The Life Of Chuck (2024)

I’m not sure what I just watched. An extended episode of The Twilight Zone? I'm confused by the timeline, because it seems the characters around Chuck didn't age. Those teachers were basically the same age as when he was a kid as when he was an adult--others too. 

And they didn't remember Chuck as a person when they crossed paths with him later. I'm assuming Act 3 all takes place in his mind while he's in a coma or some shit. It was frustratingly vague, even while the film itself was interesting. I’d hoped the third act would pull everything together. Instead the whole thing was an enigma dancing around smoke and mirrors. 

Rating: C

Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)

 

It felt like an endless video game with non-stop flashing graphics. I’m glad Waititi can make a fortune directing this schlock so he can continue pumping out high quality series like Reservation Dogs, What We Do In The Shadows, and Our Flag Means Death. 

Rating: D-

Gunpowder MIlkshake (2021)

 

With a title like that, my expectations were already low, which turned out to be prophetic on my part. There are no genuine interactions in the film--just highly dramatized scenes straight from your least favorite movie clichés. 

Part of the problem is that the city appears to be solely populated by The Firm and other individuals tied to organized crime. Artificial characters inside an artificial city spewing artificial lines that will have you groaning repeatedly. 

Rating: F

The Call Of The Wild (2020)

Ugh. Why didn’t someone tell me all the animals were CGI *before* I went to see this?!?! I’m of the mindset that animated animals are great inside animated films, but if a movie is live-action, I want REAL animals. I can’t get emotionally involved in a CGI dog when it takes place inside the real world. But let’s put that aside.

Who was directing this mess?!?!?! Oh yeah, Chris Sanders, whose three previous directing projects were: The Croods, How To Train Your Dragon, and Lilo & Stitch. That's explains a lot. His version of The Call Of The Wild is shot like a cartoon.

The story is rambling and doesn’t really go anywhere. Random scenes were inserted without explanation. There are throwaway characters galore. Action sequences are preposterous. Little made sense. It’s a hot mess in a cold climate.

Rating: D-

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

This sequel to the reboot was not as fun as the reboot. Rehashes the same ideas with less creativity--like most sequels.

Rating: C-

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (2017)

About what I anticipated. People kept saying how good it was, so I figured I’d think it was ok. It was. Funny enough to keep me entertained, but not overly compelling.

Rating: C

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Flashier and more CGI heavy than the first, which isn’t a compliment. Also it followed the usual superhero narrative where the two big baddies duke it out at the end. I wish there was another way to tell a Marvel story. Sigh.

Rating: C-

The Big Short (2015)

The Big Short could very easily have been a documentary about the worldwide financial meltdown of 2007-2008, but instead they decided to go full Hollywood with it, making a compelling motion picture with heavy-hitting actors. If only we could learn from our mistakes, but I doubt it. 

Rating: B

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

A bit silly and loosely put together, but entertaining enough to warrant a single viewing.

Rating: C