Mank

Seeing as Mank is a film directed by David Fincher, it shouldn't be any surprise this is a movie that comes together excellently from a technical perspective. It's very well directed and acted, something that I naturally come to expect from Fincher as a director. With that said, this is not a movie that's going to appeal to everyone. A small niche of people will probably enjoy it. For starters, Fincher makes a lot of call-backs to Citizen Kane. It makes sense because this movie is about Herman Mankiewicz as he writes Citizen Kane, and navigates 1930s Hollywood. One of the main criticisms I have seen levied against this movie is that the pacing often feels a bit too slow. This is something I have to agree with. As I have already hinted at, the performances really do deserve props. As usual actors like Gary Oldman and Charles Dance are in top form. Amanda Seyfried might at her best in this movie. The one person who doesn't entirely feel like they belong to me is Bill Nye as Upton Sinclair. He isn't awful, necessarily. But, Bill Nye also is not an actor by trade. However, I should note that he really isn't in the film very much. This is a film that was written by David Fincher's late father. Naturally, this film was a passion project for Fincher. Overall, as a fan of David Fincher's work, I am glad I saw this film. It's not one that I think will go down as one of his best, nor do I see this as one of Fincher's more rewatchable movies. I enjoyed my time with Mank, but won't need to seek it out multiple times in the long run.

7 / 10    

Artemis Fowl

 

"I'm Artemis Fowl, and I'm a criminal mastermind." I wanted to highlight this line from near the end of this movie. I want to highlight it because none of Artemis Fowl's actions really make this line feel earned. There were a lot of other things in this movie, very few of them being good. For example, the special effects are shoddy, at best. I have no idea what kind of performances Josh Gad and Judi Dench were giving. The action felt small scale. There were only a couple of locations in this movie, mainly Artemis's house. The villain has no dimension to her. She feels like a complete afterthought (probably because Artemis Fowl himself is the main antagonist of the book). The one character I actually did enjoy was the Holly Short character. She had a backstory that actually helped you to understand her drive, her motivations. The pacing is quite poor too. I feel like a lot of the film's plot beats are rushed, just so this movie can fit into an hour and a half time frame. Overall, there was very little about Artemis Fowl that worked for me, and I could honestly see why Disney dumped this onto their streaming service rather than delay its theatrical release. If you do happen to come across this movie on Disney+, just go ahead and skip it. 

2 / 10   

Girl

 

Girl stars Bella Thorne in the title role as a young woman who makes her way to a small town with a score to settle. It doesn't take long before she learns that not everything is what it seems. Going in to this, I only knew the basic plot. I had an idea of what I expected the movie to be. So, when the plot beat I saw coming happened within the first third, I had reached a point where I wasn't entirely sure how things were going to progress. That said, there were still some pretty predictable elements to the movie's plot. Some of the more obvious plot beats are kind of where I would like to start. These moments are the main issue I have with the movie, though they are few and far between. I knew right away who was going to be the villain as soon as the character was introduced, and not just because of the actor playing the role. The movie's greatest strength is the acting, particularly Bella Thorne in the lead. Initially, I was a little bit worried. Those worries were put to ease as the film went on. Overall, Girl works because of its performances, and some legitimately good tension. It isn't a movie I see going down as a modern classic or anything, but it did keep me invested as I watched it. 

7 / 10  

Jiu Jitsu

 Jiu Jitsu is about a group of fighters chosen to do battle by an alien from another world. So, I saw the trailer for this movie about a month ago, and thought it looked like it could be some dumb, trashy fun. Yeah, that's pretty much what I got out of this movie. The character development is pretty thin. Most of these characters don't have much to them beyond the most basic aspects you can give them. What helps these characters out is that I actually like a lot of the actors, even if some of them felt a bit underused (looking at you Nicolas Cage). There are some characters here and there that, at least to me, didn't end up feeling like they had a point being in the movie. The special effects are mostly pretty bad. However, the action is probably this movie's saving grace. The action is genuinely well shot and entertaining enough. In many ways, you could call this a rip-off of Predator. The DNA is definitely there. Overall, this is a movie that's decent enough for killing an hour and forty minutes. You can just watch it, and not think too hard. This movie isn't anything special, but I don't think it necessarily needed to be either.

6 / 10  

Freaky

Freaky is about a bullied teenage girl (played by Kathryn Newton) who swaps bodies with a serial killer (played by Vince Vaughn). The movie is co-written and directed by Christopher Landon, who also wrote and directed the Happy Death Day movies. One of the first things about this movie I loved is that it takes that extra step and goes for the R rating. The kills are nice and gory. Of course, the two leads are really what make this movie work for me, especially Vince Vaughn. It is so entertaining to see him act like a teenage girl. I do think the movie does a solid job of mixing the horror and the comedy, even if I won't go so far as to say it's done particularly great. My one real issue with the movie is that I don't think it does the best job in terms of family dynamics. It seems like that's what Landon was going for. However, our protagonist spends more time with her friends than her own family. However, the other part of this movie is the protagonist learning to come out of her shell a little bit more, and come to terms with needing to speak up for herself. I actually think that part of the movie works pretty well. Overall, Freaky has some bumps here and there, but the overall result is fun little slasher comedy.

8 / 10  

A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting

Teenager Kelly Ferguson has to find her charge when he is kidnapped by a monster on Halloween. This is a movie I could easily see kids getting a kick out of. There are some moments that I think work well enough to creep younger audiences out a little bit. Looking at this movie as an adult, I saw mostly as a fun little Halloween watch, nothing more. The best part of this movie is easily Tom Felton as the main villain. The man just seems like he is having a ton of fun. I do think there is something of an 80s vibe to it. There is some stuff in this movie I thought was actually pretty imaginative. I will say that the main character is just okay as a character. I actually think one of the supporting players would have worked better as the lead. She has a more interesting backstory, and a better tie to the main villain. The CGI isn't really anything special. I did find it to be less distracting as the film went on. Overall, I think this movie had just enough imagination to keep me interested while I watched. I also could see this being a decent gateway movie for younger kids trying to get into horror. 

7 / 10 

Deep Blue Sea 3

 

Deep Blue Sea 3 follows a research team and a team of mercenaries as they each try to deal with the surviving sharks from Deep Blue Sea 2. The first thing I want to say is that this is a much better movie than Deep Blue Sea 2. While some of the acting in this still leaves a lot to be desired, it is a good deal better here. I also feel that the effects are noticeably better in this film as well. There are definitely some rough spots in terms of the effects, but the second movie also did them a lot worse too. I should also say I liked some of the characters in this one more than I liked the characters in the last movie too. None of that makes this a great movie by any means. There are some character and story beats that I did find pretty predictable. However, in this movie's defense, I don't really think it matters all that much. Quality-wise, I think I would put this about on par with the first movie. It's not something I would necessarily call good, but I did have fun with it. If you enjoyed the original movie,  I would say give this one a shot.

6 / 10   

Fantasy Island

Where do I begin? Hm. This was written and directed by the same people behind 2018's Truth or Dare. I think that should speak to this movie's overall quality. For much of the running time, this felt like it was going to be nothing more than a generic horror movie put out by the Blumhouse machine. However, the last twenty minutes actually gave me exactly what I wanted. This is a movie that offers up a couple of different twists. Neither of them really work. The first one feels like it was kind of just made up on the spot. The other is so indescribable that I just sort of screamed "What!?" when the credits started to roll. Naturally, I won't give spoilers. I will say that I actually do think the cast works well enough. Michael Rooker is probably my favorite part of the movie, and there honestly wasn't enough of him. A lot of the dialogue is laughably dated. One of the lines in this 2020 movie is two characters sharing the line "YOLO," something that hasn't been said unironically since probably 2013. If the whole movie was more like the climax, I probably would have recommended this as a fun kind of bad movie. Judging the movie as a whole, It's mostly just generic, and really not worth your time.

2 / 10    

Random Acts of Violence

 Random Acts of Violence is a slasher movie directed and co-written by Jay Baruchel. The movie centers on a comic book creator named Todd, played by Jesse Williams. He and the rest of his creative team embark on a road trip in an effort to give Todd some creativity to end his comic book that was inspired by a real-life killer. Things take a turn for the worse when murders pop up that mirror Todd's comics. The first thing I want to note is that I'm actually curious to see what else Jay Baruchel can do as a director. I actually think that was one of this movie's greatest strengths. There's a sense of style in a lot of this movie that really did work for me. I also did enjoy the cast a good deal. I really think Jesse Williams in the lead works for me. Where I honestly think this movie could have been improved is in the satire. There seems to be an attempt to make fun of the idea that art creates violence and vice/versa' It isn't awful in this film. However, I think movies like Scream, or even Scream 2, just do it quite a bit better. It is interesting to note that this movie is based off of a limited run comic book. I should also note that I have not read the comic this movie is based on. Judging this movie on its own merits, I think it was decent. I can't recommend it to everybody, but I think there might be something there for hardcore slasher fans. 

6 / 10 

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals follows a group of younger siblings of royals as they discover they have superpowers. I literally just watched this movie on Disney+ because it was there. The movie was alright. The acting was decent enough. Or, at least, it worked for this movie. This has something of a Disney Channel Original Movie feel. I should say that, in this case, it's not a terrible thing. I will also say that the characters worked well enough for me too. There actually was an attempt to give some of them genuine depth, especially the main protagonist, and her relationship with her older sister. Okay, it's not a ton of depth, but it's honestly more than I would have expected. The special effects in the movie are awful, worse than a movie like this probably should have. I was glad it was never too distracting, but they were bad enough that it was noticeable. Overall, I thought this movie was just okay. I watched it once out of pure curiosity, and don't really feel a need to ever watch it again. They do set up for a potential sequel, and the idea is interesting enough, I guess I'd be curious to see where it goes, and if it improves. But, yeah, this was a one-and-done movie for me.     

6 / 10   

The Babysitter: Killer Queen

 The Babysitter: Killer Queen continues the story of Cole (played again by Judah Lewis) as he has to face the demons of his past when the satanic cult members from the first movie return from the dead to take their vengeance. I had a blast with this movie. I kind of think it's about on par with the first film. Starting off with the positives, I like the actors and the chemistry they all have with one another. I really have to shine a spotlight on franchise newcomer Jenna Ortega as the character Phoebe. The kills are even gorier this time around, and they are a lot of fun. I also have to appreciate the movie's mix of gore and laughs. I also want to give props the soundtrack. The songs used in this film really do match the film pretty perfectly. On the more negative side of things, there were some moments where I do think the style goes a bit overboard. Some of the returning cast members feel a bit sidelined (one comes to mind in particular). Overall, The Babysitter: Killer Queen was a pretty damn fun time that I recommend if you were a fan of the original. It's not a landmark of cinema, but it's not trying to be, nor does it really even need to be. Give it a watch on Netflix if you're curious. 

6 / 10   

The New Mutants

After two years, The New Mutants has finally arrived. The movie follows a group of teenage mutants just discovering their abilities, and must come face to face with their worst fears while they are in a hospital setting. For the longest time, I was anticipating this movie. But, I did have some skepticism as well because of the delays. The cast does a solid job all-around. I actually think it might help in this movie's case that the cast is generally pretty small. The actors all have solid chemistry, and work off each other well enough. That said, this movie is far from perfect. The action isn't awful, but I do think it could have been much better. Some of it feels a bit too shaky for my taste. My other big issue with the movie is the exposition. There were some points where I genuinely felt as though the movie was using exposition as a crutch, as a way to carry character development. Overall, I think The New Mutants was good enough. It certainly isn't the best movie in the X-Men franchise. But, I can also say that it is far from the worst movie in the X-Men franchise. It works almost entirely because of the cast of characters. 

6 / 10  

The Invisible Man

 The Invisible Man is the latest remake of the original H.G. Wells story. This version follows Elizabeth Moss as a woman, Cecilia, who escapes from her abusive boyfriend, a scientist named Adrian Griffin. After Adrian apparently dies, Cecilia begins to think something suspicious is happening, and that Adrian is somehow behind it, even as those around Cecilia believe she may be going crazy. So, between this and Upgrade, I know that Leigh Whannell is someone to look out for as a filmmaker. There's a fantastic sense of tension. The acting is very good too, especially Elizabeth Moss in the lead role. She convincingly pulls off a performance that feels both sympathetic and unhinged. This also feels like a perfect off-set for a villain that is actually very cold and calculated. Some of the supporting characters could probably be a little bit deeper, but they still work pretty well for me. I kind of feel as though they serve their purposes within the context of the film. The pacing of the movie is suitably slow. It feels like it builds more and more as the film progresses. I also really have to compliment the film's visuals. The digital effects are actually pretty seamless. It feels like there is a pretty solid mix of both digital and practical, at least from what I was able to tell. Overall, I really liked The Invisible Man. This is a movie that makes me feel like there's an understanding of how to make a movie (and story) like this work in a modern setting.   

9 / 10 

The Old Guard

The Old Guard is a Netflix action movie starring Charlize Theron. The movie follows a group of immortals who find themselves exposed by a CIA agent and pharmaceutical CEO. Before I go any further, there are some minor spoilers. Read at your own risk. The action is fun enough. But, what makes this movie work for me is the character interactions. These characters feel pretty damn human to me. Even the movie's villain has a decently understandable motivation. He wants to test the immortals to figure out how to create a medication that will lead to longer life. That said, his methods are what make him a villain. However, the immortals are my favorite characters. I genuinely buy the history these characters have, and I honestly love that they have an "I don't give a shit" attitude. This is especially true of Charlize Theron as Andy. I should also say that I appreciate that this movie still has some stakes. I won't any further than that. Having a film where the main protagonists are immortal can sometimes be tricky. But, it really does work in this movie. Overall, I found The Old Guard to be a genuinely fun watch. It has some good action, entertaining characters, and interesting lore that I really think lends this movie to a potential sequel. It isn't anything groundbreaking, but I don't think it set to be, or needed to be. If it looks or sounds interesting, give the movie a watch. 

7 / 10   

You Should Have Left

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This movie is a whole lot of "what the fuck-ery." It centers on a man played by Kevin Bacon, his much younger wife played by Amanda Seyfried, and their daughter. The three of them move into a house together, and weird things start happening. I really don't know what to make of this movie. The scares feel very hit and miss. Sometimes, you get a lame fake-out jump scare. Sometimes you get something that's built on atmosphere. The three main actors actually work well in their respective roles, especially Kevin Bacon. The movie has a plot twist that simultaneously feels like it's unpredictable and obvious at the same time. It's a situation where I knew there was going to be a twist, and I had two guesses as to what it would be, if that makes sense. I think the first two thirds could have been handled quite a bit better. It feels like the filmmakers wanted the movie to have a sort of slow burn effect. Instead, a lot of it feels like it just kind of meanders and then the really crazy shit happens. This is the most effective part of the movie. That third act is where a lot of the "what the fuck-ery" I mentioned really comes into play. The first two thirds kind of offer glimpses into it. While I did enjoy that last half hour, it's not amazing. It doesn't really make up for the first two thirds of the movie. The first two thirds also don't quite feel like they mesh with that last half hour. While I didn't really hate the movie, I don't know that I particularly liked it either. This is a movie with good enough parts that doesn't quite measure up to a very effective whole.

5 / 10 

Scoob!

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Scoob! is an animated reboot of the theatrical Scooby-Doo franchise. Scooby and Shaggy must team up with the Blue Falcon and Dyno-Mutt when Scooby finds himself in the crosshairs of the villainous Dick Dastardly. Let's start with the negatives. First, the mystery aspect of the movie is inconsequential. It isn't the main focus of the movie, which is a bit odd because this is a Scooby-Doo movie. Second, I didn't love Will Forte as Shaggy. He's not bad. It just feels odd to me when Matthew Lillard has been the official of the character since 2009. Third, I don't necessarily think the movie always knew what to do with Fred, Daphne, and Velma beyond having them in the movie. I wanted to get those out of the way because I legitimately really liked this movie. Now that I've seen it a couple of times, there are things I didn't notice on my first viewing. For the most part, I really loved the voice cast. My personal favorites were Jason Isaacs as Dick Dastardly and Mark Wahlberg as the Blue Falcon. I genuinely loved a lot of the film's writing as well. There are some great jokes that poke fun at the Scooby-Doo lore. The movie does serve as something of a set up for a larger Hanna-Barbera universe. This is something that isn't going to work for everybody. Personally, I kind of like the idea, and I have seen attempts at doing this that are much worse by comparison. So, yeah. I really did enjoy this movie quite a bit. It's not going to go down as one of my favorites of the year. But, I don't think it needs to. The movie does its job. That's about all I can say on the matter.

7 / 10 

The Hunt

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The Hunt is sort of a modern retelling of The Most Dangerous Game. This movie was originally meant to come out last year, but was pushed back because of the perceived political bent. Yes, some of that is there. It didn't really bother me because I feel that this movie was genuinely critical of both sides. This movie is actually kind of hard for me talk about. Some of the best parts of this movie came because they were surprises. It wouldn't feel right for me to give them away in a review. The one real flaw I have with this movie is the fact that the characters aren't very deep. The cast all works pretty well for the roles they have. Plot-wise, this movie is pretty simple. It's people hunting other people. I should say that the villains' motivation is pettiness, and I kind of love that.  As for the exact reason why the villains are being so petty, I don't want to give that away. Overall, The Hunt isn't particularly deep or complex. However, it is fun enough for a one-time watch. I wish I had more to say about this movie, but the movie's simple. Therefore, my review is simple.

6 / 10 

Sonic the Hedgehog

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Let me start this by saying this: Thank God they fixed the design. My reason for saying this is because now that I've seen Sonic the Hedgehog, I can safely say that I genuinely enjoyed it. I will say that I don't necessarily think this is a great movie. That mostly comes down to plot. It's not terrible, but it's nothing spectacular either. You have seen this kind of plot before. There's also some moments that kind of date this movie because these jokes so rooted in the now. For example, Sonic does a Fortnite dance. Okay, the characters, performances, and action are really why I enjoy this movie. Ben Schwartz does a solid job voicing the titular Sonic. So, I touched on the redesign a little bit already. The redesign they did for this movie is so much better. He looks like Sonic. Jim Carrey is awesome in this movie as the villainous Doctor Robotnik. He plays this character who is super intelligent, and is incredibly arrogant because of it. Thus, he treats everyone around him as lesser. The action is a lot of fun. Okay, it's not like this is on the level of something like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But, it works well enough. I feel like I don't really have much more to say. This is just kind of a fun hour and 40 minutes to pass the time. This will entertain kids easily. I should also say that adults won't hate themselves, and will probably get something out of this movie too.

7 / 10

Bloodshot

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Bloodshot follows a soldier named Ray Garrison played by Vin Diesel. Throughout the course of the movie, he learns that he was killed by a team of mercenaries along with his wife. He is resurrected through the use of nanites that have essentially been fused to his bloodstream. It doesn't take long before he begins to seek revenge. I feel like I can describe this movie in one word: Alright. There isn't anything in it that I found outright terrible. But, there wasn't much in it that I found amazing either. The acting ranges. Nobody's godawful, but there's really only a couple of genuine highlights for me. Guy Pearce, Eiza Gonzalez, and Lamorne Morris are probably the people I was the most invested in, both from a performance standpoint and a character standpoint. While I think Vin Diesel is fine in the lead role, he doesn't really do anything to stand out either. The action was fine as well. There were times where I do think the action leans into using CGI a little too heavily, but it was never anything that really bothered me either. I would say if it sounds like it might be your thing, give it a watch. I don't know that I can promise anything, but you never know. If this does not sound like it would be your thing, then go ahead and skip this altogether. This is a movie that I didn't hate watching. I was just invested enough. But, I don't see it being a movie with a ton of replay value for me either. 

6 / 10