Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

POSITIVES…

  • Director George C. Wolfe does a great job translating the stage play into this dynamic narrative that takes place in one building.

  • One of the biggest reasons to watch this movie are for the stories. This is filled with numerous scenes of characters with stories to tell. No visual cut aways or anything like that. You literally just listen to what the actors are monologuing, and it’s enough to get your attention.

  • Chadwick Boseman is phenomenal in this! What a performance that completely owns the movie.

  • Viola Davis is magnificent as Ma Rainey. She commands her scenes like no other.

  • Supporting cast are also excellent here. Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Taylour Paige, Dusan Brown, Jeremy Shamos, and Jonathan Coyne.

  • Thematically covers a lot of ground about racism, sexual identity, independence, relevance, ambition, religion, history, plus more.

  • Fascinating to see how recording music was like in the 1920’s. About 100 Years ago.

  • Needless to say, the songs were fantastic.

NEGATIVES…

  • Premise isn’t going to catch everybody’s attention.

  • Can be accused of it meandering, or being boring.

  • The diva attitude of Ma Rainey can be off putting.

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Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - watch it on NETFLIX

Spontaneous

POSITIVES…

  • Opening scene starts out this movie in an explosively fascinating manner, that carries over for the rest of the movie.

  • Love the inappropriate sense of humor, especially considering the undeniably morbid premise that should be straight out of a horror movie.

  • The cleverly written dialogue and banter just kept me entertained over and over again.

  • So many pop culture references; especially about movies. I dig that.

  • It’s not all just jokes and giggles, as it still showcases some strong emotional drama.

  • There’s an underlying theme on social political commentaries, teenage anxieties, and helplessness about the world they live in.

  • Katherine Langford in the lead as Mara is so excellent in this. It’s hard not to be invested with her plot progression.

  • The romance she shares with Charlie Plummer as Dylan is great and charming as heck. Their chemistry together and the way the movie handles their love story works really well.

  • Supporting cast is solid, with Hayley Law, Rob Huebel, Piper Perabo, Yvonne Orji, and more.

  • Fourth wall breaking flashback montage, plus that other montage sequence with Tampa’s cover of “Bye Bye Love.”

  • About those stick figure people on the car window…

  • Excellent soundtrack.

NEGATIVES…

  • Can easily be accused of being too hipster clever precious and full of itself.

  • Seriously, an Ice Cream Truck?

  • There’s a tonal shift, that might seem like it’s ruining the fun.

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Spontaneous - watch it on VIDEO ON DEMAND

Freaky

POSITIVES…

  • Fans of horror, scary, and slasher films, should greatly appreciate the premise of this film.

  • Right from the opening scene, this movie immediately embraces the fact it's all-in with showing bloody horrific violence. Awesome.

  • The death scenes are spectacular.

  • Speaking of which. I know we shouldn’t root for death, but there’s a series of murders in this that I was absolutely looking forward to seeing.

  • It’s comedic sensibilities, humorous dialogue, and self-awareness gags, only makes this movie even more entertaining.

  • Themes surrounding gender dynamics and identity actually works well with this story and it’s sense of humor.

  • Watching Kathryn Newton act like a cold-hearted killer, and Vince Vaughn acting like a teenage girl, is undoubtedly one of the main reasons to see this movie, and it is so very enjoyable to see.

  • The supporting cast added to the movie too, like Misha Osherovich, Celeste O’Connor, Alan Ruck, Dana Drori, Katie Finneran, Uriah Shelton, plus more.

  • Excellent pacing, set-up scenes, plot reveals, and soundtrack. This movie is firing on all the right cylinders.

  • Has homages and easter eggs to different horror, scary, and slasher movies, that are fun to spot.

NEGATIVES…

  • Some plot conveniences, and predictability.

  • Does that whole pretty actress pretending to play a character that's supposed to be unattractive and somehow nobody can see she's not an ugly girl at all stupid plot trope.

  • There is one scene; while it was nice for what it was, stops the movie dead in its tracks.

  • Then there’s this other scene that kinda got too dark for the general tone of the movie.

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Freaky - watch it on VIDEO ON DEMAND

Archenemy

POSITIVES…

  • The animated sequences are a nice acknowledgement to the story being rooted in the comic book superhero genre.

  • Kudos to Joe Manganiello for completely throwing himself into the role of Max Fist, plus all that monologue and jargon that the script gets to make him say.

  • I generally liked the idea of this Max Fist character, and the premise surrounding him in the movie. It is undoubtedly the main reason to see this.

  • Fun winks and nods to several comic book superhero tropes.

  • Has some nice little special effects thrown in on occasion.

  • That scene with Paul Scheer as Krieg was something.

  • May as well give this a try, if you like those gritty comic book superhero flicks, which this move wholeheartedly embraces.

NEGATIVES…

  • It can be kinda boring and uninteresting more times than it should be.

  • Pacing could be faster.

  • There are some stupid parts, pretentious parts, and uninspired parts, as well.

  • Kinda wished this had a bigger production budget to match the ambitions of the story.

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Archenemy - watch it on VIDEO ON DEMAND

Tenet

POSITIVES…

  • Opening sequence was incredible and exciting. Definitely cinematic. The rest of the movie follows suit.

  • Heists. Heists. More Heists. If you like that, then you might like this.

  • There are many ambitious and inventive action sequences, that are quite fantastic to watch.

  • Fantastic ensemble cast here. John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Kapadia, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Himesh Patel, and more!

  • Looking past all that exposition in the dialogue, I did like the clever lines the characters get to say.

  • Visualization of the “time gimmick” in this story, is infinitely fascinating and entertaining to watch.

  • Halfway through the movie, I was all “Christopher Nolan, you are a mad, crazy, genius!”

  • The theme of the movie is actually a lot simpler and more profound than I expected it to be.

NEGATIVES…

  • There's an exposition scene near the beginning of the movie that establishes the film's premise. If you don't understand what was explained there, you may as well stop watching.

  • Speaking of which, I hope you can put up with all the exposition tossed at you. There’s a lot!

  • It's easy to accuse this movie of being overly convoluted.

  • or having incomprehensible action beats.

  • Soundtrack can be a bit overbearing at times.

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Tenet - watch it on VIDEO ON DEMAND

Wolfwalkers

POSITIVES…

  • Loved the style of traditional animation, with a charming “flat” look for some scenes.

  • While the premise, themes, and lessons, have a familiar but comfortable feel to them, this movie still has fresh elements to offer.

  • Excellent storytelling here, that are adventurous, imaginative, and emotional.

  • How they visualise a wolf's senses looks incredible.

  • There are some montages and sequences throughout, that were just delightful to watch.

  • The second half of this movie in particular is absolutely fantastic! I was captivated, engaged, and completely all-in until the very end.

  • Lead characters Robyn Goodfellowe and Mebh Óg MacTíre; voiced by Honor Kneafsey and Eva Whittaker respectively, were just awesome! With their chemistry together being a cornerstone for the film’s appeal.

  • Plus, Sean Bean is in this, and we all know how good he is.

NEGATIVES…

  • Plot conveniences.

  • Familiar tropes and cliches.

  • Just let her finish her sentence so she can explain!!!

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Wolfwalkers - watch it on APPLE TV+

I'm your woman

POSITIVES…

  • Opening act introduces us to an interesting premise and an unusual scenario. Fascinating.

  • Rachel Brosnahan is excellent playing Jean, a character who is clearly frustrated and confused by the situation that she is in.

  • Watching the plot progression and Jean's character arc is what should keep you hooked in seeing through the movie.

  • Some of the best scenes in this film involves Arinzé Kene as Cal, and the dialogue he has with Jean.

  • Then the addition of Marsha Stephanie Blake as Teri, and Frankie Faison as Art, only makes the movie better.

  • “I didn't know I could lie like that.” There are some good written lines in this.

  • I'll give this a lot of credit for not being your typical movie that involves the criminal underworld of mobs and gangsters. Yay! Fresh perspective.

  • Has a solid soundtrack.

NEGATIVES…

  • You're going to need patience to see the story through, as the plot takes it’s time.

  • Meanders. Probably boring and aimless.

  • Baby cries a lot. Hope that doesn't bother you.

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I’m you woman - watch it on PRIME VIDEO

Let them all talk

POSITIVES…

  • The premise was nice and simple, but with an underlying goal that has more to say.

  • Has multiple plot threads that I was invested in seeing how they turned out.

  • Real draw in seeing this is the cast. From Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Lucas Hedges, to Daniel Algrant. However specifically I’d like to point out that it’s Gemma Chan and Dianne Wiest who I thought owned this movie.

  • It amused me how the ensemble cast was introduced as if they were setting up a crew for a heist.

  • Seeing this cast interacting with each other; having good chemistry, is another reason to watch this film.

  • Thematically, there are several commentaries about relationships, generations, and legacies, that help molds the whole narrative together.

  • The Queen Mary 2.

NEGATIVES…

  • It's a drama with mostly just people conversing with each other, so it's not necessarily for everybody.

  • The narrative seem like it moves aimlessly. A bit boring even?

  • There’s a moment where it seemed like the movie already ended… but then it keeps going.

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Let Them All Talk - watch it on HBO MAX

Black Bear

POSITIVES…

  • Opening features a naturalistic casual conversational banter between Allison and Gabe, that is a good indication of the clever fun this movie's dialogue has to offer.

  • The awkward premise and chemistry that is established between the three lead characters, Allison, Gabe, and Blair, makes this a fascinating drama to watch.

  • Then “Part Two” happens and I'm just smiling from ear to ear.

  • There are some plot turns and reveals that just adds to what makes this movie entertaining.

  • The three lead actors in this are great! Kudos to Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon.

  • There are social, ideological, institutional, commentaries tossed around in this that are great food for thought.

  • This movie has some nod nod wink winks for filmmakers and those who are interested in the filmmaking process.

NEGATIVES…

  • Has a specific narrative and plot progression that may not be for everyone.

  • There are some jokes that may be a bit too much.

  • Some people may think that the main characters are just not sympathetic enough to care.

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Black Bear - watch it on VIDEO ON DEMAND

Sound of Metal

POSITIVES…

  • 20 minutes in, and the story is just heartbreaking, fascinating, and emotional.

  • The sound design is amazing, and the moments it simulates what it sounds like to lose your hearing is an effective experience.

  • There are a handful of scenes where it shows people having conversations in sign language, and it isn't closed captioned. Really conveyed what it's like to not be able to understand what people are saying right in front of you.

  • Riz Ahmed. Intense acting. Successfully conveyed the frustration and anger of Ruben's situation, plus his struggle to live with it.

  • Great supporting cast, that includes Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Mathieu Amalric, and Lauren Ridloff.

  • Good plot progression. I was invested as to where the story was going.

  • I appreciated how this movie only helps teach empathy with those with hearing loss.

NEGATIVES…

  • Pacing of the movie can be a little slow at times, which might make some people impatient.

  • Some questionable plot details.

  • The music the band plays isn't exactly for everybody.

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Sound of Metal - watch it on PRIME VIDEO