Category: Reviews

Reviews

‘Scream VI’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Ghostface is back in another killer installment in this legendary franchise. We shift to NYC, where we see the new “Core Four” fight for survival against the most brutal Ghostface yet. An all-around impressive second outing from directors Matthew Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett.

In the next installment, the survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City.

For a franchise to span this many years and remain fresh and new is nothing short of spectacular, because in all honesty, there never has been a lousy Scream movie. Fans of this beloved franchise love ranking these films. If you ask ten Scream fans, it will be hard to find a large number of people who rank these films in the same order. Each has its own highs and lows, things fan love and things that fall flat. This new addition is no different. With some big pros and some cons, Scream VI is a ton of fun and it keeps you guessing until the very end. Well, unless you’re me and you figured out who Ghostface was 20 minutes into the movie, but we all can’t be me, can we?

It’s been 6 months since the events of Scream V and the Core Four, Chad (Mason Gooding), Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Tara (Jenna Ortega) and Sam (Melissa Barrera) have packed up and moved to the big city of NYC to attend college. Leaving Woodsboro doesn’t always mean that Ghostface won’t find you, and it doesn’t take long for our survivors to be reunited with not only their past but their biggest fears as well. Trying to live their lives, each one of them is dealing with the events and all the baggage that comes with it in a different way. Sam is trying to be the protective big sister, while Tara is finally trying to spread her wings and let go of the past.

With each new movie, it becomes harder to reinvent the wheel in a way, but with a unique opening kill sequence, the best since the second, you see right away that this isn’t just your typical Ghostface. This is now a “franchise” as movie expert Mindy puts in and no one is safe this time around. We are following in the same eerie footsteps as the original sequel did, as we follow our survivors to college. With that comes some fresh new faces, the roommates, Ethan (Jack Champion) and Quinn (Liana Liberato). Who seemingly happen to fall into this horror show just by being a part of the group. When Detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) who is actually Quinn’s father gets involved it makes it all too real for the friend group. Even more so when fellow survivor and fan favourite Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) returns as now a full-fledged FBI agent. Another legacy character to root for baby! With Neve Campbell not in the first Scream movie, her absence felt really weird, we only have one of the remaining trio left, none other than Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox). She’s really underutilized here, and that’s a shame, but gives us one hell of a chase sequence with Ghostface.

The theatre was packed and everyone was having such a good time, Scream VI is such a blast, but that doesn’t take away from the biggest flaws and letdowns of the movie. Now, we are reaching a point where there can only be so many killers with great motives and the best part about these movies is the big reveal at the end and find out why they are doing all of this. It fell kind of flat for me, maybe because I knew what was coming the entire time, or when the reveal did happen, I just found myself disinterested in who Ghostface ended up being. But leading up to that was what made this movie really great. The chemistry and friendship of the Core Four, how they bond and stick together really works. They’re all so talented and bring so much charisma to this franchise. Especially Chad and Mindy who seriously shine in the later half of this movie.

I left wanting more Scream and I have high hopes for the next one. Little seeds have been planted and I hope they follow through. Scream 7 in my opinion can be special if they go a certain direction because you need an interesting Ghostface next time around. For the new directors who clearly have a passion for the source material and the franchise, the thing that lacks from their movies is a truly compelling Ghostface, and that’s how you get serious butts in the seats. They have megastar Jenna Ortega involved with this franchise and they can’t squander this opportunity. Bring on Scream VII.

Scream VI = 87/100

Reviews

Super Bowl Movie Trailers

Wannabe Movie Critic

I’m getting to the point where the best part of today is the movie trailers.

First up, The Flash.

The Flash.

A movie that has been in development hell, switched directors an insane amount of times and even the star of the movie has been in hot water. Finally has itself a trailer, and The Flash finally seems real. Keaton, Affleck and who knows who else is showing up as Batman, but we got two of them in this trailer, and to hear Keaton say that iconic line “I’m Batman,” goosebumps every time. With everything that has gone on with DC movies over the last 5 years, this is so important for them. This is resetting everything and everyone (for the most part) and a lot is riding on the success of this thing. Now, that was a terrific first trailer and playing during the biggest television watching day of the year is a great kick start to the marketing campaign. Time will tell if The Flash will be a success and who knows where the future of the DC universe will stand come June, it changes so much, but from this trailer alone, it looks like The Flash is going to be a fantastic and fun movie going experience.

All hail the speed-force.

Guardians of The Galaxy: Vol 3 

The swan song for the Guardians is here. James Gunn and his final outing with the MCU is upon us and say what you want, he took a bunch of heroes no one cared about and made one hell of a trilogy. It looks like this could be the end for a few of the team as well. Dave Batista has talked about how he is parting ways with the MCU and I wouldn’t be shocked if Bradley Cooper (Rocket Racoon) also follows suit. The clock is ticking for a lot of the original members of the MCU, you can’t do this stuff forever, and it’s weird seeing the dynamic shift, because they have been a part of our lives for about a decade now.

Reviews

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Travel back to Pandora for one of the most jaw dropping, transcendent movie going experiences of all time. No one does sequels better than James Cameron.

The First 'Avatar 2' Reviews Are Here

Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their home.

Aliens, Terminator 2 and now The Way of Water, I do dub thee James Cameron the King of movie sequels. It’s been 13 years since he once again claimed the throne of cinema. Movie criticism and just the overall landscape of movies has changed so much since the last time we travelled to Pandora. So we’re off. James Cameron is back and it was worth the wait. Avatar: The Way of Water is nothing short of spectacular, something that you will honestly remember forever. A movie going experience for the ages.

James Cameron teamed up with some of the best writers in science fiction, to deliver an emotional, thunderous, breathtaking thrill ride. The first Avatar blew audiences away across the globe and this promises to be no different. In one year we got a pair of top notch sequels. Between this and Top Gun: Maverick, waiting to make the perfect sequel    really pays off with each movie. Patience is virtue and that’s why The Way of Water is a triumph. Time to craft a perfect blend of action, emotion, faith and ground breaking visuals, Cameron waited this long so he could complete a masterpiece. A movie like this just wasn’t possible 10 years ago, even 5 years ago.

So we return to Pandora and a lot has changed. It’s been 10 years since the events of the first and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have started a family and are the most important people of their tribe. Family is the main driving factor in this movie. “Sully’s stick together” is the biggest strength and weakness of this close knit family. Big Jim is a family man himself, and this movie is a story about fathers and their sons. The relationships between them and what it means to have your father either be proud of you, or want more out of you. I would say the Sully kids are the backbone of this film. They are the emotional weight that carries it and without a doubt on screen for the longest time. Including their pseudo adopted human son Spider (Jack Champion). I don’t want to say that Mom’s take a back seat in this movie, but the bond between father and sons is honestly the focal point of the film. How we bond with our fathers and there’s even a subplot that showcases the bond between man and animal. That reminds us just how important having any bond in our life can be.

I knew going into Avatar exactly how the movie would shake up. The first hour would be a reintroduction to Pandora and the characters while we get reemerged into this gorgeous world. While the second half would be a tour of the beautiful water, a visually stunning experience and the third act would be what Jim does best. I wasn’t wrong, the last hour is some of the best action I’ve seen in a movie in years, while showcasing the most visually stunning images since honestly, the first Avatar. The emotion is high, the action hits hard and we are rooting for this family to succeed.

Big Jim also knows how to make a great villain. His best villains are all true haters, they will stop at nothing to get the job done, even if it means death. Stephen Lang returns as Quaritch and I won’t spoil how, but I really liked how they were able to bring all these people back that we lost in the first movie, it made the movie feel more personable.

The reason to come to this movie is the film making. It’s practical, impressive, immersive, other worldly, created with both science and technology. This isn’t something you watch on an airplane or your TV at home. You would be doing yourself and injustice by doing so. It’s truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and something that I will want to see again in theatres. The performances are fantastic, especially Zoe Saldana, who gives arguably the most emotional performance of the movie. Great villains, a grounded and simple story, and a world that you just wish were real.

How we view this movie will come down to money, which is sad. That’s how all movies are judged these days. It’s hard to top one of the most successful movies of all time. I’m sure The Way of Water will be a juggernaut at the box-office but will it be enough? I’m not sure. I know it will be nominated for a ton of awards and people from across the world will remember this movie going experience for a long time. Sometimes the experience is worth more than box-office success.

Thank you James Cameron and I can’t wait to return to Pandora. He’s conquered the land and sea. I wonder if he’s taking Pandora to the air next?

Avatar: The Way of Water = 92/100

Reviews

‘Bones & All’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Taylor Russell and Timothee Chalamet both give raw and powerful performances, in this genre splitting look at life, love and cannibalism

.Sinopsis Bones and All, Kebencian, Kesepian, dan Keputusasaan

Maren, a young woman, learns how to survive on the margins of society.

Luca Guadagnino’s follow up to his impressive hits. 2017 ‘Call Me by Your Name’ and 2018 ‘Suspiria’ is a very unique and emotional look at what it’s like to be different and trying to fit into an already broken world. Finding love is hard, apparently finding love in the 80s was even harder. Toss in the fact that you need to feed on human flesh in order to live your life? That’s going to make things a little more complicated. This is a lot of movies all rolled into one. It’s a beautiful movie, beautifully shot, tons of gorgeous landscapes and a true-blue cannibal story. 

I’m just a fan of how Luca makes his movies. They almost at times seem like a documentary at times, because the realism that is on display really grabs you. Even with big named actors throughout the movie, they play such unique and magnetic characters that you forget who you are looking at most of the time. The first 30 minutes plays out like a true horror movie I’d say. A lot of tension and scares and for the more squeamish people, this is the time when the movie really goes for it in regard to the body horror element. The movie then kicks into a love story/road trip movie. Where two people who share a special bond are falling in love and trying to make the most of having nothing. 

When Maren (Taylor Russell) can no longer control her urges for flesh, she is ultimately abandoned with nothing and no one except for her birth certificate and is now trying to track down her mother in order to perhaps understand why she is the way that she is. She meets all sorts of other “eaters” along the way. Sully (Mark Rylance) is the first one she comes across, who could sense her presence from blocks away. When he teaches her about his code for eating and how to perhaps get a handle on this new life, she learns what she can and heads off for more answers. That’s when she meets Lee (Timothee Chalamet) and the two instantly share a connection and bond and together try to navigate this hellish landscape they have made for each other. 

The movie belongs to the two of them, both delivering emotional performances and for Chalamet, I also want to say physical. I don’t know if he’s actually that skinny in real life, but what he does in this movie is so captivating and he’s just such a terrific actor and Luca Guadagnino is able to capture magic with him whenever they work together. I think he just understands his limits and is able to get the very best out of him. Taylor Russell no doubt gives her best performance, and clearly didn’t back down from this acting challenge. They have such great chemistry; you can tell they enjoyed working together and got the best out of one another. Shout out to Michael Stuhlberg who plays another eater, who appears for a mere 7 minutes probably and totally blows you away. An elevated scene and perhaps one of the more troubling and psychotic moments of the film.

It’s a lovely movie that flips from bloody horror to sensible and sensual love story. A coming-of-age film, that transports you on a road trip with two people trying to find their place in the world. One of whom doesn’t quite understand her past, present or future. It’s a bleak look at love when you have nothing else in your life, the movie is dirty, in the sense where these two leads have nothing except one another. Rarely bathed or groomed and for a lot of it, covered in blood. I liked how they didn’t make these clearly two beautiful movie-stars shine like diamond and rather rust like copper. It will make you laugh, cry and turn away from the screen. I was engaged the entire time, because you really were invested in these characters. Really happy I caught this one in theatres.     

This movie will stay with you for a while after you watch it. 

Bones & All = 76/100

Reviews

‘The Menu’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

A movie ripe with flavor. The Menu is a fast-paced thriller, that will have you laughing and salivating from the mouth with the delicious food put in front of your eyes. A must see

A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

How much would you pay to have the best meal of your life? Is there a price tag for such a thing? Would you pay the ultimate price, your life? These questions arise in Mark Mylod’s The Menu. A satirical look at the wealthy, the corrupt and the world’s best chefs. This movie leaves you guessing and having a hard time deciding who to root for. I would say there are no good people in The Menu, and that’s what makes the movie so engaging.

The most expensive meal you will ever eat, but when the chef tells you not to “eat,” you don’t fully understand the types of food that are about to be presented to you. Each course that tells a different story, the folks that have come to a remote island to experience something only for the select few. Little do they know; this night will change their lives forever.

Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) is at the forefront of this movie. She tags along with new beau Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) who is head over heels for world renowned Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). They are accompanied on this small boat headed for his remote gateway by finance bros, washed up actors, the usual couple and top-notch food critics. Margot isn’t who she says she is and is hiding something and she immediately notices a similar vibe when she arrives on the island. Thinking she’s about to eat this world class meal (she is), from the very get-go she is underwhelmed but not only the service, but the food put in front of her. When dinner service takes a serious turn for the worst, and the guest find out that they will eventually all die this evening, it becomes a game of survival, all while enjoying some of the best dishes the world has to offer. 

The supporting cast is terrific, the financial bros, give the film a lot of the comedy, pulling out the “do you know who we are” card more than once. Thinking that money and power can just buy their way out of their current situation. This reminded me a lot of Knives Out, I know we are getting a sequel very shortly, but just the assemble cast, the dark comedy, the twist and turns. The movie can be very tense, but moments later you find yourself laughing hysterically. The movie flows really well, in a time where you find yourself at the movies for 3 hours, this was a breath of fresh air. A tight hour and forty-five minutes, that just plops you into this world and it’s a fast charged start. 

Truly a hard film to discuss, because I watched a trailer month ago, and just knew from word of mouth and the cast alone that I needed to see this. So going in basically blind was a lot of fun, because I didn’t know what to expect. This is a dark comedy, no horror elements, with a splash of a thriller. Just a really fun time at the movies. The three leads really carry this thing and the back and forth between Fiennes and Taylor-Joy is sometimes pulse pounding. I have also watched countless hours of Hell’s Kitchen lately, so I was all in and seeing an intense and perfectionist Chef really just hit home for me.   

This is a five-course meal with a sundae for dessert. If you like food, comedy and incredible acting, The Menu is a dish best served with some cherry coke and popcorn. Really dug it. 

The Menu = 84/100 

Reviews

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Head back to Wakanda, where tragedy has struck its people. It just so happens the same tragedy has struck the real world as well. The follow-up to the massively successful Black Panther is here and it’s not without saying that this movie comes with all sorts of emotional baggage.

See the source image

The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T’Challa.

It’s been over 2 years since the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, and his death is no question at the forefront of this movie. A tribute to his name and what he stood for, this movie is not only dealing with the passing of King T’Challa in the MCU, but the actors themselves mourning with the death of their friend. Those emotions are felt throughout the entire movie and it’s that emotion that really propels the movie forward.

Shuri (Letitia Wright) is hurting more than anyone throughout this movie. She doesn’t know how to deal with grief and guilt and it’s swallowing her alive. Unable to move on from her brother’s death, she is determined to help the world with her technology and distract herself by any means necessary. Even when Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) tells her about a ritual that will help her move on with her life, she turns it down. She’s not ready to say goodbye and doesn’t exactly know how. Wakanda is without a Black Panther for the first time in centuries. When a new threat Namor (Tenoch Huerta) rises from the water, literally, this is Marvels Aquaman. He wants peace for his people underwater and wants the help from Wakanda. Nor friend or foe at that point, it’s up to Shuri to decide the future for Wakanda. Namor is by far the best part of the movie. A great new MCU villain, who is officially the first “mutant” of the MCU, he was badass, well-acted and had a sympathetic backstory. Finally, a memorable villain for the MCU, something lacking as of late. Whenever he was on screen I was invested in the movie, and I’m excited to see where they take his character next.

Black Panther is highly regarded as one of the strongest MCU movies to date, so any sequel was a daunting task, given the circumstances at play, this movie had such a tough task ahead of it. At the end of the day, Wakanda Forever is a stylish sequel, that lives up to the name, but ultimately felt over bloated and overstuffed. The biggest problem with the MCU right now, connectivity. They need to remind you that this is part of a much larger story (we already know this) and characters that serve no purpose to the story at hand keep popping up, again to remind us that this is the MCU! We are almost 30 movies in, the audience knows this and in an already long movie, dealing with the death of Chadwick, tossing in more screen time for a few people that had zero business being in the movie, felt like a terrible idea. It’s Evertt Ross and De Fontaine, they just take you out of the movie every single time they pop up. That was my biggest gripe with the movie, and a lackluster third act, the movie as a whole is fine, but I can’t prop something up because of the story behind the movie, that’s not fair to anyone. You also felt the absence of Daniel Kaluuya, who couldn’t be in the movie because he was filming NOPE at the same time, he could have elevated this movie even more.

Much like the first, the cast is stacked. Angela Bassett gives a powerful and raw performance. Showcasing some of the finest acting in the MCU to date. Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Danai Gurira are all back and thriving. Duke provides most of the laughs in the movie and remains one of the best characters within Wakanda. The newest addition, young inventor of sorts Riri (Dominque Thorne) is a really fun addition to the movie and a cool new side kick for Shuri. Letitia Wright also gives a great performance here, and without spoilers I won’t really say much else. The movie is long and at times it feels long and there certainly is a difference between a long movie and a movie that feels long. I was also hoping for a really great third act and it didn’t happen, it actually felt like the most MCU part of the movie. CGI stuffed, fake backgrounds and poor action. They barely showcase the new Black Panther and it felt like a misstep to do so. This was going to be an impossible task to begin with, but I do think in the end up Ryan Coogler pulled it off. But I would love to see him go smaller and step aside from the MCU.

 

Black Panther Wakanda Forever = 71/100

Reviews

‘NOPE’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Jordan Peele once again demonstrates why he is becoming one of the most reliable directors in Hollywood. Nope builds on his already impressive resume, cementing him in the big leagues. Hitting home with some social issues all while telling a unique and original alien tale. Paying homage to films before it, while adding his own unique twist on a disturbing discovery.

Nope Teaser: New TV Spot Features A UFO But No Aliens, Nope

The residents of a lonely gulch in inland California bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

What lengths would you go to for that perfect shot? To capture the impossible on screen? If you were to witness what can only be described as a “bad miracle” would you be able to turn away, or would you like most people look up in not only curiosity but also fear? These are just a few of the questions that Jordan Peele asks with his newest film. A film that centers around a brother and sister dynamic who run a Hollywood horse ranch and are trying to capture the unimaginable on tape, but with all things supernatural, it comes with a price.

Here’s the thing. When you see something out of this world, your first inclination would be to look up not only in amazement but potentially in fear. Well, what if doing so meant it was the end of the line for you? We live in a world that is obsessed with likes, clicks and seeking attention. It’s rare now that something amazing happens in your life and you don’t try to capture it with a video or photo. No one tends to live in the moment and just let life happen around them, everyone needs that validation and to cement their legacy as it is.

One thing that is certain when watching a Jordan Peele film is the layers and questions and themes that he presents to the audience. Living in the moment, is just one of those themes, how our obsession with social media, and capturing every moment can ultimately consume us. It’s always difficult to discuss his movies without spoiling anything, but if you’ve seen any trailers, you know this is about some sort of alien aircraft and the repercussions that come with it. When OJ Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer) stumble upon the supernatural, they both realize that this is a once in a lifetime moment for the both of them. See their family has been apart of Hollywood royalty for sometime, well they are descendants of the man who was in the first movie ever made. Now taking a place behind the camera, training horses for movies and commercials, they play a vital role in the film industry, whether the industry itself wants you to know or not. Early in the film, OJ is trying to go over the safety protocols around the horse, and when it’s apparent that no one is paying attention and think little of the horse, it’s a reminder that people take animals for granted. Not only that, but using animals as “spectacle” rather than let them be one with nature. Even the vastly important people training these animals are never mentioned or brought up with talking about movies. Leading to another theme throughout the movie, the exploitation of crew members on film sets. Usually the people doing the brunt force of the work, pouring in hours of work and most of the time doing the most dangerous things, are usually the ones who get the least recognition from the industry and audience. Peele makes this clear by having our hero OJ where a bright orange sweater in the finale with the word CREW in giant letters on the back of his sweater.

There’s two other notable performances in this movie, one belonging to Brandon Perea as Angel who helps the Haywood’s set up their cameras. He’s the much needed comic relief in this insane story, that helps ease the tension, but also wants to be apart of history. Knowing that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, he digs in deep and jeopardizes his entire future, for the perfect shot. Steven Yeun plays Ricky ‘Jupe’ Park a former child star turned ranch owner. It’s not much of a park but he relies on nostalgia from his dark past to bring the costumers. He was part of a sitcom that went array, when an ape attacked cast members, and he’s been leaching off that horrid moment for his entire life. Another theme from the movie, not messing with nature, and that it can not be control. No matter how hard you try, nature always wins. When we fail to learn from our past experiences we are doomed to repeat ourselves. Jupe falls right into this trap and he ultimately learns that mother nature is undefeated.

Overall, it’s another stellar outing from Peele, who is in full control of his movies from every aspect. He wants the audience to leave asking questions and pondering the themes he has presented for us. He’s telling original stories, and cementing himself as one of the best to do that in recent memory. This is a spectacle in its own self, while feeling like a true summer blockbuster. See it on the biggest screen possible, and feel the weight of this thing.

NOPE = 81/100

Reviews

‘Ambulance’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Nobody sticks to their roots more than Michael Bay. Love him or hate him, you have to respect his craft and Ambulance is one of his best films from start to finish. A wild ride with energetic performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and YayahAbdul-Mateen elevate this movie to exciting heights.

Two robbers steal an ambulance after their heist goes awry.

Sometimes you just need certain directors in your life. Enter Michael Bay and all the stuff that comes with it. I knew going into Ambulance, it was at least going to be entertaining as hell, but what I didn’t expect was just how much I was going to enjoy this movie. I think from the very get-go, if the two leads are played by lesser actors, this movie is actually a complete and utter dumpster fire. That’s not the case and there is serious star power at play here and it truly propels the movie forward at all times. Gyllenhaal is outstanding here giving such a unique, fun and over the top performance that it could only belong in a Michael Bay movie.

In a world where we have come to appreciate the Bayhem, the Bayisms, and everything else that comes with a Michael Bay movie. Well he found a new toy to play with while filming, drones. The amount of drone shots in this is staggering. At first it comes across as a pretty inventive and awesome concept, then you are almost laughing at the amount of drone footage used here. It works for the most part, but it got washed up towards the end of the movie.

A little Heat, a little Fast and Furious. A great heist to kick off the madness of the movie, followed by a 90 min chase scene in an ambulance and that’s where another Michael Bay trope is introduced, the bombshell (Eiza Gonzalez). She plays Cam, one of the best paramedics in the city of LA, but she lacks heart. A stone cold worker, who doesn’t really appreciate the work she actually does. Once she drops her patients off, that’s it and her relationship with co-workers have made her an unappealing co-pilot in the ambulance. So when she’s tasked with trying to save a cop who has been fatally wounded while trying to stay alive, her character gets a chance to grow and develop. For once it felt like the Michael Bay hottie actually had a story arc and something to do. He’s learning!

The film flows really well, you’re hooked in immediately with everything. They don’t mess around, they just throw you into the thick of it and wasted no time to get the action going. From start to finish this is one of the strongest Bay films in recent memory. Almost returning to what made him successful to begin with. When he’s paired with a terrific cast, his films can be good! He’s just such a hit or miss director and has almost become a parody of himself at times. Ambulance could be the launching pad for a Bay run here and I’m here for it. This just felt like an old school movie, a smaller budget heist film is something we don’t get often.

In a world full of comic book movies, sequels, spin-offs, prequels, reboots. It’s just refreshing to get some original IP and a fun ride. Seeing this in IMAX was awesome and it really gripes you from the very get-go. We need more Bayhem in our lives and I can’t stress enough how much fun Gyllenhaal was. Go see it on a big screen, grab some snacks and just enjoy the wild ride. I just love movies like this so much.

Ambulance = 81/100

Reviews

‘Sonic 2’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

In a world full of horrible video game movie adaptations, we now have perhaps the best one to grace the big screen. Sonic 2 is a worthy sequel that delivers on everything Sonic, introducing Tails and Knuckles, who are both standouts in the movie.

Sonic and Tails Team Up in the 'Sonic 2' Trailer

When the manic Dr Robotnik returns to Earth with a new ally, Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic and his new friend Tails is all that stands in their way.

Who would have guessed, that after that first Sonic teaser trailer 4 years ago we would be here. Not saying fans should complain about everything, but it worked and not only did they change the design of the titled character, we know and love, but that changed the landscape and outcome for the movie. In recent memory, I can’t recall a franchise that has benefited more from fan outrage, and it was all acceptable because that original design for Sonic was so bad, this sequel simply would not exist if they didn’t do something about it.

Now, let’s discuss this amazing time at the movies shall we? Sonic 2 picks up a little after the events on the first film. Eggman is on the Mushroom planet, where he is about to try and get home when he bumps into everyones favourite Sonic character, Knuckles (Idris Elba). I’ll start by saying, good for Idris Elba for stepping up and doing this. Not only does he do such a good job voice acting for Knuckles, but Knuckles is arguably the best part of the movie. He reminded me a lot of Drax from GOTG, because of how stupid they made him. Not dumb, but just so innocently stupid that it made everything he said so funny. He has some of the best jokes in the entire movie and that’s saying a lot considering he was sharing the screen with Jim Carrey for most of it. Congrats to Jim for having the biggest box-office opening of his career with Sonic 2, which is crazy to say/think about. He plays Robotnik perfect once again, and in the 3rd act he truly shines as the world class villain. The definition of a scene stealer, they couldn’t have picked a better person for the role. Let’s hope he puts on that stash once more for the 3rd movie (which is coming).

Growing up for me, there was Batman and Robin, Aliens and Predators and Sonic and Tails. I’m so happy that they let this friendship blossom on the big screen, because they have one of the best video game relationships of all time and seeing it come to life was special. Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) is reserved and has been watching Sonic from afar for quite some time. Much like his pal Sonic, he feels alone in the universe and just wants a friend. That message is at the heart of the movie, friendship and what it’s like to feel alone. Sonic (Ben Schwartz) has his “family” but he needs someone more his speed. Enter Tails and they immediately hit it off. Tails is just so cute and adorable, and the connection he shares with Sonic propels the movie forward in a organic and fluid way.

I can’t fail to mention the human characters in the movie, the Wachowski’s (James Marsden & Tika Sumpter) who are doing their best to raise Sonic like a normal child. We have the sister in law Rachel (Natasha Rothwell), who is the main component in the human side of things because she’s getting married in Hawaii. The humans have to be in the movie, but it felt like two movies going on at the same time, and we all know which one is the one we want. For the next outing I would dump the nonsensical human element and solely focus on Sonic and his new friends. We don’t need them and it clearly bogs down the film and that’s why a movie that was 2 hours could have easily been 90 mins. You don’t feel the run time but the humans are always just there and could have been scrapped all together. This isn’t a diss but we all just want more Sonic, Tails and Knuckles!

That’s how you make the next adventure truly great. Cut down on the humans, and focus a lot more on the Sonic lore and maybe even have them go off planet. We have seen all sorts of worlds in the video games and maybe it’s time for Sonic and his new pals to take a field trip.

Sonic 2 = 82/100

Reviews

‘Morbius’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

Jared Leto tries his best to save what can only be described as a forgettable and unwatchable comic book flick.

Morbius review: Jared Leto plays himself in a bloody quick time event - The VergeBiochemist Michael Morbius tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead.

So we were all sky-high after watching The Batman. For weeks on end it ruled the box-office and the world. So we were all on a roll when Morbius came into our lives. I can’t believe that I saw this movie so I could sit here and write a review that about 5 people will read (thank you!). But here we are, in a world post Morbius and things seem duller than ever. I can’t believe we are still trying to make movies like this, that end up doing well enough at the box-office that we could quite possibly see a Morbius 2 down the line……

After seeing the movie, it was painfully obvious that a lot of this was left on the cutting board and there was a ton of reshoots. Including the last two post credit stingers, that set up something that nobody asked for and that nobody wants? From the very first images we saw and trailer, a lot of that stuff didn’t even make it into the final edit of the movie. Postponed time and time again, the movie never got the momentum it needed to be successful.

The story is simple really, Morbius (Jared Leto) has been dealing with a rare blood condition his entire life. A brilliant mind, yet a fragile body, he spends his entire life trying to find a cure. With help from his friend Milo (Matt Smith) he is able to successfully combine bat DNA with his own, but no without a price. Morbius turns into a monster that can only be controlled with either human blood or the stuff of his own creation, artificial blood. When he can no longer control the beast inside him, the FBI steps in, and thats where we are introduced to Agent Simon Stroud (Tyrese). Who immediately felt like his role and purpose in the movie was severely cut down. He just felt rushed in and almost like background noise. The movie never gets on its feet and takes off. It feels so all over the place, never leaning into one direction, making for a very sloppy experience. Bleak and one dimensional characters, rushed plot and some messy CGI, make Morbius one of the worst comic book movies in recent memory.

Feeling like one long preview and trailer for those two post credit scenes, that promises this character will team up with some other bad guys to take down Spider-Man. Not knowing which Spider-Man they are referring to, making the last scene in the movie seem even more unbelievable. A truly interesting character that could have severed better alongside a character like Blade and made more of the first antagonist of his first movie. Morbius isn’t someone you have drive the car, he could make a perfectly fine passenger who could help just an okay movie, turn into something worth while. Sony just doesn’t have the slightest clue what to do with these Spider-Man side characters. They got so lucky with Venom being the hit it was, but even the sequel felt rushed and they messed up Carnage. So thinking Morbius could be the new Venom was such a false narrative to begin with, almost making meeting expectations for the movie impossible to reach from the very get-go.

I’m just tired of movies that feel like a launching pad only for future movies that we will probably never see, because you need a solid foundation in order to build anything on top of it and this foundation is shaky as hell. Focus on the here and now and not the future. With movies like Kraven the Hunter coming out, it seems like it will have the same fate, and that’s a mistake. These are great characters that should be flushed out and have an effect on the comic book landscape and not turned into a laughing stock.

Skip it. I wish I had.

Morbius = 24/100