lizzie

POSITIVES…
- Chloe Sevigny is an underappreciated actress, but she gets to really shine here.
- Jamey Sheridan gets to play the Dad we’re suppose to hate, and he plays him well.
- Needless to say, the most fascinating and arguably the best sequence of the movie is the event of the murders.
- This is an interesting interpretation on what might had happened on that fateful night, filled with some provocative modern perspective.

NEGATIVES…
- This controversial modern take might not sit well with some people.
- While Kristen Stewart had some good scenes, she was incredibly dull for the most part.
- In fact, with a strong cast such as this, most of the supporting players are mostly wasted.
- The pacing and editing could use some work, as there isn’t a real feel to the passage of time. At least I didn’t think so.
- Worst thing about the movie is that it can be frustrating or boring to watch at times.

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a star is born

The current sentiment is that every generation needs to have a version of “A Star Is Born,” and this one in particular is the fourth version of the story. It does give credence to that sentiment, but at the same time it also starts revealing how outdated this story might already be. It’s essentially the typical romanticized story of a nobody getting discovered for their naturally gifted talent and then becomes a celebrity. It’s a tale as old as time right? Why should you watch another version of that familiar premise? Two names. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

Without a doubt there will be many who will watch this just for Lady Gaga, and then there will be those curious to see what Bradley Cooper’s first theatrical directorial debut looks like. What those people will get is a Lady Gaga who continually proves that she can be a great actress, and that Bradley Cooper can make a very personal feeling film, as well as shows us his range as a seasoned actor. The chemistry they have on screen is palpable, and a huge strength of the story telling. Both of them steal scenes left and right, and neither one of them seemed to have out shined each other. Such amazingly strong performances from both of them. Bravo!

Less I forget to mention, both of them can sing! We know Lady Gaga has a fantastic voice and gets to showcase it here with some great songs. Fantastic! Bradley Cooper also has a good singing voice, and gets to show off too with some great songs. Awesome! Choice songs that really won me over here are “Maybe It’s Time,” “Shallow,” “Always Remember Us This Way,” “I’ll Never Love Again,” and “Is That Alright?” Expect one or two of those songs to be played at many forthcoming weddings. Here’s the thing though, I don’t think I completely liked all the songs in the movie, which is disappointing, and kinda ruins my affection for the whole thing. The great songs it does have still makes it worth it though.

The plot progression of the characters played by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga is the thematic core of this story, and I can say that I applaud the movie for tackling some heavy subject matters, but at the same time I have to also criticize the film for glossing over some as well. It shares the same problems that many biopics have, in that it makes parts of the story feel too compressed, or it takes some shortcuts just to get to the next big plot point. All the same though, when the movie is good; like a lot of the first half, it’s really really good. I suppose my suggestion is to just put up with some of the weaker aspects?

So yeah, I don’t think “A Star Is Born” is necessarily this perfectly made film, but I really did enjoy it quite a lot. It had certain messages and themes it wanted to relay to me, and I would say that it absolutely succeeded at that. If anything else, definitely see it for Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. They were simply phenomenal.

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operation finale

POSITIVES…
- This is another showcase at what great actors Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac are.
- I liked that this story plays off like a heist film, giving the movie some good excitement and tension.
- This true story definitely deserved to be made into a movie.

NEGATIVES…
- I kinda wish they didn’t leave out certain plot details, but maybe I’m being picky.
- This has a huge ensemble cast, and unfortunately not everybody gets to shine.
- People might argue that the film is generally bland and doesn’t stand out enough.

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bleach

POSITIVES…
- It’s weird that the best compliment this is getting is that “it’s actually a good live-action movie that’s based on an anime.”
- Sota Fukushi and Hana Sugisaki are really good in their roles of Ichigo and Rukia respectively.
- The chemistry between Sota and Hana makes it worth investing on where the story takes their characters.
- Manages to cram a lot of plot threads without overwhelming the narrative.
- Action sequences are pretty cool, and there are some nice sword fight choreography here and there.
- I also really liked the premise of the story, and makes me want to actually read the manga or watch the anime versions of this. I guess the movie really did succeed if it encourages me to do so.

NEGATIVES…
- As cool a premise as it is, it’s still manga/anime based, and falls for the same recycled plot tropes that can honestly feel boring to see play out at times.
- Suspension of disbelief is a huge necessity here, although they make some effort to explain some things.
- Some people might feel like the story is moving way too quick for their taste, while some might argue that it feels like a compressed version of a whole TV season (because it is).
- At worst, this movie is just serviceable as an action/fantasy tale, since it doesn’t really push too much boundaries in terms of it’s story.

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Watch it now on NETFLIX

hell fest

POSITIVES…
- Amy Forsyth in the lead role of Natalie is really good in this.
- The killer may not be the most original, but he’s creepily effective in the movie.
- I like the premise of setting the story in one night, and one place.
- There were some effectively good scary set pieces.
- This movie will make you wish a Hell Fest themed park actually exists.
- Nicely pays tribute to the classic slasher horror genre from the ‘80s.

NEGATIVES…
- Because it’s purposefully like the classic slasher horror movies from before, this film may unavoidably feel too derivative for many.
- Although the movie tries to avoid it as much as it could, characters still end up making some stupid decisions at times.
- Some plot cliches here. Some predictable tropes there. Some unbelievable moments here and there.
- Could have been more gorier.

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night school

POSITIVES…
- The overall cast are very likable and the primary reason to see this movie.
- Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish are fun to watch on screen as they always are.
- I appreciated some of the central themes and lessons put forth by the story.
- Jokes are amusing and entertaining enough to enjoy the movie for what it is.

NEGATIVES…
- Jokes aren’t exactly in the Laugh Out Loud variety, so there will be some disappointed people looking for a laugh-riot.
- While the story tries to do some subversive turns, the plot for the most part moves in a very expected way.
- Kinda wished the strong supporting cast had more to do than be typical archetypes with typical character plot developments.
- The movie may have things to like about it, but expect to have your suspension of disbelief challenged constantly.

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fahrenheit 11/9

To no one’s surprise, the bias and pre-judgement for Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9” will always be in full swing from people who haven’t even seen the movie. Those in the left of the political spectrum are likely going to automatically praise this film, while those in the right will likely automatically condemn this film. Needless to say, it’s Moore’s fault that’s even the case. It’s because of his public persona, which many will not be able to separate from the movie he has made here. It’s unfortunate, because I think the overall message and theme of this film is very well intentioned for both sides of the political party.

Despite what the marketing of this movie may make this seem, this isn’t a full blown attack on Donald Trump’s Presidency and Republicans, as the Democrats themselves are also a target here. I debated sharing this fact from this review, because it’s somewhat of a spoiler to how the narrative of the movie plays out, and this is suppose to be a non-spoilers write-up. Of course I’m not saying that there isn’t an attack on Trump here, but it’s just not the complete focus of the film. The main focus is more ambitious than that.

The “real” theme of “Fahrenheit 11/9” is far more than just bashing Trump. This film is provocative and thought-provoking, with shades of heavy concern and high hopes. Michael Moore’s bias still makes appearances throughout, but I found it harder to argue against his point of views here. He smartly shows us historical facts 90% of the time, with about 10% dedicated to speculative segments. Either way, it’s easy for me to say that this is an “important” film that everybody should watch, but then somebody could just call me biased. Hey, at least I saw the movie, and that makes my opinion of it a lot more informed than those who haven’t seen it.

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the house with a clock in its walls

POSITIVES…
- Jack Black and Cate Blanchett are really good in this, plus they have really good chemistry together with some amusing banter.
- Has some good world building, which is helped by the Directing, screenplay, and set design.
- Magical stuff and the scarier moments aren’t going to blow your mind, but they are all fun stuff.
- While there is some predictable aspects to the plot, it still has surprises for us.
- The general premise is entertaining and got my attention, even if it’s still generally familiar.

NEGATIVES…
- Some people might feel bored and uninterested with the movie because of it’s familiarity to other franchises.
- The lead boy character Lewis isn’t as interesting as I hoped he would be.
- There are some CGI work that just wasn’t that good.

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assassination nation

By the end of “Assassination Nation,” I couldn’t help but feel like I just watched something very insightful in it’s social commentary of modern society. I went in thinking that this was just going to be some sardonic look at the youth of today and the trappings of the internet. Well that’s all true too, but clearly this movie has a lot more things to say, and more people to do commentary on. I do appreciate it’s ambitious themes and messaging, and despite the first sentence of this paragraph, I have to also acknowledge that this movie really only touches on the surface level of very important topics, and wants us to do our own legwork of what we’re suppose to learn from the story.

Speaking of the story. This movie plays off almost like a fable set in a suburban neighborhood that is suppose to represent all of the United States Of America in some form or another. I say “fable” because that designation conveniently gives the film some excuse to several of the more unrealistic or illogical plot points. Things also happen in the movie because they have to move the story forward to it’s inevitable conclusion, or because there needs to be a scene that can act as a metaphor to real life. That’s all part of the narrative style of course, but once again I give you the “fable” excuse.

About that narrative, some people may find it to be a little incoherent, and in part it’s because of the aggressive editing style and visual overload, which can be distracting at times. There were several scenes that were a treat to see play out though, and it’s because of the editing and the visuals. Although some people might get lost trying to catch up to what’s happening on screen, I consider it’s editing and visuals to definitely be a good thing. I feel like the overall look makes this movie better than it should be; if we’re just ignoring and putting aside the story themes of course.

Without some solid characters, I’m afraid the story can only go so far in terms of impact. While Odessa Young and Hari Nef were given some stand out roles to play, character development in general is kinda lacking. You’re still going to want to root for our main female protagonists by the last acts of this movie though, but it’s really not because of who they are, but what happened to them. Well there’s a bit about who they are that’s important, but it’s more of a symbolic gesture or representation really.

It’s true that “Assassination Nation” may only be appreciated by a particular movie going audience looking for this kind of film, and it’s true that there are going to be people who will be offended by it. This is by far not a perfect or great film, and there are definitely things about it that I found obnoxious, annoying, and pretentious. With that said, I want to go back to the first sentence from the first paragraph. The thematic messaging and social commentary brought up by this film will stick with me for a while, and that may just mean that Writer-Director Sam Levinson was justified in making this movie.

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white boy rick

POSITIVES…
- newcomer Richie Merritt does a perfectly fine job in the title role of White Boy Rick
- Matthew McConaughey is great in the role of Richard Wershe Sr
- the relationship between Father and Son, and who they are is the strong emotional core of this story
- as a biopic, the true story of Rick Wershe Jr is definitely worthy of a movie

NEGATIVES…
- as it goes, the main problem with biopics that span multiple years is that the overall story can feel too condensed.
- some of the plot threads felt incomplete
- there are some characters that aren’t more fleshed out
- story can feel a little dry half the time

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