Films I Watched in 2025!

I'm not going to lie; this feels like I've flipped the script with this.  Back when I was getting more into blogging on this site, I focused much more on movie reviews, pushing out articles whenever I watched a handful of them.  Meanwhile, my book reading was relegated to a single article at the end of the year.  However, it's clear that my entertainment patterns have changed.  While I do still watch movies, it's certainly not as frequent as it used to be, while my book reading habits have somewhat improved.  Still, I did end up watching some neat films here and there, and I figured I had a few interesting things to say about them.  So I'm doing a format I've done before and simply recap all the movies I saw.

Recently Watched 2024 - Part Two!

Dang, I guess I really dropped the ball in the second half of 2024.  While I wasn't going to repeat what I did for 2023, I would liked to have written just a little more than I have, but I guess this year I was busy with other things.  At the very least, I caught a few things to watch, and it turns out I had a lot to say about each of them, so settle in for a long one.

Recently Watched 2024 - Part One!

It's definitely been a while since I put something here, so let's talk about some movies!  Largely got a lot of sci-fi this time around, mostly of the epic space opera variety.  I thought about trying to squeeze a third space opera in here, but I couldn't decide what to watch and eventually Furiosa came to fill that slot.  So here's the movies I've seen so far this year!

Recently Watched - 2023 Part 5!

I carry on my quest to have more articles on my website this year with another handful of movie reviews!  Most of these are films that most folks already knew whether or not they wanted to see them, as the marketing for them was pretty unavoidable.  Nevertheless, I figured I'd share my thoughts on these blockbusters, but to start off, let's go with a much more obscure, indie film!

Recently Watched - 2023 Part Four!

Well, this year is certainly shaping up to be quite a year for movies.  A lot of this has to do with films being pushed back as a consequence of the pandemic, and now we're finally catching up a little.  Still, there's been some good stuff this year so far.  I actually might feel like putting together a Top 5 article at the end, but we'll see.  In any case, here's the last few I've been able to catch.

Recently Watched - 2023 Part 3!

I probably could have posted this article sooner, but I kinda forgot about it.  I've kind of casually decided to try and have an article on this website for every month of the year, but I hadn't really decided if I wanted this one to come out sooner or later.  Time passed, and here we are.  So I apologize if these reviews are not as timely as they could be.  Still, they were all pretty dang good!

Dungeons & Dragons Movie Retrospective!

Okay, so here's an article I wouldn't have thought to write when I started doing this.  I guess there's actually quite some precedent for movies based on the world's most famous tabletop role-playing game.

Some history:  My knowledge of D&D largely comes from my father, especially since he still had plenty of 1st Edition AD&D materials lying around for me to peruse while I grew up.  When he shifted over to playing the video games, I kinda shifted with him, so I didn't stay up to date with the later editions much.  While I was vaguely aware of the 80s cartoon, the first film in 2000 was more prominent, as it came out when I was in high school.  I didn't see it in theaters, but I remember watching it at a friend's house and thinking it was cheesy, but still kinda fun.  The line about "Ridley" being the new word for "dumb" became a bit of an in-joke for us at the time.  Since then, I hadn't done much with D&D, outside of the occasional video game, but when 5th Edition started to build up the brand's popularity again, I got back into it, and have since learned that two more movies got made in the meantime.  Now that the new one is out, I figured I'd do a full sweep of all four, including rewatching the first one and reviewing the new one, all in one article!!

Recently Watched - 2023 Part 1!

So after watching a handful of TV series last year, I debated as to how I should proceed with this year.  Do I try to separate the shows from the movies, or keep it all together as one continuous series through out the year?  I decided on the latter, so my Last Watched format will include both for the foreseeable future.  As such, I plan on covering a pretty wide variety of shows and genres, but I think this will be simpler for me in the long run, instead of having to finagle a bunch of articles at the same time.  So!  Here's what I've been watching lately!

Anticipated Films of 2023

Yup, it's that time of year again.  Just like last year, I won't by trying to identify every film that looks interesting to me, but instead just hitting the highlights.  However, even with that rule, I can't deny that this year is looking pretty dang stacked!  Here are the movies that stand out to me when looking ahead.

Recently Watched - 2022, Part Three!

Yup, I finally got around to enough movies to pull together one final collection of movie reviews.  Perhaps some of these are not the most timely, but I admit I just haven't been watching movies as much as I used to.  There's definitely a pretty bizarre mix of films, this time, but I suppose that's going to happen if I continue to review them as I see them.  In any case, here's the latest batch.

Bullet Train (2022)

I have to admit that 2022 hasn't been a great year for movies.  While I've seen a few decent ones, nothing really blew me away as being a solid experience, until I saw Bullet Train.  This is a very dark comedy kind of action film that proceeds to be quite excellent at both, without bogging down or losing its tone.  Simply a blast from start to finish.

The story starts out with Brad Pitt playing a former assassin named Ladybug who is trying to turn himself around and do more tame jobs.  However, when tasked with picking up a case on a train, things go sideways in a hurry, especially as the train seems populated by all kinds of criminals eager to get their hands on that same case.  From there, the movie essentially jams about six different exploitation films at once, mixing in everything from the Mexicans to the Japanese to the British to the Russians.  At first, it almost feels like it's going to be too dense to really follow, but the comedic tone (and the nature of Ladybug's desire to not get involved despite all that's going on around him) ensures that the pace doesn't slow down or get too caught up in its own worldbuilding.  It also helps that the entire cast is completely game for this brand of nonsense, and they all play it to the hilt, with just enough camp to carry its tongue-in-cheek nature.

The result is a hilarious ride (no pun intended) that pulls no punches.  The action is top-notch and well-choreographed (not surprising with David Leitch in the director's chair), and while the dark humor and comical gore might not be for everyone, it nails the jokes well without wallowing in them.  If you thought the pacing and humor of Deadpool was good, but didn't care for the fourth-wall breaking shenanigans or infantile nature of the hero, then this movie is for you, because I think this outdoes either Deadpool movie, in my opinion.  This is a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and does so with style.  The best movie of the year, without a doubt.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

Let me first of all say that I am a big Weird Al fan, since my friend Kason got me hooked on them in middle school.  He's always had fun, inventive lyrics, and while he's been rather quiet in the songwriting department, when I heard he was doing a biopic parody based on himself, I was pretty excited.

So it's with some trepidation that I say I found the film to be just okay.  While a good chunk of his humor is in here, there's also a pretty heavy dose of the awkwardness style of humor that I just don't care for.  (For example, I have never enjoyed The Office tv show; it's just too painful for me.)  A lot of it has to do with the film's dedication to matching the beats of the typical musical biography film, starting with parents that don't understand, and accordions being a symbol of hedonism and debauchery (I'm not kidding), making Weird Al this rebellious icon of music stardom.  At first, it gets pretty entertaining, especially when Dr. Demento shows up and the references start rolling in.  But it eventually starts going off the rails, especially when Weird Al starts killing a bunch of mercenaries in order to save his girlfriend Madonna from Pablo Escobar in the jungles of South America (I am not making that up).

Of course, taste in humor is subjective, and most folks may think this style of anxiety-based theatrics is the height of hilarity (Nacho Libre certainly comes to mind), though they may feel they're missing some of the deeper jokes.  There's also a chance that, when I watch this again (because I probably will), I'll find it funnier despite knowing what's coming.  Still, I kinda wish it did more than just the stuff of the 80s (aside from a handful of references and one major song), but there are plenty of easter eggs for fans to pick out.  As for me, it was generally entertaining but otherwise, rather underwhelming.

Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

When I had heard that Kevin Conroy had passed away, I was rather surprised.  Apparently he had been fighting cancer for a while, but I had no idea.  I generally consider him to be the best version of Batman across all mediums, as his voice was perfect for the role.  Not only could he handle the flamboyant playboy Bruce Wayne, but his tone as the Caped Crusader was iconic, and yet, never farcical or overly gritty.  As they continue to make cartoons of the character, his voice is going to loom over any voice actor to takes on the role for the next several generations (though I do think a few have done alright here and there already).

Nevertheless, when I heard the news, I thought I would take the time to watch some of Kevin Conroy's work, and then I remembered that I had gotten Mystery of the Batwoman on Blu-Ray, but had never watched it.  Released at the height of the Justice League cartoon, the movie takes us back to the perpetual noir twilight of Gotham and it's vigilantes.  While the movie generally plays like an extended episode of the 90s Batman cartoons with a much bigger budget, that's certainly not a bad thing, as the show was generally high quality stuff.  Here, we see our caped crusader wrangling with the appearance of a new costumed hero very heavily inspired on his motif, only to have a handful of potential femme fatales enter his life that qualify for the role.  As Batman works his way around the ladies, the Batwoman seems obsessed with stopping the Penguin and Rupert Thorne's plan of selling high-powered weapons to foreign powers, and they even bring in Bane to deal with their multiplying Bat problem.

For fans of the original cartoon, there really aren't many surprises, though there are a few continuity nods here and there.  The story seems to drift from plot point to plot point, and while the mystery is mostly interesting, once it's revealed, the movie basically becomes an action-driven explosion fest.  If there is a problem, it's that the Batwoman character feels kind of shallow, once all the cards are on the table.  She has an interesting gimmick, but I feel like more could have been done with it other than to complicate the story more than necessary. Nevertheless, it's all fairly well done, with the excellent B:TAS cast coming back to fill many of the roles.  While I do think both Mask of the Phantasm and Sub-Zero are probably better, it still serves as decent extension to the DCAU legacy.

Violent Night (2022)

When I first saw the trailer for this, I was expecting some pretty tacky, over-the-top violent nonsense.  Given that David Leitch was involved, I was looking forward to a Christmas-themed John Wick experience.  Unfortunately, what's out in theaters is quite the mess of a movie.

The plot is relatively straight-forward.  The wealthy but dysfunctional Lightstone family is getting together for the holidays, when a group of robbers, led by John Leguizamo, decide to invade their house as caterers in an effort to steal a ton of money from a highly secure vault on Christmas Eve.  Just at that moment, a very disgruntled Santa Claus (played by David Harbour), disenchanted by how much greed has taken over the Christmas season, sees the scared grand-daughter of the Lightstone family still believes in Santa, and then notices how all the bad guys are on his "naughty list," he decides to take matters into his hands and give them their just desserts.

Right off, the action is actually pretty solid, albeit quite gory (though that wasn't a surprise).  You wouldn't think Santa wielding a sledgehammer would go so well together, but this movie makes it work.  However, the problems happen when the movie decides to deviate from the action.  First, we end up spending a little too much time with the Lightstone and their bargain-bin soap opera melodramatics.  There's maybe one neat little twist towards the end, but it doesn't really change things much.  Second, a subplot revolving around whether or not Santa still believes in Christmas drags things down.  Sure, it's cute that he gets inspired by the hopes of a little girl, but it does feel like a low-rent Miracle on 34th Street knockoff.  Even a potential interesting section that teases Santa's past gets cut short.

It's almost as if the creators didn't have enough conviction in their central idea and felt like they had to squeeze in all these other ideas.  Maybe they're meant to be a parody of other Christmas films, but it's all played so straight, it just comes across as cheesy, and not in a good way.  Harbour is definitely having fun, and Leguizamo hams it up pretty well, explaining how Christmas ruined his life.  However, overall, it just ends up being rather unsatisfying.  Maybe rent it for a lark, but otherwise, if the main gimmick didn't sell you, then you can safely pass on it.

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As we're getting to the end of the year, you can expect a few more articles from me.  While I don't think I'll be doing any kind of Top 5 or recap for movies (though Bullet Train really was the best of the year), I do plan on doing my regular recap of books I had read, as well as my Anticipated Films list for next year.  I also have one other article that's close to being done that should come out before the end of the month.  Otherwise, I hope you're all staying safe this holiday season, and if you're nice, then maybe you won't get a violent Kris Kringle showing up at your door!

Recently Watched - 2022 Part One!

Right off, we're starting with some more movie reviews for the year.  There was a lot that came out over the past few months, not only catching up on some big names at the end of last year, but also snagging some of the newer ones from my Anticipated Films list.  It's a bit of a weird mix, but most of them were pretty good.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The first of the catch-up films is the latest MCU installment for the theaters, which ended up being pretty entertaining.  It certainly has fun with its universe-hopping concept, and it almost feels like it's going to far, but it reigns things in well and doesn't really lose its focus on the characters amidst all the wackiness.

Starting off from where Far From Home ended, with Peter Parker being outed as Spider-Man by J. Jonah Jameson, the story goes on a bit of a whirlwind on how that messes with his life, as well as those of his friends, so he seeks out Dr. Strange to see if his magic can be used to revert the mess.  Unfortunately, Peter's addendums to Dr. Strange's spell cause reality to break a little, and suddenly, he's having to face villains from other universes, making his life an even bigger mess.  So a pretty standard Peter Parker kind of day.

Fortunately, it does more with these cameos than simply show off how much money Disney has.  Peter feels compelled to do more than just send these villains back, but to give them the help they need to overcome their faults.  And when that goes sideways in the worst way possible, he gets help from some kindred spirits who knows what he's going through, ensuring that the multiverse shenanigans don't overwhelm the emotional core of the movie, which ends up holding together pretty well, in the end.

Honestly, this is the best MCU Spider-Man film, and it's not even close.  While the story may feel very gimmicky, they lean into the gimmick just enough to have it all hang together pretty well, making for a very satisfying watch.  And now that the multiverse has been cracked open, it not only offers some pretty wild potential for the upcoming Dr. Strange movie, but also for other crossover madness that could be quite exciting.  Very recommendable, as long as you don't think too hard about any implications these things could allow.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

So this is a bit of a weird one.  The first Matrix is a modern classic, but the rest of the trilogy left a lot of fans and viewers underwhelmed (though I enjoy the second one more than most).  Still, it was a nice little trilogy that really didn't seem to need a continuation, and yet, at the order of Warner Bros., this one was made.  This time, we only have one of the Wachowskis directing, but it's an interesting film that retains some of what made the original films so fun, while at the same time, tries in a few ways to break out of their shadow.

And the shadow looms large, as the film starts with Thomas Anderson back in the normal world again, this time as the renowned video game designer of the Matrix trilogy of video games.  However, his bosses want him to go back and make a new installment, and he works with a group of developers and designers to "recapture the magic" of the original games.  Yes, the meta-narrative is really that on-the-nose, and you can tell they're having a bit of a laugh at themselves, but I suppose going out of one's way to defang any condescending criticisms of "fidelity" or lack thereof by telling the jokes first is one way to acknowledge just how much of a monumental task this is.  In any case, the Matrix turns out to be real, again, but instead of trying to save humanity from an apocalyptic fate (at least for now), the stakes shift to a more personal tone as it deals with Anderson/Neo's reconnection to everything and deciding what it is that's important to him.  For the sake of the film, this ends up being a good turn, I think, as it prevents things from getting to heady or convoluted.

That being said, the movie does struggle at times.  The action scenes are a mixed bag, and definitely lack the polish and over-the-top charm of the ones from the original trilogy, though there is one chase sequence at the end that really ups the ante for insane action visuals, and you'll know it when you see it.  Also, it can be hard to know what level of irony we're working at here with all the meta stuff going on, and what it even means to have the Matrix anymore, both within the universe, and as a franchise in general.  Still, I think the movie could have been much worse, and while it may not have been necessary, I didn't feel like my time was wasted.

Moonfall (2022)

Roland Emmerich certainly has an eye for spectacle, so when I saw he was doing another big sci-fi disaster epic, I was pretty excited.  However, despite some promising trailers, it really is quite a drop to finally see the movie and get a big mess of Independence Day nostalgia that doesn't really work.

Starting from the titular premise of something causing the moon to fall from its orbit towards earth, it largely meanders about for a while, introducing a bunch of characters in order to set up the stakes for a daring mission with the three people left around to go to the moon and figure it all out.  By giving time to several side characters who seem to have their own subplots rather than directly interacting with the main plot, the movie has a bad habit of jumping from thing to thing to thing, making for an excessively fast pace without really feeling like there's much story being told.  This, in turn, forces the plot to feel very thin, as characters make spontaneous decisions without a lot of reason other than the movie needs them to.  Overall, it's just not very satisfying storytelling, as if the movie is just coming up with what happens next off the top of its head, and this carries through to the sci-fi-tastic ending that doesn't really make the landing.  Some flat acting certainly doesn't help, either.

For what it's worth, the special effects are pretty good, so if you just want to see the moon cause a bunch of destruction, I suppose you'll get your money's worth.  However, during the slower moments with the characters, the movie just kinda drags.  While it can possibly find worth as a subject to an MST3K ribbing, on it's own, you might as well skip this and just rewatch ID4.

Death on the Nile (2022)

Going from the overwhelming visuals of a sci-fi disaster film to the slow, mentally engaging mystery might feel like whiplash, but they released these one week apart, and I was definitely looking forward to this one.  It's a sequel to the Murder on the Orient Express that Kenneth Branagh provided five years ago, and when I finally caught up with it, I really enjoyed it.  So it was with high expectations that I went into this one, and they were mostly met.

Once again, I went in completely blind, not knowing a single detail about this, and it was great trying to piece it all together as twist after twist fell into Hercule Poirot's lap.  Instead of a train, we obviously have a boat for our claustrophobic murder box, but much of the same is here: folks with different agendas suddenly brought together by a web of lies for our detective to sort through, one interview at a time.

This time around, though, I did feel the movie was a little less focused.  There's a very long introduction sequence before we even get our first dead body that drags a little, there were some strangely raunchy moments that really didn't seem to belong to the film, and when the game's afoot, it lurches from beat to beat a little too quickly.  However, this is by no means a slapdash, rapidly edited film.  We get plenty of wonderful panoramic shots and a number of opportunities for our actors to ham up their roles.  The cast is fun, though, and Branagh continues his scene-stealing interpretation of the iconic character.  While the conclusion did feel maybe a little lackluster compared to Orient Express (though, in all fairness, it would be difficult to top that ending!), I did really enjoy this trip down the river.  Highly recommend for those who miss the times when cinema was meant to evoke a sense of wonder and melodrama.

Anticipated Films of 2022!

Ah, here we are again, with my most anticipated films list for 2022.  I'm doing this one a little differently, though.  Instead of writing out a massive list of every film I even have a slight interest in, I thought I'd just focus on a handful of films that really stand out to me, looking down the road.  Let's get started!

Moonfall

Roland Emmerich's films can be a bit spotty when it comes to storytelling, but he certainly has a knack for spectacle.  Early trailers seem to tease a new disaster in the form of the moon falling on Earth thanks to some ancient alien technology, feeling like mashup of 2012 and Independence Day.  Even if the plot turns out to be dumb, this one is certainly going to look cool.

Death on the Nile

After going into Murder on the Orient Express completely blind and absolutely loving it, I'm definitely looking forward to the next film with Branagh's Poirot.  Once again, I want to know nothing going in.  If Moonfall is the dumb film of February, this one will be the smart one!

John Wick Chapter 4

While Chapter 3 did feel a little long with the fights, I can't deny that I am completely onboard with more of this well-choreographed action series, especially since we got left on a massive cliffhanger and I have no idea where the series is going at this point.  I admit I've been on the fence about seeing the new Matrix that just came out, but John Wick is probably the one I'm most excited for in the future.

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

I generally don't follow most kids' or family movies, these days, but seeing this on the list does get my attention, as I was a big fan of this franchise when I was a kid.  Not too many details seem to be available, but this will likely be one of those CG/live-action hybrids.  I don't know if I'll run out and see this, but I can't deny I'm curious.  I will definitely need to see a trailer first.

The Northman

Not much is known about this one other than it's a historical revenge epic involving Vikings.  The cast looks decent, but I don't know much about this director named Robert Eggers.  However, the first trailer does make it seem like it should be interesting.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

I don't know how much superhero stuff I'm really keen on seeing for 2022, but a sequel to the imaginatively animated Into the Spider-Verse is definitely a priority.  A teaser has already been released and it looks to be continuing the madcap animation style of the first film, making it a more of a must-watch for me.

The Illumination Super Mario film

While I have a lot of mixed feelings about the Uncharted film coming out (why didn't they cast Nathan Fillion?!), I am admitted a little more optimistic about this animated film based on the classic video game icon.  I have no idea what to expect, story-wise, but being part of Generation Nintendo, this definitely has my attention.

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Looking through the rest of what's coming out, there certainly doesn't seem to be any shortage on the superheroes.  Not only are we getting four more films from both Marvel and DC, there's another one called Samaritan going to come out, with Sylvester Stallone as the big hero.  As for the big names, I'm sure there's a lot of buzz out there about the upcoming Batman movie, but when I saw the trailers, it just seemed like so much violence and brooding without a lot of depth.  It might be a decent action movie, though.  

There may be other films I'll go check out, based on what their trailers look like, but for now, I think that sums up what I'm curious about.  I admit I didn't really get into movies for 2021 like I did for 2020, but we'll see what I feel like doing for 2022.  At least those 7 above are on my radar, and I'm sure to write reviews for those, when I see them.

Recently Watched - 2021 Part One!

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted anything to this site.  It's also been a while since I've seen a lot of movies.  For some reason, I haven't really been in the mood, lately, but I've finally pulled together a collection of things I've seen so far this year.  Some are new, some are old, and some are just plain weird!

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Now here's a movie that probably doesn't need a review.  If you weren't already excited at the title alone, this movie probably isn't for you.  However, it does represent the culmination of Legendary's own little Kaijuverse, having made three films as set up in anticipation of this one.  While it is a fairly solid roller-coaster-ride of a movie, they don't really stick the Avengers-style landing.

The main problem is that they spend a good amount of time setting up some details that honestly the movie didn't need.  There's a subplot about a corporation doing bad things that gets explored with some pretty uninteresting characters.  Largely I think it could have been told in a more hand-wavy manner to make more room for the big monsters.

Still, the action is pretty solid, as the monsters tear all kinds of things apart in their battles against each other.  There's one out at sea that's pretty solid, but the one in a big city feels a little lifeless a times.  The story is predictable, but fortunately doesn't seem to care.  However, when you get to the big ending, the way a final problem gets resolves is very facepalm worthy.  The ending also felt a bit rushed, once the action was over.

In short, it was fun, but could have been better, especially considering that the previous film King of the Monsters was a lot more enjoyable.  As for potential sequels, they did open up another world of possibilities for King Kong, but I think the rights for Godzilla expire after this one, so it remains to be seen if Legendary will make more with that monster.  

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

I've been hearing about this movie for quite a while, but I didn't get to it until just now.  A very slow-burning, well-paced spy thriller that's much more of a mystery than the action chops of something like Jason Bourne or James Bond.  While I knew Gary Oldman was the lead character, I wasn't expecting such a great cast!  Everyone from Benedict Cumberbatch to Colin Firth to John Hunt to Mark Strong to Tom Hardy is in this (among others) and they all do a great job.

I also think it was very well shot.  Instead of some shaky cam nonsense or over-the-top hyper editing, we see a lot of long, wide shots that let the actors move about their spaces and interact with each other in a very convincing way.  It also allows for a lot of the subtleties of the actors stand out as they give their subdued performances.  Oldman in particular seems almost stonefaced through the whole thing, but betrays just enough character and emotion to show that there's a lot going on underneath the surface.

That being said, I do think there a few scenes that seem out of place, and the ending seemed to fall together rather than feel like a grand reveal.  Perhaps I may have missed some things, as there was a lot to keep track of, but it could also just be the consequence of having to streamline parts in the name of adaptation.  Still, it was a very enjoyable watch, with a lot of attention to detail and tone, and really shows the intrigue and information-y side of spy-thrillers that we don't get too often these days.

The Green Knight (2021)

As I was going over the movies coming out this year, I saw this title in the midst of the rest and was curious.  When I learned that it would be an adaptation of the classic Arthurian legend, I was more interested.  It's not like we have a whole lot of classic medieval epics these days, so I figured this would be worth checking out.  I saw the trailers and was all set for a unique fantasy adventure, but when I finally saw the film, "unique" was the only word that remained.

That's not to say this movie is bad, or that it isn't what was advertised, necessarily, but it has a very slow pacing and deliberate sense of tone that makes it feel more like 2001: A Space Odyssey, or even like Ad Astra from two years ago.  Instead of a heroic knight off to prove his worth and honor, we get more of a character study about a mess of a young man who seeks knighthood but isn't really willing to embody its virtues.  As a result, the quest features him stumbling through the woods, dealing with robbers, ghosts, and foxes, before getting to the castle where his final temptations happen.  While all the pieces of the original story are there (with a few curious additions), the interpretation is much more symbolic, surreal, and psychological.

The cinematography is also worth noting.  We often have wide shots with long pans, mostly featuring wilderness and forests.  However, I was impressed with how they were able to feel what was likely just some nice part of Ireland feel like an alienating fantasy realm, where anything could jump out and kill you.  Overall, I had to give this movie quite a bit of thought afterward, but I eventually decided that it was actually pretty decent.  This movie is definitely not a mass-market crowd pleaser, but if you're in the mood for something more serious and more subtle and more artful, you'll probably find a lot to appreciate.

Race to Witch Mountain (2003)

I was at my parents' house recently, and we felt like watching a movie, so I recommended this one.  I had seen it and thought it was fun, but it had been over 10 years, so I didn't remember much more.  My family had been fans of the original films from the 70s, but hadn't seen this remake so they were on board.  Rewatching it again largely confirmed what I remembered: a fun little family friendly sci-fi action film.

The story is pretty straight forward: a Vegas cab driver suddenly picks up two alien teenagers and gets wrapped up in their quest to find an artifact left behind by their parents in order to prevent an intergalactic war.  Conveniently, there also happens to be a sci-fi convention in town, ensuring there will be a few "experts" helping them out.  It's a pretty fun romp, with good pacing and a few solid gags to balance out the chase scenes (of which there are many).

The casting is solid, if not quite amazing.  Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has a pretty good time as the cab driver with a rough past, but this was towards the beginning of his acting career, so he's a little leaner, and doesn't have quite as much presence on screen as his later appearances.  However, this is fine as it allows the rest of the cast to shine a little, in particular the two teenage actors playing the aliens, who both find a good mix of earnest and yet disconnected from Earth culture.

Surprisingly, the special effects have held up pretty well, but perhaps it easy to be lenient on a film that's not afraid to be a little cheesy for the sake of B-movie antics.  The only real problems I think the movie has is that the villains are kind of forgettable (they're some pretty obvious stock types) and the plot and characterizations are definitely on thin side.  Still, I think this is something of an overlooked gem, and worth a look when you want something fun to watch.  Easily recommendable.

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I don't know if I have any major plans for articles here for the rest of the year.  I don't even know if I'll have a 2021 wrap up (though there are a number of films I want to see at the end of this year).  We'll have to wait and see.  I've been dealing with some health issues (dang smoke), but I'm surviving for now.  Hopefully, you're all staying safe.

Anticipated Movies for 2021!

Happy New Year!  Like I said earlier, this list won't differ much from last year's, as so many of these got delayed to this year, resulting in quite the stacked list.  Still, if things go well, it will be nice to see these in theaters.  If not, it seems many of these will be released simultaneously with various digital platforms.  In any case, here we go!

Recently Watched - Winter 2020

Hey, movie reviews!  It really hasn't been a good year to be watching movies, as most of the big stuff keeps getting delayed.  Still, there were a few that got released that I was interested in, and while they may not have gotten folks into theaters, they were still interesting efforts to keep things going.  Here's what I've seen recently.

Recently Watched - June 2020!

Yup, I'm back with even more movie reviews!  I'm really all over the place this time!  Between the sci-fi, mystery, and adventure, I've watched (and re-watched) some pretty interesting stuff.  Well, except one.  That one was just not fun at all.

Recently Watched - May 2020!

Hmm, I seem to be watching movies on a pretty regular basis.  As it turns out, I have four more reviews to share with you!  I hope this format is working for you, because it seems to be working for me.  Anyways, here's the latest of what I've been watching.

Recently Watched - April 2020!

I know I said I'd be writing more, and I have, just not here (though I may share that once it's ready).  In the meantime, let's talk about some movies I've watched recently!!  

Of course, not every movie I watch is part of a franchise or a series, so I've bundled a handful of stuff I've watched recently.  I hope it's not too confusing to be mixing new movies with older ones.

The Fast and the Furious Retrospective

I said I wanted to put out more articles, and I've been working on this one for a while.  Granted, this probably isn't a series you would expect me to watch, being more interested in sci-fi, fantasy, and superheroes, but I've come to learn that this series has also put together something of a continuity that's really building towards something, so I figured I'd give them a shot.

That being said, I'm not going to be giving my full thoughts on each one, as that would be more than the amount of thought that went into making these movies, so this will be a pretty quick-and-dirty rundown of them all (which is probably appropriate, in a way).  Also, I was planning on including F9, but it got delayed, so I guess I'll watch and review that next year.

Anticipated Movies for 2020

Hey, it's time for my huge list of films that I think I want to see for the upcoming year.  It's a pretty decent mix, I think.  We'll see if any of them are any good.