Life (1999)

Life (1999)

6/10

Starring

Eddie Murphy

Martin Lawrence

 

Directed by Ted Demme

 

 

I like Life. It’s a good movie with an amazing soundtrack, but also a sad one that reflects how things were in the '70s, where being Black and in the wrong place at the wrong time could land you in serious trouble. It’s not that things have changed drastically now, but being Black back then was far worse than it is today.

This is a comedy, and at the time of its release, Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence were household names. Pairing them together in a movie seemed like a surefire way to bring in box-office success, but this film wasn’t a commercial hit, even though it was a critical one measurably. It’s easy to see why when you watch it—it’s a comedy, but a bittersweet one. The writing is fantastic, and the plot is incredibly engaging because you’re hooked on seeing how these two characters will find a way out of the mess they’re in. It is well directed, with dialogues that keep you smiling and never letting you down.

The movie’s plot is framed as a story told by a fellow inmate about two friends, Ray (Eddie Murphy) and Claude (Martin Lawrence), who were wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
We learn that they didn’t start off as friends. They were brought together by circumstances beyond their control—basically, a string of bad luck. Ray and Claude were supposed to clear their individual debts by working for a gangster to smuggle illegal alcohol.

During the job, the two get sidetracked, and Ray loses his watch to a hustler. When they try to leave, they find the hustler dead, and before they can say a word, they’re framed for his murder.
They’re sentenced to life with hard labor. Knowing they’re innocent, Ray and Claude refuse to just sit back and rot in jail. They start working on escape plans, none of which succeed. They even try to do things the legit way by helping a promising baseball player, but that doesn’t work either.

Stuck in prison with no hope of getting out, the two eventually stop talking to each other. After years of silence, with Ray still scheming to escape, they finally decide to reconnect.
This reconciliation doesn’t happen easily, but how they rebuild their friendship and navigate life in prison is something you’ll have to see for yourself.

As I said, the movie is sad, though some might see the ending as happy. For me, it was bittersweet.

A League of Their Own (1992)

A League of Their Own (1992)

8/10

 

Starring

Tom Hanks

Geena Davis

Madonna

Lori Petty

 

Directed by Penny Marshall

 

Some movies deserve their due, and A League of Their Own is one of the best of the '90s. I couldn’t get over the fun, excitement, and incredible acting this movie delivered.
With a stellar cast including Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell, this film was a masterclass in acting, and Penny Marshall showed a masterclass in directing.

I’m not sure how much of this movie is based on real-life events, but I believe it’s a fictional take on how the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) began.
The movie was both a critical and commercial success, with a wonderful score. Honestly, I can’t think of a single reason why anyone wouldn’t enjoy this film.

Set during World War II, the story takes place at a time when Major League Baseball was struggling. To keep the spirit of the sport alive, team owners decided to create an all-female league.

The story follows two sisters, and we are looking at this movie, from their viewpoints. The sisters are Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty). Both are recruited to play in the new form league. Dottie is the more talented and level-headed of the two, while Kit is fiery and determined to prove herself one. In fact, the only reason Kit got in was because Dottie agreed to join the league, as it was only her they wanted.

Their sibling rivalry is blazing for us to see throughout the movie, and it’s clear that Kit is constantly competing with Dottie, even if Dottie isn’t always aware of it.

The women (and others) form a team called Rockford Peaches, and they’re coached by Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), a former MLB player who’s initially dismissive of the idea of an all-female league, but eventually comes around.

The movie explores the challenges these women face—not just on the field, but in their personal lives.

The movie explores the choices women faced during that era. Some wanted to stay home and be housewives, while others wanted to step out and make something of themselves. What I love about the film is how it shows that, no matter what path these women chose, none of them regretted their decisions in the end. The movie closes with a heartfelt reunion, where the women look back on their time together with pride.
There’s also a strong theme of sibling rivalry, and we see how sometimes, one sibling can be in competition with themselves just as much as with their sister.

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

 

3/10

Starring

Jim Carrey

 

Directed by Steve Oedekerk

 

If a movie that costs $15 million makes more than eight times its production cost at the box office, you can bet any Hollywood studio will greenlight a sequel. The first Ace Ventura raked in so much money that it was inevitable they’d try it again. The problem? They rushed out a sequel the very next year with a poorly developed script, answering the question we all had: “Is there such a thing as too much Ventura?”
What’s surprising is that this sequel cost twice as much to produce and also made nearly twice as much at the box office, so it was technically a success. The studio wanted to continue, but Carrey did not want to make anymore sequels to the franchise.

When you’re an eccentric on-screen detective who solves cases by stumbling onto solutions like a bumbling fool, that schtick can only work once.
In this sequel, Ventura is tasked with finding a sacred white bat named Shikaka. The catch? Ventura is terrified of bats.
He travels to a fictional place called Nibia to locate the bat and stop a tribal war between the Wachati and the Wachootoo.

I have to pause here and say, this movie felt insulting. I couldn’t get past how the tribes were portrayed. One of my biggest issues with this film is how it depicted Black people. Even as a kid, I didn’t like it, but watching it now, I detest it with a passion.
As a Black man living in the U.K., I’ve had people act surprised that I can hold a pen and write legibly in English. Movies like this perpetuate the stereotype that Africa is a place where people don’t understand technology or modern life, as if we’re still stuck in the past, wearing leaves and living in huts.

Anyway, back to the plot. Ventura has to eliminate suspects while living among the tribes.
He befriends one of the princes and is constantly pursued by a princess.
How he finds the bat, uncovers the abductors, and stops the tribal war is something you’ll have to watch the movie to find out. But honestly? Skip this one. It doesn’t do justice to the character of Ventura, and its portrayal of Black people is deeply offensive.

One thing I have to say is, I am surprised that this franchise has not gotten a reboot yet. There are many other stories they can explore, and I think the fear is, how will a very sensitive generation of today, handle the way this movie character plays onscreen

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

7/10

 Starring

Jim Carrey

Sean Young

Courteney Cox

 

Directed by Tom Shadyac

 

For kids growing up in the '90s, comedies were a blast, and Jim Carrey owned the era with movies like The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, and later, Liar Liar. We were young, and we loved every minute of it.
The premise of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is what makes it so hilarious. It’s so far-fetched that you might wonder how anyone could take it seriously, but somehow, it works as a genuinely funny movie.

Yes, the character Ace Ventura is a pet detective. He’s eccentric, over-the-top, and specializes in solving cases involving animals.
The main plot revolves around the Miami Dolphins’ mascot, a bottlenose dolphin named Snowflake, who’s stolen just weeks before the Super Bowl.
Ventura is hired to solve the case before the big game.

The movie plays out like a classic private detective story—hated by the police, with only one officer, Detective Lois Einhorn, seemingly on his side.
His investigations are wild and chaotic, which makes up for the lack of method in his routine. He checks a shark tank, interrogates players, and suspects practically everyone. Eventually, he stumbles upon a key suspect he couldn’t find earlier, piecing together clues to reveal that someone isn’t who they claim to be.

The movie is like a monkey on steroids, jumping from one absurd scenario to another, throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
In the end, we’re left with a hilarious resolution to the case.

The film was a box-office success, earning over $100 million from a $15 million production budget.
This success led Jim Carrey to sign on for a sequel, despite claiming he doesn’t like doing sequels. But judging by Dumb and Dumber To and his involvement in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, it seems that stance has changed.

This is a fun movie to watch anytime, but be warned: you’re in for an eccentric Jim Carrey performance.
Back in the day, there was even an animated Ace Ventura series where he solved more cases and did even more over-the-top antics. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth checking out!

The movie production must have been a blast, and it’s impossible to watch this film without realizing that Jim Carrey likely improvised a lot of his lines. He was even allowed to help rewrite some scenes and dialogue.
What’s also fun to know is that when casting wasn’t going as planned, the filmmakers considered rewriting the script to turn Ventura into a woman and cast Whoopi Goldberg in the role. Imagine how different that would’ve been!

Clue (1985)

Clue (1985)

7/10

Starring

Eileen Brennan

Tim Curry

Madeline Kahn

Christopher Lloyd

Michael McKean

Martin Mull

Lesley Ann Warren

 

Directed by Jonathan Lynn

 

 

Clue is a masterclass in comedy—a dark comedy about a murder where everyone is a suspect, and no one can prove their innocence. This alone keeps you glued to the screen, wondering what else could possibly go wrong.
Before diving into what makes this movie amazing, you should know it’s based on the board game of the same name. With that in mind, the film was made with multiple possible endings, adding to the fun.
I remember watching this movie as a kid and being frustrated that there wasn’t one definitive ending. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for it and have watched it countless times since.

Filled with great acting and a lineup of top-tier actors, this black comedy is a marvelous ride.
The plot revolves around six strangers invited to a secluded mansion, where they’re greeted by a butler, Wadsworth (played by Tim Curry), and a maid. Each guest is given a pseudonym (Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Mrs. Peacock, Mr. Green, Professor Plum, and Miss Scarlet) to hide their identity from the others. They were all sat at the dining for dinner and soon, they’re joined by a man named Mr. Boddy, who happens to be blackmailing every one of them.

After a tense meeting at the dining, Wadsworth prepares to call the police to arrest Boddy. But Boddy threatens to expose the guests if they don’t kill Wadsworth instead. Suddenly, the lights go out, and when they come back on, Boddy is dead.
Now, the guests, along with Wadsworth and the maid, must investigate to find out who the killer is.

Things quickly spiral out of control. It turns out Wadsworth was trying to get Boddy to confess so he could turn him in to the police. As the group argues and moves around the house, they discover that the cook (not the maid) has also been killed. Then, Boddy turns up dead again—apparently, he wasn’t fully dead the first time.
All this confusion keeps you hooked as the group tries to figure out which among them is the killer.

Despite its brilliance, Clue was a box-office flop, failing to recoup its production costs. But like me, many people have watched it over a hundred times, making it a home video success and earning it a cult following.
I can confidently say you’ll love this movie and appreciate the artistry behind it, from the cinematography to the effects.

Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

6/10

Starring the voices of

Aaron Pierre

Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Seth Rogen

Billy Eichner

 

Directed by Barry Jenkins

The Lion King has been one of Disney’s most profitable properties. They’ve made movies, stage plays, and this is the second CGI adaptation of the story. This movie serves as a prequel to Simba's story in both The Lion King animation and the 2019 remake. At the same time, it’s also a sequel to the 2019 remake, as it unfolds as a story told by Rafiki to Simba’s daughter about how Mufasa became king.

The music from the 1994 animation is iconic, and for us kids of the '90s, it’s timeless. Some of the original score (not the songs) is reused here, which adds a nostalgic touch when you hear it.

The movie isn’t grand. While it’s not a bad watch, I personally feel Disney didn’t need to make it. That said, it doesn’t harm the franchise in any way. The original animation had direct-to-VHS sequels that also didn’t damage its legacy. The truth is, no matter how hard Disney tries, the 1994 animation stands head and shoulders above the rest as the best entry in this franchise.

Here is the plot: Simba and Nala have to travel to an oasis so Nala can give birth. They leave their daughter in the care of Timon and Pumbaa, who are tasked with watching over her until they return.

The duo decides to tell her a story, but when Rafiki joins them, he takes over and begins narrating the tale of how Mufasa became king.

The story starts with a young Mufasa getting separated from his family during a flood. Unable to escape the rushing water, he is carried far away from home and eventually saved by another young lion named Taka. Taka is destined to become the leader of his pride when he grows up. However, bringing another male lion into the pride angers Taka’s father. Mufasa avoids being killed thanks to Taka and Taka’s mother, Eshe, who intervenes.

Mufasa grows up in Taka’s pride, learning how to hunt and track under Eshe’s guidance. One day, Eshe and Mufasa are attacked by two white lions. Mufasa kills one of them, while the other escapes. It’s revealed that these white lions are led by a ruthless lion named Kiros, who aims to become the overall king by destroying all other prides. The lion Mufasa killed turns out to be Kiros’ son and heir, prompting Kiros to hunt Mufasa for revenge.

To protect the pride, Eshe sends Taka away and tells Mufasa to stay with him and protect him, knowing the white lions will soon attack.

Mufasa and Taka go on the run, pursued by Kiros and his white lions. During their journey, they meet Sarabi (Simba’s future mother and Mufasa’s future wife) and her hornbill scout, Zazu. They are later joined by a young Rafiki, and together they head toward an oasis called Milele.

It’s a nice film to watch, but as I said, it doesn’t add anything spectacular or bring out any fun that was missing from The Lion King story.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)

 

7/10

Starring the voices of

Ben Whitehead

Peter Kay

Lauren Patel

Reece Shearsmith

 

 

Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham

 

 

First, you must understand that the Wallace & Gromit universe is like a child’s early morning cartoon hour. With that in mind, when you watch this stop-motion animation, prepare yourself for anything to be possible, with characters that are hilariously exaggerated in their intelligence or stupidity.

Of all the Wallace & Gromit adventures I’ve seen, this is one of my favorites. I love how it picks up from where the 1993 short The Wrong Trousers left off. We see the return of the penguin villain, Feathers McGraw, who has been apprehended and locked up in a high-security facility.

Meanwhile, Wallace and Gromit are back to their usual lives, with Wallace constantly inventing contraptions to handle mundane household tasks, leaving Gromit to clean up after him.

If you’re not familiar with Wallace & Gromit, this British stop-motion animation is a production of Aardman (created by Nick Park), the studio behind Chicken Run, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Arthur Christmas, and more. The Wallace & Gromit series has been a staple since the 1980s, with numerous shorts produced over the years. This film marks the second full-length feature in the series.

The duo consists of Wallace, an eccentric inventor, and Gromit, his loyal dog. Gromit is an intelligent, anthropomorphic beagle who, in this universe, even has a degree in Engineering for Dogs.

In The Wrong Trousers, Feathers McGraw temporarily stayed with Wallace and Gromit while Wallace tried to raise money to pay off his debts. Unbeknownst to Wallace, Feathers used his techno-trousers to steal the blue diamond. That story ended with Feathers being caught. Fast-forward to the present, and Wallace is still in debt. He decides to use an invention he made for Gromit—a gnome named Gorbot, designed to help with garden work—as a tool to rent out to others.

However, Feathers learns about Wallace’s invention during his incarceration and devises a new scheme. Using his cunning, he gains access to a computer and hacks the Gorbot.

Gromit immediately dislikes Gorbot, believing that Wallace is becoming overly dependent on machines. This creates tension, as Wallace dismisses Gromit's concerns when he begins to suspect that Gorbot has turned evil.

Things take a dark turn when Gorbot starts replicating itself and stealing from the neighborhood. Wallace becomes the prime suspect, with the police closing in on him. Meanwhile, Gromit uncovers the truth: the Gorbots are linked to Feathers, who is once again up to no good. Now, Gromit must convince Wallace to join him in stopping Feathers and his mechanical minions.

As always, the animation is fantastic and well worth watching.