Movie Review: Good Boys (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

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Summary: Three 6th grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.
This will be a short review.
Pros:
Cast and Characters.
  • Jacob Tremblay as Max. He seems to be the “leader” of the group because he comes off as the most mature, in ways. He has a crush on this girl and he’s a bit crazy about it. The events in the movie kick off because of his crush on this girl. He is determined throughout the movie, to not only kiss this girl at a party some other little kid is having, but to learn how to do it right lol. Shenanigans ensue lol. Max is a very determined kid and he seems to be fearless and always willing to do what he needs to get things done. I like Max, there’s always a kid like him, almost the straight man of his group and arguably the most popular in his friend group. I adore Jacob Tremblay, he’s such a great young actor and everything I’ve seen him in so far, I have enjoyed him (even if I didn’t quite enjoy the movie… Book of Henry). He’s great in the role and his little face is just so cute whenever he would do the puppy dog look.
  • Keith L. Williams as Lucas. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think it’s this kid reminds me of Craig Robinson in kid form. But he’s the gentle giant and he learns some big news from his parents which affects him for the rest of the movie, but he keeps it hush hush. He’s truthful and it’s a detriment sometimes and it’s funny too. He’s a little more of the “nerd” in the group as he still likes to play a card game, similar to Pokemon and he’s big into safety. Though he was willing to run across that highway. He’s adorable though and very likable as well.
  • Brady Noon as Thor. He’s the friend who thinks he’s way cooler than he is, which is shown by his hairstyle and clothes. He also has something he’s really into, but he might get teased for it, so he spends the movie wondering if it’ll be something he’ll continue to pursue. It’s cute actually and I love how they handle it in the film. I don’t want to spoil it because it’s cute. Just like the other two, he’s likable, I mean, I can see why he wouldn’t be, but I think it’s because he’s a kid that he is. If he was a teenager, if any of them were older, they’d all probably be annoying. This kid was great though, being able to maintain the weird balance that Thor has throughout the movie of trying to be all knowledgeable and hard and not being all that at the same time.
The Two Teenage Girls. There are these two teenage girls we get to spend time with throughout the film, especially when they interact with the three boys. Molly Gordon as Hannah and Midori Francis as Lilly. They were hilarious, I think Lilly was the funnier of the two because she has some great facial expressions and I love the part when she just takes off running after the boys while they’re on their bikes, like the Terminator. Their side plot is funny and doesn’t feel overwhelming to the main plot because their plot is important to the whole plot, which is how it should be.
I Cried Laughing/ The Highway Scene/Frat House. This movie is funny. I mean, don’t get me wrong there is vulgar humor and because they are kids, it makes even more outrageous. It’s like Little Rascals for 2019 because they act like they’re so much older than they are, but they still act like kids, ya know? It’s charming lol and funny. They have some funny bits earlier on the film, but I thought it handled the humor balance a lot better as the film went on. The highway is probably my favorite scene in the movie, and I was crying. I was literally in tears. They’re trying to get to this store to get something they lost, they climb a huge hill and see the store. They’re super excited but then realize there is a highway between them and the store. So, of course the logical thing to do is to cross it. At first, it’s okay because it’s traffic and they’re hardly moving but then they take too long, and the cars are whizzing by. Hilarious. So, one of them takes off, screaming through the cars, the second one does it and the third takes a moment to get across and then shenanigans and I was crying. Also, the frat house, y’all, we were dying. It was so funny. Like Max was going in and it was so great. That is all.
The Message. The message for the movie is really sweet. You have three best friends that as kids, they believe they’ll always be together or that they’ll do everything together but then you realize that when you get older, friendships drift apart, and sometimes it happens. I like how the movie handles that and it’s very realistic. I mean, it’s sad but it’s real.
Cons: 
Slow Beginning. I think it takes a minute to get going and into the story. I mean, things are set up early on but it’s not until the kids escape school that things really pick up and the adventure starts. That’s also where the humor gets going. I wasn’t checked out or anything, but I wasn’t really feeling the movie until they left school.
Humor. I do think they take a lot of the humor and uses it to undercut some of the emotional moments. I mean, they are kids so it’s funny with the things they say and do but it’s okay to even let little kids sit in their moments and be emotional. I can also believe that people would be upset at how vulgar the movie is at times, or at least with the adult/mature humor with these 12-year-old kids.
Overall, I really enjoyed Good Boys. I think it’s a great movie to watch, it’s funny and has a great message behind it as well. The three young leads really hold their own, especially Jacob Tremblay because I adore that kid, but they all have great chemistry, I believed in their friendship. There are some great comedic scenes in this movie two being the Highway scene and the Frat House scene. My friend and I were dying laughing at both of those parts. There’s a lot of good moments and I think the humor really works. It’s vulgar which I can imagine some people not liking, but it works, and it is kind of realistic lol. My only problem is that it has a very slow beginning for a long time. I thought it didn’t really pick up until at least 20 minutes in the movie and that’s a long time to get me invested. But outside of that, I very much enjoyed the movie and would totally watch it again.
Rating: 3.79 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Good Boys? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.
What is your favorite comedy?
Thanks for reading and be sure to like and follow this blog for more movie reviews.
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Movie Review: Godzilla King of the Monsters (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

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Summary: The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

Pros:

Good Acting. I think everyone in the movie was fine. I didn’t think anyone was bad, they did their job for this kind of movie. Kyle Chandler was a little yelly and annoying but that was his character lol. Vera Farmiga, I always think is good and Millie Bobby Brown was good too, I didn’t think she had a ton to do even though she was always in a scene. Then supporting actors were fine. I mean, you don’t come to this movie for the human aspect, but everyone does what is expected of them.

The Titans/Design. So, the best thing about this movie is the Titans, how they look and their interactions. I mean, Godzilla still looks cool and anytime he comes out of the water or uses his Blue Sonic Breath (not sure of the names) it just looks so cool! I think they might have changed his design a little bit in this one compared to the first one, which is cool. Not only is he cool, but you care and empathize with him. When he’s fighting Ghidorah, you really want him to win lol.

Rodan comes out of the volcano and I’m not sure if this shot was only in the trailer because I don’t remember seeing it in the movie.

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But anyway, he looks so cool! It’s like his blood is lava because he always has this red volcanic glow to his body. He also really looks like a dinosaur. Whenever he flapped his wings, there was always a huge gust of wind and whenever he flew, he decimated everything below him with a wave of strong wind. It was amazing. I mean he’s a giant dinosaur bird lol.

Mothra was my favorite because she was beautiful! I don’t even like moths lol. When we first see her, she’s a larva, which is gross and then she cocoons herself in the waterfall and we don’t really see her again until the big climax at the end. But y’all, when she spreads her wings for the first time in that waterfall, literally my favorite shot of the entire movie.

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It’s so beautiful. Oh, my goodness. She looks like a giant moth lol, she has longer legs though so she can fight because real moths just cling to things. She also has a stinger I think? lol Anyway, she shows up after Godzilla got hurt during a battle and she’s just pure light and you can’t really see her. Honestly, you don’t get a good look at her until she shows up for the fight at the end. But she comes through in the clutch and she was my favorite. I always thought she and Godzilla were enemies? Tell me in the comments.

King Ghidorah is a hydra with three heads and it’s an apex predator and Godzilla’s nemesis. So, of course humans are stupid and woke the giant three-headed dragon that harnesses lightning and cause category 6 storms just by flying… stupid humans. But he also had a GREAT ENTRANCE!

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Each head clearly had its own brain because they did their own things. If one head got hurt, then the others would do something to help or try and make up for what the third head couldn’t do but the center head was clearly the leader. There are some snake qualities in there, there’s a scene where the heads lower and the slither across the ground like a snake and I was like “that’s awesome” lol. This dude is a serious jerk though lol and he just does his own thing but he’s a dictator.

We do see other Titans awake in the movie: Behemoth, Scylla, Methuselah and a MUTO. They all look cool. They do all have their own design and I think the Behemoth looked the coolest being a mixture of a mammoth and a gorilla.

The Action. Great action, when you can see it! I remember there being a lot of complaints about the first movie because they wouldn’t show Godzilla in his entirety for a lot of the movie but I thought that was an interesting choice because it was just adding to the tension of the reveal. Here, he’s front and center quite a lot. Whenever he’s on screen, we see him kicking ass. This battle between Godzilla and Ghidorah was everything and this is another one of my favorite shots.

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Godzilla and Ghidorah face off twice and both times it’s a huge thing, the second time even more so and I liked the “new form” that Godzilla took in order to really get at him. The fight between Rodan and Mothra was also handled nicely and anytime any Titan was on screen going toe to toe with something else, it was great. I bet it would have been awesome to see in Dolby.

Musical Score. The musical score was beautiful. Whenever a Titan was being revealed, the music that played over their reveal was amazing. I have to say I loved the “Clair de Lune” and the “Over the Rainbow” they used in the trailers. I thought it really helped amp the scene if it was during a fight, or when it soft and somber because someone was hurt. It works really well.

Cons:

Boring and/or Random Humans. NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS! It’s the same issue I had with Dumbo (2019) that the humans were boring, and their drama was annoying and melodramatic and of course things happen because humans are stupid. You think because you have the ability to awake the Titans you should? You think you can control Gods of Nature? Yeah okay… and then you have Kyle Chandler’s character just angry and pissy at everyone. I get it, you suffered a tragedy, but you don’t have to remind me every five minutes. I remember. Then they would have people in the movie, who they make seem like a big thing but then they’re not. Like actress Zhang Zivi plays Dr. Chen and Dr. Ling but we see Dr. Ling briefly and she never talks and I’m like “what was the point? To show us she had a twin? She was going to show us that later anyway.” It was useless. Even Sally Hawkins’ character was throw away and Sam (Middleditch), take him out and combine his character with someone else… I mean there are a lot of people in this. I really didn’t care about the family issues. I didn’t care why Millie Bobby Brown’s character did what she did on that bridge because I thought it was stupid. Just ugh.

Lame Plot. There is so much going on this movie that I didn’t even care. I just want to see the monsters. The company has to face off against the Titans because you have people in the company who think they know what’s best for the world. They think they can do stuff and then control it… stuff we have seen so many times and then you add in the side plot of the family issues with Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga and Millie Bobby Brown and anytime we had to listen to them whine, I was like “ugh”. If the story was written better than I would be into it. Now, I liked all the stuff that dealt with uncovering the history of the Titans, and I wish the movie focused on that more. That was way more interesting than any of the boring human stuff.

Too Dark. This movie has this weird “blue film” quality to it where it just looks blue and grey and you can’t really see much. I hate when action movies like this, with big creatures and it’s hard to see things a lot of the time. It shouldn’t be that hard. There are some great shots obviously but there are also a ton of dark and grey shots. I want to see!

Overall, I enjoyed this movie because of the Titans. There are a lot of cool shots and the action is fun when you can see it. The designs of the Titans are some of my favorite bits of the movie because they just look so cool. I would watch a video of just the Titans coming out of their resting places and moving across the world lol. The acting in the movie by the actors is also just fine. However, the story was whack, the characters were annoying and it’s too dark to really enjoy the action as much as I would have liked too. The screen can still be dark and smoky but visible. I think it’s a fun movie, nothing too special unless you’re just here for the Titans, which I’m sure most viewers are.

Rating: 2.89 out of 5 stars.

Have you seen Godzilla: King of the Monsters? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments! Which Titan was your favorite? Be sure to comment below.

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Movie Review: Ma (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

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Summary: A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn’t get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.
This will be a short review.
Pros:
Octavia Spencer as Ma. She’s great lol and she carries the movie. Sue Ann is prompted by some teenagers to buy some beer and she does. Later, she does it again for them but this time invites them to her house to party in her basement. She soon enough becomes friends with these teenagers and shenanigans ensue lol. I’ve never seen Octavia Spencer play a role like this and I think she had a ton of fun and she was great. Those intense looks she gives in general worked really well in this film. She was intimidating when she had to be, scary and even “kind” when she needed to be. It’s quite interesting as the movie goes on, how her backstory unravels and you begin to understand her in a lot of ways.
Thriller Aspect. I think this movie is a fun thriller. I mean, it doesn’t break the mold or anything but it has fun with this aspect. Octavia Spencer is delightfully unsettling so it really goes off of her and of course the jump scares. I actually jumped way more during this movie than when I watched It: Chapter Twolol. I don’t know, maybe I just wasn’t expecting to feel so uncomfortable because I feel like this would really happen. People are crazy.
Interesting Premise. The idea that this lonely woman befriends some teenagers and allows them to party in her house and she continues to grow more and more possessive is super interesting. Plus, you notice, pretty early on once some names are revealed, that she has special interests in Andy and that she might be making connections to her past and she might just take things out on the teenagers. I mean, it’s all interesting stuff and Octavia Spencer is so good that I wish the movie was much better and on her level.
Cons:
The Teenagers. Unfortunately, I didn’t think any of the main teenagers we see in the film, were that great nor were they interesting. They seemed to be the stereotypical teenage tropes you normally see, but they weren’t interesting, nor did the movie give them the chance to really be interesting. It tried with Maggie and Andy but it never really followed through.
The Ending. We have the climax as we always do, Maggie vs Ma and some other things happen. You see them in the trailer, where Ma has done something to the other teenagers but she and Maggie have their collision and a solution and then the movie just ends. I wasn’t expecting to know everything but there needed to be more of a resolution. What happened to the survivors? Did anyone actually die? I mean, I need to know. It was just an aerial shot and then credits. I was like wait whaaatt??
Wasted Potential. The biggest issue with this movie is the writing is really lazy because stuff could have been avoided if people actually followed through with the thoughts they clearly have. There are so many red flags that pop up and there are many moments where Maggie is clearly unsure but never says a word but she didn’t seem to have a problem voicing her opinion any other time. I mean, with a movie like this, it’s important for people to be stupid otherwise there wouldn’t be a movie but I mean, don’t treat your audience like they’re stupid like your characters. Be a bit smarter in your decisions so the characters can have the chance to be interesting and not just skeletons. Besides, I think certain things started to come to a head towards the end and it was like a breakneck pace and the movie just ended lol. Ma clearly has some issues and a dark past and you can see certain things throughout the movie, but the movie never really follow through. It might be mentioned or kind of alluded but…I don’t know, it’s just so weird. There’s this whole thing with the Andy kid that was really interesting, weird, but interesting and I feel like there could have been more there.
Overall, I really enjoyed Ma, way more than I thought I would. It’s a fun movie to be honest. Octavia Spencer is a gem and the best thing about the movie. Her acting chops are amazing and she hits every beat expected of her. The premise is really interesting and I wish the writing was smarter and more fine-tuned to reach the level it could have been on. Also, it’s an effective thriller, it follows the usual tropes but I think it works for this kind of film. Now, I didn’t think the teenagers were interesting, nor did I really care what happened to them, outside of Andy, just because he was sweet lol, and other story elements they put in there. The acting wasn’t that great from any of them, Maggie was probably the best out of the group but meh. The ending is horrible and there is so much wasted potential in this one. BUT I think it’s fun. If you just want to check it out, I think it’s worth checking out.
Rating: 2.89 out of 5 stars. 
Have you seen Ma? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!
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Movie Review: Glass (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

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Summary: Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities.
You can read my Split Review and my Spoiler Talk. I did watch Unbreakable finally and I don’t think I’ll review it, at least not right now.
Pros:
Cast and Characters. 
  • Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price / Mr. Glass. He is an intelligent comic book theorist with Type I osteogenesis imperfecta, who was institutionalized after David Dunn discovered his crimes. He spends a lot of this movie silent, in a state where he doesn’t seem to be able to do anything other than stare into the distance. He appears very unassuming and around the end, his intentions and plans start to come to fruition, and he proves he’s still the smartest one. SLJ is great, I like how Mr. Glass is basically a fanboy who really lost his mind. It’s something we’ve seen before but he takes it to the extreme, especially once we find out just how far he’s gone. SLJ plays intimidating and crazy well.
  • James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb / The Horde. My favorite character in this movie. He is twenty-seven years old and a former Philadelphia Zoo employee with 23 different personalities whose body chemistry changes with each personality, culminating in a 24th personality known as “The Beast”, a savage superhuman cannibal whose abilities include wall-crawling, enhanced strength, speed, durability, and agility. I love the fact that we got to see many more personalities in this compared to Split but he plays them all so well and the fluidity of how he goes into each one. Of course, we see Hedwig, Dennis, Patricia and Barry again and they’re all still great. I mean, Hedwig is a character lol. I love James McAvoy. He’s great. I LOVE HIM and I’m glad he’s had like three movies this year, two of them were not that great but he’s always great in them. The way he can just go through different alters and it’s clear that they are different people, not to mention him as The Beast, it’s just so impressive and I honestly want to see an origin story of him. Not “The Beast” as that is what Split is but of his life with the others and McAvoy can play those too since he’s supposed to be 27 and McAvoy is not lol. But I want more of him. He’s the only reason why I teared up a little at the end.
  • Bruce Willis as David Dunn / The Overseer. He is a superhuman vigilante with enhanced strength and durability, as well as the ability to see the crimes people have committed by touching them. Dunn lives a quiet life, but he still goes out to play hero with his son as his “man in the chair” and it’s clear they’ve been doing this for years. Dunn is the strong silent type and it’s because of him that he and The Horde get caught. Dunn tries to save some kidnapped girls and he and The Beast end up having a nice fight. Throughout the movie, he’s almost a nonfactor until the end and he gets to let go since he has an opponent that he doesn’t have to hold back from. I’ve always enjoyed Bruce Willis and he’s fine, the movie doesn’t focus a lot on him but when it does, he’s good.
  • Sarah Paulson as Dr. Ellie Staple. She is a psychiatrist who specializes in delusions of grandeur and it’s her mission to prove Dunn, Price and Kevin aren’t superhumans and she basically uses words to mess with them. I mean, she’s good at her job because they do start to doubt who they are and what they can do. I quite liked how she was able to really confuse Patricia who holds The Horde down lol. I mean, she’s a psychiatrist so whenever we see her, she’s talking lol. Sarah Paulson is a good actress, I haven’t seen her in a ton of things but everything I have seen with her, I think she’s dynamic and here her character isn’t this big personality and you never know what she might say to really get into their heads. I really like the ending for her character, it allows the audience to understand her more.
  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke. She is a 17-year-old girl with a history of abuse who was kidnapped by one of Kevin’s identities as a potential sacrifice to “The Beast” but managed to survive. After Kevin gets taken to the hospital, she comes to see him and I find her role interesting in this because she cares for Kevin, even though he was part of a traumatic experience for her. I mean, I know at the end of the day, it wasn’t Kevin, but it was still his body… I don’t know, I liked that she was able to pull Kevin to the light and all that, but I found it an interesting connection. ATJ is great, very compelling to watch.
  • Spencer Treat Clark as Joseph Dunn. David’s son who has believed in his father’s abilities since he was a child and sees him as a real-life superhero. I think it’s great they got the same actor to play his son and I loved his unshakable belief in his dad even when his dad started to doubt it himself.
Story Connections. When I saw Split, I loved it even before I learned of the connection to Unbreakable which I hadn’t seen at that point. I was aware of that movie and what it was essentially about, but I didn’t know the details so the stinger at the end was cool. I like how Mr. Glass is still proving he’s the smartest in the room and that he literally thinks of everything even when others think they bested him. Nice try lol. I like the fact that you have “The Beast” and the only person who can really handle him is Dunn because of his ability and The Horde feels threatened, it’s an interesting dynamic. Shyamalan has said he’s not interested in making more movies after this one but the shared universe he created is interesting and I would be interested in case he did.
The Ideas. I like what the movie was trying to do in terms of the questions being asked. What if everything you believe about yourself being “super” is in your head. I think that’s a great question and a good way to take a deeper look at people who superhuman.
The Climax. The movie is basically building to this moment, as it should, and while I’ll talk about it a little in my cons, I think it was overall enjoyable to watch. Mr. Glass set things in motion and now he, along with the audience gets to sit back and enjoy The Beast and Dunn’s collision. It was fun to watch, and I was really into seeing everyone get to use their powers, or fully embrace them and just clash. Plus, it’s around this time that we just get so much information and revelations and it’s really cool. James McAvoy running across that grass like an animal is literally my favorite thing.
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I was waiting for that the entire movie lol.
Cons:
Underwhelming. Boy this movie ends in such a lackluster way. I mean, I get it, the entire movie was building up to a moment and I know what it means, what it was supposed to be like, at least in my mind and I don’t think it provides the conclusion these movies deserve. It’s very underwhelming and I was actually upset. Not like upset like “dang man that’s sad” it was sad, and I did tear up a little bit but mostly because REALLY???? These characters are interesting and don’t get me wrong, it’s been 19 years since we’ve seen Dunn and Glass, but you then bring in such an interesting character in Kevin and then you do this? Meh. I was not happy with this ending. All that build up for that. It’s like waiting for a rocket to launch and then the fuse goes out right before takeoff. Lame. These characters deserved much better.
More Interactions. We needed more interactions between the main three characters. In the beginning, we have an interaction with The Beast and Dunn and then that’s really it. They never really interact again, even when all three of them are in the same room. Dunn and Glass never talk until the last 30 minutes… I mean, come on. Most people are banking on something going on with these three and Dunn spends most of the movie isolated and while Kevin is interesting because of his many alters, it would have been nice to see Patricia or even Hedwig interact with Dunn. They talked about him enough. Missed opportunities! I don’t want to see them interact with the orderlies in the hospital, I want to see them talk and interact with each other!
Nothing is Happening. This movie feels like a series of things just happening, but nothing is actually happening. There are moments where our main three are speaking with Dr. Staples and that’s where most of the things seem to happen. She’s trying to get them to think about themselves in a different way and it’s clever. Then it’s just a lot of watching people and talking. Don’t get me wrong, I particularly was interested in the moments with Kevin and his alters but it was like the moving was just very slowly moving towards something and it picked up only to be shot down so fast.
Overall, I enjoyed Glass for the most part. I thought the acting was great with James McAvoy as the standout because his role is so complicated, dynamic and interesting that he really steals the show when he’s on screen, which is great because I love him. Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis are also great to see on screen. I really like the idea of the film and what it was trying to accomplish because it’s a different look at the superhero genre and the climax was entertaining. I think this movie has a problem with keeping the momentum going because it feels like nothing is happening and when the big climax happens, you get into it but then the payoff is really underwhelming, and it feels like a very lackluster ending to an interesting trilogy. Besides, there should have been way more interactions between our main three actors, and it was such a missed opportunity to not have them be more involved with each other. That’s where the interesting stuff happens. I feel like there was a lot of things cut out that would have helped but I also watched the deleted scenes in the DVD and those deleted scenes added nothing lol. So, I’m like well dang lol. Watch this one for the familiar characters and the great performances.
Rating: 2.9 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Glass? What are your thoughts on the film? Let me know in the comments below!
Which out of the Unbreakable trilogy is your favorite? Unbreakable, Split, or Glass?
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Movie Review: Brightburn (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

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Summary: What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?
This will be a short review.
Pros:
Nice Tension. The movie does a good job at setting up tension in the film. When Brandon starts to go full villain, he does the typical, scary movie bad guy approach, hiding in the curtains or the dark, moving really fast by windows and while that’s nothing new, it still works because this time, this bad guy is super powered and you have no idea, what he’ll do, how he’ll do it and just how bad it’ll turn out. One of the better scenes, is in the diner where he goes after an adult after he finds out something they said. He already didn’t like this person after an incident but now he’s really about to get them back. It’s a creepy scene and I thought it was handled wonderfully because I was into it. The same can be kind of sad for the scene on the road with the car, it’s a little silly, but effective.
Brandon’s Story. I think it’s interesting what we do get to see and learn, and I wish the movie sat on those moments more. When we first see him really start to pick into his powers, it’s after he goes to the barn after being called by his ship and it’s interesting what they’re doing. He’s being pulled and it happens a few times. Then of course with him being a kid, his world view is black and white. You do something to hurt me or my feelings, I’ll hurt you back kind of thing and that’s interesting and some of the stuff he does, it’s like well dang lol.
Jackson A. Dunn as Brandon Breyer / Brightburn. He was overall pretty good. When we first meet him, he’s a super smart kid, kind of quiet and maybe a little weird in his classmate’s eyes. We know he might be something else because of the beginning, but so far, he seems like a regular 12-year-old. As the movie goes on, something happens where he connects to his ship and now, he’s on this rampage. I think he does a nice job when it comes to being weird and creepy and even a little intimidating. His eyes are penetrating, so I thought he was probably the best thing about the movie.
Cons:
The Acting. Elizabeth Banks is the biggest issue here. Listen, I’m familiar with her and I think she’s a good comedic actress because maybe drama, or at least drama like this, isn’t really her thing. She overacted quite a bit and I imitated her throughout the film. Whenever she was crying or trying to rationalize something her kid did, the hammy acting got worse and worse as the movie went on. Being that she was essentially the lead, we saw her a lot and it was never really good. Then Merilee and Noah, the aunt and uncle were okay at best. The dad Kyle was probably the best adult actor but about halfway through the movie, he’s regulated to be the stereotypical “My son is a monster!” So yeah lol. The acting isn’t that great.
Brandon’s Story. This is here as well because while it’s clearly an origin story, we don’t really learn anything about Brandon. Obviously, we learn he’s an alien and that he ends up having these intense powers and then he of course has his whole mission once things get started, but we learn nothing else. I’m sure they probably want to do more movies due to the ending, but I don’t see that happening lol. I mean, we get little nuggets and I wish this movie was more about him figuring himself out while being a villain instead of what happened because it’s a lot of “HUH?” and not like “Ohh that’s interesting, tell me more”. For example, when Brandon first goes to the barn where his ship is being held but he doesn’t know what’s down there, we get this kind of weird moment, but we never quite learn what that means. It happens a few times and it’s just never answered.
Rushed/Pacing Issues. There’s probably a lot of this movie cut out and I think it could have benefited from being a tad longer. This would probably alleviate some of the issues I had with Brandon’s story because we might have been able to “explore” more, especially since this movie asks a very basic question: “What if Superman was evil?” It doesn’t allow us to sit in the moments, it doesn’t linger on moments for the characters to learn more or for the audience to learn more. It’s like, ‘let’s hurry and get back to Brandon killing people!’
Overall, this movie is such wasted potential because I found the premise very interesting. It’s a subversion of the comic book movies we’ve seen for the last 20+ years and there hasn’t been one that asks this question, at least not like this (Suicide Squad doesn’t count lol). There are some good things, like Jackson A. Dunn as Brandon Breyer is good for the main character, I find his story pretty interesting for the most part and I wish we got to see more, and I thought the movie did well with handling tension. With that said, the acting from everyone else isn’t that great, it’s either overacting or underacting. It’s annoying. It has pacing issues, things happen quickly and move quickly where it doesn’t allow the audience to sit in the moment. They only let us sit in the moment, kind of, when Brandon is either about to hurt someone or just hurt them because people don’t automatically die after he does something that would instantly kill them! It’s so weird, lol. But anyway, if you’re looking for something new, a different take on the comic genre, sure give it a try but I can’t say I would recommend it because I genuinely think it’s a good movie.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Brightburn? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!
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Movie Review: It Chapter Two (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ 2 Comments

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Summary: Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.

You can read Movie Review: IT (2017) , Spoiler Talk: IT and Spoiler Talk: IT Chapter Two.

Pros:
Cast and Characters.
  • The Losers’ Club.
    • James McAvoy and Jaeden Martell as Bill Denbrough. While Richie was my favorite kid in the first movie, I actually think James McAvoy was my favorite adult. They gave him a lot of emotional things to go through and he’s so good at that that I was so invested in his journey throughout the film. As a kid, he had a stutter that as he grew bolder, he was able to speak without it. He is the leader, even though the actors say they all are, which is true, but let’s be real, Bill’s the leader lol. He’s smart, resourceful and determined. He started out wanting revenge for the death of his younger brother and when he finds out it was an actual entity; he was determined to take it down. Jaeden Martell was great as Bill, very likable and soft which works for his character because he’s like a leader who has to grow into his role. We get a lot of flashbacks with him and there’s one where Jaeden and James actually get to act together and that was one of my favorite moments in the film. They are the only ones to really get to work with the other actor of their character and it was really great. As an adult, he’s a successful mystery novelist and is married to a successful actress, Audra Phillips. It’s clear that he hasn’t quite gotten over Beverly even if he doesn’t quite remember her due to a line he says to Audra. He also has a hard time writing good endings because I mean, he hasn’t really experienced one lol. I liked that that had to do a lot with his development. He’s the first one to get called and the first one to come back and he’s also the first one to be more on board with everything. I loved his scene with Mike in the attic of the library with the visions. Wonderfully acted by both actors. I also loved that throughout the film as he lost his nerve and became more afraid, his stutter came back full force and HE DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB! GOSH! I love me some James McAvoy and I was so invested in him. I mean, I know Chastain got top billing but he knocked it out of the park. I loved the strength he had in trying to pull everyone together at the behest of Mike. I love that he had to learn what happened wasn’t his fault, because he feels such crushing guilt. I also really loved the Fun house scene with him because it was something added just for this movie for us to see not only how Bill feels responsible but also lights a fire under him. Oh, the scene at the storm drain was also a great scene too. Man, he’s so good.
    • Bill Hader and Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier. He was my favorite character from the first movie and I really liked him a lot in this one too. My biggest issue was that while Richie was involved way more than both Stan and Mike, he didn’t get as much development as the others. As a kid, he was a loud and foul mouth which got him into trouble a lot. He’s Bill’s best friend, which I thought was evident in a lot of their conversations, their fight and his awesome speech at the end, Finn Wolfhard did a really great job in this role and I love that fact that his idea of Bill Hader playing Richie as an adult actually happened which was great casting. We get a few flashbacks where we see Richie encounter Pennywise in monster form, as well as dealing with other character moments which were pretty nice and I thought Finn handles that emotional moment wonderfully. It’s very subtle but I think it’s clear to understand. Plus, he’s a boss at running away from things thanks to Stranger Things lol. Adult Richie is a successful stand-up comic in LA and he’s very similar to how he was as a child. He’s still foul mouthed and still makes jokes, even in the worst of the times… which to get off point for a moment, I know the “Beep beep Richie” is the Losers’ way of saying “Shut up” to Richie but no one literally says that in the first one other than Pennywise and it was just random. Just an Easter egg I guess, but I suppose fans were upset it wasn’t used properly before Pennywise’s taunt and they randomly included it in this and I was like “Wait… I’m glad you used it but it was so random because no one else has ever said that to him” just something I’d thought I’d mention lol. Bill Hader was really good, I quite liked him as well and I liked that he was still similar to how he was as a child where he’s against this but when it comes down to it, he has everyone’s back. It was pretty cool seeing Bill Hader in a role like this. He is definitely someone I have found myself thinking about a lot after I saw the film. A standout to me.
    • Jessica Chastain and Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh. As a child, she was physically and sexually abused by her father. She’s his “little girl” and all that. She was bullied at school due to rumors of promiscuity. She was the love interest of both Bill and Ben with her being more into Bill. Sophia Lillis was great as Beverly as she became a strong member in the group, she was brave and always willing to charge in with Bill. I personally think Amy Adams would have been better cast, as Sophia looks more like her but whatever lol. Jessica Chastain was fine, I thought she fit into the group just fine and that she did well with a lot of Beverly’s emotional moments. I did find myself rolling my eyes at her being overdramatic sometimes but I think my favorite moment of her was in the beginning when the Losers all get together again in the restaurant, it was very reminiscent of Sophia Lillis’ Beverly. Also, I hate to say it lol but the scene in the bathroom during the last third as well.
    • Isaiah Mustafa and Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon. I am so happy that Mike’s role was larger in this because he was grossly underused in the first one. There’s not much to say about him as a kid other than, he was the strong silent type and came off as the protector being that he was bigger than the others. As an adult, he stayed behind in Derry as the librarian and has made it his mission to keep track of Pennywise so he could call the others back if he needed to. He almost has an eccentric quality about him because he’s been so hyper-focused on this for so long. I liked Chosen Jacobs, I thought he did well with what he was given but they still didn’t give him his due even in the flashbacks. ANYWAYS, I am proud of Isaiah Mustafa because he was great. He pulled off the manic and sweet personality that Mike has. A gentle giant in ways just because he’s a big guy lol. He had some really great scene with James McAvoy and I would like to see them partner up in the future in some other movies, they had great chemistry. He has some really strong scenes towards the end.
    • James Ransone and Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak. He is a hypochondriac and is over exaggerated in how he always thinks something is wrong with him lol. As an adult, he is a successful risk assessor and married a woman similar to his mother (who is played by the same woman who played young Eddie’s mom lol). Eddie was clearly a fan favorite from the first film because JDG was great with his quick-fire comments, witty replies and his little ticks. I mean, him and Richie are the two I immediately think of when I think of the first movie because they were really good. He’s very funny and I thought James Ransone did a great job portraying an older version of the Eddie we’re used to. He clearly paid attention to JDG and tried to really capture some of his ticks and how he delivers his lines because I thought he managed to pull it off. He’s really quick with a lot of retorts, he’s funny without trying to be funny and I like that his arc centered around being brave because he had that issue in the first one too but it’s magnified in this one.
    • Jay Ryan and Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom. As a kid, Ben was bullied for being overweight, but he was a sweet kid. He was into history and he got “inducted” into the Losers’ club after he finds them when he escaped from Henry Bowers. I thought JRT had this innocence and likability about him that helped his character even though he might have been a little forgettable at times. He has a great flashback scene in the school though lol. As an adult, he is fit and a successful architect. We get some flashbacks to see how he got into that. Jay Ryan plays adult Ben and I think he was the weakest actor out of the bunch and I also thought he didn’t belong a lot of the time, I’m not sure why but I often forgot he was there. When he inserts himself in the scene, he does have this likability about him and he comes off very earnest… but I don’t know lol. But I won’t put him in the cons because I still liked him, he was fine. He had a lot of quiet moments with Chastain to showcase more of how he feels about her and to show us that he’s been lonely for his adult life and all of that is great. But honestly, outside of kind of pining and then kind of being someone to be a bit encouraging, he was just fine.
    • Andy Bean and Wyatt Oleff as Stanley Uris. So, we don’t really get the chance to know Andy Bean’s version of Stan as much as the others, but I have to say, he is spot on casting physically because he looks like he’s related to Wyatt lol. We get to see a lot of Wyatt in flashbacks and I’m glad because it helped his character since he didn’t get a lot of screen time and other things in the first one. He was the stick in the mud of the group but he was very wise and both actors manage to pull that off in the little we get to see of him.
  • Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. He is an ancient monster that awakens every 27 years to feed on the fear of children it murders. Pennywise the clown is clearly it’s favorite form because he gets to have more fun lol. He does a lot of scaring in the first film and gets overpowered and injured but he comes back with a vengeance and he haunts the town of Derry. When the Losers come back, he begins to haunt them as well. He wants revenge for what they did to him all those years ago. I mean, he pulls out all the stops on them. Being that he is a shapeshifter, he takes the forms of many creatures in this film. Some of which we’ve seen before. I think one of the most interesting things about him is when he’s luring people in, he’s very charismatic (creepy) and he appeals to certain natures within that person. However, when he’s with our Losers, whether it be in flashbacks where he’s tormenting them, after they defeated him that first time, or in present where he’s back, he’s really trying to terrify them to get them back for what they did. Bill Skarsgård is amazing. He still does that eye thing which I’m used to now but still off-putting and then he makes some great facial expressions and coupled with the makeup… it’s a lot lol. I still don’t like clowns and if Pennywise ever showed up around me, I’d freak out but at least in the movies, I enjoy watching him do his thing. The voice, the body movements, his presence, it all works. Sometimes he comes off a little silly, particularly when they do the face thing with the teeth but otherwise, he’s a great villain. He does take the form of other creatures in the movie.
Intense Adventure. This movie has a lot of adventure elements, especially when it gets to the last third of the film. When they enter the sewers, the action is going down and it’s handled really well actually. Sure, there are a lot of horror elements in the last act but it’s also very physical and the characters have to do a lot. I was really into it and invested in watching them defeat this monster. It’s definitely bigger than the climax in the first one and we get to see the characters go off on different sections of adventures, some things we’ve seen already from the first film and other are new things. I mean, it’s pretty nonstop once they get into the sewers so be ready for a fast-paced adventure in the last 45 minutes.
Character Chemistry… sometimes. I think the adults manage to have chemistry in some aspects of the film but not always, so I will mention this later. James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain have worked together before and they have chemistry, friendly and romantic which is important since Bill and Beverly had something when they were kids. Bill Hader and James Ransone play off each other really well as while I thought Richie was Bill’s oldest friend and vice-versa, Richie and Eddie seemed to be closer and that shows in this one too. Isaiah Mustafa played really well off of everyone, especially McAvoy as they had a lot of scenes together and Jay Ryan fit in where he could get in… sometimes lol. A great scene though is when they all are in the Chinese restaurant and they just are having a great time, I believed they were all great friends. I also love group shots lol.
Chinese Restaurant/The Fun House/Storm Drain Sequence. Once all the Losers make it back to Derry, they meet at a Chinese restaurant to have dinner and it’s a great sequence because we get to see them fall back into their old ways, remember each other and their childhood and it’s a great scene for all the actors to just live in their characters. It was probably the scene where you see them the most like their kid counterparts. It has a lot of stuff happening, emotional moments, light and comedic moments and of course the scares which was creepy and everyone did well in freaking out about it. I sat in my chair like O.O the entire time. As for the Fun House, you see this part in the trailer, where Bill is in a hall of mirrors trying to save a little boy from Pennywise and it’s such a good scene. It really adds more to Bill’s character and the guilt he feels for Georgie. I read that it was a scene they added last minute, it doesn’t show and I think it was necessary to have. Bill has a lot of internal struggle and this scene really shows all of that. Pennywise is taunting him, and he’s in the fun house to eat this kid and Bill is trying to save him. He ends up getting stuck to watch this kid scream as Pennywise is on the other side of the glass. It’s a great scene and James McAvoy is so good in that scene. He is masterful and I really felt his fear. The kid did a good job as well and of course Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise was good in the scene too. The storm drain scene where Bill goes by his old house and he sees the storm drain where Georgie went missing and he stares at it for a moment. There’s a flashback which Jaeden does a great job acting in. Adult Bill has a moment and I can’t spoil it obviously but gosh it was so good.
The Horror Elements. Obviously, it’s a horror film so there are supposed to be scary elements. Now, with that said, depending on how scared you are, they may not scare you. I really only jumped maybe once in the film and it was towards the end with the “Not Scary At All”, “Scary” and “Very Scary” doors lol. It was what was behind the second door that got me lol. OH! I’m sure you remember the trailer with the old lady, that entire sequence was frightening, all the buildup that led to her reveal was great stuff because you can see her in the background doing weird movements and it’s an entire trip. Her actual reveal was pretty silly, I think I laughed, but everything leading up to it was unsettling. I think the biggest thing this movie does really well is the buildup to things. Pennywise surely takes out all the stops when it comes to going after the adult Losers because he wants revenge but the anticipation of what’s going to happen gets you more than what actually happens, at least, I think. This happens in the locker with Ben, the pharmacy with Eddie, the park with Richie and of course the storm drain with both versions of Bill.
Good Humor. Just as the first one was funny; this one is very funny. I mean, with Bill Hader it was bound to be funny. A lot of the humor goes to both Hader and James Ransone as Richie and Eddie respectively. They both really feel like adult versions of their kid actors. I think Ransone really tried hard to really emulate Jack Dylan Grazer’s quick-fire reactions and witty comments and he managed it most of the time but JDG is so great lol. But anyway, even when they’re not spouting off jokes, they have great facial expressions or even moments that help dissipate the horror. Not to mention, some things that were meant to be scary turned out funny.
The Flashbacks. So, we get some flashbacks with the kids from the Loser’s club which is great because I saw the first one because of the kids. We get to see some scenes we saw in the first one but we also get a lot of new scenes. A lot of them is with the losers on their own, after they defeated Pennywise that first time but he comes back to get in a few more scares. Or at least I think it’s after they defeated him, I thought one of the scenes made that clear but it also is a little confusing because it’s like “they defeated him where he went into early hibernation but he came back just to torment them a few more times??” I don’t know, but either way, I liked the flashbacks. It’s clear they did some de-aging on the kids because it’s been two years since filming and some of them have changed, particularly Finn Wolfhard lol. I mean look at him in the first movie and then look at him now. Some characters get more flashbacks than others, more like little moments than scenes but we still get to see more of them and what their lives were like. Stan has a great flashback during his Bar Mitzvah and I was like Yass Stan the Man. Great scenes.
Cons:
Too Long. This movie is 169 minutes or about 2 hours and 49 minutes long. I mean, it’s long and I think you would be aware that it is. It didn’t really bother me but I wanted to put it here because I’m sure people will complain about it.
Fluctuating Chemistry. I don’t think it’s like horrible or anything but I do think there are times when certain characters just don’t seem to fit as well. It happens every now and then and maybe it had to do with the conflict with the characters in the film but there are times where it’s like “wow, y’all look uncomfortable together” and like I said, it might be the writing. However, Jay Ryan was such an outlier with this group it was pretty noticeable a lot of the time. I don’t know what it was to be honest but I just thought he was the odd one out. It was just something I noticed.
The Romance. I’ll get into this more in the spoiler talk but I don’t really like how it was handled. One character, I thought it was fine. It was the love triangle with Bill, Beverly and Ben that I didn’t quite like. It’s not in your face or handled super poorly the way it normally can be handled in horror films but I thought the payout was lame no matter how it ended in the book. I didn’t believe in the end pairing because I didn’t think there was enough time for them to really have those romantic moments. That is all.
CGI Stuff and Horror. Obviously, this movie is a horror film and don’t get me wrong, I am not a horror fan, there are just some movies that catch my attention that happen to be horror lol. But, a lot of the time the build up for a reveal is handled really well but when things actually happen it turns out funny instead of scary. For example, I’m sure you remember the trailer with the old lady with Beverly in the house. So, that entire scene is unsettling and the old lady does weird stuff in the background and you can see her doing it, but when she actually is revealed, she looks ridiculous that I laughed. That happens a few times. My friend had her face covered with one eye visible for most of the movie and I know she was scared but I’m sorry, I cracked up quite a bit lol. Also, towards the end when we see Pennywise’s true form, it’s a mixture between the clown and his true form and if you have a fear of both clowns and what his true form is, then I can see it being too much and while I don’t like clowns, Pennywise isn’t that scary to me anymore and his final form was also kind of ridiculous. I laughed when they first showed it. I say all that to say, it may be scary to some but funny to others and while I was a little unsettled, I laughed at a lot of the designs. Unlike Judith (the painted lady) and the headless boy from the first film who were genuinely scary, I didn’t quite get that here. Not to mention, it’s also really a little weird when we get flashbacks with the kids and they are de-aged, some more than others, I think I noticed this particularly with Finn Wolfhard, probably because I’m so aware of him. I mean, look at him in the first one and then look at him now and it’s pretty obvious lol.
Loses the Simplicity. I thought a lot about this afterwards, but I think because this movie has to wrap everything up and so much is happening, it suffers a little for being complicated and having a ton of exposition at times. I know Mike is trying to impress upon the others the seriousness of the situation but a lot of times, it’s him talking and shouting at them and then everyone shouting at each other trying to say how they feel about everything. Then you have the entire third act of the film where they go into the sewers and it’s just a scary and fun joyride from there but they have to do so many things that it’s like “get to the point!” don’t get me wrong, I understood everything, I enjoyed the process but I’m also aware that what made the first movie so good, is that it’s complicated but pleasantly simple and it felt more contained whereas this one, is bigger and you can tell. It just feels like so much is going on and being thrown at you at once that it can become an overload of just stuff.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this movie. I think the first one is much better but this movie does a lot of great things. The cast is masterful which is great because the kid actors were the main reason why I wanted to see the first one in the first place. I thought all the adults managed to play the characters well where I can see the kids in them and not be completely upset at how they’re nothing alike. I still hoped for Amy Adams for Beverly but after seeing it, Chastain was fine. I’m happy at the development that Mike and even Richie received compared to the first film and I thought that James McAvoy and Bill Hader were standouts. They all have great chemistry together, especially when it counts. There are three really strong sequences that were acted so well that I just can’t even. This movie is really funny as well. There are a lot of laughs, some that are uncomfortable and some that are genuinely funny. The flashbacks scenes were some of my favorites because we got to see more with the kids and get a bit more development and time with them, which was great and it was handled so well in the film that it didn’t take me out the way flashbacks usually can. There is also some horror in here for the horror fans. I’m not one of those but I was able to handle it for the most part. Now, speaking of horror, I think the buildups to the scary moments were better than some of the actual scary reveals because  sometimes they just looked ridiculous that it made me laugh. I was more unsettled at the little stuff that might have happened in the background or that led up to the reveals. I do think the chemistry was off in some places, but mostly when it came to Jay Ryan. I do not believe the pairing at the end of the movie. I’m not upset about it but I wish the film did better in making me believe it was even an actual option, not just one-sided. Lastly, this film has a lot of stuff to get through and handle and you can tell that there is a lot more going on and it has a hard time, sometimes, making it through without it feeling like a lot. But in the end, IT Chapter Two is a great follow up to a wonderful first film and I definitely recommend it.
Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen IT: Chapter Two? Who is your favorite Loser? What did you think about this film? Let me know in the comments below!
There will be a spoiler talk for this film once I see the movie a second time :D.
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Movie Review: Detective Pikachu (2019)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

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Summary: In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective.
Pros:
Cast and Characters. There are plenty of characters we meet in the film but I’m going to focus on only the lead characters because they’re the ones we see the most and get to know the most.
  • Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu. He is a world-class detective and exceptionally smart talking Pikachu whom only Tim can understand. Reynolds performed both the voice and facial motion capture for the character. At first, when I saw the trailers for this movie, I thought it was weird they chose Reynolds, I mean don’t get me wrong, he’s funny and it’s kind of funny coming out of a cute Pikachu but at the same time, I wasn’t sure if it would take me out of the movie. To be honest, it does take me out of the movie. I watched it twice and it was better the second time around but he’s very distracting because you just think “Deadpool”, while he’s talking. With that said, I thought he did very well in his chemistry with the other actors, sure he’s not on screen with them, at least probably not doing all the movements but the facial stuff and you can tell, he’s expressive. The relationship he builds with Tim throughout the movie is also acted well on his part, you believe they’re slowly becoming friends just like you believe this little Pikachu might be a little neurotic when it comes to certain things. I think Ryan Reynolds plays this like himself, like Deadpool, and it works for the most part.
  • Justice Smith as Tim Goodman. He is a former Pokémon trainer who is looking for his missing father. He ends working with Pikachu and the only person who can hear him speak. Tim is a little jaded when it comes to working with Pokémon after some sadness in his life. He goes to the city to gather up his father’s assets, but he ends up finding this mysterious gas that causes the Aipoms outside his window to freak out, Pikachu shows up and the adventure begins. Throughout the first half of the movie, Tim isn’t interested in Pokémon, he isn’t interested in following in his father’s footsteps, he just wants to move on with his life so he’s that character that needs to be changed by the events he gets involved in. I think he’s a likable character, he’s a little awkward but brave and shows that in many ways. I think Justice Smith is very likable and I think he was a good choice for the role because he has great chemistry with Ryan Reynolds, even though it’s just his voice lol. I think he also handles being in the world of Pokémon, especially to the big city that is full of Pokémon like any newbie would.
  • Kathryn Newton as Lucy Stevens. She is a junior reporter who is accompanied by a Psyduck. She’s plucky and wants to get to the bottom of the mystery she started to unravel herself before Tim shows up. They end up teaming up because he’s the only one who can save his dad and she’s smart and figured most of it out on her own. I mostly know her from Supernatural and she manages to find this fine line of being annoying and kind of endearing at the same time. It works for her. I liked Lucy, she’s very go-get-em and I loved how she would handle her Psyduck as they are easily stressed and can cause problems.
Pokémon/World Design. This movie is so nice to look at it for the most part. The designs of the Pokémon are done so well with how they’re integrated into the real world, there are plenty of times where I’m like “OMG they’re so cute!” like Pikachu clearly got the most budget because he is the cutest thing and I want one lol. Bulbasaur, Psyduck and the Greninjas are also designed nicely. We see these Pokémon the most so I would think they would get a bit more love than the Pokémon that are in the background. They still have that CGI look to them, but you can allow it because they are so “other” that it’s not too jarring when you see them, or when you see new Pokémon up close or anything like that. Not to mention, Rhyme City is clearly based on London, and they’ve elevated it into a futuristic city.
It’s Funny. Of course, humor is subjective, but I laughed quite a bit during this film. I don’t think it’s splitting your sides funny, but it has a lot of well-handled and well-written humor. I think my favorite scene is probably the one with Mr. Mime because I find Mime humor stupid and hilarious and I cracked up. Ryan Reynolds of course has some great lines and with his delivery in that face it works. Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton also have great funny moments, she really reminds me of like those intense reporters, a Lois Lane type and she just will go off doing her own thing and Tim is just like “Wait… what are you doing?” Then of course interactions with other Pokémon as well. It’s funny lol.
Fun Mystery/Interesting Story. I do think the mystery in the film is handled well. I did find myself figuring things out earlier than the reveals, but also being kind of surprised at certain events. I think the writing is handled well enough that you’re if you’re into the story and you like to discover mysteries, this movie might just keep you on your toes. When I watched it the second time, I was able to pick up on more things I might have missed the first, or things that helped me to connect the dots more since I already knew the ending, so it definitely has rewatch value and the story keeps you entertained and engaged. I mean, there are like three different mysteries going on here. I’ll get into this a bit more later.
Cons:
Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. This is a personal thing and I don’t think he was bad, quite the contrary, but I could not stand his voice in the character to be honest. Like I said, when I saw the trailers, I was like “ehhh I don’t know” and thought it was weird they chose Reynolds. I probably would have thought it was weird if they chose anyone with a crazy deep voice and I know that’s the point, but I think the difference in having Danny DeVito vs. Reynolds is that DeVito’s voice might have been funnier coming out of the character and most of the younger crowd might not know who he is, and it might not be as distracting. I can’t say I’d want DeVito either but just comparing. Reynolds’ voice takes me out of the movie on several occasions. I watched it twice and it was better the second time around but he’s very distracting because you just think “Deadpool”, while he’s talking. He clearly has fun but whenever he’s being emotional, I just don’t believe him lol. It always sounds like he’s joking. During an emotional scene, I kind of laughed…
Villain Motives/Plans. So, without spoiling anything, though I am a few months late, lol I though the villain’s motives were lame and while I get how he set up his plan, I thought it was stupid because how would you keep anyone from taking that little piece off your head? It’s not like you have top security… not to mention, his big plan with the humans and Pokémon, while it’s interesting, how would that work in the long run? So many questions and too many holes.
Too Many Plotlines. While I thought the story was interesting and the mystery was fun to figure out, I also just like to solve things, I do think the movie has an issue trying to juggle everything. I mean, there is so much going on. It’s hard to want to cut out any of the storylines because they weaved them together. I mean, Mewtwo is in this and does he have to be? I mean really? The power they rely on that he has, he doesn’t even really have. The reason I thought Tim could hear Pikachu was different than what happened, and I think this goes in with the villain’s main plot. I hope I’m not confusing you lol, I’m trying not to spoil but… I just think there could have been some things cut out from the story.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this movie, more than I thought I would. I think the character designs for the Pokémon is handled so well that whenever Pikachu was on screen, I found myself looking at how his fur moved and other things. I like the characters, particularly the ones we get to spend the most time with and I think the acting is good too. It’s a fun movie with some nice humorous moments thrown in there and I think the movie does a good job at focusing on the relationship between Tim and Pikachu because it’s the most important and most interesting. I do still think it’s hard to not be distracted by Ryan Reynold’s voice, but he’s not terrible at least. The villain motive is stupid and dumb and I’m thinking it could have been taking out of the movie, which would have helped the movie have a more focused storyline without so much going on at once. Oh! Missed opportunity for not having the theme song in the closing credits. MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
Rating: 3.6 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Detective Pikachu? What are your thoughts on the film? What is your favorite Pokemon? Let me know in the comments below!