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Rick and Morty: Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie (2023)
A new low for this show
How difficult could it be to write an entertaining show using a few callbacks to a previous episode and fleshing out a character based on a pop culture icon?
Apparently, it's really, reaaaallllyyy hard.
The pure absurdity of the premise is bad enough - but even worse was the decision to sideline Rick for this episode. We needed him to break the fourth wall, to poke fun at the stale jokes and absurdly dull plot.
Instead, the episode is filled with puns more suited to a kindergarten class than a show targeted to adult humor.
The creators of the show have INFINITE stories to tell in INFINITE universes. Why they chose this one is beyond me.
The Creator (2023)
Avatar meets AI
In a word, underwhelming. So much wasted potential in this movie.
First, the good stuff. Casting and acting was spot on, for the most part. Visuals/SFX were amazing. After watching for just a few minutes, I was hooked - and I so very badly wanted this movie to be good.
Unfortunately, the story is nonsensical and falls flat. The Chosen One searching for a McGuffin isn't an automatic deal breaker, but the execution in this film is poor.
The action scenes have great visuals, but little suspension of belief. For example, at one point the bad guys shoot a barrage of missiles at the good guys' encampment. The missiles are highly effective, causing utter chaos and destruction. But after the first salvo of five missiles, the bad guys stop shooting and instead send droids walking into the encampment with countdown bombs attached. The audience is left scratching their heads at this questionable (and easily countered) strategy.
There are other problems with the story and world building, and too many moments in the film where suspension of disbelief becomes difficult or impossible. These aren't so much "plot holes" as much as they are just incongruities. The pieces of the puzzle just don't fit together quite right.
Blue Beetle (2023)
Dull and formulaic
So much wasted potential in this movie.
The first 45 minutes are incredibly slow and filled with disjointed plot/character development. The theme of "family values" is crowbarred into nearly every scene, but the script does a poor job connecting the audience to the characters.
Susan Sarandon gives a wooden performance as a one-dimensional baddie. George Lopez falls flat as the zany tech-wizard uncle. Xolo Maridueña and
Bruna Marquezine are capable actors and fun to watch, but lack chemistry.
Even in the thick of the action, pace is erratic. Bad Hollywood action cliches abound. Rather than overcome obstacles through strength of character, the good guys seem fated to win as teenage girls are able to fight professional mercenaries as equals.
Overall, Blue Beetle comes across as a money grab. It copies elements of family superhero films (e.g., Antman) but fails to capture the heart. It takes itself too seriously at all the wrong times. It's just bad entertainment - I literally could not watch it all in one sitting because it was so painful to sit through.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Decent, nowhere as good as the first
Takes itself way too seriously, and fails to tell a compelling story.
The writers apparently tried to re-use the formula for the first Spider-Verse movie, at the expense of character growth.
This movie has a cliff-hanger ending, meaning that it's really just half of a movie. It hurts the pacing.
The action is very predictable, but at the same time, the story is unnecessarily complicated. There's never any fear that any of the main characters are in danger.
Overall, it's missing the wholesome, lighthearted moments which were so endearing in the first movie. This is a good movie to skip in the theaters and catch on streaming/DVD.
Titans: Hank and Dawn (2018)
Truly awful change of tone
Not sure what appeals to others about this episode. It's a HUGE departure from the previous 8 episodes, in that there's very little action and almost nothing to advance the storyline.
Mostly, we are stuck reliving all the trauma from Hank's past. We also see how he met Dawn. It's 10 minutes of story-telling that's been stretched into a full episode.
If you went into this episode thinking that Hank is an unlikeable man-child, your opinion won't change. If you went into this episode hoping to see a sex scene between two objectively gorgeous actors, then you won't be disappointed. It's really the only reason I can think that it's so highly rated....
Peacemaker (2022)
Doesn't quite capture the magic....
Like most Peacemaker fans, my first introduction was the Suicide Squad reboot. Cena pulled of the role of the goofy, sincere idiot with hilarious results.
There's two reasons why this doesn't work as well in the series. First, as a side character in SS, Peacemaker's antics were comic relief. He spiced up the boring scenes and exposition with his silliness. But that style of man-child humor needs to be spaced and balanced, otherwise it becomes predictable and flat. And that's exactly what happens in the show - Peacemaker (the character) too often breaks the tension by acting the unfunny idiot. Not Cena's fault, this is just bad writing.
Second, there are inferior actors taking center stage. The most egregious offender is Danielle Brooks playing Leota. Her acting is flat. Her in-universe mother (a previously established character in the DCEU) is a perfectly cast and top-notch actor. How did this powerhouse of a character end up with such a mess of a daughter? It seems like Gunn wanted to kill 3 birds with one stone by serving up an obese BIPOC lesbian. What this role needed was Queen Latifah energy. Instead, Brooks comes with Jaden Smith energy. Yikes.
Bottom line is that Gunn seems to be out of fresh ideas and is now just rehashing old jokes. If you're watching the show for the interesting backstory and details of Peacemaker's day-to-day life, you win. If you're watching it for original ideas and side-splitting humor, you're in the wrong place.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Stale writing, backwards character growth
The premise of the movie is, in a word, inane. "Hey, Dr. Strange, we barely know one another but can you change the entire world to suit my needs?"
And, while this movie definitely has its moments, the major plot points are forced and the action is mostly disjointed. The best scenes seem to be ripped right out of Into the Spiderverse, and some of the lines are repeated verbatim.
Props to Garfield, McGuire, Molena and Dafoe for outstanding performances. The movie hinged on these supporting actors, and their return to the Spiderman franchise did not disappoint.
For fans on a budget: Save your money and wait for streaming/video release. Nothing terribly important happens, in terms of affecting other Marvel plotlines.
Jonah Hex (2010)
Very under-rated!!
Actually, it's probably a 6.5 or so. I rounded up, to balance the haters which seem to have brigaded this movie.
There's a lot of good in Jonah Hex, plenty of bad and some ugly, too. Overall, though, it's good popcorn entertainment.
The Good: Talent, talent, talent! Casting was near perfect. Great special effects. Decent world-building (kind of like a more realistic Wild Wild West).
The Bad: The script. It's pretty standard fare. A villain leaves our (anti) hero to die after killing his family and scarring him horribly. The villain then goes on to bigger and badder things. It's also WAY too short, considering the talent available for this film.
The Ugly: The waste of talent. Runtime of this movie was only about 80 minutes. How did this film manage to cast John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, Josh Brolin, Aidan Quin, Wes Bentley, Michael Shannon and Will Arnett, yet still go so very wrong? It's tragic. Even Megan Fox shines, perfectly cast as the prostitute with the heart of gold, complete with a slow Southern drawl.
There's a LOT wrong with this movie - but there's a lot to love, too. If you like campy action, give it a go.
The Wheel of Time (2021)
Not interesting at all
This is a show that takes place in a fantastical land, full of wonders and magic and weirdness - right? So why is it soooooo slow?
I've been hearing about The Wheel of Time for years, decades actually. I never got around to reading the books, though, and was hoping the show would re-kindle my interest.
Wow. Just the opposite. I can appreciate a "slow burn", but there has to be some sort of hook. I have now abandoned both the show and my desire to read the books.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
Great entertainment!
Better than the first one, IMHO.
This one is much more light-hearted, and plays as more of a action-comedy. Woody Harrelson makes a great villain.
There is no forced love interest for Eddie this time around, which leaves more time to flesh out Cletus (Harrelson) and his motivations.
As others have indicated, there is some repetition. The conflict in both movies is symbiote vs. Symbiote and the cast is nearly identical to the first movie. However, this movie has a more entertaining story and Harrelson makes a much better villain than Riz Ahmed.
Be sure to stick around for all the post-credits scenes - if you aren't excited about the MCU after watching this movie, then you don't have a pulse!
Journey's End (2017)
Very well executed WWI movie
WWI movies are not for everyone, trench warfare can be depressing and/or boring. A must-see for the war movie aficionado.
The production seems to take some liberties with historical accuracy, but the character acting is top-notch by all involved.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
No heart, no suspension of disbelief
....and overall an astonishingly bad screenplay.
I so wanted this to be a great movie. Gal Gadot is a top-tier lead, her supporting cast is equally talented. Patty Jenkins is a proven director, and a fine one.
But there's another Patty Jenkins, a Patty Jenkins who put her name on a truly terrible script and ran with it. It's a script without heart. Most of the impact of Diana finding love in the first movie is undone. Any inherent morality that had been attributed to Diana is smashed to pieces. It's as if Jenkins were purposely setting out to destroy all of Diana's admirable qualities.
Anyway - worth a watch if you are a fan of the genre. Otherwise, stay far away!
The Nightingale (2018)
Nearly flawless
Very similar to DiCaprio's "The Revenant", but with a gender twist.
Kent is amazing. The supporting cast is amazing. The cinematography is amazing.
The story is solid, and the first act is amazing. Motivations and priorities are clear.
In the second act, the violence starts getting a bit over the top. Motivations become a bit unclear. The Big Bad and his loyalists don't even try to cover their tracks. They leave a trail of bodies behind, seemingly for inexplicable reasons.
The third act is more of the same, followed by a fairly predictable conclusion. Will the hero(s) eventually get their pound of flesh? It's a revenge movie, so....
Rick and Morty: Rickmurai Jack (2021)
Cool story bro - that ending, tho!?!
Up until the credits roll, this episode is a solid 9/10. There's no reason why every episode can't be this good. But, unfortunately, we've barely seen the Citadel of Ricks storyline budge over the last few seasons.
I don't understand why Harmon is playing the long game with the overarching plot line - the rest of this season is just filler. We get it. We got it a long time ago. There are infinite universes, thus infinite inane, inconsequential episodes. Harmon has an obsession with random unfunny schticks. Instead of consistent, progressive development we get Transformers and giant turkeys.
BUT - there's a timeline that we all actually care about. Evil Morty is a great hook and a great storyline. BRAVO for finally advancing that story!! If Harmon has any sense about him whatsoever, season six will refocus on the Citadel (C137).
The ending of this episode lost it at least 6 stars. Why end a season with a depressive self-pitying monologue?! Not amusing, just a buzzkill.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
The worst offering in the MCU
This movie makes Black Widow look like an Oscar winning screenplay.
The story is just SOOOO bad. There's way too much raw exposition about past events. It feels like half the movie is spent recounting the past in stale narrative exposition. When this much backstory is needed, then you're trying to pack too much into a single film.
Character motivations are unclear. Shang Chi's behavior is inexplicable at times, and his sidekick's behavior is similarly confusing. The movie opens with the two of them in low paying jobs, yet somehow they are jet-set world travelers at the drop of a hat. Shang continually puts his friend in life-threatening danger.
The movie is weakened by fan service. The callback to Iron Man 3 makes zero sense. Casting Ben Kingsley for comedic relief does nothing for the story.
This movie all but breaks the MCU's continuity and overarching story. It introduces new dimensions, races and powers without regard for existing storylines.
Cameos don't help. Kingsley's Trevor Slattery feels about 10 years too late and most of his previous story arc from "Iron Man 3" and "Hail to the King" is negated and/or ignored. Wong is used as comic relief, but doesn't help much more than that.
There's nothing fresh in this movie, just Disney trying to cash in on an inferior product.
Charlie's Angels (2019)
Cheesy fem humor might not be for everyone...
...but rating this movie under a 5 while similarly cheesy male-dominated action films consistently rate a 7 or higher is not a fair assessment.
Every action film has cheesy cringe scenes. Every superhero movie, secret agent movie, all of them.
A common cringe in buddy action flicks is when the banter feels forced. We're used to seeing the same stale banter between males, though, and a lot of the cheesiness gets a pass.
Now, imagine that all the male bonding scenes have been replaced with female bonding. Here's where Elizabeth Banks made (and lost) an awful gamble. She gambled that playing to 'fem' traits - like crying in times of heightened emotion stress and physical exhaustion, and hugging and open platonic affection - would play well.
And it does, at first. But there's no development to the relationship. The team has trust issues until the very end of the movie and even as the credits roll. The end result felt like an unnatural union, Mission Impossible meets The Oprah Winfrey Show. There's no growth, no payoff, no explanation.
For that lack of character growth, the IMDB fanbase have HEAVILY penalized the movie's rating. However, the acting was well executed The action was great. The casting was spot on. The writing was a bit spotty - but when it was good, the jokes killed and the dialogue flowed naturally. And the production is top notch, with some nice tech and nice big explosions. This movie has a lot to offer.
I think this film went out of its way to avoid any type of romance beyond brief flirtation - and it suffers for it.
There were times when the overly emotional female bonding scenes played well. When Jane breaks down crying at the hospital, that's a perfect time for a good cry. But other times, not so much.
I really think perhaps some subtle chemistry between two of the Angels would have come off as 100% natural - Kristen Stewart and Ella Ballinska have incredible chemistry onscreen. And speaking of chemistry - it's a pity that Banks didn't write more scenes for Sam Claflin - he's got incredible screen presence and played his scenes to perfection. In fact, I think he overshadows Patrick Stewart, even though Stewart has at least 5 times the screen time.
If I'm entirely honest, this film should be a 6. But these three Angels work well together and I hope to see more.
Rick and Morty: Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty (2019)
All time best episode of Rick and Morty, no contest
This episode is definitely not the most popular - it's twisted and perverted. It plays like a session of D&D in your cousin's basement.
And it's absolutely PERFECT! Hilariously portrayed and taken to the edge of decency. And adventure of sex and drugs - but also of bravery and a quest to be free.
The side story isn't quite as hilarious, but it's just dark and mysterious enough to be interesting.
And the talent at play! Liam Cunningham and Matthew Broderick! Music by Future. Amazing episode!
Rick and Morty: Rick & Morty's Thanksploitation Spectacular (2021)
Recycled jokes, nonsensical plot
Somehow, the man who brought down the Citadel of Ricks and the Galactic Federation is now struggling to keep one step ahead of the idiot president.
Let's just cut to the chase. S5 of RIck and Morty is like S8 of GoT.
I'm sure that the creators feel pressured to churn out content, considering the multi-episode contract they've signed. Rushing out the episodes has resulted in low quality schticks, and this one is the worst yet.
Apparently, Dan and Justin have an obsession with Keith David and/or the President of the U. S.
However, rather than build on drama from previous episodes and expand the depth of their relationship, we get the same old jokes rehashed.
We get it already - Rick and the President have both have huge egos. With an infinite amount of timelines and an infinite amount of Ricks, this is the story that Dan and Justin decided to pursue.
I love Keith David. He was great as a no-neck giraffe and he's great as the President. But even he can't salvage this catastrophe of a script.
Honestly, I quit watching halfway through. An hour later, I finally made it through the episode.
I used to stay up late, waiting for the moment that the new R&M episode was available to stream. I dread it now. This season is SO bad.
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
A stab in the back for fans of this franchise
A huge plot point from previous films is ham-handedly retconned. Without giving too much away, a hated villain who had taken innocent lives - and threatened many others - returns as a good guy. It's beyond inane. The franchise had always been more about testosterone than plot, but this twist is beyond stupid.
Adding insult to injury is the back-and-forth "banter" between the two main characters. Hobbs (The Rock) apparently has multiple personality disorder, because we see him go from a capable, disciplined military leader to a petty, insecure "bro" to a quirky, lovable father figure. It's like they cast 3 different people for one role.
Oh, and lastly - a pair of gratuitous cameos that felt like very small bit parts. Kevin James and Deadpool - errrr, Ryan Reynolds - both show up long enough to bring some humor into the movie, but quickly wear out their welcome.
This movie should be titled: "F8 - The Bro Dudes". It's very apparent that this franchise has devolved into millionaire actors with too much testosterone playing with their toys.
Tenet (2020)
Pretentious but interesting
Christopher Nolan has perfected the Smart Movie for Dumb People.
On the other hand, this movie plays to Nolan's strengths. The characters are larger than life, the story unfolds in a compelling way.
Worth a watch, but don't feel dumb if you find yourself a bit confused when the credits roll. This is an action movie and best enjoyed in that mindset.
The Hunt (2020)
So good that I changed my rating after a second watch!
Betty Gilpin is AMAZING! She might be my newest all time favorite action star, and it's this movie that put her there! I hope she gets more leads like this one!
The difference is, Glipin doesn't play the part of a female action hero. There's no overt sexualization, no love interest, no playful banter.
She plays Crystal; Crystal is an action hero, period. This part could have been written for Bruce Willis or The Rock. There's a political element to the movie, the message being 'extremism is dangerous', I think.
Our hero is stoic, tough, resourceful. Street smart. A good tactician and an expert in hand-to-hand combat, of course! A natural leader.
Crystal keeps her own counsel and we don't learn much about her in the first half of the movie. About 45 minutes into the movie, she finally grabs the limelight for some exposition - and we get one of Aesop's fables. Her retelling is masterful, like an homage to Quentin Tarrantino.
A few minutes later, the third act begins. We know where this story is going. We've seen it before, we know the outcome - but the ride is so fun, so full of twists and turns that we forget.
The ride ends EXACTLY where it should end. It's neither too soon nor stretched. As quickly as the action had spun up, it spins back down and it's over.
I gave it 8 stars on my first rating. Then I came back to submit a full review and gush on Gilpin's performance. I love this movie!
Rick and Morty: Amortycan Grickfitti (2021)
This does not bode well for the future....
In the past few seasons, we've been introduced to a grand, sweeping, infinite multiverse filled with infinite versions and iterations of the Smith family. Infinite story lines, some of which we've caught a glimpse of. The foundation of a grand tale, the legend of Rick Sanchez and his progeny.
From S5E5, you'd never know it. It's filled with self-referential jokes and callbacks. It's stale. It's small-minded.
In a word - it's boring. This episode bored me. It was not funny. It was not insightful or deep. It did not advance the overarching story of the Smith family. There was no character growth. Most of what we saw and heard had already been seen and heard in other episodes.
It was just...boring.
Loki: For All Time. Always. (2021)
MINDBLOWING!
Wow! (As Owen Wilson would say.)
This is Marvel at its best! What a great set up for the next phase!
Rick and Morty: Rickdependence Spray (2021)
Where's the vision?
The Smith family has no purpose and no direction this season. Clearly, Dan doesn't either. Why not pick up on some of those abandoned plot threads from previous seasons?
Anyway, Episode 3. Morty is officially Flanderized. RIck, who should be the most interesting man in existence has become one-dimensional. The Smith family in general has become immune to real-world concerns.
There was a time when this family felt real - they had awkward dynamics with one another, they struggled, they felt emotional pain and they grew. Now they all feel like Rick's sidekicks. Beth and Jerry, once normal, caring parents, have resigned themselves to constantly putting themselves and their children in harm's way.
This season is a trainwreck so far, and this episode drags it down even further.
Rick and Morty: A Rickconvenient Mort (2021)
The jokes are just like the theme - recycled.
I'm reminded of the Vat of Acid episode. Not, not the clever humor interspersed with a deep look at happiness, relationships and consequences.
Nope, I'm reminded of Morty's comment to Rick: "Are you dying of dementia?!"
Dan Harmon. DAN! Do you need help? Are you dying of dementia? Or just in too deep and out of original material?
Anyway - in this episode we have Morty dating a superhero. Why is Earth suddenly filled with superheroes and supervillians this season? Dunno. Why is Dan Harmon obsessively focused on Morty's sex life? Dunno. Why does Morty seem so attractive to fully grown women? Dunno.
Meanwhile, our side story is about Rick and Summer partying together. Summer has basically abandoned her individuality and character growth. Instead, she has effectively become Rick's wingman.
But everything that happens in this show is a recycled joke from a previous show. Summer isn't funny because her motivation so far this season seems to be getting Rick's approval.
As many doors as Dan has left open to explore in REAL character growth, he seems afraid to actually allow his characters to mature. Why hasn't Summer had a real love interest? Why is Evil Morty hanging back? Where's Squanchy? How are Beth and Jerry actually living day-to-day?
Hopefully, this episode is the low-water mark for the series. I certainly wouldn't have prepaid for this season if last season had shows of such poor quality.