X-men Dark Phoenix: Nothing Can Rise From the Ashes of This Trainwreck

X-men: Dark Phoenix is the final movie in the 20th Century Fox produced X-men movies. After being pushed back a few times and having a plot similar to Captain Marvel, this X-men movie had to change the ending and had a disappointing box office run and was the biggest bomb of 2019. Also since Fox wanted to rush X-men: Days of Future Past, the movie order was changed. This review contains SPOILERS.

Matthew Vaughn who directed X-men: First Class, wanted to do a movie in between first class and days of future past. So Vaughn left and Bryan Singer came back to make days of future past. While that movie did very well the sequel X-men: Apocalypse, had a low box office run and bad reviews. It’s because they ran out of material. So Dark Phoenix was originally going to be two movies ending the franchise on a high note, but due to script changes we got this disappointing movie. So let’s see what the movie gave us.

It’s the 1990s and the X-men are in good favor with America. They even have a phone that goes directly to he president. There’s a space shuttle that’s in danger of being hit by a cosmic storm. So the X-men go to space to save them and this is actually one of the two only good scenes of the movie. So Professor X sends Mystique, Beast, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Quicksilver to space. So the effects of the space scene are pretty good. It's clean looking and well shot. Sophie Turner plays Jean Grey for the second time now and she is a good actress. She is just not given a lot to work with.  Since the shuttle is spinning the X-men have to slow it down so Cyclops puts his ace in a laser and shoots the shuttle to slow it down. Then Nightcrawler and Quicksilver teleport to rescue the astronauts. Then space storm attacks Jean because she has to hold the shuttle together so the others can get the astronauts to safety. Jean doesn’t have a helmet so I guess she can breathe in space? But she absorbs the cloud and is just floating in space and survives.

So Jeans powers begin to get stronger and the movie alludes to the fact that it’s the entity revealed as the Phoenix force. But in the previous movie X-men: Apocalypse, Jean defeats apocalypse with a red fire energy that looks the same as the Phoenix but that’s just her regular latent powers. So from one movie to another the movie is inconsistent.  Writer and director Simon Kinberg was also the writer of X-men: The Last Stand so whole Dark Phoenix is slightly more accurate to the comics he still messed up the Dark Phoenix story twice now.

The rest of the movie is about Jean trying to control her powers and revealing her past. She accidentally kills a fellow team member and goes to magneto. Another issue is that certain characters like Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, and Nightcrawler have been the same age for about 40 years in the movie timeline. Yet James Mcavoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult havened aged at all. 

Jessica Chastain plays the leader of an alien race looking for the Phoenix force. Her acting is so robotic and lifeless but that’s the scripts fault too. Jennifer Lawrence checked out of these movies about two movies ago. She is barely in the blue makeup and her role is so small it doesn’t even matter. Another character problem is that the audience is supposed to feel for Jean and Cyclops but we’ve only known them for two movies now and it’s not enough time to establish a bond with them as we know them. In the first X-men movies we knew and evolved with Jean and Cyclops for three movies in depth.

The final fight deals with magneto and Professor Xavier team trying to stop/save Jean. There’s a scene in a train we’re the government captures all the mutants. All the mutants defend themselves in a very impressive scene. All the mutants showcase their powers. Then the aliens after the Phoenix fight and it’s very well done. It's the best filmed scene in the movie. Then Jean wakes up and fights Jessica Chastain. It’s ok for a final fight with Jean showcasing the Phoenix powers and Sophie Turner does a good job but it’s insignificant compared to the train scene and an anticlimactic finale. Jean sacrifices herself and the movie has voiceover from jean about being reborn. This is a terrible way to end the long standing X-men franchise. Since Disney now owns Fox and the X-men franchise they will be rebooted in the MCU at some point. So the Fox owned X-men movies peter out with no way to be reborn like the Phoenix suggests. But the opening and closing fight scenes do bring some entertainment. 🍔🍔

Men in Black International: A Script Neuralized of Any Substance

Men in Black: International is a new spinoff in the Men in Black franchise. It stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, and Liam Nesson. It boasts a plot that takes the characters all over the world and brings things to a global scale but there’s something missing that makes this spinoff feel lackluster.

One of the first problems is Tessa Thompson’s character. Her entire character is that she saw an alien as a kid and wasn’t neuralized so she remembers the men in black. She thinks because she knows about and found the location of the men in black, she should be allowed to join. The current head of men in black in New York played by Emma Thompson, let her join very nonchalantly and without any other qualifications. Chris Hemsworth is given all the personality in the movie. Hemsworth and Thompson normally have good chemistry like in Thor: Ragnarok, but they weren’t given much to work with here.

The overall plot of the movie isn’t that impressive. The previous three men in black movies always had a sense of global peril. This new one doesn’t have that. They talk about a threat called the hive but we never see their capabilities or how bad they are. It just feels like the plot moves the characters from one set piece to another without feeling natural. There is also a continuity error about the origin of men in black. In the original Tommy Lee Jones says it was formed in 1961 after a UFO landed. But in the new one they say the men in a black existed as early as the 1880s. This movie takes place in the same continuity as the three so there shouldn’t be a discrepancy.

This movie suffers from not having the original cast in it. While some of the new characters are ok, most of them are one note. Having Liam Nesson in the men in black is nice in concept, but they didn’t do enough with his character. Chris Hemsworth is doing most of the jokes, but has no one to play off of. The writing team behind Men in Black: International are Matt Holloway and Art Marcum. They have written such movies as Iron Man, Punisher: Warzone, and Transformers: The Last Knight. They know how to write exciting movies with global consequences, so i don't know what happened in this case. Hopefully their upcoming movie Morbius will be better. 🍔 and 1/2 🍔

100 Underrated Movies of The Last Decade Part 4

So here it is, the final part of the underrated movies of the last decade in no particular order. Here are numbers 25-1.


25. "Oblivion" (Joseph Kosinski, 2013)

From the director of Tron: Legacy, this post apocalyptic movie about alien invasion stars Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman. The cinematography is incredible and the story has a nice twist. It made a lot of money at the box office but was forgotten a few years later. This movie is beautiful to look at and a good Tom Cruise performance.







24. "Swiss Army Man" (Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, 2016)

Paul Dano stars as a man stranded on an island with no one to talk to until a dead body played by Daniel Radcliffe washes up on shore. They form a friendship and have fun adventures. This is a unique movie with an outlandish premise. Dano is great and a crazy man and Radcliffe is having fun in his post Harry Potter career. This is from the people behind DJ Snake and Lil John's song, "Turn Down for What" This is a must see movie for the fans of the abstract.





23. "Fury" (David Ayer, 2014)

David Ayer direct a gritty world war 2 movie about a tank crew. It stars Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia Labeouf, and Jon Bernthal. This is something about a world war 2 movie that feels good. This movie shows the fatigue, mental, and physical strain on a soldier in war. It's big, loud, and violent because war isn't quiet.







22. "Kong: Skull Island" (Jordan Vogt- Roberts, 2017)

A King Kong movie set during the Vietnam era. It stars John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reilly, and Brie Larson. It involves a exploring an uncharted island with monsters. Goodman and Jackson are great and Reilly is the best character in the movie. It makes kong bigger and badder as well as establishing a bigger monster world. It might be the best kong movie.







21. "Upgrade" (Leigh Whannell, 2018)

Probably the best movie about an AI going crazy this combines action, comedy, and science fiction. It feels like a realistic version of what would happen if someone was enhanced. Logan Marshall-Green is hilarious and his reactions to the whole situation are priceless. Upgrade is from Leigh Whannell who created Saw and Insidious. It has a great ending.







20. "10 Cloverfield Lane" (Dan Trachtenberg, 2016)

This psychological thriller about quarantine starring John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It's set in the cloverfield universe and John Goodman gives one of his best performances. It's intense and this movie was forgotten about. For a movie that takes place in one location, it's incredibly riveting. It deserves a rewatch.







19. "Pixels" (Chris Columbus, 2015)

While the acting pretty bad the plot and special effects are the highlight of this movie. It's about aliens attacking earth with 80s arcade games. They use pacman, donkey kong, space invaders, and others. The aliens also use 80s icons to communicate. It's an homage to 80s pop culture and should be viewed for that alone. You just have to get past the acting.







18. "Iron Sky" (Timo Vuorensola, 2012)

Nazis on the moon? What a ridiculous premise! An astronaut discovers a secret nazi base on the moon and it's all out war. It also features a Sarah Palin president. Julia Dietze sells the whole movie with her performance. This satire is overshadowed by movies like Jojo Rabbit. Iron Sky is amazing and should be seen as well as it's 2019 sequel.







17. "The Foreigner" (Martin Campbell, 2017)

After his daughter is killed is a bombing, Jackie Chan seeks revenge for the culprits. It also features a political thriller involving Pierce Brosnan. There is great action and a solid story. Chan is much more serious than his past roles and still has the moves. This is one of Chan's best movies and has constant twists and turns. It definitely should be seen.







16. "The Rite" (Mikael Hafstrom, 2011)

A movie about priests and exorcisms, it stars Colin O'Donoghue and  Anthony Hopkins. It deals with questioning faith and belief. Colin does a great job since this was before he was on Once Upon a Time. Hopkins is great and scary and very shakespearean. It stands out from other exorcism movies because it really developed its characters. The audience really cares about them and by the time the encounter trouble it's convincing. It's worth a watch.






15. "Hardcore Henry" (Ilya Naishuller, 2016)

A first person shooter brought to life, this is the most realistic video game movie ever made. The audience is the main character as it takes place from the first person view. It's an achievement in film making and feels over the top, action packed, and fun. It features actors like Sharlto Copley and Haley Bennett. This movie stands out and should be enjoyed by everyone.







14. "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (Michael Dougherty, 2019)

While many fans didn't like the lack of action and monster fighting in the 2014 Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters ups the action and the monsters tenfold. This is a homage to the godzilla movies of the late 60s and early 70s. It features mothra, rodan, and king ghidorah, and they're all awesome. This is what godzilla fans wanted to see in an american godzilla movie.






13. "Wolfcop" (Lowell Dean, 2014)

A movie about a cop that gets turned into a werewolf, Wolfcop isn't afraid to go places that other movies wouldn't. It's funny, raunchy, and full of gore. It has a great soundtrack as well. Since Wolfcop didn't have a wide release not many people know about it but it's definitely a great watch. It even got a sequel.







12. "The Accountant" (Gavin O'Connor, 2016)

Ben Affleck stars as an hitman with high functioning autism. He poses as an accountant. It's smart and has good action. It also stars Anna Kendrick and John Lithgow. Most people forgot about it but it's one of Afflecks better recent movies. His performance is subtle and deserves recognition. It's also getting a sequel.







11. "Tron Legacy" (Joseph Kosinski, 2010)

A long awaited sequel to Tron with groundbreaking affects, a decent plot, and an amazing soundtrack. Tron: Legacy brought back Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner. It had the technology to show what tron was trying to realize back in the 80s. It's an original disney property that should be revisited and continued.







10. "Annihilation" (Alex Garland, 2018)

One of the best science fiction movies of the decade with an allstar female cast including Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson. The story is incredible and the visuals are amazing without distracting the audience. It's from Ex Machina director Alex Garland and the cinematography is incredible. It wasn't nominated for any oscars but should have gotten technical and acting awards.






9. "Atomic Blonde" (David Leitch, 2017)

Starring Charlize Theron as a badass CIA agent, Atomic Blonde has awesome action and a great 80s soundtrack. Theron does amazing fight work and Leads this movie. James Mcavoy and Sofia Boutella are a great supporting cast. It's John Wick for women and it shows badass women exist. It's a great spy movie and it's a must watch.







8. "Alita: Battle Angel" (Robert Rodriguez, 2019)

Based on the manga of the same name, Alita: Battle Angel was so well received, the creator of the manga saw the movie seven times. It features a world of robots and floating cities. The special effects are incredible and star Rosa Salazar makes her first starring role. The computer effects are seamless and the story is compelling. There needs to be a sequel to continue the story. This movie deserves so much more credit than it got.






7. "The Raid 2" (Gareth Evans, 2014)

The sequel to The Raid: Redemption brings bigger action and a more interesting plot, this is a great undercover cop movie that surpasses expectations. Iko Uwais is great as always really shows his acting ability. Any fan of fighting movies should definitely check this out.








6. "The Ritual" (David Bruckner, 2018)

There have been many movies about getting lost in the woods, but The Ritual draws the audience in so well that it's surprising. This was a netflix original movie and it's one of the best ones. It's creepy, atmospheric, and has a good ending. Since it's on netflix it's not very well known but it should be seen by all horror fans.







5. "Real Steel" (Shawn Levy, 2011)

What is essentially rockem sockem robots the movie, Real Steel combines robots and boxing. It stars Hugh Jackman and Sugar Ray Leonard did the boxing choreography. It's compelling and has heart as well as plenty of robot fighting action. Director Shawn Levy delivers a fun movie for all and with great effects.







4. "Ip Man 2" (Wilson Yip, 2010)

Ip Man was to wing chun master who taught Bruce Lee. Ip Man 2 is the second movie starring Donnie Yen. Ip Man goes to Hong Kong in 1949 and must establish himself. This movie features some of the best fights of the series and features Sammo Hung and Darren Shahlavi. It's reminiscent of Rocky 4 and Donnie Yen is at his best.







3. "Dredd" (Pete Travis, 2012)

The hardcore dredd that fans wanted, Karl Urban delivers gory action packed movie straight from the comics. It came out in 3D and looked awesome. Fans have been demanding a sequel for years but the box office didn't make quite enough. This is so underrated so many people forgot or never knew this movie even existed. This needs to be seen by any fan of hardcore action movies.






2. "Pacific Rim" (Guillermo Del Toro, 2013)

This love letter to kaiju movies, Pacific Rim is a movie about giant monsters and giant robots. It stars Charlie Hunnam and Idris Elba, who gives one of the best rally speeches since Bill Pullman in Independence Day. One of the best things this movie does is have 200 ton robots move like the weigh that much. They don't move too fast for giant robots which is accurate. Pacific Rim is goofy, fun, and full of action. It deserves so much more credit.






1. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (Timur Bekmambetov, 2012)

Based on the 2010 book of the same name, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is exactly what it sounds like, he fights vampires. Such a ridiculous premise can only be awesome by how serious the characters and story treat this premise and actors Benjamin Walker and Rufus Sewell take the material. It has great action set pieces and vampires. Most people forget about this movie because in the same year a biographical movie about Lincoln came out but this one is the better one. This is in my opinion the most underrated movie of the last decade.

Spider-Man Far From Home: Illusions and Forced Relationships

Spider-Man: Far From Home is the First MCU Movie after Avengers: Endgame. This may contains Avengers: Endgame SPOILERS. It deals with Spider-Man dealing with the death of Tony Stark and being a hero. Nick Fury needs him for a mission but Peter wants to enjoy his summer. There are creatures called elementals attacking all over the world and a hero from another earth called Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

Tom Holland is always good as Peter Parker. He portrays someone who has seen a bigger universe but still has a lot to learn. Everyone expects him to become the next iron man but those are big shoes to fill. He is also developing feeling for MJ, played by Zendaya. They really try to force a romance between these two because they are together in the comics. The problem is they have no chemistry and they are so robotic together. Peter was interested in another girl in the first movie so it comes out of nowhere that he suddenly likes MJ. All their scenes together are cringeworthy.

So it turned out Mysterio is a former stark employee who created an advanced hologram technology and was turned down by stark. He wants revenge by creating fake monsters so he can save the day and be a hero. It’s interesting to see after the events of endgame, that people are more willing to believe that aliens and monsters exist. It’s also very realistic that people would try to profit off of this. Peter figures this out and goes after Mysterio. This leads to a really impressive illusion fight scene. It shows Peters worst fears and nightmares and he never knows what’s real and what isn’t.

Peter also resembles a younger Tony Stark. He is like the son Tony never had. Peter also makes a new Spider-Man suits from stark technology and acts just like Tony.  It overall he realizes he can’t be the next iron man and shouldn’t try to be. The theme of illusions play a big role in this movie. People pretending to be something they’re not and forced romances. Overall it’s a good Spider-Man movie and has good performances from Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal. But that Peter and MJ romance is terrible, forced, and takes up too much of the movie. 🍔🍔🍔

Avengers Endgame: Perfectly Balancing a 22 Movie Conclusion

Avengers: Endgame is the finale to the 22 movie Infinity Saga is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, who have previously directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War. With such massive movies and casts, two directors is very helpful. This review contains SPOILERS so if you haven’t seen it you have been warned!

After Thanos snapped half the universe from existence, the world is trying to put the pieces together. Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr., and Nebula played by Karen Gillan, are drifting in space and playing paper football. Nebula has never played but is enjoying it. Nebula really feels human in this movie. She has been developed over the past movies very well with bits and pieces of personality. Captain Marvel played by Brie Larson, finds them in space and brings them back to earth. All the remaining avengers try to find Thanos. Marvel is very arrogant claiming she can take him on all by herself. While she wasn’t so annoying in the Captain Marvel movie, she is in this scene and the rest of the movie.

While going to he planet Thanos is on there’s a hyperspace scene and you can see the colors in Captain America’s eyes. It’s very reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey. After finding and killing Thanos the avengers go back to earth because the infinity stones are gone. The movie cuts to five years later and we are the avengers in their lives now. Tony Stark has a daughter now even though he still mourns Peter Parker. He feels like he lost a son and he would do anything to protect his daughter. Tony is a great dad and still has his classic personality. Underneath he is still shaken up from the avengers loss in infinity war but has settled into a peaceful life.

Ant-Man comes up with a way to reverse everything using time travel. They talk about how time travel works based on the quantum realm. They need Starks help but he is hesitant, especially with his daughter. They need Thor's help too and there is a new colony of Asgard and Banner and Rocket go find him. When they find him he is fat and has a big beard and wearing sweats. When they mentions Thanos he gets upset and you can see the shame and regret in his eyes. Throughout the rest of the movie you can see Thor is depressed and just wanting to do right. He has post traumatic stress disorder.

So the avengers figure out what time periods to get all six infinity stones in the easiest way. They go to three separate places. This brings some funny scenes from previous movies. Banner uses the gauntlet to snap everyone back. A previous Thanos from 2014 figures out what happens and it’s the avengers vs Thanos again. This is arguably the best scene of the movie. It’s Cap, Thor, and Iron Man against 2014 Thanos. Thor also got mjolnir back from 2013. So the three attack Thanos in a brutal fight. Thor uses mjolnir and stormbreaker to attack. Mjolnir gets thrown aside and as Thanos has Thor pinned the hammer lifts up and it’s thrown at Thanos. The hammer returns and it’s revealed the Cap used mjolnir. It’s one of the best moments because everyone knew he was worthy. Even Thor realized he was worthy. After this the rest of the avengers who were snapped come back and the big battle happens with everyone. It ends up where Tony Stark gets the gauntlet and snaps Thanos and his army away.

This is a sad and heartfelt moment because Tony Stark has come along way since the first Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. has given completely embodied this character for the entire MCU. He does after using the gauntlet and it’s tragic but necessary. There’s a funeral for Tony and everyone is here from the MCU. Even people you wouldn’t think you would see. Cap brings the stones back to their times and when he’s back he’s an old man. He lived the life with Peggy he never got and passes the shield to Sam Wilson.

For a three hour movie that ends a 22 movie story, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The Russo brothers managed to balance so many characters and have plenty of action, story, comedy, and sadness. It uses time travel in a smart way and makes fun of other time travel movies and uses different rules. This movie is also about the original six avengers and somehow feels like a small story as well as big. It gives a lot of closure to many characters and storylines. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth give some of their best performances. In other words, perfectly balanced. 🍔🍔🍔🍔

I Am Legend: The Struggles of Isolation

I Am Legend was released in 2007 starring Will Smith. It’s an adaptation of the book, I Am Legend, written by Richard Matheson. The book has been adapted three times into movies with I Am Legend being the most recent. Will Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville, a scientist living in New York City, trying to find a cure for a pandemic. It has killed most of the population and turned the rest into vampire like creatures.

For the first half of the movie Will Smith is the only person on screen. He has been alone for about three years trying to find a cure for the pandemic. He has a daily routine which includes looking for supplies and food. The opening scene is Smith driving a fast car through New York City. This is shot very well and has great cuts in action. Back in 2007 you’d think it would be crazy to be able to drive fast through an empty city. But now a days with the quarantine it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Since the movie takes place in 2012, there’s a fake poster for a Batman Superman movie with a similar logo to the 2016 movie.

Since Will Smith is alone he has mannequins setup in the city to simulate other people. While it seems silly at first glance, it’s a desperate attempt at the closest thing to human contact he has. He even attempts to talk to an attractive women at a video store. He has names for all the mannequins as well.

Near the end two other humans show up, a woman played by Alice Braga, and a little boy. This kinda throws off for Will Smith. Throughout the movie Bob Marley songs are played because the character likes Bob Marley. The mellow songs are often played in stressful or scary scenes which is a good contrast. I Am Legend does a great job showing isolation and loneliness but the fact that the creatures are CGI take away from the movie. Will Smith does an incredible job acting in this movie. 🍔🍔🍔

John Wick 3: Fight Choreography and Fighting the Establishment

John Wick 3: Parabellum is the third in the John Wick series. It picks up right after John Wick: Chapter 2 ends. John Wick has been excommunicated and Winston, played by Ian McShane, gave Wick an hour head start before he is hunted down. Keanu Reeves is great as Wick with his solemn demeanor and quiet composure. The high table has found out what Winston has done and sends the Adjudicator played by Asia Kate Dillon, to figure out what happened.

John Wick is on the run for the whole movie and since he doesn’t have his normal resources so he is forced to use hand to hand combat over guns. This leads to more interesting and varied fight scenes. Since the high table is investigating the events of the previous movie they check on the Bowery king played by Laurence Fishburne. He sees the ramifications for helping Wick as well. The Adjudicator also enlists the help of as assassin named Zero played by Mark Dacascos. He is kind of like Wick and as an actor Dacascos is very intimidating. This is a different side of him and it’s nice to see him take on new things, especially since he hasn’t been in a role in a few years. But it’s interesting to see all the groups feel threatened by the High Table and feel insulted for having their authority challenged.

Throughout the movie John Wick is constantly being challenged and that leads to seeing different fighting styles from people who are attacking him. While Wick still fights that same way it’s cool to see different fighting styles. Two Indonesian actors who were in The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2 are in John Wick 3. There are Cecil Arif Rahman and Yayan Ruhian. They are both incredible fighters and have a respect for Wick as they fight him.

The final act of the movie takes place at the Continental Hotel in New York. The place that was once a safe haven for Wick and Winston is now a battleground. The head of hotel services played by Lance Reddick also has to fight in this movie. There is a big room full of glass and mirrors that the final fights take place. In this room many sword and knife fights take place. Just like in gun fights in the John Wick series, the knife fights are very efficient and strategic. If he is trying to stab someone he hits the handle of the knife to stab the opponent faster.

The final fight is between Wick and Zero. Once again Zero is impressed by Wick and respects him. It’s a pretty even fight. Dacascos is scary and funny at the same time. Even when the fight is over and both Wick and Zero are catching their breath Zero even comments “That was a pretty good fight” which is something action movie characters never actually acknowledge. John Wick 3 is a great entry to the series and a great action movie. It’s use of choreographed fights proves you don’t need special effects to have a frat action movie. 🍔🍔🍔 and 1/2 🍔

The Crazies: Aggression Personified

The Crazies was a George A. Romero movie from the 1970s. There was a remake in 2010 starring Timothy Olyphant. He is the sherif of a midwest town and a plane crashes mysteriously. The movie starts and about ten minutes in, one of the citizens has a gun at a baseball game and is incoherent. The sherif warns him to put it down but he is unresponsive and holds up the gun. The sheriff is forced to shoot and kill the man.

The townspeople talk about their problems and things that annoy them and when the virus starts infecting people their aggression gets amplified. Other than that there isn’t much of a plot. The whole movie is seeing people complain about something and then that’s the only think on their mind when they turn into zombies.

Radha Mitchell plays the sheriff's wife and she is used to being in movies with zombies and demons. She usually plays the smart female or scientist character. She’s a doctor in this movie and she notices the townspeople are acting strangely. By the end it’s Olyphant and Mitchell who survive but the government is watching them via satellite. The Crazies was kind of a one not movie. It shows how aggression can be amplified and how a virus can spread but there isn’t much more other than Timothy Olyphant’s performance. 🍔🍔

Shazam!: Realistic Portrayal of a 12 Year Old With Superpowers

Shazam! is one of the latest movies in the DCEU and like Aquaman it has a more lighthearted tone and is less focused on setting up future movies. Shazam! stars Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Djimon Hounsou. Asher stars as Billy Batson, a young foster kid who gets power from the wizard Shazam played by Hounsou. Mark Strong plays Dr. Sivana, a man obsessed with finding a way to Shazam’s realm. By saying the name Shazam Billy becomes the hero Shazam and an adult played by Zachary Levi.

When Billy becomes Shazam, he is still a kid mentally. Zachary Levi does a great job showing this attitude. When he gets his powers he does things a 12 year old would do like get beer or show off his powers. Jack Dylan Grazer is very into superheroes and knows about all the other DC heroes in this world. They include Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Flash. The two test out Shazam’s powers like flying, invisibility, invulnerability, and talking to fish. This created a hilarious montage of testing powers. Grazer brings a lot of humor to the movie with his sarcasm and fast jokes. He also starred in It and It: Chapter 2.

Mark Strong is the villain and has the power of the seven deadly sins. They are all physical beings and attack as a mist. Strongs character is almost identical to his character Sinestro from the movie Green Lantern. He is a potential hero that feels he was betrayed by the forces of good and becomes a villain.

This movie has some great cameos from John Glover, Adam Brody, and Meagan Good. The comedy and playful tone of Shazam is what really makes it enjoyable. It makes fun of superhero tropes like the villain monologue. Dr Sivana and Shazam are in the air far away from each other and Sivana starts gives the villain speech and because it the distance apart from Shazam, Shazam can’t hear him. Shazam also has a good message about finding family in the people who care about you despite blood relations. It’s definitely a step in the same direction as Aquaman and a good future for the DCEU. 🍔🍔🍔

10 Cloverfield Lane: Extreme Quarantine and Paranoia

10 Cloverfield Lane is set in the Cloverfield universe, but is a very different movie from the first Cloverfield. It stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, and John Gallagher Jr.. Winstead is driving at night and gets in a car accident. She wakes up in a room and John Goodman comes in and gives her medicine. She hurt her leg and is chained to the wall. John Goodman explains there was an attack and the outside isn’t safe. He has built a shelter underground that will last a year or two.

John Goodman plays a great paranoid, over prepared person. He is what panic shopping and hoarding can look like in an extreme situation. His character is very smart but on a moments notice can snap. It’s up to Winstead to escape from John Goodman by any means necessary. Goodman tries to setup a twisted family dynamic in the bunker. He keeps saying everyone should thank him for saving their lives. John Gallagher is also in the bunker but he helped build it and was trying to get in.

Winstead is smart and makes a hazard suit out of a shower curtain. She is a designer so she is good with fabrics. She makes a filter out of a water bottle. The tension setup between her and Goodman is great. They are both trying to figure each other out. Goodman isn’t easily fooled and most times Winstead tries to escape he makes sure that attempt is rectified.

10 Cloverfield Lane really shows how isolation and paranoia can make someone go crazy. John Goodman’s performance is unlike anything we’ve seen. He almost has a split personality. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is smart and thinks on her feet. This is an extreme scenario of what can happen being inside too long, so it’s good to get outside once in awhile during this time. 🍔🍔🍔🍔

Captain Marvel: Fun Enough But Nothing Special

Captain Marvel was one of two marvel movies to come out between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. It features the origin of Carol Danvers also known as Captain Marvel. Brie Larson stars as Captain Marvel. While this movie was praised for being the first female led Marvel movie, let’s see how it compares as a movie in general and compares to the other MCU movies.

Having another origin story this late in the MCU is necessary to introduce new characters, but they have to feel different from each other. While Doctor Strange explores the cosmic realm, the basic story is the same as Iron Man. It’s about an arrogant man learning humility. Spider-Man: Homecoming wasn’t simply a rehash of his origin. He had been introduced in civil war previously. Captain Marvel is about learning your worth and not having to prove yourself to anyone.

Captain Marvel does feature a commonly used plot of the protagonist realizing the group they are part of aren’t what they seem and the enemy they’ve been fighting isn’t all that bad. Brie Larson is funny playing someone who isn’t from earth. But it’s Samuel L. Jackson playing a younger, happier Nick Fury that’s the best part of the movie. He’s a mid level Shield agent and has no knowledge of other worldly beings. Brie Larson plays a confident strong person with a humorous side.

Comparing Captain Marvel to other MCU movies, since Guardians of the Galaxy has come out and featured other worlds and creatures in a space adventure, Marvel is good but not as good. The special effects are good. When Captain Marvel uses her powers it’s quite impressive and fun to watch. It’s unclear how strong she is as a character but she can go toe to toe with Thanos.

Captain marvel has a good supporting cast including Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, and Clark Gregg as Coulson. Since this movie takes place in the 90s it sets up some events for the future. One being how Nick Fury got his eyepatch. While this isn’t a bad movie it doesn’t feel quite so original. It’s mainly there to setup Captain Marvel for the Avengers. Hopefully in the sequel they will give her more to do. 🍔🍔 and 1/2 🍔

100 Underrated Movies of The Last Decade Part 3

Sorry for the delay! Here it is! Part 3 of some underrated movies of the last decade in no particular order. Here are numbers 50-26.


50. "Brawl in Cell Block 99" (S. Craig Zahler, 2017)

Vince Vaughn stars as a convict in jail because of a bad drug deal. He learns where the person is in the prison and does whatever it takes to get to that person. Vince plays a very somber character who fights only when necessary. How he moves from one location to another is awesome. He knows it will be painful but he knows it's necessary. The end will blow you away.







49. " Dora and the Lost City of Gold" (James Bobin, 2019)

Dora is one of those rare television adaptations that gets it. Isabela Merced really nails dora. The movie is faithful to the show while poking fun at it as well. The writers and director have been behind such movies as The Muppets, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Storks. There is even a scene that is fully animated like the show. This movie is fun for all ages and highly underrated.







48. "Hitchcock" (Sacha Gervasi, 2012)

Anthony Hopkins plays a spot on performance of Alfred Hitchcock. The look and sound are outstanding. The plot centers around the filming of Psycho in 1959. The movie is just so enjoyable that your eyes are glued to the screen. The actors portraying Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, and Vera Miles are great too, but by for the best performance is Hopkins. He deserved an oscar for this performance.






47. "The Witch" (Robert Eggers, 2016)

The Witch is an atmospheric horror movie set in the 1630s about tragedy falling upon one family. The movie is slow, uncomfortable, and has a great ending. The rest of the cast is great and there's a goat that steals the show. Robert Eggers went on the make The Lighthouse afterwards which got a lot of critical acclaim but The Witch deserves more than it gets.







46. "The Perfect Host" (Nick Tomnay, 2011)

A convict tries to find shelter in a strangers house and is in for a big surprise. Starring David Hyde Pierce as the stranger and Clayne Crawford as the convict, this movie turns the tables on the classic home invasion movie. Pierce is so charming, yet so creepy. This is a constant game of cat and mouse from beginning to end.







45. "The Dead Don't Die" (Jim Jarmusch, 2019)

Starring Bill Murray and Adam Driver as cops in a small town, this zombie comedy is quirky and abstract. It breaks the fourth wall many times and has odd characters. Anytime Adam Driver has a southern accent it's hilarious. Bill Murray is always funny and Tilda Swinton is great at playing the absolute weirdest characters. The Dead Don't Die didn't have a wide release and should be seen.






44. "Rise of The Guardians" (Pete Ramsey, 2012)

Who ever thought Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy, and Jack Frost worked together to protect the world? Based on children's books, this movie has the earth's guardians save the world from pitch, who makes bad dreams. The origins of how each character became who they are are explored. There is an allstar cast featuring Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Jude Law, and Isla Fisher. This movie should be revisited for a unique team if heroes.





43. "Best F(r)iends: Volume 1, Best F(r)iends: Volume 2" (Justin Macgregor, 2017, 2018)

Even though it was released in two parts, Best F(r)iends is one movie. Bringing back Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, with Sestero writing, this is a decent movie. Sestero stars as a homeless man trying to get a job. Wiseau is a mortician who saves gold teeth from the bodies. They get involved in lie, deceit, and money. Wiseau is doing a good job in this performance. While he is not your standard actor he has come a long way since The Room. Their is imagery and dream sequences are fun and this is a competent movie. Sestero has written a decent script and gives a good performance as well. There is a good supporting cast and while this movie won't blow you away, it's competence from Sestero and Wiseau deserve recognition in it's own right.










42. "Kin" (Jonathan Baker, Josh Baker, 2018)

This science fiction movie was under the radar with a late august release. This movie is also about family. A criminal is after this family because one of them just got out of jail. There are also these strange soldiers after them as well. There is heart with the cast Jack Reynor, Dennis Quaid, Zoe Kravitz, and Myles Truitt. The cinematography is wonderful as well as the affects. This deserved better than a end of summer release.






41. "Godzilla" (Gareth Edwards, 2014)

This was the second american Godzilla adaptation and it was better received by audiences and critics. But the reviews were very divided. This featured a dramatic story and a realistic way for Godzilla to exist. While there wasn't a lot of Godzilla screen time, Bryan Cranston lead a good cast and new monsters called MUTOs were introduced. When Godzilla was on screen he was awesome and incredible. In the original Godzilla from 1954, Godzilla is only on screen for eighteen minutes. The atomic breathe looked great and the fights were impressive. This movie started the monsterverse and deserves another look.



40. "Booksmart" (Olivia Wilde, 2019)

Booksmart is a progressive comedy about two teenage girls about to go to college. This movie is great form political correctness and equality. It's very funny and has a great cast. It had great reviews but didn't make a lot of money in theaters. Booksmart possibly would have done better if it went straight to Netflix but it should be seen by all.







39. "You Were Never Really Here" (Lynne Ramsay, 2018)

Starring Joaquin Phoenix as a war veteran who finds kidnapped children, this movie shows how well he plays a character disassociated with society. After this I knew Phoenix was perfect for the role of the joker . This was a limited release and really showcases his acting ability. Restrained roles are tough to act while showing little to no emotion but Phoenix nails it.







38. "Pawn Sacrifice" (Edward Zwick, 2015)

Tobey Maguire plays Bobby Fischer the chess prodigy. In real life, Fischer suffered from paranoia and Maguires acting really showcases that. He has such a range and he doesn't normally play such outgoing characters but he is great at it in Pawn Sacrifice. Liev Schreiber plays Boris Spassky and does a great job. This is another limited release movie that deserves a bigger viewing.






37. "The Mule" (Clint Eastwood, 2018)

The Mule stars and is directed by Clint Eastwood. It's a better installment to his filmography than 15:17 To Paris. He stars as a drug mule and gets in over his head. This is the first time in awhile that he plays a vulnerable character. It's one of Eastwoods better recent movies and deserves recognition. He should have been nominated for something.







36. "The Wolfman" (Joe Johnston, 2010)

This remake of the classic monster wasn't well received but was a well done movie. The effects were great and it had a good cast featuring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. It was one of the better remakes in the last decade, considering there was the 2017 Mummy movie and some bad frankenstein remakes. This should be revisited for its achievements and classic story.






35. "Hostiles" (Scott Cooper, 2018)

Another underrated Scott Cooper movie, Hostiles stars Christian Bale, Wes Studi, and Rosamund Pike. Bale must escort a Cheyenne Chief back to his home. This violent drama shows the harshness of the american 1800s. Wes Studi is a wonderful actor and has been in a number of various genres over the years. Bale is somber and incredible as always. Pike is fierce and strong. This didn't get wide release but needs to be seen by any fan of westerns.






34. "Tusk" (Kevin Smith, 2014)

Based on a podcast, Kevin Smith made a movie about a guy who turns another guy into a walrus. Johnny Depp stars as a french detective in one of his must silly and unnoticed roles to date. Justin Long and Haley Joel Osment also star. This is one of those weird, outrageous movies that needs to be scene. It's absurdity at its finest and deserves another look.







33. "The Farewell" (Lulu Wang, 2019)

A chinese family discovers their grandmother is dying and doesn't tell her. Awkwafina stars in her first dramatic role and she knocks it out of the park. This movie shows very accurate chinese traditions and culture. This is a heartwarming movie about family and life lessons. This movie got some award buzz but didn't win nearly as much as it should have, especially an oscar nomination for Awkwafina.






32. "Kubo and The Two Strings" (Travis Knight, 2016)

The fourth movie from Laika Entertainment, this claymation movie about japanese lore is incredible. It has amazing imagery and story and the voice cast does an outstanding job. It's the highest rated movie from Laika but is the second lowest grossing movie. It certainly is a close second to Coraline and is one of the better claymation movies of the decade.







31. "Looper" (Rian Johnson, 2012)

A time travel mafia movie, written and directed by Rian Johnson, this is a joy to watch. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays a young Bruce Willis as they fight to exist. It's one of the more interesting time travel movies and does things no other time travel movie does. It's action packed and has a compelling story. It definitely should be seen by any Rian Johnson fan and science fiction fans in general. 






30. "Shin Godzilla" (Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi, 2016)

Two years after hollywood released Godzilla, Japan and TOHO made a new original godzilla movie. It featured a new origin and had no ties to previous movies. Godzilla is once again a mindless monster and for the first time in the history of godzilla movies, The japanese government and military are more concerned with evacuating the major cities before attacking godzilla. That's the first time they really emphasize that. Shin Godzilla setup a sequel that has yet to be made.





29. "Man of Tai Chi" (Keanu Reeves, 2013)

Directed by Keanu Reeves and starring Tiger Chen who was the stuntman for the Matrix movies, it's about a fighter who gets into the world of underground fighting. It's about a man who's morals get tested and he must decide the right path. Reeves stars as the head of the underground fighting league and is fearsome. This was Reeves directorial debut and is a great action movie.







28. "A Simple Favor" (Paul Feig, 2018)

This dark thriller, comedy stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. This may be Blake Lively's best performance. She plays a rich businesswoman with secrets. This movie has twists and turns and shows a different side of Anna Kendrick. Paul Feig does a great job directing. A must see for all fans of thrillers.







27. "Daybreakers" (Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig, 2010)

This unique vampire movie takes place in the present day where vampires are the majority of the population. They go to work and deal with everyday problem humans do. The biggest problem is a blood shortage. There is a human resistance and they accidently find a cure to vampirism. This movie is unique because it does something different with vampires. it has been forgotten and needs to be seen once more.






26. "The Raid: Redemption" (Gareth Evans, 2012)

All action and no time for the audience to catch their breath, The Raid: Redemption is about the police raiding a building full of gang members. This movie is 101 minutes of nonstop action starring Iko Uwais, who is a great indonesian martial artist. Not since Tony Jaa, has there been a better stunt actor. This movie can only be topped by its sequel.