It's been awhile since I've done a review rundown, so here goes:
"Uncut Gems" - I loved every second, but I'd completely understand somebody who hates it. Directed by the promising young Safdie brothers, who did one of 2017's most underrated flicks, "Good Time," with Robert Pattinson. Adam Sandler gets a late-career reinvention and proves that he can be a fantastic dramatic actor if given the right material. Some movies just feel alive ("Pulp Fiction," "Goodfellas") and while this isn't on par with those mentioned, it's in the same vein. Pure adrenaline.
"The Lighthouse" - David Lynchian nightmare flick about two lighthouse keepers at the turn of the century. This was a freakshow, and I loved almost every second of it. Directed by the dude who gave us "The Witch" a few years ago, it's a must-see for anybody who likes arthouse horror. The black-and-white cinematography alone is worth the price of admission, and Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are fantastic.
"The Rise Of Skywalker" - I'm not a Star Wars guy, so I'm not the right person to give an accurate review. I will say that I was moderately entertained for the majority of the running time, so that's got to be worth something.
"1917" - I'm a sucker for the one-long-take gimmick, and this movie nails it. Places you right in the trenches in WWI. Fantastic war movie, and really frays the nerves.
"6 Underground" - Michael Bay on crack. You know if you're interested based on those four words.
"Queen & Slim" - Well acted, well-paced and well directed, this is a modern day Bonnie and Clyde for black audiences. Good movie.
"Knives Out" - I really enjoyed this. A modern-day "Clue" with a crack A-list cast. A lot of fun.
"A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood" - Tom Hanks plays Fred Rogers as a mildly creepy, possibly autistic, saint. Which, for all we know, might be correct. A tearjerking crowd-pleaser, but very well made and acted. Your mom and wife will love it.
"Frozen II" - Took my two year old to see this (her first movie in the theater) and left after an hour, because she was crawling all over the recliners. Suffice to say, I couldn't be happier. This movie sucked.
"Ford v Ferrari" - Old-fashioned crowd-pleasing moviemaking, almost to a fault. Does nothing new, but what it does do it does well. Your dad and husband will love it.
"Honey Boy" - Shia LeBeouf has returned with a vengeance in 2019 with this and "Peanut Butter Falcon," another indie gem. This is his autobiographical story of living in a motel with his abusive father as a child actor. Brutal, touching, funny. LeBeouf gives a gut-wrenching performance as his father, a role that couldn't have been easy to play.
"Midway" - A war movie by the man who gave us "The Day After Tomorrow," "2012," and "Independence Day." Take from that what you will. More "Pearl Harbor" than "1912."
"Doctor Sleep" - This quasi-sequel to "The Shining" worked on nearly every level for me. Director Mike Flanagan has become a must-see in the horror genre, with "Oculus," "Ouija: Origin Of Evil," "The Haunting Of Hill House," "Gerald's Game," and "Hush." He perfectly mixes the cold atmospheric dread of Kubrick's "The Shining" film with Stephen King's warmer, character-driven source material. This is better than the book it was based on, and I'm confused as to why it bombed so spectacularly at the box office. I think this gets a major second life on streaming and BluRay; it certainly deserves it. Speaking of Stephen King...
"IT: Chapter Two" - While I understand that it's flawed, I had a blast for the near three-hour running time. Works as a perfect companion piece to "IT: Chapter One." The adult cast all pretty much nail their younger counterparts, and the scares here, while relying a bit too much on CGI, worked for me, in a creature-feature "The Thing" way. It does have some pacing problems, while somehow managing to fill overstuffed at three hours. I'm really interested in hearing the rumored six hour director's cut of both films together. See this if you liked the first installment.
"The Irishman" - A perfect coda to Martin Scorsese's gangster films. Three and a half hours of masters at work -- Pesci, Pacino, De Niro have rarely been better. This is much more in the vein of "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull" than the adrenaline rushes of "Goodfellas" and "Casino," but it was a masterpiece, all the same. Some will be turned off by it's generous running time and deliberate pace, but for the patient viewers, it has so much to offer. The last thirty minutes alone is worth the time.
"Marriage Story" - Kramer vs Kramer for 2019. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannsen are both excellent in their respective roles, and it only resorts to melodrama in one Oscar-baiting scene, but I'm not sure how much watching a fraying relationship ending in divorce is a draw for mass audiences.
"Terminator: Dark Fate" - This movie was okay and probably the best of the sequels after 2, but that's not exactly high praise. I think it's time to permanently Terminate this franchise.
"Jojo Rabbit" - Bootleg version of a Wes Anderson movie that attempts to make light of Germany in WWII. I get that the theme of the film was love and acceptance, but it still seemed a little off to watch a bumbling Hitler yukking it up for laughs. I didn't like Taika Waititi's "Thor: Ragnarok" and I can't say I liked this very much, either.
"Zombieland: Double Tap" - Did you like "Zombieland" way back in 2009? Yes? You'll like this. No? Pass. It's literally the same movie.
"Dolemite Is My Name" - This was a blast. Eddie Murphy puts in a late-career effort that rivals Sandler's in "Uncut Gems," proving that, like Sandler, Murphy is still a force to be reckoned with if given the right material. Rudy Ray Moore was a niche comedian, so this will be a niche movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Joker" - Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely riveting. I loved the gritty approach to the material, which reminded me of Scorsese's 70s fare ("Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver.")
"Bloodline" - Stifler as a serial killer. This was pretty mediocre.
"High Life" - Robert Pattinson continues his indie-darling career resurgence in this slow, dark, depressing sci-fi film about a group of death row inmates who elect to be shot into a black hole. This was arthouse pretension at its silliest. Speaking of space...
"Ad Astra" - Brad Pitt looks depressed in space for two hours in this low-rent Kubrick knockoff. Usually a big fan of Pitt and his career choices, but this movie didn't really move me much... Speaking of Pitt...
"Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" - Quentin Tarantino's love letter to Hollywood in the end of Hollywood's Golden Age. No particular plot to speak of, but so many incredible moments and performances. I loved this movie, and have seen it twice since my initial viewing. I keep finding things I love in my repeat watches. Not everyone will love this because of the length and the wandering plot, but for those attuned to its specific wavelength, it's a near-masterpiece.
"Ready Or Not" - This movie ROCKED. Loved it, and one of my favorites of the year. Check it out.
"Angel Has Fallen" - Time for Gerard Butler's career to be taken out to pasture. This movie was not very good.
"Good Boy" - "Superbad" with 10 year olds and a weaker script. Take from that what you will.
"Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" - Creature feature junk for tweens. It was fine for what it is. Some memorable moments.
"Spiderman: Far From Home" - Lame.
"Hobbs & Shaw" - Ugh.
"Uncut Gems" - I loved every second, but I'd completely understand somebody who hates it. Directed by the promising young Safdie brothers, who did one of 2017's most underrated flicks, "Good Time," with Robert Pattinson. Adam Sandler gets a late-career reinvention and proves that he can be a fantastic dramatic actor if given the right material. Some movies just feel alive ("Pulp Fiction," "Goodfellas") and while this isn't on par with those mentioned, it's in the same vein. Pure adrenaline.
"The Lighthouse" - David Lynchian nightmare flick about two lighthouse keepers at the turn of the century. This was a freakshow, and I loved almost every second of it. Directed by the dude who gave us "The Witch" a few years ago, it's a must-see for anybody who likes arthouse horror. The black-and-white cinematography alone is worth the price of admission, and Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are fantastic.
"The Rise Of Skywalker" - I'm not a Star Wars guy, so I'm not the right person to give an accurate review. I will say that I was moderately entertained for the majority of the running time, so that's got to be worth something.
"1917" - I'm a sucker for the one-long-take gimmick, and this movie nails it. Places you right in the trenches in WWI. Fantastic war movie, and really frays the nerves.
"6 Underground" - Michael Bay on crack. You know if you're interested based on those four words.
"Queen & Slim" - Well acted, well-paced and well directed, this is a modern day Bonnie and Clyde for black audiences. Good movie.
"Knives Out" - I really enjoyed this. A modern-day "Clue" with a crack A-list cast. A lot of fun.
"A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood" - Tom Hanks plays Fred Rogers as a mildly creepy, possibly autistic, saint. Which, for all we know, might be correct. A tearjerking crowd-pleaser, but very well made and acted. Your mom and wife will love it.
"Frozen II" - Took my two year old to see this (her first movie in the theater) and left after an hour, because she was crawling all over the recliners. Suffice to say, I couldn't be happier. This movie sucked.
"Ford v Ferrari" - Old-fashioned crowd-pleasing moviemaking, almost to a fault. Does nothing new, but what it does do it does well. Your dad and husband will love it.
"Honey Boy" - Shia LeBeouf has returned with a vengeance in 2019 with this and "Peanut Butter Falcon," another indie gem. This is his autobiographical story of living in a motel with his abusive father as a child actor. Brutal, touching, funny. LeBeouf gives a gut-wrenching performance as his father, a role that couldn't have been easy to play.
"Midway" - A war movie by the man who gave us "The Day After Tomorrow," "2012," and "Independence Day." Take from that what you will. More "Pearl Harbor" than "1912."
"Doctor Sleep" - This quasi-sequel to "The Shining" worked on nearly every level for me. Director Mike Flanagan has become a must-see in the horror genre, with "Oculus," "Ouija: Origin Of Evil," "The Haunting Of Hill House," "Gerald's Game," and "Hush." He perfectly mixes the cold atmospheric dread of Kubrick's "The Shining" film with Stephen King's warmer, character-driven source material. This is better than the book it was based on, and I'm confused as to why it bombed so spectacularly at the box office. I think this gets a major second life on streaming and BluRay; it certainly deserves it. Speaking of Stephen King...
"IT: Chapter Two" - While I understand that it's flawed, I had a blast for the near three-hour running time. Works as a perfect companion piece to "IT: Chapter One." The adult cast all pretty much nail their younger counterparts, and the scares here, while relying a bit too much on CGI, worked for me, in a creature-feature "The Thing" way. It does have some pacing problems, while somehow managing to fill overstuffed at three hours. I'm really interested in hearing the rumored six hour director's cut of both films together. See this if you liked the first installment.
"The Irishman" - A perfect coda to Martin Scorsese's gangster films. Three and a half hours of masters at work -- Pesci, Pacino, De Niro have rarely been better. This is much more in the vein of "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull" than the adrenaline rushes of "Goodfellas" and "Casino," but it was a masterpiece, all the same. Some will be turned off by it's generous running time and deliberate pace, but for the patient viewers, it has so much to offer. The last thirty minutes alone is worth the time.
"Marriage Story" - Kramer vs Kramer for 2019. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannsen are both excellent in their respective roles, and it only resorts to melodrama in one Oscar-baiting scene, but I'm not sure how much watching a fraying relationship ending in divorce is a draw for mass audiences.
"Terminator: Dark Fate" - This movie was okay and probably the best of the sequels after 2, but that's not exactly high praise. I think it's time to permanently Terminate this franchise.
"Jojo Rabbit" - Bootleg version of a Wes Anderson movie that attempts to make light of Germany in WWII. I get that the theme of the film was love and acceptance, but it still seemed a little off to watch a bumbling Hitler yukking it up for laughs. I didn't like Taika Waititi's "Thor: Ragnarok" and I can't say I liked this very much, either.
"Zombieland: Double Tap" - Did you like "Zombieland" way back in 2009? Yes? You'll like this. No? Pass. It's literally the same movie.
"Dolemite Is My Name" - This was a blast. Eddie Murphy puts in a late-career effort that rivals Sandler's in "Uncut Gems," proving that, like Sandler, Murphy is still a force to be reckoned with if given the right material. Rudy Ray Moore was a niche comedian, so this will be a niche movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Joker" - Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely riveting. I loved the gritty approach to the material, which reminded me of Scorsese's 70s fare ("Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver.")
"Bloodline" - Stifler as a serial killer. This was pretty mediocre.
"High Life" - Robert Pattinson continues his indie-darling career resurgence in this slow, dark, depressing sci-fi film about a group of death row inmates who elect to be shot into a black hole. This was arthouse pretension at its silliest. Speaking of space...
"Ad Astra" - Brad Pitt looks depressed in space for two hours in this low-rent Kubrick knockoff. Usually a big fan of Pitt and his career choices, but this movie didn't really move me much... Speaking of Pitt...
"Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" - Quentin Tarantino's love letter to Hollywood in the end of Hollywood's Golden Age. No particular plot to speak of, but so many incredible moments and performances. I loved this movie, and have seen it twice since my initial viewing. I keep finding things I love in my repeat watches. Not everyone will love this because of the length and the wandering plot, but for those attuned to its specific wavelength, it's a near-masterpiece.
"Ready Or Not" - This movie ROCKED. Loved it, and one of my favorites of the year. Check it out.
"Angel Has Fallen" - Time for Gerard Butler's career to be taken out to pasture. This movie was not very good.
"Good Boy" - "Superbad" with 10 year olds and a weaker script. Take from that what you will.
"Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" - Creature feature junk for tweens. It was fine for what it is. Some memorable moments.
"Spiderman: Far From Home" - Lame.
"Hobbs & Shaw" - Ugh.
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