On The Reel

I like to watch movies!

[bdzonthareel]

The Mandalorian and Grogu

(Tumblr is being dumb with photos, sorry in advance.)

So Star Wars has been touch-and-go for me over the past 8 years, and I have been toughing out the lull period of the franchise's tenure with the house that Mickey built.

Despite the modern trajectory of this I.P., it has had a few bright spots; one of them has been The Mandalorian. A series that tells the story of Bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young force-wielding apprentice, Grogu.

After 3 seasons, Disney moved forward creating a film. But did it seamlessly translate between mediums? Let's get into it! This is The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Taking place after Season 3, The (titular) Mandalorian bounty hunter, Din Djarin, and his pint-sized progeny/apprentice, Grogu are hired to hunt down the son of the late Tatooine despot, Jabba the Hutt.

Here’s the thing, I hampered my expectations going in and I will lead in saying that this is NOT a bad movie, moving on…

Narratively, I think there is a great story here… but 2 hours was clearly not enough time to tell it.

Disney understands that you can’t approach the Star Wars name with half measures, and you can see this visually and with the sound direction.

The set pieces are phenomenal, Jon Favreau’s vision is an amazing take on the urban landscapes from the various CGI animated shows. From bright and shiny to dark and dingy.

Composer Ludwig Göransson, understood the assignment giving the soundtrack a level of intensity that would make John Williams proud.

The cast, both returning and new gave strong performances.

Jeremy Allen White as prodigal son, Rotta the Hutt gave an impressive voice over performance, sounding like he was impersonating Seth Rogen.

Sigourney Weaver, the archetypical female action star is on brand as Ward, commander of the Adelphi Rangers.

Jonny Coyne didn’t really leave an impression on me, but this happens in Star Wars a lot.

And for some reason, Mr. “Superhero movies are not cinema”, Martin Scorsese is in this movie for a reason.

Steve Blum reprised the role of Zeb Ourelius, being one of the GOATs of voice acting, this makes my heart happy.

And Pedro Pascal, The Manadalorian is the parton saint of Dave Filoni’s vision for EVERY SINGLE PROTAGONIST THAT HE WRITES!!!!!! Pascal has a charisma that supersedes the stoicism of his character.

As stated earlier, this should not have been made into a movie; a lot of ideas were placed into one film, which played with the pacing of the film.

I have had a strained relationship with Star Wars lately, and I was really hoping this film would give me hope for the franchise. It's given me a morsel, but it still has a long way to go.

I give the Mandalorian and Grogu a 3 out of 5.

So until next time, keep it on the reel.

[bdzonthareel]

Mortal Kombat 2

Picture this: it's 1994, you're reading Electronic Gaming Monthly (Jesus, I feel old!), and you read a blurb about a Mortal Kombat movie in production, how exciting, but you don't take too stock in it until Entertainment Tonight corroborates the claim. Now you're hype, and it was everything you hoped for! But alas, you poor sweet summer child, you will be denied that feeling for some time.

Anyway, I went to see Mortal Kombat 2... Let's get into it!

You see this guy right here? He doesn't know it yet, but he's about to save the world!

We meet an older, world-weary Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) as he is recruited by Raiden, Thunder God (Tadanobu Asuno), and protector of Earth Realm, to participate in Mortal Kombat. A martial arts tournament that holds the fate of humanity in its hands (no pressure).

So, that feeling returned! At the risk of fangirling, I would address everything I liked first.

The set pieces were amazing! Every time I saw a lot of familiar locations from the games, it offered a nice shot of Nostalgia, which thankfully didn't overstay its welcome. Honestly, you could make a game of catching all the easter eggs.

The soundtrack was on point, don't believe me? LISTEN TO THIS!

Costuming and makeup put previous incarnations to shame. So much care was put into these bad boys! This is what effort looks like!

The story is simple; if you've played previous games or have passing familiarity with lore, you won't be disappointed. I especially love the fact that we have a Mortal Kombat Live-Action project that leans into its pedigree of violence and gore.

Let's talk casting;

Spoiler: Remember G.I. Joe: Retaliation? Let's just say Cole Young (Lewis Tan) got the Channing Tatum treatment. Thanks, New Line!

These promo pics for the cast are too big and I am not resizing EVERY SINGLE CAST PHOTO!

Ludi Lin was still just there as Liu Kang, I don't think he's a bad actor (hell, he was one of the best parts of the Power Rangers reboot.)

Martyn Ford cuts an amazing, imposing figure as the all-mighty despot Shao Kahn.

Tadanobu Asano as Raiden still doesn't have me sold, He has the sagely qualities, but he's not in it long enough to appreciate his character.

Tati Gabrielle was an excellent choice for Jade; she and Kitana's actress had amazing chemistry, which is likely because they have worked closely in the past.

Mechad Brooks still killed it as Jax, complete chad energy!

Jessica McNamee returns as Sonya Blade; she gives Sonya some nice snarky remarks.

Chin Han reprises Shang Tsung, the shapeshifter sorcerer who appears to be plotting behind the scenes.

Hiroyuki Sanada gives some amazing gravitas to the Shirai-Ryu Shinobi, Hanzo Hasashi aka Scorpion.

John Lawson is the second most charismatic dude in this cast, the newly resurrected Kano.

Adelene Rudolph made me care about the character of Kitana. You can tell that she really got into this role, and this performance better boost her career!

Man, Karl Urban came in clutch as Johnny Cage! One, he and Rudolph made for very dynamic protagonists. Her being serious but charming demenor, and Urban's dry wit. His character arc was definitely entertaining, he develops but doesn't lose what made his character so beloved. I really look forward to seeing him in the third film!

Director Simon McQuoid was cooking with some of these scenes. Like many in this sequel, he learned from his mistakes.

Fight Choreographer Michael Lehr went for substance over style; strikes felt deliberate and had nice weight. The speed was much slower than in other films of its ilk. But it felt like real fights were going on.

I have to say as someone who has become cynical to the oversaturation of nostalgia Pr0n (not getting me algorithm!), this respects the franchise in a way no one thought could be done! Funny, heartfelt, and dark at times. Writer Jeremy Slater was brought on to accomplish course correction. No "arcana", no other bs like that; I dare say this might be the best video game adaptation of all time!

Far from perfect, this is still based on a game where you can turn you opponent into a baby, but damned if I didn't enjoy myself.

I give Mortal Kombat 2, a flawless... I mean 4 out of 5.

So until next time, keep it On the reel.

[bdzonthareel]

Michael

Love or hate him, no one can understate the legacy of Michael Jackson as an entertainer. He was destined for stardom from a young age and he was dedicated to mastering his art. I don't want to gloss over the various scandals that he was involved in; a lot of innocent people endured pain because of his struggles and I don't blame anyone for not wanting to watch this film. That said, I will keep this review as impartial as possible. So let's talk about Michael.

The film chronicles his early career with his family as he searches for his voice as an entertainer and becomes his own man.

The performances in this film are from the beginning, its greatest strength. Juliano Valdi, who plays young MJ did an excellent job emulating his footwork during the Jackson Five era.

Coleman Domingo literally transformed himself to become (father of the year) Joe Jackson. I really hope that he doesn't get typecast in these kinds of roles, because he is a very versatile character actor, even going so far as to use prosthetics to look like the (allegedly) abusive patriarch.

Nia Long gave a captivating performance as Katherine Jackson, expressing a very strong bond with Jafaar Jackson's performance as Michael.

Miles Teller didn't play a huge role, but as attorney John Branca he definitely wasn't just window dressing.

KeiLyn Durrel Jones was pique casting as personal Security Guard and Trusted confidant to Michael.

Jafaar Jackson, who slips into his uncle's rhinestone glove, did an excellent job impersonating the King of Pop; he's got the moves and voice down, and while not looking too convincing, he caputred his childlike energy. He definitely gave a solid performance on all fronts. Jafaar Jackson is undoubtedly a triple threat, and his Uncle would be proud.

Director Antoine Fuqua, who has spent a large part of his career working with some of Hollywood's most prolific black actors, added an essential energy to the story of the larger-than-life pop icon because, say what you want about his appearance, but MJ never denied his culture nor his pride as a black man in an industry that tried (and failed) to put him in a box. This is why it is so important for black creatives to tell black stories.

And then there's the elephant in the room: rumors are floating around about a sequel, telling the story of his solo career. My biggest concern is that producer Graham King will blanch this second film (if it happens) like he did with Bohemian Rhapsody, avoiding the aspects that could make some moviegoers uncomfortable. And that's my problem with most Bio pics, this tendency to play it safe; more concerned with the bottom line than telling a true story (looking at you, Greatest Showman).

I liked things about this film, and as a lifelong fan, I wanted to love it. But I can't excuse all the lumps in the oatmeal here. Studio meddling made this movie feel like it was insulting audience members who weren't wearing rose-colored glasses, like myself.

I give Michael a 3 out of 5. So until next time, keep it on the reel!

[bdzonthareel]

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

So I'll admit that I may have been little too hard on The Super Mario Bros. Movie. I was wrong for my initial reaction, but I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong. That said, I went to see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and I guess we should talk about it. Also... LETSO GO!

We're introduced to Princess Rosalina (voiced by Brie Larson), who has been keeping a watchful eye over the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as Princess Peach(Anna Taylor-Joy), via a magical storybook. When Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) kidnaps her with plans to free his father, Bowser (Jack Black). Mario and Luigi (Chris Pratt and Charlie Day), along with the help of Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key).

Now I don't hate this movie, just like the last one. There many things I actually enjoyed, the orchestral arrangement; chef's kiss. They rely less on jukebox music and remember that Mario games have some of the most memorable tunes in gaming. Fans have been clamoring this sense the last movie, there's even a fan project for that arrangement that you can listen to here

This is a visually stunning film, bright colors and many familiar set pieces for the fans to gawk at!

The animation is as clean as ever, this is seriously Illumination's best work. Too bad their bread and butter are those stupid walking twinkies!

The fight scenes were my second favorite part of this movie, the final battle has to have been the coolest thing the franchise has put together!

Voice acting was a mixed bag, 3 tier actually; Good, meh, and Chris Pratt, which I'm sad to say has 2 entries this time.

Good :

Jack Black as Bowser is just fun as I remember, a definite show stealer. He seems to have reigned himself in a bit, which isn't bad but just something that I noticed.

I'm pleased to report that Charlie Day is still awesome! (especially as Luigi). He plays a more confident and experienced version of the character, not completely fearless but willing to step up when it matters.

Keegan-Michael Key, who says he was given carté blanche to do as he pleased with the character continues to breathe life into what is essentially a one note character. He was a fun character from a fun actor.

Meh:

Benny Sadfie was an interesting choice, I would have cast a female voice actor personally. But he was fine.

Anya Taylor is able to give personality, making her more than just the Girl™️ of the group.

And the posters already spoiled it, Glenn Powell as Fox McCloud performed well, in what I will now refer to as the Super Smash Bros.- verse!

Donald Glover clearly had fun as Yoshi, probably his favorite role.

Luis Guzman gets honorable mentions for his performance as Wart.

Last and totally least:

Brie Larson is not a voice actor, and her performance reflects it.

Hey Chris Pratt,

I don’t like you or your god awful Brooklyn accent. Stop.

So there’s not much of story, but this isn’t new to the franchise. The film has added more lore than the games ever had, Not deep but impressive for what it is.

This like the previous film is a great family movie, kids will love it, and parents will enjoy the member berries. But personally the reliance on nostalgia and fan service isn’t enough for me anymore and why I can’t rate it higher.

So I give The Super Mario Galaxy movie a 3.5 out of 5.

So until next time, keep it on the reel!

[bdzonthareel]

Wicked: For Good

We have reached the bittersweet conclusion of the saga of Wicked, this cinematic reimagining of the primary antagonist of The Wizard of Oz. I have already gone record saying that the first movie is THE BEST musical to movie adaptation ever.

In Wicked: For Good, takes place 5 years after the first movie, Elphaba has been labeled a terrorist thanks to vicious propoganda being spread by Madame Moribelle and The Wizard. Nessarose is the new governor of Munchkinland, ruling over them with an iron fist in order to keep Boq in line. While Fiyero and Glinda, are engaged.

I'll get this out of the way, but it's not that great but it's also not terrible.

The performances were as solid as across the board. And since there were no cast changes I don't have to name names... and I won't, this review is late as is.

The technical aspects were as brilliant as ever, I really love how Director Jon M. Chu brought the imagery of the play to life.

The music (which convinced me to bring tissues for) really matches the films primarily somber tone with songs like "No Good Deed!" and "March of The Witch Hunters" (a far cry from "Dancing through Life".)

But songs like the movie original song like "No Place like Home," and the titular track "For Good" added a splash of color to the story.

But this was an unapologetic sequel, and the problem with that is there will be people who decide to watch this movie on its own, or people who forgot a good amount of the first film. While I personally didn't have a problem, I do believe that this could alienate those afforementioned viewers. The first film can absolutely be watched on its own but, in For Good it feels more like an MCU film. A nitpick to be sure, but an important one to me.

The narrative still asks the question "What are truly good and pure evil?" Whether or not you get answer is dependent upon you belief system.

Did this film defy gravity? Not so much, but it stuck the landing and that's fine.

I give Wicked For Good a 3.5 out of 5

[bdzonthareel]

Now you see me, now you don't

Who wants to see a magic trick? Well Director, Ruben Fleischer thinks you might as he takes the helm on the latest entry in the Robin Hood stage performer franchise in Now You See Me, Now You Don't!

Magician troupe/vigilante group The Four Horseman reunite and team up with 3 young illusionists to uncover a european crime syndicate's dirty dealings.

One thing I love about this series is that we get to see a side of Jesse Eisenburg outside of his awkward nerdy sthick, Atlas is Eisenburg at his most charismatic.

Same goes for Justice Smith, whose catalog of playing the same character could easily put Eisenburg and Michael Cera to shame.

Like seriously more of this please!

Arianna Greenblat wasn't half bad, but I'm so used to seeing her as a kid that I didn't realize that was her.

I don't recognize Dominic Sessa, I almost mistook him for Ben Schwartz... my bad.

Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco have maintain some very strong chemistry over the years and that goes double for the entire cast

Also, I love Rosemund Pike, but never do that "european" accent again!

But I will be honest, I couldn't care less about the story, this franchise has always leaned into the pagentry of "magic". You're here from dope action and a sweet soundtrack, and by gosh if I didn't get that! (excuse my launguage)

The set pieces felt like an escape room, which was clearly intentional the script literally says so.

But in all seriousness, this is the kind of action shlock that I ate up in High School, hell still do!

I give Now You See Me Now You Don't a 3.5 out of 5

[bdzonthareel]

Good Fortune

If you're a member of the 99% there's a good chance that you are busting your hump to make ends meet; I know I am!

But imagine if you trade places with the 1 percent for a week, what would do with all of that power?

Good Fortune poses just such a question, let's get into it.

This is story of Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) an angel who feels like he could do more good in the world than he is allowed to do, when decides to take matters into his own hands and meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker (Aziz Ansari) and a wealthy venture capitalist (Seth Rogen).

Aziz Ansari performs triple duty by writing, directing and starring in this, which I think leads to the film having a lack clarity.

As the character of Arj, he's written basically as himself; awkward, cynical, but not unlikable. But the problem there is that he wrote it more like a stand up bit. The jokes definitely land, but I didn't feel engaged by this story. This why I don't follow a lot of projects where he is the focus outside of his stand up.

The cast is stacked with talent; 2 of Hollywood's favorite teddy bears, Keanu and Seth have amazing chemistry, and I smiled every time that they were in a scene.

Sadly I did feel that level of chemistry between Ansari and Keke Palmer, I didn't buy their romantic subplot at all. They weren't horrible but they just didn't do it for me as a couple.

Sandra Oh plays Gabriel's mentor Martha, and she plays it with such maternal warmth.

The film was wholesome and well made, but it wears its inspirations on its sleeve, and that really took me out of the film. I wasn't sure what to expect beyond the body/life swap trope, but I definitely had that expectation met.

The movie could have been better with a different writer, Ansari's schtick was not well suited for this story.

Not a bad film but not great.

I give Good Fortune a 3 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You!

Mental Health has been an issue with people, forever. It's stigmatized, looked down upon, and at times just plain ignored. But this doesn't go for the patients, but many therapists are weighed down with the burden of helping those who can't go it alone. And this is the major point of the film I will be discussing, let's get into it.

If I had legs I'd kick you is the story of Linda (played by Rose Byrne), a therapist dealing with a mountain of stress; which includes her daughter's mysterious illness, an absent husband, a missing client, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her own therapist.

Now, I felt this movie in my soul and not just because of my own career. My dayjob is a therapist and I have unique perspective on this film as both a critic and clinician, so the way Linda can't seem to catch a break is all too relatable.

Byrne depicts the role of Linda with such realistic vulnerabilty, that I could understand her position very well.

A$AP Rocky was surprisingly talented as an actor, I'm not a fan of his music but with a little more polish he could be on par with the likes of many other musicians that made the jump to acting.

Conan O'Brien showed some solid dramtic chops here. He wasn't going for soap opera seriousness, but it was a fusion of his comedy genius and sailing in uncharted waters.

Mary Bronstein directed and penned this film, she created a piece of poignant piece of cinema in this work. She managed to toe the line between reality and the surreal, conveying deeply feeling of being in over your head in a situation where you can't neccesarily afford to.

The music's etheral nature helps to cement this concept, with the increasing and decreasing of tempos in various scenes.

This is not a perfect film, not trying to imply that in anyway, but I was dying to watch simply because of the film's concept and I was not disappointed.

If you have ever sought therapy or have ever worked in the field, this is worth your time.

I give, If I had legs I'd kick you a 4 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

Black Jack (OVA)

No this isn’t a gambling anime, this is an adaptation of a series from the legend himself, the late great Osamu Tezuka! (And if that name means nothing to you, then you should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque!)

Moving along, Black Jack is the original unlicensed doctor, who is the best man for any treatment archetype. Having lost all faith in the Japanese medical system, he became a legend because of his never quitting attitude, determined to save any life he is everything Tezuka-sensei (who was an actual physician at one point) wanted to be as a doctor.

AnimEgo is releasing a blu ray collection of the original ova (Original Video Animation, don’t as me again!) and from what trailer shows in HD I can’t wait to rewatch it!

You can pre-order at this link !

[bdzonthareel]

After The Hunt

What did I watch? Seriously, I sat on this review hoping that letting the recency bias pass would give me a little more clarity. I haven't felt this dumb about being wrong in a very long time. Maybe we can make sense of After the Hunt together, let's get into it.

An incident involving a philosophy professor and his student ends up getting one of his closest colleagues sucked in, which forces her to dig up some demons from her past.

I have a mix of emotions here, I seriously haven't been this confused since questioning my faith in the church.

Upon further research, I found out that this movie was a thriller...

stick a pin in this point until the end.

Visually unimpressive to say the least, it looks like the real world, with scenes that I have checked out in person.

The music may be the film's strongest point, while generic it was pleasant to listen.

It was well acted, but the cast is so well known that they definitely made a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

I don't have a lot to say about this one. I wouldn't say it's bad; no this film is a misguided, incorrectly categoried mess. It's a cinematic hot pocket, not filling with no essential value to it.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

Tron: Ares

We're really doing this again, aren't we? 1982's Tron was a technological marvel, especially for its time, It was a story about the infinite potential of one of mankind's innovations, technology, some say there wasn't much of plot, but I look at it as more of an idea of what humans can create when they put their minds to it. Since that masterpiece, we have had multiple expansions of the world's lore, some were amazing pieces of story, such as the sequel game Tron 2.0 and (tragically cancelled) prequel to the first sequel film, known as Tron: Uprising; still mad about that one.

And then there are the sequel film, Let's get into it.

Many years after after the events of Legacy, new CEO of Enron software, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) has been tirelessly looking for the Macguffin, I mean the permanance code; and a piece of data that can allow computer programs to live freely in our world. And a rogue AI named Ares teams up with Eve to find it. But Enron's biggest rival Dillenger technologies is on their tails.

I'll be honest, I hated Legacy, it was soulless and joyless and lacked the heart of the original. And I have the exact same feeling here.

It looks good and sounds good (thanks to Trent Reznor), this was a very expensive light show.

Greta Lee, Jeff Bridges, Hasan Minajh and Gillian Anderson were all that made it entertaining narrative wise. Poorly underutilized, however.

I'm not familiar with Jodie Turner-Smith's body of work to give much of an opinion on her performance.

Evan Peters loves playing all kinds of character, and this cartoonish villain schtick was chuckle-worthy.

And Jared Leto was Jared Leto, a character playing a character. I can't take him seriously in any role anymore, he was there.

Joachim Rønning, did not impress me with said light show, in fact is visuals are practically allegorical for the complete film, all style, no substance.

I'll paraphrase the powerpuff girls opening; Tron, Pinocchio, and Kamen Rider, these were the ingredients chosen to create the plot for this film! But Joachim Rønning accidentally added an extra ingredient to the concoction, EXCESSIVE NOSTALGIA! And thus Tron: Ares was born!

I was insulted by the "corporation am bad" theme in this movie, and I will not point out the irony in this situation.

Especially since this was basically a feature length merchandising pitch! I saw these vehicles and thought, "I SMELL TOY SELLS!"

And they sequel baited! God I hate this movie!

Y'all need to stop, this movie was drenched in member berries! This was opposite direction of Legacy, I bet someone in production tried to make this a course correction. IT. DID. NOT. WORK.

I will say this much, I wasn't disappointed by this film but that's not saying much. There is absolutely no reason for either sequel to exist.

I know I am in the minority, but I will proudly scream into this void.

I give Tron Ares a 2 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

Kiss of The Spider Woman

Bob Fosse, Chita Rivera, and Raúl Juliá are all names associated with a powerful story about overcoming adversity and oppression. Kiss of the Spider Woman is most well-known in the world of musical theater, and of course, it wears its inspiration on its sleeve, so let's get into it.

Kiss of the Spider Woman is about Valentin(Diego Luna), a political prisoner in 1983 Argentina, in the wake of civil unrest. His cellmate, Molina (Tonatiuth) is a gay window dresser arrested for public indecency. The 2 bound over Molina's retelling of his favorite movie, Kiss of the Spider Woman; which starred his Hollywood idol, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez).

So if you have been following my blog for some time, you know that I love musicals and take the medium very seriously. So the announcement of this film raised some flags for me, especially with Jennifer Lopez as the Titular character, because do you remember "On the Six"? cuz I sure as hell do! (#iykyk) But I was honestly taken aback by her performance, her maturity as an actress, heck a performer is on full display here. She's been on a roll since returning to leading lady status on screen, and she did not disappoint, channeling the hokey cheesiness of musical theater (which I adore.) She had some big shoes to following the likes of Vanessa Williams and the late great goddess of musical theater, Chita Rivera. But I think Chita would be in proud.

Diego Luna, is there anything that man can't do? Dance, sing, voice act, be one of the sexiest creatures to walk... Sorry! But yes he was amazing, as the haughty revolutionary (I'm sensing a theme here, Mr. Luna)

But the heart and soul of this film, is Tonatiuth's performance as Molina. A victim of circumstance, who has heard all his life that his existence is an abomination and the fact that who he chooses to love is considered a crime. And in the number "She's a woman," I felt Molina's heartache and his desire to be anyone else but who is in that moment. I hope the academy takes notice.

They tried to get as many songs from the show in as they could without diluting the message, I wholeheartedly believe that they succeeded.

Director Bill Condon, gave great attention to juxtaposing the real world with that of the one in Molina's mind. Dull grey tones conveyed the hopelessness in Argentina at that time, while the bright colors of the silver screen felt worlds away by comparison.

Kiss of the Spider Woman' s message is just as revelant it was in the novelation back 1976, society is chaotic as ever, there is no shortage of civil unrest, and the powers that be continue to try categorizing us based off of antiquated values. The story has a bittersweet conclusion, but it also shows glimmers of hope, however faint it is. And that just has to be enough, so keep pushing forward.

I give Kiss of The Spider Woman a 3.5 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

One Battle After Another

So first off, this is not a biopic about the current state of the nation (but I assure, art might be imitating life in this case.)

But I definitely can't ignore that this film is little too relevant, right now.

So One Battle After Another, let's get into it!

In OBAA we are introduced Bob (played be Leo DiCaprio), a former revolutionary turned burnt out stay at home dad. He keeps his teenage daughter (Chase Infiniti) on short leash due to his past life, until it comes back to haunt him in the form of an old enemy (Sean Penn) looking to tie up loose ends.

Paul Thomas Anderson, 3 words that are synonomous with cinema did not miss with this one.

PTA's guerilla style of cinematography really suits this story, there was no excessive use of Shakey cam shooting and the like.

The music was pique as well, but let's be honest this man makes use of all the tools he's given in film making.

The stories themes of forgiveness, for oneself and others is one of the film's most powerful message. And the state the world currently makes the revolution side plot all the more relavent.

With such a stacked cast, I had a hard time picking a favorite. Sean Penn as an unhinged Military Police Officer was hilarious, Regina Hall was delightful as an exhausted revolutionary who just wants to finish this current mission. Teyana Taylor as Perfidia was purposely unlikeable, but the way her arc ended was half assed. Benicio Del Toro, showing his impeccable comedic range.

Leo was funny playing the "cool dad" trope, and I was amused by it, I mean the man is an Oscar winner for a reason.

Chase Infiniti, a brilliant young lady who worked very well off of her costars. She's going to be big.

I need to make one thing clear, Paul Thomas Anderson is one the goats of cinema, and he killed it here.

But the plot holes, while few and far between stuck out. Even if they aren't deal breakers.

But I have no complaints otherwise.

I give One Battle After Another a 4 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

The Smashing Machine

In recent years, I have been a HUGE critic Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's quest for Hollywood dominance. He has energy drinks, his own production which primarily bank rolls his various media projects, and is a member of WWE's executive board of shareholders. The guy does a lot, and he's massive action star to boot. But not one to be pigeonholed by Hollywood typecasting, The most electricfying man in all of entertainment, may have broken a major barrier yet again, with The Smashing Machine, Let's get into it.

We're given a look into the early life and career of retired MMA fighter, Mark "The Smashing Machine" Kerr. His ascenion, his various career hurdles, his struggle with addiction and eventual recovery.

I was left speechless after leaving the theater, I mean damn! It surpassed my expectations substancially. I never knew the Rock had this much nuance in his repetoir; not only did he physically transform him for the role, but he studied Kerr's mannerism and speech and the hard work paid off.

Emily Blunt as Kerr's partner, Dawn Staples didn't disappoint at all. Playing the role of someone dealing with their own demons while simultaneously being strong for someone else. It's a very relatable (and all the more sad) situation to be a part of.

MMA fight Ryan Bader, needs to get his flowers for his performance as friend trainer, and rival, Mark Coleman. I can only imagine how being a part of such an important story meant to him.

And how can I forget my favorite MMA teddy bear, Bas Ruten. His relationship with Kerr in real life added something personal to his performance.

Blunt and Johnson have a level of chemistry that only 2 good friends can have. And this is testament to both of their talents.

Director Benny Safdie, brought his a-game. I talk about visual storytelling a lot and I can say this is one of the film's greatest strength. In a story involving a sport that is so heavily based in physicality, "show don't tell", is the best way to go.

But I was getting slight nauseated by some of the more extreme shots. And I saw it in IMAX, which is completely unnecessary; save yourself 5 bucks.

The soundtrack delightfully simple, for such a powerful less is more and I am satisfied.

I didn't have any faith in this movie given The Rock's filmography. But I can say wholeheartedly that he has come a long from the cameo he had in "The Mummy Returns." I would dare say that this is an award nominee caliber performance.

IF YOU SMELLLLLLLLLLLLOW, WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING!

I give The Smashing Machine a 4.5 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

HIM

Toxic Masculity, its everywhere and I am not being hyperbolic when I say that. And if there is any question on where I stand on it, I think it disgusting. That aside, I wanna talk about the new movie HIM which is brought to us by Jordan Peele's company, Monkey Paw productions. So let's get into it.

Isiah White (Marlon Wayans) takes NFL hopeful Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) under his wing in hopes of making Cam into a worthy sucessor, but the cost may be higher than he realizes.

So the very first thing that sticks out to me is Director Justin Tipping desperately wants to be taken seriously by the industry, so much that he tries way too hard to emulate Jordan Peele's subversive storytelling style. And that attempt only hurt him in the end because if rotten tomatoes is any kind of metric, people aren't picking up what he's dropping down.

In trying to be an artsy horror director, his message was severely muddled.

Tipping is not suited for genre bending of this magnitude.

That said (and excuse my language) this movie batshit insane! Like what even was this? They went from American Football to Demonic worship and the tonal whiplash is real.

Tyriq Withers while not exactly giving a career defining performance, played the role of a naive kid who went from a big fish from a small pond, to a kid who is out of his depth, to eventually ascending to the eponymous "HIM".

Marlon Wayans however, carried this film, he's really grown as an actor and he understood the assignment, roided out, washed up, lost and moving on kicking and screaming. He is HIM.

A brief aside, "HIM" means "I'm the man" just in case you were curious.

There was potential for a social commentary infused horror story here, but Tipping did not stick the landing.

At best this is so bad, it's good.

I give HIM a 2.5 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

I'm cynical about many things in 2025, the state of the world, interpersonal relationships, the entertainment industry and so much more. But at the top of this list, I have almost no faith in romance and no I will not go into detail; my private life is... private.

So I tried to stop my eyes from rolling too hard at the thought of experiencing yet another rom com. But sometimes life will surprise you and I guess this was an interesting surprise. So let's get into it.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, stars Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie as David and Sarah, 2 single individuals who (literally) are brought together by fate as the end up on this titular journey to figure themselves out.

I'll be real with you, aside from a few different ingredients, this is the same gumbo as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

The visuals felt like an attempt at the type of transitions that Michel Gondry is known for, only more homoginized.

However I'm willing to give Director, Kogonada some grace; He hasn't been in the industry for a decade yet, so I have faith that he will become a master in this medium. That said I was so taken a back by his artistic visuals, the use of color really lent itself to the film's visual storytelling.

And OH MY GOD, they got Joe "TONARI NO TOTORO" Hisaishi to compose the soundtrack! Musashi-sensei's resume speaks for itself and this belong on it, the score ads a very powerful sense of whimsy to it all.

Minimalism is apart of this story's vibe, visually and casting wise, There are only 4 well known actors casted here, Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie and to a lesser extent, Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. All well acted, Kline and Waller especially added to "Com" side of the film.

I honestly could have done with the manic pixie nonsense, it's a tired trope and have both mains be manic pixies was groan inducing.

So does this film living up to its name? I'd say so. It's a somewhat messy journey but there is a lot of fun to be had. It's great idea for date movie, so have a blast!

I give A Big Bold Beautiful Journey a 3 out of 5.

[bdzonthareel]

Hamilton

How does a bastard, orphan, loudmouth creole, move up the social ladder, and in death become hero? Well ask Lin Manuel Miranda, the man has hyper focus, and as of this writing it's considered his magnum opus!

Okay, I'll stop rapping. But seriously after 10 years of not throwing away his shot, Hamilton is still one Broadway's most talked about shows. And this is no fluke with 2 Tonys best musical, he is a legend in the making.

And the mark this show has left in pop culture cannot be understated. So, with said it's time to talk about Hamilton, Let's get into it.

For the uniniated, Hamilton is the historically fictional retelling of the rise and downfall of one of history's lesser know founding fathers, the Titular Alexander Hamilton.

Before I go on, I have to applaud Lin's commitment to the bit of this role. He actually grew his out for the sake of authenticity, the man is a true theater kid.

Let's talk about the cast, first and foremost; the chemistry is legit and that is the magic of performing on stage, if there is no rapport then your show is doomed (and I speak from personal experience.)

Lin is a quadruple threat here, writing, dancing, rapping and (to a lesser extent,) singing for this show. He's the captain of this ship and you already see how much trust his crew has in him.

Like in many shows, some actors play multiple roles, and we see some strong executions from from the likes of Jasmine Cephas-Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Anthony Ramos. All amazing performed and yet another aspect that I can relate to.

Daveed Diggs also played dual roles, he was the Marques de Lafayette, in which he performed my favorite song in the show (Guns and Ships), and more over he played the oh so smooth Thomas Jefferson. This performance earned him his first Tony for best supporting actor, he was that good.

Long time collaborator, Christopher Jackson as George Washington gave a strong leader like presence in this show.

Leslie Odom Jr., served as narrator and friend, rival and antagonist Aaron Burr. His passion for this role shown long before he had been casted. I love where career has gone this role.

Philipa Su and Renee Elise-Goldsberry as Elizabeth and Angellica Schuyler (respectively) made names for themselves in performing arts in these roles. And I can't anything more than what has already been said elsewhere.

I almost forgot that this music was also written by Lin, because he clearly hates sleeping. And he still managed to make this a true experience.

I don't regret seeing it in a movie theater when I can just watch it at home, but if that's not your jam, I totally get it.

But I will watch again, Just you wait.

I give Hamilton a 5 out of 5.