Change Your Image
nrabond007
Reviews
The Little Mermaid (2023)
The kids will be alright
Slow and dreary for the most part compared to the original, however Halle Bailey is clearly the bright spot of the film from her voice to her charisma, despite how far a departure she is from the written character. Javier Bardem looks completely sedated, Melissa McCarthy is doing the same boring schtick, the underwater sequences are far too dark and murky. The only things saving it from being a complete bomb are the musical numbers and charisma from Bailey, and Daveed Diggs dialog and musical numbers as Sebastian.
Flounder is the stuff of nightmares and Awkwafina as Scuttle is ear torture...
The prince and rest of the supporting cast are completely forgettable.
The kids might like it, but it's better to stick with the original. It's just not good, but it's not bad enough to be legendarily horrible. It's on par with any other movie that keeps your eyes glued to your watch whilst repeatedly rolling your eyes.
3/10.
Menace II Society (1993)
Life behind crime
Here we have a film that puts everything into perspective. Set against the backdrop of Watts in Los Angeles in 1993, we're introduced to a set of characters who never had a chance from jump street. Not just because of the environment that they grew up in, but because of the absent fathers who raised them. The film shows toxic masculinity as no masculinity when you're surrounded by crime. In opposition, "Friday" is much better at showing the family not surrounded by crime. You end up feeling for Kane because it's realized that his journey is set in stone and he can't escape the criminal element. Crazy Eight is raised by the system, but makes no allusions of being something out of himself. It's a must watch, but it's a hard watch.
Richard Jewell (2019)
The media and FBI should be ashamed
"Richard Jewell"
or
"How the media and Government Organizations screw the American Public"
If you exit from Richard Jewell with no emotions at all on the subject matter, or if you take the side of the reporter in the situation, you may want to get your head checked.
Clint Eastwood's direction knocks it out of the park once again, after the lackluster reception that "The Mule" received, but Eastwood's strengths lie in character studies, and the life of Richard Jewell is precisely that.
The performances all around are solid, but the especially powerful are those of Paul Walter Hauser, playing the title character, Sam Rockwell, as lawyer Watson Bryant, and Kathy Bates, as Bobi Jewell.
Writing a full review on the film itself would be irrelevant, as the 60 minutes interview of Jewell himself nails all the major plot points, but the performance by Hauser shows a man who spent his entire life praising the law enforcement figures of the United States of America, in the hopes of being one, only to get absolutely slammed by what he loved and made a suspect and a victim in turn because of who he was and because he had a sordid, not criminal, past.
This film should not be missed by anyone.
10/10
Bombshell (2019)
Nearly perfect, too bad they forgot the plot
"Bombshell"
or
"We missed the plot somewhere along the way"
Political statements in film can be very powerful, and if they are done right in film, they can carry a lot of weight. "Bombshell" features an excellent cast, great acting, a true story, and a plot that gets lost in sensationalism, kinda like the media.From Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly to Margot Robbie as Kayla Popisil, and Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson as well as John Lithgow as Roger Ailes, the performances do not miss a beat. Ailes (Lithgow) is creepy with his demeanor and charisma, and that's more of what this film should have focused on. The weakness of the film was in the greed of both the Kelly (Theron) and Carlson (Kidman) characters. The acting, again, was top notch, as they played the greedy victim to a tee. Theron and Kidman should have been written more like Popisil (Robbie), the character we actually felt sorry for, and a lot more scenes that included flashbacks of the goings-on in Ailes' office should have been utilized. Roger Ailes was a disgusting human being who was both exposed for and paid for everything he did before passing on, but the film should have focused more on his acts of quid pro quo and perversion to get the point across. If we could be more sympathetic towards the Kidman and Theron roles, this film would have certainly been somewhere in my top 10, and perhaps Best Picture.
7/10
Queen & Slim (2019)
Take me out, I would rather not watch this propagindized garbage again.
"Queen & Slim"
or
"The Political Statement that needs to die"
Apart from the direction, which is a giant mess, the film starts out so slow it is hard to keep your eyes open. We are introduced to two characters that we are meant to feel something for, and the massive exposition drop does not help. We are forcibly thrust into a situation with two characters who are forced to be with each other, incumbent on the police altercation they get in, which, contrary to popular reviewers opinions, does not equal self-defense. There are plotholes so big you can drive a logging truck through them, and nonsensical story beats. The political statement the film aims at is that cops are bad, and if you see them, it's better to kill them than to let them hunt you down. This film comes from a place of hatred and is barely worth mentioning. I wouldn't even recommend it as a rental or a background movie just for taking your mind off things while you do something else.
1.5/10
The Irishman (2019)
Snooze...
"The Irishman"
or
"Hit the snooze"
The problem in "The Irishman" is not in the acting; Pesci, DeNiro, and Pacino are all top form. The problem is not in the story itself, as the behind the scenes of Jimmy Hoffa and his cronies is an excellent premise. Where Irish falters is in screenplay and execution in direction. Bits and pieces of Scorcese's brilliance are there, but unfortunately they are few and far between. The soundtrack is brilliant as it matches the period, but there's little in terms of relating with the characters and the plot. The pacing is so bad and the characters are so one note, for at least the first 90 minutes, that you feel left out. The next 60 minutes move at a blistering pace, enjoyable at best, and the last 30 minutes are wasted on drawn out dialogue that leads to a far less desirable ending than expected. When Pesci is in, generally the film shines. Pacino and Deniro are best when they do not share the screen, as seen in "Heat," and "Righteous Kill." The Irishman is a wasted opportunity, and if you feel the need to see a film about Jimmy Hoffa, catch "Hoffa" with Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito.
6/10
The Grudge (2019)
What?
"The Grudge"
or
"And So It Begins"
or
"Take this L for the first film of 2020"
I'll make this short and sweet. The positives are the roles of Lin Shay (Kingpin, The Conjuring), John Cho (Harold and Kumar), and William Sadler (Hard to Kill). If you want to waste your time and your money, feel free. I am glad it only cost me $0.54, but I will never get that 2 hours back. If you want to see a crappy sequel/remake, this is for you. This film trolls audiences to its very core and does not earn any of its jump scares, the first of which comes within the first 30 seconds. Hollywood needs to stop this garbage. My first worst of 2020, hope there's not too many more.
1/10
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Surprisingly Meh...
The most anticipated film of the year: Reviewing "Avengers: Endgame" (NO SPOILERS)
Saying this film gives fan service does not even begin to scratch the surface, as it is littered from beginning to end with quips. humor, forced appearances and minor characters. While being a send off to the old and an introduction to the new, this film was literally the end of the MCU as we know it, making me personally fear for the future of the franchise. It's not a bad film by any means, but it also fails to live up to the hype and emotion promised, although my screening was filled with thunderous applause, laughter, and literal sobbing at the end. Endgame is sort of a mess, and the story goes everywhere until finally reaching the climax. The film is split into three acts, all of which go entirely different directions, the first act is somber, yet humorous, for no reason at all. The second act is slightly confusing, but brilliant, bringing us back to different moments remembered throughout the MCU, and the third act is an all-out battle, not filmed particularly well. As far as films that wrap up a series go, with the 3-hour plus run-time, most of "Endgame" falls into the extremely average category, as more character growth should have been realized and the full potential of the original six Avengers, minus a couple, was never fully realized. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Jeremy Renner stand out in their respective roles, where Scarlett Johanson, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth feel greatly under utilized. The more modern Avengers cast is fresh, for the most part, but we begin to see where the MCU has over-saturated the franchise itself, as some characters that are even in briefly are far too invincible for a Universe based in modern times. The conclusion of the film will bring tears to some, but it's the closing the original MCU deserves after 11 long years. See it in the theater. "Infinity War" was the superior film. 7.5/10
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Meh.
From a disjointed opening to a boring finale, this film completely retcons everything in the Marvel Universe up to this point by making Captain Marvel the First Avenger, having Nick Fury's eye clawed out by a cat, and completely making a mockery of the tesseract, among other things. Rife with errors and plotholes so large you can fly a fighter jet through them. This is not a good movie. It's terrible. Thank God Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendehlsson are somewhat entertaining. Everything else is forgettable.
Vice (2018)
If I want a biased political narrative...I can turn on CNN
The acting was solid, the story was all over the place, the writing was average at best, and the direction was garbage. If you're going to make another version of "The Big Short," do it with some competence. I would say, don't waste your time with this, it is pure political bias backed with very few facts.
First Reformed (2017)
Where was it going? The sum of the parts don't equal the whole.
This is a tough one...Love the cast, love the beginning, love the tension...the sum of the parts don't equal the whole. Ethan Hawke, who is a consistent favorite and an underrated performance artist, in my opinion, really invests himself into his roles, and "First Reformed" is no exception. Hawke plays the role of Reverend Toller, a congregation leader at an antiquated church, which barely draws a handful of people every Sunday, and is on the verge of celebrating it's 250th anniversary. With the Church basically being a museum, Toller takes pride in touring families, and has even turned the upper level, complete with broken organ, into a gift shop, full of hats, t-shirts, and mugs. As the first reformed church is on the verge of its 250th anniversary, the neighboring Abundant Life Church has chosen to pick up the bill for the festivities, complete with simulcast over the internet. Beneath the surface, Toller is dealing with a worried couple, where mainly the husband, is concerned about the future of the Earth, and whether it is responsible to bring in a child to live in it. Chaos ensues throughout and there is a large undercurrent of environmental protection being thrown in our faces throughout. The performances are brilliant, the film, riveting, but I would have expected a far more competent ending, as there is so much more going on, the film needed to be about 30 minutes longer. 8/10.
Andover (2017)
Brilliant Summer film minus that Summer Blockbuster budget
Once in a great while, we need to break away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood and the rousing special effects of the Summer Blockbuster to take in life and enjoy an original story with a heart. "Andover" stars Jonathan Silverman, who plays Adam Slope, a genetics professor at a local college, who is dealing with the loss of his wife. Using the help of one of his most esteemed students, Slope uses the DNA in his departed wife's hair to essentially clone the wife he once had, discovering that the results are not always as expected. There are twists and surprises along the way, but Silverman, along with his ultra-talented supporting cast (Featuring Richard Kind, Steven Bauer, Scout Taylor-Compton, Jennifer Finnegan, Angela Kinsey, and Beth Grant) are all equal to the task in telling the heartwarming story, with an ending well worth the price of admission. The direction and writing of Scott Perlman, an alumnus from my alma mater, Barrington High School, is both smart and poignant, and should keep any viewer engaged throughout the production. You don't need a big budget to create a quality film, you just need passion and an effective cast competent of telling your story. 10/10.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Groundbreaking...Very Good, not for everyone
It's highly debatable that this film belongs in the Best Picture category, even with all of the believable content, at its core you feel empty at the end of it. Summertime as a boy is fleeting, and memories are stored as moments in the mind, open for interpretation and often revisionist. "Call Me by Your Name" manages to put you in the film as a spectator, but at the same time, like you can make a difference for the leads in this film and change their history. Although the stars are memorable, it is the tone of the environment that sets the mood, often setting off emotions through careful cinematography and a series of engaging colors with the backdrop of an Italian landscape, mixed with the simplicity of a peach farm. The film focuses on the artistry of classic sculptures and the complex shape of man, but manages to marry those ideas with the fleeting simplicity and harshness of falling in love. The pain follows thereafter, and the "fly on the wall" perspective is felt from beginning to end, intentionally, this is a film that will slam you to the ground. I think that as great as the film is, it leaves too many questions about the future of the characters, as being set in 1983, the AIDS epidemic had not yet gone into full swing, and the more sickness you saw within Elio, the more you realized he was the one that was dying. The historical significance of this film far outweighs either acting performance and it should be viewed with an open mind, bigots need not apply. The film shows us that love is love and comes in many forms, and that Elio is confused as to who he actually is, often using females (and fruit) to fulfill his carnal needs at times. The film is hypnotic, emotionally draining, and tragic. Don't expect a happy ending.
The Post (2017)
Skip This and Watch "Spotlight"
Meryl Streep, blah, blah, blah. Tom Hanks, blah, blah, blah. Although the acting is well done and the direction supersedes all other aspects of the film, it's clear that instead of simply telling a story of a significant time within our past and the cover-ups done by past Presidents, Hollywood is only interested in slamming the current one. That is where the real plot lies. If you want something more real and grounded, watch "All The President's Men" about Woodward and Berenstein. Redford and Hoffman are far more engaging and it's not about elites with job security well in place. Most of this film revolves around the integrity of the Washington Post and the people running it. Although noteworthy, Hanks and Streep fail to make waves, and you end up pining for more of what was actually covered in the court case, which was only featured for about 5 minutes of the film. Instead of focusing on the elites and how they feel, Hollywood should aim more for a layman's perspective, someone whose job actually on the line and could be severely affected by the fallout. The ending....Watergate....blah, blah, blah. 6/10 only because the acting and direction carried a lackluster story and point of view.
Dear White People (2014)
Well made satire but riddled with hateful undertones
Menippian and Juvenalian satire are at the forefront here. There's no comedy, there's just a message. Unfortunately, today, people have allowed this satirical work to become reality. Set at a prestigious Ivy League school outside of Chicago proper, "Dear White People" takes so much time on the inherent differences between black and white people, that it takes no real time or consideration to realize that it's the American culture that binds everyone together. It's not a bad film, and my opinion of it has grown for the better over time because it must be taken as a satire instead of a message. Obviously the filmmakers have it in mind that one particular group is the enemy, when the reality is that the far left politics are used to brainwash extremely smart and talented minds.
Terminator Genisys (2015)
Surprisingly Pleasing
"The Terminator" was released in 1987 and directed by the iconic James Cameron and followed up by a sequel, "Judgement Day"in 1992, that many, including myself, consider to be one of the greatest action films of all time. The original Terminator and it's more popular sequel, were in no need of a remake, but instead, through Genisys, we get the follow up sequel we deserve to the first two films in the series, effectively terminating "Rise of the Machines" and "Salvation." As the resistance fights off what remains at the headquarters of Skynet, taking out the core, Kyle Reese and John Connor search for the secret weapon of the machines, a time machine, that Skynet will use to send a Terminator back through time, to extinguish the light of Sarah Connor. Reese and Connor are too late and the Terminator is successfully sent back to 1987, with Kyle Reese soon to follow. Reese is in the time travel unit as Connor gets attacked by an unknown force, masquerading as a human in the resistance, and Kyle's past, as well as his future, to be lived in the past, are completely changed. If you've seen the trailer for this film there is no build up as to who the villain is. Genisys is pre-skynet, and it is to be forged through the modern technology of smart phones, becoming completely self aware in 2017, as every piece of modern technology is to be linked as one. Strong performances highlighted by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Emilia Clarke carry the film on their own, and performances by Jason Clarke and Jai Courtney aren't all that bad. If you go into the film with an open mind, and don't think of it as a remake, something which it clearly is not, you will walk away satisfied and looking forward to the next installment.
Mercy Rule (2014)
Why, God, Why?
I don't know what to say. I have projectile vomiting due to the motion sickness inducing camera work, and I'm more than a little freaked out by the way Kirk Cameron tries to get his message across. Instead of painting a picture of hope and light, through which religious views should be relayed, Cameron draws from his own holier than now vision of himself, missing the point completely. From the beginning of the film there is a constant droning of horrible background music, uninspired camera angles which make even the baseball more boring than it is, as well as drowned out camera filters which have a slight vignette. This is not how you bring a message across. You can't combine scenes of a conversation with the added montage of a baseball game, single baseball game. Pardon my writing for being a little archaic today, this film has just angered me to no end. There is no continuity, there is no message here that anyone would want to hear, and I'm frankly insulted that I can't give it a 0. Kirk, take my advice, if you're looking to create a family film, you should create a film that is good for the entire family. It should be easy to swallow without going into too much detail, the message should be clear as well as fun to get to. The dramatic element should be heartfelt and genuine , not in your face and boring, coming through like a lecture on insurance premiums. I'm going to have an aneurysm, so I'm going to stop this review immediately. If you want a good religious message it's more fun just to go to church than to watch this movie. I'm done.
Prometheus (2012)
Franchise Resurrected
In a world of poorly done prequels that miss the boat completely, "Prometheus" has created a different kind of prequel that delves deeper into side stories than that of the main plot of "Alien," as everyone expected. Ridley Scott gladly reserves his directing helm and shows his true prowess as a master of sci-fi horror, giving us wide open vistas and worlds, while at the same time, creating a sense of shock, horror, intensity, and claustrophobia. We are introduced to Dr. Shaw, played by Noomee Rapace in the first scene of a film as she completes her discovery of a series of like symbols throughout the world in a small cave. The symbols represent a star cluster light years outside of Earth and before we know it we are whisked away to the helm of the ship "Prometheus" as it approaches planet LV-223, commanded and inhabited by David, played by multi-talented Michael Fassbender, fresh off his convincing role of Magneto in "X-Men: First Class." The David character is presented to us as sensitive and smart, picking up on every possible piece of human information he can gather, and using his android tendencies to examine the dreams of the frozen crew and gain a tactical advantage, becoming more friendly by studying and mimicking the human moves of Peter O'Toole in "Lawrence of Arabia." David and Dr. Shaw are the two most compelling characters in the screenplay and that is why they are described in detail. Efforts are somewhat but not completely wasted on the talents of Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, and Guy Pearce, all of which should have played more integral roles as they were absolutely riveting with the screen time they were given. "Prometheus" should have been titled "Space Jockeys" as that is what the film focused on, while giving us a slight teaser of the "Alien" franchise yet to come at the end of the film, introducing us to possibly the first face-hugger in existence. As a reviewer I am not here to answer questions, which I have done so already, but to alleviate any feelings of disappointment that some may have. The previews leading up to the films release really do a great job of expressing the need to know. If you are expecting the world of chest-busters, face-huggers, and acidic blood, you have come to the wrong movie, but if you have come to study more about the origins of secret races only glazed over in Ridley Scott's 1979 scream-fest you are in for pure elation. As a hardened "Alien" fan-boy, minus the last two entries in the series and the abomination that was the "Alien vs. Predator" series I left the film not the least bit disappointed in the film that was presented. Instead of answers you will get questions, and these questions will be answered in the sequels that stem from the masterpiece that is "Prometheus." Watch, enjoy, and question!!!
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Don't Waste your Money
Michael Bay....I guess this was to be expected with his film. We should all know what his formula is by now. Hard to discern action, unlikable characters, weak villains, overabundance of slow-mo and crane shots. complete ignorance to the laws of physics, and racism bordering on "blackface" levels. However, we must be fair, this sequel was better than the prior because the story was a little stronger and there were not quite as many plot holes. The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime. look to revive an older autobot, Sentinel Prime (Voiced by Leonard Nimoy), whose ship crashed on the moon in 1969, and recover energy pillars so that they can recreate cybertron through Sentinel Primes' powers. The formula for the plot is fairly solid, but they mention the "dark side of the moon" at least 10 times. The fight scenes are forgettable at best as your average 5 or 6 decepticons die in a fight and the autobots basically survive. This film does not have the heart or the gumption that the first film did and is severely lacking in the pacing department. If you are going to see this movie it should be for reasons not "Transformer" related. Rosie Huntington-Whetley is a knockout and Patrick Dempsey plays a more powerful villainous role than the voice and presence of Megatron. This film is a broken and missed opportunity.
Five Across the Eyes (2006)
If she kills you, you're dead
I have been thinking for weeks on end of how exactly to review this abomination. Can I say anything positive? No. Is there a unique and interesting plot? No, whining teenage girls lost along the interstate get chased by a psycho for no apparent reason. Are the characters fun and interesting? No. The main characters are a bunch of teenage girls whining, crying and throwing up. Do we give a darn if they live or die? Yes, we just want them to die or to shut up, whichever comes first. Is the villain and/or heroine convincing and likable/hate-able? Its actually in reverse, the villain is more likable due to the fact that her non-purpose is larger than the main characters' non-purpose. Fact of the matter is the more time you spend with the main characters in this film, the more you hope they die a horrible death and that the bad girl wins. Is the cinematography and editing worthwhile and does it tell a story? No. The cams are extremely shaky and in a blair witch style when they don't need to be. The film is grainy at best and the camera work will make you physically ill if it does not drive you into a psychotic rage first. Does it manage to accomplish its goal as a horror film? No, it manages to make you sick, dizzy and disgusted and some parts will have you looking at the screen with a blank stare and wondering why you are even watching it and what were the characters trying to accomplish there. What is the scariest scene? When one of our main characters goes monkey-style, poops in her hand and throws it out the window at the psycho lady's car (yes, I am serious). I could keep going, but I fear I will get "ring" effect and die seven days later for even discussing this film. I hope it was a good read for you all. Sincerely, The Genre Junkie
The Last Resort (2009)
Talk about unconvincing and overcliched
This movie has got to be one of the worst, if not the worst horror films of all time. Not only does it not incite any form of terror, but is a script basically written by a kindergartener:
Old Woman: Your friends are at a resort Heroine A: What kind of resort?
Basically the story revolves around a group of girls who take off to an island paradise for their friend's bachelorette party, within minutes they are all partying like crazy, eating cake, getting soused, and making moves on random guys who claim to be movie producers, one of which comes clean about being a school teacher minutes later and is quickly bedded. As our main heroine (not the bachelorette) is making footprints on the ceiling her friends continue to get soused and decide to take a tour of the island with two locals the next morning. After driving for a short while one of the tour guides pulls a gun and tries to rob them, two of the four girls run from the car, one pulls her cell phone to call her friend and the other just screams. The bachelorette manages to run furthest from the car before getting shot and wounded... Meanwhile we see our main heroine get the message from her friend and immediately dial 911 to get laughed at because her friends were missing for only four hours. The girls are dropped in a barren wasteland and wander to find a resort. Within minutes inside the resort they begin to insult each other and call each other names for no apparent reason. The haunting of the resort is lazily explained in a random note found in a room with very weak flashback scenes. I could go on and on but I don't want to feel dumber. The ending is weak, and if this film thinks it can define stir crazy over just a few minutes of being in a given location it is sorely mistakened. This movie completely misses in terms of fear and terror, and should stop trying to be like "The Shining" immediately.
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Is this movie bad or just merely a guilty pleasure?
We all grew up watching the cartoon "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" a campy 80's cartoon not particularly well-animated or voiced. Golan-Globus took it upon itself, in Uwe Boll fashion, to create a live-action film version with none other than Dolph Lundgren to play He-Man himself. I don't necessarily see Ivan Drago as a Master of the Universe, but okay, its fun. Frank Langella actually plays a major villainous part as Skeletor and is really the only bright acting spot in the film unless you also consider James Tolkan as a nosy police detective, basically his roles as Tom cruise's superior in "Top Gun" and Principal Strickland in "Back to the Future" combined. This film answers the universal question of how a sci-fi film is made badly, and the answer is by putting the main characters in peril on Earth. If the filmmakers had the budget this film could have been really amazing, instead we are giving an extremely cheesy storyline and an equally worthless supporting cast. See AVP and AVP:R for reference on how the human element can actually destroy a film. Yet there is a lot to love about this film. It is so bad it is actually entertaining for taking itself so seriously and the story, when not on Earth is average. It is campy 80's fun but well worth owning for the $5 you'll put down if you want to take the trip down memory lane.
The Expendables (2010)
Sly has done it again
Movie brilliance is measured by the amount of fun you have when you see it. Film brilliance is determined through cinematography, story, direction, acting, and message. Sylvester Stallone has managed to grasp, in his direction, the fun feel of his 80's & 90's cheese ball movies (Cobra, Over The Top, Rocky 3, Demolition Man, Judge Dredd) and mixed them in with over the top acting and a fairly decent storyline. Stallone has shown to be a matured director is his day, beginning from "Rocky Balboa" and "Rambo" which were very underrated films in my humble opinion, he brings us to "The Expendables." Expendables glorifies the lives of mercenaries for hire and shows us how you can lose your mind in blood-lust. Although it is full of gritty action scenes, decapitations, limbs lost, and brilliant martial arts the story is very desirable. Stallone and his cronies are hired to go into a hot military zone and silence an American defector who is selling weapons to the enemy. Along the course of the mission, Stallone's character falls for a woman and his decisions become based on her safety opposed to that of his team. The movie is very brilliantly shot against darkness and all of the fight scenes are story driven. The ending offers more than a few surprises and the supporting cast is brilliant. Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke, Steve Austin, Eric Roberts, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Wills are all amazing in their respective parts, with Statham's support as the most front-loaded towards Stallone's story. If you are going to catch and action film, this is the one you do not want to miss.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010)
The grown-up Potter
The brilliance that is the Harry Potter series has stood the test of time and already touched numerous generations, and still will for years to come. The movies themselves have ranged from merely average to great, as have their predecessors, the JK Rowling novels. Harry Potter was created to be a family experience through and through and has survived its fair share of criticism by pundits and religious nuts who make a stand against witchcraft and wizardry, although none of what is actually done in the novels and films should be taken literally, however, the movies and books carry an air of how lessons can be learned. Sorcerers stone taught us that love is the most powerful magic. Chamber taught us that what we believe in can be available to us. Azkaban showed us that nothing is ever what it seems. Goblet shows us that we can have camaraderie in intense competition despite our differences. Order shows us that we cannot overcome the harshness of reality without friends. Prince shows us that we need to always watch our backs, friends quickly become enemies.
DH1 covers all the morals of the first six films and puts them in a glorious mix of darkness. It has an "Empire Strikes Back" vibe as you feel that nothing is going to get better for our protagonists as time goes on. The darkness is welcomed, however, because it is done correctly, from the opening scene at Voldemort's Table, through the trials of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, adult and sexual in nature. This film is important and should not be missed. If you are expecting a happy ending, wait six months. Performances are masterful and effects are well beyond par. Highly Recommended.
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)
I really don't understand
The first movie is fairly decent, every other one is pointless, c'mon people, these movies are basically about people acting like jag bags because they are police officers. A guy puts rubber cement in another guys hair in the shower just because the guy makes fun of him. If you want a better investment and a better picture about cops, choose any film in the "Naked Gun" series starring Leslie Nielsen and O.J. Simpson, yes, O.J. Simpson (I said it). After they go to the academy the first time they really shouldn't have to go back. This crew manages to go back six more times, and every repeated film is the regurgitated bi-product of the last. For the cost of a rental of "Police Academy 2" you could have more fun playing with a live grenade.