Change Your Image
csj123
Reviews
White Men Can't Jump (2023)
Everything wrong with current Hollywood in one movie
Where to begin? First, NEVER remake a perfect or near perfect movie! For example, Ghostbusters...why? How could you ever hope to improve on the original? Same with WMCJ...where is the room for improvement? The answer? Not enough room to need a remake. The original holds-up.
Second, the story is essentially the same as the original but isn't. It is less interesting for one thing. For another, it only works if you care about the characters...and you don't. What they did change in an effort to make it a unique movie only made the movie worse.
Third, Jack Harlow cannot act and is annoying most of the time anyway. But where Woody Harrelson's character was likable despite his issues...Harlow's is annoying. You want Woody to get away with it...you want Harlow to get punched in the face. Woody drives a hoopty. Harlow...a Porsche. Huh? And he is supposed to be a likable loser-type? They 'updated' the character to I guess give depth, instead making him an annoying person you couldn't root for at all. His girlfriend goes from Rosie Perez interesting to a bit character.
Fourth, the black lead goes from a trash-talking guy you grow to like, then hate, and then like again in the original...to wooden. The character has all the life and realism sucked out of him in a desperate attempt not make him a negative stereotype, but it just results in a bland character that brings little to the movie.
This entire thing looks like a group of amateurs stole a good script, rewrote it taking everything good out of it, miscasting it, and then hired a good crew of sound engineers, lighting specialists, and camera operators to at least make it look professional.
Avoid this at all costs, it only gets a 2 instead of a 1 because it looks professional at least,
Roar (2022)
Where are the great endings?
There are some great premises, but the story never ends on a high note. Some of the shows have a great Twilight Zone set-up with a subtle agenda point running through it...but then falls flat at the end. I was waiting for a big twist or an 'aha' moment. Instead, it just never seems to go anywhere.
This is modern Hollywood...if it isn't a reboot, remake, or rip-off, then no one knows what to do with it. And even if it is one of those things...they still don't know what to do with it.
I wanted to like this show, I am a fan of the actresses involved, I was understanding of, and open to, the female point of view theme. But it never really took off Instead you end each episode saying, "Is that it? That is how they are going to end this?"
Unfortunately yes...a wasted effort.
A League of Their Own (2022)
Using a title to get attention...then doing something different
For anyone wanting more of the great A League of Their Own film will find the only thing this has in common is that title. It is the formula of modern Hollywood. Take a hit from the past, toss everything good about it in the trash, then insert agenda. Forget story, forget historical accuracy, forget...baseball. This show isn't about a women's baseball team. This show is about pushing an agenda.
The audience doesn't want this show...they want A League of Their Own. If the producers had simply set this show in 2022 and made it a modern basketball or soccer team, named it something else, it would have worked. By ripping off ALOTO...you disappointed the fans of the original, and they won't come back.
But them again...nothing is going to fix terrible acting, writing, and directing. This show is a complete mess. Do not believe those 10 ratings, this show is at best a 4...and that is if you know nothing about the original movie.
Glass Onion (2022)
Rian Johnson sure has an agenda
Glass Onion is less mystery than another Rian Johnson agenda movie. Just like how Knives Out was really a moral tale about how privileged white people should step aside for a hungry immigrant class more than it was a mystery. I mean, how is it a mystery when you reveal the killer before the halfway point of the movie? Yet, reviewers called Knives Out genius.
Glass Onion pretends to be a mystery with infinite layers, but in the end it is about as layered as a sheet of one-ply tissue. There is no mystery for the viewer to be solved because Johnson throws in clues at the end that were not evident at any time of the film. This is more a sign of lazy writing than of of genius. "i bet you can't solve my mystery!" Well clearly not, if you introduce things later in the movie so we can't play along. Clues are given as the 'mystery' is solved by the Foghorn Leghorn detective rather than allowing the viewer to try to guess a killer. This isn't a cleverly crafted Agatha Christie story where she tells you everything you need to know, but you still miss the fine details. It is a lazy agenda movie about the filthy rich more than a mystery to be solved.
The movie makes no sense at times. We are to believe that some scribbles on a cocktail napkin with the name of a bar on it prove something because the bar in question has been closed for years. But those scibbles could have been done yesterday. It proves nothing. At the end of the movie the strong female lead accuses the killer of destroying one of the greatest works of art ever made. But, it was clearly her who did it...and for absolutely no reason at all. The scene makes zero sense. In the end...none of what we are to believe would bring the killer down would work, because there is zero hard evidence. All that is left is the testimony of people who could never prove what they are saying in the first place.
"I saw this piece of paper that proved everything!"
"where is this paper?"
"It burned up in a fire."
"So you can't prove there was a piece of paper?"
"uh, no."
If you saw Knives Out...you already know who the guilty person will be. Before watching the next Rian Johnson Knives Out movie, impress your friends and guess the killer will be a rich, straight, white man...and you will be correct. Johnson has suddenly become the thing he hates most...a rich, straight, white man. I bet the irony of that is completely lost on him.
Taskmaster (2018)
Couldn't help but ruin a great show.
The UK version if Taskmaster is brilliant, interesting, and most importantly fun. The US version is annoying, boring, and most importantly...not fun.
First, the host. Big Reggie Watts fan, loves him on Comedy Bang Bang and the Late Late Show. But he is a terrible choice for host. He should have been a contestant, where he would have been great. As a host, he is simply boring and tries to hard to be cool.
Secondly, the format. A half hour was a bad choice. An hour allows for ad-libs and a free-flowing show. This version seemed overly edited and rushed.
Lastly, the.contestants. Did the producers not watch the original series? One of the contestants isn't even a celebrity, which made boring moments. The ladies on the show were terrible. One was vulgar and annoying, the other had a hard time taking any criticism to the point she claimed it was because she was a woman. The other two men were fine and seemed to get the show.
This is what happens when US producers take a perfect show and think they can make it better. They can't. When will we learn that a show like this is for fun...not to push agendas, or be outrageous. Just follow the formula and leave it be.
Do not waste your time on this version.
Elvis (2022)
Luhrman reinvents Elvis...but not in a good way
Luhrman makes the Elvis film he wants instead of the truth. Looks great, but the story is highly inaccurate. A biopic should be as true to life as possible. This plays with the truth to suit Luhrman's desires. He clearly has agendas he wants push and make Elvis a modern star when he was a product of his time...the first rock star. A movie about Elvis should have the music of Elvis...that should suffice. Instead we get versions of his songs by other people, rap songs (?), and terrible updated versions of Elvis tunes. Maybe 20% of the music is actually Elvis. Too much Luhrman...not enough Elvis.
If you want an Elvis fantasy you will like it. Want to know about Elvis? Avoid this at all cost.
The Northman (2022)
Visually beautiful...and a timeless story
Eggers movies are always beautifully shot, and hypnotically atmospheric. The acting is excellent, the story of revenge is timeless, and the action is realistic.
Younger audiences are used to over-the-top special effects that are unrealistic. Great to see a movie that is dripping with realism. Those same audiences will find it too long and too slow, but since movies have gotten dumber and dumber the last 20 years...a high-brow movie might be too much for them.
Eggers is one of the best directors right now. Moviemakers should strive to make a movie on this level instead of spending $500M on special effects and forgetting to spend a minute on story...like pretty much every action movie coming out of Hollywood.
Highly recommend this for anyone over the age of around 16. Light sexual content and nudity. But nothing they can't handle.
Tenet (2020)
Great action...but doesn't make sense
I understood the movie the first time watching it. But it makes zero sense. If you can imagine a world where objects can travel backwards in time, then you get the gist of the movie. Problem is...there are still massive holes in the story. The action scenes are fantastic and worth watching the movie. Just accept that the story won't make a lot of sense.
Kenneth Branagh is great, so is Robert Pattinson. But John David Washington seems to be bored and just reciting his lines, or just mumbles through them, through half the movie.. He also spends too much time trying to be cool, instead of just being cool. Think of how Sean Connery or Idris Elba are just cool...no matter what they do. They don't try, because they don't need to try. Washington is clearly trying to be cool...and succeeds at times, but fails miserably at others. Not saying he was miscast...saying his performance was not good. Elba would have knocked this out of the park.
Overall, not a bad movie, but one that could have been much better with an even performance from Washington and fixing the plot holes.
I love Nolan movies, I respect how he pushes the envelope, I admire his talent, but this wasn't his best.
Lovecraft Country (2020)
I wanted to like this...
...but it just wasn't as good as it should have been. I expected to see a continuing storyline, but got a lame monster of the week theme. It is refreshing to see a black horror show. But every white person in the show is either monster evil or a stereotypical racist. It gets old fast. Maybe a second season will bring more coherence and a better story arc. But season one was just okay.
No Escape Room (2018)
A fun horror movie...just don't expect much
If you like horror movies and don't need great acting or for it to make perfect sense...watch this movie. If not, keep looking. The ending is super predictable, but so what? This movie is for fun anyway. Low on the gore, moderate on jump scares, anyone 13 and up could watch this.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Meh...
Brie Larson looks the part of the Captain Marvel I knew from the comics...but she sure didn't act like her. Maybe it was the terrible lines she said, or maybe the way she is constantly posing for no reason, but her performance was not good. The banter between her and Samuel L. Jackson is supposed to be witty and fun...but in reality was cringe-worthy...or at least eye-rolling. The storyline is just a hidden agenda on immigration that was too heavy-handed. Not a bad movie but not a great one either.
This movie needed a better screenwriter.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Blunder Woman 1984
I loved Wonder Woman, and was excited to see the sequel. But it turned out to be a massive letdown. Plot lines that make no sense, a bad guy who really isn't that bad, a criminally underused villainess. Skip this movie...just watch the original again.
Bridgerton (2020)
Good,,,only if you want trash.
If you like sex on screen...this is for you. If you don't care about historical accuracy...this is for you. But if you want intelligent programs...this isn't for you. How about we make more dramas about African cultures and periods of history instead of something that never happened. It is insulting. "People will watch a Jane Austinish show with black characters...but not a show about true black culture." Come on Hollywood...if you want diversity...show it in the subject matter. Not in garbage like this.
I Care a Lot (2020)
Great first half...laughable second half
A waste of great acting talent. From the moment Dinklage and Pike first meet in person...the movie is unrealistic. The end saved it from being a 1...but not by much. Terrible writing...terrible. Do not believe any review above a 4 at best. And even those are sketchy reviews.
The Undoing (2020)
Great until the last episode
You watch for 5 episodes and then you find out there is no mystery at all. Why bother watching a show that doesn't even try? Predictable from episode one...you think it might give you the twist you want...and then just a huge letdown. The sixth episode is completely unrealistic from a first year law student mistake that entire series unravels. Could have been great, but chose not to be.
The Wilds (2020)
Good...not great
Some plot-holes, some interesting plot-lines, some good writing, some bad writing, some good acting, some bad acting...and lots of questions.
It is a good show if you have run out of TV shows. It isn't great, but isn't terrible either. I think this is a typical modern show where casting and social issues are more important to the creators than writing and realism. It is fluff trying to be deep. Is it anti-men, or will the end game be that we are all terrible in our own way? You will have to wait until season 2 to find out what they were going for with this one.
Put it in the queue...but don't rush to watch it.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
A few laughs...if you can't find anything else.
I love Iceland and have been to the nation several times. They do a good job of spoofing the people and nation without insulting them. Ferrell is good and McAdams is good as well, but they needed another foil to work off of to make this work. It is worth a watch if you can't find anything else, a good little comedy that won't become legendary or even a cult classic.
Hamilton (2020)
Good...but not equal to the hype
The worst thing about this was...Lin Manuel Miranda. He is not a great singer, rapper, dancer, or actor. Brilliant writer...but he hurt the overall performance for me. I have friends who saw this after he left the troupe and they said it was MUCH better without him. There are a few lines during the rap portions that are laughably bad and take you out of the piece. Oh, and there is one cringe-worthy scene of a mom beat-boxing while her son raps. That was dreadful. The story was a bit rushed at times and there are a few historical inaccuracies.
But the rest of the show is pretty top notch. I have heard people say this is the greatest musical ever...it is not. It isn't on a level with West Side Story, My Fair Lady, or Grease where every song is excellent. Or as powerful as a Les Miserables. The songs won't resonate through society the way some musicals have done, As with anything...the hype was more than it deserved. Very good, worth watching, and I would recommend this to everyone, but it isn't quite as good as I expected. I expected perfection and I got very good with some easily changed problems.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
What movie did the critics watch?
This movie is terrible. Terrible script, terrible dialogue, terrible plot twists and scenarios, terrible over-acting, terrible use of music. And to make things worse...an hour too long. I can't express how bad this movie was. But it is so bad...it is entertaining in a way. As a terrible movie it almost turns into a comedy like What happened to the movie Showgirls. It is that bad. Do not trust any review of this movie that gives a review over a 3 at most. From beginning to end this movie is terrible.
Lee tries to make a deep movie about the black experience in Vietnam and later as veterans of that war. Instead he produces a mess of a movie that is a muddled, yet forced agenda instead of a good story. Lee is better than this. But for every BlakKklansman he makes...there seems to be a big miss like Da 5 Bloods. Anyone remember Da Sweet Blood of Jesus? Exactly.
So what movie did the critics watch? It wasn't the same one I watched. Are they scared to give Lee a negative review? Are they scared to trash a 'black' movie during the current BLM era? Who knows? But this is nowhere near a 100 movie. If the critics think this film is on the same level as The Godfather or Lawrence of Arabia...they should lose their jobs immediately.
Please...do not watch this movie. You will regret it.
Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018)
Wasted opportunity
Not a terrible movie...but not a good one either.
The set-up of a cursed movie with mini documentary at the beginning is smart and interesting. But the actual 'movie' part was sloppy and boring. I would love to see this again but with a better screenwriter, director, and special effects crew. I would say...don't waste your time. just watch The Ring.
Booksmart (2019)
Not bad...but not as great as people will have you believe
First, this is an attempt at a female remake of Superbad. No problem with that...but this film never knows what it wants to be. Is it a party comedy? Is it a window into being a nerdy teenage girl? The boys in Superbad were likeable, the movie was funny and a good ride. Booksmart? The main characters are funny sometimes and annoying other times. The movie was funny sometimes and boring other times. It is watchable, and not bad. But I do not understand people gushing over this film.
Charlie's Angels (2019)
Sooooo...
...you make a terrible movie. It bombs. Then you blame men for not wanting to watch women heroes? Shame on you Elizabeth Banks. Men love watching women heroes. Kill Bill, Alien/Aliens, Terminator and Terminator 2, Wonder Woman and on and on...the difference? Those were good movies, yours was not.
When will Hollywood learn to stop messing with a good thing? Too many changes to the original, stupid additions, too much agenda slapping you in the face, and Stewart trying hard to be Miley Cyrus for some reason. This is simply a terrible movie. Do not waste your time.
Seberg (2019)
Not accurate
This is a story that had serious liberties taken to push agenda. I feel stories about real people should be as accurate as possible. This isn't a true story, but it is pushed as one. And Stewart might be the most overrated star in Hollywood today. A friend complained about her facial expressions years ago during the Twilight series and I can't help but notice it in every movie since. She simply is not a good actress. Passable yes, but not good. Her 'acting' always consists of goofy facial expressions. Tired of what should be good movies ruined by her miscasting (See: Charlie's Angels for example). I had high hopes...it didn't live up to it.
Joker (2019)
A great movie for this time
Phoenix is brilliant. He ties the whole movie together wonderfully. A lost soul in a self-obsessed world that chews up and spits his ilk out for their own amusement. The world is full of 'Jokers' waiting to happen. This is the Taxi Driver and King of Comedy of modern times. Yet we never seem to learn the lesson. Disturbing, graphic, real...a great film.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
Good...not great
You spend 3 hours waiting for something to happen...and then the pay off is worth it. Some great acting, some great scenes, must not a full three hours worth. This should have been trimmed to about 2 hours and it would have been much better.