can you ever forgive me

POSITIVES…
- Amazing performance by Melissa McCarthy as Lee Israel. In a great character study of a role.
- Richard E Grant is spectacular as her friend Jack Hock.
- The chemistry McCarthy and Grant have together is great to watch.
- This has a fascinating but simple story to see play out on screen, and everything involving the crimes Lee Israel committed kept my attention until the end.

NEGATIVES…
- It’s a slow burn and seemed content with it’s slow pacing. A little too slow for my taste at times.
- Lee Israel is not a likeable person at all, so hopefully you can put up with her schtick.

P.S….
- Somehow I was expecting more fun 1990s era references. However, I really shouldn’t be expecting that from this kind of film.

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

prospect

POSITIVES…
- An original indie-sci-fi movie that successfully mergers an alien planet with a prospector frontier western premise.
- The world building is incredible, in what feels like a lived-in reality of space travel and exploration, with visuals to match.
- Gotta love all the jargon and detail that we’re just suppose to accept at face value.
- Sophie Thatcher does a good job giving us a character that’s moody with subtle emotions.
- Pedro Pascal is charming as heck, and gives us a strong performance as Ezra.
- High concept story that felt personal, thought provoking, and exciting whenever it needs to be. It kept my attention from beginning until the end.

NEGATIVES…
- There are some narrative gaps that will bug certain nitpickers.
- Movie might not move fast enough for some people.

P.S….
- watch the original short film this is based on - vimeo.com/90049558

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dr seuss' the grinch

POSITIVES…
- Benedict Cumberbatch plays a good Grinch.
- Love Love Love Max the dog and Fred the reindeer.
- Cindy-Lou Who has an expanded plot which I thought worked well.
- I found it to be pretty funny a lot of the times. From the sight gags, the recurring jokes, to non sequiturs.
- Visuals are great, with some fantastic ideas in how it depicts whoville.
- Some of the contemporary additions were innocuous enough to work with the story.

NEGATIVES…
- Some of the contemporary additions just feel too out of place, or just failed altogether.
- The narrator and the more modern version of the theme song just didn’t work for me at all.
- While it has a great thematic message at the end, not all of the themes seemed to have carried over to the movie.

P.S….
- Co-Directed by the guy who helped bring us Jay & Silent Bob.

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

the girl in the spider's web

POSITIVES…
- Lisbeth Salander is still a great character, and I thought Claire Foy did a good enough job in the role.
- I love a lot of the clever things Lisbeth does in the exciting situations, and her actions can really be quite the crowd pleasers.
- The cat and mouse scenarios are also pretty entertaining to watch.
- There are some genuinely fun action thriller set pieces for this movie.

NEGATIVES…
- Those looking for the procedural mystery themes of the previous film, will be disappointed by this heavy turn towards it being an action thriller.
- The story might come off a little generic or derivative for some people.
- Sverrir Gudnason is unfortunately a bland bore in the role of Mickael Blomkvist.

P.S….
- This movie’s drinking game is to take a shot whenever someone falls off a ledge.

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

suspiria

POSITIVIES…
- Tilda Swinton goes all out on this one, and she’s awesome for it.
- The movie is perfectly unsettling, creepy, and mysterious.
- Has the perfect tone and mood throughout to keep your attention in anticipation to what’s going on.
- There are some scenes that have some clever use of voice dubbing.
- Manages to show me some scenes that make me feel like I shouldn’t be witnessing something so dark, disturbing, and simply evil.

NEGATIVES…
- Except for some scenes, the movie doesn’t really have a lot of scares at all. Especially if that’s what you’re looking for.
- Some people will argue that it’s too slow and too long.
- Dakota Johnson was hit or miss for me here, but I can see why they chose her for the role of Susie Bannion.
- There were some some plot conveniences that required some suspension of disbelief.

P.S….
- I’m just going to say it. I liked this version more than the original.

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overlord

POSITIVES…
- An enjoyable mash-up of the war and horror film genres. It’s like a highly produced and well directed B-movie.
- The action sequences are good and thrilling.
- Violence are not toned down much at all, and are bloodily uncompromising. Befitting with what the movie is going for.
- Visually, this film is awesome, with some amazing shots and set pieces that evokes it’s horror themes.
- Excellent pacing that doesn’t let up and kept me invested from beginning until the end.
- Effective storytelling that is simple and to the point, despite it’s high concept premise.
- Cast is great in this, highlighted by the performances of Jovan Adepo, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbaek, and Wyatt Russell.

NEGATIVES…
- I’m simply not a fan of Tibbet, the character that John Magaro plays. I personally wouldn’t want him in my company.
- Movie goers that think this movie is nothing but nazi zombies will probably be disappointed.

P.S….
- Can we ever really get tired of seeing Nazis get their comeuppance?

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nobody's fool

POSITIVES…
- Feels like a nice throwback to simple story telling based on an amusing premise.
- When the movie allows Tiffany Haddish and Tika Sumpter to let loose is when they are at their best.
- Whoopi Goldberg is great at every scene she is in here. Honestly thought the movie should have just been about her.

NEGATIVES…
- It’s not as funny as I hoped it would be. The only time I laughed out loud was when the scene with the surprise cameo appearance.
- there’s a moment when I thought the movie already ended, and then it just keeps going and going and going.
- I didn’t really like Tika Sumpter’s character of Danica, as it makes me just not care about what happens to her, and she’s the main character!

P.S….
- “On Bended Knee” by Boys II Men

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the nutcracker and the four realms

POSITIVES…
- visuals are nice enough
- interesting take on the classic Nutcracker story, with some good themes

NEGATIVES…
- unfortunately it’s really not that interesting, and the themes are pretty elementary
- generally uninspired and unmemorable
- the premise feels much too manufactured and predictable
- leading characters don’t really have much to offer in terms of personality
- things just happen because they have to happen
- the movie only thinks it’s pretty clever and has wonderful world building. It does not.

P.S….
- There’s a mouse character made of mice, and a Russian nesting doll come to life. Nightmarish.

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bohemian rhapsody

POSITIVES…
- If you are a fan of QUEEN, then go see this movie. If you weren’t already a fan, this movie might just make you one.
- Rami Malek was simply amazing as Freddie Mercury. I couldn’t keep my eyes off his performance. Just brilliant.
- I loved the moments this movie dedicated to Freddie’s chemistry with his bandmates, at least when it makes the most effort in showing it.
- I really loved that this movie dedicate a good amount of time to his relationship with Mary Austin; wonderfully played by Lucy Boynton.
- Speaking of moments. The set piece involving LIVE AID should leave you with awe by the end of it.
- The integration of the music, songs, and performances are 50% or more, of why it’s totally worth checking this film out.

NEGATIVES…
- It seemed the movie relied a little too much on the strength of the songs and of Malek’s performance, as the rest of the film is a bit scattershot in quality.
- Once again here’s another biopic that doesn’t always manage to properly juggle telling a proper narrative when it’s trying way too hard to cram in too much historical content into it’s 134 minutes time frame.
- If it wasn’t for the very strong second half, and Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, I don’t think I would have recommended seeing this movie.

P.S…..
- It was simply meta genius to have Mike Myers cameo in a scene directly involving the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

the hate u give

POSITIVES…
- Amandla Stenberg is without a doubt one of the main reasons to see this movie. She is amazing here! The whole cast is good too, but Amandla as Starr Carter is phenomenal.
- The point of view and perspective in regards to the premise of the story is very thought provoking, and tackles the complexities really well.
- There are multiple scenes and set pieces that this movie has to offer that that I thought were so compelling and unforgettable.
- Undeniably, the thematic messaging for this movie is a very important part of it, and is most definitely a great tool for teaching empathy.

NEGATIVES…
- While the thematic messaging is strong, some might also say that it hits us over the head a little too much.
- I acknowledge that there are some plot conveniences here and there, but they’re nothing too egregious.

P.S….
- If you’re wondering if this movie covers “both sides of the story,” then you’re missing the point of why this story exists. For that matter, this isn’t a “hate cops” film, but their perspective is addressed.

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