The Whale is an interesting case study with a great performance by Brendan Fraser!!!

Real Rating:

4 Nurses

What I Like:

-What makes this worth the watch is watching Brendan Fraser playing his role, I liked seeing him as an online English teacher, a person trying to make right with his daughter, and seeing him go through the past pains in his life, it is intriguing to watch

The So So:

-It is an interesting case study to see unfold, seeing a person in that manner trying to live his life with his condition, although some of things that went down, especially with his estranged family, happened way too fast, it is still interesting to see how things unfolded
-Is the film fat shaming? Yes and no, the yes I will explain in the next section, but it is pretty accurate on how tough life is when you are morbidly obese and having a tough time dealing with simple things, and seeing the mental health of a person who is that way is a reality we all need to learn and care for these type of people

What I Didn’t Like:

-The yes of fat shaming is seeing the reactions of people seeing him for the first time, and how they perceive things for him, this is why they go through major mental health problems because they still are not perceived as normal people, a common misconception that does need to stop

Overall:

As I said before, it is a good case study to learn of a life of man dealing with his all the things physically, socially, and mentally. What makes this film great is watching Brendan Fraser showing all of his dealings with everything. He put great work into his performance, and I do believe he might win the Oscar for Best Actor. Good for him if that happens!!!

Real Rating:

4 Nurses

The Banshees of Inisherin is a dark somewhat witty story, that is well acted even though it dragged during the journey!!!

Real Rating:

3.5 Fingers

What I Like:

-The acting makes this film watchable, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson really brought out an authentic performance that was believable
-The cinematography was tremendous, the landscape they were in looked nice, even though the color pallet is dark, it still brought the beauty of the area it took place

The So So:

-The story started out as a black comedy of sorts, and it was some witty dialogue, but it got darker and darker, and it is not for the faint of heart, it got depressing even for me
-The Irish accents can take a little bit to get used to understand, but once you get used to it, you’re fine

What I Didn’t Like:

-It can drag a little bit, there can only be so much seeing people walk to cliffs, oceans, and pubs with folk Irish music playing

Overall:

It is a dark comedy of sorts that gets darker and darker. Maybe even too dark for some people. However, the acting, the wittiness, and cinematography keeps the interest level afloat and seeing how it goes down. Despite the slow mute points, it can be a spectacle to watch, and seeing Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson at its best. An Irish good time for sure!!!

Real Rating:

3.5 Fingers

White Noise was uneven greatly in tone, but the peculiar acting made it interesting enough!!!

Real Rating:

3 Crashes

What I Like:

-The acting in this was strange, but in a way worked out, especially Adam Driver as a college professor with the expertise on Hitler, and the rest of the family which they all have their quirks which made it interesting to watch

The So So:

-The comedy is hit or miss, there were some parts that made me laugh, and other parts that were too weird for me to understand

What I Didn’t Like:

-It had some tonal differences from the first half to the second half which really threw me off, at first it looked like a character study film, then to a sci-fi pic, then to a soap opera, and even it even had some horror themes to it, it didn’t really pick their main theme and go through with it, instead it just became a confusing story

Overall:

Despite the quirky acting and the interesting premise, the tonal shifts really brought it down. I wish they stuck to a theme and stay put, and maybe it could’ve been better. It did come from a famous book in the 80’s which was considered unfilmable. Funny, cuz once they did it, I can see why!!!

Real Rating:

3 Crashes

Babylon is just intense sequences that sort of tell about the rise and fall of the Golden Age in Hollywood!!!

Real Rating:

4 Parties

What I Like:

-Director Damien Chazelle really tried to outdo himself with a lot of these scenes, most notably the first party scene which is just wild images after wild images of intense craziness, I also enjoyed the crazy filming scenes which also looked intense
-I did enjoy seeing the main characters of this film, Margot Robbie was great, Brad Pitt was phenomenal, and Diego Calva showed some great emotion in his role as well
-I thought the soundtrack of this film was great with its old school jazz music

The So So:

-The story is about the rise and fall of the Golden Age in Hollywood with the three main characters, it is very sporadic with their subplots which can require some effort to follow, but the theme is very clear and it is interesting to see all the things Hollywood has to go through when transitioning from silent films to film with sound

What I Didn’t Like:

-Did it have to be three hours? Definitely not, there were some things that they could’ve cut to make watching this less enduring

Overall:

This is a spectacle to see. If you enjoy craziness, you will like this film. If you enjoy good old school music, you will enjoy this film. If you enjoy fine acting by great actors, you will enjoy this film. However, if you don’t like to endure three hours, don’t go. If you want a story that is easy to follow, don’t go. If you’re a prude, definitely don’t go. There is a lot of stuff going on, but if you enjoy films, then this is a must watch for sure!!!

Real Rating:

4 Parties

Matilda the Musical does stick with the source material, but the songs were hit or miss for me!!!

Real Rating:

3.5 Chokeys

What I Like:

-I liked that this film practically pertains to the original book, it was a lot more familiar and entertaining
-The one acting part that really sticks out for me is Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull, I thought she captured the essence of the character very well and was really entertaining to watch her evil endeavors

The So So:

-At first the musical selections didn’t do it for me, but in the second half of the film, it started to open up to me and I started to enjoy it

What I Didn’t Like:

-I don’t like this story as a musical, I felt the musical performances distract it from the main story and interrupted the flow of things

Overall:

As some of you all already know, I’m not into musicals. For this film it was no different, but at the very least, I cared for the story enough. It did follow the source book really well which I appreciate it. The songs were hit or miss for me. With all that said, the characters were spot on with their roles, especially Emma Thompson’s as Miss Trunchbull. I just wish they don’t break out into song every freaking 10 minutes!!!

Real Rating:

3.5 Chokeys

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is entertaining, but the straight forwardness in this film brings down the effectiveness like the first film!!!

Real Rating:

4 Dooooongs

What I Like:

-The acting from this cast is what really makes it entertaining, the dialogue between one another is witty, and I enjoyed Daniel Craig reprising his role as Benoit Blanc, that polite Southern talking detective genius really hits the spot in this mystery film
-I don’t say this much, but I really loved the production design, that modern look in the middle of the island was a pleasant site to watch

The So So:

-What was great about the first film is the complicated non sequitur way of telling a mystery story which made it unique and fun, as for this film it was a little more straight forward with some twists which is fine, but I felt it lost its touch a little bit on the effectiveness of telling a unique mystery story, regardless the conclusion is still fun and satisfying

What I Didn’t Like:

-Like its predecessor, it is heavy handed on why wealthy people are evil, like we get it, just tell the mystery story

Overall:

As I said before, this story of mystery was a little more straightforward than its predecessor. Even though in that regard it does lose its effectiveness of uniqueness, it is still fun and entertaining to watch. The cast is what brings out the entertaining factor, and it comes with the great writing from Rian Johnson. I do enjoy watching Daniel Craig playing detective Benoit Blanc, and wouldn’t mind seeing more of this character and the mystery story it brings!!!

Real Rating:

4 Doooongs

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fun film with great animation even though the story is a big trope!!!

Real Ratings:

4 Gatos y Perros

What I Like:

-The animation for this film was great, reminded me of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse which made it amazingly fun
-The voice casting made it fun as well, the casting was appropriate where it had to be with its Latin characters, and it sounded like everyone was having fun voicing their roles
-I also dug the soundtrack, the Spanish guitar always has a way of bringing joy to my ears

The So So:

-Did it really need a sequel, probably not, but it was a joyful welcome to the Shrek franchise, and it is a spinoff I actually care about

What I Didn’t Like:

-The story is all too familiar, they went with the hero retiring trope, and then the comeback, and all the subplots are tropey as well

Overall:

It’s funny, I barely remember the first film with the character of Puss in Boots. With that said, hearing Antonio Banderas voice in this character brings me back to the funness that it brings. The casting was perfect and appropriate, the humor was funny, and even though the story is all too familiar, it was a good time for the whole family to enjoy. It does set up for another Shrek movie, but we’ll wait and see if that happens. For now, we can just enjoy this part of the franchise!!!

Real Rating:

4 Gatos y Perros

(Sidenote: Emily the Criminal – This made for Millenials in dealing with some of their issues. Especially when it comes to student loans and how hard it is to get a good job. For the beautiful Aubrey Plaza’s character, she resorts to other things that leads to more trouble. With all that said, this film could’ve been more powerful than it really was. Instead, it was a little dull with their story. Still an interesting watch!!!
Real Rating: 3.5 Fake Credit Cards)

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody does follow the biopic tropes, but the acting and music does keep you afloat!!!

Real Rating:

3 Record Labels

What I Like:

-The acting is what makes this good to watch especially Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston, she does capture her voice and essence in what made Whitney Houston special, I also enjoyed Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis being the voice of reason for Houston, it was a special relationship
-I also enjoyed hearing the music, it does bring me back for sure

The So So:

-Nitpicky here, but there were some songs I was looking forward to, When You Believe is one of them, but wasn’t in the film, but you do get enough good music

What I Didn’t Like:

-It follows all the biopic formula to a t, and because of the that there were a lot of plotholes, there were moments that were left underdeveloped just to move the story forward it could’ve been more effective with some of their subplots, there were a lot of missed opportunities with this biopic

Overall:

I believe they could’ve told a better story about legendary singer Whitney Houston. Instead they just followed the biopic formula, and lost a lot of effectiveness. Regardless, the acting and music is what keeps things afloat. Just sit back and relax, and enjoy the music. That is what I did, and you can like it for what it is!!!

Real Rating:

3 Record Labels

(Sidenote: Pearl – This is a prequel to the film X, about the character Pearl who was the old murderous woman in the original film. It is weird and creepy, but the character development is good enough, and great acting by Mia Goth. However, I had to ask myself, “Why should I care about her, and how she became a weird murderer?” It is a good question. As for me, I didn’t really care enough for me to like this movie!!!
Real Rating: 2.5 Axes)

Avatar: The Way of Water may have that familiar storyline, but the CGI and special effects makes it a marvel you can’t miss in 3D!!!

Real Rating:

4 Na’vi Hisses

What I Like:

-I mean director James Cameron did it again, he made a film that is groundbreaking with the CGI and special effects, with all the stunts with water, also the new world building of another part of Pandora, it made the 3D effect that much awesome, my eyes were happy with the end product of it

The So So:

-The acting was great, but with that said I wish they would’ve casted more people of color or natives to play Na’vi people, it would made it that much better

What I Didn’t Like:

-The story was practically the same as the first movie which for me was a little disappointing, I wish it had more originality to make this film one of the best
-It is too long, typical James Cameron movie

Overall:

Yes, the story is more or less the same as its predecessor, but the CGI and special effects were groundbreaking. Director James Cameron really perfected and showed how to use technology in movies the right way. Do yourself a favor, and watch this film in 3D, it will be worth your while!!!

Real Rating:

4 Na’vi Hisses

Emancipation is thrilling, but the story is a little uneven that can throw you off!!!

Real Rating:

3.5 Gators

What I Like:

-The main premise of this film is what is thrilling, seeing the slaves escape from bondage, and overcoming different obstacles to achieve their freedom was a spectacle to watch, the action was really good as well
-Will Smith playing one of the slaves was really electrifying to watch, his face says it all with everything he had to endure, he was great

The So So:

-The last part of this story was completely different than the first two thirds of it, though the action was great, it really changed the tone of the movie, and made it uneven
-The black and white cinematography was interesting, but in the end, I thought it was a little too dark and distracting

What I Didn’t Like:

-Bottomline, the theme of this film is something we already have seen before, nothing different than what we have already seen

Overall:

I thought the film was decent enough. I enjoyed the acting, the action, and the thrills it brought. However, the theme of the story is something we have seen before. Also, the unevenness can throw you off a bit. With all that said, it is still a decent watch on AppleTV+, and may be worth your time depending on what you’re looking for!!!

Real Rating:

3.5 Gators