Eighth Grade Review (2018)

Eighth Grade

  Directed by youtuber and comedian Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade is the story of a young girl (Played by Elsie Fisher) in her last year of (You guessed it) Eighth Grade.
  I'm just gonna get straight to it and say that I absolutely ADORED this film. Bo Burnham did something here that I can't say I've seen before on screen, and that is capture the way teenagers actually behave. If I had to pick one word to describe this film, it would be authentic. From the acne covered teens, to the fact that the actors were all actually in eighth grade, to the way they talked and stumbled around, it was all so true.
  Eighth Grade takes a look at what life is like for the modern teen and how technology has influenced the way they grow up.
  It's hilarious and cringey in the same way The Office is, capitalizing on how unaware kids are of themselves at this age and how awkward it is to grow into yourself. I loved how they didn't feel the need to dramatize elements of the story for entertainment's sake. They kept the stakes familiar and small, yet found a way to make them still cinematic through the use of humor and relateability.
  Elsie Fisher gave a perfect, heartfelt, vulnerable performance alongside a talented cast, and I can't wait to see her in future films.
  Eighth Grade is one of the best films of the year and absolutely (A Must See). 10 out of 10 stars.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado Review (2018)

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

  To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the first Sicario movie after my first viewing. That said, after watching several analysis videos and really thinking on it, I realized that it was an excellent film with lots of layers and a lot to say. Dennis Villeneuve has a way of telling stories that is unlike a lot of director's working today. He takes his time, each shot having meaning, and he is intentional with his dialogue/cinematography.
  When I saw the trailer for Sicario: Day of Soldado, I wasn't sure how to feel. Mainly because it was directed by a different person, Stefano Sollima, and also because the first film didn't seem to need further storytelling. Either way, here we are. Round 2.
  Sicario: Day of the Soldado was a mixed bag for me. Mainly because it was a lot more entertaining than the first film if we're talking pure commercial draw, but it seemed to have a lot less to say. In fact, it wasn't clear to me what the film was saying at all.
  The action was good, the simple, gritty story is engaging and lean, but it felt soulless.
  There were times where it felt like this film wanted to be Logan. We have this relationship between Benicio Del Toro's character and this young girl (who isn't a very good actress), and they want us to care about them, but I just didn't. The girl annoyed me, and her bad acting took me out of the film every time she was on screen.
  Day of the Soldado isn't a bad film, but it's not a particularly impressive one either. If you're looking for a popcorn flick that has more edge than Avengers, than go give this one a viewing. If you're looking for the thought-provoking, dynamic thriller that the first was, you won't find it here. 6 out of 10 stars (Worth Ticket Price)

The Incredibles 2 Review (2018)

The Incredibles 2

  It's been 14 years since the first film, and my excitement for Incredibles 2 was like no other. As a kid, I watched the first film hundreds of times, so when I sat in that theater for this one and when that classic Pixar studio image appeared, I literally had the chills.
  Before I get into the review, I want to mention quickly that the short, Bao, was one of my favorite Pixar shorts to date. It was absolutely hilarious, beautifully animated, and moving at the same time.
  Okay, now that that's out there. Back to The Incredibles 2. Was it good? *inhale* YES. It was fantastic.
  When you go into the sequel of a movie that was soooo nostalgic to you as a child, it hardly ever lives up to the hype. Not here though. Pixar brought everything they had, making this equally as entertaining, hilarious, and fun as the first. Just like the first film, The Incredibles strengths is in it's character development and the character's interactions with each other. The stakes are grand yes, but the way it effects the characters personally is what makes us care. The way they have to deal with the conflicts of the outside world while at the same time dealing with how the outside world is creating conflicts within their own home.
  I was really impressed by the villain of the film. They were scary, the threat felt real, and their motivations made sense.
  While to me, The Incredibles has a more "Mission Impossible" type feel than a superhero film, I would say if we are to categorize it by the superhero genre, it was the best to come out this year. 10 out of 10 stars. (A Must See)

American Animals Review (2018)

American Animals

  American Animals is the true story of four college students who plotted one of the mosts infamous heists in American history, stealing rare books worth millions of dollars.
  The style of the film is something you will either really like, or something that will take you out of the movie completely. It's filmed partly like a documentary, with the real thieves and their parents giving their sides of the story. The rest of it is filmed conventionally with actors, and will cut from both throughout.
  The movie takes quite some time to get off the ground, bordering on tedious at times. That said, when it does pick up, it really picks up.
  The film's strengths are in its performances. Evan Peters and Barry Keoghan are soooo much fun to watch, somehow making extremely unlikeable characters, sympathetic and relatable. 

  American Animals doesn't seem deep at first, but as it gets further into the story, it is quiet the poignant exploration of privillage, responsibility, selfishness, morality, and man's deep-longing to be special.
  It's other strength is its cinematography, which is so beautiful that it might as well be a painting itself. There is one shot that intentionally looks just like The Desprate Man painting by Gustave Courbet, and it literally blew my mind when I saw it.
  Overall American Animals is a strong film techincally and performance wise, but it does have pacing issues and the interviews between scenes will either hit or miss with audiences. I give it a 7 out of 10 stars (Very Good)

Hereditary Review (2018)

Hereditary 

  With films like Get out, The Witch, A Quiet Place, The Conjuring, and now Hereditary, it looks like the horror genre is ready to play with the big boys. Honestly, I couldn't be more excited about this, and I couldn't wait to see this film. Not only did it recieve high praise from critics, but it was even called this generation's Exorist/Rosemary's Baby. When a movie has so much hype around it, it's easy to be dissapointed. But with Hereditary, I wasn't. Not even a little bit.
  What I adore about this film is how good it is even when you take away all of its horror elements. The characters are interesting, well acted, and fleshed out, keeping us emotionally invested in the story. There were moments, specifically one at a dinner table, that literally brought tears to my eyes because I felt so deeply affected by these characters and their tragedy.  
  Toni Collete and Alex Wolfe give unforgettable, Oscar worthy performances as Annie and Peter, but Milly Shaprio is also one to look out for.
   All that to say, Hereditary is a gripping drama above all, but it is also absolutely, freaking terrifying. Like make an appointment with your local priest after and sleep with the lights on terrifying.
  In fact, Hereditary is one of the scariest films I've ever seen, but not in the same way as a film like The Conjuring. It's scary in the same way The Witch was scary. It takes its time to build the tension and it earns each and every scare with techincal excellence. Every shot is carefully crafted by cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski, while the sinister, soundtrack of Colin Stetson will haunt your dreams. Director, Ari Aster, has made a film that lives up to all of the hype, and yes, can be compared with greats like The Exorcist. The demented, disturbing images in this film will stick with you forever, as well as the story which you will be able to analyze for hours afterwards.
  As you can tell, I absolutely LOVED this film. 10 out of 10 stars. (A Must See)

Adrift Review 2018

Adrift

  Adrift is the true story of a young couple stranded in the middle of the ocean for 41 days. It's a powerful story, but I have mixed feelings about its execution.
  What I did love about the film was Shailene Woodley. Her performance was so beautiful and captivating, and she really brought it as she always does. Woodley is one of those actresses that demands your sympathy and demands to be liked. She carried this film on her shoulders, giving us someone to root for in a world of pretty non-interesting characters.That said, it doesn't change the fact that we are in a world of non-interesting characters. Especially when the story continually cuts back and forth from the present tragedy of being lost at sea (which is interesting), and the boring romantic relationship we are supposed to care about. This isn't to say that Claflin and Woodley don't have chemistry, but it is to say that director Baltasar Kormakur tries so hard to make the audience care, that it feels contrived and strategically plotted out.
  Adrift is solid, but it's not nearly as memorable as other films like Life of Pi or Castaway. 6 out of 10 stars (Worth Ticket Price)

Solo (A Star Wars Story) Review (2017)

Solo (A Starwars Story) 

  I went into this movie expecting absolutely nothing, but I was actually pleasently surprised.
  Solo happens to be the most Star Wars-y, of all the recent Star Wars movies! It's got the charm and campiness of the originals, the forbidden romances of the prequals, and like all of them, it's fun!
  Solo manages to tell and interesting story that feels unique and also adds to the character of Han without ruining your childhood.  It's never convienient, the pacing is smooth, and the acting is actually really good.
   Alden Ehrenreich wasn't necessarily my first casting choice for Han, but he was quite likeable in the role. Same can be said for Donald Glover as Lando and Joonas Suotamo as Chewy.
  Did this film need to exist? Not necessarily. Han is a character that we love because of his mysterious history and the fact that nobody can be Harrison Ford. That said, Ron Howard was the right person to do this movie and I'm glad he did. 9 out of 10 stars. (I'd Buy It On Blu-Ray)