Stuber Movie Review

Stuber (2019)

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Written by: Tripper Clancy
Directed by: Michael Dowse
Starring: Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, Mira Sorvino, Natalie Morales, Iko Uwais, Bety Gilpin, Karen Gilpin
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A detective recruits his Uber driver into an unexpected night of adventure.

Verdict
It's an able comedy that delivers a lot of action. You get what's advertised, an odd couple buddy cop movie. Bautista is the macho muscle while Nanjiani delivers deadpan retorts. This is an above average comedy that's a pretty easy watch.
It depends.

Review

Bautista plays Vic Manning the macho cop who doesn't cry while Nanjiani plays Stu. A stereotypical modern man that isn't afraid to show any amount of emotion. They are thrown together when Vic needs Uber due to eye surgery and then must catch a drug dealer before it's too late.

It was clear glasses were going to be an issue with Vic wearing glasses and constantly adjusting them. I have to wonder how it never came up in all his years as an officer. Maybe he's getting older and just started needing glasses.

Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjinai play Vic and Stu.

The setup is pretty standard. Vic gets eye surgery to correct his vision and can't see. His daughter shows him the Uber app and that's when Stu comes it. Stu is desperate to get a five star review. There are lots of jokes based on Vic's ignorance of Uber.

There's great chemistry between the leads. If you've seen Nanjiani anywhere else then you're used to his usual style of humor. I appreciate that his character has a bit of depth to his character. He wants to end this Uber ride so he can see a woman that he really likes. Vic is supposed to go to his daughter's art show, but instead is chasing a criminal.

Vic is emotionally distant while Stu embraces his feelings. Of course they both change each other for the better, developing a camaraderie during their adventure. For most of the night Stu is out of his depth, asked to chase criminals and hold a firearm.
They make each other better. This is a silly movie, but it's an easy watch.

Best & Worst Movies 2019 Year-End Review

Best & Worst of 2019

Check out my previous reviews!

I watched two-hundred and two movies this year. Here are my top 13 and bottom 3 picks for the year. This is based simply on the movies I watched this year, not on what was released this year.
Check out the previous year-end reviews.

I frequently forget to catalog the best scenes, but If Beale Street Could Talk's emotional scenes are well crafted, Dragged Across Concrete does an amazing job creating tension, and The Matrix's actions scenes defined a generation.
The Top 13 of 2019:

First Reformed (2017)

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Written by: Paul Schrader
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric the Entertainer
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A minister of a small congregation in upstate New York grapples with mounting despair brought on by tragedy, worldly concerns, and a tormented past.
Verdict
This movie has a small focus, but it's tackling big issues. Hawke does a great job as Toller, a man that barely holds it together while his life is in shambles. This looks at climate change, personal crises, and making a difference. It's well written and directed, a movie that will stick with you after the credits roll. This looks at personal responsibility from a number of different angles, and Toller is such an intriguing character. While we don't fully know his motives, that only makes him more authentic. Human beings don't always make sense, biased in a number of ways.
Full Review

Widows (2018)

Rent Widows on Amazon Video // Buy the novel  
Written by: Gillian Flynn & Steve McQueen (screenplay by), Lynda La Plante (based on "Widows" by)
Directed by: Steve McQueen
Starring: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Set in contemporary Chicago, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities resolve to pay off the debt by engaging in the same crimes that got their husbands killed.
Verdict
A nice twisting plot that's really well written. This balances action with character development. It feels like the characters have lives off screen too. This is a well made movie with great dialog and shots. McQueen is a great director and he's working with a fantastic script. I continuously thought, "Wow, that's good."  From the dialog to the images and characters, there's nothing not to like about this.
Full Review

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

Rent If Beale Street Could Talk on Amazon Video // Buy the book  
Written by: Barry Jenkins (written for the screen by), James Baldwin (based on the book by)
Directed by: Barry Jenkins
Starring: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, Regina King
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A woman in Harlem embraces her pregnancy while she and her family struggle to prove her fiancé innocent of a crime.
Verdict
This is an impressive movie. Everything works together to create an intimate and emotional movie. You feel what this movie is saying, you empathize with the characters. The directing and performances are amazing as characters are brought to life. The movie explores discrimination and abuse of power through a couple in love. It's incredibly well crafted, exemplifying what a movie can not just say, but do.
Full Review

The Matrix (1999)

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Written by: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers)
Directed by: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Gloria Foster
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Have you ever had a dream that you were so sure was real? What if you couldn't awaken? Computer hacker Neo dives into an underworld with a shocking truth. The life he knows is an elaborate deception.
Verdict
This is such an awesome movie. From the melding of sci-fi and action to the aesthetics and concepts. The movie has numerous iconic scenes from the dojo to the lobby, rooftop rescue, and the subway fight.
What is real? That's a question that pervades the movie and asks the audience to question their own perceptions. Real is just a feeling, something we tell ourselves.
You've probably seen this movie a few times, but there is a lot of foreshadowing. The movie follows the rule of cool, but in a construct that completely works. It's smart, the action is amazing, and it's still engaging.
Full Review

Brothers (2009)

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Written by: David Benioff (screenplay), Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen (motion picture "Brødre")
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, Sam Shepard, Clifton Collins Jr., Carey Mulligan, Ethan Suplee
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A young man comforts his older brother's wife and children after he goes missing in Afghanistan.
Verdict
While this looks at an extreme situation of a soldier dealing with a form of PTSD, this also examines the rivalry between brothers and effective parenting. When his over-achieving brother is killed in combat, the black sheep of the family does an admirable job of helping the widow and family left behind. The movie doesn't address this directly, but you being thinking he was a black sheep due to poor, or at least misguided, parenting. These elements are completely off screen, but help create more than a few intense scenes.
So much of what's intriguing happens off screen. This is as much a look at parenting as it is about a POW. It's an aspect ignored in the conclusion of the film, but I found it the most fascinating.
Full Review

Moneyball (2011)

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Written by: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin (screenplay), Stan Chervin  (story), Michael Lewis (book) 
Directed by: Bennett Miller
Starring: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Reed Diamond
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by utilizing advanced analysis to acquire under rated players.
Verdict
It's a well made movie from the script to the look and performances. This captures the intricacies of baseball while still being accessible to a non-fan. This is an underdog story that transcends baseball. Can Billy Beane's plan to revolutionize how baseball players are valued work? The knowledgeable veterans tell Beane it can't. This basically dramatizes spreadsheets of player data creating an engrossing narrative. We see a bit of the ball game, the front office, and trades. There's no villain, just the realization that life is unfair and Oakland doesn't have the resources to compete.
I'll watch any movie even tangentially related to baseball and I'm a fan of analyzing economics to solve a problem. While that alone isn't enough, fortunately this movie delivers.
Full Review

Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

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Written by: S. Craig Zahler
Directed by: S. Craig Zahler
Starring: Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White, Jennifer Carpenter, Laurie Holden, Don Johnson
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Two overzealous cops get suspended for assaulting a suspect and then delve into the criminal underworld to get the compensation they deserve.
Verdict
This is the kind of movie that wears you down from anticipation. While it takes time to establish the characters, the pace doesn't change. What changes with the inciting incident of a robbery is that violence could erupt at any moment and frequently does. While I doubted this film in the beginning, from the robbery forward is an experience. Zahler has crafted something remarkable. While focused and bleak, it has sharp dialog and a satisfying plot. It's unfortunate this hasn't gotten more attention.
Full Review

Toy Story 4 (2019)

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Written by: John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton & Josh Cooley & Valerie LaPointe and Rashida Jones & Will McCormack & Martin Hynes & Stephany Folsom (original story by), Andrew Stanton & Stephany Folsom (screenplay by)
Directed by: Josh Cooley
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves, Jay Hernandez, Joan Cusack, Kristen Schaal
Rated: G
Watch the trailer
Plot
When a new toy called "Forky" joins Woody and the gang, a road trip introduces old and new friends while Woody attempts to save Forky.
Verdict
This movie is better than it has any right to be. When first announced I assumed this was a lazy sequel. It's not. It's a story that needed to be told, at least it feels that way.. There's a lot of depth to the movie as Woody wrestles with the prospect of becoming an abandoned toy. There are great arcs for the villain and Bo Peep. The plotting is excellent. Of course the animation is top notch.
Full Review

The Public (2018)

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Written by: Emilio Estevez
Directed by: Emilio Estevez
Starring:  Emilio Estevez, Alec Baldwin, Taylor Schilling, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, Gabrielle Union, Michael K. Williams, Jeffrey Wright
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
An act of civil disobedience turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold.
Verdict
I really liked this movie. The writing has some really nice moments, though it does get too cute at times, but it's designed to make you ask questions. What do we do with the homeless? How can they be accommodated, and do we have an obligation when refusing them could result in death? It doesn't wrap everything up at the end, but it never intended to do that. This is raising a few different points about a person's moral obligation, journalism, and government. There are no easy answers, but I was pushed to consider my perspective and how to make a difference.
Full Review

Ad Astra (2019)

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Written by: James Gray, Ethan Gross
Directed by: James Gray
Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland, Live Tyler
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer 
Plot
Astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed expedition that now, thirty years later, threatens the universe.
Verdict
Great movie. The visuals are brilliant with a mix of intense action sequences and quiet contemplative scenes. The directing is outstanding and the writing is really good, aside from the heavy voice over in the beginning. That's my only complaint. This is a stellar movie. I wasn't sure the movie could deliver a satisfactory ending after such a great build up, but it completely does.
Full Review

Watchmen (2009)

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Written by: David Hayter and Alex Tse (screenplay), Dave Gibbons (graphic novel illustrator), Alan Moore (graphic novel, uncredited)
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Based on the 1986 graphic novel of the same name and set in an alternate timeline 1985, super heroes are outlawed. Vigilante Rorschach begins investigating the murder of a former super hero, in a case that has global implications.
Verdict
It's got a great mood and style that showcases this alternate world with a deconstruction of super heroes and the often black and white nature of their morality. Many super heroes purport to uphold the law by breaking it and acting as vigilantes. The characters are intriguing and well rounded, but my favorite part is the moral question at the end. What price is acceptable for peace? It's this question that remains days after the movie ends.
It goes without saying the comic is better, but I still love this movie.
Full Review

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

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Written by: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller (written by)
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer 
Plot
American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Verdict
Well made from the script to the directing, acting, and production values. The racing is exhilarating and the plot is engrossing. Shelby and Miles are endearing characters trying to do the impossible, beat Ferrari at Le Mans while placating their benefactors, Ford Motor Company. This is exciting, humorous, and emotional with a great performance from Bale. It's one scene too long, but despite that this movie shines.
Full Review

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Rent Raiders of the Lost Ark on Amazon VideoWritten by: Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay by).  George Lucas and Philip Kaufman (story by)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina, Paul Freeman
Rated: PG [PG-13]
Watch the trailer
Plot
In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before Adolf Hitler's Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.
Verdict
A grand adventure that excels in every facet. Indiana Jones became an iconic character because of this adventure. From the introduction to the final scene, this movie gets it right. While it's likely you've seen it, you've probably forgotten just how good it is.
Full Review

The Bottom 3 of 2019:

Battlefield Earth (2000)

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Written by: Corey Mandell and J.D. Shapiro (screenplay), L. Ron Hubbard (novel)
Directed by: Roger Christian
Starring: John Travolta, Forest Whitaker, Barry Pepper, Kim Coates
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
It's the year 3000 A.D. and the Earth lost to the alien race Psychlos. Humanity is enslaved by these gold-thirsty tyrants, who are unaware that their "man-animals" are about to ignite a rebellion.
Verdict
It's amazing how many poor creative decisions were made. In every scene you will see something that makes you wonder how someone saw or did that and then thought, "This is good." That, and no one stopped them. The story is boring and underdeveloped, the characters are flat, and it's impressive just how bad all of the actors are. The director managed to get absolutely terrible performances from everyone. It's unintentionally comedic, but that doesn't make it worth watching.
Full Review

Secret Obsession (2019)

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Written by: Kraig Wenman, Peter Sullivan
Directed by: Peter Sullivan
Starring: Brenda Song, Mike Vogel, Dennis Haysbert
Rated: TV-14
Watch the trailer & more information
Plot
A brutal attack leaves a young woman with amnesia. When her memories start coming back, she realizes she no longer knows who to trust, not even those closest to her.
Verdict
It's like a very dark and bad retelling of Overboard. It's a television episode stretched to feature length and it shows. From the boring story to the silly plot and flat dialog, every bit of this is sub par. The production value seems budget television level. Characters act incredibly stupid just to further the plot. Some of the issues aren't even difficult to fix.
Full Review

Sextuplets (2019)

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Written by: Mike Glock (story by) and Rick Alvarez & Marlon Wayans
Directed by: Michael Tiddes
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Bresha Webb, Michael Ian Black
Rated: TV-14
Watch the trailer & more info
Plot
On a personal journey to find his parents, Alan meets his brother Russell and discovers he was born a sextuplet. Seeking out his other siblings (all played by Marlon Wayans), the two brothers set out on a road trip.
Verdict
This is bad. The biggest issue is that it's not funny and it isn't even trying. It's a low effort movie with Wayans playing dress up I suppose just to amuse himself.
I knew I wasn't going to like this, and I was still surprised at how terrible this movie is. The script had to be made up on the spot and it just doesn't end.
Full Review

Anna Movie Review

Anna (2019)

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Written by: Luc Besson (screenplay) 
Directed by: Luc Besson
Starring: Sasha Luss, Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Beneath Anna's striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of the world's most feared government assassins.

Verdict
The timeline jumps around a lot, which I thought was a mask for the lack of plot but by the end the jumping around really comes into it's own and adds to the story. This is better than Besson's recent output, though not on the Taken level.  Luss does a nice job in her first leading role, and this has some nice action sequences.
It depends.

Review
This follows Besson's lackluster over the top sci-fi spectacle Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and disappointing action romp Lucy. I was hoping for an improvement over Lucy and I definitely got that.

Initially this feels like Atomic Blonde without the '80s style. This movie jumps five years into the future after the first scene, jumps back a few months, jumps forward. It's not difficult to keep up with but I wasn't sure why it was necessary. It takes far too long for this movie to get into a groove. By the end I liked the time jumps. It plays into the mystery and setup the spies are implementing, becoming a boon to the story. Nothing is quite what it seems and the movie peels back those layers.

Anna is a spy and so much of what we see in the beginning has an additional layer later seen. She's very good at her job, but she's tried of being forced to work as an assassin. With no way out, she becomes despondent. An assassin isn't a job from which one generally gets to retire.

Her first assignment has a neat feature where her bosses give her a gun that she later discovers isn't loaded. When she complains after she's chided for not checking her tools before embarking on the mission. It's a great way to test her skills and it results in a great, and brutal, action sequence.

The movie is gratuitous. Anna is a model, which isn't bad on it's own, but there didn't seem to be much point to Anna sleeping with her American and Russian handlers other than to generate sex scenes.

Anna desires freedom. She wants out of her various forms of imprisonment. Her prior life, her job as an agent, she's always wanted out. It's that desire that drives her. She brings everyone in the movie together to achieve that end. This has a tidy ending, but that isn't a bad thing.

Night Hunter Movie Review

Night Hunter [Nomis] (2018)

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Written by: David Raymond
Directed by: David Raymond
Starring: Henry Cavill, Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario, Stanley Tucci, Minka Kelly, Nathan Fillion
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A weathered Lieutenant, his police force, and a local vigilante are all caught up in a dangerous scheme involving a recently arrested, troubled man who's linked to years of female abductions and murders.

Verdict
A murder mystery that wants to be better than it is. While it pulls from various better movies, the parts aren't greater than the whole.
Skip it.

Review
This movie feels like three movies crammed into one. Ben Kingsley plays a vigilante hunting men who target teen girls, partnered with a young woman used as bait. Henry Cavill is the hardened veteran cop hunting a serial kidnapper, and this cop has a teen daughter so the case hits close to home. Alexandra Daddario is a psychologist dealing with the suspect who seems to have the mental capacity of a child despite the crimes he's seemingly committed. That's a lot, and while it connects it feels forced.

Brendan Fletcher plays Simon.

This frequently felt like it was trying to be Seven, while trying to pull off a Primal Fear type twist. Since both of these movies exist, it doesn't play well for this plot. This movie isn't original, and it doesn't help it's pushing so many fronts.

Alexandra Daddario plays Rachel.

I didn't like Daddario in this. She never felt like a psychologist and she flips from sympathetic to demanding in a move that felt strictly plot related. None of these characters are especially well developed. This movie never delves past the character descriptions.

The revelation is underwhelming. It's incredibly cheap. I didn't guess it because I gave the movie too much credit.

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker Movie Review

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

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Written by: Chris Terrio & J.J. Abrams (screenplay by),  Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow and Chris Terrio & J.J. Abrams (story by),  George Lucas (based on characters created by) 
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Kelly Marie Tran
Rated: PG-13

Plot
After an evil Sith lord mysteriously returns, the Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.

Verdict
The final movie in the concluding trilogy totaling nine movies. I kept hoping the movie would do something that would really make me like it. The first two acts are muddled with boring dialog and numerous contrivances. The third act is great, the penultimate battles between the First Order, the Resistance, Rey and the evil Sith. I'm ultimately left wondering what this concluding trilogy was really about. Whatever it is, it missed the mark. The original trilogy was Luke choosing good, the prequel trilogy was Anakin choosing the dark side. This trilogy toys with lineage, but this movie seems divorced from The Last Jedi, ignoring plot points. The trilogy as a whole isn't cohesive. It's difficult to recommend not seeing this movie as the saga as a whole is a pop culture touchstone, but I'm left wanting so much more from this movie.
It depends.

Review
All spoilers will be concealed at the end of this review.

This really made me appreciate The Last Jedi more, and I had more than a few issues with that. I wonder if it will look better on the second watch after having watched IX. The Last Jedi certainly seems better in retrospect now.

I had mixed feelings coming into this, but upon first hearing the music and seeing the opening text crawl I was energized. After that I kept hoping the movie would do something to win me over after the muddled beginning. It feels like this opens somewhere in the second act. It's a muddled opening showing us Kylo Ren fighting the world,  Poe and Finn on an espionage mission, and Rey training.

This movie is too steeped in nostalgia while also resistant to doing something unique, daring, or even challenging. Those notions were something I appreciated in The Last Jedi.  Any risks this movie takes our quickly voided when the movie returns to status quo a scene or two later. It really cheapens the effect and any expectations I had of real consequences. There is so much contrivance and boring dialog. The Last Jedi had plenty of contrivance too. Events seem to happen because the plot requires it, not due to a logical progression of ever escalating war between Rebels and the Alliance.

I really liked the last third, the big battle, but even the wrap up to this is a bit mixed. I'm left wondering what this conclusion trilogy is even about, other than ending the thread of evil that spans all nine movies.

I love Poe and Finn's chemistry. The movie touches upon uniting everyone to defeat evil, but that seems secondary to the Skywalker legacy.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

This movie ends and I wonder what it's about. I wasn't sure what name Rey was going to say, and that's a fault of the movie. It didn't build to any name. I didn't really buy that she's a Skywalker. Sure Luke and Leia trained her, but I wasn't sold.

I thought there was a lot of potential that she was a nobody especially after what was set up and that she had incredible skill in the force. As it ends up, if you aren't a Skywalker, you aren't that important. Her being a Palpatine is from left field. It's like something setup just for this movie. This entire trilogy lacks a unifying plot. This could be about Kylo Ren changing his nature, while also being a mirror to Vader. It could be a commentary on the force and heroes. A nobody can ascend to save the world, but apparently that's just not true. In a lot of ways this movie is a split from Last Jedi. What's revealed here doesn't seem like a twist as much as a completely new idea.

This movie is full of contrivance. Chewie is killed in a wild moment, but in the next scene that's undone when we're told it was the wrong transporter. That's too easy, and I don't buy it. I wonder if that was rewritten after the fact.

Poe meet Zorii who wants to kill him. A few scenes later she wants to run away with him and also has the exact item he needs to complete his mission. The movie could have easily suggested they used to be a couple, but it's first stated as purely a monetary issue.

Ochi's ship works after all this time and his droid seems like a knock off BB-8.
We see Leia, Luke, Han, and Lando. That seems like a bit much. I don't know why Lando is in this other than fan service.

Kylo Ren has always been an underdeveloped character. He gets to die a few times in this movie. I like his final sacrifice, saving Rey as Ben, but I can't help but think Rey sacrificing herself too would be a better ending. This movie is scared to be bold. Zorii, who has a cool design, is supposedly killed only for that to be undone. C3PO's sacrifice is also completely undone just to emotionally manipulate the audience.

Rey has visions of succumbing to the dark side which seems like a nod to the original trilogy, but this movie doesn't really nail her conflict. She doesn't have a reason to join the dark side. Sure she has anger and rage, but even that is forced into the movie. I wonder if force powers have ever been used to heal or save people from a mortal energy. It seems like that should have some kind of cost. While it does for Kylo, Rey never seems fazed. If these powers have been shown in previous films I can't recall.

Who built Palpatine's army? Who staffed these ships? It seems like First Order troops on the ships, but if so were they just hanging out waiting for orders before? Resurrecting Palpatine seems a bit easy. Maybe I'd buy it if it was planted earlier in this trilogy, or at least hinted.

This movie seems to ignore Last Jedi. There seems to be no overarching plan for the trilogy. I want this to somehow fit into the original and prequel trilogy, but it doesn't. The original trilogy had Luke choosing the Jedi despite his father's choices. The prequel trilogy had Anakin choosing the dark side to protect his family. The conclusion trilogy is about Rey defeating Palpatine who happens to be her grandfather. She just never had any conflict. Sure the movie sets her up with this rage to kill Palpatine, but that felt like the movie wrote the end and then went back to pad it after the fact. She killed Palpatine without having to do it directly, but what's the difference?
If she killed Palpatine and died doing it, would that be the end of the force? That would be a nice bookend. What if Rey had said her name was just Rey and walked off into the sunset?
Kylo Ren going all the way to the dark side and then coming back to the Jedi because of the bond he has with Rey and the love he has for her seems like a more intriguing story.

Elf Movie Review

Elf (2003)

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Written by: David Berenbaum
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Edward Asner, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, Faizon Love, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
After discovering he is a human, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole decides to travel to New York City to locate his real father.

Verdict
This is one of those movies that if you see in your youth it sticks with you. I just never managed to see it in my youth. This is a silly, almost stupid movie, but I get why people love it. It combines the fervor of reverent Christmas animation movies with the cheesiness of live action  dramas. Ferrell is great as an oversized elf that just wants to gain his dad's love. When Santa needs help, Buddy the elf is the only man sized elf that can help.
Watch it.

Review
Buddy really loves Christmas because he was raised as an elf. Buddy never realized he was actually a human. Upon learning the news he decides to find his father.

Will Ferrell plays Buddy.

His fervor for Christmas is a turn off to many around him, but Buddy has a way of winning people over because he's genuine. The movie doesn't explain why Buddy is an adult man with the mindset of a six year old, but that plays into the gags in the movie. Buddy sees the world as some kind of alien, everything we take for granted, amazes him.

Ferrell carries the movie as an oversized elf. He's energetic and overenthusiastic, completely in love with Christmas and all things Santa. He's certainly quotable, and his humor ranges from silly to stupid.

Will Ferrell and James Caan.

The ending comes together really well with Buddy's female friend Joovie helping to generate the Christmas spirit required to help Santa's sleigh fly. Even Buddy's bah humbug father begins to sing.

It's a dumb movie, but better than a lot of the other Christmas offerings. It's funny enough that a rewatch wouldn't even be boring.

Hustlers Movie Review

Hustlers (2019)

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Written by: Lorene Scafaria
Directed by: Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Inspired by the New York Magazine article, a crew of savvy former strip club employees band together to steal from their Wall Street clients who stole from the nation without consequence.

Verdict
I was expecting more out of this. It's a movie about likable criminals that fall into a claimed gray area. While Jennifer Lopez plays a strong character, this ends rather abruptly. The movie doesn't delve into why the characters kept stealing, I assume because they could and they enjoyed it.
It depends.

Review
This is based on a true story, and I knew a woman, Lorene Scafaria, wrote and directed a movie about strippers which I assumed would lessen the male gaze perspective focused on stripping and pivot to the character relationships.

Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez play Destiny and Ramona.

Destiny (Constance Wu) discovers stripping isn't as easy nor as lucrative as expected. Everyone wants a cut from the manager to the door man. When you're the new girl, there isn't a lot left at the end of the day. Mesmerized by Ramona's (Jennifer Lopez) dance, Destiny ostensibly forces an interaction. Ramona's introduction dance is something. Ramona takes Destiny under her wing, showing her how to dance and who to target for maximum return.

Constance Wu plays Destiny.

The movie kept cutting to Destiny speaking with a journalist. I'm guessing they were in Destiny's expensive looking house, but even after the movie ended these cutaways seemed superfluous. It doesn't help that there isn't much explanation. The inherent question of what and why only slows the tempo of the movie. While the answer is eventually revealed, it doesn't dictate the inclusion of these scenes.

Destiny and Ramona with an unsuspecting mark.

The recession of 2008 had a big impact on the stripper industry. Destiny had a child and had quit dancing beforehand, but after the break up with her boyfriend and her lack of skills she returns. It's a different world. The dancers are Russian and willing to go very far for little money. Destiny runs into Ramona again who has found a new angle. Get men drunk and have them sign off on overpriced credit card bills. The mark won't report the theft due to the compromising position.

Jennifer does a great job as Ramona. She's fierce but loyal, characterized as prone to taking in strays, women that need help. After all, that's how Destiny befriended Ramona. Ramona is the most fascinating character in the movie, but this unfolds from Destiny's viewpoint.

Jennifer Lopez plays Ramona.

The most glaring question is why Ramona insisted on taking such risks. The women involved in the crime ring pulled this off for five years and appear to be doing very well. Their scam is simple but effective. Ramona's greed and partnering with unreliable people were her downfall. She became reckless, with an unsustainable business model. I just don't know why Ramona did that. I wanted a scene where she acknowledges the risk or voices why she needs money so bad. Otherwise it seems like the narrative just needed a conclusion and this was an easy out.

I was expecting something similar to Widows, but a little more over the top and fun. I didn't think it would be as good, just similar. That was too high of an expectation. This feels hollow. While Ramona is a great character, the movie never develops Destiny past she just needs money. There are a few other characters involved in the crime ring that have potential but are flat.
Jennifer Lopez's performance is definitely a draw, but removing that makes this movie ordinary.

Ford v Ferrari Movie Review

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Watch the trailer
Written by: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller (written by)
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas
Rated: PG-13

Plot
American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Verdict
Well made from the script to the directing, acting, and production values. The racing is exhilarating and the plot is engrossing. Shelby and Miles are endearing characters trying to do the impossible, beat Ferrari at Le Mans while placating their benefactors, Ford Motor Company. This is exciting, humorous, and emotional with a great performance from Bale. It's one scene too long, but despite that this movie shines.
Watch it.

Review
This was titled Le Mans '66 outside of the U.S. due to regulating brand names in movie titles. I really wish that had been the name in the U.S. too. It's a much better name.

Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby.

The movie first introduces the main protagonists, Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, and Ford Motor Company. This opens with Shelby recalling his winning of Le Mans in 1959 just before he learns he can't race due to a medical condition. He goes on to build race cars instead. Ken Miles is a weekend racer and weekday mechanic. Ken is certainly skilled but temperamental.

Henry Ford II at the Ford Motor Company plant.

Ford Motor Company's sales are lagging and they need an idea. Lee Iacocco suggests winning Le Mans, going global and linking the Ford name to winning like Ferrari. A botched buyout of Ferrari by Ford sets Henry Ford II on a quest to avenge his bruised ego and beat perennial Le Mans winner Ferrari at their own game.  Iacoccoa recruits Shelby and Shelby recruits Miles. They must build a worthy car from the ground up in a matter of months.

This is such a great movie, every aspect of it is well made and the backbone is the script. It's funny, emotional, touching, and the racing is exhilarating. It's the type of movie that makes you want to drive fast on the way home from the theater.

Christian Bale and Matt Damon as Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby.

There's certainly drama, Ferrari is tough to beat and Shelby has to build a car to do just that in a short amount of time. The ford execs don't' like Miles, seeking someone more all American that fits their image. This is flogged for more drama than it should with Leo Beebe having a personal vendetta against Shelby and Miles that isn't quite justified. It's used just to give us an unmistakable villain in a movie that doesn't really need one. The drama could stem from Ford wanting one of their guys instead of Miles. It fits with the bureaucracy getting in the way theme, while trimming some length from the run time. The move is certainly five to eight minutes too long with a final scene that inexplicably shifts the focus back to Shelby and robs the conclusion of impact.

The Ford GT40.

I love when Shelby takes Henry Ford for a ride in a $9 million dollar GT40. It's a great scene that humorous, puts the condescending Ford in his place, and shows us just how crazy this car is compared to a typical car.

This movie banks a little bit on American exceptionalism. This type of plot is often found in space movies with astronauts doing the impossible to reach the crazy dream of outer space. I wish this movie had more process included. There are a few tidbits of them using wool to test aerodynamics, but I'd like more tricks and specific instances of how they fine tuned the car.

Christian Bale plays Ken Miles.

Christian Bale is magnetic. He delivers an amazing performance, but he always manages to do just that. Miles loves racing and it's clear in the performance. Miles is an underdog and you want him to win because he's worked so hard for it. You want him to do the impossible. I'm glad the movie didn't make a villain out of Ferrari's driver. He's an opponent like any other driver.

The movie contains a lot of tropes, but that's not a bad thing when used as intended. The only trope I don't like is Leo Beebe because the movie doesn't need a villain or extra drama.  Despite that, this is an exceptional movie.