Current Movies - Thumbs UP or Thumbs DOWN

Ninjasquirrel said:

Mulan the live action remake

Ok so I'm sure there might be some disagreements here but this is literally the only remake I have enjoyed. It stayed with the classic story I was told with added elements and no songs. I missed the songs but based on other remakes I'm glad they were absent. It was the only live action remake I've been able to sit through without abandoning and turning on the original thus far

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Thanks for the review!

I liked the Mulan remake too

Just re-watched this one for the fourth time- not a huge box office hit, came out a while ago, but really well done!
Man from U.N.C.L.E. (The movie)
Well-chosen actors and well-written, I just really like it in general! (And it’s pretty accurate, I think, periodically speaking)

Fluffnut said:

Just re-watched this one for the fourth time- not a huge box office hit, came out a while ago, but really well done!
Man from U.N.C.L.E. (The movie)
Well-chosen actors and well-written, I just really like it in general! (And it’s pretty accurate, I think, periodically speaking)

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Thanks for the review!

I read all of the ransom riggs books, LOVED them, read them cover to cover three times apiece, and was super excited for the 'Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children" movie, and it AWFUL. It wasn't like the book AT ALL, and they switched names and CAME UP with events that didn't happen, and didn't show the ones that DID.

Meri Maura said:

I read all of the ransom riggs books, LOVED them, read them cover to cover three times apiece, and was super excited for the 'Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children" movie, and it AWFUL. It wasn't like the book AT ALL, and they switched names and CAME UP with events that didn't happen, and didn't show the ones that DID.

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I never read the books but I also found this movie derivative.

Ninjasquirrel said:

I never read the books but I also found this movie derivative.

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I have NO idea what they were thinking with the wights eating peculiars' eyes, ugh.

Meri Maura said:

I read all of the ransom riggs books, LOVED them, read them cover to cover three times apiece, and was super excited for the 'Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children" movie, and it AWFUL. It wasn't like the book AT ALL, and they switched names and CAME UP with events that didn't happen, and didn't show the ones that DID.

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That happens a lot when books are turned into movies or tv shows!

Often multiple characters are combined into one character to save money...and then the story does not make sense!

ronott1 said:

That happens a lot when books are turned into movies or tv shows!

Often multiple characters are combined into one character to save money...and then the story does not make sense!

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It's annoying because it defeats the purpose.

It's like the tail wagging the dog.

SKYFIRE

Every once in a while you need to purge the thinking with a good old-fashioned adventure disaster movie. Don't need to overthink double-crossing agents and their motives or nefarious governments or figure out some fourth-dimensional warp in outerspace. No. Give me a straight-up mayhem of epic proportions. And thusly it is with "Skyfire" which feels very much like "Towering Inferno" meets "Jurassic Park." Greedy developers build a theme park resort on an active volcano... What could go wrong?

Very much a Chinese-made and dubbed movie, but the special effects are awesomely worthy. My only critique is that some of the scenes defy the properties of lava.

Directed by Simon West. Made in 2019, it runs 1 hour and 37 minutes and is one of the newest out on Redbox.

WILLY'S WONDERLAND

Ahhh, Nicolas Cage.... He has been on the cinematic radar for a very long time. Thoroughly enjoyable watching his rise through some early teen angst movies to his Oscar-winning performance in "Leaving Las Vegas" and then... What happened, Nic? There was money troubles where he took a role in any and every schlock film created. He became the focus of many jokes and even powerpoint presentations of the evolution of his hair and a view-worthy montage of his screams. He overcame his financial difficulties, but never could quite climb out of the trench he dug for himself. BUT his cadre of work really leaves no stone unturned as far as diversity of roles. What character hasn't he played? (Rhetorical, but --okay -- maybe the iconic "Cinderella" comes to the immediate fore.)

Let's surmise that Nic got bored and is a fan of Rob Zombie flicks and so chose to star in (and produce) this "Willy's Wonderland" movie, which had it not starred Mr. Cage probably would barely rate as a B movie. Not directed by Rob Zombie, but very much has that feel to it both plot-wise and in cinematography...less the copious gore (although -- forewarning -- this film has quite a few blood baths.) What's even more amazing is that Nicolas Cage's fervent soda-chugging brooding character doesn't utter a single word in the whole movie! (Spoiler alert) But, sadly, how low is low that an Academy Award winner has to take a role where he essentially beats puppets to death with a stick inside a Chuck E. Cheese-like establishment?

After viewing this movie -- and laughing hysterically at the ridiculousness of it (and, well, it is billed as a comedy) -- my wish is that Nic would take a break, regather himself and his dignity, and get selective about his future roles as he is capable of so much better. This film has him acting a parody of his parody.

Made in 2021 for a budget of $5.5M. Runs 1 hour 28 minutes. Rated TV-MA. Directed by Kevin Lewis. Out on Redbox.