New Post: Top Ten Worst Films Of The Year 10-9-8

The fun begins with my top ten worst films that I saw in 2019!!!
10- 9- and 8


10
AFTER

After was based on a popular book by Anna Todd, the film follows Tessa Young (Josephine Langford) as she heads into her freshman year at college leaving her high school boyfriend back home. At college she meets dark and brooding Harden Scott ( Hero Tiffin) and it changes everything in her life.
We all have seen this type of story before, and unfortunately After did not add anything different to the story. The writing was poor. The film barely moved, and when it did it dragged. Plus throw in a bunch of odd things that happened like the following: She was not answering her mother on the phone. So mom drives over an hour and barges in to her dorm room and demands Harden to stay away from her daughter!! Huh? You could not have called the campus to check on her? Who let mom just go into a dorm house and just barge in? What if her roommate was getting changed? Well that is just an example of odd things.
Bright spots?
Langford was pretty good in her part...
Still it is close to laughable even though it is a drama. The odd thing is there will be a Pt 2 because this film did well over seas.




9
CHARLIES ANGELS 2019


The Angels return was directed by and written by Elizabeth Banks.

I do not know where to start here but...
-The plot was just not strong. It involved too many plot holes. People we do not care about. Way too many coincidences like "Hey how did they figure that out?"...or "How did they get all those people there?".

Casting...
Elizabeth Banks was miscast in her own movie!!! WTH were the producers afraid to tell her, she was soooo weak and astonishingly not believable.
Naomi Scott as Elena Angel and Ella Balinska as Jane Angel....both miscast and shockingly boring and not believable.

Then comments were made by Elizabeth Banks that this movie failed because of men.
-Well the films produced by Drew Barrymore did well! Well enough to make two of them.
-People go to a film to be entertained, to escape. The Me Too movement is a thing. Okay. When you make a movie you do not pander obviously to an agenda, to get attention, to be popular, even if it interrupts a film. She has us watch an opening scene, which was exciting...okay...then for some odd reason she runs opening credits with music and real videos of strong young girls...nothing to do with the film. Then the end of the movie she panders again by having all these women angels save the day, like we are to believe they were all able to convene in a short time...but she wanted to show women power...it made no sense!!! Then during the credits she shows female stars and athletes training angels...oh brother. So men cant train women now?! Oh they can but Banks was pandering to the end. Make the movie!! Stop it with your agenda. I walked away from the Barrymore films thinking...these women were bad ass...it did not have to be thrown in my face over and over to push an agenda...its a MOVIE. Make a documentary if you want to push something!!





8
OVERCOMER

This Christian based film followed a high school basketball coach John Harrison (Alex Kendrick), who coaches in a small town who is slowly losing its population due to the local plant closing down. He then agrees to coach the Cross Country team to help the school out, without knowing there is only one runner Hannah Scott (Aryn Wright-Thompson).

Oh boy...I like the idea.
The thought process.
I understand in these films the budget is very low.
Still...this film by Alex Kendrick...is not good.
-The film is too long
-The lines...or script seems written by a elementary school student.
-Many of the things the coach does is so bad, bad as in unrealistic...a teacher would be fired for.
-The acting, by all seems wooden and stiff, especially the lead Wright-Thompson.

Not much else to say.

If you watch at home you may fall asleep.






Just think that is only 10 9 8...there are worse movies coming!!!
From the shadows as always thanks for your time!!

New Film Review: Uncut Gems

UNCUT GEMS


This films follows jewelry dealer/ degenerate gambler Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) during a week long stretch.


This is an unpleasant, frustrating movie to watch. Howard is unlikable. The people he hangs out with are unlikable. His wife Dinah (A waste of a talented Idina Menzel), is miserable, rightfully so. The bookies who are after him are unlikable. The film is ..unlikable. It is almost agitating ...well it is agitating watching Howard make more and more bad decisions.


Positives?
Yes!


Of course as you heard Adam Sandler is great as Howard, an Oscar worthy performance.
A newcomer Julia Fox , playing Harold's girlfriend and employee is absolutely fantastic and the only likable person in the film. it bothers me that they did not finish her storyline.


I really do not have much more to say. I know people really like this film...me..I was agitated by the characters maybe not my type of film I guess.
Right down the middle for the performances 2 1/2 out 5 stars for Uncut gems.


From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Little Women 2019

LITTLE WOMEN 2019


I do not have to explain the plot for sure, but if you do not know this film follows the March girls and their lives. I am a fan of the story, in fact I am one of the rare people who liked the 2018 modern version.

Fantastic performances!!!!
Emma Watson as Meg
Florence Pugh as Amy
Eliza Scanlan as Beth
Laura Dern as Marmee (Mom), is Laura Dern one of the most underrated actresses?
Timothee Chalamet as Theodore Laurie Laurence (I think he over acts but I know many like him)
Chris Cooper as Mr Laurence, in a very nice soft role

The highlight is definitely Saoirse Ronan as Jo. Saoirse, as in most of her films, is the highlight. She attacks this role and is perfect as Jo.

I am a big fan of director of Greta Gerwig as a director and an actor. She took this classic Alcott story made it sort of modern yet not losing the place and time. What helps is the look, this film is beautiful. With help I am sure from her Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux every shot is beautiful and gorgeous looking. Then throw in the help she got from Costume Designer Jacqueline Durran, every outfit is so perfect and somehow each characters clothing matches his or her personality without losing the time period. All wrapped up in a bow the film looks great!

Negatives: Yes
Gerwig decided to change this version up and tell the story bouncing between timelines, a seven year span, which has us, the viewer, thinking often..."Wait where are we in time now? Where is Amy?". My tip is keep an eye on Jo's hair it helps tell you where you are in the story. It can be confusing, I am not sure if I liked this decision much. I understand she wanted to separate her story from other versions of the story....still it is confusing.
I thought the little twist at the end, with Jo having to add that her...I guess herself getting married as if she only added that to get book published kind of messes with the tone of the ending. I understand Gerwig wanted to add a more modern twist. However I think her point is false...I think she is saying if Jo gets married she cannot be an independent woman. Now I know it is time and place but if you are going modern slant with strong independent woman are you saying because she is married she is no longer "Jo"? MMMM? Jo when married can still be the same Jo. Just an odd twist.



All that being noted, this is a do not miss. It is a great story, well acted, and just beautiful! 4 1/2 stars out of 5 for Little Women 2019!!

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Spies In Disguise

SPIES IN DISGUISE


The worlds best spy, Lance Sterling (Will Smith), is turned into a pigeon by scientist Walter (Tom Holland).
It is a animated version of a Bond film, as Sterling, as a pigeon, tries to investigate who is setting him up with help from his Q ...Walter.


It is an average story with some laughs, some excitement and action. I wish there were more laughs as many jokes fall flat. The action scenes are very Saturday morning cartoonish....the look is sloppy.


Now to the look. The look is really strange. The characters faces look odd. I could not figure out if they were suppose to be odd or if this was just the look. I can say the faces lacked any expression or emotion. I do not know if it was because I just saw the beautiful looking Frozen 2, but this looked ...not right. Cold. Plus the pigeon part was funny at first then became real strange...and not funny.
As for kids I think they will like it but it is very forgettable...


2 stars out of 5 for Spies In Disguise


From the shadows as always thanks for your time

New Film Review: Cats

CATS
I went in with an open mind...knowing what has been said.

I want to start with Cats The Musical. Cats The Musical premiered in 1981. I just think it was a different time and place and it really does not register well here in 2019. Even back then I really think the story itself was not very popular, it was strange. I think the musical was popular for just 2 reasons: 1- A couple of songs highlighted by Midnight were popular
2-"Hey honey isn't fun to watch these people act like cats"
It really wasn't the story. I mean the story is strange and kinda creepy and odd.
The Jellicles, at the Jellicle Ball must decide which cat will...I guess float to the sky and live a new life. In other words die...at least I think.

So now we come to Cats The Movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at me I will start out positive:

For the lead a new-comer Francesca Hayward was cast as in their lead Victoria. She is a Principle ballerina at the Royal Ballet school. She of course can dance but also she can sing. She is great in the part, she has the eyes and face of angel, and that is important because we have to connect to her and that is all she has to act with or express herself.
Hayward also sings a wonderful song which was written by Taylor Swift called Beautiful Ghosts.

Well...........here it comes..........and I hate to pile on...

Negatives: It all starts with the director Tom Cooper and his vision....

-The close ups!! This is a Broadway Musical on the big screen. There is a lot going on. It is big, but he constantly decided during all the songs to use close ups where we can not see the big vision. He wanted to show us the stars face constantly, almost to say "Hey look who is in this film". It was awkward for sure.
-The bad CGI on the cats. It was distracting. It felt like the cats bodies were ever changing in a strange creepy way. Speaking of which..........
-How tall or big were these cats??!! Some sets which were buildings all the same sizes, the cats were real small and sometimes real big, I was so confused.
-People out there are saying Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella singing Moonlight is the best thing. I disagree!! Moonlight is never suppose to be screamed...it is a sad song to feel the pain and longing it should not be shouted!! And why is snot coming out of her nose?!!
-More confusion. If some cats are wearing pants, are the other cats naked?
-The sets. It is a Broadway Musical!! Why did Tom Cooper decide not to use real sets?!! Why green screens? Why make it more complicated then it should be? The sets never had the feel of a real place. Then it goes back to...how big are these cats against the green screen of fake buildings?
-Idris Elba.What are you doing???!! No explanation needed.
-The false advertising that Taylor Swift stars in this. No she is in it for 5 minutes and just barely. Then throw in...she is awkward and awful.

I will stop. I watched this and thought...1- It should not have been made. It is not that great of a story and it is kind of creepy and strange. 2-While it was being made I think it got out of hand, and maybe while Cooper tried to fix it, it got worse. Just a guess. It is just sloppy.

I thought while watching this...I wonder if it would have worked as an animated film. We will never know.

1 star out of 5 for Cats..It is not good and very forgettable. The one star is for Francesca Hayward.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.