jgibson75 Reviews

Prey (I) (2022)

I thought it was fun

[8/10 · 6 August 2022]

Sure, maybe it isn't as good as the original (but hey, neither are any of the other Predator sequels)... but I thought it was up there with Predators as one of the better sequels in this franchise.

Amber Midthunder was great. I liked the design of this Predator.

Some cool kills. It didn't go off the rails in the last act (the way the last Predator film did)... Overall, a solid sequel.

Shark Attack 3: Megalodon (2002 Video)

Total garbage and I love it

[3/10 · 13 January 2022]

This movie is horrible but so funny. Unintentionally funny I'm sure.

Just the way the shark wildly varies in size throughout the film is great fun.

This movie isn't "so bad it's good"... it's just bad... yet somehow I love it.

A Loud House Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Cute

[7/10 · 28 November 2021]

I thought it was cute. I'm clearly not the target audience but I watched it with my 6 year old son. He was glued to the tv. He absolutely loved it. So for me I think it succeeds at what it is trying to be.

The New Mutants (2020)

The End of the Fox Era of X-Men Films

[7/10 · 31 August 2020]

I will start by saying I am a lifelong fan of The X-Men. Read the comics most of my life starting in the 80's and they have always been my favorite comic book characters. That said, I don't have blinders on where the movies are concerned. Some have been great (X-Men 2, X-Men Days of Future Past, Logan, Deadpool...) some have been ok and some downright disappointing (X-Men 3, X-Men Apocalypse...).

The New Mutants falls somewhere in the middle area for me. There are a lot of things I really liked about it but a few things holding it back from being great.

Overall I enjoyed it. Most of my few complaints didn't ruin the movie and in the long run feel inconsequential (since this is the last of the Fox X-Men films before Disney wipes the slate clean and does their own spin on the Marvel mutants).

The cast is great. The characters felt like they we're given time to develop and feel realized (at least as much as you can do in an hour and half or so)... the final battle has some really cool moments. Magik in particular has some kick ass scenes.

Spoiler below... The biggest shame to me, besides the fact we won't see this iteration of these characters on screen again, is that the Essex plot will go unresolved. The X-Men films have been teasing and laying the groundwork for Essex to be a main villain for some time now. This film probably did the most to prepare us for a confrontation with Mr. Sinister. It is a shame that never came to fruition.

Anyway, I liked this movie. I am excited to see what Disney does with the mutants. But I am also a bit sad this is the end of the Fox era. Even though Fox has been hit or miss with it's efforts where the mutant films are concerned, where were some really good films to come out of it and The New Mutants was an interesting expansion of that universe.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)

I barely give it a 7. Probably deserves a 6.

[7/10 · 21 June 2020]

The X-Men are my favorite comic book characters. Been that way since I was old enough to read comics in the early 80's. And The Dark Phoenix Saga, as most X-Men fans will tell you, is one of the most impactful and important stories in the character's history. I feel like this film had some things going for it. It was visually much better (in my opinion) than the last film in the series (Apocalypse), has some strong performances from the cast and the music was good. But the biggest fault was the entire thing just feels rushed. The title of the comics book story says it all. It was the Dark Phoenix SAGA. This film just didn't give the plot, the characters and the stakes enough room to breathe. A perfect example is the alien race who appear and were the victims of a previous attack by the Phoenix Force entity. They are barely given time to understand who they are or what their motivation or abilities are. Therefore it is hard to care about them or feel threatened by them. Such an important and complex story should have been built up and/or told over multiple movies in my opinion. But as a hardcore fan of The X-Men I still enjoyed elements of the film. I still prefer the young X-Men cast that began with First Class (not to say I don't have love for the older cast as well...) and Sophie Turner makes a solid Jean Grey, and Michael Fassbender is still fantastic as Magneto. Hoult makes a good Hank McCoy. The list goes on.

It's a shame though. This is the second attempt to bring this story to the big screen and the second time it fails to live up to the legacy of the comic book tale. Hard to imagine that Marvel will go back to this story a third time.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Worth the journey if they flub the ending...

[9/10 · 22 September 2019]

Long story short, this is one of my favorite science fiction/action films. Excellent performances from Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt (who steals every scene she is in)... great supporting cast (still hate that Bill Paxton is no longer with us). The problem I have with the film is the ending. It feels very "made for American audiences". I won't spoil it, but it defies the films rules and logic just to put a happy twist on the proceedings.

But, I love the rest of the film so much I chose to just not let that ruin the movie.

Captain Marvel (2019)

So much fun

[8/10 · 10 March 2019]

I've been a comic book reader since I was a child. I don't get to read as many these days, but I am thrilled to see so many of the comics I love having stories told on the big screen and the small screen. Captain Marvel was never one of my favorite characters. I never disliked the character. I just tended to read more earth focused comics (X-Men, Spider-Man, The Avengers, Moon Knight and such)... But I know about the character and was happy to see her getting her own film. And the film made me a much bigger fan of the character (the same way Ant Man and Guardians of the Galaxy films gave me a greater appreciation for those characters even though in comic book form they were not my favorites). Some of my newfound love of the character can be attributed to the excellent job Brie Larson does bringing Carol Danvers to life. I also enjoyed the different approach they took with telling an origin story. It was a very empowering character and I can only begin to imagine how little girls must feel seeing this hero on the screen... I found it inspirational even as a 40+ year old man. The VFX were too notch. I was very impressed with how far they have come with the de-aging effects. Never once did I feel like I was watching anything but a younger Samuel L. Jackson on screen. A big jump from earlier films were the Effect was good but still a bit unreal looking. The entire cast was great. I can't wait to see the further adventures of Captain Marvel.

The Full Monty (1997)

One of my favorites.

[9/10 · 14 November 2018]

I saw the film back when it was getting all the Oscar buzz and adored it then. All these years later and I still love it. Not to get too personal, but today has been a particularly bad day for me. Bad news from the doctors and all. Sitting in a hotel room trying to process it all... flipping through the channels on the television... and I stumble across The Full Monty. It was just starting to air on HBO and It had been about five years since last I watched it... By the end of the film I was just as engaged in the story as I was the first time I saw it. Even forgot my own problems for a bit and just lost myself in the story I knew so well, yet still felt fresh and full of heart.

Movies are magical things. I love films of all kinds. I love blockbusters like Avengers and Star Wars and Harry Potter... but I also love Little films with big heart. And The Full Monty is just that. And tonight for me at least, it was also good medicine.

The Grinch (2018)

My 3 Year Old Loved It

[7/10 · 10 November 2018]

This was the first movie theater experience for my 3 year old son. At 1 hour and 30 minutes he did get a tad restless in the later half of the film, which is to be expected. But he did love the film and the experience. As for me, nothing will top the classic cartoon from my childhood. And bits of this felt a bit more stretched out than needed be. But overall I found it cute, lighthearted entertainment that managed to capture the spirit of the original. The voice acting and a animation were solid. The songs, while not as good in my 43 year old eyes as the original tunes, were still serviceable.

The Snowman (2017)

Sadly disappointing

[4/10 · 22 August 2018]

I'll keep this brief. I've never read the book. But I enjoy thrillers of this type and the director made Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (one of my favorite films). I also love the cast. I had seen the bad reviews but wanted to see for myself. After all I often enjoy films despite critics panning them.

But the movie is a mess. A lovely mess, beautiful cinematography. Decent score. I already mentioned the cast being excellent (I love Fassbender and Ferguson)...

But you can tell something went very wrong in the shooting and editing of this film. Plot points are rushed over or flat out ignored. There is very little in the way of character development. The killer's motivation never seemed clear or made much sense. The investigation scenes feel sloppy and all over the place.

Then there are the problems with taking a lead character seriously who has a name like Harry Hole. And what were they thinking dubbing over Val Kilmer's voice? It sounds unnatural and the lip syncing is badly done. Very distracting.

So this time I have to agree with the critics. The Snowman is a disappointment.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Outstanding

[9/10 · 28 April 2018]

If you have enjoyed the long road leading from Iron Man to now, the pay off is real. Outstanding. The Russo Brothers have proven they are the masters at telling these stories. I can't wait til Avengers 4 and the final chapter of the Thanos saga.

Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009)

Best Show on the telly??

[9/10 · 5 October 2006]

I love this show. Not just as a sci fi series, of which it is the best the genre has ever seen... but as a quality drama... to me, the best part of this show is the characters, the interaction between them, the outstanding cast and the way they bring such a far out world and concept so close to home each and every week... you almost forget you are watching a science fiction show...

I am a fan of intense drama... my other favorite shows on television today are 24, ER, Big Love, The Sopranos, House, the West Wing, and two new shows Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Heroes...

As you can see, only one of those would fall under the "sci fi" genre, yet I would rank Battlestar Galactica up there as one of the best, if not the very best drama on TV today. Even if you are not a fan of sci fi, or never cared for the original series of the same name (lets face it, most people didn't care for it... that is why it didn't last long)... I promise if you give this series a try, watch it for two or three episodes, chances are, you won't be able to quit...

If you have the time, rent or buy the Sci Fi Mini Series from 2003... that is one way to jump into the series and see if you like it... it is about 3 hours long... and by the end, you get a feel for what lies ahead, although the best is yet to come... or if you want to take me on my word, just buy Season 1... it has the mini series packed in... so it is the best way to go...

If nothing else, tune in on Friday nights at 9 to the Sci Fi channel and see what everyone is calling one of the best written and best acted shows on television today...