Movie Corner #13

                Hello happy movie fans!   I've had a good couple of weeks I have seen every movie at my local theatre except one as of right now but not to worry new movies come out tonight!  That said here is what I’ve seen the last two weeks:

Ant-Man and the Wasp:  5 Stars

                So first I just have to say you should see all the previous movies first.  Seriously they are in order for a reason.  There are spoilers for up to Infinity War.  Just saying be warned some people didn’t realize this and were confused and then upset they were spoiled for something.  Aside from that this movie is a much more light hearted film.   I really enjoyed it.  Hope takes a real central lead in this which I liked but it also seemed like the skills/brains of Scott were downplayed some.  I think it could just be his uncertainty with the dynamic after everything that happened so it never really hit me until after the movie when I was thinking about my thoughts for the review.  I think it was beautifully timed for the laughs and fun after we left off in Infinity War, because it was hilarious.  There was a lot happening with lots of action and a fast pace.  We got to know a few new characters but more important we got to know the others better.  The cast was phenomenal and did an amazing job and I really liked the effects they really have found a way to de-age for flashbacks that doesn’t look super cheesy and that is just the tip of the effects.  It was a huge treat and I look forward to catching it again.

Sicario:  Day of Soldado:  4 Stars

                I watched the first movie the day before.  I had never seen it but the sequel looks intriguing.  I don't know if seeing the first one was totally necessary to see this one.  I think they cover the idea of who he is and what his "team" does pretty well.  Though it did give more back story which I appreciated.  It was an interesting movie.  It had a lot of violence and such for sure but it also filled in some character work with a pretty interesting story.  It's something I am glad I saw but it's not the type of movie I see myself putting on again.  It's not a feel good movie you can always re-watch and that is okay it wasn't intended to be that. 

Skyscraper:  4.5 Stars

                This movie is full of over the top action scenes and the rock being the rock and laughing in the face of reason.  And I loved it.  It was the huge action movie full of all the crazy stunts and action that you wonder how the person hasn't died of something by now in the best way.  It had a pretty easy to follow story behind the characters and I enjoyed it.  Everything is over the top and very predictable but I enjoyed myself the whole time, well minus the group who sat beside me and kept getting up and down to move seats and go get things and even checking tinder during the movie, seriously some people should just be banned from the movies.  Skyscraper is what you expect it to be and that is what I love about it.  Some action, cool scenes, and lots of little funny moments in there to keep it light and not take itself too seriously.

Hotel Transylvania 3:  Summer Vacation:  5 Stars

                I only recently watched any of these movies.  I had never seen them but my besties kids love their "vampire movie" and we watched the first one while I was there one day and I really enjoyed it.  So of course I had to watch the sequel and be ready for the new one!  This one is super sweet full of the fun moments you are used to in the others with lots of laughs and fun but also a deeper and sweeter underlying message which I can appreciate.  It also has some hilarious music which is fun to bop along with.  I look forward to seeing it again with the bestie and her little ones!

The First Purge:  4.5 Stars

                The Purge movies are interesting to me.  Mostly because I've always found talking about the idea of the purge theory with people fascinating.  That said this is a good installment.  I liked the idea of showing how it started.  We see what it evolves into but to see the start and see how things went from an experiment into this huge dangerous thing….wow.  I liked the story here and I like that it brought up a different aspect to the purge than "murder night" because there is more crime than murder and it is at least addressed in this one. 

*****

                This was a pretty good week I actually saw everything at my local theatre but one movie as of yesterday.  What movies have you seen recently?  What should I see?  The next couple weeks I plan to see a couple more sequels, seems to be a theme, The Equalizer 2, Mamma Mia!  Here We Go Again, Unfriended:  Dark Web, and Mission:  Impossible- Fallout, which I am ready for having done a MI marathon of 1-5 this week!

Movie Corner #4

                Hello happy movie fans!  So with the weather as nice as it was I did try to get a bit of work done in the yard but I also don’t like yard work so it doesn’t last long til I call it a day and I can treat myself to a movie after.  That said here is what I’ve seen the last two weeks:

Red Sparrow:  4 Stars

                So I was intrigued by this movie as I am with most spy movies.  I also was a huge fan of La Femme Nikita back in the day and I have liked most of the JLaw movies I have seen so yeah it was a given I was going to go see this one.  This movie really was a deep spy thriller and went further in places than I was expecting it to many times.  I enjoyed the back and forth in the story and the constant mind games / espionage at play never knowing who was doing what and for what reasons.  I enjoyed the movie and it was just what it claims to be so I’d call it a win. 

Death Wish: 4 Stars

                So this was a movie I was anticipating because I love me some Bruce Willis action.  He is a surgeon who has a pretty great life but then tragedy strikes and even though he’s always played by the rules he finds the police can’t do much to help.  So he starts to take things into his own hands.  I liked the movie.  It was a bit of action, revenge, and humor.  I found it to be an entertaining movie that may have some flaws but I went in for a good time and got it. 

Gringo:  4.5 Stars

                So this trailer looked pretty funny and it was enough to bring me in to see it.  But I was happily surprised the story had a lot more going on than I first thought and I found myself super entertained by the shenanigans going on.  It had a good storyline and fun characters to love or hate.  Harold / Gringo was hilarious and had me cracking up at the convoluted mess he is in and I love it. 

A Wrinkle in Time:  3.5 Stars

                So I never read this book.  I had no idea what it was about really but kids going on a journey to save the ones father and traveling through time or the universe.  Light vs dark kind of thing.  Well I knew the trailer looked beautiful and I was curious.  So there were some pretty amazing scenes that were visually beautiful which I adored but there were others that just really seemed very drab given the amazement I had just saw.  It didn’t balance I guess for me.  The story also while having its beautiful moments and meanings had a lot happening and a lot of the time I wasn’t 100% sure what was going on.  It jumped around without a whole lot of explanation.  Things felt a bit rushed as well.  The beginning of the movie had some beautiful scenes that really make you feel for the characters and real emotions from the actors specifically the vulnerability and pain but then as it progresses into the journey of the story we kind of lose it at many times throughout.  Plus the lack of shock over all the crazy new OMG moments caught me.  Also it included one of my bigger pet peeves involving bullies (that they are cruel and do unforgiveable things but they are really just victims of their own circumstances and that means it’s okay but it’s not it gives them depth sure but hurting someone because you are hurt never makes it okay) that I will never condone or let slide.  Overall I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it.  I wouldn’t mind checking it out if it was on TV or something but I don’t think I’ll be buying it for my collection. 

*****

                What movies have you seen recently?  What should I see?  This weekend I’m super excited to see the new Tomb Raider and of course the book to movie adaptation Love, Simon.

Movie Corner #3

                Hello happy movie fans!  So we are kicking off my third movie corner and these last couple weeks I didn’t see as many as I had hopped but some that I wanted to see ended up leaving before I got there so that kind of put me off.  That and it rained a lot and I just didn’t want to get dressed let alone leave the house lol but that said here is what I did see:

Black Panther:  5 Stars

                So I have been a huge fan of all the Marvel movies and I was super excited for this one.  I go into each one with no comic info and only going based off movies and the fun I have had in them.  That said I loved his inclusion in Civil War and I wanted to know more about him.  Clearly he is an awesome fighter and has a super cool suit but he is more than most of our other heroes as he is also a king.  That to me was super cool.  So we see the epic settings full of this amazing world that is made up but pulls from other cultures to really make it something much different than we have seen in the other Marvel movies.  It has incredible visuals, story, and acting.  It has it all.  I was so entranced with the story it flew by and I wish I could have had more.  The special effects were on point as always. I mean some of the tech…it made me want it so bad!  I loved the dynamics of all the different characters and how things played into one another.  That is really all I can say because if you don’t know what Black Panther is about yet you much be living under a rock!  Go see it!  And wait until the very very end of the credits it’s Marvel there is normally a mid credits scene and an after credits scene…don’t miss out!

Every Day:  5 Stars

                So I read this book some time back and the sequel/companion and reviewed them both:  Every Day & Another Day.  The movie does a great job of exploring the book and expressing things from the perspective of both “A” and Rhannon basically combining both books in a sense.  We got to hit so many of the “days” and I really enjoyed the way each one was played out and described.  It is such a weird concept but it really works and the movie was a beautiful way to express it.  I think the whole cast did an amazing job of playing things out and I loved the updated feel of using Instagram vs. e-mail with “A” it has a much more visual aspect.  I loved this movie and it really brought me up and I highly recommend it to both fans of the books or just anyone looking for a good and uplifting movie about accepting yourself and living for each day.  One I need in my collection so I can watch again. 

Game Night: 5 Stars

                This is a movie I have been anticipating for a long time.  One I love game nights and I would love to get a group together to do a monthly game night.  Seriously I love when they happen and think they should happen more often.  That said this movie delivers exactly what it says in the trailers.  A murder mystery party gone wrong and hilarity that ensues!  OMG This movie had me rolling with laughter through most of it and I can’t wait to see it again.  I know my bestie was sad I saw it without her (to be fair it was looking like possibly a couple weeks before she was free without the kids and I’m not that patient lol) but I will totally go see it again with her!  I will for sure be getting this one when it comes out!  I don’t want to say more because it is full of action and mysteries and worth figuring out the first time free and clear.

*****

                Three movies and all huge hits for me!  Not a bad couple weeks.  I am still sad I missed out on seeing  The Shape of Water, because it looked really different just not sure I want to buy it on DVD so I’ll have to wait for HBO or something I guess for that one.  What movies have you seen recently?  What should I see?  This weekend I plan on seeing Red Sparrow  and Death Wish. 

Movie Wrap-Up #1

                First things first my giveaway for a SIGNED copy of Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu is on its last day so swing by to check it out!  So in the last couple months I have been seeing tons of movies again, more than before really thanks to my pass.  That said I miss doing my movie marathon wrap-up posts so I have decided to start posting again.  Now I’m still figuring out how this will fit into my normal posting schedule but I would like to add it in.  We shall see how it goes.  Let me know your thoughts in the comments below for sure.  So these are all the movies I’ve seen since January 1, 2018:

Downsizing:  4 Stars

                Downsizing looked like a hilarious type of movie where you can take a low middle class life and turn it into the mega life you always dreamed of by shrinking yourself.  The trailer looked pretty funny and I was curious to see what the story would be about.  That said while the movie did have lots of funny moments it wasn’t a comedy.  The film for me was more of a take on not only the environmental crisis we are in but social and economic class issues.  It had its impactful parts and lots of comedy sprinkled in there as well.  It was a movie I am glad I saw and did enjoy it but it’s not the type of movie I could watch over and over again. 

Molly’s Game:  5 Stars

                Jessica Chastain really delivered in this.  I just say the trailer and it made me want to see this movie and hear the story of Molly Bloom.  We join Molly as she searches for a lawyer to fight the charges against her.  We learn her story from the start and why we should be on her side.  The story is complex and intriguing but the performances really deliver.  It was a full meaty story told in a fast pace that really kept you on your toes.  It also had some serious emotional moments that caught me off guard.  Even knowing the story and how it ends I can still watch this and enjoy it again.

The Greatest Showman:  5 Stars

                A musical.  I have a hit or miss relationship with musicals.  I think it’s the mood.  I went in a bit uncertain about this one.  As with any the trailer looked good, the cast was full of those I enjoy, but I was leery.  Still I wanted to give it a fair shot and when I came out all I wanted was to go home get online and order the soundtrack and replay the movie.  This one caught me by surprise.  From a movie I wanted to see but only just so to one of my favorites.  The music.  The visuals.  The story.  It all just blew me away.  I was tapping my feet and trying to hum along to the whole movie.  I got super into it and even got teary eyed at more than one part.  This is a very touching story that I think anyone can enjoy.  And while I adore the soundtrack it is a full on musical with exposition told in verse so listening to it first may give away the story and should be savored and not spoiled.  I can’t wait to get this on DVD.

Proud Mary:  4 Stars
              This movie intrigued me as it was about a bad ass female character who takes care of business and the trailer was awesome.  I didn’t know all the details just that Mary was someone who wasn’t a copy but could handle her business and she is protecting a kid and there was action galore.  I was sold there.  I enjoy the actress Taraji P. Henderson and she did a good job with the roll giving the character some emotional moments for sure.  Still this movie was more for me action and violence and I was okay with it.  Things were a bit different than I expected going in but I enjoyed my time in the movie and the action was on point.  I know if I was ever in a bind I would love to have Mary on my side!

Den of Thieves: 4 Stars

                The movie is a rough adult version of cops and robbers.  It’s what the trailer depicts.  Lots of violence and bad behavior.  I enjoyed it for what it was and I liked that we got to see things from both sides.  Both sides of this were flawed, the cops had issues and the thieves weren’t evil.  I enjoy stories that show a lot of grey as not much is so easily right or wrong.  I like when I can root for the bad guy to both succeed and be captured because either way I win.

Forever My Girl:  4.5 Stars

                This is a super sweet romantic movie about love and fixing mistakes of the past.  It was very predictable and I knew what would happen before it did but I went in for a cute time and got just what I expected.  The trailer tells you everything you need to know.  If you enjoy the Nicholas Sparks movies then you will enjoy this.  Romantic and sweet but with some comedy layered in to balance out the hard hitting scenes that touch on a deeper issue.

  

The Commuter:  4 Stars

                This reminded me of a cross between Non-Stop and Eagle Eye both movies of which I really enjoyed.  The story is fast paced and keeps moving along with the intrigue and figuring things out.  I had it pegged from the start but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of it by any means.  I enjoy Liam Neeson in his action rolls enjoying that he can add in the emotional depth to the character and make it seem very personal.  It was a good time and I enjoyed myself so that’s really what counts for me.  I can easily see this being a movie I could put on and enjoy again. 

12 Strong: 4 Stars

                I went into this thinking it would be an interesting movie based on the trailer and a co-workers recommendation. I am hit or miss with war movies but I liked the underdog type vibe I got from it plus some of the actors I really enjoy.  I did go into this a bit annoyed as I had originally left my cozy reading nook with the intent to see the advanced day showing of The Death Cure but the website or the computers at the window whichever I was told it wasn’t showing that night.  Already there this was the only thing with a time slot I could catch so while it wasn’t what I wanted to see I still tried to keep an open mind.  I was rather surprised by the movie and how much I enjoyed it.  I could watch it again if it were on but I don’t have the urge to purchase it myself. 

The Death Cure:  5 Stars

                Okay so I know this is a book to movie adaptation and I would normally give it a full review on its own but I don’t remember the book that well.  I thought about re-reading it but after re-watching the previous movies I realized that the second movie jumped way off track from the books that it would be better to focus on the movie as a movie.  Now from what I did remember they kept several things, even one thing in particular I hoped they might change given they were making changes, still as a movie I really enjoyed it.  There was a ton of action it pulls you in from the start and you want to fight with them and help save the kids and take down WCKD.  It was also a great end to the movie series as a whole and I found it very filling.  I look forward to seeing it again and getting my copy for the shelf! 

                So having typed all these up I am thinking I may make this a bi-weekly post rather than monthly.  These are the movies I have seen this month and I have plans to see so many more in the future!  What are some movies you’ve loved recently or are looking forward to see? 

                Until next time…