Last Christmas

 

 

          Last Christmas isn't just your typical holiday movie. it's also a delightful rom/com that has 

   heart (literally). It stars Emilia Clarke ( Game of Thrones) as Kate, an aspiring young woman 

   whose down on her luck, stuck at her dead end job until one day she meets a handsome strange

   man (Henry Goulding, Crazy Rich Asians). He gives her advice to become a better person and

   ends up changing her life for the better. 

          While I liked this movie, there was part near the end that teared me up a bit (spoiler: He 

   was a ghost who died in a biking accident and he donated his heart so she could live on.) 

   This movie was taken from a Wham song and predominately features George Michael songs. 

     

      3/4 Stars

 

Movies watched during quarantine/lockdown

           With the way 2020 has been going and Gavin Newsom closing down businesses to 

    control COVID outbreak, I thought I'd share some movies I watched during this time:

   1). Willow (fantasy/epic)- producehd by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, this 

   fantasy tales revolves around a little guy named Willow who protects a baby whom an 

   evil witch wants. I really liked this movie and found it to be enjoyable (7/10)

   2). Ford v Ferrari (bio/drama)- This biographical racing drama involves American car 

   designers pitted against Italian designers to see who could make the fastest car. Christian

   Bale really shines in this one (7/10)

   3). Die Hard (action)- In this fun action movie, Bruce Willis stars a John McClane, an off 

   duty cop who must save his wife's co-workers as they are held hostage by some evil terrorists.

   This movie was my favorite among all of them. (10/10).

   4). Robocop (scifi/action)- This 1987 classic is about a cop who is gunned down in the line 

   of duty and is brought back to life through as a cyborg. This actionfest perfectly captures 

   corporate 1980's America. (8/10)

    5). The Terminator (1984)(scifi)-  James Cameron's scifi classic stars Arnold Schwarzenegger

    as a killer cyborg who travels back in time to stop a young woman (Linda Hamilton) from 

    giving birth to a son who leads the resistance against the evil robots in the distant future. 

    This movie was good but the sequel was miles better (7/10)

     6). The Blues Brothers (musical/comedy)- Starring the late and great John Belushi and Dan 

     Aykroyd, this film stars as two brothers on a mission from God to raise money for a 

     Catholic orphanage. The chase scene at night was my favorite part (7/10).

Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey

Dir: Cathy Yan

Cast: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollet Bell,

Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco

      After being dumped by the Joker, Harley Quinn (Robbie) is out on her own and must 

  fend for herself in the crime ridden slums of Gotham. Narrated by Quinn herself and

  told by in flashbacks, Quinn drowns out her sorrows in a night of drinking and getting

  drunk.
         Harley gets caught up in a frantic search for a lost mob treasure which is being 

   hunted by everyone in the city. Along the way, she makes some friends including

   Dinah Lance (Smollet Bell), a runaway teen (Basco), and a skilled assassin the 

   Huntress (Winstead). They all must work together to stop a mob kingpin Roman

   Sionis (McGregor). 

         This movie leans heavily anti male and quite cringe-worthy in dialogue. There

   are no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The action scenes were directed by John

   Wick's Chad Stahelski and Robbie take on the popular DC character was rather 

   good. This film should've not been made in the first place and hopefully the 

   forthcoming Wonder Woman movie should be better.

        Grade: D

Fighting with my Family

Fighting with my Family

Dir: Stephen Merchant

Cast: Florence Pugh, Lena Heady, Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn, Dwayne Johnson

       Fighting with my Family isn't just a movie about wrestling. It's message conveys the 
   importance of sticking to one's dreams and never giving up. 
        Newcomer Florence Pugh stars as real life WWE wrestler Paige, a young woman 
   who follows her dreams to become a professional wrestler. Veteran actors Heady 
   (Game of Thrones) and Frost (Hot Fuzz) star as her parents who encourage her 
   to keep going despite facing many adversities. 
         After growing up in a family of wrestlers, Paige wants to be just like her idol,
   The Rock (D. Johnson). She starts out wrestling in her family's wrestling ring in 
   England and tries out for the WWE.
         She flies out to the United States to WWE's version of boot camp and begins 
   to realize that wrestling is harder than it looks. Despite almost giving up, she 
   gets words of encouragement from her trainer (Vaughn) and just wants to make 
   her and her family proud. 
          FwmF may not winning any awards but it's good movie for someone looking
   to be inspired.

 Grade: B+

Shazam

Shazam

Dir: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Glazer, Zach Levi, Mark Strong, Grace

Fulton

         Ever since Chris Nolan made his Batman movies, DC has been a dark somber place.

    Thankfully, this movie is a light of sunshine among them. Nickelodeon star Asher 

    Angel is Billy Batson, a foster kid who keeps running away from his problems. Until

    one day he meets an old wizard who turns him into a grown man with superpower
    based on pure of heart.

         Billy and his best friend/ foster brother (D. Glazer) attempt to keep Billy's alter
    ego a secret from their foster family. Meanwhile, evil scientist Dr. Sivana (Strong)
    becomes obsessed with learning about Shazam and the magic behind the power.

         This movie is hilarious and a lot of fun to watch. Despite copying the MCU in
    their light hearted tone, it works in just the right way. Sandberg joins fellow horror
    turned superhero directors such as Richard Donner, James Gunn, James Wan & 
    Zack Snyder.

       Shazam is the perfect blend of action and comedy. The message of importance of
    having a family, even chosen ones, is the central theme. It may not be a critical 
    darling but it has heart and that's what this movie aims to be. 

Grade: B+

My Favorite Movie: Ghostbusters

          One of my favorite movies is the 1984 scifi/comedy "Ghostbusters". It stars SNL 

   alums Bill Murray & Dan Akyroyd as paranormal scientists investigating paranormal 

   occurrences in a woman's (Sigourney Weaver) apartment. The late Harold Ramis
   is Egon Spenger, the inventor of the team. Ernie Hudson joins the team as Winston
   Zedmore, an ordinary guy looking for a paycheck. They have a secretary named Janine
   played by Annie Potts. This movie features good comedic moments & decent action
   scenes. Despite this movies effects not holding up, it's still worth a watch. 

  

Ant Man & the Wasp

Ant Man & the Wasp

dir: Peyton Reed

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, Abby Fortson,

Hannah J. Kamen, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Pena, Randall Park,

Walton Goggins, Michelle Pfeiffer

(spoilers ahead)

         Ant Man & the Wasp comes right off the heels of an emotionally draining Infinity 
     War. This time around, we find our hero Scott Lang (Rudd) under house arrest after
     violating the Sokovia Accords during Captain America: Civil War. Before his 
     parole time is up, he spends it with his young daughter Cassie (Fortson).

        Scott gets a call from his mentor Hank Pym (Douglas) and his beautiful daughter

     Hope (Lily) looking for Hank's wife Janet (Pfeiffer) who is missing somewhere in

     a subatomic zone called the Quantum Realm.

        A young woman named Ava (J. Kamen) becomes the villain Ghost, and steals
     Pym tech. Pym's former business partner Bill Foster (Fishburne) helps try and 
     cure her of her phasing affliction.

  

        Scott and his former prison buddies band together and stop Ghost before she 
     can get to Janet.

     The Good: The acting was good because the characters played off each other well.
     The shared father/daughter dynamic was handled well so as to not to be forced.
     Pena once again borderline steals the movie with his hilarious performance as 
     the likable Luis.

     The Bad: The plot was quite predictable and the villain was very forgettable. 
     Some of the jokes fell flat and there wasn't enough action to justify a good
     Marvel film.

    Overall: Ant Man & the Wasp was a welcome palate cleanser after the intensity that
    was Infinity War. With Marvel's Phase III saga coming to a close early next year,
    it'll be interesting to see where Phase IV will be going and whether there'll be an
    Ant Man 3 to close Scott Lang's tale. It's a good summer movie to watch but quite
    forgettable one unfortunately.

 Grade: 6/10 (B-)

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Dir: Jake Kasdan

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas,

Bobby Cannavale

     When it was first announced that Jumanji would be getting a sequel, many people 

   cringed at the thought it'd be nothing more than a cheap cash grab but as it turns out,

   it's a pretty fun movie. 

      Taking place right after the last movie, four awkward teens get sent to detention 
   where they stumble upon an old video game and get sucked into it. They soon realize
   that they don't have to play the game as their avatar version of themselves, they 
   must survive too. They are sent out on a quest to return a cursed gem known as the
   "Jaguar's Eye" to it's rightful place on the island's giant jaguar state perservering
   though many levels and all terrains. The teens in their new bodies must work 
   together before it's too late. 

    Each member has their own personality. Johnson spoofs himself as a geeky teen in
   a beefy man's body while Jack Black character was absolutely hilarious as a girly
   girl trapped in a overweight man's body. Gillan's character Ruby is clearly based 
   off of Lara Croft as shown to be scantily clad. Kevin Hart is his usual funny self 
   playing a zoologist with a weakness for cake.

   The Good: The cast play off each other quite well and humor never got old. The 
   running joke is that these great actors are playing against this trope. I appreciated
   the nod to some of the classic movies like The Breakfast Club & The Goonies.

   The Bad: At times, it felt rushed and superficial. While it tried to compare itself to
   the original film, it fell painfully short. There were a couple crude scenes that may
   not sit well with small children but older kids might find it funny instead. 

   Overall: While it felt like an unnecessary film, it did what it could and that is to 
   entertain and I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out. It's the funnest
   film of the holiday season and a stark contrast to the depressing Star Wars film 
   that's constantly getting attention. Rather than coming across as crass it doesn't
   just respect Robin Williams legacy, it tastefully honors it. 

Grade: B+ (8/10)

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson,

Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban

         The third movie in a series tend to be the worst but this one bucks the trend and

   is easily one of the funniest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemsworth

   returns as our favorite demigod who swears to protect his home world of Asgard

   from the evil goddess Hela (Cate Blanchett). 

           Critically acclaimed director Taika Waititi (What we do in the Shadows) takes a

   stab at a blockbuster that draws inspiration from Norse mythology and combines

   the Thor character with the Planet Hulk comic. 

 Spoilers ahead, use caution

          After escaping the pits of Hell, Thor returns to find his father Odin missing 
    from Asgard. He contacts Dr. Strange (Benedicts Cumberbatch cameo) and tells
    him that he's alive in Norway. There Odin gives him some fatherly advice only to
    pass away. When all of a sudden, a black cloud opens up in the sky only to have 
    the evil Hela show up. Together, Thor and adopted brother Loki (Hiddleston)
    fight her only to get separated in the Bifrost.

     

        Thor lands on a trash infested planet called Sakaar where he meets a young

   female warrior, Valkyrie (Thompson) and unknowingly has to fight the big green 

   monster The Hulk (Ruffalo). Meanwhile Hela rules over Asgard with an iron 

   fist. The only way to stop Hela is to fulfill the prophecy and create Ragnarok.

   In Thor's vision, Odin tells him the Asgard isn't just a place but people as long

   as they are protected. 

   The Good: The action scenes along with humor was spot on. Jeff Goldblum's

   Grandmaster was hilarious every time he was on screen. The inclusion of Led 

   Zeppelin Immigrant Song during the fight was the icing on the cake. This film

   was a lot lighter in tone than the depressing Thor: Dark World. This movie 

   featured  alot of colorful backgrounds which is bereft in most blockbusters today.

  The Bad: I thought Hela was too overpowered, killing off characters senselessly

  just for the sake of the plot. The last half of the movie felt rushed and didn't 

  connect well with me. The overuse of horrendous CGI that look like low budgeted

  action TV show. 

  Overall: I went into this movie expecting your typical superhero movie but I was

  blown away about how good it is. On a whole, this is an entire different outing 

  for the MCU. We see a side of the cosmic universe we've never seen before. It's

  what GOTG Vol. 2 should've been,a lighthearted movie that perfectly balances 

  the humor with action.

Grade: B+ (8/10)

The Kingsman: The Golden Circle

The Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Dir: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Taron Edgerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry

 Channing Tatum, Elton John, Jeff Bridges

         This is a bit of a late review since it's been awhile since I've gone out to the theater.

   The Kingsman: Golden Circle is the sequel to the surprise hit that was also directed

   by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class).

         In the sequel, young actor Taron Edgerton is back as Eggsy. the former street

  hoodlum turned secret agent. After his companys headquarters is blown to bits by

  an atomic missile, the world becomes held hostage by an evil woman (Moore) who

  poisons the world's drug supply in exchange for legalizing it. Now it's up to Eggsy

  and his Kingsman pals Gallahad (Firth) and Merlin (Strong) to stop her before it's

  too late. 

   The Good: It like most of the action scenes in the movie as well as the comedy.

   Julianne Moore was devilishly as a nostalgia obsessed sociopath who wanted

  a monopoly on the world's drug cartel. This movie dealt with ethical issues today

  concerning those that use drugs and whether or not it's right to do so. The legend

  Elton John was pretty funny here. 

  The Bad: The overuse of slow motion fight scenes which is prevalent in todays 

  action movies. The use of a small cute dog used as a cheap plot device didn't 

  sit right with me. This movie was quite graphic but that's typical of a Matthew

  Vaughn movie. The talents of Bridges, Berry and Tatum are wasted here and

  contributed nothing to the overall plot. 

  Overall: Although inferior to its predecessor, it's quite an enjoyable sequel. The

  only problems were that it didn't have heart and the creative spirit that the first

  film had. It suffers from the usual uninspired cash grab of a sequel. For a spy

  film franchise, I had expected better than this. 

     Grade: C- (6/10)

Top 15 Funniest Comedies Ever

Top 15 Funniest Comedies Ever

(In no particular order)

    I just thought I'd do something fun and make a list of the funniest movies I've ever seen

   1). Step Brothers (2008)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nEl04eG8Eg

   2). Ted (2012)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWT2hvcsWHQ

   3). Deadpool (2016)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E04mRYAe3T8

   4). Liar Liar (1999)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWF4FhdmjUg

   5). Christmas Vacation (1989)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzTA36-aw3I

   6). Bruce Almighty (2003)(gibberish clip)

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5uEM7XDADU

  7). Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1985)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2ttCXTD0Z8

  

  8). Zoolander (2001)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG0VyjZyO7Y

  9). UHF (1989)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wBFoJ6Fi8c

 10). Tropic Thunder (2008)(war movie spoof)

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rQHHgHf5s4

 11). 21/22 Jump Street- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD-dHlw-Ayg

 12). The Other Guys- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZj9sGxpUm0

 13). Ace Ventura- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLi9Xa9EK-c

 14). Kung Pow- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRWxJiMM3Jg

 15). MacGruber- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrS3O02rnuE

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

           

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Dir: James Gunn

        Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillian, Bradley Cooper &

   Vin Diesel (voices), Kurt Russell, Pom Klementieff

   some spoilers ahead

       At some points during the GOTG 2, Gamora (Saldana) shoots a refrigerator sized 

  cannon while Yondu (Rooker) slaughters alien men with a whistle controlled arrow.

  But no weapon can control the cuteness that is baby Groot, a tiny tree that dances 

  to ELO during the opening scene.

      Marvel's favorite band of cosmic heroes are back in this sequel from 2014's

  surprise hit. This time, Peter Quill's (Pratt) lineage is explored and learns who

  his father may be.

      

      After fighting a ginormous alien, the team is attacked by a race of golden

  skinned aliens called The Sovereign. They are after valuable batteries that 

  Rocket Raccoon (Cooper) stole from them. Our heroes make the jump to 

  hyperspace where they crash land in a forest world. There they meet a middle

  aged man (Russell) claiming to be Peter's dear old Dad. 

      Hot on their trails are the Ravagers, a group of intergalactic pirates who raised

  Peter since being abducted as a boy. Silently working with the Guardians is
  their disgraced leader Yondu (Rooker) who vows revenge against the men
  who ousted him. The muscle of the group, Drax (Bautista) is treated like comic
  relief with funny quips.

     This movie felt like a step down from the original probably because this scifi

  flick is more story driven than action oriented. Each character is better fleshed
  out and we get to learn more about them. The plots themselves are contrived
  while the humor felt forced making the jokes fall flat. The touching scene made
  me want to cry hard. 

     Russell's subplot smelled awful alot like another well know space opera that

  explored the father-son dynamic. But they did it better and it was more believable.
  This story was watered down and contributed little to the MCU. The first one was
  so good because it had heart and characters that we've never seen before. Perhaps,
  next time James Gunn can return to what made the first GOTG movie so great,
  a sense of fun and adventure. 

     Grade: C (7/10)
Baby Groot: A

The Croods (2013)

 

The Croods
Dir: Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco
Cast (voices): Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Cloris Leachman

       The Croods is one of those movies that not only kids will enjoy but adults as well

   and that features an all star cast. After their cave gets destroyed by a massive earthquake,

   a prehistoric family sets off on a journey to find a new home.

       Along the way, they meet a caveboy named Guy (Reynolds), whom their daughter

  Eep (Stone) falls in love with. Guy shows the family how to adapt to be modern. The

  crazy Nicolas Cage voices Grug, her overbearing father whom he must keep his family

  together. Grug doesn't trust Guy and they bond hoping Guy is capable of being with

  Eep. 

      I thought this movie was really funny and had some good lessons. Plus I also like

  Emma Stone alot. The Croods focuses on a strong family dynamic that carries the 

  story forward. The morals of not being afraid should inspire kids to do the same. 

  Dreamworks Animation continues their winning streak and while it may not be an

  instant classic like Toy Story, it'll surely put a smile on the kids faces.

Grade: B- (7/10)

Class movie 2: Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters

     Director: Paul Feig

     Cast: Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth

      Yesterday, I went out to the movies with my class and saw the new Ghostbusters. It
  stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon as paranormal scientists 
  investigating hauntings caused by a former bellhop named Rowan. Meanwhile a
  subway attendant (Leslie Jones), joins the team after experiencing ghostly sightings.

     Chris Hemsworth (Thor) plays their handsome but incredibly stupid secretary 
  who is mostly used for a cheap laugh here or there. SNL star Kate McKinnon
  steals the show as gear head Holtzmann, the inventor of cool gadgets to fight off
  the ghosts.

     Directed by Paul Feig, this is a remake of the Ivan Reitman scifi/comedy of
  the same name. Despite the major backlash due to the gender reversals, ruined child
  hood nostalgia, lack of originality, I went into this thinking this would be awful
  but actually it wasn't. Although the plot, while silly and predictable, is better than
  the recent schlock that has come out but this past summer. It's slightly better than 
  Ghostbusters 2 but that's not saying much. The climax of the movie where they 
   were shooting ghosts was my favorite part.

    Clearly, Sony is desperate for a hit after losing the rights to Spiderman to Marvel. 
  This is not the way to do it. They have no idea how to run a successful studio. True
  Ghostbusters fans know that when Harold Ramis died so did the franchise. I felt
  like the characters in this movie were trying too hard to be funny which didn't work.

     Coming from a big Ghostbusters fan like myself, I thought the best scene came when
   Holtzmann busted out the proton guns. The Scooby Doo special effects were ridiculous.
   Had this been a proper sequel rather than a lazy remake capitalizing on nostalgia factor,
   I would've like it better. It really wasn't a bad movie just an average one at best. Wait 
   for this to come out on video instead.

Grade: C (6/10)

Deadpool

         

Deadpool

Dir: Tim Miller

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Ed Skrein, Gina

Carano, Leslie Uggams, Breanna Hildebrand

       Taking place in the X-Men universe, Deadpool is based on character of the same

  name. Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, a hitman who one day gets diagnosed

  with terminal cancer. Upon learning this, he volunteers himself to be a guinea pig 

  for a shady organization that can cure him but for a price. In doing so, it disfigures

  him and turns him into a wisecracking assassin.

       

       With the help of two X-Men (Colossus & Negasonic Teenage Warhead), Deadpool

  goes on a killing spree looking for the Francis (Skrein), the man who permanently 

  scarred him for life. 

       Despite the graphic nature of the film, some of the 4th wall breaking jokes were

  utterly hilarious. It's a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and had a good message

  about accepting someone for who they are. 

      Deadpool was stuck in developmental hell for a decade and it's a movie 

 worthy of your time. It's easily one of my favorite superhero movies of the year.

   Grade A (10/10)

13 Going 30

                                      13 Going on 30
             Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Andy Serkis, Judy Greer

   Today in Melissa's film forum class, we watch the ending to a comedy called 13 Going
 on 30. It's a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. It is about a 
 13 year old girl in the 80's who wishes she was older until the next day, she wakes up 
 17 years later as a 30 year old
     She tries dealing with the responsibilities while being 30 and tries to reconnect with
her platonic friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo). Things become to get complicated while as a
photo editor for a fashion magazine. Once Matt tells her his feelings for her, she begins
falling for him. It has a good ending. Perfect for a date night in or girls slumber party.