• Home
  • Classic Reviews
  • 2015 Reviews
  • 2016 Reviews
  • 2017 Reviews
  • 2018 Reviews
  • 2019 Reviews
  • 2020 Reviews
  • 2021 Reviews
  • 2022 Reviews
  • 2023 Reviews
  • Movie Talk
  • Movieman Productions
    • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Ultimate Ed-Chronicles >
      • The 'Beginnings' Saga >
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Rise of Maleficent >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Rise of Maleficent Full Movie
        • Transformers: Legend of the Black Cauldron >
          • Transformers: Legend of the Black Cauldron Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Penguins of Madagascar >
          • EEEMTPOM Full Movie
        • The Eds and Iron Man: Dawn of the Blowhole >
          • The Eds and Iron Man Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Fast and the Furious >
          • EEE: The Fast and the Furious Full Movie
        • The Eds and Kung Fu Panda: Battle for China >
          • The Eds and Kung Fu Panda Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King: The Full Circle >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Thumbelina: Revenge of the Shredder >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Thumbelina Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Journey to Neverland >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Journey to Neverland Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: All Tangled Up >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: All Tangled Up Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure Chapter One Full Movie
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure Chapter Two Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Edventures in San Fransokyo
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Return to Neverland
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy vs The League of Evil
      • The 'Avengers' Saga >
        • The Eds and the Little Mermaid: Age of Extinction
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Ghostbusters
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: A Sea of Adventure
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Anastasia
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Incredibles
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King 2: Simba's Pride
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Brand New Zootopia
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Into the Sugar Rush
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Big Sea Quest
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Heroes Assemble
      • The 'Justice' Saga >
        • The Loud Ghostbusters: Man of Steel
        • The Eds and Batman: Purge Night
        • Wonder Woman meets Hercules
        • Eds V Louds: God Versus Man
        • Eds V Louds: Doomsday
    • The Loud Ghostbusters >
      • The Loud Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
      • The Loud Ghostbusters: Jump Street
    • Thor and the Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
    • SpongeBob and Thor: Sponge Out of Water
  • Contact
  • About

You People (2023)

2/6/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
​"You People" stars Jonah Hill, Lauren London, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Eddie Murphy. Released on Netflix on January 27, 2023, the film has a man attempting to impress his girlfriend's parents.

The film was directed by Kenya Barris, who's known for creating shows like "America's Next Top Model" and "Black-ish". He also wrote screenplays for films like "Girls Trip" and "Coming 2 America". In every relationship lies the biggest challenge one has to face to get their blessings: meeting their parents. Introducing yourself to the parents may seem easy, but once you get to the conversations, it swiftly becomes a matter of life and death, especially when they involve their different beliefs. Netflix is about to have another exciting year regarding its original movie slate throughout 2023. The streaming service started the year a few weeks ago with the drama film, "Dog Gone", starring Rob Lowe. If you're wondering how it was, you're asking the wrong person because I neglected to watch it. To make up for that, I decided to start Netflix's new movie season with an adult-rated comedy centering on families who don't have much in common. It's got a star-studded cast, including Jonah Hill (who also co-wrote the script) and Eddie Murphy, and Kenya Barris, who's fresh off the heels of his successful comedy series, "Black-ish". But are they enough to deliver a family get-together that's both hysterical and timely? Let's find out. 

The story follows Ezra Cohen (Hill), a thirty-five-year-old broker and podcaster. He unexpectedly starts a relationship with a fashion designer named Amira Mohammed (London) after a brief mishap. Although, it wouldn't appear that the two have much in common, as Ezra is white and Jewish, and Amira is black and Muslim. Six months into their relationship, Ezra and Amira take each other to meet their parents to earn their approval. However, their visits result in some embarrassing conversations and high suspicions of their differences, mainly from Amira's stoic father, Akbar (Murphy), who prefers her to date a Muslim. When their parents encounter each other, Ezra and Amira struggle to survive their parents' awkwardness and their relationship.

There's a reason I wanted to check out this film since the trailer first came out. Aside from its star-studded cast, I wanted to watch the movie because of how relatable its concept was, not just to me but also to my family. With the film centering on an interracial couple amid racial tension, it reminded me of what my parents went through since my mom is white and my dad is black. I'm not going to explain it in full detail, but I can say that their experience was rough, but they managed to survive the racial tension and gave birth to two wonderful children, including yours truly. So it was nice to see Netflix release a movie about this uneasy topic, especially from a filmmaker known for his works involving black culture.

The film is basically the modern version of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", another film involving an interracial relationship, and "Meet the Parents". It features the usual storyline of someone meeting their loved one's parents, with one of them disapproving of their grown child's choice. It also includes plenty of cultural clashes, societal expectations, and generational differences in the characters and their conversations and actions. Some may not be for the faint of heart, but it's easy to admit they're still relevant in today's society. While it may not be the best depiction of its social commentary, "You People" is admirable for portraying it in a provocative and honest light while also delivering a charming rom-com rooted in its core.

If there's one concern I had with the film, it would be the humor. With the comedy involving awkward conversations featuring race, microaggressions, and religion, it would be tricky to tickle someone's funny bones without offending them. Comedy is subjective, but recently, people can get easily insulted by one little joke involving their lives and traditions. So I was skeptical about how Kenya Barris would handle this subject in a romantic comedy. Thankfully, Barris was able to accomplish this complex goal. There were a few moments where its racial humor was a bit much, especially the ones that weren't even funny in the first place. However, those moments are also portrayed in a way that's both relatable and smart. Regarding the screenplay by Barris and Jonah Hill, the film represents the awkwardness of these embarrassing conversations and the self-awareness of how offensive they turn out. More importantly, it reflects the importance of understanding people regardless of race and culture instead of making accusations that may be hurtful. It might not break any new ground regarding its "meeting the parents" narrative, but it does prevent itself from being overly heavy-handed and poorly insulting.

Jonah Hill has come a long way since his early "Superbad" days, and he's still going strong recently. While I did enjoy him for his comedic roles, I also respect him for stepping out of his comfort zone, mainly for his directorial debut "Mid90s" and his role in "You People". Even though his performance as Ezra doesn't go all out with the humor, Hill still provides a sincere and charming presence fit for a hard-working actor like him. Lauren London also did a decent job with her performance as Amira, and Eddie Murphy was suitably talented as Akbar. Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Shelley is the type of performance you'd either like or hate depending on your tolerance toward tone-deaf characters. Louis-Dreyfus plays the mother of Ezra, who doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut before she's about to say something inappropriate. A few parts involving her were genuinely funny, while some were admittedly in poor taste. Regardless, I thought she did well in elevating the movie with her humor.

As for its other flaws, the film could've been at least ten minutes shorter to avoid padding in its humor. I also wasn't a fan of the movie's transitions whenever it goes from one scene to the next. There's just something about them that looked very "sitcom-y". It's like they watched a sitcom from the early 2000s, saw those stylish transitions, and inserted them into the final cut. As a result, they made the movie look like something out of a television show. But on the other hand, they reflect the hip authenticity of Los Angeles and the film's soundtrack.

Overall, "You People" has Kenya Barris providing a mildly humorous and charming romantic comedy that goes hand-in-hand with its social commentary. While the humor struggled to walk the line between hilarity and heavy-handedness sometimes, the movie offers an honest and thought-provoking depiction of its timely dilemma thanks to its talented cast, script, and Barris' direction. I can see where the mixed reviews came from regarding its humor and the fact that it's more romance than comedy. However, I also couldn't help but appreciate what Barris was trying to accomplish, even though the result was far from Oscar-worthy. Sure, it wasn't perfect, but it does make me reflect on what needs to be done to prevent more tension in interracial relationships.
Picture

B-

0 Comments

Shotgun Wedding (2023)

2/5/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
​"Shotgun Wedding" stars Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel, Sônia Braga, Jennifer Coolidge, Lenny Kravitz, D'Arcy Carden, and Cheech Marin. Released on Prime Video on January 27, 2023, the film has a couple saving their families from a gang of pirates.

The film was directed by Jason Moore, who also directed "Pitch Perfect" and "Sisters". Weddings are usually lovely and emotional ceremonies where two families come together to see their lovebirds tie the knot. However, they can also be pretty stressful regarding the couple feeling anxious to move on to the next step of their relationship. They can also be a bit boring for those who aren't fans of weddings. Luckily, this movie has a way of spicing this get-together up, for better or worse. For the attendees, it's obviously the latter. The last weekend of January didn't have a lot of big movies playing in theaters until February rolled along to set the box office on fire. Fortunately, we got the power of streaming to fill that void, including the latest comedy starring Jennifer Lopez. The movie was supposed to be released in theaters last year before it got acquired by Amazon Studios, resulting in it being released digitally on Prime Video. It's unfortunate since the trailer made the film look like it could be a fun theatrical experience, regardless if it's good or not. But I guess it's better to release it somewhere than not to release it at all. So was the film a hilarious and action-packed wedding worth remembering? Let's find out. 

The story follows Darcy Rivera (Lopez) and Tom Fowler (Duhamel) preparing for the ultimate destination wedding on a private island in the Philippines. They gathered their lovable yet opinionated families to attend this important day of their lives. However, just as the couple begins to have doubts, the wedding is interrupted by a gang of pirates, who takes the entire party hostage. With their families in danger, Darcy and Tom must put aside their differences to save their loved ones and even their love for each other.

I didn't get to this film right away because I was waiting to watch it with my mom. I know it seems like the only excuse I have for movies like this, but I'm sure other people also do it with their own mothers. My mom enjoys everything that Jennifer Lopez is involved in, so I figured it's only fair if I watch "Shotgun Wedding" with her regardless of the rating. Unsurprisingly, I also have a soft spot for Lopez, not just as a singer but also as a movie star. Her previous films were hit-and-miss, as far as I'm aware, but she usually packs in enough charisma to elevate some of them out of mediocrity. "Shotgun Wedding" seemed like it could be another addition to the singer/actress's lineup, especially with Josh Duhamel as her groom. Unfortunately, even with these promising leads and its mixture of romance, action, and comedy, this crazy wedding wasn't exactly the one to remember.

This is one of the films that feature a fun concept with far-fetched scenarios and hilarious hijinks, yet struggle to do much with it. I'm all in for movies that aren't afraid to get a bit crazy with their absurd premise if they're consistently entertaining, funny, and even charming. "Shotgun Wedding" has one involving a couple fighting a group of pirates on their wedding day, complete with adult language and violence. This sounded fun on paper, but regarding its execution, it's surprisingly restrained. Despite a couple of enjoyable moments involving the cast and action scenes, the film is a mildly dreadful event that offers less than the sum of its entertaining parts.

Considering how much I enjoyed Jason Moore's previous directorial efforts, it's unfortunate that he couldn't crack the code with this one. He made his successful debut with "Pitch Perfect", which is full of charm and laughs, while "Sisters" was a tolerable showcase for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. For "Shotgun Wedding", Moore attempts to combine charisma and humor with wedding romance and R-rated violence. The result is far from a disaster like the characters' wedding, but I can see that Moore struggled to find the winning combination of the film's comedy and action. Mark Hammer's screenplay didn't help much either, which resorts to several cliched romance elements, a slow first act, and tedious humor, mainly the lead characters arguing. There were a few moments that made me chuckle, including the ones that provided self-awareness, but the rest of them fell short of keeping the party going.

Despite not loving some of her recent movies, I admire Jennifer Lopez's efforts in carrying them through her drawing star power, regardless of the genre. Her performance as Darcy is no different. While it's not her best performance, Lopez's presence is suitable enough to keep me from leaving the wedding early. Josh Duhamel is no stranger to movies involving romance, action, or comedy, so it was a no-brainer that he would star in something like "Shotgun Wedding". His performance as Tom delivered some okay moments regarding the film's humor and heart, but as I mentioned before, they barely cut the surface of the wedding cake. Jennifer Coolidge and Cheech Marin were also fine in their roles as Carol Fowler and Robert Rivera, respectively.

Overall, "Shotgun Wedding" fumbles its crazy wedding getaway with a mildly entertaining yet disappointingly mediocre genre mixture. Considering the success of Jason Moore's previous films and the main leads, the film should've been a lot more fun. Instead, it's a subpar and easily disposable wedding with only a couple of bright spots to brighten everyone's mood. Lopez and Duhamel made a noticeable effort to elevate its fundamental premise, and a couple of jokes nearly landed for me. Sadly, they're not enough to turn this ceremony around due to Moore's middling direction, average screenplay, and weak humor. If you like Jennifer Lopez in her other films, you might have no problem watching "Shotgun Wedding". Otherwise, there's no rush in RSVPing for this event.
Picture

C-

0 Comments

Knock at the Cabin (2023)

2/3/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
"Knock at the Cabin" stars Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint. Released on February 3, 2023, the film is about a family being held hostage by four strangers.

The film is directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who also directed films such as "The Sixth Sense", "Signs", "The Visit", and "Old". It is based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay. In every horror movie featuring a cabin in the woods, there's always a good chance you'll wind up fighting for your life instead of getting some peace and quiet. It's one of the reasons some of us would rather stay at a fancy hotel than in the middle of nowhere where no one can hear us scream. Unfortunately, one family didn't get the memo as they're forced to survive against their unexpected visitors. However, the mysterious strangers aren't the only ones they should be worried about. We're finally getting to the good stuff this February, as 2023 is looking to excite us with its interesting slate of movies, starting with the latest horror film from M. Night Shyamalan. The filmmaker has dealt with superheroes and even a beach that ages people rapidly. Now, he's using his psychological filmmaking skills to depict a nerve-wracking decision that'll determine the fate of humanity, hoping that it'll bring him back to his glory days before things went south for him in the late 2000s and early 2010s. With that said, let's visit the cabin and see if it's frightening enough to prevent the director's own apocalypse.

The film follows a family consisting of Eric (Groff), his husband Andrew (Aldridge), and their young daughter Wen (Cui). They're vacationing at a remote cabin hidden deep within the woods. Unfortunately, their peaceful retreat swiftly turns upside-down when they're visited by a group of strangers led by Leonard (Bautista), who takes the family hostage. Leonard then informs the frightened family that humanity will soon cease to exist due to an unexplainable phenomenon unless the family sacrifices one of their own. With an unspeakable decision between themselves and the world lying on their shoulders, the family attempts to escape the strangers' clutches while figuring out their true motives.

M. Night Shyamalan is still a wild card that we always anticipated seeing regarding his crazy ideas. While some of them fell short of what he's interpreting regarding his direction and screenplay, others like "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable", and even "Split" succeed in providing mind-blowing surprises and entertaining thrills at a smaller scale. Shyamalan's latest film, the first adaptation of Paul G. Tremblay's novel, could go in either direction based on his recent track record. It could be another return to form for the filmmaker, a divisive piece of work, or even "The Last Airbender". Either way, I'm still rooting for the guy to make a comeback after getting harassed for his recent stinkers. The trailers have already won me over with the film's enticing concept and Dave Bautista, but what about its execution? Well, it would be hard to answer that question without spoiling anything. However, I will say that I was entertained by this tense experience.

I would describe this movie as a straightforward home invasion thriller with the elements of a low-budget "Day After Tomorrow". While the end of the world is briefly shown in the background, the main focus is the cabin with a small group of characters. What makes this approach unnerving is that the audience is in the cabin with them, witnessing the events unfold on television or outside. More importantly, it is displayed with a realistic sense of dread instead of relying on overblown CGI spectacle like most apocalyptic disaster films. Considering that the movie has a $20 million budget, it's pretty impressive despite some of the visuals looking slightly iffy.  

Regarding its storytelling, "Knock at the Cabin" works as an old-fashioned, heart-pounding invasion feature involving four strangers preventing the apocalypse. The scares are muted, with a few making more of a tap than a massive knock. However, Shyamalan compensates for the lack of screams with his showcase of discomfort and anxiety through his direction and screenplay. The director displays the phobia of uncertainty toward people's agendas in a reasonably captivating and unnerving way. The movie is Shyamalan's second project to receive an R rating after "The Happening" in 2008. While the violence isn't too far-fetched, it's still disturbing to witness. This further proves that Shyamalan knows how to creep people out without relying heavily on blood and gore.

However, the story offers more than just a basic home invasion thriller. I couldn't explain it without spoiling the experience for anyone going to it blind. All I can say is that the film delivers a thought-provoking reflection on humanity amid its stressful confrontation, especially regarding one of its characters. The storytelling involving its thematic material was hit-and-miss sometimes regarding its exploration and middling emotion. However, the parts that do hit were decent enough to make me care for these people, mainly the family.

The cast also did wonders with their performances. Even though some of their acting chops came close to being too over-the-top, the actors involved impressed me long enough to look past that. Dave Bautista has been doing very well in following his path to movie stardom through his various roles. Most of his roles were from the action genre, but a couple of them also involved him displaying some effective humor. "Knock at the Cabin" sees Bautista trying his hand at the horror genre regarding his take on Leonard. The result is another worthy performance from the former wrestler turned actor. Jonathan Groff, known by many for his Broadway career and his role as Kristoff in "Frozen", also delivered a solid performance as Eric. Ben Aldridge manifested Andrew's anxiety and disbelief pretty well, and the young Kristen Cui was suitable in her role as Wen.

I would also credit the film for its cinematography by Jarin Blaschke, best known for working with Robert Eggers and his films like last year's "The Northman". The movie offers a variety of immersive wide-angle shots that are impossible to look away from, especially the close-up shots of the characters' faces. Apparently, Shyamalan likes to invade their personal space, which might be one of the reasons they're always frightened. Additionally, it offers a compelling "old-school thriller" vibe from the 90s regarding its presentation. Without relying too much on heavy editing, the cinematography beautifully captures its sense of fear through its shots and lighting.

Overall, "Knock at the Cabin" is an unnerving and consistently tense thriller that deserves to be let in. It doesn't pack a lot of scares inside the household, but it offers enough decent moments in its storytelling, thrills, and cast to prevent another apocalypse for M. Night Shyamalan. With another solid film at his disposal, it's safe to say that the filmmaker is getting close to getting his mojo back if he hasn't done so already. Considering the bad rep he's been getting since 2006, he definitely deserves that kind of success. So if you're making a choice on what to watch during the weekend, make sure you choose this movie.
Picture

B

0 Comments

80 for Brady (2023)

1/30/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
​"80 for Brady" stars Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field, and Tom Brady. Releasing on February 3, 2023, the film has four friends going on a road trip to watch Tom Brady play in the Super Bowl.

The film is directed by Kyle Marvin, who's known for producing films like "The Climb", "Kicks", and "Hunter Gatherer". You're never too old to have some fun every once in a while, especially when you have friends by your side. In this case, part of the fun is going to a football game to support your favorite team. With January reaching its conclusion once again, we're now getting into the main courses, starting with the ones in February. Most people are hyped for another M. Night Shyamalan movie, dancing sexy men, or even a trip into the Quantum Realm with Ant-Man. However, some of us are excited to see four fantastic actresses go "goo-goo" over Tom Brady. I'm more of an Aaron Rodgers fan, but everyone has their preferences regarding their favorite quarterbacks, so I'm not judging. But enough of our little football talk. It's time to see if this latest sports comedy can score a few touchdowns in its concept.

The story follows four elderly friends: Lou (Tomlin), Trish (Fonda), Maura (Moreno), and Betty (Field). The pals have one thing in common: they're all big fans of the New England Patriots and adore the team's quarterback, Tom Brady (appearing as himself). So when the Patriots make it to Super Bowl LI, the friends travel to Houston to watch their favorite hero play in person with the tickets they won from a contest. While exploring the stadium, however, they eventually lost the Super Bowl tickets. So as they scramble to find the tickets before the game starts, Lou and the others unexpectedly get into unusual situations that'll test their friendship.

The movie doesn't come out until this weekend, but I was able to catch it early thanks to its early access screening. As soon as I saw that ad for the screening, I immediately purchased the tickets and invited my mom to join the fun with me. It's opportunities like this that you got to take, especially when you're a film fanatic like me. More importantly, it helps to beat the rush before it even begins.

I recently have a soft spot for movies aimed towards an older crowd featuring iconic actors having fun onscreen, mainly comedies. While I don't consider them instant classics, I appreciate them for providing fun escapism and harmless scenarios that anyone can enjoy, regardless of age. So it's no surprise that I was interested in this latest sports comedy. It's got an amusing premise that's based on true events, several award-winning actresses, and of course, the legendary Tom Brady playing football. But, of course, it all comes down to whether these elements are enough to provide decent counter-programming from the other highly-anticipated films in February.  

The thing to know about the film is that it has a plot that's as simplistic as throwing a football. It mainly consists of four female friends going to the Super Bowl and getting into a few fun shenanigans, including a hot wing contest hosted by Guy Fieri. While it does sound like another movie involving outrageous comedy and far-fetched scenarios on paper, "80 for Brady" shows that that's not the case. The film keeps itself limited from abandoning the plot to have four elderly ladies go nuts every few minutes in favor of a restrained and light-hearted depiction of friendship and inspiration. Most people expecting something else from it based on the trailer would be as upset as when their favorite team lost the championship game. However, everyone else willing to stay after the first quarter would find themselves having as much of a good time as I did. It's no game-changer, but it delivers what I expected for the most part.  

There were also a few instances of character depth thrown in the story for good measure, including Lou, who's determined to see Brady play after watching him on TV helped her survive cancer. There's also Trish, who became a famous writer from her romance novel about Rob Gronkowski, and Maura, who's dealing with the loss of her husband. A couple of them felt like unnecessary additions, especially Betty's husband's problems, while some were suitable in providing a healthy amount of heart and humor in the film's scenarios, with the best one being Lou. The screenplay by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern (known for co-writing Olivia Wilde's "Booksmart" together) isn't something I would call "award-worthy" regarding those topics, but it's decent enough to provide some humorous dialogue and heartfelt moments. Sure, some of its moments can come off as cheesy sometimes, but they also have a sense of wholesomeness that generates smiles instead of agonizing groans.

The film's heart and humor are primarily due to the cast, mainly the four main leads. When I saw the film's trailer, I knew that the actresses onboard would be the best parts of the movie. For films like "80 for Brady", it's always crucial to have the right actors that can work well together through their charm and spirit, especially those we grew up watching on the screen. If the actors look like they're having a fun time, the audience will also have a good time. Unsurprisingly, "80 for Brady" is another movie that fits this description. Tomlin, Fonda, Moreno, and Field were all splendid in their roles as Lou, Trish, Maura, and Betty, respectively, and the chemistry between them was undoubtedly charming. They swiftly help elevate its basic plot and the limitations of its comedy. The supporting cast also delivered enough moments to be as fun as the actresses, with my favorite being Billy Porter as Gugu, a dance choreographer who helps the ladies get into the Super Bowl. Then there's Tom Brady, who's the latest sports player to try his hand at acting in and producing a movie. Long story short, his performance isn't something to write home about, but his skills on the field are more than enough to make up for it.

As for its other flaws, aside from its imperfect screenplay, the movie offers almost all of the comedic moments that were from the trailer, resulting in it being predictable at times. However, the ones in the final cut still proved to be as funny as they were in the marketing, so I can't complain too much about that. There's also a sequence involving the characters going to a party that ran a couple of minutes too long.

Overall, "80 for Brady" is a light-hearted and charmingly comical trip to the Super Bowl that takes advantage of its simplicity and goodwill. It's easy to see that it's not a perfect winning streak regarding its script and limitations for its humorous scenarios. However, it was able to score enough touchdowns to get its target audience cheering. From its charismatic main leads to its suitable mixture of humor and sincerity, the film is another harmless and heartwarming distraction from the outside world that's as crowd-pleasing as the sport itself. So if you're into something that doesn't involve the apocalypse, blue-skinned aliens, or even superheroes in a massive CGI world, this film should fit your needs and quench your thirst for feel-good sports movies.
Picture

B-

0 Comments

Fear (2023)

1/27/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
​“Fear” stars Joseph Sikora, Andrew Bachelor, Annie Ilonzeh, Ruby Modine, Iddo Goldberg, Terrence Jenkins, Jessica Allain, and Tip “T.I.” Harris. Released on January 27, 2023, the film has a group of friends encountering a threat arising from a contagious disease.

The film is directed by Deon Taylor, who also directed films such as “Dead Tone”, “Meet the Blacks”, “Black and Blue”, and “Fatale”. Everyone has a dark secret phobia they neglect to share. It might be due to it being embarrassing, or it could be something that traumatizes them, even to this day. There are times when they have to conquer them head-on to make their lives better. Unfortunately, that time happens to come from a life-threatening disease. This weekend sees Deon Taylor returning to the director’s chair once more for this latest movie that was shot during the COVID-19 pandemic. They got to fill in the post-pandemic voids somehow. The film also marks the first release from Hidden Empire Releasing, a new distribution company from Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group. For those who don’t know, Hidden Empire Film Group has been known for producing low-budget films with diverse actors that were pretty terrible in my eyes. Fortunately, the only exception is “Black and Blue”, which is a reasonably entertaining thriller with social themes sprinkled upon it. So now we have Taylor’s horror take on the process of fear which hopes to lure his audience in with its concept despite the lack of marketing. With that said, let’s face our phobia and see if it’s fearful enough to conclude January on a high note.

The story follows a group of friends, including best-selling novelist Rom (Sikora) and his childhood aces Lou (Harris) and Russ (Jenkins). They went to an old resort in the remote Tahoe Mountains to celebrate the birthday of his long-time girlfriend Bianca (Ilonzeh). Unfortunately, what seemed to be a relaxing retreat with friends eventually became a waking nightmare due to a disease set loose into the sky. This sickness caused the group to hallucinate their deepest, darkest phobias. As a result, Rom and the others must survive this unusual plague as the truth behind the historic lodge slowly unravels before them.

There’s not much to say about Deon Taylor that hasn’t been said already. The filmmaker has his intentions regarding his ideas, but his execution of how he represents them falls flat for me every time I see one of his movies. Except for “Black and Blue”, which is Taylor’s best film in my eyes, his films struggled to land in two types of categories: “so bad, it’s good” and “popcorn thrills”. As a result, they wind up being so mind-numbing and disappointingly abysmal that they even gave the television movies from Lifetime a run for their money. The fact that they appear in my “top ten worst” lists almost every time is enough to prove my point. I didn’t even bother watching “Fatale” and “Meet the Blacks 2” because I knew they would spell trouble for me when I saw Taylor’s name in the credits.  

But, of course, I was willing to give Taylor another chance because “Black and Blue” showed that he could make a tolerable film. He just needs to find the right spark in his vision. Taylor’s return to the horror genre since 2010’s “Chain Letter” seemed like a promising opportunity for him to find it, mainly because of its concept. Since the movie was filmed during quarantine, it’s unsurprising that it’s set around this difficult time when people were highly anxious about getting sick from an unknown sickness. Now, I’m sure we’re all sick of movies set during the COVID-19 pandemic at this point, but the problem is that Hollywood doesn’t quite get the message yet.  

Since “Fear” centers around a contagious airborne virus causing its victims to face their phobias, this could’ve been another surprising hit for the horror genre. With its timely commentary and nightmarish thrills, the film would’ve been another comeback for the struggling filmmaker like “Black and Blue”. Unfortunately, it wound up being another thorn in the low-quality horror bush. Instead of a fun and creepy outlook on the paranoia arising from the sickness, I got an overly bleak and mindlessly cliched mess that failed to combine its haunted house tropes with underlying themes.

This is mainly due to Deon Taylor’s direction and script, which he co-wrote with John Ferry. As mentioned before, Taylor has good intentions with his concepts, but he doesn’t do much to make them stand out above the film crowd. His approach in “Fear” is no exception. He attempts to make everything work in the film, including the scares, the perspective of paranoia from the unknown, and even the third act. Sadly, they all fall apart before the first character bit the dust. Fortunately, there were a couple of bright spots I should give Taylor credit for, including the lighting effects and camera angles. The presentation looks overly gloomy, but I think that’s his intention for the film to look like that. It’s supposed to capture the bleak and nightmarish hellhole these characters are trapped in, whether it’s the creepy lodge or their hallucinations. Despite the scares being non-existent, I will give the director props for making it look like something that came out of my nightmares.

As for the screenplay, it means well for providing a relatable topic of the anxiousness of getting sick from other people, especially our closest friends. However, it was quickly overshadowed by its horror cliches, underdeveloped characters, and a predictable twist that anyone could guess easily during the first act, including me. It doesn’t help that some of the dialogue is more “bad” bad than hilariously bad. I don’t mind a modern horror movie as long as it has the proper execution in its concept to be scary, unnerving, and/or fun. But when you have a film like “Fear” that only focuses on making the characters victims of the kills without any sense of fun, terror, and even care, then it’s clear they didn’t do their homework.

The cast did okay with their performances despite the characters being disappointingly mediocre. While some had performances that were phoned in at times, the others were passable in displaying their emotional stress from the scenario. Sikora and Ilonzeh were both suitable in their roles as Rom and Bianca, respectively. There were a couple of attempts for Iddo Goldberg to provide some chuckles as Michael, but they didn’t make much of a dent in the movie’s tone.

Overall, “Fear” represents the biggest phobia that haunts every moviegoer’s mind: watching a poorly-executed and dull horror film filled with cliches and disappointment. Much like Taylor’s other movies, aside from “Black and Blue”, the film has potential regarding its concept, but its low-quality appearance and mediocre execution swiftly wasted it. Despite an okay cast and its lighting effects, the movie is infected by the sickness of Taylor’s direction, the formulaic script, weak dialogue, a predictable twist, and bland characters. I guess January wants to give us something special to finish the month, and boy, was it special. Fortunately, the only way to conquer this fear is by avoiding it like it was COVID-19. If you’re curious about watching it, you might want to wait until it’s free to stream at home because it looked like it was made for that purpose.
Picture

D-

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Home of the most friendly movie reviews on the planet.
    Movieman Productions
    Contact

    Categories

    All
    2015 Reviews
    2016 Reviews
    2017 Reviews
    2018 Reviews
    2019 Reviews
    2020 Reviews
    2021 Reviews
    2022 Reviews
    2023 Reviews
    Classic Reviews
    Movie Talk
    The Oscars

    Follow Me

Copyright © 2015
  • Home
  • Classic Reviews
  • 2015 Reviews
  • 2016 Reviews
  • 2017 Reviews
  • 2018 Reviews
  • 2019 Reviews
  • 2020 Reviews
  • 2021 Reviews
  • 2022 Reviews
  • 2023 Reviews
  • Movie Talk
  • Movieman Productions
    • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Ultimate Ed-Chronicles >
      • The 'Beginnings' Saga >
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Rise of Maleficent >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Rise of Maleficent Full Movie
        • Transformers: Legend of the Black Cauldron >
          • Transformers: Legend of the Black Cauldron Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Penguins of Madagascar >
          • EEEMTPOM Full Movie
        • The Eds and Iron Man: Dawn of the Blowhole >
          • The Eds and Iron Man Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Fast and the Furious >
          • EEE: The Fast and the Furious Full Movie
        • The Eds and Kung Fu Panda: Battle for China >
          • The Eds and Kung Fu Panda Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King: The Full Circle >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Thumbelina: Revenge of the Shredder >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Thumbelina Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Journey to Neverland >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Journey to Neverland Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: All Tangled Up >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: All Tangled Up Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure Chapter One Full Movie
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure Chapter Two Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Edventures in San Fransokyo
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Return to Neverland
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy vs The League of Evil
      • The 'Avengers' Saga >
        • The Eds and the Little Mermaid: Age of Extinction
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Ghostbusters
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: A Sea of Adventure
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Anastasia
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Incredibles
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King 2: Simba's Pride
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Brand New Zootopia
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Into the Sugar Rush
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Big Sea Quest
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Heroes Assemble
      • The 'Justice' Saga >
        • The Loud Ghostbusters: Man of Steel
        • The Eds and Batman: Purge Night
        • Wonder Woman meets Hercules
        • Eds V Louds: God Versus Man
        • Eds V Louds: Doomsday
    • The Loud Ghostbusters >
      • The Loud Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
      • The Loud Ghostbusters: Jump Street
    • Thor and the Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
    • SpongeBob and Thor: Sponge Out of Water
  • Contact
  • About