Category Archives: reviews

Captain Marvel (2019) Movie Review

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  • TITLE: Captain Marvel (2019)
  • DIRECTORS: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
  • SCREENPLAY WRITERS: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, and Geneva Robertson-Dworet
  • STARS: Brie Larson (Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), and Ben Mendelsohn (Talos/Keller)
  • GENRE(S): Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
  • RUNTIME: 123 minutes
Get the movie PLUS Bonus Content HERE!

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW ★★★ (3.5)
Writing/Story: ★★★ | Cinematography:  ★★★ Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI): ★★★★★ Character(s)/Acting: ★★★

IMDB BLURB:

Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.

IMDB STORY LINE:

After crashing an experimental aircraft, Air Force pilot Carol Danvers is discovered by the Kree and trained as a member of the elite Starforce Military under the command of her mentor Yon-Rogg. Six years later, after escaping to Earth while under attack by the Skrulls, Danvers begins to discover there’s more to her past. With help from S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury, they set out to unravel the truth.

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing/Story: ★★★ The Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally introduced to Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson. She learns about her past, she discovers who she is, and she finds herself caught in the middle of a war between two alien races and realizes she is more powerful than she ever knew or thought possible.

Carol Danvers is the everyday woman turned female hero. In my opinion, we don’t have enough female heroes on screen so I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I understand that when the lead character doesn’t know anything about their past, it can be difficult to tell the story and portray that disassociation to the audience. With Carol Danvers, we learn about her past at the same time she does, through audio recordings and short flashes of things that happened in her past. It’s similar to when you’re reading a book and the author just word vomits all over you, telling you what happened instead of showing you. I wanted to see Carol physically discovering her powers, reacting to things instinctively, which would then lead to sparks of memories. Instead, more often than not these memories were brought on by the audio recordings, the short flashes of memory, and her visits with the Supreme Intelligence (played by Annette Bening) which is somehow supposed to tell her or show her what she most desires… I won’t even get into that because it was just a really strange plot line to me.  

Honestly, for me, this was more of a Nick Fury movie… It was my first experience really getting to know the Character of Nick Fury and I thought Samuel L. Jackson did a great job with the role. I loved seeing the younger version of Nick Fury since my only other experience with him was in Spiderman: Far from Home earlier this year. Captain Marvel was more of a buddy cop movie staring Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson. Or an amnesia self-discover movie… or maybe it’s a fish out of water movie since she comes to earth and has no idea how earth operates.

Cinematography ★★★ Visually, there just wasn’t much to talk about with this film. There isn’t a whole lot of style with this one. This film felt like a series of storyboard moments. The actors are intentionally framed, and their performing but there is no really remarkable style to speak of. That isn’t to say there aren’t good moments. There are. There are a couple really fun fight sequences and a cool slow-motion walk to the space craft, but other than that there just isn’t a lot of visual style to it.

Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI):  ★★★★★ I have to say one of the most noteworthy aspects of this film was the CGI done to de-age Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson). Truly amazing CGI. If for no other reason than to see the stunning CGI work, this one is worth the TV rental fee. After the first scene or two, I stopped noticing and they seemed completely natural, which to me is the sign of a truly gifted CGI team. If you stop noticing the CGI and it starts blending into the rest of the film then you know they’ve done a great job.

Character(s)/Acting: ★★★ I felt like Brie Larson, although maybe not my choice for Carol Danvers, she did have some good moments. The chemistry between her and Samuel L. Jackson was fun to watch. They played nicely off of each other and the banter back and forth was very clever and entertaining.

Like I said, Brie Larson wouldn’t really be my choice for Carol Danvers. It isn’t because I don’t think she is a good actress, I do. I loved her in Room, and honestly think she is fantastic in the right role. However, in this film she just wasn’t the right choice. She doesn’t seem to fit the strong superhero persona. Her acting style felt forced and she seemed stiff and uncomfortable in the costume, and her movements were choppy, rather than fluid, during the fight sequences.

Although I felt like Lashana Lynch did a decent job at Maria, Carol’s best friend, there just didn’t seem to be much chemistry between the two actresses. Sure, Carol doesn’t have any memory of their friendship, but Maria does… There should have been some sign of that internal struggle she would have been feeling having lost her best friend, thinking she was dead for years, and then having her show up on her doorstep. I just wish there had been more of an emotional connection between the two of them. Without that, I just didn’t really care for the characters.

MY FAVORITE QUOTE:

“I’m not gonna fight your war. I’m gonna end it.” ~ Carol Danvers

 Honestly, this is a pretty good superhero quote and to me, probably the most superhero thing Carol Danvers says in this film.

TO SUM IT UP:

I was more disappointed than I was entertained. The movie isn’t terrible… but it’s not great… it just seemed to fall flat.

Have you seen Captain Marvel yet? If you have let me know, in the comments below, what you thought of it! As always, I do recommend seeing this film and finding out for yourself what you think of it. My opinions might not line up with yours and you might just love the film.

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

View the Official Trailers Below!

Alita: Battle Angel (2019) – Movie Review

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  • Title: Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
  • Director: Robert Rodriguez
  • Writers: James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis
  • Stars: Rosa Salazar (Alita), Christoph Waltz (Dr. Dyson Ido), Jennifer Connelly (Chiren), Mahershala Ali (Vector), and Keean Johnson (Hugo)
  • Genre(s): Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
  • Runtime: 122 minutes

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW ★★★★ (4.333)
Writing/Story: ★★★★ | Cinematography:  ★★★★★ | Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★

IMDB STORYLINE:

Alita is a creation from an age of despair. Found by the mysterious Dr. Ido while trolling for cyborg parts, Alita becomes a lethal, dangerous being. She cannot remember who she is, or where she came from. But to Dr. Ido, the truth is all too clear. She is the one being who can break the cycle of death and destruction left behind from Tiphares. But to accomplish her true purpose, she must fight and kill. And that is where Alita’s true significance comes to bear. She is an angel from heaven. She is an angel of death. Written by Anthony Harmon

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing/Story: ★★★★

This movie was Based on a graphic novel series by Yukito Kishiro. I haven’t read the graphic novel series so I can’t compare them to the movie. I’m just reviewing what I saw on screen and I personally think that James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis did an awesome job with the adaption and that Robert Rodriquez was exactly the right director to bring it to life.  

Battle Angel Alita Deluxe Complete Series Box Set

Buy it HERE

Right from the start of the film, you are swept away in this mysterious, dangerous new world where nothing is as we know it today yet the societal struggles of class are all too familiar.  

The only think I really had a problem with was the unnecessary romantic storyline. I didn’t really believe the relationship between Alita and the local boy who falls in love with her.

Cinematography:  ★★★★★

I don’t usually call out the cinematographer by name, but this film was so much fun to watch and the imagery that Bill Pope gave us on screen was truly beautiful. The world created in this film is stunning and the effects are amazing!

The motor ball scenes which depict this world’s sporting event are insane. Basically, the players go around a race-track with a metal ball that they have to capture. Its violent and fast-paced, and so exciting. As a movie goer, I was drawn right in.  

The visuals in this world are insane!!! The fight sequences are so exciting. I love a strong female character, but I do think that Alita is a character than all movie goers can enjoy.

Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★

Rosa Salazar was fantastic as Alita and the special effects associated with her character were astounding. I will definitely be checkout out more of her work.

Christoph Waltz was good as Dr. Dyson Ido. You could really feel his fatherly love for Alita as well as his internal struggle with what he was doing just to survive.

I’m a Jennifer Connelly fan but with this film, I felt that her character was really under-utilized. There just wasn’t much character development with her character. I felt like they could have done so much more with her.    

Mahershala Ali was another actor that just felt stagnant in this film. There wasn’t much to his character. He was a puppet and I felt like just about anyone could have played his role.

Keean Johnson who plays Hugo, Alita’s love interest, actually surprised me. No, I didn’t believe the romance between them, but he did a great job with his internal struggle. He so desperately wanted to get up to the upper world and will do, and has done, literally anything he has to do to get there. Then, when he meets Alita his starts to struggle with some of his decisions.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“This is just a body. It’s not bad or good. That part’s up to you.” ~ Dr. Dyson Ido

“You’ve been given a chance to start over with a clean slate. How many of us get that?” ~ Dr. Dyson Ido

TO SUM IT UP:

Overall, I loved this film. I’ve seen some less than flattering reviews on it, but I really enjoyed it and think it was a lot of fun. Sometimes you really just want a fun, strong, unstoppable character and that’s what you get with Alita.

Have you seen Alita: Battle Angel yet? If you have let me know, in the comments below, what you thought of it!

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View the Official Trailer Below:

Almost Famous (2000) Movie Review

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  • Title: Almost Famous (2000)
  • Director: Cameron Crowe
  • Writer: Cameron Crowe
  • Stars: Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Frances Mcdormand, Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel, Jimmy Fallon, and Philip Seymour Hoffman
  • Genre(s): Comedy | Drama | Adventure
  • Runtime: 122 minutes
BUY IT HERE

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW ★★★★★ 5-Stars
Writing/Story: ★★★★★ | Character(s) ★★★★★ | Cinematography: ★★★★★ | Acting ★★★★★

IMDB STORYLINE/DESCRIPTION:

The early 1970s. William Miller is 15-years old and an aspiring rock journalist. He gets a job writing for Rolling Stone magazine. His first assignment: tour with the band Stillwater and write about the experience. Miller will get to see what goes on behind the scenes in a famous band, including the moments when things fall apart. Moreover, for him, it will be a period of new experiences and finding himself. Written by grantss

MY 2 CENTS:

Let me start by saying that I’ve seen this film at least a dozen times. It’s one of my all-time favorite films. This film is one of the most thoughtful and emotional journeys that you can experience in a film. When the movie was over, I felt like I had been on a rollercoaster of emotions. I was connected to the characters and invested in their journey.

Writing/Story: ★★★★★ Almost Famous takes place back in the year 1973 and is all about William miller a 15-year old aspiring rock journalist as he travels across the country with a band called Stillwater. William has been hired to write a feature story about Stillwater for an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine and has to interview the band. Eventually, William forms a deep bond with the band members and the band-aides a group of women who follow the band while on tour. The band-aides are led by Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson).

Character(s): ★★★★★ Character development is usually something I talk about when reviewing books rather than movies, but this film really shows you the truth in the lives of these characters. They are so invested in living in the present moment… the here and now… something I often talk about in my #MindfulnessMonday posts and videos, but something often taken for granted living in 2019. I really enjoyed seeing these characters living this amazing Rockstar life. They experienced highs and lows, but seemed to take things more in stride than maybe we tend to do these days. While the characters still dealt with stress and conflict, everything just seemed simpler. I’m not saying simple as in unrealistic ether… as a movie viewer, you are fulling invested in their lives and almost feel like you’re on tour with Stillwater too.

Cinematography:  ★★★★★ This film is so fun to watch and it isn’t just the acting and the writing – the camera angles and lighting have a lot to do with it. One scene that really defines this film for me, is when they are all on the tour bus and break into song singing ‘Tiny Dancer’ by Elton John.

Acting: ★★★★★ AMAZING!!! Whenever you’re watching extremely recognizable stars on the big screen, it can be hard to suspend your disbelieve. However, even though this movie is packed with amazing actors we already know and love, there wasn’t a single moment when actor recognition pulled me out of the film. Each of the actors took on their role and became their characters for the 122 minutes of this film. They were utterly believable and profoundly realistic.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“From here on out, I am only interested in what is real. Real people, real feelings, that’s it, that’s all I’m interested in.” ~ Russell Hammond

“I always tell the girls, never take it seriously, if ya never take it seriously, ya never get hurt, ya never get hurt, ya always have fun, and if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends.” ~ Penny Lane

TO SUM IT UP:

Overall, I really loved this film. It’s an amazing story about love, life, and the pursuit of happiness. The cast is stock full of phenomenal actors with the acting chops to pull off the story in a realistic, heart twisting way. The soundtrack captures the 70s and makes you really feel like you’re there. Then, to top it off, the cinematography pulls you in and paints a beautiful picture that even if seen in still frames you’d be able to feel all of the emotions of the feature film. There was NOTHING I didn’t like in this film.

Have you seen Almost famous yet? If you have let me know, in the comments below, what you thought of it!

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View the Official Trailer Below!

Swiped (2018) Movie Review

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Title: Swiped (2018)
Director: Ann Deborah Fishman
Writer: Ann Deborah Fishman
Stars: Noah Centineo, 
Kristen Johnston, George 
Hamilton, Christian 
Hutcherson, Kendall Ryan 
Sanders, and Nathan Gamble
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 93 minutes

Let me first say this… Just because I didn’t really care for this movie doesn’t mean you won’t like it. I don’t typically review movies and books that I don’t care for because I don’t want to discourage anyone else from seeing a movie that they might enjoy.

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW ~ Overall: ★★ (2.5)
Writing/Story: ★★ Acting: ★★★

STORYLINE: James, a college freshman and computer genius, is enlisted by his womanizing roommate, Lance, to code the ultimate hook-up app. But when James discovers that his divorced mother is using the app, unexpected consequences ensue.

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing/Story: ★★ This one is cliché! We’ve seen this story a thousand times… sure it’s updated a bit with the introduction of technology and the invention of an app, but honestly its just ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ meets ‘Sydney White’ meets ‘American Pie’ meets ‘Animal House’. The problem is, this one doesn’t quiet hit the mark.

Acting: ★★★ Leigh-Allyn Baker (Leah Singer) is the one shining light in this film. She does a beautiful job playing the single parent trying to be ok with her situation while inside she is broken.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“You must be my, soon to be transferred to another college, roommate.” ~ Lance Black

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View the Official Trailer Here!

 Extended Trailer:

Spider-Man: Far From Home (Review)

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Title: Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Director: Jon Watts
Writers: Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers
Based on the Marvel Comic by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Stars: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon
Genre(s): Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Runtime: 129 minutes
Rated: PG-13

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW [Overall: ★★★★★ (4.5)]
Writing: ★★★★★ Cinematography: ★★★★★ Story: ★★★★ Acting: ★★★★

STORYLINE:

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland) must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.

Read my review of Avengers: Endgame HERE!

Watch my video review of Avengers: Endgame: HERE!

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing: ★★★★★ Spider-Man Far From Home is an action packed follow-up to the previous Spider-Man Homecoming that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Peter Parker is back after the snap – back from the 5-year blip that made half the world’s population disappear and he just wants to be a normal kid. Unfortunately, his is quickly called into action by Nick Fury who manages to hijack Peter’s class trip bringing Peter and his friends directly in the middle of all the action and danger.

Cinematography:  ★★★★★ There are some extremely well-done shots in this movie. The fast-paced movements were edited perfectly. The awesome part… and this is a SPOILER… we get to see it as if we are backstage on a movie set. SO COOL!!!

Story: ★★★★ The story telling in Spider-Man Far From Home is like no other superhero movie that I’ve seen. It plays games with not only Peter Parkers perception of reality, but that of the viewing audience as well. This movie is all about escape, wonder, adventure, heroism, drama, characters. This story dovetails off of Endgame and shows us what the world is like today after everything that happened in Endgame.    

This has to be one of my favorite Spider-Man movies ever made. I think one of the main reasons I really enjoyed this story, and the movies in which Tom Holland has played Spider-Man, is because we actually get to see Spider-Man as a kid learning what it means to take on the responsibility of becoming a superhero.

They gave us a mid-credit scene that is incredible… it changes everything you thought you knew about what would be next for Spider-Man. SPOILER – It turns things around and sets up Spider-Man to be the bad guy. Then, they take it one step further and spill his identity to the world by broadcasting his name and photo. So, make sure you stay to watch it!

Acting: ★★★★ Tom Holland is my Spider-Man! He feels completely natural in this role and does a great job.

I loved that they brought in Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) because we only got a little glimpse of him at the end of End Game. Samuel L Jackson just oozes control and he plays the part of Nick Fury so well.

Jake Gyllenhaal playing Quentin Beck (Mysterio) does a fantastic job… You believe him as this hero fighting this massive enemy. You want him to win… you want him to take Peter Parker under his wing, now that Iron Man is gone, and teach him everything he knows… SPOILER – WRONG!!! He is so good a making you believe he is the good guy and it just rips you apart when you find out you were wrong about him the whole time.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“I just want to go on my trip with my friends. Europe doesn’t really need a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.” ~ Peter Parker

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

View the Official Trailer Below!

Avengers: End Game (2019) Review:

Avengers: End Game (2019) Trailer:

The Friar’s Lantern by Greg Hickey (Book Review)

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Title: The Friar's Lantern
Author: Greg Hickey
ISBN-13: 978-1733093705    
ISBN-10: 1733093702
Paperback: 224 pages
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars
GET IT HERE

RATING OVERVIEW ~ (Overall: ★★★ (3.33)
Writing: ★★★ Story: ★★★★ Characters: ★★★

AMAZON DESCRIPTION:

You will judge a man of murder.

Choose-your-own-adventure makes a comeback in The Friar’s Lantern.

An eccentric scientist tells you he can read your mind and offers to prove it in a high-stakes wager. A respected college professor exacts impassioned, heat-of-the-moment revenge on his wife’s killer – a week after her death – and you’re on the jury.

Take a Turing test with a twist, discover how your future choices might influence the past, and try your luck at Three Card Monte. And while you weigh chance, superstition, destiny, intuition and logic in making your decisions, ask yourself: are you responsible for your actions at all?

So choose wisely – if you can.

GET IT HERE

MY 2 CENTS / THE CRITICAL POINTS:

Let me start by saying that I received a free copy of this book for my honest impartial review… That is what I mean to give here.

WRITING (★★★): Lets first address the fact that Hickey has chosen the very difficult task of writing a “choose your own adventure” style novel. This concept allows the reader to make decisions throughout the story which then determine the path the characters take. I grew up reading choose your own adventure stories as a kid and have loved them ever since. In fact, my current work in progress is also an interactive adventure novel. If I’m being honest, the main reason I agreed to read and review The Friar’s Lantern is because I wanted to see how he tackled the meticulous mapping of his story threads. His method, I believe, was very different from my own. This is an ambitious novel structure for any author and the fact that he successfully completed his story is impressive.

As for the quality of Hickey’s writing, although it is clear that he is extraordinarily articulate, I felt that some of his descriptives felt forced. Many of his sentences were so long that by the time I reached the end of the stringed together adjectives, I forget what it was he was originally explaining.

“…The stadium, Ozymandian on the bitumen shore, is beset to the north by woodlands, and here the hard blacktop, the steel girders and thick slabs of concrete devolve into dirt and dead yellow leaves and broken branches overhung by untrimmed trees and dotted with tangled bushes. The little laboratory remains as a mere afterthought, its wearied face shrouded by the sallow, emaciated branches of a willow tree, devoid of leaves even now in mid-May, the tree dead or dying as its limbs sag down on despair to scratch the top of the building.”  

Unfortunately, because of the wordy writing style, I think I enjoyed the idea of this novel more than the actually story itself.

STORY (★★★★): The concept of the story is intriguing… How do our choices effect our outcomes and do we really have free-will? The main problem I had with this story, aside from the wordiness of the sentences, was the ending. It felt rushed… or rather pre-determined as if he wrote the book knowing the concept and the ending. With the “choose your own adventure” style, I felt that there should have been something more. I didn’t feel as if my choices were really leading the story, it was more that the story was leading my choices.

CHARACTERS (★★★): Honestly, as the reader, you are the main character. With that said, I imagine trying to include any sort of arc or character development had to be hard for the author. The character doesn’t really seem to grow or change throughout the story. However, it does provide for the wonderful opportunity, when reading the story for the second time, to make different choices based on the previous outcome.

AUTHOR BIO

Greg Hickey is the author of the INDIES Book of the Year-nominated novel Our Dried Voices and an award-winning screenwriter. He is also a former international professional baseball player and coach and current forensic scientist and endurance athlete. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Lindsay.

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

Also by Greg Hickey

GET IT HERE

Our Dried Voices

In 2153, cancer was cured.
In 2189, AIDS.

And in 2235, the last members of the human race traveled to a distant planet to begin the next chapter of humanity.

Several hundred years after their arrival, the remainder of humanity lives in a utopian colony in which every want is satisfied automatically, and there is no need for human labor, struggle or thought. But when the machines that regulate the colony begin to malfunction, the colonists are faced with a test for the first time in their existence.

With the lives of the colonists at stake, it is left to a bright young man named Samuel to repair these breakdowns and save the colony. Aided by his determined friend Penny, Samuel rises to meet each challenge. But he soon discovers a mysterious group of people behind each of these problems, and he must somehow find and defeat these saboteurs in order to rescue humanity.

Murder Mystery #SundayScreening Movie Review

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TITLE: Murder Mystery (2019)
DIRECTOR: Kyle Newacheck
WRITERS: James Vanderbilt
STARS: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, and Terence Stamp
GENRE(S): Action, Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Romance
RUNTIME: 97 minutes
RATED: PG-13

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW

WRITING: ★★★  CINEMATOGRAPHY: ★★★ STORY: ★★★ ACTING: ★★★
OVERALL: ★★★

STORYLINE:

A New York cop and his wife go on a European vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage, but end up getting framed and on the run for the death of an elderly billionaire.

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing: ★★★ The writing is really the only thing holding this film together and it wasn’t that great. It has a decent plot – a New York cop and his wife go on a vacation they probably can’t afford and they end up getting framed for the murder of a billionaire. I guess they would have motive because they don’t have much money to start with, but come on.

Alternate Ending… There were hints at the beginning of the film… Jennifer Aniston’s character commented on how her husband, played by Adam Sandler, never listens. She has wanted to go on this vacation for years. In fact, it’s their honeymoon, but they have been married for a pretty long time already. Second hint… he was reading a murder mystery on the plane – she loves them. Where, as an author, I thought the film should go was that Adam Sandler was saving money for years, planning the perfect murder mystery vacation for his wife. In the end we would find out it was all a big game, just like in the movie The Game.

Nope, that isn’t what happened. You’ll just have to watch it for yourself to see the disappointing end.  

Cinematography:  ★★★ There were some decent shots when they were in the car chase, but other than that, the cinematography was nothing to write home about.

Story: ★★★ I thing I covered this when I was talking about the writing. I would have done things a bit different with the ending to allow for a plot twist that this movie failed to give the viewers.

Acting: ★★★ I’ve never been a huge fan of Adam Sandler; he tends to yell to much in his films. However, he didn’t do that in this one. No, in fact, he was very subdued. The acting wasn’t terrible, but it could have been better.

I like Jennifer Aniston, I have since her time on Friends, but she is a lot like Brad Pitt… nice to look at but a little one noted when it comes to character development.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“All women are actresses, dear. I’m just clever enough to get paid for it.”

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

View the Official Trailers Here!

Scene shot by shot with Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and the rest of the cast!

Other movies with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston!

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Ben Is Back (2018) #SundayScreening Movie Review

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Title: Ben is Back (2018)
Director: Peter Hedges
Writer: Peter Hedges
Stars: Julia Roberts, 
Lucas Hedges, and 
Courtney B. Vance
Genre: Drama
Length: 1 hr. and 43 minutes
Own It Today!

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★ Cinematography:  ★★★ Story: ★★★★ Acting: ★★★★★ Overall: ★★★★.★ (4.25)

STORYLINE:

Ben Is Back follows the charming yet troubled Ben Burns (Lucas Hedges), who returns home to his unsuspecting family one fateful Christmas Eve. Ben’s wary mother Holly Burns (Julia Roberts) welcomes her beloved son’s return, but soon learns he is still very much in harm’s way. During the 24 hours that may change their lives forever, Holly must do everything in her power to avoid the family’s downfall.

AWARDS:

Lucas Hedges won the award for Best Performance by an Actor 23 and Under at the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Awards. I’m actually surprised this movie didn’t bring in more awards.

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing: ★★★★★ Let me start by admitting that I’ve never suffered with Addiction or known anyone who has, not really. Watching this film, I was moved. The truth in the scenes and the raw openness of the dialogue draws you in rips your heart out. Writer Peter Hedges, who also happened to direct this film, does a wonderful job of telling Lucas’ story. I think the message was powerful and devastating. He doesn’t sugarcoat the pain, deceit, and manipulation involved in an addict’s life.

Cinematography:  ★★★ There was nothing special or different about the cinematography in this film. It wasn’t great… it wasn’t terrible… it just was.

Story: ★★★★ I recently watched ‘Beautiful Boy’ with Steve Carell… another movie about a son who is an addict, only this time it focuses on a father-son relationship. If I had to compare the two movies, I’d say ‘Beautiful Boy’ was more realistic. With that said, I’ve read a number of reviews for ‘Ben Is Back’ stating that the story is unrealistic, the events would never happen, and that Julia’s character would never do the things she does in the film. As a mother, I will say, there is very little I wouldn’t do to help my children.

Acting: ★★★★★ Really, there are only two performances that need to be discussed; Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges because they carried this film. Without them, there wouldn’t be a story.

I’ve always loved Julia Roberts, she gives everything to every roll she takes and with this one… she is raw, exposed, desperate, and unconditionally loving. She gave an outstanding performance and, as a mother, left me in tears.

Lucas Hedges really impressed me with his performance. Sure, he is the director’s son and it probably got him the roll, but I think he held his own. I am not at all surprised that he won an award for this performance. In this brief 24-hour glimpse into his life we are both swept away by his playful nature with his younger siblings and blindsided by the devastating admissions into his past. Hedges does a beautiful job portraying not only the victim but the instigator.   

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“You don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not worth it. If you really knew me, you’d be done with me.” ~ Ben Burns

I think the reason I love this quote so much is because it shows just how much someone can fail to see their own self-worth. Ben is convinced he is no good, can do nothing right, and will always fail. But when he says this, he is talking to the one person in the world who will never be able to see him that way, his mother.

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View the Official Trailers Here!

Interview with Julia Roberts on Good Morning America

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) ~ Review

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Title:                                 John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)

Director:                           Chad Stahelski

Writers:                            Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, & Marc Abrams 

Stars:                               Keanu Reeves (John Wick), Halle Berry (Sofia), Ian McShane (Winston), Laurence Fishburne (Bowery King), Asia Kate Dillon (The Adjudicator), Lance Reddick (Charon), & Randall Duk Kim (Doctor)

Genre(s):                          Action / Crime / Thriller

Length:                            2 hours and 11 minutes

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW†

  • Writing ★★★
  • Cinematography ★★★★★
  • Story ★★★★
  • Acting ★★★★
  • OVERALL RATING: ★★★★ (4)

STORYLINE:

In this third installment of the adrenaline-fueled action franchise, skilled assassin John Wick (Keanu 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.

MY 2 CENTS:

Let’s start with this… Keanu Reeves is going to be 55 years old later this year, September 2nd to be exact. Now, I’m not saying 55 is old, because it isn’t. However, I’m not even close to 55 yet and there is no way I’d have the energy it must have taken to do that role. Nor do I have the amazing abs that Keanu has… I’d love to know his workout routine because come on, it is bikini season after all.

I joked with my husband, as we left the theatre. I said, I bet if you took everything except the dialog out of the script, you’d be left with about 5 pages. There was virtually no dialogue in this movie. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t bother me. You don’t really go to a Keanu Reeves movie to hear him talk… he is eye candy, plain and simple. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t dive into his characters, he does. He gave 110% to the role of John Wick and I can’t wait to see the next one. Chapter 3 left the story open for another sequel and I’m sure fans of all ages, like me, will be lining up to see it.

This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time. The action starts the moment the lights go out and doesn’t stop until the credits start rolling. Seriously, the fighting is insane… Its raw, with the grit of the Jason Bourne movies and the improvisation of real life. I love how they didn’t pretend that their guns had an endless supply of bullets; numerous times throughout the movies the characters had to stop fighting to change out their magazines. No more bullets, that’s ok just throw the gun at his head. Can’t find a weapon, no problem just run to the nearest antiquities shop and start tossing around daggers and hatchets.

Probably the best action film series I’ve seen in a while. No, there isn’t much there in terms of story…

His wife dies… he gets a dog… the dog gets killed… he goes on a killing spree

Yup, that pretty much sums up all three stories.

I’m not going to tell you who gets hurt, who dies, who disappears, or who gets excommunicado, you’ll have to watch the movie to get all the gruesome details. Trust me, it is worth the watch!

Don’t wait until you can rent this one at home – See it on the big screen!

CHARACTERS

I’m not going to talk about John Wick… If you’re going to see the film you already love his character. I want to talk about two of the characters that I felt really stole the screen whenever they were on.

Lance Reddick who played Charon – the man who worked the front desk at the Continental Hotel. He was fantastic!!!

Randall Duk Kim the actor who played the doctor that helped John sew up his shoulder five minutes before his status of excommunicado was in effect. When he pulled out his gun and handed it to Wick so that he could shoot him it was powerful… emotional… and a sign of the honest friend he was. I thought his role, although small, was extremely well written. That had to be one of my favorite scenes in the whole movie.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“If you want peace, prepare for war.” ~ Winston

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John Wick (Chapter 3 (2019) Official Trailer

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) Official Trailer

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John Wick (2014) Official Trailer

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The Supernaturals by David L. Golemon (Book Review)

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TITLE: The Supernaturals

AUTHOR: David L. Golemon

RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Appearance: ★★★★★

OVERALL: (4.5)

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AMAZON DESCRIPTION:

Named One of Riffle’s Ten Best Haunted House Books of All Time

Built at the turn of the twentieth century by one of the richest and most powerful men in the world tucked away in the pristine Pocono Mountains, Summer Place, a retreat for the rich and famous, seems the very essence of charm and beauty, “a scene borrowed from a wondrous fairytale of gingerbread houses, bright forests, and glowing, sunny meadows.”

But behind the yellow and white trimmed exterior lurks an evil, waiting to devour the unwary…

Seven years ago, Professor Gabriel Kennedy’s investigation into paranormal activity at Summer Place ended in tragedy, and destroyed his career. Now, Kelly Delaphoy, the ambitious producer of a top-rated ghost-hunting television series, is determined to make Summer Place the centerpiece of an epic live broadcast on Halloween night. To ensure success, she needs help from the one man who has come face-to-face with the evil that dwells in Summer Place, a man still haunted by the ghosts of his own failure. Disgraced and alienated from the academic community, Kennedy wants nothing to do with the event. But Summer Place has other plans…

As Summer Place grows stronger, Kennedy, along with the paranormal ghost hunting team, The Supernaturals, sets out to confront…and if possible, destroy…the evil presence dwelling there.

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MY 2 CENTS / THE CRITICAL POINTS:

WRITING (★★★★): Although a bit slow and repetitive at times, I feel like David Golemon is one of the best haunted house storytellers I’ve read in a long time. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time and even when the story slowed down, at no point was I ready to give up on it. He is descriptive and captivating and makes you feel what his characters are feeling. This is not the book to read at night in a large, dark house by yourself.

STORY (★★★★): I liked how Golemon brought the modern twist of reality television into his traditional haunted house story. It did get a bit repetitive, the same haunting events happened over and over throughout the book… the doors pushing in, loud banging noises, a misty black entity, and the animals in the woods surrounding the house going a bit mad. However, I still loved this story.

When I picked up the book, recommended by a friend, I was expecting to enter a haunted house and be scared. I wasn’t scared, nor did I enter the house never to leave. The story takes you to a number of locations before you’re even allowed inside the house with ‘The Supernaturals’ a group of ghost hunters that have gathered to not only seek out, but to kill, the entity haunting Summer Place.

CHARACTERS (★★★★★): I’m a huge fan of books where the characters have powers. That can mean vampires, shifters, or witches. It can also mean, as in this book the power to dream walk, possession, and to feel or sense the spirits and ghosts among us.

I loved each of the characters that, by the end of the book, were known as The Supernaturals; Professor Kennedy, John Lonetree, Jennifer Tilden, Leonard Sickles, George Cordero, Julie Reilly, Harris Dalton, Jason Sanborn, Kelly Delaphoy, and Detective Damian Jackson.

APPEARANCE (★★★★★): The cover is beautiful. The house looks creepy and the wispy tendrils of light floating around it are ominous. This book was given to my by a friend, but had I seen it on the shelf at the bookstore, I would have picked it up.

QUESTION: My only question is this, why has this book not been turned into a movie yet?

FAVORITE QUOTE: “Now tell me I don’t know how to throw a Halloween party.” ~ Professor Gabriel Kennedy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David L. Golemon was born and raised in Chino, California. He come from a family steeped in military history, from the Civil War through to Vietnam. He raised three children, Shaune, Brandon and Katie Anne. After spending many years in Loveland, Colorado, he now makes his home on Long Island, New York.

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Also by David L. Golemon:

In the Still of the Night: The Supernaturals II

Set in the world of The Supernaturals, one of Riffle’s Ten Best Haunted House Books of All Time, In the Still of the Night, a supernatural thriller from New York Times bestselling author of The Event Group series David L. Golemon, will make your Halloween extra spooky this year.

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Event: A Novel (Event Group Thrillers Book 1)

In the summer of 1947, an unidentified object crashed in Roswell, New Mexico. There were no survivors. Now it’s happened again. But this time, two creatures have emerged from the wreckage alive . . .

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Empire of the Dragon (Event Group Thriller)

230 B.C. – The first sovereign emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, has consolidated his ultimate power with battles against the last of the dissenting tribes of China. With one last province to take, he knows he will be pitted against the one man he fears–his mysterious half-brother, Li Zhang, leader of a peaceful province to the north. The new Emperor’s goal was to murder Li Zhang for the secrets he has kept from the world that would give Qin Shi Huang the power to strike beyond the borders of ancient China. The power over earth, water, fire, and air. After a fierce battle by the Great Wall of China, Li Zhang used the powers of Air Bending to escape with his many villages into the expansive and brutal Gobi Desert. There, Li Zhang and his nation will vanish from the histories of not only the First Emperor, but of China itself.

The Mountain: An Event Group Thriller

In 1863 a meeting takes place between legendary war leaders–a secret alliance that will never show up in any American history books. A clandestine arrangement has been struck for a single chance to heal a war-torn nation. The mission is to bring the greatest prize in the world back to American soil-remnants of pre-history’s greatest ship and most startling mystery. The prize may lie on a mountain top inside the fierce Ottoman Empire, yet the men who seek it are only days away from trying to kill one another.

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Carpathian: An Event Group Thriller

Rumors of the seemingly magical victory that allowed the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt have resonated through the archaeological world for decades. Now evidence has been discovered that points to a new explanation of how the ancient Hebrews destroyed the unstoppable army of Pharaoh with a tribe of warriors who disappeared a generation later, after the destruction of the City of Jericho, taking with them the most valued treasures of a people without a homeland.

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