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Grown·ish: It's a Vibe (2022)
Best Episode of the New Era Yet
The "Junior years" of the series has definitely taken some adjusting, but this episode managed to seamlessly tie in the new cast with the old favorites, and I. Am. Absolutely. Here. For. IT. Especially the old favorites, the continued storyline with Vivek and Ana was really sweet and surprisingly more emotional than I would've imagined. And seeing Jazz/Chloe back on the show was really cool, I really thought she was going to sit the rest of the series out now that she has been killing it musically, but her character was always one of my favorites, so I enjoyed her a lot in this episode. All in all, this episode really showed how much the new cast can really hold their own, but it's also nice having the promise of some glimpses of the old cast for nostalgia sake.
The Blind Side (2009)
I always knew something felt off about this movie...
This is definitely a great "feel good movie" with a great cast and great acting, and if it were based on a fictional character, I'd have no qualms with it whatsoever. However, this movie is not based on a fictional character, it's based on a real man who was lied to for all of his adult life by individuals who profited from him thinking they were "family". Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy (portrayed wonderfully in the film by Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock, respectively) tricked Michael Oher into signing a conservatorship - granting them financial control over his earnings and allowing them to use his likeness for this film and their numerous books - when he thought he was signing adoption papers making him part of the family. The saddest part that makes this one of the worst white savior scams ever is that they and their two biological children were paid $250,000 + 2.5% of net profits EACH from the $300,000,000+ grossing film (about $4.6M each), while Michael himself received nothing for the movie about HIS life, and Oher had to find this out himself after hiring a lawyer to get to the bottom of this. There is no way I could ever watch this movie again and enjoy it any bit knowing that the main character got swindled by people who claimed to love him only to profit from his success story.
Secret Invasion (2023)
Not an MCU fanboy, but....
This show is off to an excellent start! I'm really loving the thriller aspect of not knowing who or what to trust, as well as bringing Fury back into focus, as his presence has been sorely missed from the last several films. A lot of reviewers have expressed disappointment in seeing an older, somewhat out of touch Fury, but I like when writers keep the story real and grounded, since it makes perfectly logical sense that after everything he's been through, Fury wouldn't be as sharp. After all, he is still just a human at the end of the day. I'm interested to see where this story goes and how it ties in with the rest of the upcoming MCU projects.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Low Expectations = Bigger Payoff ¯\_(o.O)_/¯
I wasn't able to catch this when it was in theaters, but once I heard the poor reviews of it, I figured why not just wait a little longer for the Disney+ release. I knew a lot of folks had been downing it, so I went in with very low expectations, and like normal, those low expectations paid off huge. I loved the original Ant Man, but #2 was kind of a letdown for me (from what I remember, that is, I only watched it once, which says a lot about how I feel about movies since the ones I love get watched many times). I actually liked this one more than #2 from what I remember about it, and definitely like it better than Thor: Dark World from what I remember about that as well (also only saw ~1 time, rewatchability is pretty huge for me). I know Rick and Morty writers have been pretty big in the writing for this and other recent Marvel flicks, and this one definitely had a bit of that secret Szechuan Sauce thumbprint on it, so that familiarity may have been one of the things I enjoyed about it, but overall it was pretty fun and I enjoyed watching it (not as much as Thor: Ragnarok or some of the other top Marvel movies).
My only qualm about this installment is when I couldn't wrap my mind around how Scott was gone for 5 years but it felt like only minutes for him, but Janet was gone for 30 years (roughly 6x more than Scott), and it was like ages for her, enough to have friends and full blown relationships with people. I guess one could write this off as "time just bends unpredictably in the Quantum Realm" or that there may be some kind of exponential (logarithmic, maybe?) effect the longer you're there. They sort of allude to this theory in the movie, but I feel like I would've appreciated a better explanation of this, even a comic book one would have been nice ;)
Overall, not as bad as everyone says, and I may just be watching it again in the not-too-distant future.
Bulletproof (1996)
One of the most underrated buddy team ups ever
I'm always surprised when I mention this movie to other people who also love movies, yet have never heard of this before. Damon Wayans and Adam Sandler are a hilarious duo that take you on a fun, entertaining ride together in this buddy team up flick. The story is simple enough for an action comedy, but what stands out with this movie is both the action and the comedy, both Wayans and Sandler really shine in this and are both very convincing in their respective roles. I also forget sometimes that James Caan is also in it, and he plays the perfect a-hole every chance he gets, and this one is no different. Definitely give it a chance, you won't regret it!
Beef (2023)
Easily the best series of 2023, hands down
I came into this show fairly blind, just knowing it was about two Asian Americans who had a grudge against one another, and I assumed a bunch of crappy things happen to them along the way, and also that it starred Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, so figured it'd be worth watching since I've always loved seeing them both in things. This show is hands down one of the dopest shows of this year; the writing is great, the acting is great, it's funny, deep, emotional, clever, and has some really good messages beneath the surface (wayyyyy beneath). I'm recommending this show to everyone I know and hoping they give it a chance, because this is definitely worth a watch (or two or three). I love how they ended the season, very clever leaving it open but also a nice standalone if they decide not to continue (which I'm very torn whether I want them to or not, but will definitely check it out if they do).
M3GAN (2022)
Does a great job of nailing the emotional and psychological aspect of a horror doll movie
I actually enjoyed this new "killer doll" movie far more than I expected to. Without going into too much detail or spoiling how it does it, this film actually does a better job of tapping into the emotional and psychological aspect of what it would actually look like if a child became attached to a life-like doll than most other films like it (and I grew up loving Child's Play), and I could DEFINITELY see my 5 year old getting attached to a robotic toy the same way that occurred in the movie. I expected this to be yet another "horror doll flick" - and although it definitely is, ESPECIALLY the unrated version - it's a pretty cool "modern day Frankenstein-esque" movie that managed to surprise me with how good it was (for a horror flick, that is), and I'd recommend this to any horror fan, especially if you liked Chucky.
Wednesday (2022)
This is NOT the Wednesday we remember
... but that's not a bad thing, not at all. Jenna Ortega is AMAZING in this role, and the Addams Family we grew up on (many folks are obviously still holding onto) worked wonderfully for the 90's. It was dark, cooky, spooky, and very silly, while this one holds back quite a bit on the silliness and leans heavily into the dark and spooky, and 3 episodes in, it's nothing shy of amazing. As a massive fan of the original (the OF AND the 90's version), this is an extremely fresh and fun show for anyone who enjoys campy (but not TOO campy) and entertaining horror. Looking forward to what comes next!
The Voices (2014)
A forgettable film that becomes unforgettable
I watched this movie years ago when it first came out, but couldn't recall much of it for some reason, I just remembered enjoying it and feeling as though it was the most realistic depiction of severe mental illness (on the extremely deep end of the spectrum, of course) ever created in cinema. A movie group I'm part of wanted to watch it, and this time I doubt I'll be forgetting it again. I don't remember being this moved by it the first watch (my score went from a "7" to a "9"), but it is truly a brilliant film in a class of its own, as it is the perfect blend of horror, comedy, and docudrama, showcasing the struggles the severely mentally ill go through - both on and off of meds - and tugs at the heartstrings in a way that no serial killer in cinema ever has. One thing I remembered about the movie was how much I originally hated the ending (which lead to the drop in scoring), but this time I really see the beauty in it and appreciate it for what it is. For someone who once worked for a community mental health center, there has never been a movie that made me feel so much sorrow for what some of the individuals who came through our doors must have felt (at least on the more shallow end of the spectrum), and this movie will remain a favorite of mine in the dark comedy genre for many years to come.
We Can Be Heroes (2020)
Great movie to watch with the kids!
It's not going to win any awards (outside of a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice award maybe), but it's fun, silly, entertaining, and loved by my toddler (following up and including Sharkboy and Lavagirl got him geeked), so I say if you have kids, give it a shot! The cameos are also awesome (this is the way...lol). Also, it has a very "PBS Kids" meets "Nickelodeon" vibe to it that feels like a welcome throwback to the good ol' days. Oh, and Priyanka Chopra? Yes, ma'am!
Doctor Sleep (2019)
I liked the original; LOVED the follow-up!
I haven't read through the reviews yet, but judging by the less than stellar rating, have a feeling most won't feel the same about this. But as a horror/thriller, this movie was refreshing compared to a lot of others released as of late in the same genres. This is the absolute PERFECT follow up to The Shining and does great justice to it. The girl playing Abra (Kyliegh Curran) is AMAZING and does a wonderful job creating her character, oftentimes out-Shining (pun intended) A-Lister Ewan McGregor. I've always thought The Shining was slightly overrated (though I can see why it's so iconic), but enjoyed watching this even more and hope it spawns another follow up - or even a series.
Child's Play (2019)
As a fan of the original franchise...
I really wasn't sure what to expect going into the reboot. I had mixed feelings about them re-doing it, Chucky was always one of my favorite horror films, and the character was hilarious. Since I LOVE Mark Hamill, Aubrey Plaza, and Brian Tyree Henry, I figured this new one was at least worth giving a watch, and I have to admit, I really enjoyed it. I still like the original Chucky more (his quips and one-liners are hilarious), but like how they've modernized it, as well as made it slightly more realistic (I will never look at my Alexa/Google Home the same again...). Overall, I'd recommend it to anyone who liked the originals and any of the cast in it, as they all do an awesome job breathing new life into this dead doll.
A Celebration of the Music from Coco (2020)
A wonderful special for anyone who loved Coco
This musical experience on Disney+ includes many of the actors and actresses from the movie Coco, performing not only the songs from Coco, but other Mexican and Latin songs that contain the same feelings and messages from Coco. So whether you come from Mexican/Latin heritage or just enjoy learning about other cultures, this special will be appreciated by anyone who loved Coco.
The Hunt (2020)
Is it messed up I couldn't decide who to root for?
...which is one of the things I enjoyed so much about this movie. Political satire is an understatement, this is THE political satire, from start to finish. When I was in high school we read "The Most Dangerous Game" and I've always loved it, so this was a really cool twist on the classic short story. The main protagonist is AMAZING and really nails her role. I love that this movie points out the divides in our culture/society and pokes fun at them - sooooo much on both sides - and is just a fun gore-fest for anyone who enjoys a good horror/thriller flick.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
A fun, refreshing movie from start to finish
This movie was really fun and entertaining, I enjoyed it. Don't get caught up in the negative reviews, especially if you're a Harley Quinn fan. I honestly enjoyed this far more than Suicide Squad, probably one of the better DC movies to come out in the past few years, in my opinion.
Two Sentence Horror Stories (2017)
Surprised about the bad reviews...
I didn't have any expectations when I started watching this, but for someone who grew up on anthology shows like "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" and "Goosebumps", I thought it was pretty cool finding a similar show for an older audience and a new generation.
Some of the reviews are pretty harsh and claim political biases, but I didn't get that feeling at all. The acting is slightly cheesy at times and the dialog could be a little better, but if you were a 90's kid who enjoyed shows like the aforementioned, give it a shot and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Jason X (2001)
So Painfully Canadian, but a Good Waste of Time
This movie is so painfully Canadian, it reminds me of an episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" meets "Space Cases" (complete with a recurring cast member from the former). Overall, not a bad waste of time if you have nothing better to watch, and the ending is pretty funny.