Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

7/10

Starring

Matthew Broderick

Mia Sara

Alan Ruck

Directed by John Hughes

Is it possible not to have heard of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? Is it possible to watch it and hate it? The answer to both questions is no.

This is the movie that defined the phrase “rebel without a cause.” Ferris is just a young guy who wants to skip school and have the best day of his life, along with his best friend and the love of his life. Ferris’s popularity in his town comes from his ability to charm anyone and get away with almost anything using his wits. It’s those wits and gimmicks that make this movie so enjoyable. For me, it’s not the adventure that makes the movie—what Ferris finds fun might seem dull to others—but Ferris himself is the reason this film is so beloved and has earned a spot on many “best movies” lists.

The plot starts with an introduction to our hero, Ferris Bueller. Ferris is pulling a stunt to skip school, and his sister Jean knows about it—and she’s not happy. His plan works, and he fools his parents into thinking he’s too sick to go to school. He takes it a step further by calling his friends at school and telling them he’s so sick he might die. Since Ferris is so popular, everyone is worried and eager to help him.

Meanwhile, Ferris is busy planning the ultimate day off. He calls his best friend, Cameron, to pick him up and convinces him to take his father’s prized car. He also picks up his girlfriend from school using another clever stunt to get her out. The rest of the movie follows Ferris’s adventures in town, his near-misses, and his principal, who’s determined to catch him in his lies.

When you watch Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, you’ll notice how many movies have borrowed ideas from it. The film was written, co-produced, and directed by the late John Hughes, the genius behind many of the favorite comedies of the ’80s and early ’90s. The movie earned Matthew Broderick a Golden Globe nomination in 1986 for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Even decades later, Broderick hasn’t been able to step out of Ferris’s shadow. People still walk up to him on the street, calling him Ferris or asking if he’s having a day off.

This movie, along with his voice role as adult Simba in The Lion King animated trilogy, remains Broderick’s most memorable work.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off offers a wonderful piece of advice for finding joy in life: “Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!”

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

7/10

Starring

Gene Wilder

Jack Albertson

Peter Ostrum

Roy Kinnear

Directed by Mel Stuart

I was born fourteen years after this cult classic was made, but the invitation of the beautiful Willy Wonka intro song:
“Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look and you'll see
Into your imagination”
was all the juice I needed to watch this movie over and over again when I was younger. I just wanted to be in that world, to be one of the children who got to experience the magic of the chocolate factory. This 1971 adaptation became so beloved that many of my peers’ childhoods weren’t complete until they had seen it.

The film tells the story of a poor boy named Charlie Bucket, who lives with his mother and four grandparents. There’s a famous man named Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), known worldwide for making the best chocolates. Wonka stays out of the public eye, and his factory doesn’t allow visitors.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Wonka decides to open his factory to visitors—but only to those who find a Golden Ticket in one of his chocolate bars. There are five tickets in total, and each ticket allows the child and one accompanying adult inside. Charlie finds one of the tickets, and he gets to enter Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory along with four other children from around the world. The movie follows their journey through the factory.

The film is based on the 1964 children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Dahl also wrote James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The BFG, all of which have been adapted into films.

Dahl was initially part of the scriptwriting team but later left the production and didn’t approve of the final result due to deviations from his original plot. However, the movie maintained the main theme and gave us the late Gene Wilder in one of his best performances. The film allowed his eccentric nature to shine on screen, accompanied by beautiful music. Even though Wilder isn’t known for singing, he delivered. The movie may not have been a box office hit when it was released, but its cult following and constant TV broadcasts have turned it into a classic.

The story also has a second adaptation, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. This version gave us more insight into Willy Wonka’s origin—something Burton created for the movie—and had a different ending for Wonka.

I’ll be watching this 1971 adaptation again, just for the joy of being taken to a world of Pure Imagination.

Hero (1992)

Hero (1992)

5/10

Starring

Dustin Hoffman

Geena Davis

Andy Garcia

Directed by Stephen Frears

Hero is a movie you can’t watch twice—not just because it’s too long, but because it lacks good cohesion between its main story and subplots. That’s the core issue. There are scenes that needed to be cut entirely, and others that would’ve worked better if they were shorter. These changes could’ve made the movie much stronger.

The movie starts strong, introducing us to Bernard LaPlante (Dustin Hoffman), who’s in court for selling and possessing stolen goods. While there, he steals a purse. Right away, you know this character isn’t going to be forgettable.

The film then builds a world around Bernard. We meet his ex-wife and son, see how he gets by selling stolen credit cards, and witness all the shady things he does to make money. Then, the movie introduces another world—this one centered around news reporters. At first, you wonder how these two worlds will collide and hope it’ll be something cool. The lead in this other world is Gale (Geena Davis), a news anchor. She and her colleagues are weirdly oblivious to reality, to the point where it feels like they have “shit for brains.”

Why do I say that? Here’s the plot: Bernard, the no-good human mentioned earlier, happens to be near a plane crash. He runs into the burning plane and saves over 50 people. Many witnesses see him during these heroic acts, which are portrayed with some overacting. Dustin Hoffman really leans into the “I don’t care about others, only myself and my glory” vibe during the rescue scene.

After the incident, Bernard leaves, tells his friend Bubber (Andy Garcia) what happened, and ends up in jail for the same crime he was in court for earlier. Bubber seizes the moment, claiming he was the one who saved the people on the plane, and even gets a reward. Now, how Bubber tells the story—and why the news station believes him—is where things get shaky. The writers use a “magical other shoe” as the key piece of evidence, which you’ll understand if you watch the movie.

The shoe is shown on TV, but let’s assume only one pair exists in the world. How does the entire news station fall for Bubber’s story without doing a proper check? No one suspects a thing—not even the people who saw LaPlante. It doesn’t occur to them that Bubber is much taller than the man they saw. Even Gale, while interviewing Bubber, doesn’t notice anything off about his presence.

To make things worse, LaPlante gets out of jail and tries to tell his story, but no one listens. From the moment he saved the people on the plane (before going to jail), he hasn’t been able to tell his story to a single soul except Bubber. Why? Because nobody gives him the chance. It’s bizarre how no one cares to verify if Bubber is lying.

When Gale finally hears the truth—not from LaPlante—she concludes that LaPlante is blackmailing Bubber. How she jumps to that conclusion after finding evidence that LaPlante might be the real hero is something I wish the writers could explain.

There are so many things wrong with this movie, but the main issues are its excessive length and the lack of cohesion between the stories.

Spies in Disguise (2019)

Spies in Disguise (2019)

7/10

Starring the voices of

Will Smith

Tom Holland

Rashida Jones

Ben Mendelsohn

Directed by Troy Quane and Nick Bruno

Spies in Disguise is a movie I hope many people take the time to see. It’s fast-paced, features terrific voice casting, and is funny to the core. I love the simplicity of its animation and how it doesn’t try to be overly realistic. It’s like the animation knew exactly what it had to deliver and made sure to do it to the best of its ability.

Without relying on over-the-top CGI, here’s what the movie is about:
Lance Sterling (Will Smith) is the world’s most awesome secret agent—think James Bond, but Black and cooler. He’s known for always working alone and doing things his way. On the other end of the spectrum is Walter Beckett (Tom Holland), a socially awkward scientific genius who wants to make the world a better place without hurting anyone.

During an incident where Lance confronts Walter, Lance accidentally drinks something not meant for consumption, which transforms him into a pigeon. To make matters worse, Lance is now being hunted by his own agency for alleged betrayal. While trying to clear his name, he must track down the cybernetic terrorist who framed him—and he needs Walter’s help to create an antidote to turn him back into a human.

The production of this animation wrapped up before Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, making Spies in Disguise the first Blue Sky Studios release under Disney. I don’t think Disney pumped much marketing money into this movie after the acquisition, but I hope word of mouth will encourage people to see this family-friendly gem. After all, Disney has most of its marketing power focused on wrapping up the Skywalker Saga in Star Wars.

The movie is off to a tough start at the box office because it’s being overshadowed by another Disney release this holiday season—Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker. To add to the challenge, Frozen 2 (2019), another Disney animation and a huge favorite among kids, is also competing for attention. With all these heavy hitters, Spies in Disguise is up against a lot and likely won’t be a huge money-maker—but I don’t think Disney cares too much about that.

The way the movie ends leaves the door open for sequels, so it’ll be interesting to see if Disney explores that possibility.

Spies in Disguise is a fun, family-friendly movie that anyone can enjoy, whether alone or with their family. Kids will love it, and parents can appreciate the positive message it delivers.

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

6/10

Starring

Dwayne Johnson

Jack Black

Kevin Hart

Karen Gillan

Nick Jonas

Awkwafina

Directed by Jake Kasdan

It took a while for me to be able to create the time to see this movie, but it is not that bad.

Jumanji: The Next Level follows a similar tune to the previous movie, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017). The difference lies in why the characters are back in the game and the changes in their in-game avatars, which give the movie a fresh twist right from the start. This twist helps keep things interesting while maintaining the core elements that made Welcome to the Jungle so enjoyable.

By the end, I felt the movie was just as good and fulfilling as Welcome to the Jungle, though it doesn’t carry the same magic as the original Jumanji (1995) starring the late Robin Williams. That first movie deserves its own pedestal and probably shouldn’t be compared to the ones that followed.

The change in the characters’ motives for returning to the game, along with their new avatars, added a lot of fun to the story. I also enjoyed the addition of two new characters. At first, I was worried the movie might feel overcrowded, but the writers handled it well by keeping two characters out of the action for the first half. This allowed them to bring back Alex (Nick Jonas) and introduce the new characters later, adding more spice to an already well-crafted plot.

The plot introduces two new real-world characters: Eddie (Danny DeVito) and Milo (Danny Glover). Spencer has been struggling since his adventure as Dr. Bravestone in the previous movie, feeling inadequate in the real world. Despite destroying the game in Welcome to the Jungle, Spencer finds a way back in. When his friends go to check on him at his house, worried about his behavior, they discover the game is active again. Believing Spencer has been sucked back in, they jump into the game to save him.

Once inside, they learn that Eddie (Spencer’s grandfather) and Milo (Eddie’s estranged friend) have also been pulled into the game. They also discover that Dr. Bravestone is now a character with them, meaning Spencer returned as a new avatar. To make things more complicated, Bethany didn’t get sucked into the game and is left behind.

The game gives them a new quest, and along with the need to find Spencer, they begin their journey.

As mentioned earlier, the movie is a lot like Welcome to the Jungle (2017). If you enjoyed that one, you’ll enjoy this too.

Jumanji (1995)

Jumanji (1995)

8/10

Starring

Robin Williams

Kirsten Dunst

David Alan Grier

Bonnie Hunt

Jonathan Hyde

Bebe Neuwirth

Directed by Joe Johnston

When I was younger in the ’90s, there was nothing as amazing as watching the late Robin Williams as Alan Parrish take on the world of Jumanji. Williams’ acting and his portrayal of a man out of touch with the present day is something you have to see to appreciate.

Maybe younger audiences will enjoy the Dwayne Johnson versions more, but neither of those holds a candle to this magnificent original. The 2017 and 2019 sequels—Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level—are direct follow-ups to this 1995 movie. There was also a non-connected sequel in 2005, Zathura: A Space Adventure, which was also a very good movie.

Regardless of when it was released, the plot, acting, and everything else about this movie make it a masterpiece. That’s why I believe a sequel—not a reboot—was made. Plus, Kirsten Dunst delivers one of the best child performances you’ll ever see. Together with Robin Williams, they made this movie easy to watch, even now.

This fantasy adventure film is based on the 1981 children’s book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. The plot centers around Alan, who, as a young boy, struggles to take responsibility for his actions and stand up to bullies. One day, while trying to escape his tormentors, he runs into his father’s warehouse, causes a mess, and leaves without cleaning it up. That’s when he hears the sound of drums.

The Jumanji game emits drum sounds, inviting anyone who hears it to play. Alan follows the sound, finds the game, and takes it home. After a fight with his father, who leaves for dinner with Alan’s mother, Alan is alone when Sarah, a girl he likes, visits. She also hears the drums, and they decide to play together.

Sarah’s first roll summons bats into the house. Alan’s second roll sucks him into the game, trapping him. The only way out is for someone to roll a five or an eight. But when Sarah sees Alan get sucked into the game, she runs away in fear.

Twenty-six years later, everyone believes Alan was murdered—some even suspect his father. Their house has been sold to a woman who’s caring for her niece, Judy (Kirsten Dunst), and nephew, Peter, whose parents have died. When the children hear the drums and start playing the game, they release dangerous mosquitoes and monkeys. Peter then rolls a five, releasing a now-grown Alan (Robin Williams) and a lion.

Alan is thrilled to be free but wants nothing to do with the game. The children, terrified by everything that’s happened, just want it all to end. But according to the game’s rules, the chaos won’t stop until they finish the game.

I don’t mind the new sequels, but nothing compares to this 1995 original.

Jexi (2019)

Jexi (2019)

4/10

Starring

Adam DeVine

Alexandra Shipp

Michael Pena

Rose Byrne (as the voice of Jexi)

Directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

Jexi is a movie that starts weak, picks up steam, delivers some good laughs, and then becomes weirdly irritating. The movie is relatable to today’s world, where we let our phones have passwords and access to our personal files and lives. Nobody ever reads the terms and conditions to understand how much access we’re giving to companies like Facebook, Google, and our phones.

Jexi explores that loophole and turns it into a movie. The problem is, the movie isn’t worth the time I spent watching it. I don’t think Adam DeVine has enough star power to carry a film as the lead. To make matters worse, the movie doesn’t deliver enough to make you feel it’s worth spending money on.

The plot starts off like a comical version of the amazing 2013 Joaquin Phoenix movie, Her. But soon, you’ll notice the differences. Our lead, Phil (Adam DeVine), lives in the present day and is completely hooked on his phone. He’d rather spend time with his phone than with anyone else.

One day, he meets the beautiful Cate, and on the same day, his phone gets damaged. He has to get a new phone, and that’s when he meets Jexi. Without reading the terms and conditions, he agrees to them, giving Jexi access to everything about his life. This phone’s AI is what Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa would dream of becoming. Jexi takes “making your life better” very literally.

She forces Phil to go out with his colleagues and play kickball, which helps him make new friends. She also helps him get the girl, Cate. Jexi keeps Phil in check, stopping him from making foolish decisions and guiding him on what he should do. But once Phil starts dating Cate, she wants him to leave his phone behind when they go out. Jexi doesn’t like this and becomes jealous of Cate.

Jexi’s jealous tantrums are memorable and funny, but her actions quickly become weird and irritating. Imagine what your phone could do if it had full access to your life—all the personal pictures you’ve taken, the sites you’ve visited, and the information you’d rather keep private.

In the end, the movie couldn’t maintain the entertainment it delivered at its peak. It went downhill after Jexi became jealous, giving us scene after scene that failed to spark any interest and instead just left me irritated. Do not bother seeing this movie.

Colossal (2016)

Colossal (2016)

5/10

Starring

Anne Hathaway

Jason Sudeikis

Dan Stevens

Austin Stowell

Tim Blake Nelson

Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

The movie isn’t bad, but it’s very hard to recommend to anyone.

Colossal has a lot of gaps, like the connection between the monster and the human, or what caused it in the first place. Sure, there’s lightning and some room for imagination, but why just these two people? Why aren’t there other monsters in other places controlled by other people?

That said, the movie isn’t bad to watch, and it’s not boring. The producers managed to use a small cast to deliver their message effectively.

Colossal doesn’t have impressive CGI, so don’t go looking for that. There’s no monster-on-monster action either, so don’t expect that. The only thing that makes this movie worth watching is the performances of the actors. Anne Hathaway, in particular, is amazing in this film.

Here’s the plot: Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is a struggling, unemployed writer and a raging alcoholic. She’s been getting by by taking advantage of her boyfriend, Tim (Dan Stevens). When Tim gets tired of her refusal to change her ways, he dumps her, packs her things, and tells her to leave. With no other options, Gloria returns to her childhood home in New England. There, she reconnects with an old childhood friend, Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), who runs a bar and offers her a job.

Gloria starts working at the bar and hanging out with Oscar’s two friends, drinking with them regularly. One night, after another drinking session, she passes out on a bench near a children’s playground. At the same time, a giant reptilian monster appears in Seoul, causing massive destruction and killing many people.

When Gloria wakes up, she realizes she’s somehow connected to the monster. She discovers she can control its movements, as the monster mirrors her actions. She shares this secret with Oscar and his friends, showing them proof.

The movie would’ve been a complete mess if this was all it had to offer, as the buildup to this point isn’t particularly entertaining, and it’s hard to see where the story is going. But then, we learn that Oscar is a possessive individual with serious mental issues. Later, another monster appears in Seoul.

The movie wasn’t a financial success, and if you don’t get around to seeing it, you’re not missing much. It fails on many levels, and even thought the cast on their own can carry movies to make them memorable, in this flick, that did not happen.

Strange Days (1995)

Strange Days (1995)

7/10

Starring

Ralph Fiennes

Angela Bassett

Juliette Lewis

Tom Sizemore

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Here’s an overlooked classic, an underrated gem that any sci-fi lover should see. Strange Days is one of those films where the writing is done just the way I like it. The creators ignored the limitations of the present and imagined technology that only exists in the movie’s timeline. The mastermind behind the screenplay and production of this movie is none other than James Cameron, who’s known for pushing boundaries like this.

The movie is directed by one of the best directors out there, Kathryn Bigelow. She outdid herself here, using handheld cameras and her unique directing style to pace the movie perfectly. She lets the story unfold gently, weaving together four different story arcs into a succinct and satisfying ending. Bigelow took this movie in an unconventional direction, creating something so ahead of its time that critics and audiences in the ’90s couldn’t fully grasp it.

Now, the movie is well-received and seen as a missed opportunity for those who overlooked it back then. Despite being a box office bomb (costing 42millionandmakingonly42millionandmakingonly8 million domestically), Bigelow’s work was recognized. She became the first woman to win the Saturn Award for Best Director in 1995 for Strange Days.

The movie’s pacing is deliberate, ensuring the viewer isn’t just dropped into the action. Instead, we get to see the lead and other characters navigate their world.

The plot takes place two days before January 1, 2000, and revolves around POV (point-of-view) recordings made using a technology that resembles a hairnet worn on the head. The device, called SQUID, is an illegal piece of tech that records memories and physical sensations directly from the wearer’s cerebral cortex. These recordings are stored on discs that can be played back.

Lenny (Ralph Fiennes), a former LAPD officer, is at the center of the story. His best friends are Mace (Angela Bassett) and Max (Tom Sizemore). Mace disapproves of Lenny’s illegal SQUID sales and makes her feelings clear.

The plot kicks off when Lenny’s friend Iris drops a disc into his car containing evidence of illegal activity. Lenny doesn’t see the disc at first because his car gets towed for unpaid fees. Meanwhile, Iris is trying to warn Lenny that she’s in trouble, something we see as she’s chased by two police officers.

Another disc is left for Lenny with a friend, and it also contains evidence of a crime. When Lenny finally views the disc Iris left in his car, he and Mace are pulled into connecting the two crimes and solving the mystery. The movie then delivers a surprising twist ending that you won’t see coming.

Angela Bassett’s performance was also recognized, earning her the Saturn Award for Best Actress that year.

Kathryn Bigelow’s directing style has made her a master in the industry. This wasn’t the last time she broke barriers as a female director in a male-dominated field. In 2008, her movie The Hurt Locker won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and she became the first woman to win Best Director.

Strange Days is a movie that paces itself perfectly and delivers its punch at just the right moment. Go see it.

Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

5/10

Starring

Keanu Reeves

Dolph Lundgren

Takeshi Kitano

Ice-T

Dina Meyer

Directed by Robert Longo

As far as the movie goes, it’s not spectacular, and I wonder if William Gibson, the screenplay writer, felt he should have stayed truer to the original story. Based on his 1981 short story of the same name, the film strays far from the source material. Other than borrowing the story structure and the world it’s set in, the movie adds a lot to flesh out its own version of that world and the characters in it.

In this adaptation, Johnny is more of an anti-hero, and the additional characters make the movie feel like an over-budget B-movie. It was one of the Sci-Fi movies of the 90s, that I never got to see back then, but always had it in mind to see, but now that I have, I wonder if this movie was meant to be enjoyed back in the 90s.

This cyberpunk action thriller stars Keanu Reeves as Johnny, and it was Dolph Lundgren’s last theatrical release before The Expendables (2010). The story follows Johnny, a data trafficker who has undergone cybernetic surgery to have a data storage system implanted in his head. This allows him to store sensitive digital information that’s too risky to transmit online. Johnny doesn’t know what the data is, and it’s password-protected, with only the intended recipient knowing the code.

At this point, the movie takes a sharp turn from the source material, turning Johnny into an anti-hero. In the book, Johnny survives by being a blackmailer, but the movie introduces a disease called NAS (Nerve Attenuation Syndrome), which Johnny seems uniquely positioned to solve. How he does this is something you’ll have to watch the movie to find out.

While various groups are hunting Johnny, time is running out for him. He must either survive the people trying to kill him or find a way to remove the data from his head before it kills him.

This “save the world” addition to the plot takes the movie in an unnecessary direction, forcing us to learn more about Johnny’s personal struggles and watch him grapple with the idea of doing good instead of just looking out for himself—something the short story didn’t bother with.

Johnny Mnemonic is a popular movie for those who grew up with it, but even watching it now, I understand why I didn’t love it back then. The short story it’s based on doesn’t include about 90% of the characters in the movie, so if you read the story, don’t be surprised.

Equilibrium (2002)

Equilibrium (2002)

 7/10

Starring

Christian Bale

Emily Watson

Taye Diggs

Directed by Kurt Wimmer

Equilibrium was my second introduction to Christian Bale as an actor, and his role in this movie showcases the incredible range he brings to his performances. When you compare his acting to the rest of the cast, he stands out as being on a whole different level. The movie does have one major downside, though: the final showdown between Bale and the main villain feels anti-climactic.

That said, this is one of the most underrated sci-fi movies you should see. It features some amazing fight sequences, especially from the Clerics, who are tasked with enforcing the law against emotions.

The movie’s setting is reminiscent of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, but the story is different. Set in the 21st century after World War III (which, somehow, our present world has avoided), the totalitarian state of Libiria—founded by survivors of the war—has banned all emotions and emotionally stimulating objects. To enforce this emotionless existence, citizens are required to take a daily dose of a psychopharmaceutical drug called Prozium II.

The city is governed by the Tetragrammaton Council, led by a figure known as Father, who communicates propaganda to the people.

In 2072, John Preston (Christian Bale) is a high-ranking Cleric. Clerics are equipped with incredible martial arts skills and are masters of gun combat. They’re so fast and skilled that they can even dodge bullets (though not in the Matrix style).

John’s wife, Viviana, was executed four years earlier as a Sense Offender. When his home was raided and she was captured, John did nothing to save her, leaving him a single parent to their son and daughter.

During a raid to capture and kill a group resisting the new order, John discovers that his partner is also a Sense Offender. His partner steals a book of poems, and when John tracks him down, the partner refuses to be captured, forcing John to kill him. Around the same time, John accidentally misses a dose of his medication before another raid, and that’s when things start to change for him. He begins to question everything, and soon, he becomes a problem that needs to be eliminated. Add to that, he needs to keep himself acting to be on the drug for his work and family.

This is a fantastic movie with fun action sequences and a story worth revisiting, even in 2019. If nothing else, it’s worth watching just to see Christian Bale do what he does best: act.

Uncut Gems (2019)

Uncut Gems (2019)

7/10

Starring

Adam Sandler

Kevin Garnett

Idina Menzel

Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie

Uncut Gems is one of those movies that’s just so weird and so good. Adam Sandler is head and shoulders above the rest of the cast, delivering a superb performance. If you haven’t taken the time to see this movie, I highly recommend it. At over two hours long, the film packs enough tension and excitement to keep you glued to the screen. The ending leaves a lasting impression, driving home what might be the movie’s central message: gambling is never a good way to make a living or pay off debts.

First off, this isn’t a comedy, which is what Sandler is best known for. Instead, it’s a dramatic crime thriller filled with so much intensity that you’ll find yourself holding your breath. The power of the movie lies in its plot, which builds steadily as the story progresses, with characters who are unpredictable and situations that spiral out of control. No matter how you look at it, the way the movie ends seems to be the only possible outcome for Howard (Adam Sandler). His gambling addiction had completely taken over his life.

Howard is a Jewish jeweler who seems to owe money to everyone he crosses paths with. This makes his day-to-day life a nightmare, as his creditors are constantly after him. To make matters worse, he’s also swindling his customers, who are oblivious to his schemes. While his business appears to be thriving, Howard’s gambling habit keeps him in a cycle of borrowing money, pawning items left in his care, and generally making a mess of his life.

Things aren’t any better on the home front. Howard is married with kids, but his mistress gets most of his attention. His wife has had enough and wants a divorce.

Howard’s plan to dig himself out of debt involves a big score. He purchases an uncut opal from an Ethiopian Jewish mining company, valuing it at over a million dollars, and plans to auction it off. But things don’t go smoothly. Howard’s problems keep piling up, and even though he inspires Kevin Garnett to a magical game using the opal as a lucky charm, his addiction and bad luck make it nearly impossible for him to cash in on what should have been a sure bet.

This is a movie you’ll enjoy, and I urge you to take the time to see it, it is very different as I said from the movies you will expect from Sandler.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

5/10

Starring

Carrie Fisher

Daisy Ridley

Adam Driver

Directed by J.J. Abrams

The first time I saw this movie, I was wowed by the effects and the anticipation I had built up to see it. The second time around, with a calmer perspective, I can see why this is one of the worst Star Wars movies.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Episode IX) is an okay movie set in a galaxy far, far away. It’s my least favorite in the final trilogy of the Skywalker saga, following Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015, Episode VII) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017, Episode VIII). It’s also one of the weakest entries in the entire Skywalker saga.

It’s important to remember that Carrie Fisher wasn’t alive during the making of this movie. What we see of her is a mix of CGI for environments, old footage, and powerful editing to incorporate her into the story. Her role as General Leia is essential, and her presence is crucial to the conclusion of the Skywalker saga. While I feel J.J. Abrams’ work declined as the trilogy progressed, I appreciate his effort to make this film work. The production itself is impressive, though the new additions to the use of the Force didn’t excite me. In fact, I think it made the Jedi seem almost godlike, which took away from the story. That said, I understand how some fans feel about the way the movie wraps up the Skywalker saga. The ending leaves many doors open, but I think it was a decent attempt at concluding the saga and setting the stage for a new chapter in the Star Wars epic.

The movie takes a different approach compared to George Lucas’s original vision, where we had the iconic “I am your father” moment. Here, we get something like, “He’s your granddaddy.” Without spoiling too much, the movie reveals Rey’s origins and the return of Emperor Palpatine, both of which are major plot points you’ll have to watch the movie to fully understand. I must warn you, though, the movie has an adventure-game feel to it. The characters are constantly searching for one thing to find another, which is needed to decipher something else, and so on.

The movie begins with Kylo Ren discovering that Emperor Palpatine is alive and has been pulling the strings all along. When the Resistance learns of Palpatine’s survival, Rey sets off to find his location, as he’s reportedly amassed a massive fleet to destroy the Resistance. She’s not alone on this journey—Poe, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8, and C-3PO join her as they search for someone who knew Luke, hoping he can help them locate the Emperor. We also get to see Lando return to the fight.

Meanwhile, Kylo rebuilds his helmet and wrestles with his inner demons, preparing to join Palpatine and rule the galaxy. The movie follows Rey’s mission to stop this while Kylo struggles with whether to remain on the dark side or return to the light. The moment Leia dies made me cry—it felt like a final goodbye to Carrie Fisher. However, Kylo’s sudden turn from dark to good and the awkward romantic tension between him and Rey made me want to dropkick the screen.

In the end, the movie isn’t as bad as some people online make it out to be, but it’s not great either. I can understand why the trilogy feels disjointed—I felt it too. That said, Star Wars still delivers a visually stunning experience, powerful acting, and an inviting journey. The movie also incorporates elements we first saw in The Mandalorian, like the healing power of the Force. However, in this movie, they take it to the extreme, along with introducing Force teleportation. It felt like the writers ran out of ideas on how to end the saga.

While this final Skywalker movie didn’t do the saga full justice, I still enjoyed it.

6 Underground (2019)

6 Underground (2019)

6/10

Starring

Ryan Reynolds

Mélanie Laurent

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

Adria Arjona

Directed by Michael Bay

The movie's name does not give anything away, and 6 Underground is an action movie made for action junkies. It’s very average in its delivery, leaving you wondering whether to give it a 5 or a 6 out of 10. The film is essentially an explosion fest with a story tacked on. It starts off feeling a bit claustrophobic, then shifts into what seems like Michael Bay trying to set a record for the longest car chase in movie history. That chase, my friends, lasts over nineteen minutes—and it’s not exactly a success by the end.

The movie wraps up in a way that leaves the door open for sequels. The problem is, the story and execution make it clear that this concept would only work on a platform like Netflix. If this had been released in theaters with its huge budget, it would’ve been a 50/50 gamble at best.

That said, the movie has its own billionaire (Ryan Reynolds), much like Batman or Iron Man. The difference is, this billionaire’s approach feels more realistic—at least in terms of his intentions. The way things actually play out, though, is anything but realistic. But hey, it’s a movie, and the good guys are always lucky enough to dodge stray bullets, be in the right place at the right time, and make everything work out perfectly.

Here’s the movie in a nutshell: a rich billionaire witnesses the horrors of the world firsthand and decides to do something about it. He uses his money to disappear and stay in the shadows, then recruits a team of five—two women and three men. Together, the six of them fake their deaths, cut all ties with the outside world, and begin their mission.

This movie focuses on their first mission: to take down the leader of Turgistan, a dictator who has turned his own country into a war zone. They start by targeting the president’s loyal generals before going after the dictator himself.

The group’s dynamic is tested multiple times, forcing them to reinvent their rules and adapt to survive. Their goal is to stage a coup that will topple the current dictator and replace him with a more reasonable leader—his brother.

The movie is fun to watch, but that’s about it. It’s not one of Michael Bay’s best works, and it’s not even in the running when you think of decent, average action movies.

Stardust (2007)

Stardust (2007)

7/10

Starring

Claire Danes

Charlie Cox

Sienna Miller

Michelle Pfeiffer

Directed by Matthew Vaughn

I truly love the book Stardust for many reasons, and the BBC audio drama version is something special to listen to and enjoy. When I was younger, I saw this movie but didn’t think much of it at the time. After reading the book and experiencing the amazing audio drama, I can say the movie is fun but not spectacular. It makes significant changes to the book’s ending and the portrayal of Victoria. As often happens in movies, there needs to be a leading lady and someone who contrasts her temperament. Also, Tristan (named Tristran in the book) doesn’t have a rival like Humphrey, who competes for Victoria’s heart in the film.

Here’s the movie’s plot: There’s a wall that separates a small English town from a magical land. A young man named Dunstan is curious about what lies beyond the wall and tricks the guard to explore. On the other side, he visits a market and meets a woman named Una (who is a prisoner of a witch). She sells him a glass flower in exchange for a kiss. Later, she invites him into her caravan, and they make love. Nine months later, after Dunstan has forgotten about his trip, a baby boy named Tristan is delivered to him, claiming to be his son.

Eighteen years later, Tristan (Charlie Cox) is madly in love with Victoria, the most popular girl in town. His rival is Humphrey, who Victoria actually likes. Meanwhile, in the magical land of Stormhold, the king is dying. Of his seven sons, only three remain alive, as the others have killed each other in a bid for the throne. The king throws his ruby into the sky, declaring that the first son to recover it will be his successor. The ruby hits a star, and both fall to earth. At that moment, Tristan is confessing his love to Victoria, who promises to marry him if he retrieves the fallen star for her.

The king’s surviving sons, Primus and Septimus, set out to find the ruby. At the same time, a trio of witches sees the fallen star and wants to capture it to restore their youth. Tristan begins his search for the star, only to discover a woman named Yvaine, who reveals she is the star and was knocked out of the sky by the ruby. Tristan decides to take Yvaine prisoner to bring her back to Victoria and win her heart. However, the king’s sons are after the star to claim the ruby, and the witches want to cut out Yvaine’s heart to regain their youth.

The movie is directed by Matthew Vaughn, who also wrote, directed, and produced Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), and the upcoming prequel The King’s Man (2020).

While the movie is a nice journey and adventure, it’s not the best adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s story, which originally began as a graphic novel published by DC Comics. The film is undeniably fun to watch, but it lacks the full depth and dramatic power of the novel.