Good on paper

POSITIVES…

  • Has a solid premise about a stand-up comic / struggling actress, who meets a man that unexpectedly disrupts her way of life. 

  • Interesting thing about watching this movie, is seeing how the story plays out, as it does take you places. 

  • Iliza Shelesinger is great in the role, and it’s easy to get invested in her story here. 

  • Ryan Hansen is excellent playing the role of Dennis Kelly. 

  • Margaret Cho is entertaining as the best friend. 

  • Narrative moves at a good pace 

  • There are some solid scenes that grab your attention here, from the “seeing the house” reveal, meeting the roommates, to the big confrontation during the final act. 

  • The final act is a satisfying enough pay off. 

  • I like that the humor and the jokes and the plot points do seem like they are straight out of a stand-up comedy routine. 

  • It’s got a legit commentary about life and people. 

  • “Cuttlefishing.”

  • "I learned so much by playing a TV nurse."

NEGATIVES…

  • Those looking more for a traditional romantic comedy will probably be disappointed.

  • You can see where the story is going, and it can be frustrating that it’s not getting there fast enough. 

  • It doesn’t really get into the groove of the narrative until at least the second act. 

  • Besides the fact that this movie is “mostly” based on a true story, it may still come off too unbelievable for some people. 

  • There’s a simplicity to the direction and production that some might find too unremarkable.

  • Also, sure, there’s a chance you might not care for any of the characters enough to keep your interest.

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Good On Paper - watched it on NETFLIX

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One

POSITIVES…

  • Despite the superhero/villains aspect of it, I love the fact that the premise is really more like a crime drama, with a mystery about a particular serial killer as the through line.

  • With how the plot goes places with the story, it’s hard not to be engaged and invested with it.

  • I like the art style of the animation, which brings a nice comic book feel to the presentation.

  • Action sequences are great. From the rooftop chase, the China town fight, to the confrontation on the plane, this movie’s got exciting moments.

  • Good pacing, that gradually builds up the narrative to a tipping point.

  • Part of how this movie succeeds is in it’s ensemble cast of voice talent and expansive characters. Plus cameos!

  • Jensen Ackles is a great Batman / Bruce Wayne. Excellent voice casting here.

  • Naya Rivera (RIP) is wonderful as Catwoman, and is easily one of the highlights of this movie.

  • Josh Duhamel as Harvey Dent, and Billy Burke as James Gordon. Awesome work.

  • Titus Welliver as Carmine Falcone, and Troy Baker as Joker. Fantastic, fantastic stuff.

  • “I hate when he does that.”

NEGATIVES…

  • The simplicity of the art style might not be seen as cinematic enough for some people.

  • This is still a “Part One” situation in that it ends on a cliffhanger. Just release it as a 3 hours movie. We’ll be okay with that!

  • Even at just a part one though, I wish it was much longer than 85 minutes.

  • I can see people getting annoyed with the Gilda character.

  • It’s taken for granted that it expects you to already know the basic background story of the characters, as it really doesn’t try and show you all that exposition. Some might say that it’s lacking in character development because of that fact.

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Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One - watched it on VOD

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final

POSITIVES…

  • Fans of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise should be ecstatic to be watching this live-action adaptation, and in particular the story arc that it’s based on. 

  • Plot and narrative should keep you hooked to see things through the end. 

  • Seeing the whole cast of familiar characters is just such a joy. 

  • It’s also always great to see the Japanese locations and time period that these movies are set in. 

  • As expected, the action sequences are awesome! 

  • Fight choreography is fantastic! 

  • I can never get tired of seeing certain characters sprinting and running on walls. 

  • Excellent action set pieces, from the opening introduction of Enishi, to that scene where a certain character is fighting a horde of enemies by himself. 

  • Takeru Satoh is once again perfect as Kenshin Himura, Emi Takei is wonderful as Kaoru Kamiya, and Mackenyu is phenomenal as Enishi Yukishiro. 

  • I do love how the battles are very heightened, full of wanton destruction, and filled with colorful characters with superhuman skills and abilities. It’s really like watching superheroes fighting supervillains. 

  • Who doesn’t like those dramatic displays of friendship, honor, heroics, and kindness? Plus all those dramatic character entrances!

  • “Hate me? Quite enough people hate me already.”

NEGATIVES…

  • Yes, it’s another plot that revolves around Kenshin’s past that is dangerously haunting him again. What else is new? Is this movie a little derivative? Yes.  

  • A huge chunk of the supporting cast unfortunately gets second tier attention in this, to the point that they are either background characters or just present purely for the fights. 

  • Heightened operatic melodrama and cool stances for dramatic effect, can get a little ridiculous at times to the point of self-parody. 

  • So much tormented self-pity parties. Does this movie take itself really seriously? Sure does. 

  • The movie is 138 minutes long, and some might criticize it for being way too heavy on action sequences to the point of numbness. 

  • Those very important and relevant flashback scenes are arguably not edited well for this narrative. I get why they are the way they are; there’s that next movie coming out, but still…  

  • Slow-motion shots could be smoother. Seriously.

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Rurouni Kenshin: The Final - watched it on NETFLIX

Fatherhood

POSITIVES…

  • Appreciated the movie’s premise about being a single parent and about grief. 

  • Yes, this is Kevin Hart doing drama. There are still some jokes here and there, but he is actually really great as a dramatic actor. 

  • Then pair him with the super talented Melody Hurd and you’ve got an amazing duo with strong chemistry to root for. 

  • Alfre Woodard as the Mom-in-Law Marion. Strong exchanges between her and Kevin Hart here. 

  • Excellent supporting cast, that includes DeWanda Wise, Frankie Faison, Paul Reiser, Anthony Carrigan, and Lil Rey Howery. 

  • Those entertaining montage sequences. 

  • Tons of legitimate emotional moments and scenes. Sad or heartwarming. Take your pick. This one’s got them. 

  • Some of those bits of comedy were a welcome change of pace to the mostly serious story. 

  • Lucky Jim cartoon.

NEGATIVES…

  • First off. Augh. The trailer really really spoils the movie. 

  • Very familiar plot tropes and cliches are all over this film. 

  • The derivativeness unfortunately makes this movie a little less memorable in the end. 

  • Movie panders to the audience a little too much at times. 

  • Lil Rey Howery’s character of Jordan. Let me just say that I thought that his character was the weakest thing about this film. Annoying as heck.

loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Fatherhood - watched it on NETFLIX

Luca

POSITIVES…

  • Charming coming of age story that just happens to be about merpeople. 

  • Perfect movie to watch to get you in the mood for the summer season. 

  • Wonderfully colorful and vibrant animation. Looks almost like claymation. 

  • Fantastic Italian location and setting for the movie. 

  • Love the daydreaming sequences. They are very visually imaginative. 

  • The two boy leads that are Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer, as Luca and Alberto respectively, are excellent in this. Get invested with their characters. 

  • Emma Berman as Giulia is an energetic dynamo that deserves all the kudos. 

  • Great supporting cast that includes Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, Marco Barricelli, and Saverio Raimondo. 

  • Along with the good pacing and narrative, are the complimentary plot set pieces, montages, and the situational comedic moments. 

  • Very satisfying conclusion. 

  • Has worthwhile universal themes and lessons that I can absolutely get behind. 

  • “I need you to punch his heart. The red one. Harder!”

NEGATIVES…

  • Expect some plot cliches and plot conveniences that just serve to move the story along. 

  • The ending may not be seen as endearing, but rather and probably unbelievable. 

  • Ercole is just too annoying and obnoxious of an antagonist for me. To the point that he just isn’t even entertaining to watch anymore. 

  • Some might think that this Pixar film isn’t ambitious or spectacular enough.

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Luca - watched it on DISNEY+

Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

POSITIVES…

  • If you enjoyed the previous installment, then you’ll probably really enjoy this sequel. It’s exactly what you likely expected to get. Outrageous, irreverent, humorous, and lots of action flick violence. 

  • The combo of Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L Jackson, and Salma Hayek, is just pure chaotic entertainment. 

  • Ryan Reynolds continues to be spectacular trying to be the straight man of this dysfunctional trio, that hilariously always gets the short end of the stick. 

  • Samuel L Jackson is Samuel L Jackson. ‘Nuff said. 

  • Salma Hayek might easily be the main highlight of this movie, what with her vulgarity, aggression, unpredictability, and ability to steal all the scenes she's in. 

  • Fantastic supporting cast of Antonio Banderas, Frank Grillo, Tom Hopper, and... surprise cameo? (I didn’t know he was in it!) 

  • Action scenes. Comedic scenes. Flashback scenes. Chase scenes. That scene with Tina Turner’s “The Best” playing in the background. Lots of good scenes all around. 

  • I got whiplash from all the different locations this movie takes place in. 

  • Lots of banter, quips, insults, sight gags, physical comedy, and pop culture references, that were just too fun. 

  • Several running jokes that constantly hit the landing. 

  • “Your mouth needs an exorcism.” 

  • “What if somebody is upstairs.” 

  • Gary and Johan.

NEGATIVES…

  • The premise and story isn’t exactly unique, or completely stand out, so don’t be surprised to see some derivativeness to the movie. 

  • Some might find this too obnoxiously loud, in the visual and aural sense. 

  • Being that this is mostly a lighthearted dark comedy... Does this have cartoony violence to laugh at, or is it an OMG the violence is not in tone with the movie?! 

  • Certain parts were just too improbable or impossible. Suspend your disbelief! 

  • Plot conveniences. Of course. 

  • Look. If you’re going to constantly have scenes where people are just horribly bad shots, when they probably shouldn’t be, then for chrissakes don’t write those situations into the movie! It just makes it dumber than it has to be.

lovedit ENJOYED IT likedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard - watched it IN THEATERS

Untitled Horror Movie

POSITIVES…

  • Don’t underestimate this quarantine lock-down made movie that’s mostly just a Facetime call. It’s creepy and scary when it needs to be, and it’s genuinely funny for it’s premise. 

  • Love the self-awareness and the very meta vibe to the whole thing. 

  • While you might already have an idea where this story is going, it still manages to be enjoyable seeing how it plays out in this film. 

  • The excellent cast that includes Luke Baines, Claire Holt, Timothy Granaderos, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Darren Barnet, and Katherine McNamara, all deserves kudos for their performances in this movie. 

  • A lot of what worked with this movie is the chemistry and the interactions between the characters. 

  • The different archetypes of the characters actually adds an entertaining dynamic to the story.  

  • We complain when characters do stupid things in horror movies, but it somehow makes sense and seems believable for this film. 

  • Despite the fact you’re mostly just watching a video group call on a movie screen, the editing and the pacing, actually helps keep the visuals engaging enough to look at.  

  • Pop culture references! This uses them effectively. 

  • “I was listening to Kevin Smith on the Joe Rogan podcast.” 

  • “Nothing bad ever happens in Pasadena.” 

  • “That’s kinda long for a hashtag.”

NEGATIVES…

  • Yes, this is another movie in the “screenlife” genre that’s basing a whole movie on a video group chat. It’s not for everybody. 

  • Shaky cam warning. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does occasionally happen. 

  • You might find it annoying how stereotypically “Hollywood” the characters are in this movie. 

  • Comedy is subjective, so I would say that not all the jokes hit their landing. Especially the meta inside-jokes. 

  • I wouldn’t say that it’s an actual scary movie either. 

  • There are some derivatives and familiarities to the story.

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Untitled Horror Movie - watch it on VIDEO ON DEMAND

Wish Dragon

POSITIVES…

  • Premise is very familiar, but is executed so well that I really enjoyed it’s earnestness and commitment to it’s story about a peasant boy, the girl he likes, and a dragon that grants three wishes.

  • Has a simple but cute and pleasing looking animation style.

  • Liked the silly lighthearted comedy.

  • Enjoyed the visual gags.

  • Not above toilet humor!

  • Has some excellent sequences from the chase scenes, the intro montage, a birthday party, to a dragon battle, etc...

  • It’s got good action set pieces, as well as good fight choreography too.

  • Jimmy Wong is solid as Din, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo is awesome as Li Na. How could you not root for Din and Li Na?!

  • Long Zhu, as voiced by John Cho, is very entertaining. The things he says and suggests!

  • Shout out to Constance Wu, who plays Din’s Mom.

  • Love the very Asian cultural touches to the story and the visuals.

  • Appreciated the themes and lessons this story has to offer.

NEGATIVES…

  • Very very very very very similar to a particular animated Disney movie starring Robin Williams….

  • Speaking of that very similar movie, are we seriously going through the same plot progression too?!

  • Yes, it’s very derivative and familiar.

  • Plot conveniences? Sure.

  • There are even some big unexplained yet very relevant plot holes that we’re all just supposed to ignore?!

  • Main antagonist is also very underwritten.

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Wish Dragon - watched it on NETFLIX

In The Heights

POSITIVES…

  • Great movie musical with a premise and narrative that focuses on multiple characters of immigrant families in a very specific block in New York. 

  • Story feels very grounded and relatable, that’s sentimental and inspirational. 

  • Anthony Ramos is an excellent lead to a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Gregory Diaz IV, Corey Hawkins, Olga Merediz, Jimmy Smits, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and many more. 

  • Specific shout out to Leslie Grace and Melissa Barrera who both just absolutely shine and are spectacular in this. 

  • You know that a huge reason to watch this movie is for all those big song and dance numbers, and they are pretty awesome. 

  • Really loved several of the song sequences, like “Benny’s Dispatch,” “Breathe,” “Pacienca y Fe,” and “Carnaval del Barrio.” 

  • While this film is based on a stage musical, I give all the kudos in the world to Director Jon M Chu for not making it look like it’s just a stage musical on screen. Good use of Washington Heights as the actual location for the movie. 

  • I appreciated how this story dealt with culture and social political themes. 

  • This is a movie for those struggling against all odds trying to chase their dreams. 

  • “The scratch on the record is my favorite part.”

NEGATIVES…

  • Songs that are predominantly upbeat fast rapping might make it hard for some viewers to keep up with the story telling. 

  • Hate to admit it, but there aren't enough catchy songs for me here. 

  • Hope you don’t mind that they don’t translate all the languages spoken or sung here.

  • You know what, it’s got slow parts too that impedes the momentum of the narrative. 

  • There are two romantic plots here, and I honestly didn’t care that much for one of them. Maybe it was just too cliche for my taste.

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In The Heights - watched it on HBO MAX

Infinite

POSITIVES…

  • Say what you will about the movie, but I won’t deny that I genuinely like the idea for the overall premise. 

  • Gotta give it to Director Antoine Fuqua for all the outrageous action set pieces in this film. I more or less enjoyed seeing them. 

  • The gleeful wanton destruction that is demonstrated in this movie is pretty entertaining. 

  • Pacing and plot progression is generally quick. 

  • Mark Wahlberg is good at playing the same type of character that he always plays in these action flicks. 

  • Jason Mantzoukas essentially playing Jason Mantzoukas. 

  • Chiwetel Ejiofor is the highlight for me here however. He is unabashedly chewing the scenery, and looks like he is having fun with how over the top his character is. 

  • There’s a cool shotgun and there’s a Japanese sword. Nifty weapons and gadgets here. 

  • “Spiritual equivalent of “better luck next time.”

NEGATIVES…

  • Those outrageous action set pieces? Could be seen as way too cartoony. 

  • Plot really leans into your familiar action movie plot tropes and cliches. 

  • So much clunky exposition. 

  • Had so many obvious questions about the plot and premise. So many illogical things. 

  • I shouted “That is so stupid, dumb, and unbelievable!” more times than I probably should have. 

  • Could have used more Dylan O’Brien. 

  • Take a shot whenever you see the infinity symbol. They really really like that symbol in this movie.

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Infinite - watched it on PARAMOUNT+