What Happened to Monday Movie Mania?

DH and I haven't been going to the movies for the last several months.

The firs part of it is that money has been tight due to the 2022-2025 life rolls.

The second part of it is the movies we want to see are on the paid streaming services a month or two after they're released in the cinemas. And then they end up on the free services with ads about a year later.

The third part is we've been re-watching our favorite TV shows that came out twenty-thirty years ago. Babylon 5, Stargate SG-1, Farscape, The Dresden Files, Highlander, etc.

The fourth part is we've been busy. While I've been writing or editing in the evenings, DH has been getting certified in an accounting software package. With the current economic situation, we're trying to find little ways to improve our income. I mean I'm spending twice as much in groceries right now than I did when Genius Kid was a teenager! We don't drive much because gasoline is roughly two times what we were paying before Tribblehead attacked Iran for no real reason after promising no new wars.

Liar, liar. Pants on fire!

Anyway, I need something a little positive in my day. I think I'll go rewatch the newest Superman. David Corenswet is a cutie! 

Monday Movie Mania - Wicked: For Good

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tuckered out from the holidays. However, DH took me to a few movies over the tail-end of New Hallowthanksmas season to relax when I peopled too much. So of course, the first film was the one I've been anticipating for a year!


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) The music and singing are always the best part of any musical. I was delighted Stephen Schwartz wrote two new songs to the movie, including "No Place Like Home" with input from Cynthia Erivo.

2) Erivo and Ariana Grande command the spotlight once again, showing older and more bitter versions of their characters.

3) Michelle Yeoh's Madame Morrible comes to the forefront as evil in her own right, not merely a henchman for the Wizard.

4) The movie version shows Glinda taking a more active role in getting the Wizard to leave Oz and disposing of Madame Morrible.

5) The movie also expands on scenes where the action is insinuated in the stage version, like what the Wizard's army does to Fiyero when it's learned he backs Elphaba. The screenplay also adds some scenes which expand on Elphaba and Glinda's character arcs.


CONS
1) Not a damn thing.


Overall, I give Wicked:For Good a 1,000 stars out of 10. I love this film, Jon Chu did right by the story, and the Wicked double-feature is going into my permanent collection!

Monday Movie Mania - The Running Man

DH and I finally had a date night late yesterday after a month of personal chaos. Frankly, we needed it! Out of all the November releases we wanted to see, we went with The Running Man since it looks to be leaving our local theater first.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) This version of Stephen King's novel hews much closer to the book that the 1987 version with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It restores Ben Richards original, and much more personal motivation--obtaining medication for his infant daughter.

2) Colman Domingo stands out from the rest of the cast as the host of "The Running Man" show. He's far slicker and scarier than Richard Dawson's host in the 1987 version. Colman brings an odd sincerity to his role.

3) Michael Cera was wildly in a league of his own as Elton Parrakis, a young man who sees an alliance with the main character of Ben as the method to extract revenge on the cops that murdered his father.

4) Josh Brolin was so damn cold-blooded as network executive Killian I half-expected him to be the masked lead hunter McCone, too.

5) The sock that reminds Ben what he's fighting for.

6) The biting commentary on our current U.S. culture.

NOT QUITE CONS
1) As charming as Glen Powell can be, his physique is way too buff for such a poor man. But he captured Ben Richards' anger perfectly.

2) This is America cinema so Ben had to kill Killian personally. I would have a enjoyed a more creative ending if the writers wanted Ben to survive. (He didn't in the book.)


The Running Man is a fast-paced dystopian movie that may hit too close to home for some viewers. However, I enjoyed it greatly! I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Monday Movie Mania - A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

This is the last of the late summer/early fall movies DH and I saw at the theater. We haven't started our holiday viewing yet, though I will try to drag him to the cinema before the weekend is out to see a particular Oz-related flick.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) This isn't the typical Hollywood romance film. There's no grand gestures. No wild escapades. It's a bittersweet acknowledgement of the baggage we each bring into a new new relationship, and how, if we let the baggage weigh us down, it can destroy the possibility of love and happiness with the right person.

2) This is the first film of Colin Farell's I've watched that showed a softer side of his masculinity. His everyman David's desire to have a family is transposed with the magical doors showing his parents and his own failed relationships.

3) Margot Robbie's Sarah was the perfect romantic foil for David. Her desire to avoid love in order to avoid pain is also shown through the trips through the magical doors to her own past.

4) Jodie Turner-Smith was pitch-perfect as the GPS trying to get David and Sarah to see their possibilities instead of their past pain.

5) The pacing is leisurely, but appropriate, for this type of a story since it's as much about the characters working through their traumas as it is about them revealing themselves to the viewers.


CONS
1) This is one of those movies you need to be in a certain frame of mind to watch. Otherwise, your lack of attention span will drive you insane.

2) Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridges roles as the comedic relief just didn't work. Both people have excellent comedic timing, but their scenes seemed forced. I have to presume the writing, directing, or editing didn't show their real chops.


Overall, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a poignant look at how our pasts affect our future. I give it 9 stars out of 10.

Monday Movie Mania - Roofman

Don't believe the trailers! Roofman is not a romcom, but a dramedy based on a true story. That doesn't mean it's not an excellent film.

We went to see this a few weeks ago before October blew up in our faces. It's definitely cute and enjoyable.


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SPOILERS!


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PROS
1) Kirsten Dunst always delivers, and her Leigh was quite believable. But Channing Tatum was the surprise. He put a little depth in his character Jeffrey. The actors' onscreen chemistry cemented the story.

2) Lily Collins and Kennedy Moyer as Leigh's daughters were realistic, no sappiness or other annoying characteristics.

3) Juno Temple stands out in anything she does, even with her bit part in this flick.

4) Peter Dinklage rocks as Leigh's jerk of a boss. The scene were catches Jeffrey naked at the toy store was side-splitting.

5) Since the story is based on a true life criminal case, I give lots of kudos to the writers and director for not trying to give it a happy ending.

6) the end credit scenes consist of interviews from some of the real life people involved in the case. It's worth watching to understand how the real Jeffrey managed to pull off his con after he escaped from jail.


CONS
1) I can't think of a damn one!


Overall, Roofman is an funny, endearing, and sad look at what people do to survive and love in the modern world. I give it 10 stars out of 10.

Monday Movie Mania - Tron: Ares

DH is a HUGE Tron fan, so of course, we had to see the latest edition to the franchise.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) Right off the bat, this is my favorite movie in the Tron series! The movie kept its pacing and story structure tight. Unfortunately, the first two movies suffered from the Star Trek: The Motion Picture ennui. "Hey! Make the actors stare are these super expensive special effects!" In this iteration of Tron, the effects were in the background, where they should be, compared to the acting.

2) This is the best I've ever seen Jared Leto. There are times to chew the scenery and times to hold back. His Ares was understated and low emotion, but still  sympathetic.

3) ACK! They turned my sweet, innocent Quicksilver into a raging psycho! Seriously, is there anything Evan Peters can't do? Seriously, he does an excellent job plunging arrogant Silicon Valley dudebro Julian Dillinger into psychotic madness.

4) The writers try real hard to shunt Greta Lee's ENCOM CEO Eve Kim into a damsel in distress, but her backbone of steel shines through anyway.

5) Jodie Turner-Smith's Athena is the flip side of Ares. She's going to obey her programming come hell or high water. Turner-Smith does a fantastic job in subtle emoting as Athena reaches sentience right before the end.

6) Holy Crap! Nine Inch Nails delivered on the soundtrack. They did an incredible job blending the original Tron themes (synthesizers and all) into a gorgeous that meld smoothly with the visuals. (I'm definitely getting this album!)

7) No stupid, forced romance between Eve and Ares. I don't want to give away the ending, but it was so very appropriate between these two characters.


CONS
1) The only thing I would change is give Gillian Anderson (Elisabeth Dillinger) more time to explore the twisted relationship between mother and son. But Julian killing Mommy Dearest was telegraphed a mile away. It would have been more interesting to have her live instead of him. But no, we can't do that in today's culture. *sigh*


Overall, I really did love Tron: Ares. But make no mistake, it's a standard hero story with enough tweaks to keep it interesting. I give it 9.5 stars out of 10!

Monday Movie Mania - Nobody 2

This is another late review, because we saw the movie in August and because I almost forgot to post it.

DH and I saw the first Nobody on streaming before we went to see the sequel. I mainly know Bob Odenkirk from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, but in the Nobody movies, his Hutch is family man who tries so very hard to do right thing and you really want to root for him, which is why I like these movies.


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SPOILERS

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PROS
1) The actually story is much better than the first movie. Hutch and the family have a new home, and on the surface, they seem to be doing okay. However, since Hutch is un-retired from his original job and has to pay off the debt to the Russian mob from the first movie, his work is putting a strain on his family life. As he tells his handler, he and his family frankly need a vacation. The result is a wild mix of National Lampoon's Vacation and John Wick.

2) In this version, the entire family, from Becca and the kids, to Hutch's brother and dad are in on the shenanigans. I never would have thought of RZA and Christopher Lloyd would work so well together, but I'd love a sequel with the just the two of them!

3) Since the talents of Hutch's son Brady surprised his father and his uncle, DH and I had a debate on the way home of who's been teaching the kid how to fight. DH thinks it was Grandpa David. I say it was Mom, especially since she is no stranger to fighting or weapons as shown here.

4) Out of the cast, I have to give special kudos to Colin Hanks for playing the annoying corrupt sheriff.


CONS
1) Honestly, there's not a damn thing wrong with this movie.


Overall, this is a fun popcorn movie with lots of butter and cheesy flavoring to enjoy on a weekend! I give is a solid 10 out of 10 stars for crazy, violent fun.

Monday Movie Mania - Jurassic World: Rebirth

There's a few movies DH and I saw over the summer that for various reasons, I didn't have a chance to write a review while they were still in the theater. Too be frank, you're better off watching Jurassic World: Rebirth at home because it isn't worth the money for the movie ticket.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) I had high hopes for this one when the executives cast Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey. All three actors make unique career choices that usually live me delighted. However, I do not blame amy of them for the mess that is this movie.

CONS
1) Quite frankly, I don't know what David Koepp was smoking when he wrote this, but he needs to stop. The story is such a mish-mash. It's not sure if it wants to be a horror movie, a corporate espionage thriller, or a family friendly lark. I don't normally have a problem with genre blending, but it has to make sense. At least in Jurassic Park III, the dumbass stepdad could be blamed for doing something stupid and illegal to score cool points with his stepson.

2) If I want mutant monsters, I'd watch a Resident Evil movie. Dinosaurs are threatening enough without mutating them.

3) Why the hell would mercs want to open source a cure for heart disease? They lost their friends, their equipment, and their payday. No real reason was given for them to go along with the nerdy scientist hero.


Overall, this is one of those movies that not even so bad it's funny. I give Jurassic World: Rebirth 5 stars out of 10.

And to Mr. Steven Spielberg, if your employees can't come up with a better story, please stop making Jurassic World movies.

Monday Movie Review - F1

DH and I went to see this movie in July during one of our double-feature weekends. It's a flick; it was simply overshadowed by Superman (2025) in my mind. So, here's my thoughts.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) This is a great story in that it manages to avoid most of the usual BS tropes in a guy-centric racing flick. The mentor doesn't die. The student doesn't die. The efforts of the bad guys don't succeed. It's actually a feel good movie in a summer of awesome feel good movies.

2) Brad Pitt brings his usual charm and charisma to the big screen. His character Sonny is a driver-for-hire who was severely injured in an F1 crash thirty years before the beginning of this story. He's not down on his luck (a trope broken), but he's intrigued when his friend (Javier Bardem) needs a second driver on his F1 team.

3) Javier Bardem plays the owner of a F1 team on the brink of a forced sale. Javier matches Brad charm for charm. You can't help, but root for the pair as they seek a racing win.

4) Damson Idris as the team's rookie driver was a total delight. I expect we'll be hearing more from him in the future. He twists the rookie with a chip-on-his-shoulder trope by his character realizing racing is a team sport after clashing with the older Sonny. Yes, there is a crash, but they don't kill the kid off!

5) Kerry Condon's turn as the team's technical director was incredible. No one argues with her character's knowledge.


CONS
1) My only gripe is her character falling into the trope of sleeping with Sonny. (Nothing against Brad since he's DH's age, and Kerry is in her 40's, bt I'm so tired of the twenty-year age differences between the male and female stars.


Overall, this is a fun movie if you like racing films. I give F1 9 stars out of 10.

Monday Movie Mania (A Little Late) - Caught Stealing

DH and I wanted to see this movie when it first came out this summer. However, life got in the way. Like my car accident last Wednesday. (Don't worry. Both the other driver and I are fine, and this time it was my fault. Our vehicles on the other hand? Oof!)

Anyway, DH was checking the theater showings for the weekend in order to cheer me up. Lo and behold, Caught Stealing was back in the theater. But only for one late showing. Like 10:40 p.m. (While I'm a night owl, DH is usually in bed by 1 a.m. on the weekends.) We both said "Screw it!" and went to that late show.


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SPOILERS!


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PROS
1) The entire cast is fucking awesome! From Austin Butler's out-of-his-depth bartender Hank to Carol Kane's adorable Hasidic Jewish grandmother.

2) Special kuddos to Regina King, playing the badass Detective Roman!

3) The movie is set in 1998, but it has the same of vibe of a lot of 80's and early 90's action flicks.


CONS
1) Fridging the girlfriend is so fucking passe'. Neither Yvonne or Zoe Kravitz deserved it.

2) You can tell Roman was originally supposed to be a guy. No woman in her right mind would lay down her gun to fist fight her opponent.


Overall, Caught Stealing is a fun little movie as long as you can ignore the two major cons. I give it 8 stars out of 10.

Monday Movie Mania - Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

If you haven't seen This Is Spinal Tap, you need to watch it first. Otherwise, the climax of the sequel will make no sense to you. I was a little shocked two years ago when I discovered Darling Husband had never seen the original. That movie was so up his alley. So I made him watch it. Of course, he desperately wanted to see Spinal Tap II while he was on vacation for the week of his birthday.


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SPOILERS!


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PROS
1) Nigel, David, and Derek are forty years older, but none the wiser. A rift occurred between Nigel and David years ago, but no one knows why. Including Nigel. Nor will David tell anyone. The actors pick up their characters like it was yesterday.

2) Marty, the documentary director, learns that Hope, the daughter of Tap's old manager Ian, has inherited her dad's interest in Tap, and the band is required to perform one more concert. Rob Reiner or Marty haven't changed in forty years either. He still plays the straight man to perfection.

3) Valerie Franco is adorable as Tap's latest drummer.

4) The guest stars are awesome! From Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood reigniting interest in Tap by doing a cover of one of their songs to Elton John agreeing to play at Tap's last concert.


CONS
1) We won't discuss the atrocious wigs. It would have been funnier if the guys had gone bald (like so many other hair bands of the 80's).


If you loved the original, you'll love this one! Spinal Tap II: The End Continues earned 9 stars out of 10 simply for the long setup of who actually slept with David's wife.

Movie Review - Bride Hard

There were a few double-theater weekends for us over the summer. I've deliberately left out re-releases like Dogma and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. However, there's a couple of movies I haven't reviewed though they are now out of the theaters and on VOD or streaming service. First up is Bride Hard.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) I had high hopes since this movie starred Rebel Wilson plus a ton of actors, who I love, in supporting roles. I was expecting a Spy-like caper focused on a maid of honor who happened to be a secret agent. All I can say is the cast did the best they could with the script they were given. They are not to blame.


CONS
1) OMG! Where do I start? The story had so much potential, but the execution was terrible. The script really needed to be refined. With absolutely no foreshadowing, things like the family's distillery and train station (?) were popping out of nowhere.

2) The jokes need to be fine-tuned and wittier, instead of dipping to the lowest common denominator. If I wanted bad jokes, I'd watch Jackass.

3) The editing sucked! Seriously SUCKED! At one point, the best man, who's one of the bad guys, is chasing Rebel and her best friend on hovercrafts. We think, because the editor couldn't make up their mind of who was chasing who and the film kept flipping back and forth with no rhyme or reason.


Overall, I really wanted to love this movie, but I couldn't. In a couple of years, I'll write my own frickin' romcom spy and do it right! Anyway, as much as it pains me, I can only give Bride Hard 2 stars out of 10; both stars are for the cast and crew who really tried hard to make this piece of shit script work.

Monday Movie Mania - The Phoenician Scheme

Wes Anderson writes and directs some pretty quirky movies. The odd thing was Darling Husband usually isn't a fan of quirky, but he's the one who really wanted to see this one.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) Benecio Del Toro plays Anatole Korda, a billionaire arms dealer who has screwed over enough people that assassination attempts are common place. Del Toro plays Anatole in such a dry deadpan way that you can't help but laughing hysterically as he fends off murderers in such a way that nearly everyone else around him dies.

2) Mia Threapleton is adorable as Anatole's estranged daughter Liesl, a novice who is days away from taking her final vows when her father summons her home. He wants Liesl to take over his business interests, much to her dismay.

3) Michael Cera was equally adorable as Bjorn, the alleged tutor for Anatole's younger sons. During one of the many attempts on Anatole's like, Anatole and Liesl discover Bjorn is really a U.S. agent spying on Anatole. However, he's fallen in love with Liesl and joins them in Anatole's current scheme. The secret agent part is a little hard to believe, but Cera pulls off Bjorn's crush on Liesl.


CONS
1) This isn't really a con, but rather a warning. This is one of those movies you have to pay attention to in order to understand what is going on. If you end up watching it on streaming, wait until the kids are in bed. And most definitely, turn off your damn phones!


Overall, The Phoenician Scheme is exactly what it's supposed to be--a weird mix of black comedy/thriller/romance/family drama. Somehow, it works. I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Monday Movie Mania - The Naked Gun (2025)

This was supposed to be a sequel/reboot to The Naked Gun 33 1/3. To my shock, it works!


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SPOILERS!


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PROS
1) Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin, Jr., picks up where screen dad (Leslie Nielsen) left off--catching bad guys despite himself. The two men both gained recognition as serious, dramatic actors, and they both showed off their excellent comedic chops when given half a chance. And you could tell Neeson was having a blast with this role.

2) Pamela Anderson has come into her own as an actress. She played the perfect foil for Drebin's antics.

3) The gags are just as funny as the original, though updated for the passing of thirty-seven years since the first movie in the series, like the electric police car and police body cameras. However, they still used classic sight gags.

4) Cameos by Priscilla Presley and Weird Al Yankovich were icing on the cake!


CONS
1) I have no complaints. It is a fun date movie after a long work week.


Overall, The Naked Gun (2025) was a great retro-flick when you ned some belly laughs. I give it a solid 10 out of 10 stars.

Monday Movie Mania - The Fantastic Four: First Steps

As much as I loved the 2005 film and disliked the 2015 film, this version does the best job of capturing the family feel of the comic books it is based on.

Not to mention this is the first premiere night I've attended since the start of the pandemic.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) Director Mark Shakman and the writer brought back the adult family feel to the team by not rehashing their origin story--again. One of my major gripes is filmmakers keep rehasing the beginning of a superhero or team's journey when most of them are in the collective pop culture consciousness. This is a mature family unit, and I love it!

2) They toned down Johnny's womanizing. As adorable as Chris Evans' portrayal was in the 2005 film, that wouldn't have flown in today's post-#MeToo environment. Even better Joseph Quinn made sure to addres it with the powers-that-be at Marvel when he accepted the role. That led to...

3) Making Shalla-Bal the movie's Silver Surfer. (She was Norrin Radd's girlfriend in the comics books and had his powers as the Silver Surfer.) Johnny gets his girl crush and some insight into getting the Silver Surfert to side with the FF against Galactus.

4) The 2005 film did things right by showing Sue as intellectual. This film went one step further by showing Johnny as intellectual in his own right while keeping his sense of humor.

5) Speaking of Sue (Vanessa Kirby), I love seeing her as the team leader and the powerhouse. Nothing against Ben, but FORCEFIELDS FOR THE WIN!

6) I love the fact that Pedro Pascal didn't try to bulk up muscle or slim down for this movie. For once, Reed has a fucking dad bod as a man obssesed with his job should, and I LOVE IT!

7) H.E.R.B.I.E.! (Hey, I was a kid of the '70's. It was awesome to see H.E.R.B.I.E. worked into the story!)

8) Ben, as always, is the real heart of the team. Ebon-Moss Bachrach made him sweet and caring without spending the entire fucking film wallowing in self-pity.

9) FRANKLIN!

10) The retro-futuristc style gave me the FF I read as a child. Especially, the Fantasticar!

11) The special nod to Jack Kirby by making this Earth 828, i.e. Jack's birthday.


CONS
1) I can't think of a damn one.


Overall, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is another fun, feel-good superhero flick you can take your kids to this simmer. Which I will when my son comes home from deployment next week. I give it a straight-up 3000 out of 10 stars.

Monday Movie Mania - Superman (2025)

I'll be blunt--this isn't going to be my typical review. Usually, I try to highlight the thing I like/dislike in a flick without giving too much away. But since a lot of incel trolls are trying to paint this movie with a political brush, well, I'll be honest. When kindness is considered a political flaw or liability in the United States, then frankly, we've seriously lost our way as a country.


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SPOILERS!


A LOT OF SPOILERS!!


GO READ THE FUCKING COMIC BOOKS BEFORE YOU BITCH IN THE REPLIES!!!


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Okay, now that I got my irritation out of my system...

PROS
1) David Corenswet was absolutely adorable as both Clark Kent/Superman. It was lovely to see him played as a person instead of a god. Deep down, he's a sweet Kansas farm boy who still says "Yes, sir", "Thank you, ma'am", and "Please". He just happens to have some cool powers. I say this because he reminds me of someone I knew as a kid. Except Tommy and I both grew up on farms in Ohio. And this Clark resembles my son who is currently 25, the same age as Clark in the movie. The young adult who's finally realizing the world isn't perfect, you can't make it perfect, and you just need to do the best you can. But there's a reason Superman is still referred to as the Big Blue Boy Scout, and Corenswet sticks that landing without any schlock or wink-wink at the camera.

2) Rachel Brosnahan was awesome as Lois Lane! Feisty without a chip on her shoulder as in some other portrayals of Lois. James Gunn had the balls to show her and Clark in a real relationship with all the attraction and insecurities that come with it. She and Clark actually have an argument on screen!

3) I can't say enough about Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. I've followed this young man's career for the last 14 years, and he just gets better and better. There's been a lot of really good actors who have been the Man of Steel's greatest enemy, but Hoult's the first Luthor that actually felt dangerous on screen.

4) Krypto. As a dog parent, I recognize Clark's frustrations and love when it comes to your beloved pets. But with the furbaby having superpowers, those emotions are ratcheted up. However, when Clark tells Krypto to "Get the toy", all of us dog people know exactly what was going to happen, and it did, and it was fucking brilliant!

5) Gunn brought back Eve Tesmacher and Otis from Superman (1978) in a delight nod to the Richard Donner film.

6) Wendell Pierce as Perry White and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen were pitch perfect! They even address the stupid glasses controversy at the end of the film, admitting in a humorous exchange they knew Clark and Superman are the same person.

7) Thank you, thank you, thank you to John Murphy for reworking John Williams' main theme from Superman (1978)! It is the fucking definitive music for the character.

8) Even better, Gunn's story didn't kill Jonathan Kent! Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell were incredibly Midwestern average and sweet as Jonathan and Martha Kent, which is why Clark is incredibly Midwestern average and sweet. This is not a putdown, because the Kents aren't any different from our neighbors in Ohio. Just folks working hard, raising their children, and paying their bills. Though watching Krypto trying to get the cows to play with him was so fucking cute!

9) This wasn't yet another introductory exposition which been done to death. I mean, how many times to we have to watch Pa Kent, Uncle Ben, and Mom and Dad Wayne die? This was a new story that acknowledges other metahumans exist right up front. We had appearances from Peacemaker, Metamorpho, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and Supergirl.


CONS
1) My one and only gripe was having Guy Gardner's Green Lantern in this film. I've hated this character since his JLI days (which was when I was introduced to him), I still hate him, and out of all the Lanterns, he's the last one I'd ever put in a movie. Seriously, I would have preferred fucking Kyle Raynor over Gardner the Asshat! On the other hand, it's not Batman/Bruce Wayne who is Clark's shadow. Guy Gardner is what Clark could have become if Jonathan and Martha were shitty parents and didn't give him a solid moral foundation.


Folks, go see Superman (2025)! Take the young people in your life to see it. In a world where Kindness is Woke, and Woke is a political slur, it's refreshing to see a movie centered on Kindness. Superman saves the world, his cousin's dog, and a squirrel in a glorious act of kindness! And I think Mister Rogers would have approved. I give Superman (2025) a MILLION stars out of 10 because it's the type of superhero movie--no, it's the type of story the world needs in an age of fascism.

Monday Movie Mania - Karate Kid: Legends

There's always going to be a soft spot in my heart for the original movie. 1984 seemed to produce so many fun original movies! I didn't see the remake with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, one of the rare instances I've missed a J.C. movie in the theaters. But it doesn't really matter if you haven't either. This flick picks up from the three Ralph Macchio movies and the Cobra Kai TV series while blending in Jackie's Mr. Han character from 2010 remake.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) First of all, kudos to stunt coordinator Peng Zhang! He kept the fighting style from the orginal movie while incorporating some of Jackie Chan's signature moves.

2) Ben Wang was excellent in both his acting and his martial arts abilities. I see a promising future for this young man.

3) It was just supercool to see Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio together!


CONS
1) There's not a whole lot different as far as story telling here. Same old storyline--widowed mom, kid trying to adjust to a new environment, martial arts teaching confidence, etc.

This is a movie to go see if you're feeling a bit nostalgic for the 80's. Overall, I give Karate Kid: Legends 7 stars out of 10.

Monday Movie Mania - Thunderbolts

DH and I went to see this flick a couple of weeks ago. Between the basement flooding and some other personal odds and ends, this is the first chance I've had to write up my review.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) Thunderbolts isn't your typical Marvel smash-'em-up. It's a rather thoughtful piece on the costs of mental health where to ultimately win the battle, the team can't fight, but help the so-called villain regain some sense of hope.

2) The writers did a lovely job of entertwining Yelena's (White Widow) battle with depression into Bob's (Sentry/Void) bipolar issues.

3) Julie Louis-Dreyfus was excellent as the evil head of the CIA DeFontaine, someone without morals looking for power and not caring how she gets it.

4) David Harbour was just as delightful here as Red Guardian as he was in Black Widow. The play of Red Guardian and Yelena odd familial relationship and ultimately forgiveness was awsome!

CONS
1) I didn't like that the screenplay focused on Bob's drug addictions. Oftentimes, someone suffering from bipolar disorders will attempt to self-medicate to alleviate their symptoms.

2) What was the point of bringing in Taskmaster is they were just going to waste the character? It made no sense.


Overall, Thunderbolts was one of the better, if not the best, MCU movies released since Avengers: Endgame. I give it 9 stars out of 10.

Monday Movie Mania - A Minecraft Movie

If this movie had been released when Genius Kid was eight, he would have loved it. Most kids' movies have elements that entertainment the adults. And normally, I'd be excited to watch Jason Momoa and Jack Black in anything.

However, this movie commits the ultimate sin. It's boring.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) I think the actors did the best they could.


CONS
1)  I don't know if my expectations were too high. Or if the writing was simply that bad. The story wasn't interesting. It was very generic, the total antithesis of the creativity of the game, the cooperative intent.


I know this was much shorter than my usual reviews. But even the bad movies I love have something I found entertaining and redeeming. I wish I could have in this one, too. The children sitting in front of DH and me absolutely loved it, but I didn't. Overall, I give A Minecraft Movie 0 stars out of 10.

Wednesday Movie Mania - The Accountant 2

I didn't see The Accountant (2016) when it originally came out. Like John Carter (2012), it suffered from a confusing and ineffective marketing. Unlike John Carter, I had no knowledge of the story, so I was "Meh".

Then I had the TV on for background noise one night when The Accountant aired, and I was hooked.

When the announcement came out of a sequel, I made DH watch the original before I dragged him to see the movie on Cinco de Mayo.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) The sequel leans into the chemistry Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal exhibited in the original as brothers Chris and Braxton. And then, amps it up into buddy comedy proportions.

2) Affleck expands on Chris's emotional awakening with Dana (Anna Kendrick) in the original. Chris's opening scene is him attending a dating event, where the women are initially attracted to him by his looks, but quickly reject him over his mannerisms.

3) Cynthia Addai-Robinson and JK Simmons are also back. As insinuated at the end of the original movie, Addai-Robinson's Medina has replaced Simmons's King as the director of the Treasury Department's FinCEN. King is now retired, but he's picked up a second gig as a private investigator. It's his investigation into the disappearance of a Salvadoran family that kicks off the plot.

4) The subplot about Braxton wanting a dog and Chris telling his brother that he should get a cat because of his unusual schedule is one of the best scenes due to the men's chemistry.
5) Allison Robertson has replaced Alison Wright as Justine, Chris's business partner. I don't agree with this decision because Robertson had a better grip on Justine's non-verbal autism.

6) I hope they do a third movie! Representation is important, and regardless of the violence, The Accountant does a fine job showing some of the difficulties autistic people face.

CONS
1) I really can't think of one. The movie is essentially two bad guys that live by their own moral code. If you can accept that, you'll love this flick!


Overall, The Accountant is a fun popcorn/nachos movie. I give it 9 stars out of 10.