Tár

POSITIVES

  • Excellent fictional biopic and character study that lets us peek into the world of musical prestige, creation, and politics. At certain points, it was like a conductor and musical theory 101 class. 

  • It’s not surprising to say this but Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár is absolutely phenomenal! Her performance is truly what makes this movie THIS movie. Blanchett is so good she makes you believe that Lydia Tár is an actual real person that she is portraying. 

  • Besides all the music stuff that music geeks are going to love, the conversations and monologues are fascinating to the point we feel like we are a fly on the wall observing them. Engrossing stuff. 

  • In terms of the narrative and plot progression, this is a movie that goes places. It has plot directions that I myself wasn’t expecting it to go, but definitely got my attention anyway. 

  • Without a doubt, this story has things to say and comment on. It has themes that took me by surprise, but ultimately did make it far more interesting than I originally expected it to be. Thought provoking stuff indeed. 

NEGATIVES

  • If you go into this movie thinking that there’s going to be a lot of scenes of conducting, composing, and music constantly being played, then you’ll be wrong. Not only that, but for a movie about musicians, it feels odd watching a film without a musical score to accompany the visuals. 

  • The many musical jargon, references, and inside jokes will probably go over many people’s heads and just confuse or frustrate them. 

  • There are some ambiguity and unexplained plot details that might also confuse or frustrate people. 

  • At a certain point you might just ask “where the heck is this movie going?!” Which in turn might make you lose interest. Also doesn’t help that there were some plot directions that I just didn’t care for at all. 

  • Gotta say that the movie did feel like it was longer than it had to be with a 158 minutes run time. 

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Tár - watched in IN THEATERS

Till

POSITIVES

  • Fictionalizing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley historically true story is a very sensitive task, but this film does an excellent job at it. This is an important heartbreaking story to tell, and is still very much relevant to this day and age.

  • Jalyn Hall is excellent as Emmett Till, but this is actually Danielle Deadwyler's movie as Mamie Till-Mobley and she is absolutely amazing in the role. What a performance!  

  • There’s a simplicity to the direction, but it was very adept in keeping us engaged and involved with this story. Especially since it’s filled with several thought provoking scenes of powerful dialogue, speeches, and testimonies.  

  • I respect their recreation of the mutilated body of Emmett Till and the detail put into it. However I would like to give an additional shout out to the cinematography for making the visuals look so vibrant in what is essentially not a flashy film. 

  • This movie is a great reminder on why you shouldn’t be racist. Let this also be a reminder to be vigilant against those who embrace bigotry and hate. 

NEGATIVES

  • You might be disappointed with this film if you were hoping to spend more time with Emmett Till. 

  • Moves at a very measured pace that some might wish it moved just a bit faster. 

  • There will be those who understandably might find it too hard to see Emmett Till’s disfigured body, as this movie was not shy about showing it. 

  • Some might protest on the facts left out of this fictionalized retelling. 

  • Sorry white folks, but I don’t think there was a single “good” white person in this. “Not being fair?” That’s debatable. Don’t get too triggered now. 

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Till - watched in IN THEATERS

Triangle of Sadness

POSITIVES

  • Looking for a movie that might scare you from getting on a cruise? Want discussions about gender role dynamics in regards to the patriarchy or matriarchy? Have opinions about capitalism vs socialism? Do you know what an OFW is? If you said yes to all that, then this is definitely the movie for you. 

  • I rather enjoyed the unexpected plot directions that this movie is willing to take. This will keep you on your toes to see what happens next. Just avoid watching the promotional trailer if you could.

  • There is some dark satirical humor in this film that should make you want to uncomfortably chuckle at or laugh out loud. It’s what makes this movie fun! In den wolken! 

  • Amazing ensemble cast of characters in this that will keep you invested in what happens to them. Great work by Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Zlatko Buric, Dolly De Leon, Vicki Berlin, Woody Harrelson, plus many more! 

  • The social political commentaries this movie makes are very much some serious topics that will keep you further invested with it. If you don’t get triggered by it first that is. 

NEGATIVES

  • Some might find the narrative to be aimless and having a tendency to meander too much. 

  • Can feel like a long movie. Maybe it should have just been a mini-series. 

  • I would say there were some legitimate plot holes that should have been addressed better. 

  • There is one particular extended sequence of seasickness that might be hard to watch. 

  • Speaking of something that's hard to watch. That scene with the animal during the third act. 

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Triangle of Sadness - watched in IN THEATERS

The Stranger

POSITIVES

  • For a true crime procedural thriller, this is actually different from the usual. Which makes it a rather interesting movie to check out. 

  • The plot unfolds in methodically fascinating ways, with it constantly presenting an ever changing narrative as things progress. 

  • Sean Harris and Joel Edgerton are excellent in this. The characters they play are pretty complicated individuals, and they gave us performances that go places. 

  • Considering the premise, there is a good amount of tension throughout that'll keep you on edge and guessing. 

  • There's a strong commentary here that only makes this movie feel even darker and scarier, and might just haunt you beyond this film. 

NEGATIVES

  • Not the fastest moving movie. Don't get too impatient now. 

  • Maybe the tone feels way too bleak and dark to put up with? This is not for everybody. 

  • Even at just under 2 hours it felt like a much longer experience. 

  • Certain plot elements could be further explained I suppose? You'll probably be heading straight to Google or Wikipedia to get the answers you are looking for.

  • The ending isn’t necessarily the most satisfying one in how it plays out. 

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The Stranger - watched it on NETFLIX

Ticket To Paradise

POSITIVES

  • Sometimes you just want to watch a pleasantly familiar romantic comedy, with appealing leading actors, that will comfortably put a smile on your face, and possibly warms your heart. This movie is simply that, and that’s absolutely okay. 

  • The cleverly amusing lines of dialogue, and the back and forth banter, should keep you delightfully entertained. Especially when paired with the multitude of scenes and moments that play off like it’s a sitcom. 

  • Julia Roberts and George Clooney. Their chemistry, charm, and wit really makes this movie worth watching. Has to also be said, but Kaitlyn Dever and Maxime Bouttier also make a very nice pair to grab your attention. 

  • It’s hard to ignore, but the location setting really adds a lot to the viewing experience and enjoyment of the movie and the plot. 

  • Considering the premise, it does share thematic commentaries about relationships and marriage that are always thought provoking, and should keep you engaged enough to see where they go with it. 

NEGATIVES

  • Alright. You’ve seen this movie before. It’s not like it suddenly introduces all these completely fresh new ideas for the genre.  

  • Oh look, well off successful people and their problems. So relatable? 

  • Discuss among yourselves whether the people of color represented in this are just used as props or have actual agency in this story. I know this movie conveniently ignores a lot of the cultural political aspects of reality and prefers to have a more idealized perspective on things. So if you’re looking for more beyond what is presented, then you will probably be disappointed. 

  • No shade to Billie Lourde, but she plays such a cliche of a character. It felt like she was either just conveniently included for certain plot points, or a lot of her scenes were just removed from the final cut. Seemed completely unnecessary. 

  • Hope you don’t mind, and I guess it’s kinda a spoiler, but this does go for that cliche ending. Just in case you were hoping for an infinitely more compelling conclusion. 

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Ticket to Paradise - watched in IN THEATERS

Black Adam

POSITIVES

  • For those wanting their Superman or Shazam type DCEU character to be a bit more edgier, angrier, and be someone willing to just kill bad guys, then this movie might just offer what you’re looking for. 

  • You come into this movie for all that super powered people action right? It’s got that here and all, but it’s how it successfully integrates slow-motion and speed into the action that I found quite entertaining for the eyes. 

  • Speaking of super powered people, I rather liked seeing the Justice Society heroes here. The actors who gave those characters personality were all pretty solid, so kudos to Pierce Brosnan as Dr Fate, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone. More of them please. 

  • Gotta hand it to the editing of this movie. At being a 2 hours movie, this thing just moves at a solid pace, with continuous set pieces after set pieces that are designed to keep grabbing your attention. 

  • There’s definitely a thematic narrative focus on what it means to be a hero in a very politically charged world, which does bring up some interesting things to think about. Especially considering the anti-hero of a lead character here. 

NEGATIVES

  • Has all the elements of being an exciting and fun movie, but ends up just being a slightly exciting and moderately fun watch. Doesn’t help that its attempts at humor just come off as amateurish. 

  • As a comic book movie, this is as derivative and unremarkable as they go. Expect the usual plot tropes, cliches, lazy writing, lapse in logic, and uninspired narrative. 

  • Exposition done well is good writing. The exposition in this movie is a bit excessive, kinda clumsily written, and at worst just boring. 

  • I have issues with how they initially portray Teth-Adam to be someone completely unaware of his surroundings or just plain ignorant. All for that attempt at humor? It also doesn’t help that he is one of the least interesting characters in this movie. 

  • Most everything to do with that Amon Tomaz. No shade to the actor, but the character he plays is kinda annoying. 

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Black Adam - watched in IN THEATERS

Rosaline

POSITIVES

  • You've seen many different takes of the Romeo & Juliet story, but this addition of Rosaline into the mythos is actually decently entertaining to see in this comedic narrative. 

  • Comedy plays on self-awareness, physical gags, play on words, awkward situations, and running jokes. It has fun with the material and I rather liked that! 

  • Cast is adorably charming and playful with their roles, anchored by the incredible Kaitlyn Dever in the lead role. Excellent work as well by Isabela Merced, Sean Teale, Kyle Allen, Bradley Whitford, Minnie Driver, Christopher McDonald, and many more. 

  • Alright, I have to admit that the set locations and costume design are fantastic, and only positively add to the movie! 

  • The modern sensibilities and social commentaries applied to this story do stand out a lot. However it is also what gives this movie that solid light-hearted enjoyably casual tone that works really well with the premise. 

NEGATIVES

  • I'm sure there are those who will protest about the modern touches to this adaptation. 

  • This is not without its derivative plot and character tropes. So expect some familiarity with the narrative. 

  • It's definitely not what I would call a challenging movie to watch, and it's probably only memorable to a certain point. 

  • Okay, there's this quirk that Rosaline has that's supposed to be humorously endearing, but it just reminds me of the plot conveniences this movie has to rely on sometimes. 

  • Sean Teale looks so much like a younger Oscar Isaac that it's very distracting. You'd think it was a deep fake special effect or something. 

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Rosaline - watched it on HULU

Halloween Ends

POSITIVES

  • The title of the movie implies that this is presumably the last Halloween installment with Michael Myers and Laurie Strode. Let’s consider it a positive then that this does live up to the title and indeed ends things. It’s about time. 

  • Jamie Lee Curtis will forever remain awesome as Laurie. Strong work by Rohan Campbell as well who turned out to be an interesting addition to this franchise. 

  • Death scenes. When they happen, they don’t hold back that much on how bloody gruesome they are. That’s what we want from a Halloween movie right? 

  • Some solid sequences in this movie. That intro scene. The house with a pool. The scrap yard. The final battle. 

  • There's a thematic lesson to the structure of this story that I appreciated it attempting to do. 

NEGATIVES

  • Gotta say, this is absolutely not the movie that people expected for the presumably last Halloween movie. I see a lot of disappointed fans. 

  • Why is this movie just wasting so much time with all these little derivative plot threads? Just get to the reason why we’re even watching this movie already! 

  • Stupid decisions and plot choices that I really did not care for. 

  • There are some stupid unnecessary jump scares in this. It's kinda embarrassing. 

  • That ending. Seriously? That’s how they are going to conclude this decades long story? I’m shaking my head right now while giving myself a facepalm. 

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Halloween Ends - watched it on PEACOCK

My Best Friend's Exorcism

POSITIVES

  • Just from the movie's title, you're probably expecting the exorcism scenes to be solid, and the unfortunate events that lead up to that to be fascinating right? I would say yes to both of those. 

  • Using the ‘80s as the backdrop and Catholic school girls for characters in this demonic possession movie is a pretty great choice for this story, as there are multiple plot points that took good advantage of that. 

  • The cast of actresses are great in this. Elsie Fisher as Abby and Amiah Miller as Gretchen are both fantastic in this, and it's easy to get invested with what happens to them. Cathy Ang, Rachel Ogechi Kanu, Chris Lowell, and Clayton Johnson round out the supporting cast and are also quite good. 

  • In what might be considered a twist, the “horror” found in this movie do not focus as much on the supernatural aspects, but cover more of the real world horrors teenagers might be dealing with. Some tough subject matters here that add a lot of interesting drama. 

  • There is some welcome humor in this movie that cuts through the seriousness, usually involving “the Lemon Brothers.” Kudos to Chris Lowell's comedic sensibilities to try and lighten things up. 

NEGATIVES

  • It's not exactly what one would call a fun horror movie in the typical fun horror movie sense if that’s what you were hoping for. 

  • The tone may be too downbeat to the point where it feels like it's too much of a downer and a chore to watch through. 

  • For those thinking that this is a "safe" movie for kids and teens to watch. You're wrong. It gets pretty adult with some of the subject matters addressed, which admittedly also ruins any sort of fun this movie could be having instead. 

  • OMG there were some disgusting moments in this. Did not need to see all that. 

  • Makes fun of Christians and Christianity, so somebody might be offended by that. 

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My Best Friend's Exorcism - watched it on PRIME VIDEO

Significant Other

POSITIVES

  • If you needed something to scare you about backpacking in the woods, or being in a relationship, then this just might be the movie for you. A movie that has a clever self awareness to it, and not above having some humor, or special effects. All within an 84 minutes movie running time. 

  • Needless to say, considering the premise, the visuals and cinematography that captures the locations are fantastic to look at. 

  • Maika Monroe and Jake Lacy are excellent in this. They perfectly carry this movie with their chemistry, their interactions with each other, and their conversations. Observing what the characters do in this movie is what it's all about after all. 

  • Out of all the plot developments that occur in this, two particular ones made this more fascinating, interesting, and surprising than I initially anticipated. It's going to make you curious into seeing how it's going to conclude. That "just do it" scene definitely did that for me. 

  • There are some thought provoking subject matters that are brought up in this story that do enhance the narrative and the characters' situation. 

NEGATIVES

  • Okay, maybe it's not totally the movie that will scare you about backpacking in the woods, or about being in a relationship. Definitely not the be-all end-all of that if that's what you were actually hoping for. 

  • Felt like they kinda jumped the gun with that huge plot reveal during the first 3 minutes of the movie. Pretty much pointless to continue trying to tease that for a good portion of the movie.  

  • The attempts at jump scares aren't impressive at all. Shouldn't have bothered. 

  • Okay, there's that one ridiculous convenient plot point (water's involved) that made me go "Oh Come On You've Got To Be Kidding Me With That!"

  • That ending seemed too conventional and so typical of these kinds of movies nowadays.  

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Significant Other - watched it on PARAMOUNT +