Lost Girls

POSITIVES…

  • This is a memorable story based on a true events that deserves your attention.

  • If you are a fan of true-crime mysteries, then this should be right up your alley.

  • I appreciated the fact that the story focused more on the family affected by the crime, and not just a pure procedural investigation of the crime itself.

  • The drama hits all the right notes, and it’s hard not to be on board with our main protagonists.

  • You should be quite engaged with the story, as it slowly reveals more aspects of the mystery, and to see how Mari Gilbert reacts to all the reveals.

  • Truly one of the main reasons to see this is the strong performance by Amy Ryan as the takes no guff Mari Gilbert.

  • Highlights of this movie are conversational scenes involving Amy Ryan with Thomasin McKenzie, or ones involving Gabriel Byrne. Both McKenzie and Byrne are also quite excellent in this.

NEGATIVES…

  • It’s a slow burn. Some people are not going to like the deliberately slow pace.

  • Certain plot threads aren’t completely resolved, which some people will also not like.

  • Doesn’t exactly have a lot of thrilling moments.

  • The direction and plot progression is arguably too conservative to the point that it doesn’t necessarily have a lot of memorable scenes.

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Watch It Now On NETFLIX

The Hunt

POSITIVES…

  • It’s entertaining enough for what it is. A bloody, darkly comedic, satire, that plays off the political discourse of the USA.

  • Just in case you’re politically sensitive, it does skewer both political camps with it’s smug liberal elites characters, and the cocksure conservative deplorables.

  • There are snappy lines of dialogue and insults, that’s clearly poking fun of political ideological cliches. That’s where most of the humor is derived from, and I did have some laughs.

  • Betty Gilpin is fantastic in this, and is the character that will convince you to see through this movie up until the end.

  • The last act saves this movie, which includes that last fight sequence that is an absolutely amazing fun thing to watch, and the reveal of the final thematic message that justifies why this story even exists in the first place. Really does saves this film.

  • “Give me that gun!.” “I don’t think he believes you Don.” “No more glass.” Just some moments that solidifies the fact that this movie is actually having fun with itself. If you relax and accept this notion, then you too can find some fun with this.

  • Oh, and it’s just about 90 minutes long. Which is just about right?

NEGATIVES…

  • Maybe 90 minutes is too long after all for such a simple premise? It does indulge itself and spins its wheels a little too much at times. This could have just been a short film and the point would have come across just as well.

  • The political humor can get a bit much though. Yes, that’s where a lot of the humor is from, but then comedy is subjective after all.

  • While it’s amusing to see the over the top violence, it kinda outstayed its welcome at a certain point. Shocking for shocking’s sake is not that shocking anymore.

  • What also outstayed its welcome? Stupid characters doing stupid things. Haha we get it, they are stupid. Laugh at how stupid they are. No sorry. I’m not really laughing.

  • You know what also also outstayed its welcome? Banter. I can only take so much of characters arguing with each other, because that’s suppose to be funny. *rolls eyes*

  • Oh, about those characters. Yeah. Hated just about all of them. Except for Betty Gilpin’s character, and Hilary Swank as Athena who is supposed to be hateable. It can be hard to feel invested in what’s going on screen if I don’t care about who I’m watching on that screen.

  • Which reminds me… There’s a moment in the movie that is supposed to be this big giant mind-blowing reveal; with panning camera shot for dramatic effect, that it boggles my mind why they went with that direction. Why?! First off, they revealed it in the promotional trailer. Secondly, even if you didn’t see the trailer, it’s not that big of a reveal! That wasn’t surprising movie!!! Didn’t somebody tell you that wasn’t a necessary thing to do?!

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Bloodshot

POSITIVES…

  • Premise and plot has that comfortable feel of a 1990s cult action flick, that is clearly not technically great, but likeable enough to not be hateable.

  • There’s an action sequence during the first half of the movie that involves a lot of flour, that visually looked really cool.

  • There’s a chase sequence that I thought was very entertaining to watch.

  • There’s an elevator action sequence that was quite enjoyable.

  • Lamorne Morris as Wilfred Wigans is a lot of fun, and steals every scene he is in.

  • Shout out to Siddharth Dhananjay as Eric, you’re fun in this too.

  • I wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel, and that in itself means this movie did something right for me to warrant that idea.

NEGATIVES…

  • It’s as cliche, derivative, and predictable, as you expect it to be for a somewhat grittier comic book action flick.

  • Expect plot conveniences to happen, just for the convenience of making things as uncomplicated as it can be. Wouldn’t want believable and realistic situations to get in the way of the story…

  • There’s a lack of satisfying character development throughout; that includes Bloodshot himself, and relies a lot on familiar archetypes to do the heavy lifting in making you feel anything at all for these people.

  • Speaking of archetypes, can Sam Heughan’s character be more transparently dislikeable? Where’s the subtlety?

  • I don’t know if it’s done the same in the comic book original, but there’s a very very contrived plot point that seemed completely unnecessary. I just had to shake my head when the movie tries to explain away why they had to do it the way they did.

  • It might be a little thing… maybe… but I don’t believe the movie even once used the name “Bloodshot,” which seems odd considering the title…

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Emma.

POSITIVES…

  • In general, visually this film looks great, from the period accurate clothes, authentic looking locations, and how the camera captures the characters on screen.

  • Cast is great here, and they all add something to the movie. From Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth, Josh O’Connor, etc…

  • The movie is filled with fun little moments like Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse obsessing over drafts, intense dramatic dialogue between certain characters, to elaborate sequences like a certain dance number.

  • Whether you are or aren’t an Jane Austen devotee, I think you can easily acknowledge how amazing Anya Taylor-Joy is in this film as Emma Woodhouse.

  • Speaking of devotees, as far as the story is concerned, I’ll leave how good of an adaptation it is to you Janeites, because I thought it was simply interesting and entertaining for what it is. It gave me more of an appreciation as to why this story is well loved.

NEGATIVES…

  • I don’t know how much I can criticize this movie as I am not a huge devotee of Jane Austen’s work, nor have I read the book that this is an adaptation of. I’m sure the fans can nitpick some things about it.

  • Considering how the book was written so long ago, it’s probably unfair for me to say that the story and the themes felt too familiar and cliche, with predictable character arcs and resolutions. It is unfair for me to say that, but that’s how I felt.

  • This didn’t try to go for a more creative modern direction (like with “Little Women”) that might benefit modern viewers like me. Which is also unfair for me to compare, because that’s just not what this movie tried to go for. Fans of the original source material will simply get more out of this film than those of us who are uninitiated.

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

The Way Back

POSITIVES…

  • For those of you like sports movies, you’ll appreciate this film’s take on high school basketball.

  • For those of you who like character studies about people struggling with alcoholism and other personal demons, you’ll appreciate this film’s focus on that subject.

  • For those of you who like good interactions between characters; via engaging dialogue or humorous moments together, then you’ll appreciate the strong cast that brought these characters to life for you.

  • For those of you who just want a solid drama that’ll take you places with some emotionally charged scenes, then you’ll appreciate the work done here by co-Writer/ Director Gavin O’Connor.

  • For those of you who like to see a very powerful and incredibly strong performance by Ben Affleck, then you’ll appreciate that this movie allowed him to practically bare his soul to you as Jack Cunningham.

NEGATIVES…

  • Relies too much on familiar plot tropes and cliches.

  • It can be too melodramatic a lot of the times.

  • There was a moment where I thought the movie was already over, but then it just keeps going. Arguably too long of a film?

  • Honestly, I would have preferred if this movie was just about the high school basketball plot.

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Onward

POSITIVES…

  • This movie is like a mash-up of favorite 1980s sensibilities, like Dungeons & Dragons, buddy road trip movies, teens going on adventures, Weekend At Bernie’s, etc… and that’s an aspect I found absolutely liking a lot.

  • I love the premise for this movie, and the story as well. There’s a lot I appreciated with the goals of this film.

  • This movie also has a humongous load of themes, ideas, and story lessons, that are all worth exploring and discussing after wards.

  • The two siblings have great chemistry together, and provides a lot of the fun entertainment in watching this movie. Seeing where their adventure takes them, plus all the different characters they interact with, is the main draw to watching this.

  • Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as the two siblings Ian and Barley, are unsurprisingly good in this, I have to give a shout out to Octavia Spencer as The Manticore, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the Mom Laurel Lightfoot, who are also great in their roles.

  • The third act is fantastic, filled with entertaining sequences, emotional story beats, and just overall an awesome pay off that rewards you for watching (and paying attention to) the movie.

  • I should point out that this film leans heavily into the whole “children who never got to know their fathers” angle, so those who can relate should really have an even more emotional connection to this. Showing you things that might make you cry is a Pixar specialty after all.

  • Oh, does it need to be said? The animation and the visuals are all top notch. Very easy on the eyes.

NEGATIVES…

  • Unfortunately, this is a movie released by Pixar, which means it has to automatically be a great animated film. It’s honestly not a great film, BUT it’s simply just a solid, good, average movie. So keep your expectations in check.

  • There’s a certain formulaic feel to the movie, as it isn’t above using very familiar plot tropes.

  • It’s also not above relying on coincidences or conveniences to keep the plot moving.

  • Felt like they should have gone further with the world building, and all the possibilities that could have sprung forth from this premise.

P.S….

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

The Lodge

POSITIVES…

  • It’s a horror movie in the sense that there are things that happen in this that are horrible. Things you wouldn’t want happen to you.

  • That sense of dread that permeates throughout the whole film, as well as the foreboding pace and unsettling tone, is an amazing feat by Directors Fiala and Franz.

  • Premise is fascinating, but it’s how the plot progresses that will suck you into the horror of this story.

  • There were some plot turns that either astonished me or angered me, or both.

  • One particular moment towards the beginning of the movie rattled me to the point that I was on edge for the rest of the film. Another particular moment towards the end of the movie made me really concerned as to how the story was going to wrap things up, and just hoped that it wouldn’t traumatized me.

  • By the end of the movie, I was thoroughly disturbed and haunted by what I have witnessed. Congrats film makers!

  • It has a very small cast, but it’s Riley Keough’s performance that absolutely shines in this.

NEGATIVES…

  • Those expecting mainstream horror or familiar scares might very well be disappointed by this.

  • There are also subject matters that might be triggering and offensive to some.

  • It’s very slow. Very very slow moving. It’s a slow burn. I know it’s on purpose to fit the mood of the movie, but c’mon now, it’s slow!

  • Most of the first half of the movie was also just a big slow, long, can we get to the good parts tease.

  • There were several plot moments and character decisions that just frustrated me for either being stupid, or because it just didn’t make sense.

  • The story is unnecessarily manipulative at times.

  • Doesn’t seem to have a real world grasp as to how modern phone batteries work. Nitpick? Sure. Took me out of the movie? Sure did!

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Fantasy Island

POSITIVES…

  • I thought the premise for this story is generally fun and clever for a movie.

  • Pacing moved at a good speed, which worked along well with the plot progression of the unfolding mysteries of the fantasies.

  • Kept me engaged to see how the movie wraps up the whole plot, and that fact in itself made me watching this worth my time.

  • The whole cast was good, and looked like they were enjoying themselves in their roles.

  • I found it amusing when this movie tries to tie itself to the original 1970s TV show.

NEGATIVES…

P.S….

loveditenjoyeditlikedit IT’S OKAY itsmehitsterrible

Downhill

POSITIVES…

  • The premise is legitimately interesting, and that’s probably because this is based on the 2014 film “Force Majeure.” It’s a story that couples might have strong opinions about, as there are several scenes in this movie that directly addresses people in relationships and asks “what would you do / say?”

  • The awkward cringe worthy moments. This movie lives on that. Those are also the more memorable stuff from this film.

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus is excellent as Billie, who has to act like somebody that is barely holding in her anger a lot of the time.

  • Will Ferrell is also excellent as Pete, who plays stubbornness, ignorance, and sad, rather well.

  • Supporting casts of Miranda Otto, Zoe Chao, and Zack Woods, all add some added entertainment to the story.

NEGATIVES…

  • Can a story be too cringe inducing to enjoy? This movie kinda says…. yes to that?

  • It’s not as funny as you hope it probably should be. “Marriage Story;” which is a story about a divorce, has more comedy than this movie.

  • The kids; sorry kids, are legitimately annoying. I know they were supposed to be, but c’mon.

  • Something else that is also intended to be the way it is, is getting frustrated of putting up with what the characters are doing and saying. Can it be too frustrating to the point of not being entertaining? Yeah?

  • Worst aspect of this film is that it’s kinda boring a lot of the times.

P.S….

loveditenjoyeditlikedit IT’S OKAY itsmehitsterrible

All The Bright Places

POSITIVES…

  • This movie’s heart is in the right place, and it’s thematically got some important things to say.

  • The story plays out in delicate tones, that allows you to just gingerly take in the mostly leisurely scenes of simple wonders.

  • Those simple wonders that covers the “wandering” that our two main protagonists partake is one of the main strengths of this movie.

  • Speaking of which, Elle Fanning and Justice Smith are excellent as Violet Markey and Theodore Finch. They’ve got great chemistry together, and make a charming pair to keep you invested in where the story takes them.

  • Ellen Fanning still shows what an acting talent she is, and one of the more heartbreaking scenes was only made more powerful because of her.

  • Justice Smith is this ball of energy and intensity that perfectly fits his character of Finch, and knows how to own the many scenes he is in.

  • Oh, and the soundtrack is spectacular too.

NEGATIVES…

  • At one point in the movie, Finch says that it’s “just your average teenage melodrama.” The movie can definitely be accused of that.

  • I suppose it couldn’t help itself, but the movie is a little on the twee side. Pretentious at times.

  • It also has your familiar cliches and plot tropes, so expect some rather predictable directions.

  • Manic Pixie Dream Boy?

  • Admittedly I’m not exactly this movie’s target audience, but I thought the story was maybe just a bit too romanticized to the point that it might give off the wrong message to the young people. BUT I understand if you might not agree with me on this point of view.

P.S….

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

You Can Watch It On NETFLIX