Movie Night (Official Movie Discussion Thread)

How to Train Your Dragon 2025




PRAISE: Sitting in the theater watching this movie i couldn't help but make comparisons to the 2010 animated version that I loved so much. Fortunately this live action version gets a lot of things right. The plot stays intact: On the rugged isle of Berk, a Viking boy named Hiccup defies centuries of tradition by befriending a dragon named Toothless. Bringing back the animated filmsco-director, Dean DeBlois, was a wise choice. The actors are all game including Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast reprising his role from the animated film.Mason Thames as Hiccup ; Nico Parker as Astrid ; Nick Frost as Gobber ; are able to capture the spirits of their animated versions along with having great chemistry and likability. I was amazed that a lot of dynamics and story threads in this version of HTTYD even soared above or was on the same level as the original. The movie knows when it needs to be thrilling and heartfelt. There is some sharp CGI work,with dragon riding and dragon attacks. It even gets the bond between Hiccup and Toothless the night fury dragon right.

PROBLEMS: The movie attempts to give other characters more screen time but it came off kind of dull and drawn out to me. Some of the green screen backdrops looked a bit off. I can't fully fault the movie for not providing suspense because I basically knew what was coming but I do wish they could have added some new paths that didn't feel like padding.

Scale of 1 to 10 an 8



Materialists





PRAISE: This is the most honest movie I've watched about life,love and relationships since 2009's 500 Days of Summer. The movie is about A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. Dakota Johnson’s character Lucy is beyond honest when it comes to herself, the men in her life and her clients who are looking for a perfect or at least nearly perfect match and Johnson portrays her so well. The movie has so many hard truths about life love and finances. There are quite a few no romance without finance moments. Is it better to be honest with the one you love isn't sizing up financially. This is one of the core questions of the movie. Chris Evans does well as John and I liked how his character wasn't forceful or pushy. There are several realization moments he had and Evans plays it perfectly. Pedro Pascals character is smooth and then some. I instantly thought of when Wayne in Wayne's World even had to exclaim about his rival: OK this guy's good !! Pascal plays him so well a man that's well off but not smug about it and that made his character likeable. There is a scene in which all three characters are in the frame shot and it was perfect because it said a lot without saying anything. I'm glad the movie didn't keep me guessing about something. The movie does it's best to steer clear of being a cliched romantic comedy. Back to Lucy another great thing about her character is that she was respectful and she wasn't playing games with the two gentlemen. The movie is also honest about blind dates and the dark sides of them. At its core is the fact that relationships aren't easy and the more honest we are about what we want and need from them the better.

PROBLEMS: There was an amount of naivety that came from a character that i wasn't buying especially being seasoned for years about dating. There was another hokey wrap around moment that I didn't think was necessary.

Scale of 1 to 10 an 8½
 
This is where I'm at halfway into the year

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28 Years Later





23 years after his zombie film 28 Days Later Director Danny Boyle has returned with a sequel that is horrifying, touching and very entertaining. Putting together a beyond capable cast including Jodie Comer as Isla,Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie,Jack O’Connell as Jimmy Crystal,Alfie Williams as Spike,Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Ian Kelson and Erin Kellyman as Jimmy Ink. Along with co Writer Alex Garland a coming of age story, apocalyptic story and a gorefest actually blend rather well together. As some scenes played out i thought well this should be completely taking me out of the film but they didn't. Rather I enjoyed the dark tones of the movie. The discoveries that young Spike makes of a world that once was and that is quite hard to explain especially certain technology that is fading away before his eyes. I thought the brief moments of humor worked well. There are scenes of extreme gore and not for the faint hearted. Boyle filmed scenes in which there is beauty,horror and suspense and its extremely amazing to look at. One standout scene made my eyes widen and I thought how is this going to play out with this character and will other characters be connected? My question was answered with an absolutely stunning sequence. Even the reactions of some characters to insanely graphic moments were a joy to watch. Some may find some of the gore to be over the top but I found all of it fitting for what I signed up for.

PROBLEMS: There were definitely a couple of moments and outcomes i couldn't fully get on board with. I was left wondering how much a character knew about something. I wonder how some people will feel about the ending that book ends the film. I laughed because i couldnt help but think about
a popular TV series especially the way the characters were moving.

Scale of 1 to 10 an 7½
 
M3GAN 2.0




PRAISE : A Terminator 2, Fight The Future vibe flows throughout the movie which leans heavy into being a sci fi action movie which i didn't mind at all,and letting the horror vibe take a back seat that was so much a part of the first film didnt hurt the movie which still racks up a huge body count. The movie doesn't forget to be campy and funny as it inserts moments of humor and easily shifts from a serious moment to an over the top moment of humor. 27 years ago I remember how people would say how we would easily be able to be faceless and nameless the way technology was progressing and that was definitely brought out in this movie in various ways which i really enjoyed. The cast does a more than enthusiastic job in the movie. Jenna Davis who voices M3GAN does a terrific job. The movie gives her some nice touches throughout. The now extremely wary inventor, Gemma (Allison Williams) is also extremely protective of her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) and she is definitely like her aunt before her. As Amelia Ivanna Sakhno does a great job as the sentient android I swear she and actress Elisabeth Olsen could portray sisters in a movie together. Jemaine Clement has a funny turn as a tech giant. There is plenty of salty dialogue,coupled with some insane visuals. The fight sequences are also quite good. There are even messaes about either walking hand in hand with AI and being cautious of giving over your entire life to it. That went right along with how i really didnt trust Megan which made watching the film even more of an involving ride.


PROBLEMS : There were several predictable character turns. I was pushed to suspend disbelief quite a few times.Actions taking by a character were head scratchers because it could of cost innocent people their lives. Some moments in the movie were a little overly cheesy for me.


Scale of 1 to 10 a 7½
 
F1





PRAISE : It is clear that everyone behind F1 wants to give theatre goers a brand new ,and unique racing car movie experience. The story about race-car driver named Sonny who returns to Formula One after a thirty-year absence is basic around its edges but it does it's best to outrun the basics. I could tell Brad Pitt was in his comfort zone just like his character Sonny in the movie. He's comfortable where he is but is lured back into the high profile circuit by his old friend, Ruben Cerbantes (Javier Bardem) and he instantly butts heads with on the rise driver Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris).There's all the right amounts of tension between the characters and when the movie reaches its second half the tension between Joshua and Sonny is reaching its boiling point and Pitt and Idris do a great job of displaying it. Sonny and chief engineer, Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), have some good moments together as she tries to peel back his guarded layers Sonny has developed over the years. The question is asked of both main characters Do you still love it? I think there is a great risk it all display from both characters that answers that question. Director Joseph Kosinski knows exactly what he's doing with some incredible shots of cars dipping in and out of perilous curves coupled with Hans Zimmers score and I wondered what this experience would have been like in 4DX. I love when a writer and Director aim to involve audiences as much as possible.

PROBLEMS: If the viewer like myself is not an F1 ultra fan they may find themselves lost in all of the car racing jargon that can feel a bit overdone at times. I could see the oiliness of a character coming from miles away. There are definitely some predictable turns and paths in the movie.

It was still a fun ride.

Scale of 1 to 10 an 8
 
My Mom Jayne




This is not only a tribute to Jayne Mansfield but a personal exploration for her daughter Mariska Hargitay
Loss of a loved one the feelings connected to that never goes away and it's written on the faces of all of Mansfields children.The documentary also explores the compassion she had for people she knew her sex kitten persona would get her foot in the door and hopefully lead to more dramatic roles and that search to be taken more seriously lead to her disconnect particularly with Mickey Hargitay. There are so many haunting things i didnt know. There is so much to take in about Jayne and Mariska's lives the situations that were obvious and not so obvious. Love that was shared and and loving connections that fell apart for various reasons. I praise Mariska for being so open with so many personal things ,so much she didnt have to share with the world. But just like Jayne who had her funny,dark and loving sides this documentary also displays a blend of all the aforementioned.


Scale of 1 to 10 a 10+
 
Jurassic World: Rebirth





PRAISE: 3 years after the last Dinosaur adventure under the Jurassic banner this movie is about another age of dinosaurs coming to an end and it turns out there is another secret dino site which may hold a cure for all sorts of diseases. I did buy into some of the melodrama connected to the characters which was established to see why they would care about certain things down the line in the movie. Enough is done to get me to care about a few of the characters. I appreciated the movie for having moments that went for capturing the wonder from the first Jurassic Park movie. There's still fun to be had as various dinosaurs make appearances interacting with, stalking and chomping down on humans. Praise to everyone behind the CGI which looks beautifully flawless at times. Director Gareth Edward's gets some things right as scenes are adequately staged to thrill the audience. I liked the nods to other dinosaur films and Jurassic Park movies of the past.

PROBLEMS: So many things were just to basic and been there and done that. Always a clumsy and careless character that should have really known better. Sinister,greedy, noble,caring and heartless cookie cutter characters . Some things didn't add up about the dinosaurs and the information that should be provided to the world over and over again or at least some kind of perimeter set up for the hard headed. There were so many ultra predictable moments in the movie, so spelled out to the last frames of the movie.

Scale of 1 to 10 a 7
 
Guns Up




PRAISE: By the time this movie was coming to a close it truly felt like I just watched new life was breathed into a couple of been there done that plots I've seen over the years. Kevin James is Ray Hayes a cop and family man with a plan. Do this and that and some of it includes some sinister deeds but at least he's out from under. Even though his character is infused with a big sense of humor i like when James takes on more dramatic roles. It was a pleasure to watch him work with Christina Ricci as his wife Alice. I'm so used to watching her on Yellowjackets it was refreshing and fun to see her in this new role. The multiple characters in the movie are very likeable even when i didn't quite trust some of them but the actors including Melissa Leo,Luis Guzmán,Leo Easton Kelly, Keana Marie and Francis Cronin. I'm glad they waited until the last 30 minutes to reveal a twist. Usually movies that have gone down similar paths show their hands in the first 20 minutes but this one took its time dropping one hint that something was coming. This is a quick, funny,bloody, action romp and will definitely go down as one of my guilty pleasure movies of 2025.

PROBLEMS: One character should have been used more. I felt it was odd that the character vanished for a long time.A few predictable paths and some overly silly moments.

Scale of 1 to 10 an 8
 
Superman 2025





PRAISE: When the movie started it felt like i was entering a chapter in a comic book series well into it's story and it was apparent this was going to be a new take on Superman. Leaning into themes of how quickly or long before the world turns on Superman and a hero becomes an enemy,menace or someone the world should fear the movie does a great job displaying that theme. David Corenswet as Superman / Clark Kent / Kal-El steps into the red boots and does a great job . He has key scenes in which his sincerity,love for human beings....and animals is on full display. But also his frustrations when dealing with other hero's,how the world views some of his actions,and his relationship with Lois Lane. As Lois Lane
Rachel Brosnahan does a great job too. Not backing down from Superman / Clark Kent because she loves him. There are nice nods to the characters personality that i've seen in comics and various movies and TV shows over the years. There is good argumentative banter between her and Superman / Clark Kent but also displays of affection that hit all the right notes of the two characters. As Lex Luthor Nicholas Hoult also does quite well. He's still the genius and psychopath i've come to know over the years who is obsessed with blacklisting Superman but in this movie theres this additional Wall Street broker
vibe but instead of screaming Always Be Closing he's screaming Always be Punching !! Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mr. Terrific is a standout as he laser focuses on the mission at hand. Sometimes the banter between him and the rest of The Justice Gang Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion, that bowl cut looks even odder on the big screen), and Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and it was fun to see their powers on display. Krypto has some good moments as well he may be a bit mischievous but he's always there for Superman as either a protector or caring pet. I never forgot i was watching a James Gunn movie. There's the humor and his love for comic book characters is fully on display. I did laugh at some of the situations and what happens visually in various moments. I liked how Gunn explained something about Superman that has been pondered over for many years,i couldnt help but say hey that was pretty good. As a fan of Superman of course Gunn is going to give Superman some epic action packed moments. I liked the darker tones that were added to the Superman legend. I definitely felt like i was watching live action episodes of the fairly new animated series My Adventures with Superman.




PROBLEMS: The movie actually drags a bit in the middle and i kept saying wow is the movie really going to stay in this mode for this amount of time? Some characters are underused and then some. It's as if the movie is saying oh yeah let's give them something to do in the last 30 minutes.Or lets make pay these characters a visit for a few minutes because i think we have to. Some of the CGI is off at times with far to many close ups. Some of the sillier moments accompanied with wacky visuals and silly songs definitely didnt work for me. A few predictable turns and one that will really standout to fans who know about DC comics multiple universes and the characters within them.I know they were trying to give individual characters stand out moments but I would have preferred more great banter between the characters.


The 1978 Superman movie is still my favorite Superman movie but i enjoyed this new take on Superman



Scale of 1 to 10 a 7½
 
SOVEREIGN





PRAISE: Films like this are so effective and stunning because more and more i see people speaking and acting the way they are Jerry Kane (Nick Offerman) does. He's anti bank and anti government and uses certain rhetoric to try to defy paying his mortgage among other things. But he's also cheating his son Joe (Jacob Tremblay) out of having a life.
Both actors give great performances as I watched their frustrations grow not only from what's happening to them but to each other. Jerry drives around the country and gives seminars for money, about what wording and phrases to use if people find themselves in similar situations like him. He also has a radio call in show and is admired by Lesley Anne ( Martha Plimpton) who helps out the two financially. Even though things looked bleak for both of the characters there is a line of hope that runs through the movie in which I couldn't help Joe realize that what his father is doing is futile. I became very involved with the characters and even found myself nodding my head to some of Jerry's rhetoric. There is a great parallel of Jerry and Joe in Detective John Bouchart (an underused Dennis Quaid) and his police son Adam (Thomas Mann).

PROBLEMS: By displaying a situation at the start of the film, the films last 30 minutes became ultra predictable. Even though I was on edge i think it would have been more effective if they showed Jerry speaking at one of his seminars or giving his son some type of advice or direction at the films start.

Scale of 1 to 10 an 8
 
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