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Reviews
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Worse than I anticipated
I'm a parent of a young child and, honestly, wanted to go to the movies because I love the experience.
This movie was... well, bad. The story was totally unengaging and the characters have totally run their course. Even my 6-year-old didn't really like it. The film is packed with old jokes and relies on Jack Black's humor (which, honestly, has never been funny to me). It also cashes in on the old jokes from the previous 3 movies which were barely funny the first time.
It's no wonder hardly any of the original cast came back. I'm thankful my theater has a pour wall that got me through this really lousy movie.
Haunted Mansion (2023)
I loved it!
The cast was wonderful, the writing was quick-witted, the cinematography was super fun. I really enjoyed the character development and the pace of the plot. There are other reviews that claimed the film is too long but I completely disagree. It was a long as it needed to be in order to fulfill most of the storyline and provide a satisfying ending. The only gripe I have about the film is the unfinished story about the dad's death (which I think is important to Travis's character) and because I think it would impact Gabby's character, too. Also, I love Rosario Dawson but her hair/wig is atrocious in this role. Still, I very much enjoyed this movie.
Love Actually (2003)
A visit to true love
I'm a pretty cynical person but this movie helps remind me of how important the live in my life is. I've watched it countless times and each time, it gets better. Family love, friendship love, partnership love makes this film so readily available to everyone. It hits in all the right spots from STELLAR acting to phenomenal writing and directing. My only gripe is the lack of diversity but the director and writer has even publicly agreed with that. The score is iconic, the plot is so loveable, the characters redeemably quaint. I honestly question people who dislike this film or haven't seen it in the 20 years it's existed.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
What a Cast
As someone still reeling from Chadwick Boseman's untimely death, I was hesitant to see this movie. In that regard, this movie was such a beautiful tribute to such a beautiful soul that it was hard to have enough tissues on hand. Ryan Coogler truly made an ever-lasting and truly heartfelt memorial for Boseman in this film that was respectful, endearing, and genuine. This cannot be overstated.
The plot itself was a bit inconsistent. First, it's nearly impossible to make an underwater movie look good. Even the backing of the MCU couldn't achieve this, but honestly, it's because it's not possible. Every single live action movie set underwater looks like trash. It's one of the reasons it's so rarely done. This movie was no exception. The strange scenes of underwater grottos achieved the same exact effect of every other movie with a similar setting- it was, undeniably, silly and cinematically cringey. The holes in the consistency of the plot are glaring and it often moves at a bit of a glacial pace.
All of that being said, the cast of this movie cannot be praised enough. The performances were nothing short of breathtaking from a cast that is mostly black, female, and commanding. To say it was refreshing to watch is the understatement of the century. These women delivered such nuanced performances that anything less than an Oscar for each would be a slap in the face.
As is par for the MCU, the cinematography was devine and the graphics unparalleled (save the underwater scenes). What has really stuck with me is the acting. It was so well done that the plot holes and inconsistencies were merely background noise.
I cannot laud this cast enough. And, while I am sure I cannot imagine what filming without Boseman must have been like, I feel certain his legacy will thrive because these women persevered to give us the closure we all still needed.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Really, really bad
I cannot comprehend how this movie scores higher than the female reboot. I didn't care about the story, the characters, or anything pertaining to the movie while watching this. The tributes to the original were fun but the characters were COMPLETELY underdeveloped, the story was uncompelling, and the climax was so dumb. I can't possibly overstate how bad this movie was. I'm a HUGE fan of the Ghostbusters but this was, in all honesty, total trash.
Midnight Mass (2021)
So many hopes
I LOVED the Haunting of Hill House. Those characters were so nuanced and well formed which propelled a somewhat over-used plot. But the characters made that show. Bly Manor was definitely less worth of watching than its predecessor due to poor character development and, again, an overused plot.
This show, as a born, raised, and reformed, Catholic, is self-indulgent, at best. I appreciate the old school feel of the church and the notion that faith used to be a more readily available option for the uninformed or sheltered of the world. The long diatribes and ceaseless dialogue of this show made it nearly insufferable. It was tedious and a complete waste of time. Characters were not further developed and the plot never moved from those ubiquitous conversations which made the whole show unintriguing and, quite frankly, boring. This doesn't even address the preachy quality of the show in its rude attempts to ignore the hideousness of such an organization. I am deeply disappointed and, truthfully, sad that such a sore was made by such previously laudable writers
This site,as a birn, raised, and born,, Catholic, is se.