Special: Kimi, The Ice Age Adventures Of Buck Wild, Uncharted Mini-Reviews

Kimi

Synopsis: An agoraphobic tech worker discovers recorded evidence of a violent crime but is met with resistance when she tries to report it. Seeking justice, she must now do the thing she fears the most: she must leave her apartment.

My thoughts: Ten years ago Steven Soderbergh would've been on a very shortlist of my favourite directors but he just hasn't delivered recently. Kimi is no exception to that unfortunately. The saving grace that Kimi has is it's short run time, but on the negative side. Only 20 of the 85 minutes gets interesting and it's the last 20 minutes. The moments leading up to it is very predictable but hey if you're looking for a free look at Zoe Kravitz's boobs then Kimi is the film for you. Talking on Zoe as the whole she plays a broken woman very well but when she's not doing that it's hard to believe that same broken woman would react as she does.

Final verdict: 3 electronic assistants out of 5.

The Ice Age Adventures Of Buck Wild

Synopsis: "The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild" continues the hilarious escapades of the sub-zero heroes as they create more prehistoric pandemonium. Eager for a little independence, the thrill-seeking possum brothers Crash and Eddie set out to find a place of their own but soon find themselves trapped beneath the ice in a massive cave inhabited by dinosaurs. They are rescued by the one-eyed, adventure-loving weasel Buck Wild, and together, with the help of some new friends, embark on a mission to save the Lost World from dinosaur domination.

My thoughts: The Ice Age franchise has been rough for years. Similar to Hotel Transylvania the movies have gotten progressively worse and that remains the same here. I'm not sure I'll say this is a new low for the franchise but that's mostly because the previous films have been low quality as well. I think at this point Ice Age should fall into forgotten TV land.

Final verdict: 3 prehistoric adventures out of 5.

Uncharted

Synopsis: Street-smart thief Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs. If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world's oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate's long-lost brother...but only if they can learn to work together.

My thoughts: A fun enough action adventure romp that keeps you interested the whole way through. There was lots of silly parts that made little to no sense but if you suspend disbelief you'll absolutely adore this film.

Final verdict: 4 lost treasures out of 5.

Special: The Suicide Squad, Luca, Breaking News In Yuba County Mini-Reviews

The Suicide Squad:

Synopsis: Welcome to hell--a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out--even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today's do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone's favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave...and Amanda Waller's government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they're dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone's laying down bets, the smart money is against them--all of them.

My thoughts: I actually enojyed David Ayer's previous adaptation of the Suicide Squad to the big screen it had it's issues but was an enjoyable romp. James Gunn's turn in the directors chair brings back fan favourites Harley Quinn, Rick Flagg Jr and Captain Boomerang to pair with a new cast of characters lead by Bloodsport. Gunn did a fantastic job turning expectations on it's head throughout the film and giving us reason to care about these characters even more than this DC fanboy did before. R-Rated gore, language and even a nude man's penis shows that comic book movies can be anything you want it to be.

Final verdict: 5 bags of dicks for liberty out of 5.

Luca:

Synopsis: Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar's original feature film "Luca" is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, Alberto (voice of Jack Dylan Grazer), but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water's surface.

My thoughts: Pixar gives us a beautiful picture with a story full of heart and hope. I feel like that can be copy and pasted into any of their pictures. Luca doesn't try nearly as hard as last year's Soul but executes it better. It shoots straight for your emotions, sometimes too much as it gets caught up in the attempt to make you feel something rather than just try to move the story forward. Overall a super fun Italian romp with sea monsters getting their land legs.

Final verdict: 4 stupido's out of 5.

Breaking News In Yuba County:

Synopsis: A woman takes advantage of her growing celebrity status when the police and the public think her dead husband is just missing.

My thoughts: This one is hard to pin down as it's a bit of a quirky comedy that knows it's quirky and throws itself into that fully. In the end though it seems to get lost in itself and ends up looking like a parody of a better movie. The script had some good dialogue and the performances by the ensemble was strong but this group of actresses deserved a better end product.

Final verdict: 3 ignored wives out of 5.

Special: Black Widow, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines Mini-Reviews

Black Widow:

Synopsis: Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

My thoughts: Give me all the Yelena (Florence Pugh) content going forward. I never really felt connected to Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow as she was always kinda stuck in the background and now that she's no longer in the MCU in real time. Marvel decided to give her a movie that takes place after Civil War, only to be outshined by the younger, more interesting and more personable character of Yelena. It's clear the Marvel brass has big plans for this character now and I'm pumped. The movie also had enough comedic bits to keep my wife entertained so that's always a plus for me personally. 

Final verdict: 4.5 tightfitting superhero suits out of 5.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It:

Synopsis: "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.

My thoughts: They slapped the Conjuring name on this flick but it feels like a spin-off more than the main line series. This could be because Wan stepped away from the Director's chair and he was sorely missed. This third installment, although oddly not named Conjuring 3, is a step above the recent spin-off's from the Conjuring franchise but a far cry from the original two movies that made this a behemoth of a movie franchise.

Final verdict: 3.5 Warren files out of 5.

The Mitchells Vs. The Machines:

Synopsis: Young Katie Mitchell embarks on a road trip with her proud parents, younger brother and beloved dog to start her first year at film school. But their plans to bond as a family soon get interrupted when the world's electronic devices come to life to stage an uprising. With help from two friendly robots, the Mitchells must now come together to save one another -- and the planet -- from the new technological revolution.

My thoughts: The newest flick from Pixar delivers! Wait what? This was a Sony movie... Are you sure? The Mitchells Vs. The Machines offers eye-popping animation, a ton of laughs, a ton of emotional moments, a great heartwarming story with an incredible message attached (sound familiar?) This Sony flick they released for free on Netflix is basically an instant animation classic that I would watch over The Incredibles any day.

Final verdict: 5 family road trips out of 5.

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: Raya And The Last Dragon, Godzilla Vs. Kong, Bad Trip Mini-Reviews

Raya And The Last Dragon:

Synopsis: Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned and it's up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the last dragon in order to finally stop the Druun for good. However, along her journey, she'll learn that it'll take more than dragon magic to save the world--it's going to take trust as well.

My thoughts: Sometimes Raya takes the message it's pushing too far and it disrupts the storytelling that we're getting but that's about where the negatives end. This might be Disney's best output since 2016 but we'll see if Raya can stand the test of time over the next few years but the animation is certainly the best the studio has managed since that time if not longer.

Final verdict: 4 ancient dragon spirits out of 5.

Godzilla Vs. Kong:

Synopsis: Legends collide in "Godzilla vs. Kong" as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans--instigated by unseen forces--is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.

My thoughts: Godzilla Vs. Kong gives us what is promised, two big monsters fighting each other. They give us this at the expense of human character development, which honestly I wouldn't hate if executed properly but it still makes us spend a large amount of time with these human characters we don't know enough about to care, with the exception of Millie Bobby Brown who was fleshed out in the previous film.

Final verdict: 3.5 fighting titans out of 5.

Bad Trip:

Synopsis: Hidden cameras capture two best friends pulling hilarious and inventive pranks on an unsuspecting public.

My thoughts: I'm notoriously hard on hidden camera movies as it's only half acting. That being said Bad Trip is one of the better ones, though as noted, that's not saying much. Eric Andre, Tiffany Haddish and Lil Rel Howery run through the states causing chaos along the way. Unfortunately there's equally as much cringe as there was laughs.

Final verdict: 3 prank shows turned into movies out of 5.

Special: Moxie, The Little Things, One Night In Miami... Mini-Reviews

Moxie:

Synopsis: Vivian (Hadley Robinson), a seemingly shy 16-year-old, has always preferred to keep her head down and fly under the radar. But when the arrival of a new student (Alycia Pascual-Peña) forces her to examine the unchecked behavior of her fellow students running rampant at her high school, Vivian realizes she's fed up. Inspired by her mother's (Amy Poehler) rebellious past, Vivian anonymously publishes an underground zine called Moxie to expose bias and wrongdoing in her high school, and unexpectedly sparks a movement. Now at the center of a revolution, Vivian begins to forge new friendships with other young women and allies, reaching across the divide of cliques and clubs as they learn to navigate the highs and lows of high school together.

My thoughts: As a white male who fully realizes his priviledge, this tale set against the backdrop of sexism and (to a lesser degree) racism really spoke to me more than most movies about this subject. Maybe it's because it was in a high school setting where I recognize some of the happenings mirroring things I saw happen in high school. Anyone can pick something out of this, whether it's the mistreatment of certain groups or to learn how to become an ally to a cause. Equal parts heartwarming and rage inducing, Moxie should not be missed.

Final verdict: 4.5 zines out of 5.

The Little Things:

Synopsis: Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.

My thoughts: It's been a while since I saw a slow burn thriller like this and The Little Things makes me miss the style even more as it's far from perfect. The cast are solid throughout (which you can see based on the poster it would be). But the pacing and director John Lee Hancock is uneven (a normal complaint about his work). The ending was solid, though I can see a bunch of people being mad about it. Jumping into these characters psyche's was my favourite part and I was left satisfied come the end credits but I wonder what could've been if wound up a little tighter overall.

Final verdict: 3.5 hair clips out of 5.

One Night In Miami...

Synopsis: On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali, (Eli Goree), defeats heavy weight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).

My thoughts: Generally in period drama's accuracy comes into play... But director Regina King says fuck that in her directorial debut. The cast is strong and the story is poignant however I can't help but feel they pulled us in multiple different directions without much purpose and the film was longer than it needed to be.

Final verdict: 3.5 what ifs out of 5.

Special: Flora & Ulysses, Judas And The Black Messiah, Outside The Wire Mini-Reviews

Flora & Ulysses:

Synopsis: An imaginative and creative 10-year old cynic never could have predicted that her little squirrel would be born anew as a superhero and have the uncanny knack for helping her and the lovable but broken people in her life.

My thoughts: This had a chance to be really good, but it also had the chance to be really cheesy (and not in the good way). Flora & Ulysses walked the tight rope as well as it could and ended up in the middle of the two outcomes. We've seen some stinker VFX on Disney+ thus far but this flick safely avoids that as most of the visuals are well done. The acting was about as good as you can expect it given the premises and Danny Pudi makes for quite the menacing (and hilarious) villain. The film is overall charming but lacked it in a couple key places which did hold the film back.

Final verdict: 3.5 comic books out of 5.

Judas And The Black Messiah:

Synopsis: FBI informant William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton. A career thief, O'Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell. Hampton's political prowess grows just as he's falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson. Meanwhile, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover commands?

My thoughts: A great movie from most angles that is expected to do well come award season. I find the film does the bare minimum in developing our two main characters so that we care about what happens to them and in saying that, how was this over 2 hours? With that kind of runtime I'd expect better but instead of focusing on the negatives I'll simply enjoy the overall package delivered to us.

Final verdict: 4 revolutions out of 5.

Outside The Wire:

Synopsis: In the near future, a drone pilot sent into a war zone finds himself paired up with a top-secret android officer on a mission to stop a nuclear attack.

My thoughts: I had assumed we'd get better out of this movie. Sci-Fi isn't my favourite genre but I figured Mackie could command my attention for 2 hours and although that was mostly true, the premise left me scratching my head more often than not. The ending of the film had a chance to challenge the perception of the viewer but instead slapped a bow on it and gave us an expected ending. 

Final verdict: 3 bionic men out of 5.