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  

Once Upon a Time at Christmas

 Two serial killers dressed Santa and Mrs. Claus wreak havoc on a small town while the police try their best to stop the killers. So, I was warned going in that this was going to be bad. Maybe that's why it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I mean, is it even fair to pick on a slasher movie for having subpar acting? Where this movie truly works for me is actually in the story. How the two killers work is actually kind of clever, and it legitimately took me a little while before I really understood where the story was going. Parts of it were predictable, of course. Aside from the acting, a lot of the dialogue is also pretty bad. The one actor I genuinely enjoy in this movie is the actor who plays "Santa." The man hams it up to just the right level for me. The characters are pretty thin. They aren't unlikable per se, but, most of them don't really do much to stand out for me. Yes, this movie is bad. But, I found it to be pretty enjoyably bad. If you are fan bad movies, and of off-kilter Christmas movies, there are honestly a lot worse you could go with. 

6 / 10  

Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare

Can one truly call Freddy’s Dead a good movie in any sense of the word good? No. Yet, I have something of a soft spot for this flick. I can’t entirely put my finger on what it is. It isn’t a movie I have childhood nostalgia for. I was in my mid to late teens when I watched it for the first time. I really think Robert Englund is in top form as Freddy, as per usual, even if he was a bit too comedic. For the most part, I did also find the kills to pretty creative, something I would expect out of a Nightmare on Elm Street movie. I think the main issue with this film is that it’s a whole new cast of characters taking Freddy down. It isn’t really a plot point that had been established in previous films. And yes, I do think that’s a pretty major problem with this movie. However, I actually do like the new characters we spend time for the most part. Kind of adding to that point a little bit, I do get that Freddy was the star of the show at this point. But, having completely new people be the ones to kill him for good almost makes his death feel a little empty. The special effects can be pretty laughably bad too, especially the dream people. The last ten to fifteen minutes incorporate 3-D, and it really comes off as an afterthought. So, yes, Freddy’s Dead is a legitimately bad movie with a ton of problems that are pretty tough to ignore. But, I do see this as a personal guilty pleasure, and an enjoyably bad movie to watch around Halloween. I know I’m in the minority, but I don’t really care.  

6 / 10

The Mummy (1932)

 

The high priest Imhoetep intends to bring his long lost love back from the dead. Boris Karloff is easily the best part of this movie. I kind of love the sense that he has this hypnosis over this woman he's trying to use to resurrect his love. I should also say that I quite enjoy her as well. She's not necessarily a damsel who does nothing but scream. I actually feel like she has some form of personality to her. That said, she is still sort of just a prize. I can be a little forgiving of that because this was from the 1930s. This movie is short, and is pretty well-paced. However, I can't say it's my favorite of the classic Universal monster movies. Other than Karloff and Zita Johann as the female lead, Helen, the rest of the cast was just alright to me. The actors were fine, but I didn't really get much out of their characters. The effects also look pretty good for the time as well. Overall, The Mummy was a fine enough movie. I'm glad I finally got the chance to see it this year. Is it going to be a yearly watch for me? Probably not, but I still do recommend watching it at least once. 

6 / 10 

Hocus Pocus

Three witches (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker) find themselves resurrected three hundred years after their deaths, and they begin to wreak havoc on modern (circa 1993) Salem, Massachusetts. A couple of kids are the only ones who can stop them. This movie is just some good, dumb fun. It's probably better if this is a movie you have some form of nostalgia for. To give an example, I can easily recognize that some of the fish out of water humor with the witches can be inconsistent. Yet, this is something that has never really bothered me too much. The absolute best thing about the movie is the acting from Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker. These women are clearly having a ball. That's not to say the rest of the cast is bad. For example, I actually do enjoy Thora Birch as the little sister of the main protagonist. She does a pretty damn good job as the annoying, bratty little sister. It helps that she's just sympathetic enough that she can still be likable. In short, she actually feels like a kid to me. Some of the visual effects haven't entirely held up, but they don't look awful either. In short, this movie is just a fun little watch around Halloween, especially if you're looking for something to show to kids. 

6 / 10 

Deadly Blessing

Deadly Blessing is one of Wes Craven's earlier films, and was an early attempt for the man to dabble with the slasher sub genre. The movie centers around a young pregnant woman who finds herself widowed and makes an attempt with a couple of her friends (one of whom is played by a young Sharon Stone) to solve the murders. For those who may not know, Wes Craven is one of my all-time favorite directors. I should admit that I have not seen all of the man's work, and I am currently working to rectify that. This one is interesting for me because I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other. I think it's perfectly fine. The acting is hit and miss. The only ones I really think stand out are Ernest Borgnine, Michael Berryman, and Sharon Stone. The rest of the cast I kind of see as just there. The characters are hard for me to get a read on sometimes, and not necessarily in the best way. This is a movie that has been described as a transitional movie for Craven, and it really does feel that way. There are a lot of parts to this movie that just drag for me. Overall, I found Deadly Blessing just alright. I feel like this movie had some growing pains for Wes Craven as a director. I'd really only recommend this to hardcore fans of Wes Craven.

6 / 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   

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  

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End

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Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is a stand-alone direct-to-DVD sequel released in 2007. The movie follows a team of people trying to produce a reality tv show in the backwoods of West Virginia, but ultimately come across those mutant cannibals, who start picking them off. Like most slashers, this is a pretty simple plot. In this movie's case, I don't mind it. This movie was enjoyable enough. The characters aren't super deep, but they have just enough layers to them that I was kept invested. It's especially helpful when the first twenty minutes or so really had me worried. As the layers are actually pulled back a little bit, I actually started finding myself invested in several of them. The kills are a ton of fun. Because this movie was a direct-to-video release, it allowed them to go a little more all out with the gore. The acting isn't anything special, but the actors generally service the movie well enough. This movie doesn't really have a lot to it, and the final result for me is that I think that was all this movie really needed. I think I might prefer the first movie just a touch more, but I still thought this first sequel was a fun enough ride, and I do have to recommend the movie to slasher fans.

6 / 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 

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 

The Addams Family

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The Addams Family follows the titular family as they deal with a nearby neighborhood and a real estate agent who wants them to either conform, leave, or be destroyed. This is a movie I think can pretty much be summed up in one word: decent. The animation is decent. I kind of like that a lot of the animation has this fast-paced energy to it. In fact, it kind of reminded me of the Hotel Transylvania movies. The story is decent. If anything, it kind of reminds me of the first live action Addams Family movie, but not quite as strong. The jokes are decent. The best ones are some of the more morbid jokes, but they don’t always feel like they go far enough. Most of the jokes made me chuckle, but only a handful of them are legitimately hilarious. The voice actors are decent. The best parts of the movie for me are easily Oscar Isaac as Gomez and Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday. Overall, nothing in the film is particularly bad. But, nothing in the film is exceptional either. Part of it could be the fact that this film is pretty clearly geared towards kids, especially compared to the two live action movies that came out in the early 90s. 

6 / 10 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

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The Rise of Skywalker follows our heroes as they fight to stop an enemy from the past. Once again, I really do enjoy these characters, and I actually like the way they explore Rey in particular. The film looks great from a visual standpoint as well. The action is actually pretty damn good, at least in terms of the lightsaber battles. The final space battle is okay, but it does feel a little bit bloated at the same time. The story is fine. I do have some legitimate problems with the movie though. For example, a good chunk of the humor doesn’t land quite right. There were some spots where I kind of felt the movie drag. There were also some things in the plot that just kind of felt like they didn’t need to be there. For example, there’s a point where Finn tells Rey he has to tell her something, but all it really amounts to is some somewhat funny banter, and ultimately serves no importance to the plot and doesn’t progress things forward. That is about as far as I will go in terms of potential spoilers with the movie. Overall, I enjoyed The Rise of Skywalker. It’s got some pretty major flaws in its storytelling, but I also think that what’s good about the film is really good.  

6 / 10 

Charlie's Angels

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A woman named Elena (played by Naomi Scott) is targeted for assassination due to her knowledge based on a tech project she has been working on. She soon finds herself working with a secret agency to discover who is trying to steal her invention. For all intents and purposes, it feels as though she is the film’s true protagonist. She is the audience surrogate who drives the plot and moves it forward. The best thing about this movie has to be the chemistry between the angels (Naomi Scott, Kristen Stewart, and Ella Balinska). While I would say that Scott’s character is the true protagonist, Kristen Stewart has be the one I feel shines the most. I also have to give props to Elizabeth Banks, Patrick Stewart, and Djimon Honsou. In many respects, I do think Stewart and Honsou are underused. The humor works well enough for me. It never really reaches the point of having amazing jokes, but there aren’t that many that fall completely flat for me either. Some of the writing feels forced. It purposely wants to set up something, and then does a complete 180 that doesn’t really work in the context of the story. And yet, it might seem strange of me to criticize the story in 2019’s Charlie’s Angels. This doesn’t feel like a film that should be story-based, but the story is there. It’s okay, but not what I necessarily needed to enjoy this movie. I enjoyed the leading ladies, some of the supporting players, and the action to an extent. This isn’t a great movie, but it’s perfectly decent. 

6 / 10