Tag: 2019 Movies

Knives Out (Movie Review)

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Release Date: November 27, 2019

Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense

Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson

Summary (from Rotten Tomatoes):

Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie in KNIVES OUT, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast including Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, KNIVES OUT is a witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.

Movie Review

Whodunit: a story or play about a murder in which the identity of the murderer is not revealed until the end. Also, can be called a murder mystery, which is also one of my favorite genres of movies. When I first saw the trailer for Knives Out, my first thoughts were: My man, Chris Evans is starring in it, second, this movie has an ensemble cast of great actors, including Scream Queen legend Jamie Lee Curtis, and lastly is that Daniel Craig rocking a southern accent in this movie, I love it. Alright lets get into my review on Knives Out. I came into the movie theater with high hopes and excitement and let me tell you I was not disappointed. Knives Out features an ensemble cast, featuring some very famous actors and familiar faces. I love when a movie is not only good, but also has a talented cast ensemble. The actors in Knives Out did a great job playing their characters, and some of my actor/character highlights were: Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc, I really loved him in this role, he made a great detective, and was the only one who solved the murder, and did I mention his accent, like I really love it lol, I don’t think I could’ve seen any other actor in this role besides Daniel Craig. Next up is Chris Evans, honestly Captain America was no Captain America in Knives Out, he was an entitled, spoiled jerk, but it was a different role for him that worked. Lastly, I enjoyed the character Marta played by Ana De Armas; Humbled, sweet, and with a good heart, this character was essential to the movie, especially within the chaos of the Thrombrey family, and Ana De Armas, played her well. The suspense and mystery of finding the murderer was fun, exciting, and had me on the edge of my seat, because anybody could’ve been the suspect and had motive. Knives Out is a funny, modern, stylish, and fun, whodunit with an ensemble cast that gives the audience strong acting and memorable characters. Let’s not forget what makes Knives Out the must watch movie of the year, is the cleverness, the plot twist, and the great ending of the movie. As a fan of whodunits and mystery movies, I recommend you to see Knives Out. It’s one of my favorite movies of the year, and whether or not you like mystery movies, you should go see this movie. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve seen Knives Out or plan to see it. Thanks for reading !

*Rating: 5/5 *

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21 Bridges (Movie Review)

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Release Date: November 22, 2019

Genre: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Drama

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, Stephan James, Taylor Kitsch, Keith David, J.K. Simmons

Summary (from Rotten Tomatoes):

21 BRIDGES follows an embattled NYPD detective (Chadwick Boseman), who is thrust into a citywide manhunt for a pair of cop killers after uncovering a massive and unexpected conspiracy. As the night unfolds, lines become blurred on who he is pursuing, and who is in pursuit of him. When the search intensifies, extreme measures are taken to prevent the killers from escaping Manhattan as the authorities close all 21 BRIDGES to prevent any entry or exit from the iconic island.

Movie Review

When I saw the trailer for 21 Bridges, I knew the movie would be good; I got goosebumps after watching the trailer, a sure sign that the movie will be a good one. Now before I hop into my review, I was pretty shocked that 21 Bridges received low ratings/reviews.  However, these ratings did not stop me from seeing the movie. I was also excited when I found out that The Russo Brothers produced this film, this dynamic duo directed quite a few of MCU movies, which too were amazing. The acting in this movie is great. The cast includes Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, Keith David, and J.K. Simmons who played the detectives, and Stephan James and Taylor Kitsch played the roles of the two criminals who shot and killed several cops in the midst of a drug heist gone wrong, which then began the chase of the two, and the shutting down of all the bridges in Manhattan, hence the movie title, 21 Bridges. Chadwick Boseman gave a great lead performance in the movie , and so did the other actors, all giving gritty performances. I also love how they were able to pull off a New York accent too. The action in the movie started maybe about 40 minutes into the film, and once it began, it didn’t stop. The exciting part of the movie was the whole police chase of the detectives trying to catch the two who killed the police officers. You think are they gonna get caught ? How is it gonna end, and a few other questions that may pop in your head. At 1 hr. and 39 mins. you get a good, satisfying police thriller that involves an exciting cat and mouse game involving the capture and arrest of two young men, who murdered several cops. There were several thoughts talked about in the movie that alluded that some type of conspiracy and “foul play” is involved, which is even more intriguing. I did wish that the movie ended in what happened after the arrests and discovering of the confirmed suspicions by Chadwick Boseman character, and how were the those involved charged and punished. 21 Bridges is an action-packed, suspenseful, entertaining, movie that I really enjoyed watching. The acting was great and there’s a plot twist, which I loved. After watching this movie I was not disappointed. If you are into action movies or police thrillers than you should watch 21 Bridges. I was in suspense while watching the movie, and definitely recommend you to go see this movie. Are you planning to watch 21 Bridges ? Or have you seen the movie? If so, what did you think about it ? Let me know in the comments below, thanks for reading !

Rating: 4.5/5 

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Frozen II (Movie Review)

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Release Date: November 22, 2019

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Kids & Family

Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Sterling K. Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, Alfred Molina

Summary (from Rotten Tomatoes):

Why was Elsa born with magical powers? The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, she’ll set out on a dangerous but remarkable journey. In “Frozen,” Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In “Frozen 2,” she must hope they are enough.

Review By Me

Frozen is one of my favorite Disney animated movies; I love the story, the characters, and the songs. Six years later we finally get the anticipated Frozen II and let me tell you it’s a great film, and I loved it. Did you guys suspect that Frozen II would be released ? I was 99.9 % sure; I mean don’t most Disney movies have sequels, especially the ones with princesses. I’m sure just like me, you were anxious to see what they’ve been up to and were ready to go on another adventure with these guys; And yes the characters from the first film are all back – Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven. In Frozen II it’s been a few years since the first film, so of course the characters are a little older. I love how much closer Elsa and Anna have gotten, even though at times Elsa struggles with “letting Anna in” when it comes to her powers. Olaf, everyone’s favorite snowman, often acknowledges that they’ve gotten a little older, and his innocence yet humor comes through that. The animation in this movie is beautiful; Yes it was beautiful in the first film, but six years of animation can improve. The colors were so vivid and beautiful. The images were fantastic, and I loved when Elsa would use her ice powers making snow and beautiful ice sculptures, which all looked amazing. You know what’s even better than having your favorite characters appear in a sequel ? Having new characters that the audience grow to love. In Frozen II we meet new characters outside of Arendelle; Which are introduced through flashbacks and in real time. The voice actors were all great, its like they were made for these roles; When you think of that specific character you think of the voice actor that did an amazing job, by bringing that character to life – In fact all voice actors are good at it. Let’s not forget that they all sing so well; Yes,there’s new songs that quickly become favorites of the audience, I really love “Into The Unknown” and “Show Yourself”, which really show cases the actors voice and range. I love the characters of Anna and Elsa, they’re in my top five of favorite Disney Princesses, Kristoff is just the sweetest, Olaf is still so cute and silly, and all these great characters and more contribute to a great film. Frozen II is an amazing, magical, touching, and fun movie, which I also recommend Disney fans to watch and join the gang while they journey “Into The Unknown”, as Elsa learns more about her powers. Also compared to the first film, this one is a bit more for a mature audience, but it is still kid friendly, and everyone can enjoy it ! There’s no doubt that Frozen II will earn a “Best Animated Film” Oscar nomination, just as the first film was nominated and also won. Will you be watching Frozen II ? Have you seen it ? If so, which one is your favorite, Frozen or Frozen II ? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading !

 Rating: 4/5 

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Doctor Sleep (Movie Review)

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Release Date: November 08, 2019

Genre: Horror

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind

Summary (from Rotten Tomatoes):

“Doctor Sleep” is the continuation of Danny Torrance’s story 40 years after the terrifying events of Stephen King’s The Shining. Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality. Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before-at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.

Review By Me

Last month, I watched The Shining for the first time. I know, with me being a horror fan, I should’ve been seen this horror classic, but you know what they say, better late than never. Now set decades after the events in The Shining, we see a grown-up Danny Torrance played by Ewan McGregor, who struggles with childhood trauma and alcoholism. I was excited to see Doctor Sleep, because when I saw the movie trailer, I got goosebumps, and my goosebumps mean that a movie is gonna be good. The cast in this movie did an amazing job, the acting was great, and the new characters were interesting. I want to highlight the performances of Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, and Kyliegh Curran. Ewan McGregor gave a fine performance as an older Danny; I love the relationship he had with Aba Stone, a kid who also has “the shine”, a role played by newcomer, Kyliegh Curran, who gave a powerhouse performance as the fearless, powerful, little girl who embraced her “shine”, I loved it. Rebecca Ferguson gave a terrifying performance as Rose the Hat, a cult leader who feeds on children with psychic powers. Speaking of cult leader, the cult goes by the name of “The True Knot”. I’m not gonna say much, except that these people are bad, terrifying, and hunts kids with “the shine”. In Doctor Sleep we get to see flashbacks from The Shining, which you kind of figured you would see. Being a sequel to the horror classic, The Shining, the movie stands on its own, and it shines lol.  I really enjoyed this movie, it’s definitely one of my favorite movies of the year ! The movie score was haunting, and the visuals were stunning, I was not disappointed. Doctor Sleep is one of Stephen King’s best film adaptations as well as one of my favorites. Is it safe to say that I like Doctor Sleep a bit more than The Shining ?  If you’re a fan of Stephen King, then you should watch this movie, or if you are into Horror Or Suspense, then this movie should be on your must see list. Will you guys be seeing Doctor Sleep ? If so, let me know in the comments below. As always thanks for reading !

*Rating: 5/5 *

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Ready Or Not (Movie Review)

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Release Date: August 21, 2019

Genre: Horror, Mystery & Suspense

Cast: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’ Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Summary ( from Rotten Tomatoes):

Ready Or Not follows a young bride (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.

Review By Me

Okay so before I began, just a warning, this movie review will be pretty short, and with that being said I hope that’s alright with you guys lol.. I first saw the trailer for Ready Or Not a few months ago at the theaters, and I knew I had to go see it. The movie opened with a flashback, which I liked. I think flashbacks are great and helpful. I’m not gonna say what the flashback was, but of course throughout the movie, the flashback is a pretty big detail. The casting in the movie was great. I wasn’t familiar with the actors; Some faces I did recognized, and overall I thought they handled their characters well. At one hour and 35 mins., Ready Or Not delivers a great movie. The pacing is great and at 95 minutes, it shouldn’t be slow right ? I love a horror movie with a unique plot, and Ready Or Not has it. I’m sure you have seen the trailer for the movie, and if you were like me, definitely had this movie on your must see list. Grace, the bride endures some displeasure from her In Laws; whether its her brother in law flirting with her or her father in law voicing his opinions about Grace….Eventually, after the wedding, the family invites Grace into the family’s big room, where they tell Grace the story on how the tradition of playing a game to introduce a new member into the family began, and of course the game that Grace picks is “Hide and Seek”; From there the game begins lol. This movie had some funny scenes, hence it also being called a black comedy.  I really enjoyed Ready Or Not; Samara Weaving was great as Grace, being that bride who was being hunted, ended up hunting the family lol. This movie is fun, comedic, and has a twist, which I think the audience, may not expect. Whether you like horror movies or not, I recommend you guys to see this film. If you plan on seeing it let me know below or  if you’ve seen Ready Or Not, let me know what you think in the comments below ! As always thanks for reading !

Rating: 4.5/5

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Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark (Movie Review)

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Release Date: August 09, 2019

Genre: Horror

Cast: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Natalie Ganzhorn

Summary (from Rotten Tomatoes):

It’s l968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind… but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time–stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying tome.

Review By Me

As much as I love horror movies, I wasn’t aware of the movie Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark until a few months ago; Not only that, I did not know the movie was based off a book (which I bought a few days ago). I went to Books A Million, and let me tell you, I spent a good 15 minutes in the horror section trying to find the book, so I went to the website and saw that it was listed as a children’s book, and of course I found it in that section. A few days ago, I finished reading the book and I enjoyed it. The stories in each chapter were spooky, entertaining, and short. I wish they were longer. Scary Stories is a good film, I liked the fact that the main character, Stella was a huge fan of horror movies, like me so that was pretty cool. Her love of horror and of course being that it is Halloween time, Stella and her friends headed off to the haunted Bellows house and it spirals from there. The cast did a good job in portraying their characters. After exploring the Bellows House, the teenage friends awakens a “curse” and at first Stella’s friends do not believe, but after their friend Auggie is missing, they know they must try and stop what is happening before they all disappear. Two of the stories that I read in the book, were in the movie: “The Big Toe” and “Me Tie Doughty Walker”. The creatures were creepy, especially the way they looked. The visual effects were great, especially The Pale Lady and The Jangly Man, these two looked the creepiest in the movie. Even though Sarah Bellows was seen as the villain, in honesty she was just a victim, and it was a shame what her family had done to her. For any teenager or preteen that is a horror fan this movie I think is appropriate to see. It’s not over the top scary; It’s creepy and fun, and I would recommend any horror fan to watch it. I enjoyed the stories that I read so I’m hoping for possibly more movie sequels to be released in the future. If you’ve seen Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, let me know in the comments below on how you felt about it. Also comment below if you plan on seeing it. Thanks for reading !

Rating: 4/5

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John Wick : Chapter 3 – Parabellum (Movie Review)

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Release Date: May 17, 2019

Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Angelica Huston, Mark Dacascos

Summary (from Rotten Tomatoes):

In this third installment of the adrenaline-fueled action franchise, super-assassin John Wick (Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.

Review By Me

Yay, so I finally got to see John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum lol. Me seeing a movie this late in theaters is rare for me, because I watch them the first or second week they come out. This movie is on my Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2019 list (go check this blog post out to see what movies made the list); But hey better late than never, right ? Last year I watched John Wick and John Wick 2 and fell in love with the films. If you’ve seen the previous John Wick films, then you know that John had killed a new member of the High Table at New York City’s the Continental and is declared excommunicado by the High Table and has a $14 million bounty placed on him. This movie picks up right after the last film and takes us on an action fueled ride. In John Wick 3, we got to see characters from the two previous films played by Laurence Fishbourne, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick, with of course Keanu Reeves as John Wick. I love Keanu as John, he has that cool laidback personality, the moves, and knows how to fight. Keanu is perfect in this role. We also got to meet new characters played by Angelica Huston, Halle Berry, and Mark Dacascos who all added something great to the film, whether they were with or against him. Also let’s talk about the action in this movie, which is amazing ! There were assassins coming left and right at John to claim that $14 million bounty and of course he always came out on top; Whether its breaking a guy’s neck with a library book or killing a guy with five knives, I was just looking at the screen in awe. I especially loved seeing Keanu’s and Halle Berry’s character fighting alongside with her dogs, they were kicking some butt. John Wick 3 is an adrenaline, fueled, action packed, and fun film, plus I’m also thinking a fourth film will be in the works. Its one of my favorite films of the year; If you are a fan of this franchise or haven’t seen them, I highly recommend you to check them out; And if you have seen John Wick 3 let me know what you think in the comments below !

*Rating: 5/5 *

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Photograph by Nikon Tavernise/Lionsgate