Synopsis: Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings" stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi's friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan.
My thoughts: Saying I had low expectations for this film would probably be wrong but they were low by Marvel movie standards and all Shang-Chi did was completely destroy them to give us not only one of the best stand-alone Marvel movies in years but definitely in the running for best of 2021. The visuals were spectacular as you can tell they took their world creation inspiration from Black Panther but with an Oriental twist and the acting was top notch as the actors had a lot to play with given the strong script with loads of heart, humour and emotion as well as the typical real life issue angle which they went with Millennial careers and family structure which was not the obvious choice.
Final verdict: 5 sealed gates out of 5.
Synopsis: For as long as residents can remember, the housing projects of Chicago's Cabrini-Green neighborhood were terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand, easily summoned by those daring to repeat his name five times into a mirror. In present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, visual artist Anthony McCoy and his partner, gallery director Brianna Cartwright, move into a luxury loft condo in Cabrini, now gentrified beyond recognition and inhabited by upwardly mobile millennials. With Anthony's painting career on the brink of stalling, a chance encounter with a Cabrini-Green old-timer exposes Anthony to the tragically horrific nature of the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, Anthony begins to explore these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.
My thoughts: I liked the angle they took with Candyman, not seeing the original I'm glad they built off it without leaving new viewers confused. The twist wasn't too much of a shocker but it had enough elements that I didn't see coming to be entertained and although horror isn't my preferred genre I wasn't upset I watched this even if the script could've drawn out more story instead of showing some random killings of characters we barely know.
Final verdict: 3.5 hook hands out of 5.
Synopsis: Pixie Hardy sets out to avenge her mother's death and attempts a heist that will give her the means to leave her small-town life behind. When the plan goes horribly wrong, she's forced to team up with a pair of misfits who are clearly in over their heads. On the run from a criminal gang of priests and nuns, the trio tries to scheme and swindle anyone they come across.
My thoughts: Pixie was just a little too weird for me. I'm not sure if British fare isn't for me, or it was just this movie in particular but Pixie sounded like something up my alley but this just didn't do it for me. Not to say this movie is all bad. The actors did well with what they were given, the cringe parts were meant to be that way and there was some genuine laughs I'm just not sure I'll ever revisit this flick.
Final verdict: 3 interrupted threesomes out of 5.
