Child's Play (2019)

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I have been pretty skeptical of the Child’s Play remake from the beginning. However, I was still willing to go into this film with something of an open mind, even if I didn’t exactly have faith in it. Fortunately, for the most part, this movie actually proved me wrong. For one thing, I actually found Chucky (voiced in this remake by Mark Hamill) creepier than in the original. The reason is because this version of Chucky has more of an “if I can’t have you, no one can” attitude towards Andy. I actually like that this film makes the friendship between Andy and Chucky genuine. It’s also interesting that this A.I. version of Chucky acts much more naive and childlike. He genuinely does not understand that what he’s doing throughout most of this movie is wrong. The film is also legitimately well-acted, particularly from Aubrey Plaza as Karen and Gabriel Bateman as Andy. I actually kind of dug the relationship these two share as an onscreen mother and son. The kills are deliciously gruesome as well. I don’t really want to go into any more detail than that because that kind of ruins the fun of a slasher flick. I also have to appreciate the movie’s dark sense of humor as well. A lot of the jokes actually land for me. They don’t feel forced, so much as honestly natural. Something that gets a lot of criticism is Chucky’s puppet effects. This includes both the design and how he moves around. In all honesty, I didn’t have a problem with his movements at all. There felt like this uncanny valley for me, and I actually dug it. At first, his design was a little too off-putting. See, it worked for me when Chucky needed to be creepy. When he needed to look cute, it really didn’t work for me. I do have to admit that I wish some of the characters had a little bit more development to them (or in some cases, a legitimate introduction). But, these really aren’t huge problems for me, especially knowing this movie could have turned out far, far worse. As somebody who is a huge Chucky fan, I actually recommend this remake. I can’t guarantee every Chucky fan will like it, but i do think it’s worth seeing. 

8 / 10 

Jessica Jones - Season 3

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So, I have now finished the third and final season of Jessica Jones on Netflix. This time around, Jessica has to hunt down a serial killer, all while attempting to mend the relationships she had left broken following the events of the show's second season. I suppose I should start with the issues I had throughout the season, because they are honestly very minor problems. Some of the supporting characters act in ways I really don't feel they should act, as it doesn't completely feel like the characters we have come to know throughout the entirety of the series. On the other hand, the ending doesn't really feel like a series finale, so much as a season finale. I have no idea if this third season was written and filmed with the possibility of a fourth season in mind. While I don't particularly mind the show's slower pace, there actually were points where I wanted things to speed up a little bit. Okay, now I should talk about the things I liked. For starters, the actors all do a good job. Naturally, the standout to me is Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones. I like Gregory Sallinger as a villain. Because Sallinger doesn't have superhuman gifts, he brings a very different kind of menace to this show. He forces Jessica to use her intellect more than her brute strength. I also want to compliment the writers on how they handled the character of Trish Walker this season. They took her to a whole new place, and it made sense to me after how unlikable she was during the second season. Her character arc actually makes sense, and feels completely natural. Is this my absolute favorite when it comes the Marvel Netflix seasons? No, but I still think it is genuinely worthwhile. The third and final season of Jessica Jones has some stumbles, but it also has a lot working in its favor as well.

B+

Anna

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I didn’t know anything about this movie’s existence until I saw a trailer on Youtube a couple of months ago. Going into this movie, I had no idea what to expect. The movie stars relative newcomer Sasha Luss in the title role. Anna is a woman who was offered a chance to work as an assassin for the KGB. The first thing I have to draw attention to is that the plot kind of difficult for me to explain. Part of the reason is probably because the way the first half of the film is structured  makes it hard to follow. What I mean by this is that is the film will jump from one point in time to five years later to three years prior to this five-years-later-interval. One of the biggest problems I have with this is it actually makes it hard for me to pay attention, or even feel that invested. There is another possible reason I don’t find myself that invested in this film. I don’t find myself that interested in most of the characters, because it doesn’t really feel like the characters have that much to them, at least from my perspective. Yet, the actors do feel as though they are all putting effort in their performances.The action scenes are also pretty fluid. I don’t necessarily think Luc Besson’s direction lets this movie down, so much as his writing does. For example, the action scenes are genuinely pretty fluid, and well done. Overall, I don’t think this movie was inherently awful. I wasn’t expecting much of anything out of it either, so I couldn’t really be that disappointed. I think this is going to be one of those movies that will come and go from any memories, should it leave any impact at all.

4 / 10  

The Secret Life of Pets 2

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I don’t really think The Secret Life of Pets needed to have a sequel, but we have one anyway. Don’t get me wrong I actually did like the first film. It did what it needed to do. So, I didn’t really know what to expect going into the sequel. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t really like this film. Don’t get me wrong, it still has some of the strengths of the first movie, namely the voice acting. Everyone is clearly putting their all into their performances. The animation is pretty good (or better than the animation in Wonder Park at least). Occasionally, there’s a funny joke. But, there aren’t nearly as many in this as there are in the first film. OK, so that was pretty much everything I liked about this movie. Now, I should talk about the elements I really didn’t like. For starters, far more of the jokes miss than they do hit. But, there is one glaring flaw with this film that honestly prevents me from enjoying it. The film doesn’t really seem to have one main plot line. It feels more three separate movies have been sandwiched into one, and none of them actually feel like they even remotely blend. This isn’t the worst movie I’ve seen this year. Hell, it isn’t even one of the worst animated movies I’ve ever seen (I definitely liked it better than Wonder Park). This just felt like a sequel that didn’t need to exist, and never really justified having a reason to exist. 

5 / 10 

Hellboy

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In this reboot of the Hellboy franchise, the titular protagonist (played by David Harbour) battles against the villainous witch Nimue (played by Milla Jovovich) when she is resurrected and intends to plunge the world in darkness. I was actually pulling for this movie (even knowing that it meant that Hellboy III wasn’t likely to happen). This feels like a movie that really doesn’t know what it wants to be, and is constantly clashing with itself. The film seems to jump from action to horror to comedy without so much as a second thought. The problem is the constant tone jumping doesn’t work nearly as well as it should. Storylines feel like they are constantly introduced, only to be dropped. My guess is that they were being saved for the sequel that’s not going to happen. The visual effects are pretty hit and miss. The computer generated effects are pretty bad. But, the film’s practical effects are legitimately good, especially when it comes to the film’s creature makeup effects. Props should also go to the acting. David Harbour as Hellboy actually feels like he’s kind of the perfect choice to replace Ron Perlman. I also want to give some props to Sasha Lane as the character Alice. To my knowledge, this character is not from the comics, but I kind of liked her. And yet, for all of this movie’s problems, I still kind of dug it. Don’t get me wrong, this movie is clearly a mess. I apologize if it seems like my review for this film seems like it’s all over the place. But, that’s kind of the best way to sum up 2019’s Hellboy in a nutshell: all over the place. It’s strange because I did enjoy the film for what it was, and yet I don’t think I can bring myself to recommend this film.

6 / 10 

Daughter of the Wolf

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Daughter of the Wolf stars Gina Carano as a mother with a military background searching for her 13-year-old son who has been kidnapped by a group of villains led by a man known only as “Father” (played by Richard Dreyfuss). What I am about to say is going to sound strange. I kind of enjoyed this movie. OK, I’m not going to say it’s really anything special, but I was never really mad while I watched it. The acting is serviceable. It’s nothing award-winning. However, it isn’t the worst acting I’ve ever seen either. By far, the best part of this movie is Richard Dreyfuss as the villain (as if it would be anything else that deserved the most praise). Carano herself is decent enough. She kind of does what she needs to do. I also appreciate that this film is only 90 minutes. It feels about as long as it needs to be. I like the setting of the mountains during the Winter time for an action movie, even if I don’t know that this film utilizes the setting to its fullest potential. On the flip side, this movie also has a lot of problems. For one thing, the title Daughter of the Wolf doesn’t really make sense. The film is also poorly edited (and is the primary issue I have with this film). For one thing, this film kind of just throws you into the film, and then reveals the backstory in one scene, told in through a flashback. The son is the most aggravating part of this film. He honestly doesn’t do much more than annoy me, even if I can’t say he’s the most annoying character I have ever seen. Even though I honestly kind of liked this, that doesn’t make this film good. I found it to be a fun enough time for me to watch as a fan of bad movies. 

6 / 10 

Murder Mystery

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Murder Mystery is a new Netflix film starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston as a bumbling married couple that find themselves accidentally drawn into a murder plot when a billionaire played by Luke Evans invites them to spend the weekend on his yacht. I had reached a point where I had begun to write Sandler off. So, let me just say that Murder Mystery was one hell of a surprise for me. Considering the fact that practically every single one of his Netlfix comedies has sucked up until this point, I really wasn’t expecting much. But, this was one of the first movies he’s done in a while that legitimately made me laugh, and that I don’t really feel ashamed to admit it made me laugh. OK, the laughs weren’t belly laughs so much as a series of chuckles and snickers throughout. But, it’s better than nothing. I also legitimately found myself invested in the actual mystery, legitimately trying to guess who the killer was. The characters all feel appropriate for the film they are in. Most of these are kind of quirky and weird (as well as being genuinely bad people). I also have to admit that this film actually plays with some of the tropes of murder mysteries in ways I didn’t see coming, and I kind of love that. The cast all seems to be genuinely invested in this film (yes, even Adam Sandler for the first time in a while). Do I believe this film is going to be ranked alongside some of Sandler’s classics like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore? No. I also don’t think it quite ranks alongside murder mystery comedies like Clue and Murder By Death. I do give Murder Mystery something of a soft recommendation, mostly because it’s the first Sander film I have seen a while that I thought was genuinely funny, and I can’t really argue with that. 

7 / 10 

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile

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Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile is a biopic starring Zac Efron as infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. The film deals with his relationships with two women, as well as his trial, and all the insanity that this would entail. I have to admit that I don't necessarily know how much I actually have to say about this film, so it is best for me to just get right into talking about the film. When talking about this movie, I think it is best to start by talking about the negatives, because I really don't have very many. The main issue I have is that there are some points where the film jumps around in the narrative, and it doesn't really flow nearly as well as it probably could or should. Honestly, pretty much everything else about this film actually kind of worked for me. The movie's greatest strength is the acting. Zac Efron is the film's greatest strength. He owns this movie. He really nails the charm and charisma that Ted Bundy was actually known for. The other true standout for me was Lily Collins. I really buy the mental and emotional torture her character Liz seemed to be put through. I have to say that I was kind of glad to see Haley Joel Osment in this film, as he really hasn't been in the limelight in a very long time, outside of some occasional film roles here and there. There is one element of this film that I wasn't sure what to expect with this film. The movie is directed by Joe Berlinger (the same man who directed Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2). I mentioned that I had some problems with the first act, though I don't honestly know exactly where the blame should placed. But, I actually didn't mind Berlinger's direction here. Of course it helps that he's clearly passionate about this film. Overall, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile works thanks to its acting (especially from Zac Efron and Lily Collins), and has a couple of stumbles near the beginning before really finding its footing. This film is on Netflix, so I have to recommend giving it a watch if you can.

8 / 10    

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

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Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) comes face to face with his greatest enemy, a dragon hunter named Grimmel (voiced by F. Murray Abraham). Meanwhile, Hiccup’s dragon Toothless falls in love with another dragon, called a Light Fury. Yes, the animation is gorgeous to look. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the fluidity of the film’s action, or the fact that the backgrounds actually look realistic. Once again, the film’s voice cast is incredible. It certainly helps that many of the actors have voiced these characters for multiple films now, so they honestly feel like they are comfortable in their roles. Newcomer F. Murray Abraham provides the villain Grimmel with an appropriate menace. Something this film, and by extension the whole How to Train Dragon franchise does that I absolutely love is the fact that the filmmakers give the dragons personality without them ever talking. The characters feel as though they have progressed with each entry in the franchise. I find it appropriate that each of the three films seem to be given a grander scale with each passing film. As much as I would honestly welcome more films in this franchise, I am honestly satisfied with this movie as the conclusion to a trilogy. This film seems like it legitimately has everything I could ask for out of this film. The animation is excellent. The story is excellent. The characters are excellent. This might just be one of my favorite films I have seen so far this year, and I don’t have a problem with that at all.  

9 / 10  

Dark Phoenix

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Dark Phoenix is the second attempt to tell the Dark Phoenix storyline on the big screen, and it was a film that I was actually anticipating relatively highly. I watched this movie yesterday, and I really wanted to let it sit for a while because I wasn’t really sure exactly how I felt. In all honesty, I don’t think I’m still all that sure how I feel about it. The climax may be the best example on thoughts on the movie. The climax involves a battle on a train. All at once, I feel like it is both exciting and disappointing. The actual action itself is pretty cool, but the little mini fights that take place within this larger action scene feel like they are just over and done with. On the whole, the acting feels very much the same way. Major props really should go to Sophie Turner, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy. These three all do what they can to carry both the scenes they are in, and the movie as a whole. Normally, I think Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain are very reliable actresses. Here, they feel like the movie’s weak links. Neither of these two women actually feel like they are even remotely invested in anything besides their paychecks. As for everyone else, they feel like they’re just kind of there. It really pains me to see Evan Peters’ Quicksilver and Alexandra Shipp’s Storm sidelined the way they are. The film is decently paced. I almost appreciate the fact that this movie isn’t overly long, and doesn’t feel as bloated as some of the previous X-Men films have. But, this is the last Fox-produced film within the main X-Men timeline. Instead of really feeling like a finale, it feels like they just kind of made another X-Men movie. Some of the character arcs didn’t really work for me either. I’m not going to go into spoilers and reveal which ones, but this is something that should be noted. I don’t know if fans will actually like this movie. I know there are going to be fans that are probably going to hate it. Personally, I don’t think this is deserving of a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes (at the time I am writing this review), especially when X-Men Origins has a 37%. I just don’t think it’s good or bad enough to really bring me to care that much, even if I can admit to feeling somewhat disappointed by the movie that we got in the end. 

5 / 10 

Wonder Park

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Wonder Park is about a young girl named June who helps a group of talking animals re-open a defunct amusement park (that all may or may not just exist in her imagination). Going into this movie, I wasn’t sure what I was going to make of it, or what to expect. The trailers didn’t really do that much for me, and the film has a 32% on Rotten Tomatoes. Those aren’t the signs the really bode well for an animated movie like this. I suppose I should start with positives, however few there are. First-time actress Brianna Denski as the voice of June is probably the highlight. This girl is clearly putting her all into her voice work, even she does seem to be the only one. From a story telling standpoint, I kind of enjoy the first 15 minutes or so. OK, they weren’t anything groundbreaking, but they were good enough. However, there’s something said around the 20 minute mark that honestly renders both what came before and what came after completely ineffective. At this point, I should talk about the things in this movie that really didn’t work at all. I can’t really go too much further into this because that would be going into spoiler territory. The jokes are not funny either. I don’t know if there’s a single joke that I can easily say works. They aren’t the worst jokes I’ve ever heard, but that doesn’t stop them from falling completely flat. The animation is mediocre. It isn’t Foodfight levels of awful. However, it isn’t Pixar levels of amazing either. The lead actress aside, all of the other voice actors just don’t work. All of them sound like they are half asleep. Perhaps the worst offender of this is Mila Kunis (somebody who actually has legitimate experience in voice acting). Overall, while Wonder Park most definitely isn’t the worst movie ever, it is still a bad movie. This is best described as movie that starts off well, but quickly falls into mediocrity and never really rises back out of it. 

4 / 10