Flora And Son (2023)

 

John Carney delivers another delightful romantic musical, following in the footsteps of his previous films Once, Begin Again, and Sing Street. He has a way of perfectly blending original songs with his scripts. It’s a rare commodity. 

Rating: B

Barbie (2023)

 

This felt more like an elaborate Broadway stage production, and possibly will be one day. The original songs were weak. Some bits and jokes land, but I wasn’t invested in the plot. Unsurprisingly, the characters are thinly written. It’s hard to get emotionally invested in a bunch of dolls. (except for rare exceptions like Toy Story) 

The third act fell completely flat. In different hands, this premise could have developed into an entertaining movie instead of one that people are just pretending to like. 

Rating: C-

You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

 

An Adam Sandler family production that did a pretty great job of portraying the adolescent drama of Gen Z tweens. Consistently funny despite a predictable story arc. 

Rating: C+

Wham! (2023)

I grew up listening to Wham on the radio, and later became a huge fan of George Michael. Enjoyed watching this doc because I never knew the origin story of their band and the transition into George’s solo career. Fun to relive the hits, styles, and scene from that time. 

Rating: C+

Bottoms (2023)

 

Unbelievably stupid, and not in a good way. The attempted humor felt forced. Almost nothing landed. The screenplay was ridiculous, the characters were shallow, and the acting was poor. No idea why Rotten Tomatoes rated this so highly. We got burned. 

Rating: F

Summer Of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

 

Questlove’s documentary about the Harlem Music Festival in 1969 that was largely forgotten by history. It was fun to see and hear the music, styles, and dancing from that time. 

Rating: C

Joy Ride (2023)

 

Asian RaunchCom that’s spicier than a bowl of Szechuan noodles. Seriously, it will burn your tongue, and possibly your eyes. 

Rating: C

Emma. (2020)

 

Slower and more elitist than Downton Abbey. It would take a great deal of patience to get through this without tapping the FF button. 

Rating: D+

Vice (2018)

 

I put off watching this film because I knew it would provide a depressing picture of democracy that I already knew existed. The worst members of our society are driven by power and wealth, inevitably ending up in DC passing laws and making decisions that make it easier for them and their circle to gain more power and wealth. 

When a politician says they want to make America great again, what they mean is they want to gain more power and money so they can do whatever they want. 

Rating: C+

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

 

This movie has it all. Ghetto clones. Nancy Drew pimps. Mind control grape drank. Giggly fried chicken. 

Rating: C

The Banshees Of Inisherin (2022)

I don’t quite understand all the award recognition around this Irish film. The plot is rather dull and pointless, just like the two main characters. Get it? Because he can’t point anymore due to chopping his fingers off. 

Rating: D

The Alpinist (2021)

 

Another sweaty and gut wrenching doc about a free solo climber. As someone afraid of heights, these are hard to watch. It’s hard for me to understand what drives these individuals to do this, knowing that there’s a high likelihood they will die falling to their death at a young age. At the same time, it’s fascinating to get a glimpse into their lives and what makes them tick. 

Rating: C+

I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore (2017)

A home robbery pulls a depressed gal out of her funk. She and her oddball friend try and reclaim their stuff. It doesn’t go as planned. 

Rating: C

Covenant (2023)

 

It’s pretty impressive how quickly this got made considering we only left Afghanistan a few years ago. A tense war drama that, while staying politically neutral, still gives the military an obligatory handjob in order to film their toys. 

Rating: C+

RRR (Rise Roar Revolt) (2022)

 

The sprawling Indian epic you may have heard something about. Incredible sets and cinematography. The central story is about India’s struggle for independence from the British, who are not featured favorably in this film, to say the least. Surprisingly violent, but with Bollywood style dance sequences to break it up. Not your typical Saturday night fare. Highly entertaining though. 

Rating: B

No Hard Feelings (2023)

An implausible script that veered too far into the ridiculous. Parts were funny, but as a whole it was a let down. 

Rating: C-

Extraction II (2023)

This broody kid causes hundreds to get massacred and maimed, and then we are supposed to care about him getting rescued? They should have left his ass at the prison. It’s the graphic action sequences that save the movie from being a stinker–same as the first. 

Rating: C

Sisu (2022)

 

Finnish Rambo kills Nazi scum.

Rating: C+

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

A bit of fantasy fun that never allows the viewer to become fully invested. The peril didn’t feel very real, and so evading it didn’t feel that satisfying. 

Rating: C

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)

 

Feels like a bonus season of Luther edited down to film length, which if you are a fan of the show, is a welcome treat. Always compelling despite being somewhat implausible. 

Rating: C+

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

 

Every installment that comes out in this series I’m told the same thing–that *this* one is special; the best one yet. And each time I’m greatly disappointed. It's all set design and staged fights. Very little substance or character development exists in the World of Wick, even after a nearly 3 hour runtime. 

The biggest annoyance is the apparent indestructibility of John Wick. Only he can land headshots, yet after millions of bullets shot at him, none can hit his. He never sleeps or gets tired during prolonged battles. He hits and gets hit by numerous vehicles, yet suffers no consequence from it. 

He falls through and out of buildings without so much as a sprained ankle. He doesn’t eat, use the restroom, or attend to any other human necessities. This might as well be another crapped out turd from the Marvel Universe. 

I wish they’d make a 5th film with John Wick in retirement, homesteading in Colorado, tending to his garden, fruit trees, and chickens for 90 minutes. Nobody dies. There’s one fight, but it’s between Wick and a sticky canning jar lid, and he loses. 

Rating: F

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die (2023)

I watched and enjoyed the entire series, but this film felt like a couple bonus episodes that nobody asked for. 

Rating: C

Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022)

 

I rewatched the extended version of the first film just before watching this one. I highly recommend it, because Way Of The Water is a true sequel, with interwoven storylines from the first. 

The return to Nu’vi is another creative adventure. Are there ‘save the planet’ messages in spades? Yes, and I think that’s a good thing. Looking forward to the next film. 

Rating: B

Plane (2023)

Out of the kettle and into the fire. Tight action flick that is better than expected. Filipino militia make for a credible group of bad guys. Bodies hit the island floor. 

Rating: C+

Champions (2023)

An underdog basketball story that keeps to the basic formula. Some cute moments with mixed acting abilities. Very low budget. 

Rating: C

Hustle (2022)

 

Adam Sandler goes from Waterboy to basketball coach, championing an unknown phenom from Spain. The film drives home the ‘work hard, never give up’ mentality. 

Rating: C+

The Rescue (2021)

 

This story hit close to home for me, having served in the Peace Corps in Thailand, teaching students the same age as the rescued boys. It’s incredible what will, determination, and a specialized skill set can achieve. The documentary tells a pretty compelling story. 

Rating: B-

Slash/Back (2022)

 

An alien lifeform visits a small Inuit village intent on feeding. A scrappy band of tween girls fight to save the day. Some of the cultural elements made it interesting, but as an alien horror film, it felt a bit lifeless. 

Rating: C-

The Replacements (2000)

Filled with cliches, racism, misogyny, and bad acting. Felt more like a bad 80s movie. 

Rating: D

The Northman (2022)

 

Any episode of The Last Kingdom was more enjoyable than this. Overly dark and hokey for my liking. 

Rating: D

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

 

The science is fuzzy but, the crazy twists are entertaining enough. More fun the first time around. 

Rating: C

Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe (2022)

 

I guess I’m the dumb one for thinking this would be better than it was. 

He said wood. 

Rating: D

The Mule (2018)

 

Clint Eastwood plays an old codger who apparently has no qualms about earning a few extra bucks as a drug mule for a cartel. He likes to sing along to old tunes on the radio and bang young prostitutes. It’s a family film. 

Rating: C

Brian And Charles (2022)

 

A quirky Welsh inventor creates an unusual robotic friend. Funny and heartwarming. 

Rating: C+