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bmschoen1
Reviews
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
The last ride of Marvel
Let me start by saying I used to be a huge Marvel fan, which is why it was so devastating to see the quality and feel of the movies deteriorate over the last few years. And while I have been over Marvel for some time, I still had this movie sitting unwatched. I couldn't bear to see the Guardians get ruined like the rest. But I did finally watch it and it was great. It wasn't exactly the sendoff I wanted, but it was definitely a good one nonetheless. James Gunn did a nice job keeping true to his characters, and I give him a ton of credit. It made me feel the old Marvel magic for possibly the last time, and for that I say, I'm most sincere terms, thank you.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Waited 6 episodes to write this
After the initial press and controversy around this show, I decided waited until after the 6th episode to write a review so that I could get a good feel for how this show is developing.
Unfortunately, the visual aspects of this show do not make up for the unlikeable characters, the lack of Tolkien lore, or the very slow pace. In general, the writing is subpar at best. If this was a random low/mid budget fantasy show, it still would be just a average, but unfortunately this is a big budget work (one of the biggest ever) and had one of the most fantasy-rich worlds to draw from. I don't know how they managed to miss the mark this bad.
At this pint in the show, even the main character, "Galadriel", who is iconic in Tolkiens writings as an amazing elf of power and grace, is almost unwatchable. She is a weak leader, lacks any people skills, and hasn't shown any traits depicted in the books. A prime example is when she teaches people how to fight Orcs as compared to Boromir. Boromir taught 2 hobbits how to fight to help them survive against Orcs and did so with empathy and support. When "show Galadriel" does it, she takes more joy out of humiliating her students and making fools of them with zero constructive efforts made.
The harfoots are mean little vagabond communists; "take their wheels". The elves lack any strategic foresight. The forbidden love interest is not interesting whatsoever. I could go on and on.
I am 6 episodes in and I find myself bored, uninterested, and mystified about how this got produced. This deserved better. Tolkien deserved better. We deserved better.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
What?
The Illuminati... why even include them. Just one of so many spots where you could tell Disney forced something in where it didn't belong. And let's ashy why Dr. Strange went to some in the first place who literally enslaved an entire town of people and tortured them to the point they wanted to die.
Ms. Marvel (2022)
No no no
I gave it a chance. I wanted to see them do something of quality if they were going to try for a younger/different audience. I even lowered my expectations, but not low enough. Ugh!
Hustle (2022)
Great movie for anyone!
You don't have to be a basketball fan to appreciate this great movie. Adam Sandler plays an amazing role in a captivating plot that has you being inspired each step of the way. I am applauding!
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Fantastic
This is a phenomenal sequel and exactly the kind of summer blockbuster we needed! It paid homage to the original characters, it introduced new ones, gave you an adrenaline rush, and brought true emotions into play. Thank you to the cast, directors, and everyone else who helped get this made. Also - the first 30 seconds were classy and say a lot about the actor.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Disappointment
On the plus side, there's not many more of the OG characters they can destroy. The writing is not done well, and shows the lack of appreciation for what George Lucas built.
Hawkeye (2021)
Wanted something bettter
I know it's on Disney Plus, but I wanted so bad to see something more gritty for Hawkeye. Renner does such a great job with this character, and it would have been great to see more of a Ronin-esque play on this.
Arcane: League of Legends: The Monster You Created (2021)
Pure brilliant art
Simply put... I was left in awe. From the amazing storytelling to the emotions you feel to the stunning visuals, I cannot begin to explain how powerful this last episode is. It has been a long time since I've watched anything that can compare. I am now going to rewatch all of S1 and impatiently wait for S2. My hat is off to the creators of this. Bravo!
The Wheel of Time (2021)
Sad for readers and non-readers alike.
If you are a fan of the books, which I have been for over 2 decades, you will be disappointed because of changed characters, story elements, and underwhelmed meaning. I even gave the new Amazon series the benefit of the doubt, knowing they would have to take come creative liberties, and it still can up drastically short. And, if you've never read the books, you will probably get tired of hearing the word "wheel" and wonder why the characters, other than maybe Moraine and Matt, seem almost uninteresting and one dimensional. You won't know the gravity of what is at stake or the real origins of fear around power and historical characters. I am very disappointed.
To put this in perspective, Arcane League of Legends came out at the same time, which I knew nothing about. It is exciting, you can feel the emotion, and the story moves along at a pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat without shorting you on meaning. I am far more vested in the characters of Arcane at this point than those in the Wheel of Time show. Arcane got a 9/10 from me, and may become a 10/10.
Arcane: League of Legends (2021)
Never played the game but this show is amazing!
So far I am 3 episodes in, and the power and emotion behind this show is incredible. I'm not sure where this is going but I am excited to be along for the ride! Edit: rating moved from 9 to a full 10... just amazing!
Midnight Mass (2021)
I wanted to like it more.
This is not a horror film but rather has hints of horror in it. But even knowing this, I was still disappointed. The pace drags as the movie progresses, and I was left underwhelmed.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Wanted so bad to like this
I was disappointed. A lot of other reviews cover the reasons why, but politics, weak plot, and misuse of great actors/characters lead to something below the standard I expect from Marvel. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. Spoiler/question- how can an Avenger who helped save the universe, and has personal connections to the massively wealthy Stark Industries, not get a small bank loan? This is beyond laughable!
The Village (2004)
Resonates
This film is almost haunting in the fact it sticks with you in a great way. From the message to the acting to the soundtrack, this movie is remarkable. More than most films, you can feel what the characters are going through; the pain, the fear, the sadness, the compassion, and the joy.
Eureka (2006)
A favorite! 10!
This is just a great, fun loving show that hits on all cylinders! I have watched the series 5 or 6 times through and never get tired of it! 10!!!
The Hollow (2018)
A fun adventure
This was a random find, and it was a fantastic adventure. The great characters and storyline was a lot of fun! I will watch it again!
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Unfortunate: No spoilers
I never thought there would be a Star Wars movie I didn't enjoy, but this was it. The ideas/characters/lore that made Star Wars one of the strongest film franchises in history was completely thrown away. Additionally, parts of the film actually began to get boring and seemed useless to the plot (I.e. side quest to the war profiteering planet). It seemed like the director/writers were more concerned with pandering to social issues rather than creating the next film in the Star Wars timeline.
I was so disappointed by what was done with The Last Jedi that I have not gone to see the most recent Star Wars movie; Solo. This is the first time I have not gone to an opening weekend of a Star Wars film release.