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leo-pacheco
Reviews
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023)
Fun, Adorable, but Disjointed. But worth the watch.
I had really high expectations for #3, after the stellar job of the first two. And although this one is definitely worth seeing, has a feel-good, familiar message, it's a bit disjointed, seems rushed, and isn't as well written or comical as the first two. Noticeably absent is the patriarch of the family, Gus, and honorably so after his death in real life. And Maria is barely in the film. Also missing, and presumed dead, is Ya-Ya (the crazy grandmother) who is never mentioned. Other cast members, including the countless cousins, are all missing or only play a small cameo in the beginning. And there are new characters that are not quite as intriguing. The lines are not as well written or performed either. It seems the actors were doing their best with the script, but it was disjointed and didn't flow well. However, aside from the obviously noticeable faults, this film takes a turn from focusing on weddings (as in its predecessors), and focusing on fulfilling their father's dying wish to visit Greece. What ensues is the typical insanity of chaos and comical escapades of the Portokolis (SP?) family - or at least a smaller portion of them - as they hunt for three childhood friends of their father. I would say overall this is worth the watch, but just don't expect the same style or quality as the previous films. This film is more somber, yet still filled with some surprises no expected. So, go! Enjoy! And take the family.
Welcome to Marwen (2018)
Big Disappointment!
The trailer was very intriguing. My family thought it would be different and it looked really good. But, sadly, the writing was awful. It never developed a solid backstory, left us with far more questions than answers, and kind of jumped into the plot without much build-up or understanding of the characters. It was poorly directed, and although the actors did a fine job, their acting wasn't enough to pull this movie into the likeable category. The movie never really jelled or made much sense. Frankly, the trailer told more of the storyline than the actual movie ever did. Out of 8 people in our group, not one of us gave it more than 2 stars out of 10, and all of us said it is a movie we would never watch, again, and were disappointed. The 2 stars are for creative concept and good acting, but very poor screenplay and execution of the plot.
Black Panther (2018)
High Expectations, Disappointed Results
Let me start by saying I had high expectations about this film based on the trailer and all that was riding on this new addition to MCU. A fan of the Black Panther comic as a kid, I was really looking forward to this movie, and excited to see it!
The graphics were incredible! The costumes and choreography during the fight scenes were great! Some of the actors were better than others, but overall, the acting was pretty good. Props and scenery were amazing!
So, what's missing?
Frankly, the story line, which lacks substance (except for a few socio-political lines), feels a bit rushed, repetitive, and bland.
****SPOILER WARNING****
Namely, Black Panther is crowned King and goes through a spiritual ritual to take on the mantle. He then learns he has a cousin. Cousin shows up and wants the throne. They battle it out and cousin wins. Cousin goes through the same spiritual ritual to become king. Meanwhile, Black Panther, is assumed dead. His girlfriend steels a magic herb before they are all burned by King Cousin. Later, girlfriend, sister, and Panther's mother discover he is not dead but in a coma and being cared for by a rival tribe. Mother gives him herb as he goes through the spiritual ritual a second time. He comes out of the coma, takes on King Cousin, and wins back the throne.
It's like take, rinse, repeat.
Although the movie is over two hours long, it seems like they rushed to get it all in, yet it still lacks substance.
One reviewer said the humor was ill-placed, and I would agree. In the middle of a serious moment, quick one-liners were intended to be funny, but for the most part only deserved a slight chuckle, clearly lacking Thor's most recent comic-ridden outing.
Plus, the movie focuses a lot on the female warriors, who are supposed to be supporting characters. Instead, they often overshadow the Black Panther, making him look weak and unimportant. Don't get me wrong, I like the female army. They kick butt! However, they often appear stronger than the main character and he gets lost in the background at times.
I can overlook most of it because every movie has its flaws. And had the story line been better, this movie would most likely have been 2018's big breakout! Monetarily, I'm sure it will do well. But I have a feeling it will be a one-time-only movie without repeat viewers spending their hard-earned money to get a second look before it goes to Redbox.