ACTION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE 

PLOT:   Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) has to save the people he loves by teaming up with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to save his timeline.

WHAT IS GOOD:  Reynolds and Jackman are great as  super buddies!  Jackman, very serious while Reynolds is constantly joking around.  There are also superhero cameos. Many inside jokes  and Marvel fans will enjoy one scene which is a long time coming.

WHAT IS WRONG:   The villains are not the best!  The violence is very excessive and Deadpool has a very foul mouth!

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are a Marvel fan-YES!  Two of the most violent anti-superheroes of all time together are worth watching.

 

TRAP

THRILLER 

PLOT:    Cooper (Josh Hartnett) is a great dad and a serial killer called “The Butcher”. He takes his daughter to see Lady Raven, a pop singer and plans to kill her too. 

WHAT IS GOOD:  M. Night Shyamalan who directed the Sixth Sense.  He has the most creative ideas but most of the time it is not as good as the concept.  Josh Hartnett as Cooper is creepy, considerate plus a great liar.  He is very good.  Saleka Shyamalan is great as Lady Raven who thinks quickly in a dangerous situations. She is the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan.

WHAT IS WRONG:   The situations grow stranger than the last.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are a fan of M. Night Shyamalan you may enjoy it for it does have many intense moments but over-the- top moments as too.