Special: A Quiet Place Part II, Tom & Jerry, I Care A Lot Mini-Reviews

A Quiet Place Part II:

Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

My thoughts: Krasinski did a master class in world building during the first film as we nervously inched towards seeing the monsters. Part II continues his knack for storytelling in this world as without the monsters to dangle in front of us like a carrot, he finds other meaningful ways to keep us on the edge of our seats. We also get a new level of grief our characters (both old and new) have to deal with as in the first it had been a while since their child was killed, this flick picks up shortly after the fathers (played by Krasinski) death in the first film so we get to navigate how each remaining family member deal with it and it shows how individuals deal with grief in their own way.

Final verdict: 4 worthwhile sequels out of 5.

Tom & Jerry:

Synopsis: A legendary rivalry reemerges when Jerry moves into New York City's finest hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century, forcing the desperate event planner to hire Tom to get rid of him. As mayhem ensues, the escalating cat-and-mouse battle soon threatens to destroy her career, the wedding, and possibly the hotel itself.

My thoughts: It's pretty harmless fare. I grew up loving the Tom & Jerry Kids Cartoon as a child in the 90's however call me crazy but a movie called "Tom & Jerry" should probably take the lead. Instead, they act as auxiliary characters to Chloe Grace Moretz who lied her way into a lead promotion at a hotel setting up a big celeb wedding with no experience. What could PAWssibly go wrong? 

Final verdict: 3 fake hotel staff out of 5.

I Care A Lot:

Synopsis: Poised with sharklike self-assurance, Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) is a professional, court-appointed guardian for dozens of elderly wards whose assets she seizes and cunningly bilks through dubious but legal means. It's a well-oiled racket that Marla and her business-partner and lover Fran (Eiza González) use with brutal efficiency on their latest "cherry," Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest) -- a wealthy retiree with no living heirs or family. But when their mark turns out to have an equally shady secret of her own and connections to a volatile gangster (Peter Dinklage), Marla is forced to level up in a game only predators can play -- one that's neither fair, nor square.

My thoughts: I was shocked when I went to RT to get the above synopsis and seen such a low audience score. I was shocked watching this wondering if guardians could really do these things. Pike is a tour de force in this one as she actively makes you hate her to the point you root for the power hungry, drug kingpin to win and although things do go sideways multiple times the movie is able to keep pulling you in for more.

Final verdict: 4 sleezy retirement homes out of 5.

Special: The Addams Family, Ready Or Not, Annabelle Comes Home Mini-Reviews

The Addams Family:

Synopsis: Get ready to snap your fingers! The first family of Halloween, the Addams Family, is back on the big screen in the first animated comedy about the kookiest family on the block. Funny, outlandish, and completely iconic, the Addams Family redefines what it means to be a good neighbor.

My thoughts: The Addams Family was a fine film for both kids and adults alike but at the same time it didn't do anything to wow me unlike other animated films I've seen this year. If anything it made me want to revisit the previous films and television series. The voice acting was top notch, unfortunately the filmmakers decided to use the Addams clan as an excuse to pigeonhole political correctness into the flick, I'm not against it at all but the way it was presented could definitely use some work.

Final verdict: 3.5 severed hands out of 5.

Ready Or Not:

Synopsis: Ready Or Not follows a young bride (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband's (Mark O'Brien) rich, eccentric family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.

My thoughts: This movie is a great blend of horror and comedy with subtle political notes to the subject of the class system. Ready Or Not takes your favourite horror movie tropes, turns them on their head, makes a joke out of it and yet you still can't get enough. Weaving is excellent and may see herself cast in similar roles given her horror chops. The supporting cast is excellent as well but I can not give enough credit to the directors for building this masterpiece through well timed gags and incredible pacing.

Final verdict: 4.5 dead wait staff out of 5.

Annabelle Comes Home:

Synopsis: Determined to keep Annabelle from wreaking more havoc, demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren bring the possessed doll to the locked artifacts room in their home, placing her "safely" behind sacred glass and enlisting a priest's holy blessing. But an unholy night of horror awaits as Annabelle awakens the evil spirits in the room, who all set their sights on a new target -- the Warrens' ten-year-old daughter, Judy, and her friends.

My thoughts: Probably my favourite of the Annabelle series, though that isn't exactly a ringing endorsement... Despite Creation's stellar reviews I did not like it, I also don't particularly like this film either that is probably the tamest of the Conjuring franchise but at least our actresses give great performances.

Final verdict: 3 dumb babysitters out of 5.

Special: Annabelle/This Is Where I Leave You/The Equalizer Mini-Reviews

It's been a while since I did one of these mini-review sets. I did it with new comic series a while back and since October is another hot bed for new series you can likely expect another but last night I attended my local drive-in for a triple feature night so let's talk briefly about each.

Annabelle:

"Before there was The Conjuring, there was Annabelle" Warner Bros. tagline for their creepy doll horror flick that serves as a quasi-prequel to last summer's breakout horror hit The Conjuring. Annabelle tells the story of a newly married couple, expecting their first child, that has occultist's run into their home after killing their next door neighbours, the occultist girls maternal parents, they escape unharmed however as the police kill the male and the girl died of an apparent suicide with a doll in her arms, Annabelle. In typical horror movie fashion the doll follows the couple and their newborn baby and torments them.

My thoughts? This movie was boring. It borrowed from some of the worst movie franchises without bringing anything new to the table. Their was one truly scary moment that didn't rely on failed jump scares. How bored was I? I timed the damn movie, 50 minutes before we actually see the damn doll move, that's right over half the runtime was setting up that there is clearly something wrong with this doll. There was nothing particularly good about this movie, the only good thing I can say about it is at least it's not Paranormal Activity 4. I wasn't particularly fond of The Conjuring either, it was just okay, but at least I didn't dislike it.

Final verdict: 2 out of 5 creepy porcelain dolls.

This Is Where I Leave You:

When their father passes away, four grown siblings, Judd, Wendy, Paul and Philip are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother. Judd is dealing with the impending divorce from his wife Gwen after catching her in bed with her boss on her birthday. Wendy's return home reminds her of her past love she left behind in order to leave town, now stuck in a loveless marriage she wonders what might have happened had she stayed. Paul never left home and shared the family business with his father though his wife, Judd's ex-girlfriend, are trying desperately to have children and the stress is affecting both of them. Philip, the youngest, brings his new girlfriend for the family to meet, a world renown psychiatrist who's closer to his mother's age than his.

My thoughts? With an extremely likable cast, who shine brightly throughout despite that this is really Bateman's rodeo, and very funny moments I'd like to say this movie was better but in reality it was really flawed. There were no surprises as things started to unfold. Upon meeting everyone and finding out their relationships and problems you can pretty much map out what is going to happen. Don't get me wrong, this is a good movie I would recommend to anyone, but it was very similar to other problematic family movies such as The Savages and The Way Way Back with it's overly used cliches.

Final verdict: 3 (bordering on 4) out of 5 dysfunctional families.

The Equalizer:

In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays Robert McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalise the helpless, McCall soon realises he's made more enemies than he had originally anticipated, but he's prepared to fight for what's right. He is The Equalizer.

This was a silly, silly movie. It tried to be ultra-violent while showing very little in the way of violence. They show a drill and insinuate it is going into someones head and you hear screams then see a bloody drill bit. That being said, this movie was never not entertaining. Most say Denzel is one of the last true stars in Hollywood as his last movie as a leading male to not open above 20 million was the awful Out Of Time back in 2003 which opened to a paltry 16 million. Moretz isn't given as big of a role as the studio wants you to think but she's the moral centre of the film so although she may not be there she's constantly on your mind. Antoine Fuqua's direction is solid, despite the silliness and I'll always watch Denzel bust some bad guys. The movie did feel a little bit long especially since you can pinpoint a handful of points when Denzel could put an end to the mob and vice-versa but that's Hollywood for you.

Final verdict: 4 out of 5 bloody hardware tools.