SEARCH RESULTS

When I grabbed the case to put in the Blu-ray, I forgot I had it autographed. New Orleans Comic Con, January 2016. A lot of people from Civil War showed up and it was even where the articles talking about 60+ characters in the next Avengers originated. The Russo Brothers who later directed Infinity War and Endgame signed my Winter Soldier case…for free too. Anyway, enough reminiscing of the Pre-covid times. This movie is near perfect. There was the perfect balance of story & action, CGI vs practical. No moment was a waste and only added to the story. The writers and directors took a lot of care with this movie and made a near-perfect sequel. Story - 19% Characters - 18% Pacing - 17% Spectacle - 18% Entertainment - 18% Total score: 90% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

I guess we are entering the year of movies so big they had to be broken up. I do love that there are 2 main villains. One is an AI puppet master and one is just to have a physical opponent. I love a good AI villain and it is definitely giving me a modern Wargames vibe. Haley Atwell is fantastic and plays a Black Cat-type character. I guess Ethan is her Spider-Man. It is such a fun blockbuster and actually felt like it took the time to attempt to plug any potential AI-related plot holes or issues. I think this is a fantastic entry into the franchise and I can’t wait for part two. We have the key, now we need to find the lock. Story - 18% Characters - 19% Pacing - 18% Spectacle - 17% Entertainment - 18% Total score: 90% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

I really do enjoy James Wan’s style of directing. It is atmospheric and earns most of the jumpscares. I will say the audio needed work. The dialogue is so quiet then the speakers blare when scary stuff is happening. It takes a slightly different approach to the usual exorcist/possession movie. It establishes its own rules and lore. That being said, the wife was the only engaging character. Everyone else seemed too dry or extra. It has nice monster designs and does the spooks well. I just wish I could have felt more invested in all the characters. They are all good actors, but I hate when horror goes 100% serious. It’s a good film, just felt it needed more. Story - 16% Characters - 15% Pacing - 16% Spectacle - 18% Entertainment - 17% Total score: 82% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

I got to look at this movie from a fresh lens. Away from the hype and internet hate. I think this movie is fine as an Indiana Jones movie. It makes sense to mix the 50s red scare with the B-movie alien invasion. I think the weak points are Mack and Mutt. Mack contributed literally nothing to the movie. Mutt should have been saved for the wedding at the end. Maybe have Marrion reveal she has a son. He is a troublemaker just like his dad. Then tease him grabbing the hat but Indy grabs it first and is all “Sorry kid, this is mine”. Everything else about the movie is fine. Just get rid of those two characters and this would maybe be in the 90s club with the originals. And I’m gonna address the fridge nuking. I think that while the Holy Grail can’t give you immortality outside of the temple place, it helps you live the longest, healthiest life possible if you do leave. The lead lining of the fridge mixed with drinking from the grail helped him survive. Any other answer is dumb and wrong. That is the most logical thing possible. Radiation and whiplash are no match for the power of the Grail. Story - 17% Characters - 15% Pacing - 17% Spectacle - 18% Entertainment - 17% Total score: 84% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

This was totally a rip-off of Captain America: The First Avenger. Germans, impossible to pass enemy lines, taking on a mission that goes against orders, turning the tide on the war, a guy named Steve making the sacrifice play with a plane. All jokes aside this is a solid entry in the DCEU. This was also an opportunity for girls to have a hero to idolize. The film had a lot of good visuals and Gal Gadot continues to rock as Wonder Woman. I will say, her dialogue is a bit cringe at times. Where she truly shines is being the most attractive person in the room while also being the most badass. Gal Gadot’s take on Wonder Woman is one of the few roles I’m sad to see if it gets replaced. This definitely falls under the “have to watch at least once” category. It’s fun and really shows Diana become the hero we saw in Batman V Superman. Speaking of, this movie should have 100% been before Batman V Superman. Seeing her fight Doomsday makes her fight in this movie seem less impressive. Fighting an unkillable Kryptonian…Blocking a few bullets and explosives. One definitely should have come before the other in terms of stakes. Story - 16% Characters - 18% Pacing - 15% Spectacle - 18% Entertainment - 16% Total score: 83% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

This movie isn’t horrible by any means. The dark elves were a bit lackluster for villains, and that's with the 9th Doctor as Malikith. There was minimal character development beyond Thor losing his mom and “losing” Loki. The finale was also just messy and confusing at times. This movie did at least introduce us to the second confirmed infinity stone: Tesseract (Space) and the Ether (reality). It was more of a stepping stone rather than something that can stand on its own. Thor and the other good guys are entertaining and Loki steals every scene. For MCU context it's a must-watch, but I don’t think I’d randomly watch this one unless I was doing a rewatch of Thor’s movies or rewatching the whole MCU. Story - 14% Characters - 12% Pacing - 16% Spectacle - 16% Entertainment - 16% Total score: 74% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

I had a test screening on 5/3/23. My second free test screening ever was going to be a horror movie with no title given. Based on the questions they asked about movie franchises you've watched, it was almost guaranteed to be a Blumhouse movie and 5 Nights at Freddy's had just wrapped less than a month prior so Insidious was the obvious choice. I showed up right at the earliest check-in time and was actually surprised to see several dozen people already in line. I got my pre-movie questions and NDA (which is why I'm sharing this post after the movie's release despite writing this the next day). The NDA literally says if you post about the movie, they will come after you for a cool million soooo this post can wait. This test screening was much more high security than my first experience. You had to turn your phone in, sign the NDA, and a metal detector wand was used. I got to my seat and waited an hour and 15 minutes for the movie to start. It was quite hilarious seeing a woman come in 10 minutes before the movie starts and go Karen mode because the only seat left was the first row at the end but they had some higher seats that were reserved I assume for executives or professionals of some sort. The main lady in charge eventually went to the front of the theatre and announced the movie was in fact Insidious 5 and we were going to be the first audience ever to see it. This was a mostly finished cut of the movie. It needed some polishing but it was complete enough to screen without taking you out of the experience. My review of the version I saw was pretty good. It never got too slow and there were plenty of jokes to let you get your heart rate down a bit. Some of the scares or fake-outs were obvious, but still kept you on the edge of your seat. I felt the end wrapped up too quickly and easily, which was my biggest complaint. There were several great scenes. I definitely plan to see what changes are made to the final cut. My score, for now, is story - 18, characters - 16, pacing - 17, spectacle - 19, entertainment - 17, and total - 87%. Present-day Derek here. I saw the movie again and I would say my initial review is accurate to my current thoughts. The score and colors were improved but other than that the experience was about the same. I may have been a little harsh on the ending, but overall this is a solid entry in the franchise.

I went into this expecting your run-of-the-mill Asian comedy. While it was very much that, it is so much more. The first two acts are R-rated comedy road trip beats. Think something in the vein of The Hangover 2. When the needle drops, leading into the act three bomb, this movie does something you don’t see done well in comedies. It managed to pump the breaks and actually have an emotional moment. It allows the best friends to be mad at each other and for the main girl to have a personal moment to have the closure that she needs in regard to her mom. It didn’t try to undermine the moments with over-the-top jokes. It had a couple of smirky, huff jokes to alleviate the tension but never lost the emotion. It had a more natural decline and as the characters finished their growing moment, the mood and jokes build back up. This is a very funny movie and even has genuine emotion. This surpassed my expectations. The short runtime also allowed it to tell its jokes, have the characters learn a lesson in friendship, then wrap up. There is no fluff or wasted moments. This is a must-see R-rated comedy. Story - 19% Characters - 18% Pacing - 19% Spectacle - 18% Entertainment - 20% Total score: 94% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

This is definitely the best film in the trilogy. It has action, heart, and some leaps of faith. I loved all the set pieces and the characters. Nothing about this movie had any weaknesses. I do question a couple of things but they were just part of the plot. Mainly the first test with the blades. It implied kneeling, not kneeling then rolling. Minor plothole for an edge-of-your-seat moment. I weirdly never think about this one because it doesn’t have Raiders’ classic open or Temple of Doom’s Kali ma stuff. It was just an epic adventure meant to put a seal on a great trilogy. Indiana learns not everything is meant to go to a museum and rides off into the sunset. Maybe he will retire and be a teacher full-time. I’m sure the students are sick of a professor that disappears for days or weeks at a time. Yes, a fitting ending for a man who nearly died multiple times over the course of like a day or two. No need for more adventures. Right?!...Right? Story - 19% Characters - 20% Pacing - 18% Spectacle - 19% Entertainment - 19% Total score: 95% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

I have a few anecdotes I’d like to say before reviewing this. First, this is a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark because Lucas wanted a way to avoid Nazis in this movie. Second, this is one of two movies that created the need for a PG-13 rating. The other was Gremlins. They were too adult for PG but didn’t necessarily facilitate a full R rating. Finally, Corridor Crew did a segment on this but the mine cart sequence was a fascinating feat. It is a mixture of a proper set, smaller sets with dolls, and background projection. Next time you watch this, look closely at the heroes during the wide shots. They will look much stiffer and figure-like. Enough fun facts. Let me get into what I thought. Willie was nothing but eye candy and a damsel who served very little to the plot outside of constant screaming. The other characters are amazing and iconic. This film also got a chance to show Indy’s humility and show him being more of a hero than strictly someone in a race to get the prize of the week. It is darker in tone but it works so well. If you remove Willie for a more helpful love interest, this would be a near-perfect movie. This movie also shows why I would never be able to travel abroad to countries that aren't at least a little Americanized like UK and Japan. I don’t do delicacies. I eat chicken and potatoes. Story - 19% Characters - 17% Pacing - 18% Spectacle - 19% Entertainment - 18% Total score: 91% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

This was meant to be the answer to Guardians of the Galaxy. A ragtag team of misfits is being forced to work together to save the world. There were a lot of character moments and there was a genuine effort to make you have sympathy for the Squad. That being said…Enchantress and the Joker sucked. Enchantress was boring and Joker seemed like Jim Carrey’s riddler on cocaine or meth. There was plenty to applaud the movie for, but it just wasn’t interesting enough. I got bored several times throughout the movie. At least, Margot Robbie got to introduce the best possible version of Harley Quinn. The character only gets better in each movie she is in. This was a mixed bag and only worth the watch if you love Harley Quinn and to a lesser extent Deadshot. Story - 14% Characters - 18% Pacing - 14% Spectacle - 18% Entertainment - 15% Total score: 79% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here

This movie had a lot of badass Wolverine moments. The Japanese setting was different and awesome. I found the movie dragged a bit but it had a lot of good character moments. The story was good all around and a solid addition to the X-men and Wolverine saga. Story - 17% Characters - 18% Pacing - 15% Spectacle - 17% Entertainment - 16% Total score: 83% Grade scale: 90%-100% = must watch 80%-89% = solid, but could be better 70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you 60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons 0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here