Here we are, folks.  The end of Star Wars…again...for the third time.  But this is THE big finale!  I know you're here for one thing: to know if it's good or not.  Well, is it?  No.  No, it's not.
  You’re still here and not angrily commenting about how much of a Trekkie I am?  Cool.  Let me explain why this is not a good film.  Don't worry!  There are no spoilers in this review.
     I remember a very important lesson in college.  I wrote a script with tons of world-building dialogue and epic battle scenes, and I thought it was the coolest story ever.  My professor then handed me back my script after he reviewed it, and to my dismay, it was covered in red ink from his pen.  "You have five stories going on at the same time," he said.  "In doing so, you took away the quality of each story.  Tell me one story, and tell it well."  He was right.  I had baked a delicious pie, but I had added too many, very different ingredients, that created a very odd and distorted concoction.  What every writer needs to do is focus on one flavor of pie and hand it to the audience so they can experience all of the wonderful things inside of it.  I wish my professor told the writers of this movie the same thing.  This is one of the fastest movies I have ever seen.  In almost two and half hours, the story retcons a lot of what The Last Jedi did by introducing a new talent for Finn, a backstory for Poe, new characters who share similar backstories that we don't see again, new powers for both Rey and Kylo, a new crisis for Rey, a rescue mission, a scavenger hunt, build up to emotional moments that never actually happen, oh yeah…and stopping the bad guy!  Even with all of this, I felt like I missed some vital parts that would have made the story better.  The plot got lost in the abundance of extra elements.  This Star Wars pie had so many different flavors in it that I don't know what I tasted nor if I like it enough to want another slice.
     This was extremely disappointing to me because J.J. Abrams is a good filmmaker.  He made some of the best spy movies when he took over the Mission:Impossible franchise; he made Star Trek fun again, and made my favorite Godzilla-like movie, Cloverfield, as well as some extremely good TV shows. It makes me wonder what happened behind-the-scenes. I love his style of cinematography and camerawork, but for some reason, the direction of the movie felt sloppy.  There are many instances where he makes you feel emotion, and then he reverses it and says, "Just kidding!  Ok, back to explosions." After this happened twice, I didn't let myself feel emotion, turned my brain off, and just watched the splashes of color light up the screen for the rest of the way. While there are some visually stunning moments, when you do things like this in a movie, it naturally produces frustration and then emotional resistance from the audience, and they no longer care what's happening anymore. I expect lazy filmmaking like this from Michael Bay, but I expect much better from Abrams.
     Is there anything redeemable from this movie?  Yes, actually! The acting is quite good, and the actors make this as fun of a ride as possible. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, who do their very best to make the story as emotional as possible, offer great performances despite the lackluster story. I will have to give a shout out to the actor who played Chewbacca. There was one part where Chewie's mannerisms actually got me choked up a little, and Anthony Daniels gives the best C-3PO performance of his career and fully realizes the character's comical potential. John Boyega and Oscar Isaac try to have as much fun as they possibly can with what they have to work with. All in all, the actors do their very best and seem to have a blast.
     The original Star Wars trilogy inspired me to become a filmmaker.  It's intricate levels of religion, mythology, morality, and heroism were rolled up into simple stories, easily understandable to everyone of all ages, and it's brilliant directing and writing helped make these films timeless and beloved for the past four decades.  It's stories like these that are used as teaching tools for parents.  It's stories like these that inspire people to be better and fight to make this world a better place.  It's stories like these that ignite our imaginations and fuel our creativity.  The Rise of Skywalker, sadly,  is not one of those stories.

      By Hollywood law, if a movie makes $1 billion, the studio responsible for such a movie MUST make a franchise out of it.  Disney, being one of those who signed this law into existence, has fulfilled this requirement by drowning us with Frozen merchandise and short films until we were too poor to pay for our child's 100th Olaf doll.  And Frozen II is now a thing...and we shall suffer once again.  Except when we watch the movie.  It's actually pretty good.
     Am I being a bit too dramatic and over-the-top?  Yeah I probably am.  After all, Disney has ingrained Let It Go into my psyche to the point, I suppose, I've started acting like Elsa (isolating herself because she can't get over how cool she is).  Or maybe I'm like Anna, making a big deal about how awful the life of a privileged princess is.  ...I've over analyzed the first movie, as you can see, by how much I've watched it.  And you know who else over analyzed the first movie?  Disney.
     If there's one thing that differentiates this movie from the first one, it's how much more complicated it is.  It seems like the writers looked at the first movie and said, "You know, I wonder what the king and queen were like when they were kids?  What were their favorite childhood songs?  What were their parents were up to?  What did the natives of the land look like?  What did they fear?  Are there more magical creatures than trolls?  What can we do to set up 50 more movies?"  That's not, necessarily, a bad move on their part.  I love a good fantasy story, and Frozen II certainly delivers!  It's bigger, and at times, more epic than its predecessor.  This isn't about stopping a force of evil; it's a quest to right the wrongs of others and to create harmony in the world.  More is at stake and the danger is greater.
     The heart of the story, of course, is the bond between Anna and Elsa.  They both are challenged in their own unique ways.  Elsa is finding her identity in the world, whereas Anna is discovering what kind of a legacy we carry on from our forefathers.  It's really deep and will most likely resonate more so with the adults.  In fact, there's a song in the third act that really resonated with me, because of what was occurring in my own life.  The movie's multiple messages are great teaching tools for kids, though they may not fully understand exactly what those lessons are at where they are in their lives.  However, it will certainly make some adults look back on their lives and contemplate their own journeys.
     The music in this film is not as memorable as its predecessor's.  The original had a nostalgic charm to it as it tried to replicate the Broadway-style of the Disney movies from the 90s, but this one tries different styles and, in turn, doesn't pack near as much of a punch in the nostalgia gut.  Olaf's song in particular isn't as clever as the one he had before, and sadly, the lyrics to Anna's solo are not memorable.  This is disappointing because of how powerful its message is.  They obviously saved the best numbers for Idina Menzel, who absolutely sings her lungs out in two big performances.  It's certainly not a bad soundtrack, but I think, if given the choice, audiences will let it go in favor of the original.  (Sorry, I'll stop now.)
     The animation, on the other hand, deserves praise!  From character's hair to the dazzling, magical lights, every inch of this movie was painstakingly crafted to make this movie as stunning as it could be.  At this point, the Walt Disney Animation department is competing with Pixar to see who can make the most visually stunning movie of all time.  I think Disney just took the lead with this movie.  It's quite impressive!  Even if you could care less about this movie and are only seeing it because your kids wanted to watch it, you can certainly admire how gorgeous each shot is.
     Frozen II dares to try new things with its story, animation, and music, and most of it pays off, creating a movie that succeeds in its execution in more areas than it fails.  Like the sisters' journey, this movie has some bumps, but in the end, it's a good experience.  A third movie is inevitable, but you know what?  I'll happily go into the unknown with these characters again.  (Ok, now I'll stop.)

     As far as remakes go, Maleficent was one of my personal favorites.  It didn't tell the story of Sleeping Beauty all over again.  Instead, it chose to ask "What if Maleficent had found Aurora as a baby?"  In doing so, it freed itself from the constraints of the original tale and told its own unique story.  It wasn't a perfect film by any stretch of the means, but it stood out for its daring take on a classic story, even more so now with so many remakes being made.  It was surprising to see a sequel to the film, but it wasn't surprising that it couldn't live up to the originality of the first film.
     The story centers around the engagement of Prince Philip and Princess Aurora and ensuing bickering between Maleficent and Prince Philip's parents.  Honestly, I would be so down for a comedy about these people fighting over who runs the show at the wedding, but alas, we didn't get a comedy.  That's not a bad thing, but things tend to escalate when some magical mischief begins to take place and a war begins.  Yeah, a war.  This movie gets wild, but at the same time, it seems simple once you get to the root of the story.  It's essentially another colonizing-is-bad-and-you-shouldn't-attack-people-you-don't-know type of story.  There's nothing wrong with it, but it just seems cliche at this point.  It doesn't try to do anything interesting with its premise, and its message is one we've heard before.  It's a shame that it struggles to stand out from the crowd, whereas its predecessor easily remains one of the more unique adaptations of classic literature.
     What this movie lacks in originality it tries to make up for in its cinematography.  There are some shots in this movie that should be made as a wallpaper.  One particular shot of the titular character is absolutely stunning with its contrasting colors.  The CGI on the other hand is hit or miss.  It's pretty obvious what is or isn't made by a computer animation software, but some of the creatures featured are not visually stunning.  I didn't like how the Good Fairies looked in the first movie, and I still don't like them now.  Some creatures that are a mix between practical effects and visual effects look great.  For the most part, this will delight fantasy fans with its monster designs and some beautiful, fantastical imagery.
     The actors do a decent job with what they have to work with.  Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfeiffer are great actresses, but I was more impressed with Elle Fanning.  She is not afraid to really put her emotions out there, and she offers a chilling performance during the third act.  Everyone else isn't as noteworthy, but they can't be blamed for that.  They just don't have enough to do to make them stand out or memorable.  I just watched the movie, and I can't remember Maleficent's new friends' names.  They look cool and sound cool, but we just don't get to know them all that well.  We do get to know Maleficent better, and Jolie naturally shines in the role.  However, she seems to struggle to balance the dark and light of Maleficent.  The character is suppose to still be menacing but a good person too.  It's a hard role to be sure, and I have the upmost respect for Jolie for taking on such a challenge.
     I've been pretty hard on the movie, but the truth is I did enjoy my time with it.  As a fantasy fan, it's always a joy to see new creatures and worlds on the silver screen, but I just wish the writers had come up with something more unique for this story.  Admittedly, it still stands out from most Disney remakes as being, you know, different.  At least it has that little element of surprise, so maybe there's still some magic left at Disney. 

     If there's one thing about the Batman franchise that is as iconic as the hero himself is his villains.  Whether you grew up in the 60s, 90s, or 2000s, you've seen Batman's foes on TV and in the movies.  You can probably name quite a few of them, but there's one that seems to stand out in every iteration of Batman, no matter the generation--the clown prince of crime, the Joker.  Due to his incredible popularity, he's got his very own movie, and it's no laughing matter.
     The movie is centered around Arthur Fleck, a mentally challenged clown actor who is trying his best to take care of himself and his mother in the grime of Gotham City.  As the title implies, this is an origin story for the iconic comic book character, and we see the tragic downfall of this man in desperate need for help.  Through this tragedy, we see political commentary on the powers above the downtrodden and the abuse that society can bring to those in need of help.  It's a thought-provoking piece, and hopefully it encourages someone to help a stranger.  It doesn't seem to justify the actions of the Joker.  I believe the point is to make him better understood.  After all, criminals don't just wake up one day and think, "You know, I think I'm going to be a crime lord."  It starts somewhere, and it usually starts in a dark place, much like we see in movies like The Godfather, Scareface, and the like.  Sometimes to understand how to fix societal problems, we need to look at the stories of criminals and see what causes them to do what they do.  Joker does this marvelously and is a remarkably well-made film.
     Outside of the artful and carefully crafted shots, this movie would not be near as good as it is with Joaquin Phoenix.  Everything from his body movements to his laugh was played out disturbingly well.  He made the laugh so uncomfortable to watch sometimes, and that is something no other actor had been able to do before in the role.  The way he danced, smiled, and looked at people seemed so random yet finely tuned, so intricate yet complicated.  Watching him on screen was fascinating.  His decisions on how to act out the character were artistic, like one of those splattered paintings in a museum.  It seems so random and distorted, but at the same time, it seeps into your soul and speaks to you in a unique way.  I commend, Phoenix, and his performance in this movie.  I can't even imagine to physically and mental toll it took to do what he did.
     The Joker is a movie not for the faint of heart, but it is one with something to say.  It's well crafted, well acted, and asks some questions about society.  This is a comic book movie that doesn't want you to enjoy the ride.  It wants you to see reality through its dark filter, and maybe, just maybe, bring about a small flicker of light through us.

     With the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy now over, DreamWorks is lacking a series featuring a young, aspiring adventurer with a cute monster buddy to sell a million plushy dolls and make a ton of money off of.  But not any longer!  Introducing Abominable, a movie where a young, aspiring girl goes on an adventure with an adorable monster pal who will undoubtedly sell a lot of huggable plushy dolls.
     This is the most inoffensive, OK movie I think I've ever seen.  The characters are fine.  The story is fine.  The villain is fine.  Everything is just fine.  The jokes are hit or miss, but the visuals!  Oh man, the visuals are actually the saving grace in this movie.  The Asian setting makes it stand out from other animated films, showcasing the splendid grandeur of the continent.  It almost feels like a big budget tourism advertisement, especially to, well, Mt. Everest--there's literally a giant billboard of the mountain in one scene.  Additionally, there are some musical and action scenes that highlight the artistic talents of its animators.  This is certainly a movie for you if you are a fan of color and vivid spectacles.
     There isn't really much more to say about this movie because you've probably seen another movie with a similar story and similar characters.  It just doesn't stand out for me and won't be a movie I will remember years down the road.  Ultimately, it's a kid's film, and if you need your kid distracted for an hour and a half, this isn't a bad choice.  It's not a bad choice.  It's just an OK choice.

     It has returned, and the Losers Club members have reunited to stop the killer once and for all.  After a surprisingly fun horror film featuring a young cast, the sequel brings in older actors to face Pennywise the dancing clown, and they are just as fun to watch but overstay their welcome a bit.
     The It movies succeed in their ambitious execution of Stephen King's wildly long book by splitting the story into two halves.  This is most likely done because the TV adaption of the material did the same thing, but considering Hollywood enjoys milking a popular book for all its worth (Hunger Games, Twilight, Hobbit, Harry Potter, etc), it's refreshing to have a series end after two very memorable installments. 
     However, because King made the book gargantuan, the movie has a lot of story to tell, which results in a very long movie.  Though fans may appreciate spending a lot with their beloved characters, it can feel rather overstuffed and exhausting to other audience members.  In fact, this is where the movie's main problems occur.  The director clearly wants to get in as many scares and as many weird visuals under three hours as much as possible, and it's admirable for the most part.  It's a fun horror film overall, but there is a ton of fluff.  For instance, there's a scene that involves a little girl meeting Pennywise.  Is it creepy and freaks you out a bit?  Yes, but it's not necessary for the story.  There are also a lot of flashback scenes that tell more stories for the characters, but some of them could have been taken out.  There's just too much fluff that hinders the story from effectively embracing its full emotional potential.
     Speaking of those flashback scenes, another hinderance to the movie is its repetitive structure.  Each character gets a flashback scene to their childhood.  Then they get spooked, and finally they retrieve what they were looking for.  It feels like a video game.  Get a mission.  Fight the boss.  Get the reward.  Rinse and repeat until you come to the final boss and win the game.  The entire movie feels like this, and it's not terrible.  It just gets boring after the first couple of times because you know what to expect.
     Despite the overabundance of scenes and an unnecessary long runtime, the movie is a lot of fun, filled with some absolutely twisted imagery and freakishly hideous monstrosities.  It almost makes me want this director to tackle the Silent Hill franchise...almost.  The new cast does a wonderful job portraying older versions of the kids, and they manage to build off of each other, creating a chemistry that feels natural and fluid.  I would love to see these actors reunite for another film because of how well they performed together.  They helped convey the terror and also the lighthearted times full of laughter.
     If you're a horror fan, you are pretty lucky.  Not only did you get one of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time, you got two.  With a delightful cast and an eery experience, you're in for a scary good time.  Just make sure to use the bathroom beforehand.  

     After seven Spider-Man films, including an Oscar-winning animated film, the latest installment in the webhead's never-ending battle to make Sony as much money as possible has a lot to live up to, especially since it continues the story after the epic juggernaut that was Avengers: Endgame.  This time around, the responsible friendly neighbor leaves his neighborhood to embark on a class field trip to Europe, in the hope that he'll win the heart of the girl he loves.  He should have stayed home.
     The movie was a letdown for me.  It's disappointing after the very humorous and surprisingly captivating Spider-Man: Homecoming, and that is the first reason why this movie doesn't fully deliver--it's not a comedic comedy.  Marvel Studios's reboot of the character made it very clear that this new iteration would take inspiration from teen comedy films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off, giving the character a youthful and whimsical atmosphere to exist in.  Homecoming pulled this off with its clever uses of gags and jokes mixed in with all of the superhero antics we've come to expect from a Marvel movie, but the newest film just doesn't do this well at all.  There were only a couple of times where I chuckled during the film, compared to multiple fits of laughter when I first watched Homecoming, which is not good since the movie is chockfull of "jokes."  By "jokes," I mean failed attempts at humor by saying or doing awkward things on screen.  For example, a secret agent tells Peter to take off his clothes so he can put on his new superhero uniform.  She stands there.  Peter hesitates.  She strongly insists he changes then and there as she watches.  This was meant to be funny.  This scene does lead to, admittedly, an hilarious scene on a bus, but that particular moment to make the audience chuckle felt weird and out-of-place, as if we missed the punchline somewhere...or the setup.  Overall, the film fails at being a teen comedy.  Now, I get it.  It's an action-packed superhero film, but it's trying to add elements of a teen comedy.  Thus, it fails in its attempt to make this movie stand out from all the other 20+ Marvel movies and makes itself look like a first-time standup trying out some jokes and hope something sticks with the audience.
     The second way this film disappoints is in its execution at a compelling villain.  When the Vulture was announced as the villain to Spider-Man: Homecoming, I thought that was a horrible choice.  Who cares about an old geezer in a bird suit?  I was pleasantly surprised by how compelling the character turned out to be, thanks to his portrayal as an average Joe who struggled to keep a job due to those in bigger companies, mainly Tony Stark, and so he turns to a life of villainy to steal from Stark and make money to use towards the betterment of his family.  From his point-of-view, his methods make sense, and at times, he is questionably a villain.  Criminal, sure, but an evil villain who wants to rule the world or even kill someone?  No.  But in Far From Home, we are presented with a measly villain-of-the-week bad guy who wants to rule the world through fame and glory because...he's driven by jealousy I guess?  The point is he's being a bad guy to better himself, not for anyone else, and we have seen this kind of selfish ambition time and time again, especially in Marvel movies.  He just comes off a bit boring because of his motivation.  It's just not a gripping conflict like the other film.
  But what is the movie ultimately about, and does it succeed in getting its point across?  Sort of.  The plot centers around Peter trying to impress Michelle and enjoy a romantic getaway with her in Europe, but he gets tangled up in some shenanigans with Nick Fury and some monsters, making his plans very difficult to come to fruition.  It's a simple story, but honestly, it's just not that interesting.  Michelle is not that compelling of a character outside of her little nuggets of historical fun facts that involve the deaths of people.  Not someone I personally gravitate towards, but maybe Peter enjoys depressing fun facts more than me.  But the main take away from Peter's journey to get the girl is his overwhelming knowledge that he's responsible for protecting people, now more than ever.  The world is not the same, and there are less heroes to protect it.  He just wants to be a regular teen again and have fun in life, instead of having to deal with saving the world from evildoers.  It definitely challenges Peter emotionally, and we see him examine his heart and finds it within himself to pursue what he deeply desires most for his life.  The problem with this is that we've seen Spider-Man do this before--more than once!  We get it.  He has powers.  He doesn't want to use his powers for a time.  He doesn't get what he wants, but he becomes the person he was meant to be because he has to use his powers for the greater good.  Got it.  Great.  Does he not go through any other challenges in his life?  How about the stress of planning out his future like college and a career?  What about dealing with criminals who are breaking the law in order to just live one more day?  What about a kingpin manipulating the government system to better his own business?  Why is it always about him learning he has a responsibility to uphold and struggling to get the girl in between fights with bad guys?  Thankfully, the end of the movie teases a major change to the character, and hopefully the inevitable third installment presents a new, life-changing obstacle for Peter to face and learn a new lesson in the process.
     With humor that isn't very humorous, an uninteresting villain, and a plot that doesn't offer anything new, Spider-Man: Far From Home is far from hitting a home-run.  It's not a bad film per se; it offers some great fight scenes and excellent performances from all the actors, which ultimately does keep the movie entertaining from start to finish.  However, you're better off watching this one at home.

     11 years.  22 movies.  1 marvelous universe.  Here are my quick thoughts on the third phase of films from Marvel Studios, marking the end of the Infinity Saga that began with 2008's Iron Man.

Captain America: Civil War--An otherwise exceptional political thriller, this film suffers from a disappointing final act that just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  I mean, seriously...what's with superheroes and their moms?  But wow that airport fight scene is amazing!  Oh and Black Panther makes his cinematic debut in this film and has an exceptional introduction, but the same can't be said for Spider-Man's first foray into the MCU.  Sure, he was everything fans wanted to see on screen--nerdy and shy Peter Parker with an acrobatic, overconfident, and obnoxious alter ego--but he was clearly shoehorned into the story just because Marvel got his film rights back and wanted to get him in the franchise ASAP.

Doctor Strange--A visually impressive and thematically deep origin story of Marvel's Master of the Mystic Arts that will delight your eyes with dazzling displays of visual effects, as well as offering a tale of a broken man transformed by overcoming his disbelief.  It's darker than most Marvel offerings, but it certainly is a fun journey.  Plus, it has Benedict Cumberbatch.  Who doesn't enjoy watching that guy act?

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2--Second verse same as the first.

Spider-Man: Homecoming--After 5 other movies, Marvel Studios manages to pull off something that no other Spider-Man movie has done before: the lead actor actually looks like a high schooler.  Beyond that amazing accomplishment, the movie feels like a throwback to 80s teen movies, which is an unexpected delightful change of pace for the Marvel films.     

Thor: Ragnarok--Did you feel like the Thor movies could have used a couple of more jokes in their scripts?  Well fret not, True Believer, because this movie has all the jokes!  Slapstick comedy, dark humor, bathroom jokes, and (my personal favorite) puns!  Does this make for a good story?  Who cares.  This movie is hilarious and fun, and that's all it wants to do.

Black Panther--A great and entertaining story about the changing of the times that challenges the characters' morals and ideologies.  One of Marvel's more serious films, this movie is packed with themes about politics, culture, and the responsibility of power.
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Avengers: Infinity War--This movie is exciting, entertaining, bombastic, epic, shocking, and ultimately one of the best superhero movies ever made.

Ant-Man and the Wasp--I couldn't believe how much I looked forward to watching this movie, despite my childhood resentment towards Ant-Man.  After adoring the first movie with its comedic tone, parental themes, and its unique take on heist films, I had high hopes for this one.  Thankfully, it doesn't disappoint.  It delivers on all the things that the first one did and then some.  It is so much fun and had me laughing over and over again.

Captain Marvel--Like the main character's emotions, it's sort of lacking in personality and charm.  The special effects are great, the sci-fi elements are cool, and Goose the Cat is adorable.  However, there isn't much to make this origin story stand out from other Marvel films, and maybe that's ok.  If it's goal was to introduce Carol Danvers as Marvel's heaviest hitter and give us an entertaining time while doing it, then it succeeded.  

​Avengers: Endgame--This is a landmark in filmmaking.  No other movie has set out to do what many deemed impossible, yet it manages to conclude a saga that has spanned over a decade and spawned six franchises in an emotional, impactful, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and overall marvelous masterpiece that will be heralded as one of the all-time greats for years to come.

And with that, I have given quick reviews on every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie thus far.  I've certainly enjoyed my time binge watching all of them, and I hope you've had fun watching Marvel's ever-expanding universe grow throughout the years.  What were some of your favorites films in this franchise?  What was the first MCU film you saw in theaters?  Do you agree with some of the things I said, or am I completely wrong?  Sound off in the comments, and until next time--excelsior!  

     Avengers: Endgame is one month away at the time of this writing, and we're getting more excited as each day passes.  We're still binge watching every Marvel Studios film, and today, we're here to give you rapid fire reviews on Marvel Studios' second slate of films.

Iron Man 3--The third Iron Man film does what any good sequel needs to do--present a challenge to the protagonist that forces them to face it head on while also dealing with their own problems. It succeeds by telling possibly the most emotionally driven story out of the trilogy, causing Tony to grow even more as a character as he overcomes his personal problems, but the challenge he faces ends up being an issue for the movie.  I won't spoil what happens, but they had to make a short film to apologize for what they did in the movie.

Thor: The Dark World--Honestly, I had way more fun with this film then I thought I would.  It is said that this is possibly Marvel Studios' worst film, but considering it's not a bad movie, that's saying something about the quality that the studio puts into each of their films.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier--This is quite possibly the best Marvel movie.  Ever.  It's not only a great sequel, a great action movie, a great superhero film, and a great political thriller.  It's a great movie.  Period.

Guardians of the Galaxy--This is one of the most fun comic book movies ever made.  The characters are delightful and hilarious.  The soundtrack is catchy and will stay in your head for days on end, and the story is full of great character arcs, memorable quotes, and dance-offs.  Oh, and of course Groot.  What more could you want in a movie?

Avengers: Age of Ultron--It's a 2 hour 21 minute commercial for Phase 3, and that hinders the story from reaching its full potential.  At least the titular characters are as fun to watch as ever.

Ant-Man--Out of all of the movies on this list, this one is the most astonishing because they somehow took one of Marvel's lamest characters and gave him a good movie.  Yes, I'm serious.  A movie about a guy who talks to ants is really good.  The characters are charming, relatable, funny, and just lovable.  You'll laugh from the hilarious jokes.  You'll be emotional from the daddy-daughter moments.  And you'll have a great time.  

     Two months from the day of this writing, Avengers: Endgame will be released at theaters, and you can bet your comic book collections that I will be attending the midnight premiere of it.  Even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue to introduce new superhero movie franchises for years to come, the story arc that began a little over a decade ago with Iron Man will come to end in, well, Endgame.  And as I ride on the hype train for the next two months, I'm going to be watching all 20 of the films Marvel Studios has produced thus far, sharing my quick thoughts on each one.  Without further ado, here are the original six films that started it all:

Iron Man--This movie, when it was being made, should not have turned out half as good as it is, and it still remains one of Marvel's best films.  The characters are funny and charming.  The film finds a nice balance between humor and drama, and the story about redemption and transformation is wonderfully told.  Not a bad way to start a movie marathon.

The Incredible Hulk--Well it's not 2003's Hulk film, so it's got that going for it.  But I do like the monster movie vibe of this film, and it's always fun to see the grumpy green Goliath smash up whatever is in his path.  It's enjoyable, but doesn't have the same charm or the memorable characters of other films on this list. 

Iron Man 2--This film has more suits, more one liners, more villains, more plot lines, more characters, and more references to the universe at large.  If this sounds like the movie is overstuffed, you would be right.  But it also means there's more Iron Man, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Thor--Great date movie, as no woman can resist staring at Chris Hemsworth, and the guy can enjoy the spectacle of a Thor comic book come to life. And Natalie Portman's not bad either. 

Captain America: The First Avenger--This is my personal favorite of the bunch.  I love the WWII aesthetic of the film, and the characters are well-written and likable.  It's not only a great superhero movie, showcasing why one of Marvel's oldest characters remains one of their most beloved, but it's a great tribute to comic books and the hope and inspiration they've given readers since the 1940's.

The Avengers--One word: marvelous. 'Nuff said.

The holiday season is a great time to catch up on movies you've missed, and I watched quite a few during the break, both those on DVD and in theaters.  Here are the ones I've seen and my quick thoughts on them.

Venom—Don’t be fooled by the title of the film.  It’s not about the comic book villain.  It’s actually referring to how your body will react while watching this piece of garbage as if you were injected by actual venom, though I imagine being injected by actual venom is more pleasant.

Bumblebee—IT. DOESN’T. SUCK.  I can’t believe I wrote those three words about a Transformers movie.

Aquaman—Do you like exposition in your movies and characters that won’t shut up about a trident?  Or how about suspending your disbelief to the point of shutting down your brain completely, preventing it from trying to process logical explanations of what you are viewing?  Do you want to see an octopus that can play the drums?  Then DC has made a movie for you, and honestly, it’s pretty fun.  Really dumb.  But fun. 

Alpha—It’s a boy and his dog/wolf story, set in beautiful landscapes that would make Peter Jackson shed a tear--complete with single file walking shots.  Definitely not a cat-lover movie, but maybe worth a watch if you want to snuggle with your dog for a couple of hours with nothing else to do.           
 
Mary Poppins Returns—The songs aren’t as catchy or as memorable as the original film, but it’s still a jolly holiday spending time with Mary.
 
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse—2018 was a special year for Spider-Man fans.  Two new Spidey comics debuted, both off to a great start, and his PS4 game was nominated for Game of the Year.  To top it all off, the best Spider-Man movie was released.  Yeah, I said it.  It’s the best one yet.  It’s full of humor and heart and has a great message for everyone and anyone.  ‘Nuff said.
 
The Star—As far as Hollywood Christian movies are concerned, this won’t insult the religious crowd unlike other films *slowly turns head to give a shameful glare to Exodus: God and Kings*.  Kids can learn about the Christmas story in a cute way by seeing it from silly animals' points-of-view, and the adults can play the “whose-voice-is-that-I’ve-heard-that-voice-before” game where you try to guess every celebrity in the movie before the credits reveal the answers.
 
They Shall Not Grow Old—It’s hard to be impressed with “movie magic” anymore with so many movies being special effects extravaganzas, but this might have been the first time my jaw hit the floor and I said aloud, “Wow.”  I don’t know how, but director Peter Jackson has breathed new life into century-old footage, restoring them and giving them HD color.  Some shots are so well restored it looks like it was filmed yesterday.  It's a touching documentary about the soldiers, told by the soldiers, and now we get a clearer picture to the world of the soldiers.  History has come to life like never before and is definitely worth a watch for anyone interested in the subject matter. 
 
Wonder—If you want to go “awwwww” and have a smile on your face and just feel good about being a human being, then gather the family together for a wonderful film full of tender moments and important lessons.

What movies did you see during the holiday season?  Were they good?  Were they bad?  Or did you watch A Christmas Story for the umpteenth time?  Let me know in the comments!

During the flight to Africa for our production of "Reap What You Sew," I binged watched several movies while stuck in a plane for over 30 hours.  Instead of giving full reviews for each film, I thought I'd make this a little more fun by giving short expressions on how I felt of each movie.  If you like this rapid fire review and want me to do another one, please let me know!  If there are a series of movies you want me to do for that, also let me know!  Ok, enough context.  Let's review!

The Post:  Tom Hanks as Cranky Old Hanky and Oscar-winner Meryl Streep as Oscar-winner Meryl Streep take on the government through printing newspapers.  And that's about as exciting as it gets.  Great for journalism classes!

Ferdinand:  Do you know the adorable short story of Ferdinand the Bull?  Well, here's an hour and 48 minute version of it filled with extremely loud and obnoxious new characters who tell jokes that an 8-year-old boy told to his buddies at lunch and got a few giggles out of them.

The Shape of Water:  It's like Free Willy, if the boy and the killer whale became lovers.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie:  It's a LEGO movie.  It has laugh-out-loud jokes and gags and a heartwarming message for the kids.  It's not as clever as the original film nor as nostalgic driven as The LEGO Batman Movie, but it did its job--it made me laugh and gave me a fun time.

Blade Runner 2049:  More like "Bored Runner."  There are better ways of lulling yourself to sleep.

Isle of Dogs:  It's a Wes Anderson movie, which means you will either a) find this film charming and funny or b) absolutely strange and awkward or c) play the "Name That Celebrity Voice" game throughout the film and see how many you can get correct before the credits reveal the answers.

Exodus: Gods and Kings:  Ridley Scott offers us a great prequel to his Gladiator film filled with dazzling special effects and epic war scenes and...oh hold on.  I'm being told this is based on the book from the Bible.  For some reason, I don't remember any mention of Moses arguing with an angry little British boy that says his name is I Am in the Bible, nor do I remember Moses holding a sword to Rameses' throat telling him to let his people go.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is a prequel to Gladiator.  

     Much like life, Jurassic Park keeps finding a way to live on, and you all know the drill at this point: stupid people want to mess around with dinosaurs, the dinosaurs escape, crazy things happen, and the main characters survive.  The end.  It's another Jurassic Park movie, and if you've enjoyed the series up to this point, hold on to your butts because Jurassic Park 5/Jurassic World 2 is a fun and crazy ride.
     Let's get this out of the way.  You are not going to see this movie for what little story there is in this film.  You're interested in the dinosaurs and Chris Pratt's wittiness.  So how are they?  The dinosaurs are awesome, but other than a couple of humorous one-liners and a moment of physical comedy, Pratt isn't as funny this time around.  In fact, it's really not a funny movie.  Of course, you probably didn't expect it to be a comedy anyway.  So what kind of a movie is it?  It's two kinds actually, and you shouldn't be concerned about a blend of styles.
     It is a monster movie first and foremost.  The first scene makes that very clear.  These dinosaurs loom about in the shadows and take any opportunity they can to devour their human prey.  The newest director for the series J. A. Bayona (A Monster Calls) wonderfully conveys a sense of dread and horror when these creatures come out to attack, while at the same time remembering the fondness we had when we first saw the original film.  He invokes a right blend of nostalgia while also doing new things to the 25 year old series, which brings me to my claim that it's two kinds of a monster movie rolled up into one.  At first glance, you would think this is a remake of sorts to The Lost World: Jurassic Park, much like how Jurassic World was basically Jurassic Park set in current times.  After all, the dinosaurs are brought to our continent just like in the original sequel, but it handles the similar scenario differently in a way that I was pleasantly surprised by.  When this movie begins, it's more of a big, bombastic disaster movie with the island blowing up and the dinosaurs going into a state of panic, which is totally fine for a movie like this, but then the dinosaurs are moved to a giant mansion, making it into a haunted house kind of movie.  On paper, this might not sound very exciting, but the final result creates a very intense, claustrophobic sense of fear, making this one of my favorite moments of the franchise.  It reminded me of the classic Resident Evil video game where you were trapped in a mansion and didn't know what monstrosity was around the corner, not knowing if your gun will be affective against whatever awaited you.  The new dinosaur, the Indoraptor, isn't any more than your typical scary monster, but it serves its purpose as being a ferocious beast for the characters to figure out how to escape from.  Ultimately, this film knows that the series is at its best when it's trying to be scary, and it offers great intense moments to compliment what came before.
     I would like to note that Bayona made a very smart decision to include practical effects and animatronics whenever possible throughout the movie.  Where the previous filmed relied heavily on animated creatures, this one uses a nice blend of CGI with robotics.  Seeing Blue thrash about on a surgical table as Pratt gently pets its head and Bryce Dallas Howard sitting atop the T-Rex's neck adds extra depth to the actors' performances as they interact with the dinosaurs physically.  Because of this, it actually makes you question when a dinosaur is a cartoon or a robot, giving more realism to the setting. 
     Even though it's not the best script of all time, the actors do give a fun performance throughout the film, especially when interacting with the animatronics.  The newer characters will either annoy you or add to the dumb fun the movie was already offering to you.  For me, the new additions to the cast made me chuckle a couple of times, and the little girl helped make the dinosaurs both more terrifying and sympathetic, offering a new insight to these creatures we've come to expect death and destruction from.
     If you've enjoyed the Jurassic Park films up until now, then you know what you're in for, and that may be a good thing.  It is a fun monster movie that entertains and makes you feel like you are riding a roller coaster, and as long as you don't expect anything else from it, you'll have a good time watching it.