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Reviews
Creed (2015)
Utterly simplistic
This is a feel-good movie and for that reason I am glad I saw it. But the plot was overly simplistic. A main character gets a horribly raw deal from life, acts like a complete jerk for a while, then does a 180 because of one conversation. Yeah. Right. There is a heavyweight fight between an admittedly buff man who is about half as big as an actual heavyweight and a contender. Sure, that could happen. And when it's over do they go to the hospital as in real life? No, they hold a heart-to-heart in an empty locker room. Sure. Wrapped up all nice and neat, with a bow. The visuals of the over the top wealth are interesting, to be sure. And the daughter is very cute. The mom is believable. But the parents allowing their girl to sit front and center, watching the dad get beaten bloody? Not so sure about that.
Incredibles 2 (2018)
Exciting but missed the mark
The first Incredibles, besides being an exciting, fun movie, also had things to say about being special. Incredibles 2 came close to talking about people being accepted as they are, but then dropped the ball. One young Super talks about how relieved she is that ElastiGirl is no longer hiding, letting the audience know that she now feels less alone. I was hoping this message would be developed at least a bit. Being accepted exactly as you are is the most important lesson any child can learn. Related to this, and a huge problem in the plot, was the implication that just "being Super" was illegal! What kind of message is that for children? Your very existence is illegal? Wow, no wonder so many LBGT kids commit suicide and so many people hate minorities. Some nowadays even call them "illegals" as if their very existence is unacceptable. On the other hand, was it the Supers interfering with police business that was illegal? If so, yeah, I can kind of see the law's point. The movie did not clarify this at all, and seemed to leave one with the impression that simply being a human with super powers, that human has no right to exist. I couldn't help but wonder, where is the family getting all this money at the end, as they zoom away in their fancy car. Is someone now paying them to be Supers? It didn't make a whole lot of sense. Please talk with your children and tell them that you love them exactly as they are, no matter what. If you don't do this, most likely no one ever will.
Wanderlust (2012)
Farming is simple
The premise of the movie, that two city folks stumble upon a hippie commune when they want to stay at a bed and breakfast (like people short on cash would even stop at a bed and breakfast rather than a Motel 8 or sleep in the car) and that the residents are stoned all the time yet are able to live off the land so adeptly that life is easy breezy all the time is really stupid. If that was where the laughs came from, maybe the movie would make a little sense. But the laughs are actually vulgar, tiresome, and heehaw the male lead thinks whoopee how great and the female is not sure and then of course the tables are turned. Who would have seen that coming? Don't waste your time.