Brittany Runs A Marathon

POSITIVES…

  • Jillian Bell. She is fantastic here. It’s hard not to root for her to have a positive outcome by the end of this story. Gotta love her snarkiness in this movie as well.

  • Utkarsh Ambudkar. He is very entertaining in this. Part of the fun of this movie is the chemistry he has with Jillian Bell’s character. Gotta love their banter.

  • Michaela Watkins. How can you not love her in this? I just want to give her a high-five for always being good in all the supporting roles she tends to get in movies.

  • While it’s easy to enjoy this film just because of the cast; proven by my previous three positive picks, the story is also very effective as a dramedy. Joy. Laughter. Sadness. Hits you with all the right emotions. Inspirational even.

  • Has some good surprises and plot turns, to keep you hooked into the movie.

  • If a movie about running is able to give you the feeling like you want to take up running yourself, then does that means the movie is even more of a success?

NEGATIVES…

  • Despite it being “based on the true story,” it’s still susceptible to hit some derivative plot tropes.

  • There were a couple of scenes that were cringe worthy, to the point of it being too cliche. Maybe it was true though?

  • Some plot lines weren’t completely resolved to my liking.

  • Not necessarily a movie that I would consider to be very cinematic looking… if you know what I mean.

P.S….

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

Judy

POSITIVES…

  • Renee Zellweger. WHAT. A. PERFORMANCE. From the way she plays the role of Judy Garland and tackles all the emotions that comes with it, plus the fact she did a splendid job singing all the songs, Renee Zellweger absolutely deserves all the recognition and awards that comes from this.

  • The whole film sinks or swims purely on Renee Zellweger. She made this movie. You watch this movie for her.

  • Renee Zellweger gets a lot of great lines to say in this film. You’ll either shed a tear, or be entertained, by some of the things she says here.

  • I’d like to also give praise to her supporting cast, from Darci Shaw as young Judy, Jessie Buckley as Rosalyn Wilder, Finn Wittrock as Mickey Deans, and many more. Excellent cast all around.

  • While the premise and the plot progression is generally a familiar affair, it’s easy to just get sucked in to the story anyway.

  • That ending scene. Cliche or predictable, whatever, I was emotionally hooked. One of the highlights of the movie, if not THE highlight.

  • There are several memorable scenes that will either break your heart, or put a smile on your face.

NEGATIVES…

  • It’s a generally straightforward biopic drama, which comes with all the usual plot tropes you expect.

  • There’s a simplicity to the production design that can make you think like this could have been a straight to home video release.

  • I have to just acknowledged that some of the more emotionally moving moments in the movie felt a bit contrived.

P.S….

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Joker

POSITIVES…

  • Simply put, watch this movie for the phenomenal performance by Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck. Such raw emotions and madness displayed on screen.

  • “Man vs the world, and goes on a downward spiral of violence” premise for this film is a solid piece of psychological drama, and character study. Think Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” meets Schumacher’s “Falling Down.”

  • I respect how dark, provocative, and violent, this story was willing to go. No cartoon deaths here.

  • Some scenes are quite memorable and provocative.

  • What this story does with the Joker’s laugh is an interesting take for sure.

  • By the end of the movie, I felt horrified by how the final act played out, and I’m sure that’s the intended reaction. Bravo.

  • The other main reason to see this would be the “more realistic” depiction of what the origin story of the comic book character Joker could be.

  • Speaking of comic books… there’s surprisingly a good amount of Batman mythology related references and easter eggs in this movie.

  • Oh, and despite how deathly serious this story is, there are actually a handful of comedic moments that managed to thankfully lighten the mood a little bit, if only so briefly.

NEGATIVES…

  • People going in thinking they are getting a fun entertaining comic book movie will be very disappointed.

  • The comic book mythology parts of the movie were pretty distracting.

  • As provocative as the overall theme of the story is, it’s not exactly a deeply unfamiliar subject matter. Especially if you’ve seen enough of these kinds of stories.

  • There’s one particular quick exposition montage scene that seemed like the movie didn’t respect the audience enough to understand the reveal without explicitly showing it. I just had to roll my eyes when that happened.

  • Some logical flaws in certain scenes took me out of the movie.

  • Misguided sociopathic people might use this movie as an excuse to cause violence.

P.S….

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

Villains

POSITIVES…

  • I genuinely like the premise of pitting small time criminals against more twisted criminals.

  • That contrast and chemistry between the two main couples is infinitely fascinating, and is what ultimately makes this movie worth watching.

  • There are plot turns in this that are pleasantly surprising, if not completely WTF moments.

  • A lot of the dialogue between the characters are fun to listen to, and there’s a lot of conversations here.

  • Bill Skarsgård. Fantastic in this. Plays his role a little over the top, but it works for his character.

  • Maika Monroe. Charming and loveable. The heart of the movie, and oddly enough the most “stable” of the four main characters?

  • Jeffrey Donovan. I love this guy! Such a fascinating character that he is playing, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off him, because I just don’t exactly know what he is going to say or do.

  • Kyra Sedgwick. Amazingly wacky. Kudos on throwing herself completely into this role. Just like with Donovan’s character, I loved how unpredictable she could be.

  • Just gotta like how weird and odd this movie is.

NEGATIVES…

  • There seems to be a purposeful bit of overacting by the actors, which might annoy some people.

  • It’s a “bottle episode” and some people may not like that either.

  • There are plot turns and dialogue bits that may come off as being superficially clever at times, or generally too precious for its own good.

  • It may seem a little unfair for me to say this, but I wish this movie had a bigger budget to make the premise come more alive than what we already got.

P.S….

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

Official Secrets

POSITIVES…

  • It’s a whistleblower true story that people should know about.

  • Keira Knightley is pretty solid here, and seemed like she really threw herself convincely into the role of Katharine Gun.

  • As a movie with a huge ensemble cast with limited screen times, a few others like Matt Smith and Ralph Feinnes manage to stand out with their strong performances.

  • I was able to appropriately feel the drama and the tension of this story, and I was quite hooked to see how it all plays out.

  • Needless to say, by the conclusion of the movie, it should give you some interesting food for thought.

  • As a movie based on a true story that I wasn’t familiar with, I was captivated by the plot turns and surprises that was shown in this.

NEGATIVES…

  • If you already know the true story, the surprising plot turns just won’t be “surprising” at all, and kinda deflates those big reveals.

  • The movie is very very straightforward and not really Directed with too much style, which some might argue makes it feel dull.

  • Some people don’t like watching movies where the majority of it are just people talking to each other. Well this is one of those movies.

P.S….

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Abominable

POSITIVES…

  • Despite the familiar premise and characters, I found the movie charming as heck.

  • The Yeti; “Everest,” also has a very cute character design and mannerisms that I found quite enjoyable.

  • Chloe Bennet as Yi, is also a character that you can easily root for. Who doesn’t love a tenacious and adventurous girl, who has a smart mouth, and is excellent on the violin?

  • I very much appreciated the general story of the main character who wants to travel through China. Although it kinda comes off like this was funded by the Chinese Tourism board.

  • Visually very pleasing, with vibrant colors, and excellent set locations.

  • Movie moved at a good pace, and had several good scenes. This adventure always kept my attention.

  • The comedy bits are amusing enough, and aren’t always targeted towards a younger audience. I did enjoy the running gags quite a bit though.

  • The emotional parts are also pretty effective, and elevates my attachment to the film.

  • I loved the themes that are showcased in the story, and makes me appreciate this movie even more.

  • Stay throughout the whole end credits. There were some nice touches shown there that adds to the story.

NEGATIVES…

  • Like I implied, the plot for this movie is still generally formulaic, and can be very predictable. Expect some familiar plot tropes to show up.

  • There are some logical inconsistencies found here and there. Whether it’s some visual references or some plot details.

  • I also found some of the plot turns in this film to be a little manipulative.

  • Several of the humor are clearly geared for a more younger crowd that would laugh at a joke about giant blueberries in places where they shouldn’t be. *groan*

  • Apparently this movie is also not above using some very dated pop culture jokes.

P.S….

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Ad Astra

POSITIVES…

  • As far as sci-fi movies goes, this one paints a fascinating near future scenario that’s absolutely worth exploring.

  • The world building is awesome in this, and seems so believable. Capitalism on the moon? Of course!

  • Brad Pitt is excellent in this, and is a protagonist you can easily root for; especially given the premise he is put in.

  • The rest of the cast are solid too, but Brad Pitt kinda (positively) overshadows this movie.

  • I like the voice-over monologues here, which adds to the atmosphere and tone of the film.

  • The movie does feel like a literal visual novel come to life, especially because of the voice-over monologues.

  • Speaking of visuals. Amazing cinematography! The way this movie looks overall is just eye candy for me.

  • While the premise and plot is relatively straight forward, there is also a subtle thematic story that is carefully laid out for us to experience.

  • The journey from when the movie starts, to where it ends, is kinda epic. Some spectacular scenes and story set-pieces to catch in this.

NEGATIVES…

  • If the direction of this movie is not your cup of tea, then you might find it boring to watch.

  • Technically, things constantly happen in this movie to keep things moving, but it’s hard to argue the fact that the pacing is still pretty slow.

  • Tonally, it can also feel a little too dour.

  • There are also some plot conveniences that pushes the limits of your suspension of disbelief.

  • Sci-fi aficionados might find some fault with the movie’s science.

P.S….

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

Rambo : Last Blood

POSITIVES…

  • If you like revenge stories and protagonists who dishes out revenge, then this should get your blood boiling.

  • I suppose seeing scenes of Rambo killing bad guys is entertaining in it’s own way.

  • There’s that one scene where Rambo kills a guy “Mortal Kombat style.”

  • It’s arguably the most hardcore violent Rambo movie I think I’ve ever seen. Might be too much for some to take, but I think it actually fits well with the story.

NEGATIVES…

  • This is as generic of a revenge action thriller as they come.

  • Has a very superficial thematic story to tell.

  • Antagonists are just one-dimensional bad guys.

  • Could have probably just gone straight to home release.

  • Much too mean spirited for my taste. Especially considering what happens to a specific character in the movie.

  • Tonally, it covers a seriously heavy and dark subject matter, that it’s hard to call this a “fun” action flick.

  • Even at 89 minutes, the movie feels longer than I want it to be.

  • You want a solid movie about Americans kicking Mexican Bad Guys, that doesn’t come off as just an excuse to be exploitative like Rambo Last Blood? Go see “Sicario” instead.

P.S….

loveditenjoyeditlikedititsokay IT’S MEH itsterrible

Hustlers

POSITIVES…

  • A movie about strippers stealing money from rich people? It’s a good premise that takes you some places, and isn’t as easy as that description.

  • Story does a good job making the main characters sympathetic enough for us to get behind their criminal act.

  • Story also does a good job making the main characters objectionable enough for us to remember that they are still doing criminal acts.

  • This approach of making the main characters complicated, is what makes them well rounded and three dimensional enough to make us care, and want to see it through until the end.

  • Those main characters BTW are Constance Wu as Destiny, and Jennifer Lopez as Ramona. Both are fantastic in their roles, and both have great chemistry together on screen. Wu and Lopez really do carry the movie.

  • While it’s primarily a drama, there are some fun comedic moments, and good thrilling scenes as well.

  • There are also some titillating scenes that guys will find to be a huge positive. J-Lo doing a strip tease and showcasing her most famous body parts? Yeah that’ll get some of you guys to watch this very feminist film.

  • Writer / Director Lorene Scafaria has some really good stylistic directing choices for certain scenes. Consider me impressed with some of those decisions.

  • There are some great lines spoken by the actresses, but one of the best ones perfectly closes out the movie.

NEGATIVES…

  • There are times it felt like the movie was just spinning its wheels, as there were some scenes that came off as “filler.”

  • Not all of the plot points introduced are resolved, and that might irk some people.

  • The pacing can be a little slow at times.

  • With a 110 minutes runtime, the movie actually felt long to me.

  • “man-hating.” I’m sure there will be people out there that will toss this word around to describe the movie. The POV is a little one-sided, but not completely one-sided.

  • I get it and all, but if the movie is trying to realistically depict strippers stripping for those dolla dolla billz, I expect at least some suggestion that the strippers are actually stripping. Have it done off-frame for all I care, but when a stripper leaves the stage still pretty damn clothed after coming off a dance where she received tons of money, then that’s cheating and breaking my suspension of disbelief. Why am I ranting about this fact? eerrrmmm

P.S….

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

It Chapter Two

POSITIVES…

  • Needless to say, if you liked the first movie, you’re going to want to see how this story concludes.

  • The casting of the adult versions of the “losers” is simply top notch, and matches the stellar casting of the teenage versions.

  • Great cast overall, with stand out performances by Bill Hader, James Ransome, Jessica Chastain, Bill Skarsgard, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jaeden Martell, and also kudos to Joan Gregson for her brief role as Mrs Kersh.

  • Speaking of Bill Hader, I thought he was the real highlight of this film. His jokes mostly landed, and he happens to have the best funny scenes in the movie too.

  • James Ransome as the older version of Eddie Kaspbrak though is absolutely fantastic in how he convincingly feels like an actual adult version of Jack Dylan Grazer’s Eddie Kaspbrak.

  • He’s probably underappreciated by now, but Bill Skarsgard has some great scenes as Pennywise.

  • Visuals effects are generally nice, but it’s really the creature designs that are absolutely amazing. There are some nightmarish stuff to see here.

  • Jump scares are solid. Nothing that should traumatize you, but fun enough to watch them happen on screen.

  • There’s a great first scene that establishes the menacing uneasy tension felt throughout the movie.

  • Chinese restaurant scene. Oh boy. Good job movie!

  • This movie also adds some new themes that expands on the overall story. It’s subtle, but it’s not that deep either, but it fits with the narrative of these characters’ growth.

NEGATIVES…

  • The movie simply did not need to be 2 hours 45 minutes long. It feels like it’s 2 hours 45 minutes long, and I’m pretty sure there were things that could have been excised.

  • Maybe it’s because they figured they could be a bit indulgent with the movie, because there were scenes that I would describe as “fluff” or “filler.”

  • For a movie that’s supposed to be the second chapter, it sure regurgitated familiar plot points from the first movie / chapter. Just imagine watching both movies back to back…

  • The narrative overall felt a little muddy. It didn’t feel tight enough. Some editing of the plot and of scenes in general might have helped.

  • I didn’t think the adult version of Bill was written that well, despite McAvoy being as good as he always is.

  • The ending isn’t completely satisfying, nor are some of the plot threads that are left hanging.

  • of course, there will be those who will complain about the differences between the adaptation and the book.

  • Oh, and some people are going to think it’s not scary enough (I myself didn’t think it’s that scary, but I personally don’t consider that a negative in this case).

P.S….

  • It Chapter One was released on 8-9-2017. 8+9+2+1+7 = 27.

  • It Chapter One was also released 27 Years after the 1990 mini-series.

  • It Chapter Two was released on 9-6-2019. 9+6+2+1+9 = 27.

  • Warner Bros knows how to pick release dates.

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