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Hey_Harry
Just your average (or not so average) guy who likes to watch films.
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Civil War (2024)
Terrifying, thought-provoking film
Director Alex Garland has a knack for taking political zeitgeists and transforming them into a horror concept as was the case with movies like "28 Days Later" in a post-9/11 era. And while "Civil War" is not a horror film per se, it's every bit as terrifying as movies like "28 Days Later" with its raw cinematography and dystopian prediction of US nations that's become too divisive politically. Kirsten Dunst portrays a veteran war correspondent who's become desensitized to the atrocities of the war due to the nature of her profession. Dunst's stoic performance also perfectly captures the thousand yard stare that comes with being constantly exposed to the sheer brutality of the civil war that's tearing the nation apart which makes Garland's movie both terrifying and thought-provoking given its concept.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Some good Kaiju fighting fun. Nothing more, nothing less.
One of the best things about Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) is that Godzilla and Kong both had actual personalities which elevated the movie above your average mindless Kaiju flick.
Unfortunately, this is where Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) comes in short. While Kong is given a decent character arc in the film, Godzilla more or less gets shoved off to the sidelines this time around. One thing that's also missing from the previous Godzilla vs. Kong is the scale where the destruction and mayhem caused by the rampaging Kaiju monsters don't have nearly the same level of impact as in the previous movie, probably because a number of fight scenes take place in Hollow Earth instead of in one of the Earth's cities.
Aside from that, "The New Empire" still succeeds at being a pretty entertaining Kaiju flick with a satisfying amount of action-filled monster bashing.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Dune: Part Two is a visual feast
One of the ongoing praises surrounding Villeneuve's Dune is that visual storytelling is making a comeback in cinema. And I concur.
David Lynch's "Dune" (1984) was an ambitious though somewhat misguided attempt at cramming the whole of Frank Herbert's first Dune novel into a single movie, resulting in a muddled incoherent plot that probably left everyone unfamiliar with the Dune franchise scratching their heads
As for Villeneuve's version, his film adaptation accomplishes exactly what any film version of a book should strive to do: Visual over verbal exposition. Villeneuve's depiction of Dune is nothing short of breathtaking and is a true visual feast that doesn't drag on for too long.
Wonka (2023)
A charming prequel
"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" is easily one of my favorite fantasy films and remains one of the definitive adaptations of Roald Dahl's work no less due to Gene Wilder's iconic performance as the eponymous character.
When I got wind that there was a new Wonka prequel coming out this year which included an origin story for Willy Wonka, I wasn't sure what to expect. Tim Burton's 2005 remake was already an origin story of sorts for Wonka's character so I suspected the new Wonka film would be little more than a retread of Burton's version. But to my surprise, not only does it include an original plot but it's a well executed film with a terrific ensemble cast and dialogue which matches the imaginative vocabulary of Dahl's wordplay. Timothée Chalamet's portrayal of Wonka strikes a very good balance between serious and quirky which makes him relatable in this version whereas Burton's version made him too quirky and aloof.
All in all, "Wonka (2023)" is a good, charming prequel.
Napoleon (2023)
Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" is a fairly well-directed film with nice visuals, yet overambitious and underwhelming
With a sequel to Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" on the way, Scott's other historical epic, "Napoleon," seemed like an excellent appetizer while everyone waits for the follow-up to Scott's masterpiece. However, while Scott's "Napoleon" is a visually pleasing and well choreographed film, the film itself is an ultimate letdown, unfortunately.
The main issue with Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" is that for a movie that aims to be a biopic about the famous soldier turned emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, its approximate 2 and a half hour running time is simply too short for a historical character like Napoleon. The film does a decent job of portraying Napoleon's lust for power and control but only superficially touches the other facts of Napoleon's character, for example, his boundless charisma or his many womanizing adventure which made Napoleon such a larger-than-life character which frankly isn't helped by Joaquin Phoenix's subdued, yet competent performance.
In closing, Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" is a decent epic that's still worth seeing on the big screen due to its great visual design and the amount of visceral, intense battle scenes but overall it falls short of being the breakthrough film epic about Napoleon Bonaparte that I hoped for.
A Haunting in Venice (2023)
Branagh's third Poirot film is a decent enough film but more style than substance
As the third entry in Branagh's Hercule Poirot series, "A Haunting in Venice" brings us to exotic locales once again, this time in a post-WWII Venice, where a reluctant Poirot is coaxed out of retirement to solve another difficult case, this time involving the apparent suicide of Alicia Drake. But as it turns out, something much more sinister is afoot.
"A Haunting in Venice" forms a particularly interesting entry in the series, mainly because of the film's stylistic camera work which pays direct tribute to Robert Wise's seminal cinematography in "The Haunting" (1963). However, aside from Branagh's cinematic tribute to Wise's haunted thriller, "A Haunting in Venice" contains noticeable flaws with its plot structure. Frankly, the movie's first act rushes along without much build-up, then the film picks up during the second act where things start to get really good. However, during the third act, the movie starts rushing things along again and wraps up the mystery without the satisfactory flair of Branagh's earlier two films. However, some of this may be chalked up to the difficulty of adapting this particular tale of Agatha Christie's.
Ultimately, "A Haunting in Venice" delivers a good amount of suspense much like its predecessors, as well as being a lovely tribute to the haunted house genre, although the erratic pacing and occasional lack of build-up result in a Poirot film that ends up being more style than substance. However, "A Haunting in Venice" is still a good detective mystery that's worth a look, especially if you happen to love haunted house mysteries and can't resist looking for all the nods and Easter eggs to Robert Wise's "The Haunting" as well as other haunted house movies.
Sound of Freedom (2023)
Jim Caviezel returns in an emotionally gripping and devastating film
"Sound of Freedom" is one of this year's most talked about movies and I'm glad I was able to experience it in theaters. In spite of its lurid subject matter, the film's gripping storytelling and solid casting really kept me engaged throughout the film.
In terms of the film's main cast, I was particularly thrilled to see Jim Caviezel return in a starring role, having remembered him at the top of his game in huge hits like "The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002) and "The Passion of the Christ" (2004). As an actor, Jim Caviezel's always had a certain humanistic presence to him which comes as an aid to movies which deal with heavy subject matters, including "Sound of Freedom." Caviezel's performance during his undercover scenes where he lays out the bait for the human traffickers even feels reminiscent of Caviezel's earlier role as Edmond Dantès in his previous film, "The Count of Monte Cristo", which is an excellent throwback.
Between "Sound of Freedom" and this year's "Barbie", both of which attempt to tackle current issues in our society, I feel we might be witnessing a new kind of "political awakening" in mainstream filmmaking, one based on the Brechtian model of the "alienation effect" where viewers are reminded they're not watching a film and instead galvanizes its viewers into taking action. As a matter of fact, if you stick around long enough after the credits to "Sound of Freedom" start rolling, you'll be greeted with a special message by Jim Caviezel himself who shares some important words with the audience about the film's troubled production as well as his purpose and inspiration for the making of the film.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
The Turtles are back
I wouldn't describe myself as a hardcore TMNT fan but like many people, I partially grew up with Turtles through the 90s live-action movies along with the 80's cartoon and the more serious 2003 animated series.
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)" strikes a fine balance between the Turtles' goofy hi-jinks in the 80's cartoon and the grittiness of the 90's live-action movies. This version also portrays the Turtles more like actual teenagers who enjoy slacking off rather than fighting crime 24/7. On top of that, the delivers a fairly heartwarming message about family and sticking together. As a TMNT movie, Mutant Mayhem is definitely a feel-good experience albeit with some pretty serious moments in-between. For one thing, the "Spider-Verse" type animation really adds to the film's gritty, urban atmosphere along with hard-hitting action scenes. The movie also includes a comical (but not overly goofy) villain with a decent backstory and despite being a comic relief at times, still manages to pose a legitimate threat to the Turtles.
Overall, the Turtles are back and looking good as ever.
Gran Turismo (2023)
Gran Turismo (2023) - An inspirational story backed with solid directing by Blomkamp
Based on the real-life success story of Jann Mardenborough whose driving skills in the Gran Turismo video game series carried Jann over into the realm of professional auto racing, Blomkamp's "Gran Turismo" falls somewhere between being a video game adaptation and being a biographical film about the game itself. Interestingly, "Gran Turismo" has a few elements in common with Jon S. Baird's biographical "Tetris" film released earlier this year. Both are biographical movies which center around a particular video game but both films also come up with fairly creative ways to incorporate visuals from the games into the film's narrative and very successfully so. With that being said, Blomkamp's "Gran Turismo" contains plenty of fast-paced, intense car-racing along with an emotionally gripping story backed up by Blomkamp's top-notch directing. Highly recommended for Gran Turismo and professional car racing enthusiasts alike!
Haunted Mansion (2023)
A decent adaptation of the Disney ride - Good, charming fun fraught with spooky thrills
In the early 2000s Disney had a string of hits-and-misses with live action movies based on Disney rides like Mission to Mars (2000) and The Haunted Mansion (2003), the one starring Eddie Murphy, before ultimately striking gold with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. While I remember the 2003 version of Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy being an enjoyable goofy movie with very cartoonish visuals, the movie as a whole was still mostly forgettable.
It now seems that "Disney Ride" films have been making a slow and steady comeback in recent years with films like Jungle Cruise (2021) and this year's Haunted Mansion (2023). While neither movie comes close to the epic scale of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, both movies were promising adaptations of the iconic Disney rides, offering plenty of fun-filled thrills along with various Easter-egg references to the Disney rides themselves. In the case of Haunted Mansion, this version is definitely a step up from the 2003 Eddie Murphy one where the 2023 version in my view strikes a better balance between its scary and funny moments. Like the Haunted Mansion ride, this movie includes some genuinely spooky, scary segments while also throwing in silly moments and not being overly serious.
The main star, LaKeith Stanfield, whose previous horror film experience includes a supporting role in Jordan Peele's "Get Out", was excellently cast as the main character, Ben Matthias. Stanfield's performance helps elevate the movie's zanier, comedic moments but still manages to evoke real emotion during the film's more poignant bits. Stanfield is also backed up by a good supporting cast who add a lot of presence to the film, including Owen Wilson whose talents are definitely better utilized in Haunted Mansion than in previous horror flicks such as the shabby 1999 remake of "The Haunting." Danny DeVito is also always a delight to watch, no matter what movies he appears in.
Overall, while not an overly ambitious film, Haunted Mansion is still a nice spooky fun-filled ride, one that certainly shows better promise than Disney's previous attempt with the 2003 film version and perhaps it's a sign that Disney is finally getting into their stride again with successful live action adaptations of their most iconic Disney rides and I hope to see them continue that streak in the future.
Barbie (2023)
Barbie delivers plenty of good, hilarious fun
As the film's trailer suggests, whether you like or dislike Barbie dolls and merchandise, there's still plenty of things to enjoy about Greta Gerwig's "Barbie." Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are brilliantly cast as Barbie and Ken where they both have awesome chemistry and share plenty of hilarious moments on-screen. I should also add that Gosling delivers what's probably one of the best musical solos of the year next to Jack Black's performance in The Super Mario Bros Movie.
"Barbie" is not only an eccentric, goofball comedy but also a thought-provoking film with a post-feminist take on gender roles and gender stereotypes in current society, something highly reminiscent of movies such as "The Ugly Truth" or "Down With Love." On that note, America Ferrera's powerful monologue near the end of "Barbie" was on par with Renée Zellweger's speech in "Down With Love."
While the above description might make it sound like the Barbie movie leans too much into polemics for it to be good escapist fun then don't worry, because aside from its core message, it's still oodles of light-hearted, hilarious entertainment for everyone to enjoy from beginning to end.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Tom Cruise returns in one of the best action movies this year
Given Tom Cruise's track record as an actor and producer in the MI series and the legacy sequel to Top Gun, it's safe to say Cruise has cemented himself as one of the best action stars in Hollywood. Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning proves to be yet another hit with exhilarating stunts, memorable set pieces, and excellent stunt choreography. The movie shares some similarities with this year's Fast X, the three-part finale to the Fast and the Furious series, where Ethan Hunt finds himself face-to-face with a familiar foe from his past and the stakes are higher than ever. A notable thing about this installment is that J. J. Abrams is absent from the movie's production and it seems to reflect the film's pacing which is unusually somber and even drawn-out in some parts. Dead Reckoning feels like an unusually serious entry in the MI series but I like it. The movie even has a few aesthetic nods to the previous movies going all the way back to the 70's paranoia thriller vibes in the first Mission Impossible movie. The result is one of the best action movies this year where Tom Cruise once again really nails it.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)
"Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken" is a very charming, funny flick with some interesting twists on popular tropes
Much like DreamWorks' tentpole franchise Shrek, "Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken" is a charming animated film that continually pokes fun at other popular franchises and fantasy tropes. While Ruby Gillman doesn't reach the same level of clever satire as the Shrek movies, it's still a cute movie with a unique concept and a likable teenage heroine. Similar to Pixar's "Turning Red," Ruby Gillman focuses on teenage life in high school with a narrative style inspired by 2000s teen shows like Lizzie McGuire and Hannah Montana. In addition to that, the movie also focuses on the struggles of generational trauma much like "Turning Red" or "Encanto" and while Ruby Gillman wasn't as emotionally gut-wrenching as either of those movies, I still liked how they portrayed Ruby's family dynamic with their undying love and support for each other. A minor gripe I had is that there wasn't much sense of conflict throughout the film where Ruby's conflict with her mother and grandmother was resolved a little too quickly at the end. But overall, I really enjoyed "Ruby Gillman" for its charming concept and Shrek-inspired twist on popular fairy tales and tropes.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Indiana Jones 5 - Better than expected but its quality still falls short of the first three Indy movies
The first three Indiana Jones movies always held a special place in my heart with The Last Crusade being my favorite. And while fans' reactions to the fourth movie, Crystal Skull, were decidedly mixed, at least Crystal Skull gets credit for bringing the franchise to a satisfying close with Indy's marriage to Marion, Indy's love interest from the first film. So when Indy 5 was finally announced, I wasn't sure what to expect.
However, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny turned out somewhat better than I expected. While I don't think Indy 5 reached the quality of the first three Indy movies, it was still a solid adventure film wrapped around a decent story and good characters with my favorite moments being every scene with John Rhys-Davies reprising his role as Sallah from Last Crusade.
As for Indy's goddaughter and co-star in the film, Helena, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, I thought her character was alright. Helena's character felt like a blend of Marion and Mutt, Indy's teenage rebel son from the fourth film, so Helena's characterization seemed fitting for her role as Indiana Jones's goddaughter. In the beginning of the film, Helena's character is a street-smart mercenary and an embezzler of stolen goods where her motives are portrayed as very selfish, however, her newfound adventures and bonding moments with Indiana Jones help soften her up character in the film which made for an overall decent dynamic between her and Indy.
As for the villains of the Indy 5, Mads Mikkelsen did a great job as Dr. Voller, a Nazi archaeologist and adversary from Indy's past. Only problem is that Voller's character could've been used in more scenes throughout the movie and compared to other Indy villains, Voller's character fails to leave much of an impact. It's a shame because Dr. Voller's cunning intelligence and archaeological expertise made him an ideal arch-nemesis for Indiana Jones.
However, when it comes to the film's action scenes and special effects is where I start to feel really mixed about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. On one hand, the digital de-aging effects on Harrison Ford look really good during the movie's flashback scenes and evoked nostalgia from the previous movies. On the other hand, while its digital effects weren't as bloated as those of Crystal Skull, I feel that Indy 5 came close to repeating the mistakes of Indy 4 with its overreliance on digital effects are too much of a distraction in an Indiana Jones film where they make the action scenes feel too smooth and artificial. While the abundance of digital effects are usually not a problem with current movies like Marvel's superhero films for example, they tend to clash with a franchise like Indiana Jones, which is more grounded in realism, wonderfully creative use of practical effects, memorable set pieces, not to mention the stuntwork performed by the actors themselves.
Given his current age, it's understandable that Harrison Ford can't perform the same level of stunts on-screen as he used to during the original trilogy, although it's still impressive to watch Harrison Ford continue to perform at his current age and as far as his performance in Indy 5 is concerned, he still delivers a credible and even heartfelt performance in the film. Nevertheless, despite Indy 5 having a decent plot and characters at its center, the movie's biggest problem is that when compared to the previous films, Indy 5 with its hefty budget of 300 million feels bloated and overproduced, a far cry from the series' humble roots where the first Indy films were Spielberg's love letter to the classic adventure serials of early cinema.
In closing, while Indiana Jones 5 doesn't quite capture the magic of the first three movies or even match the feel-good satisfying conclusion of Crystal Skull, it's still a decent enough addition to the franchise. And without spoiling too much, I will say that Indy 5's conclusion, while more bittersweet than that of Crystal Skull, was still a very fitting end for Indy's character from a thematic standpoint. As a final send-off for Indiana Jones's character, you can certainly do a lot worse than Dial of Destiny but despite its flaws, Indy 5 was still a satisfying film.
No Hard Feelings (2023)
A hilarious, raunchy comedy
"No Hard Feelings" is one of the funniest comedies I've seen this year and feels like a nostalgic throwback to the bygone era of Judd Apatow-style comedies with its absurd plot elements and off-the-chart levels of raunchy, R-rated humor and jokes.
Jennifer Lawrence is hilarious in her comedic role as Maddie Barker where her characterization feels similar that of Cameron Diaz's in Jake Kasdan's film, "Bad Teacher." The co-star, Andrew Barth Feldman, also delivers a pretty good performance as the socially awkward Percy. There are some genuine heartfelt moments to be found in this film where Lawrence and Feldman's characters are clearly not just one-dimensional characters. The movie features several touching scenes where Lawrence and Feldman's characters continue to bond throughout the film and display some genuine, good chemistry.
Overall, "No Hard Feelings" is a hilarious, raunchy comedy that comes packed with many good laughs but it also comes with plenty of heart. A highly recommended comedy to watch in theaters this year.
Asteroid City (2023)
A quirky, offbeat comedy filled with good laughs
Wes Anderson's "Asteroid City" is a stellar comedy featuring an impressive ensemble cast backed up by really solid piece of scriptwriting. Anderson's film can be listed among the more unique comedies released this year with its heavy emphasis on metanarrative framing and clever dialogue evoking all kinds of philosophical themes and existential questions about life in the universe. The film's casting is nothing short of brilliant where every actor manages to play their role to perfection. As with Anderson's other directorial efforts, the quirky deadpan humor of films like "Asteroid City" may not be to everyone's liking and beyond the film's thought-provoking themes there doesn't seem to be much of an actual plot underneath its exterior which is why some might walk away from Anderson's film not feeling entirely satisfied with its conclusion. That said, the film still deserves accolades for its gorgeous-looking visuals where the set pieces used for the fictional rural town of Asteroid City look aesthetically pleasing and perfectly reflect the film's stagelike world. All in all, "Asteroid City" is well worth checking out and qualifies as yet another solid addition to Wes Anderson's filmography.
Elemental (2023)
Pixar's Elemental - A decent enough flick with a heartwarming love story but nothing too great
Pixar has been on a rough streak in recent years with only a few really good movies in-between. I personally feel that Pixar's golden years ended somewhere after their 2009 film, Up. On that note, I'm glad to report that fans of Pixar's Up have something to look forward to with Pixar's latest short that plays before "Elemental."
On the surface, "Elemental is very similar to "Zootopia" with its unique world-building and social commentary on immigration and multiculturalism. The character designs and animation look pretty good although the character designs lack the wow factor of earlier Pixar films such as "Inside Out." "Elemental" mainly focuses on the relationship between the fire girl Ember and the water boy Wade which becomes an allegory of intercultural conflict throughout the movie. It's a fairly creative idea though the allegory itself is sometimes a bit too on the nose. Overall, Elemental delivers a fairly good message about intercultural relationships although I still maintain that Zootopia handled the same concept and much better.
As for the love story in the center of the film, I think the romance between Ember and Wade was handled really well throughout the film and as with other Pixar movies, there are some emotional tearjerker moments in-between. However, and I've been saying this a lot lately about films from Disney and Marvel, but they could stand to ease up on the jokes and allow the atmosphere and tension to sink in instead of punctuating every serious moment with a joke. Nevertheless, Elemental is still a decent enough flick. Nothing too great but still an enjoyable flick with scenes of heartwarming romance.
The Flash (2023)
Michael Keaton's Batman was the best thing about this movie
After the raging success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it was inevitable that DC Comics would also try their hand at the Multiverse. I think it was a creative move on DC's part to use the "Flashpoint" comic as a springboard for introducing the Multiverse concept to the DC Universe even though I don't think it was used to its full potential in the movie.
Despite having plenty of serious moments, "The Flash (2023)" is also excessively goofy at times. Ezra Miller as Barry Allen is great during the film's comedic scenes where the movie has plenty of really funny bits. The only problem here is that the film's emotional tone is kind of all over the place. The original Flashpoint comic and the DC animated film "Flashpoint Paradox" are very grim and bloody violent while this version is more goofy and lighthearted. The result is a movie that's tonally inconsistent where it oscillates between being too grim and too goofy. In that regard, I don't think the movie does justice to the original comic or the animated film, both of which were relentlessly grim. However, the emotional scenes with Barry Allen and his mom were still really well done and every scene with both Barry Allens interacting with Keaton's Batman were nothing short of delightful. Like the title of my review suggests, I thought Keaton was the best part of the movie where Keaton's Batman even succeeds at upstaging Ezra Miller's Flash at times.
Admittedly, "The Flash" is fun entertainment but it still has quite a few problems. On top of the film being tonally inconsistent, the CGI looked iffy at times, especially the CGI make-up on Michael Shannon's General Zod and although it was great to see Shannon back as General Zod, he looks really bored in the film. As for the rest, while it was nice to finally see DC Comics' take on the Multiverse concept, not to mention the novelty of seeing Keaton donning the black cape again after three decades, I can't help but think the movie as as whole feels like wasted potential. One major problem is that the movie's storyline feels rushed where Keaton's Batman came off as an afterthought, a last minute addition to add some juicy nostalgia bait to the movie. However, it doesn't change the fact that it was still great to see Keaton as Batman again and I recommend checking out the film for Keaton's scenes alone.
The Little Mermaid (2023)
The Little Mermaid (2023) is by no means a perfect remake but it's still thoroughly enjoyable
One of the biggest problems with all these recent live-action Disney remakes is that none of them are particularly groundbreaking ideas where Disney only continues to rehash older stories instead of producing new fairy tales. Add this to the fact that Disney's transition from animation to live-action hasn't been the most graceful, especially when it comes to scenes that heavily feature CGI animals and anthropomorphic objects. That being said, I feel like Disney's "The Little Mermaid (2023)" is definitely a step up from their previous live-action remakes.
To start off with, Halle Bailey turned out a very good fit for Ariel. Bailey's performance manages to capture Ariel's youthful innocence and curiosity about the human world as well as Ariel's more headstrong, rebellious side. Bailey absolutely nails it during her singing parts which add so much emotion to the tragic undertones of the story. Jonah Hauer-King is also decent as Prince Eric where Eric's character is expanded upon in this version. In this film Eric's character is an orphan taken in by the island's royal family and Eric's updated origin creates an interesting dynamic between Ariel and Eric where both of them attempt to find a sense of belonging. Overall, I thought Bailey and Hauer-King's chemistry was very good and the film's scenes featuring Ariel and Prince Eric together were all very cute and charming.
Melissa McCarthy is absolutely amazing as Ursula, as well as the actress who portrayed Ursula's human form. McCarthy did a great job of portraying Ursula's "feisty diva villainess" side and it's also refreshing to see pure villains in Disney films after Disney's previous efforts to make their villains more sympathetic with movies like Maleficent and Cruella with mixed results. Javier Bardem was also a good casting choice for King Triton where Bardem's performance captures Triton's loving affection for his daughter Ariel which conflicts with his hatred of the human world which makes him strict and overly protective of Ariel. Only problem is that Bardem's King Triton felt underutilized in this version and the movie could've definitely shown more of Ariel and Triton's father-daughter relationship.
Also, like I said above, Disney's live-action makeover of the anthropomorphic talking animals from their previous films hasn't looked all that impressive, the live-action Lion King being a prime example of this. However, the CGI animals in The Little Mermaid looked better this time around where Sebastian, Scuttle and Flounder's facial animations are expressive enough to convey emotion in the film. I was even impressed by how good Sebastian actually looked in this version despite Sebastian's realistic CGI crab look but here I have to give credit to Daveed Diggs for doing phenomenally as the voice of Sebastian.
Overall, this movie is by no means a perfect remake and does have its fair share of flaws. That said, I think this version still got a lot of things right and if Disney is adamant about remaking all their beloved animated classics then I hope they take notes from this film because they seem to be finally on the right path.
Fast X (2023)
Fast X gets off to a slow start but picks up during the third act
Fast X is reportedly the first in a three part finale and it definitely shows. Fast X spends a bulk of its first and second act setting the stage for the next two films in the series introducing new characters as well as bringing back characters from the previous films. The pacing in the first and second half are all over the place and it's really not until the third act where the movie starts to pick up and it feels like the movie is going somewhere. Unlike the previous entries in the series, the movie barely focuses on Dominic's gang doing heist missions and instead focuses on the personal vendetta between Dominic Toretto and the series' new villain, Dante Reyes, played by Jason Momoa whose larger-than-life performance helps reinvigorate the franchise. Overall, Fast X is not perfect but still contains plenty of cool cars, slick action, stylish editing, unique set pieces, as well as some decent character performances to keep the film on track.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is slightly flawed but still a good wrap-up for the franchise
While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 somewhat lacks the sophistication of Vol. 1 and 2., particularly when it comes to action and pacing, it still does an excellent job expanding on the Guardians' character arcs. The film mainly focuses on Rocket Raccoon's backstory which went on mostly unexplored throughout the series but there's also a decent focus on other characters such as Nebula who's really grown on me as a character throughout the franchise.
Like I said above, the directing in Vol.3 seems to lack the sophistication of the previous movies but I wound up liking James Gunn's decision to focus more on the Guardians themselves and their relationship as a family rather than flashy action sequences because thematically speaking, it feels like the most appropriate way to wrap up the franchise. Overall, Guardians of the Vol. 3 is not without its flaws as the movie occasionally suffers from Marvel's usual tendency of putting in too many quips and one-liners, even during the film's heavy emotional moments, however, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still one of the better Marvel movies to come out in recent years and feels like a good send-off for the franchise.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
A good horror sequel with plenty of gore and a twisted sense of humor
As someone who hasn't seen the Evil Dead remake from 2013 but has watched the original Evil Dead trilogy starring Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead Rise comes across as a solid addition to the Evil Dead franchise. While the film is a bit lacking on effective horror scares, it's still a decent horror flick that pays homage to previous Evil Dead movies and includes plenty of twisted horror scenes rife with dark humor on brand with the franchise. Evil Dead Rise also has the most intense sound design of any horror film I've experienced in theaters.
However, the highlight of the film is Alyssa Sutherland's performance as the mother turned Deadite matriarch, Ellie. As a horror antagonist, Ellie's character rivals if not completely surpasses the creepiness of Henrietta Knowby, the Deadite matriarch from Evil Dead 2 but the film is worth seeing for Alyssa Sutherland's performance alone. While fans of Evil Dead might be disappointed with the lack of Bruce Campbell in the film whose presence is reduced to a small voice cameo, the film still packs all the elements that make Evil Dead an entertaining horror franchise: Scenes with lots of blood, gore, and violence with some dark comedy thrown in for good measure.
Renfield (2023)
Renfield is an awesome dark horror comedy
There are plenty of things to like about "Renfield." It has heavy gothic elements, dark comedy with some really gory bits, hard-hitting action scenes, and Nicholas Cage chewing the scenery with his delightfully over-the-top rendition of Dracula. Nic Cage's version of Dracula in "Renfield" manages to be comedic yet menacing at the same time. Nicholas Hoult is also great as the anti-hero Renfield whose goal is to get out of his codependent relationship with Dracula, a clever spin which draws a lot on Dwight Frye's memorable portrayal as Renfield from the 1931 film version of Dracula with Bela Lugosi.
After Marvel's poor stab at a gothic dark hero with their film "Morbius" which turned into a complete meme on the Internet, a movie like "Renfield" comes along like a breath of fresh air. "Renfield" is a visually pleasing film where the cinematography captures a gothic, bleak-looking world plagued by criminal organizations and wide corruption. The filmmakers also made the right choice of embracing the silliness of the plot and casting Nicholas Cage as Dracula in his second vampire-related role since "Vampire's Kiss," a movie which incidentally also became a huge Internet meme due to Nic Cage's delightfully hammy acting.
Air (2023)
A good dramedy about Michael Jordan's sign-up with Nike
While the story of how Michael Jordan signed up with Nike and formed the Air Jordan shoe brand probably doesn't make the most thrilling story for a feature length movie, the ensemble cast and witty dialogue in "Air" help elevate the film to a powerful sports dramedy about the sports industry and the individual value of basketball players. As always, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have awesome chemistry together on-screen backed up by some really funny lines. For his feature length screenwriting debut, Alex Convery delivers an impressive script with thought-provoking commentary on US sports culture in the same vein as movies such as "Moneyball" (2011). Overall, "Air" is a decent sports biopic which addresses some of the myths surrounding one of the most legendary basketball players of all time where the film poses questions to the audience such as whether they recognize famous basketball players for their individual self-worth or just another media brand. Like "Moneyball," "Air" is an all-around decent sports biopic that provides insight into the economy of the sports industry.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a real treat for Mario fans
Like many people, I grew up playing Super Mario on the Nintendo 64, the first games console I ever owned and on top of that, I also have fond memories of watching the Super Mario Bros Super Show which my family rented on VHS. So the nostalgia factor was definitely high with this one. Now that we finally got a first major Hollywood release of a Super Mario Bros film since the shoddy live action version from 1993 (that's 30 years ago now!), can we say the new Mario movie lives up to the hype? The short answer is Yes, however, this version was definitely made with the fans in mind and probably one that won't curry favor with the critics.
On the surface, The Super Mario Bros. Movie delivers everything you'd expect from a Super Mario film. The movie perfectly captures the visuals from the video games and does a decent job of seamlessly incorporating the characters and level designs into the story where it never feels too forced or random. The movie also contains a myriad of references and nods to the previous Mario games, including the animated Super Mario Bros super show, to the fuel the nostalgia factor. The plot at the beginning of the film even somewhat resembles that of the 1993 live action version. As for the casting, despite the initial skepticism around Chris Pratt's voicing Mario in the movie, I thought he did a fine job. Chris Pratt's voice as Mario sounds cartoonish but not too over-the-top all the while injecting seriousness into his role. Also, special shout-out to Jack Black who was absolutely phenomenal as the voice of Bowser. Seth Rogen, even though he barely alters his voice in the movie, sounded good as Donkey Kong and delivers some really funny lines.
Like I mentioned earlier, the film contains enough nostalgic references to all the different Mario games as well as 80's music hits for that extra layer of nostalgia, sort of like the 90's references in the Sonic films. On that note, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is definitely more kid-friendly compared to the Sonic movies which didn't shy away from including adult jokes. All that aside, I feel the main fault with The Super Mario Bros. Movie is that it plays it too safe and relies too much on the nostalgia factor, and while maybe that's what fans wanted from a Mario movie on a surface level, the result is a fairly bland and generic story which fails to leave a lasting impression. After all, it's your basic Mario plot-Bowser wants to capture and marry Princess Peach but Bowser's sinister plans are jeopardized when Mario and Luigi unexpectedly land in the Mushroom Kingdom. The plot is not exactly unpredictable.
To sum things up, I think the Super Mario Bros. Movie's main problem is that it never strives to be anything more than a safe, faithful adaptation of the video games but it delivers what fans wanted: A more genuine, proper Super Mario Bros. Movie since that bizarre attempt at a live action film we got in the 90's, although I admit I have a soft spot for that film. In spite of all that, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is still a highly enjoyable experience which left my inner child feeling absolutely giddy with nostalgia and while I don't think the Super Mario Bros. Movie will receive quite the same credit as the Sonic movies did for breaking the "Video Game Movie Curse," it's still a much welcomed fun-filled nostalgia for people of any generation who grew up playing Mario games.