Get Out

This a really good Twilight Zone episode stretched into a movie.  I loved it.  I don't want to spoil a thing, so I'm just going to tell you to watch it.  It's not what you think it is.  Horrible review, great movie.  Recommend.

This is not as scary as this poster makes it look.

IT: Chapter One

The sequel to this movie dropped, so this one popped up on Netflix.  I've seen pieces of previous versions of this, but the story wasn't filled in for me.  This is not the "Stranger Things" I was looking for.  This is a straight up horror movie, which had me a a bit disappointed.  I like Stephen King best when he's more "odd" than scary.  Pass.

Yesterday

So I kinda sorta forgot about this blog.  It's been a while since I saw this (months?).  Yesterday is a feel good movie built for boomers.  It was okay, but I couldn't help but over think the plot ...there were some ... holes.  The music was fun, but I do believe "time and place" are critical when it comes to music.  Would these classic Beatles songs be huge hits if released today?  Yesterday seems to think so, I think it's very unlikely.  I can not recommend this movie.  Pass.

Toy Story 4

My family has waited patiently for 5 years for this movie to come out, we all went together and got prime seats and saw the movie in 3D.  Was it worth the wait?  Probably not.  Was it good?  Heck yes!  The movie has some pretty deep themes ranging from self awareness, love and sacrifice, moving on and more, but for my gang of kids, it was more about an escape from an antique store.  Whether you're here for the chuckles, the nostalgia, or the laughter, there's a lot to like about Toy Story 4.  Recommend.

Patriots Day

I've had this movie on my "list" for a long time, Marky Mark does a fine job as one of the heroes of the Boston Marathon Bombing.  I was impressed with much of the casting and how close they look to their real life counterparts.  I haven't read History vs. Hollywood yet, but from what I remember of the real life events, this seemed fairly accurate.  Of course the "personal stories" are likely fabricated, but that's just fluff for what really went down.  A remarkable story, I remember as the events were unfolding how I thought this would make a great movie, but in the end, the real events were much more enthralling.  I'd still recommend though. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Well, I wasn't too hot on the first one, so why did I think I would like the 2nd?  Actually I liked this one a touch better than the original, but still I didn't like it enough to give it a recommend.  It's fine, has some cool effects, one lol moment and the rest was just kinda...there.  I guess I'm not a fan but I'll watch the 3rd anyways. Pass.

Bohemian Rhapsody

I really enjoyed Bohemian Rhapsody, I've been a pretty big (not huge) fan of the band since the first time my brother played "Fat Bottom Girls" for me on a cassette.  The greatest hits tape was one of my most played as a young lad and I've continued to appreciate the band since.  I came out of the movie thinking "what an amazing story" and then I fact checked and realized how much was made up or fabricated for dramatic effect.   That shouldn't take away from the film, but it did, for me, a fan of the actual band.  It's still a good movie, great sights, sounds and story albeit made up.  Recommend.

Room

Just casually browsing Netflix one night and my wife mentioned this was one of her all time favorite books, so we decided to watch it, the plot was interesting enough.  Kidnapped and raped a woman raises a child in captivity.  The real struggle begins when she has to adapt to normal life again.  It was interesting, has some great performances (why can't Captain Marvel just beat up her captor ;) ).  I liked it.  Recommend.

Ant Man and The Wasp

I enjoyed the original Ant Man movie quite a bit, and while I wasn't exactly rushing to see this one, I was looking forward to it.  Consider me disappointed.  This one just didn't "hit" with me, it could be a matter of "time and place" but I kept hitting pause to see how much longer it was going to go.  I didn't find the humor all that interesting.  It has some cool effects and the story is interesting enough, but I didn't care for any of the supporting cast and just have a hard time recommending this one.  Pass.

Thor: Ragnarok

Oh Thor, you always were so funny...wait...no...but this movie is practically a comedy.  Some serious LOL's unlike a lot of films whose intent is to make you laugh out loud.  A great plot that doesn't require knowledge of the previous films to understand, a heartwarming cast and some of my favorite characters in a Marvel movie yet.  Jeff Goldblum is perfect.  Recommend.

Black Panther

It's safe to say my "Super Hero Fatigue" has elapsed as it seems to be all I'll watch right now.  Black Panther was not what I expected, I honestly thought it had "something" to do with the civil rights movement, and while it does have some of those undertones, it's more about a secret civilization on Earth in current day.  It has an excellent plot, a great cast and some amazing effects.  This one is a bit less comedy focused as the other Marvel movies, but it's worth your time.  Recommend.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Alternate timelines, alternate dimensions, alternate spidermen who all come together in this film about finding yourself and becoming your best version you can be.  It's complicated, especially for a 10 year old. I had to pause this one on a few occasions to get my son up to speed.  It's a good movie with a very unique visual style, a great soundtrack and terrific voice acting.  Nicolas Cage is great in his brief "cameo".  Recommend, but I think 10 is the cutoff age if you want your child to understand the movie.

Avengers: Infnity War

A year or two ago I suffered from "Super Hero Fatigue" ... just too many movies, but with the new Avengers coming out soon, I felt it was time to watch this one.  It's good, and while I'm not familiar with the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe, I was able to put it all together and fill in the gaps for this movie to make sense.  The plot is surprisingly simple (which I appreciated), the cast is second to none and the jokes are quick and fast.  At 2.5 hrs I felt it would have been better served 30 minutes shorter, but it didn't really drag terribly at any point. An interesting concept for a film mostly about smashing things.  I liked it.  Recommend.

The Lego Movie 2

The first Lego movie had a lot to live up to, but I really enjoy this series for it's "meta" factor.  It know exactly what it is and doesn't try to be what it's not.  I even enjoyed the Ninjago movie.  This is the second movie we've taken the whole family to and about half way through the younger ones were getting bored, but we made it through with plenty of snacks on hand.  We even snuck in our own huge bag of popcorn.  Anyways, the movie, the same wit and charm you've come to expect, a few catchy songs, and one that even rivals "Everything is Awesome" with "The Catchy Song".  Fun for the whole fam.  Recommend.

A Star Is Born

I went into this movie expecting a typical rise to fame film, but it turned out to be much more than that...I don't want to spoil it, but it was much "deeper" than anticipated.  Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga did a great job, I liked it.  I expected a few more hits to come out of the soundtrack but I guess "Into the Shallows" is it.  Oh well.  Recommend.

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

A documentary about a fraud that didn't appear to be intended as a fraud, but ended up being the biggest fraud in the end.  FYRE festival I honestly believe had good intentions but wound up being a story of guys just getting in over their head and refusing to back down and take the high road out.  It was an absolute shit show.  I think everyone can sympathize at the start of the film, having a dream or a goal where you dive in head first only to realize you can't meet your expectations, but by the end you realize you would have taken the high ground and cancelled.  Billy McFarland refused to back down, which ended up costing a lot of people a lot of money, not just in what they paid to attend, but in lost wages etc.  A strikingly disgusting tale in the end, but entertaining nonetheless.  Recommend.

Abuducted in Plain Sight

I'm on a bit of a true crime/documentary kick as is the rest of the internet right now, this one's messed up.  I really don't know what to believe here.  I really don't know what to say, if you want to see a dysfunctional family, watch this.  The worst part is they're not trying to angle the doc that way, they're trying to tell a serious story, they just fail miserably.  I wonder what kind of money they made for this embarrassing debacle.  I can't help but recommend it.

Ray Romano: Right Here, Around the Corner

I really appreciate Netflix is the new home for stand up specials rather than some cable network, but it seems they'll give just about anyone a special now.  I liked "Everybody Loves Raymond" enough but not enough to have claimed to have seen them all.  Ray is pretty funny, but in this special he seems nervous or anxious.  His stand-up has little flow, lots of awkward pauses, and just feels disjointed.  The bulk of his humor appeals to the greatest common denominator, sex, which just feels lazy.  Everyone giggles at sex.  Pass.

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

I watched the first epsisode of this 4 part series and was indifferent on it, when I sat down and watched the 2nd episode it resulted in me watching the 3rd and 4th in the same day.  I was hooked at that point.  I've known about Ted Bundy, but not in this amount of detail.  He was executed when I was an early teen, I remember all the news coverage that came with that, but I never knew a whole lot of detail about his victims.  This is quite disturbing, I found myself questioning my fascination with the killer as if there was something wrong with me.  There's a lot to like here, which just feels wrong.  It's just a fascinating story and I've grown comfortable with it the same way I can slay hundreds of people in a first person shooter without guilt, it's not me, it's not my life.  Recommend.

Green Book

Screenwriter pitching his script:  "Imagine a buddy road trip comedy, like uhh, Planes Trains and Automobiles, or uhh, Tommy Boy.  Okay, so take that, and add racism!"

It's a fine movie, not slapstick like the film above, but shared many similarities.  I liked it though.  Recommend.

The Jim Gaffigan Show (Season 1 + 2)

It's a shame there are only 2 seasons because the Jim Gaffigan show was the best celebration of comedy since Seinfeld.  No, it doesn't have the same quirk that make Seinfeld unique, but the guest appearances of famous comedians was a lot of fun, heck, Jerry even shows up for an episode.  Raising 5 kids in a New York city apartment, huh, I swear he'd have a lot more money than this, but maybe I'm underestimating the price of New York apartments.  Regardless, that premise makes for an entertaining show, and if you're worried about it being about kids, they're barely in it.  Recommend.

Jim Gaffigan: Noble Ape

Nothing will ever pass “Beyond the Pale” when it comes to Gaffigan specials, but I’ve given up hoping for better material each and every special and have come to appreciate the humor each time around.  That being said Noble Ape has a few lol moments and lots of grinning.  It’s worth your time.

Wreck it Ralph 2

Disney movies are famous for becoming classics, they don't always hit, but there's no denying many of  them have staying power.  The original Wreck it Ralph focused on iconic video game characters which made the movie relatable to young and old audiences alike.  This movie focuses less on video game characters and more on the internet, and while it seemed very "now" today, I wonder what it's lasting power will be.  Will these things still be relevant in a few years?  Facebook?  Ebay?  I guess they did bank on some mega sites and not the likes of "Tik Tok".  Regardless of all that it has a heartwarming story and even my kids who are 5 and really have no concept of the internet enjoyed it.  I loved it.  Recommend.

Ellen Degeneres: Relatable

Admittedly I'm not a huge "Ellen" fan, but the odd time I do tune in I find her to be quite humorous and like-able, the same could be said about this stand up special.  She covers pretty much the entirety of her career, her coming out, and dealing with fame and her strive to stay "relatable" even though she's so rich and famous.  It's a decent way to spend an hour.  Recommend.