The Rivals Of Amziah King (2025)

 

Honey is at the center of a backwoods community brought together by friendship and music. One could say it’s also a revenge flick of sorts. 

Rating: C+

Frailty (2001)

 

I had to clutch my pillow for dear life during parts of this thriller. Downright disturbing. Great performances all around. 

Rating: C+

Reign Of Fire (2002)

 

Pretty good dragon action.

Rating: C+

Between Two Ferns: The Movie (2019)

About what you expect from a film based on a skit. Mildly entertaining. The bloopers at the end were the funniest part.

Rating: C-

The Gentlemen (2020)

I won’t be the first person to write that this is a return to form for Guy Ritchie, so I won’t write that. Instead I’ll say that The Gentlemen is right up there with his first two films--Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels & Snatch. If that doesn’t get you wet in the panties, you should stop reading my reviews.

Within 5 minutes you will lean over to your mates and quickly whisper about how brilliant Hugh Grant is in his role. And what a role it is! Many actors would kill to get their teeth into a character like this, and most of them would squander the opportunity. Not Hugh Grant. He nails the cadence, accent, colloquialisms, gestures, and expressions masterfully. It’s an Oscar worthy performance that will sadly be forgotten come next award season.

But enough about Hugh. Guy Ritchie deserves a lot of credit too. It's his film through and through, which means I’d be crapping all over him right now if it sucked. Instead I’m piling on a hefty portion of praise. The screenplay shines and the editing elevates the material. I laughed a ton. Soundtrack is fun. Cast is solid. There are a lot of moving parts that were expertly balanced.

A word of advice. Pay attention. Don’t watch while trying to do other things. Put down your phone. Don’t watch with parents who constantly ask questions. And don’t turn on the subtitles! You won’t be able to keep up and ultimately they will be a distraction. Instead, drink some caffeine and give it your full attention. The accents are diverse and thick with slang, but the wordplay is a cocaine roller coaster.

Rating: B+

Free State Of Jones (2016)

A dramatized piece of US history that I felt was handled well as a feature film. McConaughey went full swamp rat for his role. A lot of compelling themes throughout.

Rating: B

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

Entertaining for what it was. 

Rating: C

Mud (2012)

The two young leads are going places. Authentic performances in a film that had more to say than I anticipated. 

Rating: C+

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

I really enjoyed the unique animation style mixed with origami. The story was rich with Japanese culture. Well-made and enjoyable to watch.

Rating: B

Interstellar (2014)

A thought provoking science fiction film that dares to go beyond what science tells us we are capable of presuming. Some incredible twists were thrown in at the end which may have been a bit much. Solidly crafted up to that point though.

Rating: C+

Two For The Money (2005)

I kept waiting for the movie to get exciting, but the money shot never came.


Rating: C

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

An interesting take on the AIDS epidemic during the 80s. Terrific performance by Matthew McConaughey, and to a lesser degree, Jared Leto. Not sure how he walked away with a Golden Globe. Perhaps it was to make up for not giving him one in Requiem For a Dream.

Rating: B-

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

A film portraying the worst side of America. All seven deadly sins are proudly on display. A drug fueled rocket ship to Donald Trump’s summer home in Hell. A bit exhausting and sad to watch, yet entertaining as well. Best Picture nominee? Maybe.

Rating: B+

The Wedding Planner (2001)

Predictable and lightly cheese flavored.

Rating: C-

Sahara (2005)

A solid action comedy for the summer. They did a great job with the cast, and there's more to the plot than you might expect. Yes, there's some unrealistic sequences, but it's an action comedy, not a drama. Watch it for an entertaining evening.

Rating: C+

Magic Mike (2012)

A lot of unlikeable dudes acting douchey when not taking off their clothes for skanky chicks. The narrative felt amateurish. The dialogue even worse. There were a few worthwhile moments, but this was definitely Soderbergh slumming it.

Rating: D

Killer Joe (2011)

I didn’t care for the beginning, but things got interesting once McCaughnahay came on screen. A real creepy, perverse role that he seemed all too comfortable with. The movie was dark and ultimately pointless.

Rating: D

Bernie (2011)

A custom made role in a quirky indie film to show off Jack Black’s wide array of talents. A nice change of pace after several dozen crap-heaps he’s starred in. Based on a crazy real life story. If you are a fan of director Linklater's earlier films, and you should be, then you will certainly enjoy this new character piece.

Rating: B-

Tropic Thunder (2008)

A comedy in the hands of Ben Stiller is never a typical comedy. There's always a dark, satirical quality to his jokes, which doesn't necessarily translate well to mainstream moviegoers. Like Grindhouse, Tropic Thunder features some hysterical fake movie trailers. There were plenty of really funny scenes, however I think many of the jokes will simply fly straight over the heads of the average popcorn eater. It's a twisted, thinking man's comedy.

Rating: B-

Failure To Launch (2006)

A generic romantic comedy that constantly borders on implausibility. Sarah Jessica Parker is gross.

Rating: D+