A Way Home Exists in Hollywood for Good Movies

SPIDERMAN NO WAY HOME

ACTION/ADVENTURE

PLOT:   Peter Parker (Tom Holland) identity is exposed  so he goes to Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumber batch) so everyone can forget who he really is but the spell is cracked with unexpected results.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The film has it all: action, comedy drama and romance.

WHAT IS WRONG:  The writers didn’t base it on the comic.  Dr. Strange DID NOT make the world forget Peter Parker.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YESSS!  It is  AMAZING addition to the Spiderman franchise.  Note:  Watch the other Spiderman movies for they mention little things only fans of the films know.

HOUSE OF GUCCI

CRIME DRAMA

PLOT:   The story about how the Gucci empire was created but destroyed by greed and manipulation.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani a humble office worker in her father’s business who marries Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) who enjoys the life of the super rich and doesn’t want to lose it.  She is fun to watch.

WHAT IS WRONG:  The film is long 2 hours and half and it still doesn’t cover the madness and tragedy of Gucci.  If you are truly interested you must read books and articles about the true story of this family.  The movie focuses on Patrizia and Maurizio.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are enjoy Lady Gaga and the Gucci family and how they got started then Yes; if not DON’T.

                                                        KING RICHARD

BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA

PLOT:  The true story of Richard Williams who made his daughters Venus and Serena Williams the best tennis players in the world.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Will Smith as Richard Williams is excellent a funny, driven father who was going to make his daughters a success no matter what.  Everyone knows about Venus and Serena Williams but he had three other daughters as well and they were successful too.

WHAT IS WRONG: In any biography movie many things are exaggerated so if you are interested research his life.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES.  Will Smith’s Oscar winning performance is worthy of watching and it tells the timeless tale you can achieve  ANYTHING you want.

 

 

There Is An Afterlife, for the Child in Us

GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE

COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FANTASY

PLOT:  Callie Spengler, (Egon Spengler’s daughter) is a single mom who has to leave the big city to a small town which carries an evil secret.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  They pay homage to the original Ghostbusters and it is nothing short of delightful.  The cast is great too; Carrie Coon as Callie is funny  and her kids McKenna Grace as Phoebe, a nerdy but very smart girl and Finn Wolfhard as Trevor who is young, funny and likes  a pretty female in the town.   Logan Kim as Podcast and his name fits him for he has a mike and camera always ready.  The cameos are fantastic too.  Near the end is fantastic! Stay for the mid-credits.

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is a slow burn but it is telling you the plot and how it all comes together.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are a fan of Ghostbusters or the 80s-OH YES!  This is the Ghostbusters#3!

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG

COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FANTASY 

PLOT:  The movie version of the children book series.  Emily (Darby Camp), a 12 year old girl is having problems adjusting to school and her mom Maggie (Sienna Guillory ,Resident Evil) is never around. Emily’s wacky brother Casey (Jack Whitehall) babysits while she is on a business trip.  She meets Norman Bridewell (John Cleese, a magical animal rescuer who saved Clifford while small.  Emily wants the dog but with a series of events she gets the dog and the much love she gives is why Clifford  becomes very huge. Zac Tieran,(Tony Hale) an ambitious owner of a genetic company wants to take Clifford for experiments why he got so large so he can feed the world.

WHAT IS RIGHT:   How can you go wrong about a young girl and a cute big puppy?  It is adorable.  The cast is great.

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is predictable but still fun to watch.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Yes!  If you like cuteness, comedy and love saves the day. Great for kids and adults.

 

Eternal New Movies Hit the Dune

ETERNALS

ACTION/ADVENTURE/SUPERHEROES 

PLOT:  Ancient aliens are living and protecting Earth and the monsters Deviants come back more powerful than ever they must save people at all cost.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Diversity.  They have men, women, black, Asian, East Indian and a mute as Eternals. It is based on the comic book but they did many changes. The humor is good too.  The film is amazing to look at.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Angelina Jolie should have been the main character for Thena is a beautiful warrior of the group.  It is a slow burn but the fight scenes are fantastic.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  This is a tough one.  It has a lot going for it as well as against it.  Many people don’t know the Eternals and most are not that interesting.  If you can hold out wait until it is on a streaming sight or ON DEMAND.

DUNE: PART ONE

ACTION/SCI-FI

 PLOT:  Based on the novels by Frank Herbert.  A young prince with powers he must master to survive and protect Spice, an ingredient that makes you stronger and helps on his planet ships fly.  Many factions want to control the substance so it is about political power as well.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Visually breathtaking and the score by Hans Zimmer haunting.  The cast is very good that includes Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Zendaya Oscar Isaac and Timothree Chalamet as the young hero.

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is a slow pace, somber and very intense.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are a fan of the book this film is the most accurate version yet.  It is not action-packed but it does have action. 

New Movies for the Fall of 2021

NO TIME TO DIE

ACTION/ADVENTURE  

PLOT: The 25^th James Bond movie. Bond has to stop a creepy madman named Lyutsifer Safin who is making bio-weapons and the love of his life Dr. Madeline Swan has a past with the villain.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Daniel Craig as James Bond is intense.  All the things you enjoyed about Bond in previous film he smashed all the myths in his first film Casino Royale.  He does in his latest and last Bond movie where he is caring man and  wants to retire from the business but he is forced to come back to save the woman he loves and the world.  Paloma (Ana de Armas who was in Knives Out) as a new spy is great, attractive, funny and can handle herself.  The action is these movies are always good.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Does the public really want a female Black Bond? Nomi (Lashana Lynch Captain Marvel) can hold her own but people are used to a male Bond.  The film is long 165 minutes and the movie audience has been home so long can they endure the length.  They placed a lot of political correctness in the film too.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you are a fan of James Bond movies, yes and it is Daniel Craig last Bond movie.  It has many things of the old movies and many things you don’t want but it is still worth a look.

 

THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2

ANIMATED/DARK COMEDY 

PLOT:  The bizarre and funny sequel to the last movie.  Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) lost a science project and feeling bad so Gomez (Oscar Isaac )and the family goes on a road trip.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday, the cool, creepy smart daughter of the Addams clan. The rest of the cast is great as well Oscar Isaac as pathetic, passionate Gomez and Charlize Theron as the strange, sleek Morticia.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Thank goodness it is a computer generated cartoon or it would be a massacre!  It is fun but odd and it becomes crazier as the movies moves forward.

SHOULD YOU WATCH: If you like the last movie or if it is your first time seening this movie they are drawn weird but that is part of the fun.

CANDYMAN

HORROR

PLOT: The sequel to the 1992 slasher movie.  Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen ll Black Manta in Aquaman) is an artist who finds out more than he bargain for about Candyman and himself.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The acting is good and some deaths are quite disturbing and creepy.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Politically correct about Black people oppressed.

SHOULD  YOU  WATCH:  YES!  If you like the first Candyman you will enjoy this.

 

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE

ACTION/COMEDY/SUPERHERO

PLOT:  The sequel to Venom.  Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom are unlikely partners and so they do not agree and they literally split up.  Meanwhile Cletus Kasady/Carnage (Woody Harrleson) becomes Brock and Venom’s rival.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  If you like Venom you will enjoy this.  It explores Cletus Kasady and why he is a sadistic killer.  Eddie and Venom act like a married couple – always arguing.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Venom was little strange and the sequel is very strange if you see this film and not the first.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you like the first movie.  It is very funny and very violent.  It has some sad scenes of Cletus who wants to be a normal human being but cannot.

 

Action Fantasy Movies Go Full Chop Suey

SHANG CHI AND THE TEN RINGS

ACTION/ADVENTURE/ FANTASY

PLOT:  The origin of the martial arts and mystic fighter from the Marvel comics of the same name.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The fight scenes, the beautiful magical lands and the comic relief by Awkafina and his evil father Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung). Surprise cameos what you wouldn’t expect.

WHAT IS WRONG:  The origin villain is not Xu Wenwu but Fu Manchu in the comics but many Asian Americans dislike the character so they made changes.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES if you like Marvel movies and the character.  Delayed so many times because of Covid- 19, it is worth the wait.

 

SNAKE EYES

ACTION/ADVENTURE 

PLOT:  The origin of the most popular character of GI Joe.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The fight scenes and Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) is very attractive and a good actor.

WHAT IS WRONG:  In this film his origin is different than in GI Joe and he is a loner but speaks while in the other movie he does not talk. 

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Only if you like Golding and the fight scenes.

 

A Quiet, Cruella Summer

 

QUIET PLACE 2

HORROR 

PLOT:    The Abbot family still trying to survive aliens and savage men.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Very suspenseful.  How do you keep silent when you’re in pain or scream when something frightens you.

WHAT IS WRONG:  If you don’t like sequels.

SHOULD YOU WATCH: YES!  The cast and the exciting thrills are worth the wait.  If you like this sequel as of this writing there will be a Quiet Place 3.

CRUELLA

COMEDY 

PLOT:  Prequel on why Cruella DeVil is so evil.

WHAT IS RIGHT: The two lead actresses Emma Stone and Emma Thompson wicked to the core.  The soundtrack and the clothes are amazing.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Doesn’t seem like a Disney movie.  It is too dark for kids.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES! If you like Emma Stone and Emma Thompson being delightfully devious divas this should be seen, along with other new movie releases..

Finally, Summer 2021: Theaters Bring New Movie Releases

 

FAST AND FURIOUS #9

ACTION

PLOT: Dominic “Dom” Tretto and his team decide to go on another wild mission and we find out Dom has an evil brother, Jakob.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Unbelievable action sequences wrestler John Cena is the brother Jakob and the comic relief of Tyrese Gibson as Roman and Ludacris as Tej is great.

WHAT IS WRONG:  The stunts are becoming more and more insane and no other gets hurt!

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you enjoy the Fast and Furious franchise up to now you will enjoy it.  It is becoming hard to believe, but this film is still good--indeed, one of the best new movie releases of 2021.

 THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

HORROR/THRILLER

PLOT:  A young man is possessed by a demon and kills someone.  The Warrens have to prove to the court of law that he was possessed by the Devil.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The film is unsettling  and the acting by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren are very good as with the rest of the cast especially  Ruairi O’ Connor as Arne taken by a demon.  They reference  the bible and God in the film-very rare in Hollywood.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Some predictable jump scares.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  OH YES!

NOBODY

ACTION/THRILLER 

PLOT:  Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk, TV show Better Call Saul) is a mild-mannered family man.  He has a pretty wife teenaged son and cute little daughter. He has an aging father David (Christopher Lloyd, Back to the Future) who he visits often. He gets robbed in his home. Mansell is not an average man and finds out who the burglars are. He is still angry and takes the bus where thugs taunt the few passengers.  He assaults most of them but one is Yulian Kuzentsou ‘s (Alekesi Serebryakov) brother.  Yulian is a Russian gangster who wants vengeance. Mansell is up to the challenge.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The movie is action-packed!  Very funny and very violent.

WHAT IS WRONG:  The beginning is slow to show how mundane Mansell’s life is excessive.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES!  It is written by Derek Kolstad who wrote John Wick  films so you know what to expect.

UNITED STATES VS BILLIE HOLIDAY

BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA

STREAMING ON HULU

PLOT:    Another film about the talented but tragic singer Billie Holiday and how the FBI did many things to bring her down so she would stop singing the song Strange Fruit about lynching.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  Newcomer Andra Day. She captures a lot of raw emotions.  Diana Ross was fantastic as the drug addict singer and so is this actress.  The cast is excellent as well.

WHAT IS WRONG:  The movie is epic but you think the film is over and it is not.

SHOULD YOU SEE IT:  YES!  It is a story of Ms. Holiday that hasn’t been told and now it is.

BODY BROKERS

CRIME DRAMA

PLOT:  Drug addict couple robs to get drugs but the guy wants to stop.  They meet a recruiter to help rid of his addiction but it is a racket to find other addicts to keep the top people in business.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  It is mostly newcomers so it looks authentic.

WHAT IS WRONG:  Scary but is it true?  Is it a drama? A thriller?

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Acting is good but wait until on demand or cable.

MORTAL KOMBAT

ACTION/FANTASY 

PLOT:  An updated version of the popular video game.

WHAT IS RIGHT: The action sequences and special effects have improved from the 1995 movie.  The comic relief was very good thanks to Kano (Josh Lawson).

WHAT IS WRONG:  It is very good but very violent – I guess like the video game.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES!  If you like action, martial arts and fantasy this is for you.

The Ultimate Showdown! Thoughts on Godzilla vs Kong 2021

Note: This was written prior to the movie release in late March.

At last, the monster showdown is coming to theaters and HBO Max March 31.

                This is going to be in short-EPIC!

                Fans of both giant beasts are looking forward to watch this battle.  The last time these two fought was 1962.  It has been 59 years and endless  date changes when the film is released out because of the COVID 19, does Netflix have the movie or HBO!  It was March 26 then they pushed it back for the (hopefully the final date) March 31.  It will be the best action movie of the year, since it's the only film released so far! 

The plot of movie is unknown but the title tells all.  There will be other monsters in the flick but there are only two that matter.  The director Adam Wingard claims there will be only one winner.  The film should have two different endings to satisfy the fans of each monster.  In the 1962 film it was unclear who won.  There are two versions of the one in 1962 and believe it or not the American version was actually better than the Japanese version.  There was a rumor that Godzilla won in the Japanese version while the American version it was King Kong.  It was said all along Kong would be the winner and Godzilla the villain in the 60’s version.

Trailer # 1:(American) January: If you are a Godzilla fantastic you are happy the first trailer came out from all the delays but you won’t like it because King Kong punches Godzilla in the face, hits him again and blocks his atomic breath from Godzilla’s dorsal fin and a bone also from him.  How Kong got it is a mystery until the film is released.

Trailer# 2: (Japanese) February: If you are a Godzilla fan this one you will like somewhat better. Godzilla gives Kong a bitch-slap and he is falling down HARD!

My Trailer #1: Narrator:  Finally, a sequel people want to see!

My Trailer #2: Dr. Ishiro Serizawa:     Let (King Kong hits Godzilla) Them (Godzilla hits King Kong) Fight!(Godzilla and Kong attack each other!)

Why King Kong is Important- The original King Kong was a movie in 1933.  The special effects by Willis O’Brien were amazing at that time.  It told the story of a big gorilla worshipped on an island and Fay Wray while making a movie was a sacrifice to Kong and he was infatuated with her.   To many it was a different version to Beauty and the Beast.  To very few it was Kong was a black man who would die for a white woman. It was a success.  Many other giant gorillas followed but special effects guy Eiji Tsuburaya  in Japan was impressed with King Kong and wanted to make his own monster-Godzilla.

The Origin of Godzilla: In 1954 a kaiju- which means strange creature in Japanese and Godzilla was the first.  Godzilla was taken more seriously than now. Atomic explosions in Japan awakened the towering dinosaur.  It the original film Godzilla was called Gorji which means a beast and a whale. They inserted Raymond Burr know for Perry Mason and Ironside in the English dubbed version in 1956 so the film could sell to an American audience.  They made a sequel Gigantis The Fire Monster because they couldn’t use the name Godzilla but this movie started monster versus monster and the rest is history.

KING KONG VS GODZILLA 1962- Willis O’Brien wanted to make another King Kong movie fighting of all monsters Frankenstein!  Thank goodness they paired him up with Godzilla.  The plot I don’t really remember but the fight scenes weren’t exactly state-of-the art but it the two icons, giant size titans didn’t disappoint!  The movie showed them their powers and how they can use them against each other!

SHOULD GODZILLA AND KING KONG TEAM UP? Many fans speculate that the two super beasts will come together to attack an even more destructive giant creature they cannot defeat individually.  I am okay with that but the ad does says “one will fall” there should be a winner in this kaiju showdown.  Honestly, I don’t want them to team up. I want monsters attacking each other until there is ONE winner.

IF THE FILM IS SUCCESSFUL- If the movie is a hit lets have more giant monsters attack each other like Godzilla vs. Gammera. King Kong vs. Cloverfield and the ultimate monster tag team Godzilla and King Kong vs. Mechagodzilla and MechaKong.  That I would like.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The monsters fighting!  Minor spoiler-the action doesn’t start right away.  It takes about 40 minutes and there are only 3 fights but they are AMAZING!!

WHAT IS WRONG:  The plot and the people.  No one is interesting really except the  Jai (Kaylee Hottle) young mute girl who talks to King Kong in sign language and Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) as a black conspiracy theorist who provides much comic relief.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  If you can watch the film on the big screen.  It shows how marvelous and spectacular and dangerous these giant beasts are.

 

Big New Versions, More Family Animated Fun

ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE

SUPERHERO/ACTION

PLOT:    Batman forms a team to stop Darkseid and Steppenwolf in this new version of the same name in 2017.

WHAT IS RIGHT:   Snyder’s film has more back-story of the villains and heroes.  It also has more great action sequences.  MAJOR SPOILER:  The climax of the movie is TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

WHAT IS WRONG:  If you like some of the scenes in the movie in 2017-a lot is not there or cut short. The length of the movie is over four hours yet it is worth it.  If it is a success there will be a many director’s cut films and shouldn’t be.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES!  If you are a fan of superheroes and DC comics or just to see how much they added or took away is worth a look.

 

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

ANIMATED

PLOT:  A beautiful, Asian princess who is determined has an adventure finding a magical dragon.

WHAT IS RIGHT:   The colorful visuals and the funny supporting cast and how hard it is to trust but worth it.

WHAT IS WRONG:  NOTHING! It’s Disney!

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  YES! The voice actors are great (mostly Asian cast such as Daniel Dae Kim-Hawaii Five O, Benedict Wong –Dr. Strange and Awkafina-Crazy Rich Asian) the story is told well and it has humor, heart and action!

Falling Soul, American Skin

 

SOUL-2020

ANIMATION 

PLOT:  Middle age black man gets to play jazz with a legend but he dies but comes back to find out what is really important.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The great voice actors, Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and Angela Bassett.  The jazz music is great.  Impressive story. 

WHAT IS WRONG:   Disney makes in-between life and death a pleasant experience.  Cute but not for children.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Yes if you are an adult.

FALLING

DRAMA

PLOT:    John Peterson (Viggo Mortensen), a gay man who is married to an Asian has to take care of his aging father Willis (Lance Henriksen) who has dementia.

WHAT IS RIGHT:  The performances of Mortensen and Henriksen. These two actors are famous for action, fantasy and sci-fi films but they acted well as son and father who never got along as he got older and willing to take care of him.  Henriksen is a fussing racist, sexist difficult senior parent.  Praise also for Sverrir Gudnason as Young Willis who wants to be good to his wife and children but has a wild streak in him. 

WHAT IS WRONG:  Why is Willis the way he is.  There is a ton of flashbacks of the Peterson’s when they were young and teens but we don’t know about the father enough.  Was it the sign of the times or was he always mean and got mean as he got older and the world was changing without him.  Laura Linney as Sarah, John’s suffer sister had only one scene but she should have had more for she is very talented.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  It is an independent film so doesn’t expect Hollywood histrionics but it is emotional.  If you enjoy excellent acting you should go.

AMERICAN SKIN

DRAMA (Video Release)

PLOT:   Ex-veteran watches his son gunned down in front of him, the officer acquitted vows his own justice.

WHATS RIGHT:  Nate Parker wrote and directed this film.  It discusses both sides of the concerning subject of black people killed by the police and the police see it differently.  Parker wants you to see how tough  this issue truly  is.

WHAT’S WRONG:  It is hard to watch if you have been wronged by the police.  It is also low-budget so but there are some star you may know like Omari Hardwick (Showtime’s Power) and Theo Rossi( Netflix’s Luke Cage) Nate Parker is not very popular himself.  He also wrote and directed Birth of A Nation in 2016 about Nat Turner.  Rumors about an alleged rape charge the film didn’t do very well.

SHOULD YOU WATCH:  Yes!  It is on DVD and was on Demand.  If you don’t search for it you will not find it.  I found out about it on Black News Channel on a talk show.  It is worth the search.

 

New Year, New Format, New Flicks

 HELLO FRIENDS,

I HAVEN’T BEEN WRITING MOVIE REVIEWS BECAUSE OF

MOVIES ARE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THANKS TO COVID-19.

I AM WRITING REVIEWS AND I THANK THE PEOPLE

WHO SEARCHED FOR MY FILM REVIEWS.

NEW FORMAT

WONDER WOMAN 1984

SUPERHERO/ACTION 

PLOT:    Diane Prince works at the Smithsonian while still being Wonder Woman in the year 1984.

                Two new villains she must stop to save the world.

WHAT IS RIGHT:      Gal Godot IS Wonder Woman!  What she lacks in size  she has confidence, poise and intensity.  The action sequences are great!

WHAT IS WRONG:   The villains are Maxwell Lord and Cheetah and their origins are all incorrect.  The film is too long and the major battle between Wonder Woman and Cheetah is too brief.

SHOUD YOU GO:      If you like the first film (this ain’t it) but if you like Gadot you will enjoy it despite its flaws.

SKYLINE 3

SCI-FI 

PLOT:    In the third installment of the franchise, a virus is making the alien/human hybrids turn against humans.

WHAT’S RIGHT:     It is a stylized B-movie with excellent special effects and a character hybrid that is great comic relief?

WHAT’S WRONG:   It took too long to watch the third one.  It is predicable and a B-movie

SHOULD YOU GO:   If you like Skyline 1 and 2 please see this one.

GREENLAND

DISASTER/THRILLER 

PLOT:    A planet killer meteor is coming to earth and a selected family fights their way to find safe haven.

WHAT’S RIGHT:  Gerald Butler and Morena Baccarin as the parent try to save themselves and their diabetic son.   Nail biting suspense. What is worst than a planet killer meteor?  How humans will do ANYTHING to survive.

WHAT’S WRONG:   Everything that happens in disaster movies happens here.

SHOULD YOU GO:   If you like Gerald Butler and disaster movies this is for you.