lopresti-46927 Reviews

The Fall Guy (2024)

It's a fun action comedy

[7/10 · 7 May 2024]

This movie is very fun. It's got some good action, with a pretty basic plot. At times it does take itself too seriously trying to move forward their message but in general, it was a fun ride.

The strength of this movie Everyone in this movie had great chemistry. Ryan Gosling did an amazing job as the main character. Emily Blunt was also very good as the co-star. The sexual tension felt thick and real at times, bordering on cringe, but never going over the top. The dialogue was well written and didn't come off as corny or stupid.

The story itself was the weakest part of this movie. It was very basic. They try push this message of men's mental health and stuff like that, Which is a worthy topic to discuss but it just came off as corny on unit end.

The production value was decent. It was as good as you'd expect from a major motion film.

The Zone of Interest (2023)

Visually stunning, dreadfully boring

[5/10 · 2 May 2024]

In general, the zone of interest is a well-made movie in terms of production value with a pretty boring story. I understand what they were trying to do with the story, but it just didn't translate well in my opinion.

They did a good job of building up tension throughout the film. Which made it mildly interesting but the story itself was very drawn out and unnecessary.

Characters which were based on historical figures were well casted, and acted. They did a great job of playing the ideal family with dark undertones. The real stars were the side characters who were nameless, but you understood who they were. It was a bit chilling to be honest.

The movie was beautifully shot. The color grading was excellent. The editing with the background noises were very distinct and set the mood for the whole film.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Fun, witty, but predictable

[6/10 · 26 April 2024]

In general, not a bad movie. It has a lot of action, with some witty dialogue. But to be honest it's a very weak Guy Ritchie film.

The characters had plenty of development, but not much of an arc. The main characters arc was static pretty much the whole film. Most were pretty well casted and had decent chemistry.

The action was great, but the story was the weakest part of this film. It was very generic and cliche. The dialogue was pretty witty and fun as it is in most guy Ritchie movies. Most of it landed pretty well but some of it came off as cringey.

Overall, the action was worth it as long as you don't mind the drab story.

Civil War (2024)

Chilling, thrilling, and dark af

[9/10 · 19 April 2024]

Overall, it is a very chill thriller, based on a dystopian United States, in which the The majority of the United States is up against what remains of the old United States Government and a tyrannical leader played beautifully by Nick Offerman for the limited screen time that he had.

The whole thing gave me a March to Berlin vibe from ww2 when the allies tightened the noose around Nazi Germany Berlin. It was kind of slow in the beginning, but picked up very quickly.

Kirsten Dunst did a great job as a nihilistic veteran journalist who becomes softened when a younger journalist joins them. Joel played by Wagner Moira does a great job of bringing levity to the story. Cracking jokes And smoking weed/drinking when necessary and being serious when needed.

The action is very chaotic. They don't do a great job explaining why the states succeeded, but it's not fully about the story of the United States splitting up, That's just the backdrop, but it's mostly about the cruelty of war And The unspeakable things humans will do in times of conflict and chaos.

It has its flaws, but all in all It's another solid A24 movie.

Fallout (2024– )

Best Video game adaption yet

[8/10 · 15 April 2024]

Season 1: Fallout has a particular flavor when it comes to post apocalyptic tales. Luckily, the show captured it perfectly. The aesthetic was perfect. I felt like I was in the fallout world. You could tell from the junk in the background and the uniforms and the way the armor looked. Whoever did the set design did their homework

The tale of these three characters are great. The characters are very still developed and have great character arcs.

This does a lot of fan service to the people who played the games. If you like sci-fi, post apocalyptic things and/or wacky dark humor you might like this, but if you're more of a casual show watcher, this might not be for you.

But there wasn't a lot to complain about. The ending was okay, but kinda meh. The journey was great but the way it was tied up was not great imo.

I didn't like the liberties they took with some aspects of the lore but I understand this is an adaptation, not a copy of the video games on a different medium.

All in all, I enjoyed the ride. I can't wait for season two.

Monkey Man (2024)

Great action film with a great message

[9/10 · 7 April 2024]

Everything about this movie was great.

Dev Patel killed it as the lead character. Heat acting, great emotions. The story was amazing. It had undertones of many social issues of today, like the widening gap of the rich and poor, the excesses of the rich, racism, etc, not just of India but the world as a whole. The dialogue was well written and meaningful. It was a very serious movie but they were able to inject a few comedic moments.

The production value was my favorite part of the movie. The camera angles were amazing. They were so varied and well done. The fight scenes were well choreographed and looked very believable.

If you like a meaningful martial arts centered action movie you're finds love it.

Road House (2024)

It's okay and not as bad as I thought it would be

[5/10 · 22 March 2024]

Straight from the jump I had low expectations for this movie. It certainly isn't a great movie, but it's not terrible either. It has problems with some of the characters and some of the production value was a bit shoddy.

The story was fine. It was a pretty basic story, but solid. The pacing was fine. They could've cut out a little bit. Some of the dialogue was a bit cringey.

Overall, the characters were probably the weakest part of the movie. The main character didn't have much of an arc. The main villain who is played by a mixed martial arts fighter and not a legitimate actor didn't do well either. It's to be expected, but he supposed to be the main villain, so I was hoping they get some more acting chops. But Connor McGregor should stick to fighting.

Overall, it was OK at best. A Shoddy b level movie at worst.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

It has everything you want in a dune sequel

[9/10 · 26 February 2024]

Before I get Into detail about this movie I just want to say that it's a fantastic movie and it's everything I wanted from the sequel.

The story is on point. It's very well paced and it doesn't drag like some parts of the first movie. The dialogue is well written, and impactful.

The main character arc is awesome. The story arc of other supporting characters is also very well done. They have great character development. The new antagonist is awesome.

The production value was very good. The score like the last film was amazing. The editing was on point. I just have nothing but good things to say about this movie.

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

Very mediocre, but better than the Star Wars sequels

[6/10 · 25 December 2023]

I really wanted to give this a better score, but there were too many glaring faults. It's very mediocre and borrows heavily from different sci-fi instead of making its own world.

In terms of the story, it's not too bad. The story itself isn't much of a copy of Star Wars, like others have said, but it feels like more of a copy of seven samurai minus the scene where they help defend the village. Which will probably be the next film.

The characters are pretty shallow in my opinion. The main character was OK with no story whatsoever. Her character development was good, but that's about it. The character development of the other characters are very shallow as well.

The production value was good. The visual effects were good, but he uses Slo mo was way too much. There were several scenes in which slow mo was definitely warranted, but not 20 to 30 minutes of the actual film lol.

Overall better than the modern sci-fi we've seen recently, but still pretty mediocre, which is sad.

The Iron Claw (2023)

Whether you're a fan of Pro wrestling or not, you'll love this sad, but amazing film

[8/10 · 22 December 2023]

Let me preface this by saying I am not a fan of pro wrestling at all. I actually think it's kind of silly but this film is great regardless

As always A24 delivers another great film. The acting is amazing. The story and dialogue are great. Everything about this film is awesome. It is a bit sad though. But coming in, I knew it was gonna be sad because I knew a little bit about the Von Erics from my dad who loves pro wrestling.

Zac Efron does an amazing job as the lead in this film. The co stars that played his family do a great job as well. Zac Efron and pretty much every major character has an amazing arc and a lot of development. They also have very good chemistry on screen.

Story wise it is a very good story, but very sad at the same time. It does have the benefit of being based off of a truly amazing story of a family of athletes. The dialogue is very well written. The story goes very smoothly.

The production value was good. I've come to expect a good production value when it comes to A24 films. The cinematography isn't as crazy or unique as a normal A24 film but they still do a good job regardless.

Overall, it's worth the time and money you spend.

Silent Night (2023)

All action no substance

[5/10 · 8 December 2023]

I'll preface this review by saying it wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. But if you line violence filled films you'll like this one

The story is very basic and not really well paced in the beginning. The arc of the main catcher is pretty meh. I just didn't feel connected to toss story that much. But the action scenes were great and well choreographed. There's plenty of slow mo which OS pretty typical for a John Woo film.

The lack of dialogue does hurt the film. Very few films have been able to pull of a film worth next to no dialogue from the main character. You need powerful supporting characters and's this film didn't have it. The main actor OSS great but he's not an emotional actor so he's alil out of his element imo.

Cherry (I) (2021)

Riveting story it gets better as it goes forward

[7/10 · 26 October 2023]

Overall, it's a very good movie. Have a great message with a great story and a good cast.

It's a bit slow initially, but it ramps up quick, and it becomes a very powerful look at soldiers and what many have to go through when they come back. Tom Holland does an amazing job at portraying, PTSD and drug addiction. However, the Casting is a bit top-heavy in terms of talent. Tom Holland is the stand out with only a few other good actors/actresses.

Overall, the production value is spot on. The directors and cinematographers know what they're doing with great camera, angles, and good editing. The score was definitely adequate. It isn't even groundbreaking, but it will do.

It is a bit dark, so if you're not into that kind of movie, you're not gonna like it. But it is a great human story.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Great acting, but the story direction was all wrong

[7/10 · 20 October 2023]

The acting was magnificent. Leonardo Capriano, and Lily Gladstones an amazing job. Robert De Niro killed it as the creepy and somewhat sadistic De Niro I know from Cape fear. The production value is on point nothing technical stunk about it.

It was an interesting story, and I actually enjoyed it some more but I felt that it was built as being this crazy thriller like death and violence but it's more of a Shakespearean tragedy. It's a slow burn Shakespearean tragedy that takes a while to unfold. Some will love it and others will hate it. I think they should've focused on telling a different character's story than the main's.

The Creator (2023)

And interesting, unfortunately, uncanny resemblance to our own times

[8/10 · 29 September 2023]

This movie was very interesting. It was formulaic of the old sci-fi, trope of man versus machine, but it had additional layers to it as well. It's not gonna win an Academy award probably, but it is a well-made film from a good Director who has done well in the sci-fi genre. If you like sci-fi, you're probably gonna like this.

In general, the casting was pretty well done. The two main characters were amazing and a good chemistry together. The two main characters had a great story arc, and there was a lot of character development behind them as well.

The story was very good with a lot of twists and turns some comic relief with a crazy emotional ending.

The production value wasn't anything to write home about, but it did it's job.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Another great Nolan movie

[9/10 · 5 August 2023]

This movie does many things well, including production value, the characters, and the story itself. If you like Nolan films, you are going to thoroughly enjoy this.

As with most Nolan films, it has an intricately woven story that you have to really pay attention to. But the story is amazing. Three hours and I didn't look at my phone once.

The main character Oppenheimer played by Cillian Murphy was amazing. The character had great character development, as well as a great story arc.

The production value was amazing. The cinematography was great in the score as always with any Nolan film is amazing.

What struck me most about this film was at times it almost seemed like a thriller. There were no major action scenes, or "jump" scares which makes the production value even better.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

A fun fantasy film that's worth a watch

[7/10 · 7 April 2023]

Disclaimer: I am not a D&D fan. I am reviewing this slowly on It's merits as a stand-alone film and not on how well D&D was adapted to a new medium.

I came into this film with no expectation of out being good but I was pleasantly surprised.

Actors were very well casted and had good chemistry. Most of the characters had the character development so you actually cared about them. The main character had a very good character arc. NGL solid as can be.

In terms of production value it was very well done, and some of the camera angles were really cool. The editing and CGI were very good. I was especially surprised that the fight scenes had very few cuts.

The story was good and well paced. The dialogue was well written, and funny without being cringe.

All in all it's a good movie especially if you like fantasy films. But it's not a serious fantasy film like Lord of the rings. And as a bonus they actually got the concept of dragons correct. Yes dragons have four legs not two lol.

The Whale (2022)

Heartbreaking and beautiful

[8/10 · 24 March 2023]

This film isn't perfect in anyway, but the acting is tremendous. Brendan Fraser murders a role in a good way. His nurse friend in the film was fantastic and had a great chemistry. And the other support characters were great as well.

Production quality wise it was generally good. The score was great, and I helped add depth to the actors' performances.

The story was very slow, but it was that kind of movie, so you can't really hold that against it. But if you like extremely fast paced movies with a lot of action, you we will get bored by the story.

What I love about this movie was the pure emotion of the movie. I usually don't cry during movies with this made me cry several times.

Cocaine Bear (2023)

It's exactly what it is supposed to be, and it doesn't lie about it

[6/10 · 24 February 2023]

This film is exactly what you think it is. It's a bear on cocaine going crazy in the woods. That doesn't mean it's not good. It's actually surprisingly good.

It's such a good thriller. You're on the edge of your seat for most of it and when you're not on the edge of your seat, you're laughing your ass off.

The cast is actually very unrelated. Keri Russell is phenomenal. Alden Ehrenreich And O'Shea Jackson Jr (Ice Cube's son) are great together and have great chemistry.

The production value is so so it is definitely not a super high budget film. But it doesn't look bad. The editing as well done especially during the action scenes and the CGI is actually pretty good.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Don't believe the critics it's not the best mcu movie but it's far from the worst

[6/10 · 19 February 2023]

The newest installment of ant man wasn't perfect but it had its good and its bad.

Production value was great as it should be for a multi billion dollar franchise. But the vfx and editing was on point for sure.

The characters good and the chemistry. They had an all star cast with Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, and Paul Rudd. Also, Johnathon Majors did a phenomenal job with Kane.

The weakest part of the movie was the story. The first act was fine and moved along at a good pace but it slowed a lot in the second act. The third act was fun and action packed but the end fight didn't sit well with me. The dialogue was decent and quirky at times, but never cringe.

M3GAN (2022)

Good horror/thriller could have been gorier

[7/10 · 15 January 2023]

Megan is one of those movies where you get exactly what you expect. It's a horror/thriller that reminds me a lot of Chuckie. It does a good job of integrating artificial intelligence and robotics which is a real issue today which makes it very relatable to the audience.

The story is well pays and does not drag. It is as long as it should be. The production value is decent.

The characters are decent, but there's not any big names that jump out. Everyone who was cast did a decent job especially the CEO of the company who made Megan. The Megan doll is very creepy and does a good job of making you feel uncomfortable.

The only knock against it I can think of is that it should have been gorier. They did advertise it as being gorier than it was.

Violent Night (2022)

A violent night indeed

[8/10 · 26 December 2022]

Hi personally loved this movie. It was not pretentious, even though it did have a message. I didn't shove it in your face making you feel like an idiot. The message was very organic. Through and through this is if die hard, and John Wick had a baby with a Christmas Carol. Dave Harbor did an amazing job at Santa. Santa's character in this movie also had some character development which was great as well as a decent arc. The Supporting cast was okay at best except for John Leguizamo who was great.

There's not much that I can say I did not like about this movie. Possibly the ending could've been shortened by 10 to 15 minutes but other than that it was paced very well.

If you like violence and mayhem with a Christmas theme, this movie's for you.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Great effects, with okay story and characters (please note watched in 3-D)

[7/10 · 26 December 2022]

Before we begin, the review, just know that I watched this in 3-D. My score could've been lower if I didn't watch it in 3-D.

This movie does a lot of things right. One thing they do right is the VFX. Everything looks amazing and well done. The editing and music is spot on. The direction of the film is good. The actors are very decent. A lot of people return in more ways than one. The chemistry between the actors seems good. Nothing for us. The dialogue is pretty much good throughout the film.

Although it is beautiful and well done in certain aspects, there are some things that are wrong with it. The beginning is interesting and good while The middle can drag a bit and the end is very good.

The story itself is okay at best. They don't reinvent the wheel or nothing like that. In general, this film is very watchable, but I would suggest 3-D to make it worth your time.

The Menu (2022)

An odd, but well done thriller worth the price of admission

[7/10 · 26 November 2022]

In general, this movie is decent but if you're looking for a white knuckled no holds barred thrill ride that's not what this is.

In truth, it is a good thriller, but it's not a much slower pace than most thrillers but once it gets to the point of no return it goes 100 real quick. Ralph Fiennes and Anya Joy Taylor did an amazing job as the two leads. The other side characters were also for the most part good. The production value is very decent as with any film coming from a good studio. They said pieces were a bit limited because it was an only one main location, but that is understandable.

I wasn't a big fan of the pacing though. The beginning was very slow but once it hit that point of no return, like I said, before it ramped up to 100 real quick. So if you can stomach the first 45 minutes of sleep boredom, then this may not be for you. I'm not gonna go into detail, but there were some plot elements that I didn't agree with that. I felt would've done better told in a different way. There were also some side characters that I didn't particularly enjoy, but it was minimally bad at worse.

Overall, it's a good film that is worth the price of admission.

Glass Onion (2022)

A delightful mystery

[8/10 · 26 November 2022]

If you're expecting something similar to knives out the original movie, then you won't be disappointed.

It is another great mystery with another great cast with another great story. The production value is very good concerning the editing and the set pieces. The characters were so well casted, and did a great job, and all of their performances. I love Daniel Craig and all of the other characters so this was a slam dunk for me. If you're lucky enough, it's playing near you at the theater. If not, watching it on Netflix will be just as enjoyable.

The only thing I didn't like was that I figured out who it was halfway through because they didn't conceal something that happened well enough. And also the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning.

Don't Worry Darling (I) (2022)

Mind blowing wtf kind of movie

[7/10 · 7 October 2022]

It was definitely a mind blowing movie in terms of how it all played out.

The actor in was very good except for Harry styles. He really needs to take acting lessons next time he does a movie. But Florence Hugh and Olivia Wilde were great. That Asian lady from rich crazy Asians was also really good as well. But Nick Kroll seemed a little out of place. In terms of production value it was good nothing special but not bad.

The story was a little strange but it was pretty good. I would've changed some things about the wtf moment but it was still a decent story. It was pretty well pace didn't get too boring.

The worst part about this movie was harry styles' acting. If he's going to do more films needs to go to acting classes.