stevendbeard Reviews

Wicked Little Letters (2023)

1920's True Mystery/Comedy

[7/10 · 13 May 2024]

I saw Wicked Little Letters, starring Olivia Colman-Wonka, The Crown_tv; Jessie Buckley-Fargo_tv, Dolittle; Timothy Spall-the Harry Potter movies, The Last Samurai and Anjana Vasan-Killing Eve_tv, Spider_Man: Far From Home.

This is a mystery/comedy that is based on a true story. It takes place in 1920's England. Olivia is a strongly religious person-her father makes her read bible passages everyday-that starts receiving letters filled with profanity, calling her names and suggesting that she put things into her body parts that don't normally go there. Timothy plays Olivia's strict father who blames Jessie-their next door neighbor-because Jessie is an immigrant from Ireland that uses lots of foul mouthed language in her daily life and she is not married but is raising a daughter, who also uses profanities. Jessie denies sending the letters to Olivia but Timothy keeps accusing Jessie of the dirty deeds-done dirt cheap-and even calls child services on Jessie. Things end up in court and Anjana plays a female cop that thinks Jessie is innocent.

It's rated R for language and sexual content-including partial nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 40 minutes.

I enjoyed it enough that I would probably buy it on DVD.

Not Another Church Movie (2024)

Bad Rip Off Of Tyler Perry

[3/10 · 12 May 2024]

I saw Not Another Church Movie, starring Kevin Daniels-Will Trent_tv, The Big Leap_tv; Vivica A. Fox-Empire_tv, the Kill Bill movies; Jamie Foxx-the Spider_Man movies, Baby Driver and Mickey Roarke-The Expendables, Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

This is a bad rip off of the Tyler Perry movies. I'm not saying that the Tyler Perry movies are great but they do have a certain charm for it's audience, which this film is sorely lacking. Kevin plays Taylor Pharry-pronounced as Harry with the P being silent-who is a lawyer and he plays a different character when he dresses up in drag as Madude, Kevin's aunt. Vivica plays the judge in the courtroom. There is a woman that plays Hoprah Windfall-a talk show host-that prays to God to have someone replace her. Jamie plays God. Jamie appears to Kevin and tells him to write a movie about his life and most of the movie is filled with short skits that are supposed to be taken from Kevin's life. Although they are supposed to be funny, they are not. They are just dumb. Mickey plays the Devil. I was the only person in the theater audience on a Saturday night. There were 2 other people that came in just before the movie started but they got up and left after about 20 minutes, shaking their heads and mumbling.

It's rated R for language and sexual content-no nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 28 minutes.

I wouldn't buy this one on DVD. I don't advise streaming it either. In fact, you should probably just avoid it all together.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Influence of Caesar

[8/10 · 11 May 2024]

I saw Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, starring Owen Teague-The Stand_tv, the It movies; Freya Allan-The Witcher_tv, The Third Day_tv; Kevin Durand-Abigail, The strain_tv and William H. Macy-Shameless_tv, Wild Hogs.

This movie starts where the 2017 War For the Planet of the Apes ended, and begins with a funeral for Caesar and then it jumps 300 years into the future-all different characters-which is basically about the influence Caesar has had since he died. Owen/Noa is the main protagonist of the story and his clan of apes specialize in training/talking to eagles-there are lots of different tribes now. Kevin/Proximus has designs on being the King of all ape tribes-he even calls himself Caesar but he twists Caesar's ideas to fit his own agenda-so he sends out war parties to bring in new captives to work on his personal project, which is to get into an underground silo he discovered that has human technology in it. When Kevin's apes raid Owen's clan, Owen barely survives and decides to go after them to save his fellow ape clan and that is when he meets Freya/Mae who is a human that has her own secrets. William plays a rare human that talks and he works for Kevin, feeding him information about the past. There are lots of Easter eggs to previous movies, including the first one with Charlton Heston.

It's rated PG-13 for sci_fi violence, action and language and has a running time of 2 hours & 25 minutes.

I enjoyed it and would buy it on Blu_Ray.

Mars Express (2023)

Good Animation

[7/10 · 5 May 2024]

I saw Mars Express, starring the voices of Lea Drucker-Last Summer, War of the Worlds_tv; Daniel Njo Lobe-Le Code_tv, Marseille_tv; Mathieu Amalric-The French Dispatch, Quantum of Solace and Genevieve Doang-Wakfu_tv, Munch_tv.

This is an animated sci_fi thriller that reminded me a little bit of Blade Runner-it has a detective working with and against robots in the future. It takes place in the 2200's where Lea, a human, is a private detective that is hired to find Genevieve, another human. Daniel is Lea's android companion that used to be a human but was converted to a robot after his death. The trail starts on Earth and leads to Mars, where Mathieu runs a robotics company that is up to no good. The animation is good and there are different types of robots in this futuristic world. I liked the killer scorpion looking ones in particular. The only problem I had was with the story itself-it was a little hard to follow at times. The film was made in France and used mostly French voice actors.

It's rated NR but has violence, language and sexual content-partial nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 28 minutes.

It's not one that I would buy on DVD but it would be alright to stream.

The Fall Guy (2024)

Very Enjoyable

[8/10 · 4 May 2024]

I saw The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling-Barbie, Young Hercules_tv; Emily Blunt-the A Quiet Place movies, Edge of Tomorrow; Aaron Taylor_Johnson-Bullet Train, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Hannah Waddingham-Ted Lasso_tv, Krypton_tv.

This movie is based on the 1980's tv show by the same name. Ryan plays Colt Seavers, a stuntman. Aaron plays the star that Ryan is currently stunt doubling for in the movies. Emily plays a crew member on the set that Ryan is dating and Hannah is the movie's producer. After a bad accident where Ryan gets hurt doing a stunt, he quits the business and disappears while he heals up. About a year later, Hannah reaches out to him for a comeback job, working on a movie that Emily is now directing-her first. Aaron has disappeared and Hannah wants Ryan to find him to save the movie. However, there is more going on than you might suspect. There are some good stunts showcased. One in particular is a car roll that actually set the record-8.5 times-while filming this movie. Near the end is a special guest cameo from an action star. During the end credits, stunts are shown and there is a scene with 2 of the stars from the original tv show and the theme song from the 1980's show is heard. Overall, it was very enjoyable.

It's rated PG-13 for action, violence, drug content and language and has a running time of 2 hours & 6 minutes.

I would definitely buy this one on Blu_Ray.

Tarot (I) (2024)

Mediocre Horror Movie

[5/10 · 4 May 2024]

I saw Tarot, starring Harriet Slater-Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Pennyworth_tv; Adain Bradley-The Bold and the Beautiful_tv, Butter; Jacob Batalon-Reginald the Vampire_tv, the Spider_Man movies and Olwen Fouere-The Northman, Texas Chainsaw Massacre_2022.

This is a mediocre horror movie that was filmed in Serbia. Harriet, Adain and Jacob are in a group of friends that are partying at a rental house when they come upon a deck of Tarot cards. Unbeknownst to them, the cards are cursed. After a few of their group start dying-under mysterious circumstances-they seek out the help of Olwen, a famous author that is an expert on the Tarot cards and horoscopes. The characters on the Tarot cards include a magician, high priestess, hangman and death and they come alive to kill the hapless teens, one by one. During the end credits, there is a scene that shows how a certain character survived the curse. Not much new here but it's watchable.

It's rated PG-13 for violence, terror, bloody images, drug content and language and has a running time of 1 hour & 32 minutes.

It's not one that I would buy on DVD but if you like horror, it would be one to stream.

Unsung Hero (2024)

Heart Warming & Heart Breaking

[8/10 · 28 April 2024]

I saw Unsung Hero, starring Joel Smallbone-Priceless, The Book of Esther; Daisy Betts-Chicago Fire_tv, Last Resort_tv; Kirrilee Berger-Butterbean's Cafe_tv, One Dollar_tv and Lucas Black-N. C. I. S.:New Orleans_tv, the Fast & Furious movies.

This is a faith based movie that is a true story about Christian singer Rebecca St. James and the Christian pop duo, For King & Country-all are siblings. It is an emotional story with heart warming and heart breaking elements. It takes place in the 1990's when Joel, a music promoter in Australia, looses his job and can't find anymore opportunities down under. He decides to take his wife Daisy and their six kids to America and start over fresh after he gets a job offer. They get to Nashville, only to find the job disappear and they are close to being broke. The family takes up mowing yards and cleaning houses to make money. Lucas is a member at the local church that tries to help the family out by getting the church to donate gifts-clothes, furniture, etc.-to help the family. Lucas is financially well off, and even gives them a van to drive. Kirrilee plays Rebecca, one of Joel's children that likes to sing. FYI: Joel is playing his own father in the movie, as well as making his writing and directing debut with this movie.

It's rated PG for thematic elements and has a running time of 1 hour & 52 minutes.

If you like these kinds of movies, you should enjoy this one too. It would be a good one to stream.

Boy Kills World (2023)

Bloody Hunger Games

[8/10 · 27 April 2024]

I saw Boy Kills World, starring Bill Skarsgard-John Wick: Chapter 4, Atomic Blonde; Famke Janssen-The Taken movies, the X_Men movies; Jessica Rothe-the Happy Death Day movies, La La Land and Yayan Ruhian-John Wick: Chapter 3_Parabellum, the Raid movies.

This is a no holds bar, funny, bloody Hunger Games that was filmed in South Africa. Famke plays the totalitarian leader of a group that terrorizes the country with what she calls her yearly Culling Games. Volunteers are collected and put in a game with breakfast cereal mascots that try to kill them and it's all televised. After Bill-as a child-his sister and his mother are targeted, Bill is saved by Yayan when Bill's family is killed. Yayan trains Bill in martial arts and weaponry to get revenge on Famke. Jessica is Famke's top enforcer-she knows how to fight too. Ever since the childhood incident, Bill has been deaf and voiceless, so he has an inner voice-voiced by H. Jon Benjamin from Archer-and he can read lips. There are some funny bits when he tries to read a character's lips that has a beard, and it comes out as unintelligible gibberish. Lots of bloody martial arts action-arms, legs etc. Get cut off-so if you are squeamish, you probably shouldn't see this movie. There is a scene after the end credits are over.

It's rated R for bloody violence, gore, language and drug use and has a running time of 1 hour & 55 minutes.

I really enjoyed this one and would buy it on Blu_Ray.

Challengers (2024)

3 Way Romantic Sports Movie

[5/10 · 27 April 2024]

I saw Challengers, starring Zendaya-the Spider_Man movies, The Greatest Showman; Mike Faist-West Side Story_2021, Touched With Fire and Josh O'Connor-The Crown_tv, Cinderella_2015.

This is a three way romantic sports movie. Zendaya plays an up and coming tennis star that meets adoring fans Mike and Josh on the circuit. Mike and Josh are childhood friends that grew up playing tennis together and always competing with each other. Zendaya is making money with sports deals and Mike and Josh are just trying to make a name for themselves. Zendaya gets hurt and has to give up playing the game so she becomes a coach/trainer to Mike, whom she marries and has a daughter with. She also still sees Josh, and when I say sees, I mean has sex with. One of the problems I had was that the story jumps back and forth with the time lines too much and the only clue is their hair cuts. The big finale has Mike and Josh playing tennis against each other. There is also nudity, but before you get too excited, it's full frontal male nudity and not Zendaya-she does wear underwear you can see through, but no nudity.

It's rated R for language and sexual content-including nudity-and has a running time of 2 hours & 11 minutes.

If you like sports movies-tennis in particular-you might enjoy this one more than I did. It would be alright to stream.

Villains Incorporated (2023)

Juvenile Super Hero Comedy

[6/10 · 22 April 2024]

I saw Villains Incorporated, starring Mallory Everton-Studio C_tv, Stop and Go; Colin Mochrie-Murdock Mysteries_tv, Whose Line Is It Anyway?_tv; Jason Gray-Studio C_tv, Go West; Billy Mann-Behind You and Trey Warner-Love in Focus, The Santa Box.

This is a comical, low budget super hero movie with juvenile humor. Mallory, Colin and Jason are henchmen for a super villain called The Winter General. During an operation, The Winter General is killed by Trey, the hero called Captain Justice, so the trio of henchmen decide to become world dominating villains, themselves. The only problem is that they have no powers themselves, are broke and living in an abandoned grocery store. Mallory, who is in charge, maps out her plan-for world domination-but they have to get jobs to get money to continue her schemes, which are supposed to be funny; poison taste testers, human targets at a shooting range, etc. Things change when they meet Billy, another henchman for a different villain. Billy is a scientist that made a gadget to control people and Mallory wants to use it in her plan. A lot of the humor is like a bad SNL skit.

It's rated PG-13 for violence and drug content and has a running time of 1 hour & 42 minutes.

It's not one that I would buy on DVD but if you have some 10 to 12 year old kids that like super heroes, it would be alright to stream.

Abigail (2024)

Great Vampire Movie

[8/10 · 19 April 2024]

I saw Abigail, starring Melissa Barrera-the Scream movies, In the Heights; Dan Stevens-Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire; Kathryn Newton-Lisa Frankenstein, Big Little Lies_tv; Kevin Durand-Resident Evil: Retribution, the X_Men movies and Alisha Weir-Wicked Little Letters, Don't Leave Home.

This is a great vampire movie. Good plot, good fight sequences and tons of blood. Melissa, Dan, Kathryn and Kevin are in a group that are hired to kidnap a 12 year old ballerina, Alisha. They are told that Alisha is the daughter of a powerful man-a drug lord-and they will be paid $50 million for the job. Each of the kidnappers have special skills and were chosen for their abilities, they are told. They go to a secluded mansion and are told to keep Alisha there for 24 hours and then they will get paid. Melissa and company soon realize that they were not told everything. They discover that Alisha is a vampire-it's in the trailers, so I'm not spoiling anything here-and they are locked in with her. While fighting for their lives, they also discover who is actually her father-he is not a drug lord-and the trouble they are really in.

It's rated R for bloody violence, gore, drug use and language and has a running time of 1 hour & 49 minutes.

If you like vampire movies, this one is for you. I really enjoyed it and would buy it on Blu_Ray.

Sasquatch Sunset (2024)

Interesting But Slow

[6/10 · 19 April 2024]

I saw Sasquatch Sunset, starring Jesse Eisenberg-the Zombieland movies, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; Riley Keough-Daisy Jones & the Six_tv, Mad Max: Fury Road; Nathan Zellner-Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, Red vs. Blue_tv and Christophe Zajac_Denek-Twin Peaks_tv_2017, Oz the Great and Powerful.

This is an interesting but slow moving movie that covers about a year in the life of a group of Sasquatches. The group consists of 3 males and 1 female. Jesse, Nathan and Christophe are the males and Riley is the female. It's shot like a documentary-with no actual dialogue but their communication consists of grunts and other assorted noises-and you see lots of great nature shots of the valley and other creatures. They wonder around, eating plants and bugs and occasionally coming across animals they don't understand, which leads to both funny and dangerous situations. There is Sasquatch nudity, with 2 of them having sex-others wanting to, but they are rebuffed-and Riley giving birth to a baby Sasquatch. No humans are ever seen but evidence that they are around is shown.

It's rated R for bloody images and sexual content-including nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 29 minutes.

It's not one that I would buy on DVD but if you are interested in the lifestyle of a Sasquatch, it would be alright to stream.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Untold Tale of Origin Of Spy

[8/10 · 18 April 2024]

I saw The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, starring Henry Cavill-Argylle, Mission: Impossible_Fallout; Alan Ritchson-Reacher_tv, Titans_tv; Alex Pettyfer-Black Noise, Magic Mike and Eiza Gonzalez-Ambulance, Bloodshot.

This movie is based on a true story and a book called Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WW2 by Damien Lewis. During WW2, a group was formed on Winston Churchill's orders to take part in an unsanctioned mission to cripple the German U_boats that were patrolling the Atlantic Ocean, keeping supplies and American soldiers from reaching England. If Churchill's mission was discovered, he would have been removed from office and the team sent to prison. Henry plays Gus March_Phillips, the leader of the team. FYI: It is rumored that Ian Fleming created James Bond, based on Gus. Alan, Alex and Eiza are other members of the team. They take on German soldiers, both on land and sea in their mission and face overwhelming odds and as the end credits start, you learn what happened to each of the members, later in their lives.

It's rated R for violence and language and has a running time of 2 hours.

If you are a fan of Bond-like me-or a history buff, you should enjoy this untold tale. I did and would buy it on DVD.

Spy x Family Code: White (2023)

If Mr & Mrs Smith Had a Daughter

[7/10 · 16 April 2024]

I saw Spy x Family Code: White, starring the voices of Takuya Eguchi-Collar x Malice Movie: Deep Cover, Ultra Man_tv; Saori Hayami-My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU_tv, 86_tv; Atsumi Tanezaki-Unnamed Memory_tv, Dr. Stone_tv and Banjo Ginga-Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma_tv, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin V_Clash at Loum.

This is a Japanese anime movie-with sub_titles-that is based on a Spy Family tv series. Takuya & Saori are a married couple with a 5 year old daughter, Atsumi. They are a family with secrets; Takuya & Saori are spies and Atsumi has psychic powers but no one knows each others secrets, except for Atsumi of course-she is psychic, remember? There is a cooking competition at Atsumi's school and the whole family decides to go on a trip to get the ingredients for a fancy dessert so that Atsumi can win her contest. While on the scavenger hunt for ingredients, they get involved in a mission to find a micro chip that could lead to a war between the East & the West, that is, if they bad guys get the chip first. Banjo is the main villain wanting to start the war. Lots of exciting fights, a little humor and adventures ensue as Takuya & Saori work separately to accomplish their mission. There is a scene after the end credits. The movie sort of reminded me of if Mr & Mrs Smith had a daughter.

It's rated PG-13 for violence, language and smoking and has a running time of 1 hour & 50 minutes.

I'm not a big anime fan but if you are, it would be a good one to stream.

Arcadian (2024)

Pretty Good But Unanswered Questions

[7/10 · 15 April 2024]

I saw Arcadian, starring Nicolas Cage-Renfield, The Rock; Maxwell Jenkins-Reacher_tv, Lost in Space_tv_2018; Jaeden Martell-Knives Out, It_2017 and Sadie Soverall-Saltburn, Little Bone Lodge.

This movie was filmed in Ireland. It's pretty good, except it doesn't answer a few questions. It takes place after an apocalyptic event-it doesn't say exactly what happened. Nicolas is the father of 2 teenage boys, Maxwell & Jaeden and they are holed up in a cabin that is attacked by creatures at night. During the day, everything is fine-the creatures don't like the sun. Nicolas and sons go outside and work or scavenge for things during the day and Maxwell even goes over to the neighbors house to visit Sadie, a teenage girl he likes. But once the sun goes down, everyone scrambles to get back inside and board up the doors and windows. The creatures try to get into the cabin-there are scratches on the walls and doors in the morning-but no such luck. The creatures look like a wolf that has been mutated; their jaws can move real fast when they growl and they can stretch their arms like the Elongated Man. It just didn't go into details about exactly what happened to cause the apocalypse or what the creatures really are. FYI: In case you were wondering, Arcadian means a person who lives a simple quiet life.

It's rated R for violence and bloody images and has a running time of 1 hour & 32 minutes.

I don't know if I would buy it on DVD but it would be alright to stream.

Sting (2024)

Message in a Meteor

[8/10 · 13 April 2024]

I saw Sting, starring Alyla Browne-The Secret Kingdom, Three Thousand Years of Longing; Ryan Corr-The Secrets She Keeps_tv, Hacksaw Ridge; Penelope Mitchell-Hellboy_2019, The Vampire Diaries_tv and Jermaine Fowler-Coming 2 America, The Eric Andre Show_tv.

This is an Australian horror movie and not an autobiography of the lead singer of the Police-I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. A small meteor crashes into an apartment building, releasing a small spider-maybe it was a space ship? Alyla finds the spider and turns it into a pet named Sting-named after a sword from her favorite book, The Hobbit. I know, it's a little weird for a pet but she has had a rough time lately. Her father abandoned the family and Ryan is Alyla's new step dad that is married to her mother, Penelope. Ryan is a comic book artist and works as the building maintenance man in his spare time. Alyla discovers that whenever she feeds Sting, he grows at an astonishing rate-it doubles it's size in hours. Of course, when it gets too big, it goes in search of more food, such as pets and then eventually, people. Jermaine is the exterminator they call for assistance. The arachnid also has some other little talents, such as imitating vocal sounds-which comes in handy while it's searching for food. There are 2 scenes as the end credits start but nothing at the very end.

It's rated R for violence, bloody images and language and has a running time of 1 hour & 31 minutes.

I enjoyed it and would buy it on DVD.

Civil War (2024)

What Kind Of American Are You?

[8/10 · 13 April 2024]

I saw Civil War, starring Kirsten Dunst-the Spider_Man movies, Bring It On; Wagner Moura-Narcos_tv, Elysium; Cailee Spaeny-Priscilla, Pacific Rim: Uprising and Nick Offerman-Dumb Money, Bad Times at the El Royale.

This is a futuristic tale of what might happen if the USA had another civil war. It takes place in the not too distant future where Nick, the President, is thought of as not being too popular and making bad decisions. Texas and California secede from the country and form what they call, the Western Forces, and they plan on having a talk with Nick. Kirsten and Wagner are journalists in New York that want to travel to the White House and interview Nick before the Western Forces get their hands on Nick-they fear there may be more than just talking going on. It seems that Nick has not had an interview in quite some time, only giving taped speeches on how great the country is doing. Cailee is a young journalist that adores Kirsten and wants to tag along to pick up some tips on how she can become a journalist. Some of the other states try to stay out of the fighting and just ignore what is going on. FYI: There is a scene where a soldier stops Kirsten and company and asks them, What kind of an American are you? That soldier is Jesse Plemons, the real life husband of Kirsten.

It's rated R for violence, bloody images and language and has a running time of 1 hour & 49 minutes.

It is interesting and I enjoyed it enough that I would buy it on DVD.

The Long Game (I) (2023)

Field of Golf Dreams

[7/10 · 12 April 2024]

I saw The Long Game, starring Jay Hernandez-Magnum P. I._tv, Suicide Squad; Dennis Quaid-Lawmen: Bass Reeves_tv, Jaws 3D; Brett Cullen-The Dark Knight Rises, Ghost Rider and Cheech Marin-Shotgun Wedding, From Dusk Till Dawn.

This movie is based on a true story. It takes place in 1955 south Texas, where Jay has gotten a job as a high school vice principle. Jay tries to become a member at the local golf country club but is refused because of his race-Mexican_American. Brett plays a judge that plays at the club and doesn't want Jay or his kind playing at the club. Jay decides to start his own team of Mexican_American players, after seeing a few of them playing in an open field-they all worked at the golf club as caddies. Jay's old Marine buddy Dennis, is a golfer too and wants to help train the boys. Cheech is the grounds keeper at the club and helps with golf equipment and other assorted needs for the boys. Jay, Dennis and the boys even build their own version of a golf course in an open field, so they can practice. Sort of like their own Field of Golf Dreams. As the end credits start, pictures are shown of the real people and what happened to them and after the end credits, Jay comes on and says a few words.

It's rated PGA.... I mean, PG for language, racial slurs and violence and has a running time of 1 hour & 46 minutes.

I'm not a big golf fan so I probably wouldn't buy this on DVD but if you do like golf, it would be a good one to stream.

The First Omen (2024)

Not Too Scary Prequel

[7/10 · 7 April 2024]

I saw The First Omen, starring Nell Tiger Free-Servant_tv, Game of Thrones_tv; Ralph Ineson-The Creator, The Green Knight; Sonia Braga-Shotgun Wedding, Alias_tv and Bill Nighy-I, Frankenstein, the Underworld movies.

This is a not too scary prequel to the 1976 Omen movie and takes place in 1971. Nell plays a nun from America that is transferred to Rome by her mentor Bill, a Cardinal in Rome. He wants her to teach at their convent/school. When Nell arrives, everything is fine at first, but soon, things change and she uncovers a conspiracy of evil that tests her faith. It seems that girls at the school are being groomed by evil incarnate to welcome the new antichrist into the world. Sonia is a sister at the school and Ralph is a priest that tries to help Nell uncover the truth of what is going on. There are a few nods to the original film; A sister jumps from a building and kills herself after declaring, This is for you Damian! And near the end, a picture is shown of Gregory Peck, from the original movie.

It's rated R for violence, grisly images and sexual content-including nudity-and has a running time of 2 hours.

Monkey Man (2024)

Not New Plot, But Done Well

[8/10 · 6 April 2024]

I saw Monkey Man, starring Dev Patel-Chappie, The Last Airbender_2010; Sharlto Copley-Chappie, District 9; Vipin Sharma-Companion, Hotel Mumbai and Sikandar Kher-Aarya_tv, 24: India_tv.

This movie is written, produced, directed and stars Dev Patel. FYI: One of the other producers is Jordan Peele. This is also the first movie directed by Dev-and he does a pretty good job of it-and it is filmed in Indonesia. Dev plays a fighter in an underground fight club. He wears a gorilla mask and is called Monkey Man-most fighters wear masks-but Dev usually looses his fights. He is good but not that good. Sharlto runs the matches. During flashbacks you learn how Dev's mother was killed by a corrupt cop, Sikandar. Dev decides to get a job at the club Sikandar frequents to exact his revenge but uncovers more than he bargained for. Dev, hurt and on the run, ends up at a temple run by Vipin, who teaches him what he needs to learn-lots of fight training-so he can have a return match with Sikandar and his crooked politician friends. To be honest, there is not much new plot wise here but it is done very well. The fight scenes are great and you also learn a little about Hindu mythology.

It's rated R for bloody violence, language, drug use and sexual content-including nudity-and has a running time of 2 hours & 1 minute.

I really enjoyed it and would buy it on Blu_Ray.

Asphalt City (2023)

Gritty Look At The Life Of A Paramedic

[6/10 · 31 March 2024]

I saw Asphalt City, starring Sean Penn-Licorice Pizza, Fast Times at Ridgemont High; Tye Sheridan-Ready Player One, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse; Michael Pitt-Ghost in the Shell, Seven Psychopaths and Mike Tyson-A Madea Family Funeral, Ip Man 3.

If you ever wanted to know about the life of a paramedic, this movie is for you. It's a dangerous job filled with life and death situations and the emotional strain is so bad that there is a high level of paramedics committing suicide. Sean plays a long_time_on_the_job paramedic that gets Tye as his new partner working the night shift. They go on lots of emergencies with gun shot victims, physical abusers, drug users, and even a drugged up pregnant woman. This can take it's toll on anybody and Sean gets into trouble sometimes and gets suspended every once in a while because of his behavior. Michael is another medic that rides with Tye on those occasions and Mike plays their boss that usually does the suspending. It's hard on relationships so there is a high level of divorce among paramedics. There is a message at the end of the movie stating the actual numbers and statistics.

It's rated R for violence, bloody images, suicide, language and sexual content-including nudity-and has a running time of 2 hours.

I don't think I would buy it on DVD but it would be a good one to stream, if you are interested in a gritty look at the life of a paramedic.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023)

Good Old Fashioned Tale of Vengeance

[8/10 · 30 March 2024]

I saw In the Land of Saints and Sinners, starring Liam Neeson-the Star Wars movies, Batman Begins; Kerry Condon-The Banshees of Inisherin, Better Call Saul_tv; Ciaran Hinds-Red Sparrow, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and Colm Meaney-Hell on Wheels_tv, Con Air.

This is not a big blockbuster movie with lots of special effects. It's just a good old fashioned tale of vengeance. It takes place in 1974 Ireland-it was also filmed there-where IRA terrorists are running around and blowing up things for their cause, killing innocent people in their wake. Kerry is one of the ringleaders of this IRA group operating in the town where Liam lives. Liam is a hitman that takes odd jobs for Colm but Liam is getting tired of all the killing-he was a soldier before his hitman job-and he just wants to retire and start a garden. Ciaran is the local constable and friend of Liam, but has no idea what Liam does for a living. When Kerry finds out that Liam caused the death of her brother, she wants vengeance. When Kerry starts hurting and killing some of Liam's friends, Liam wants vengeance. As you can see, there is lots of vengeance to go around.

It's rated R for violence and language and has a running time of 1 hour & 46 minutes.

I liked this movie and would buy it on DVD.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Wrestlemania Styled Event

[8/10 · 30 March 2024]

I saw Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, starring Rebecca Hall-The Night House, Iron Man 3; Dan Stevens-Legion_tv, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb; Brian Tyree Henry-Bullet Train, Joker_2019 and Kaylee Hottle-this is her second movie, after Godzilla vs. Kong.

This is the sequel to the 2021 Godzilla vs. Kong and the latest installment in the Monsterverse. Rebecca returns with her adopted daughter Kaylee and we learn more about the mysteries of Skull Island, Hollow Earth, and other assorted Titans/monsters. Dan is a friend/veterinarian/pilot that adds some comedy to the intense situations and Brian is a blogger along for the ride to get more followers for his podcast. You meet more Titans and apes, including Skar-an ape-and his enslaved captive pet Shimo, a Titan with ice powers that Skar sicks on Kong and Godzilla. Suko is sort of a mini Kong, but no relation to Kong. During a fight, Kong hurts his hand and thanks to Dan and Rebecca, gets an upgrade to a new augmented glove called B. E. A. S. T.-Bio Enhanced Anatomech Seismic Thunder-which comes in handy for the big free for all near the end when all the Titans get into a wrestlemania styled tag team event. FYI: There is an appearance of a really well known Titan named Mothra.

It's rated PG-13 for creature violence and action and has a running time of 1 hour & 55 minutes.

I really enjoyed this one and would buy it on Blu_Ray.

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (2024)

Horror Spin, Not For Kids

[7/10 · 27 March 2024]

I saw Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, starring Scott Chambers-Megalodon: The Frenzy, The Hippopotamus; Tallulah Evans-Son of Rambow, Penelope; Ryan Oliva-Midnight Peepshow, Petroleum Spirit and Lewis Santer-this is his first movie.

This is a sequel to the 2023 horror reinvention of Winnie_the_Pooh and friends, created by A. A. Milne. If you are wondering about how they can do these movies-horror-the characters are now in the public domain. Scott plays Christopher Robin-there was a different actor in the first one-who is now a doctor and going through therapy after the events of the first movie. Tallulah is his girlfriend. The town has been trying to find the crazed animals in the woods but so far, they have eluded them. Ryan plays Winnie_the_Pooh and Lewis is Tigger. Yes, there are more animal friends in this one-The Owl is pretty fierce looking. Anyway, Pooh and company have decided that they have had enough and want to take the fight to the town. They go on a killing spree, maiming and killing everyone they find. There is a little bit told in flashbacks about a doctor and how he created the monstrosities. Before the movie starts, the creators of the film talk about the next movie-yes, there will be a part 3-and other movies with a horror spin that they have lined up. They include Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Bambi-they show a clip from Bambi-and an Avengers style cross over called Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble, which has all the a fore mentioned characters in it.

It's not rated but it contains violence, gore, language and sexual content-partial nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 40 minutes.

I enjoyed it and would buy it on DVD but if you are a fan of Winnie_the_Pooh-like my wife is-or little kids, you should probably avoid it.

Sleeping Dogs (2024)

Neat Little Murder Mystery

[8/10 · 25 March 2024]

I saw Sleeping Dogs, starring Russell Crowe-Thor: Love and Thunder, Gladiator; Karen Gillan-Thor: Love and Thunder, Stuber; Tommy Flanagan-Sons of Anarchy_tv, Gladiator and Marton Csokas-The Last Duel, The Equalizer.

This is a neat little murder mystery that is based on a 2017 book called The Book of Mirrors by Eugene O. Chirovici. It was filmed in Australia. Russell plays an ex homicide detective that had a bad car accident that gave him memory loss. He is trying an experimental treatment that is repairing his memory and his doctor told him to keep his mind stimulated by reading anything or playing puzzles. Russell is approached by a woman about a 10 year old case that he worked on-before his accident-and the killer is going to be executed in a month. She claims he is innocent and he wants to talk to Russell so Russell goes to see him. Russell believes him and decides to investigate a little more. Marton is a teacher and the person that was killed 10 years ago. Karen was Marton's assisstant and Tommy was Russell's partner. There are lots of twists and suspects as Russell is working on getting his memory back and untwisting all the evidence to find exactly what happened-lots are told in flashbacks.

It's rated R for violence, bloody images, language and sexual content-no nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 50 minutes.

I enjoyed it enough that I would buy it on DVD.