Good Burger 2 (2023)

Good Burger 2 (2023)

 

3/10

 

Starring

Kenan Thompson

Kel Mitchell

 

Directed by Phil Traill

 

I think the bar for what qualifies as a good movie must be very low if this film made it past the development stage and into production. I know streaming services are fighting for content, but perhaps they should focus on creating quality movies that genuinely draw viewers to their platforms.

As I watched this, I couldn’t help but wonder: who thought Good Burger needed a sequel? The first movie, released in 1997, didn’t leave any room for a follow-up. Seeing the characters all grown up, still acting silly, and showing no character development was more sad than entertaining.

Ed (Kel Mitchell) is now an adult but still hasn’t gotten a handle on life. He continues to act like a child yet somehow manages to have a large number of children himself. The "grown man-child" trope lost its appeal a long time ago, and it’s baffling that the writers thought this was a good direction for his character.

Dex (Kenan Thompson), on the other hand, has become consumed by greed and a relentless desire to get rich. His schemes have alienated his family and destroyed his chances of success. One such scheme, where he tests his ideas on his own house, was utterly ridiculous and far-fetched.

The plot centers on yet another attempt to take over Good Burger. This time, the antagonist is a company called MegaCorp, which wants Ed to sell his single Good Burger restaurant so they can turn it into a franchise. Ed isn’t interested in selling, but Dex, now broke, homeless, and friendless after ruining his life with get-rich-quick schemes, gets involved. Dex reaches out to Ed, who lets him stay at his house and gives him a job at Good Burger. However, when MegaCorp offers Dex a cut of the deal to convince Ed to sell, he jumps at the opportunity. The movie attempts to explore the consequences of that decision.

The movie as a whole was boring, irritating, and unfunny. It failed to evoke any nostalgia for the original characters the way rewatching the 1997 Good Burger still does. Instead, it relied too heavily on Ed’s goofiness, which might have worked for kids back then but feels like lazy writing now.

If you’ve never seen the first Good Burger, don’t bother with this one. If you have fond memories of the original from the 90s, this sequel will only ruin them. I do hope the negative reviews will deter any idea to make a further sequel.

 

Genie (2023)

Genie (2023)

 

2/10

Starring

Melissa McCarthy

Paapa Essiedu

Denée Benton

Marc Maron

 

Directed by Sam Boyd

 

If you’ve never heard of this movie, congratulations, you’ve dodged a bullet, and I wish I was you. If you came across this post before watching it, do yourself a favor and don’t bother, there are better things you can do with your free time.

The story begins with Bernie missing his daughter Eve’s birthday. Bernie decides to prioritize work, choosing to close a deal for his boss instead of attending the celebration. Naturally, his wife Julie is upset because Bernie has a habit of being a disappointment. She takes Eve to her parents’ house, leaving Bernie behind.

This setup is a tired cliché we’ve seen countless times: "Why can’t you be there for us? We’re going to my parents. Don’t come." Unfortunately, this familiar start is paired with questionable acting that left me wondering if this movie was worth my time. I only stuck around because I usually find Melissa McCarthy funny.

This movie, however, was far from her best. It wasn’t funny, and the writing was downright poor. Strangely, the movie is a remake written by the same person, but this version takes a bizarre direction. The jokes, scenes, and overall execution completely missed the mark.

The plot of Bernie finding a genie (played by McCarthy), but this genie doesn’t follow the usual conventional three-wish rule, would at first seem exciting. But the bad execution will make you wish you did not press play on this movie. I may have missed something, but it seems like there’s an infinite number of wishes. Yet, the things Bernie wishes for are so unimaginative that it makes you question his intelligence. The "all-around good guy" act he plays is unbearably annoying; it made me want to throw something at the screen.

McCarthy’s performance felt phoned in, as though she was only there for the paycheck. Her actions lacked conviction, and the movie as a whole made no sense. It was boring, devoid of any urgency, and filled with moments where Bernie seemed to forget the most important thing: reuniting with his family.

The illogical decisions Bernie made throughout the movie left me longing for the days before streaming services, when studios didn’t feel the need to churn out subpar movies to pad their libraries. Adding a big-name star like McCarthy might make people curious, but it doesn’t save this disaster.

If I had a genie, I’d wish for the time I wasted watching this movie back. Save yourself the trouble, it’s not worth your time.

Gran Turismo (2023)

Gran Turismo (2023)

 

7/10

Starring

David Harbour

Orlando Bloom

Archie Madekwe

Darren Barnet

 

Directed by Neill Blomkamp

 

Gran Turismo is a fun racing game, and the idea of making a movie based on someone’s real-life experiences with the game is epic. This film is a biographical sports drama about the life of Jann Mardenborough. For me, the game was one of the first games I owned on the Sony PS1, so it has a place in my heart.

The movie is intense and does its best to sidestep the usual dramatic cheesiness of Hollywood films. One standout moment is when CGI is used to depict the character imagining himself in a game car, driving recklessly this visual is worth seeing. The fact that these events happened to someone in real life makes it even more fascinating to watch.

The question is, will you, regardless of how good you are in a racing game, want to turn it into reality? This question kept running through my mind as I watched, and it made me respect the character even more for believing he could accomplish this.

The acting is excellent, and the movie’s adrenaline-pumping moments are consistently engaging. I didn’t even notice that the film was over an hour long it flew by.

I also enjoyed learning about the inspiration behind the game and how Nissan came up with the idea to take the highest-scoring players and turn them into real-life race car drivers. The movie begins by exploring the creation of the game, designed to make players feel like they’re on a real racetrack. We then meet Danny (Orlando Bloom’s character), a marketing executive who pitches the idea to Nissan’s board to recruit top players and train them to become professional drivers. Danny hires a former driver-turned-mechanic to help prepare these gamers, selecting the best of the top ten racers worldwide.

Jann is ultimately chosen to transition from SIM racer to real-life driver. The film doesn’t shy away from depicting the challenges he faced during this transformation, including the pain and hardships involved. And, of course, no good movie is complete without a rivalry, so this one includes its own villain to add tension.

In the end, Gran Turismo delivers an exciting and satisfying cinema experience. Although I don’t know much about racing, regardless of how much I played the game this movie drew me in and inspired me to read more about the sport and watch clips I’d only seen in advertisements.

If you’re considering going to the cinema, this movie is an easy recommendation. It’s well worth your time.

The Equalizer 3 (2023)

 The Equalizer 3 (2023)

 

6/10

 

Starring

Denzel Washington

Dakota Fanning

David Denman

 

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

 

Contains Spoilers

I’m not sure if this is what we need right now, as Hollywood has drained all the creativity out of making hits. I wasn’t even excited to see this film, and judging by its Box Office numbers, I’m not the only one who feels the film industry is struggling to produce movies we actually want to watch.

This film isn’t as good as the first, and like the second, it serves no real purpose, just another attempt by the studio to squeeze more money out of us, the viewers. The more movies they make, the more they dilute the effect of the first film.

Robert (Denzel Washington) finds himself in an impossible situation. He allows himself to be captured by guards at a Sicilian winery, only to break free and kill everyone. This was entirely predictable, so the movie needed twists and turns to stand out, but it didn’t deliver. It felt like they just wanted to wrap up the trilogy without putting in the effort.

In one scene, Robert is held at gunpoint, waiting for the boss, Lorenzo, to show up. This was exactly what Robert wanted, as he kills everyone at the winery, retrieves the money he came for, gets shot, and narrowly survives thanks to a kind officer who takes him to a local doctor.

As Robert slowly recovers in the town, he tips off the CIA about illegal dealings at the Sicilian winery. Meanwhile, the criminal family running the town begins pressuring local store and landowners to gain control of the area. The officer who helped Robert discovers footage of the culprits, and as a result, he and his family are attacked.

Robert steps in and warns the criminals to leave the town alone, but when they refuse, he kills them all. This sparks a conflict that nearly costs him his life, until the townspeople come to his rescue.

The pacing of the film is problematic. It drags on for far too long before anything significant happens, and the abrupt ending makes the entire build up feel pointless.

Just as Chloë Grace Moretz felt like a bystander in the first film, Dakota Fanning’s character serves a similarly insignificant role here.

If you want to complete The Equalizer trilogy, you can watch this movie, but neither this film nor the one before it measures up to the original. That said, both are still better than the disappointing TV series which stars Queen Latifah.

Blue Beetle (2023)

Blue Beetle (2023)

 

5/10

Starring

Xolo Maridueña

Adriana Barraza

Damián Alcázar

Raoul Max Trujillo

 

Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto

 

 

I enjoyed this film enough to say it’s not the worst superhero movie I’ve seen, that said, while it tries to stand out at times, it’s held back by its refusal to embrace a darker tone. This limitation prevents it from reaching its full potential.

The film also falls into familiar clichés, such as the hero losing control when their family is threatened, only to be stopped at the last second to preserve their moral integrity. If the cheesiness and predictability were removed, the film wouldn’t be half bad.

This is the fourteenth installment in the DC universe and centers on the comic book character Blue Beetle, also known as Jaime Reyes. The film explores how Jaime discovers the Scarab, bonds with it, and learns to control its powers.

Jaime, a recent law graduate, returns home to find his family on the brink of losing their house while his father struggles with a heart condition. Desperate for work, he takes a cleaning job at the mansion of Victoria Kord, a woman obsessed with exploiting the Scarab her late brother, Ted Kord, left behind.

Victoria’s niece, Jenny, discovers her aunt’s plans and tries to stop her. She steals the Scarab and, to avoid getting caught, gives it to Jaime. The two had met earlier when Jaime defended her against Victoria and was fired for it. At home, Jaime succumbs to family pressure to open the box, and the Scarab bonds with him.

Victoria, eager to harness the Scarab’s power, sends her forces after Jaime. Although the film isn’t a box-office hit, I wouldn’t attribute this to the SAG-AFTRA strike. DC films rarely achieve major success, and while this movie follows that trend, it’s better than some of its predecessors.

Watching this film wasn’t a bad experience, but it could have been improved by eliminating the cheesy tropes and predictability.

Now that the DCEU has come to a close and James Gunn has taken the reins, there is hope that the upcoming DC movies will adopt a structure similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). I am eager to see engaging, well-crafted plots and meaningful character development that extends beyond a single film, so there will be a cohesive and immersive universe.

A key expectation for me is the possible new Justice League of DC hero’s ensemble. I hope when Gunn does his, it will be as good as MCU’s The Avengers. If done right, this new era of DC films could finally rival the MCU’s success by delivering memorable cinematic experiences that captivate audiences worldwide.

Richie Rich (1994)

Richie Rich (1994)

 

6/10

 

Starring

Macaulay Culkin

John Larroquette

Edward Herrmann

Jonathan Hyde

Christine Ebersole

 

Directed by Donald Petrie

 

The whole film is a nostalgia fest for me. While it’s not fantastic and may not become the go-to film for family fun today on a Sunday, it holds a special place in the heart’s of 90s kids like me. As my friends were smiling as we watched and lived through the feeling of the first time we first saw this film and wished to be this rich. Watching it again after twenty-nine years brought back childhood smiles, especially seeing Macaulay Culkin in action.

For a movie made in 1994, the special effects were decent. The bee flight and control sequences, in particular, looked impressive for the time and added charm to the film. However, the story itself is quite shallow. It transitions quickly from introducing the Rich family and their son Richie struggling to fit in, to the sudden disappearance of Richie’s parents.

The film offers a childlike view of how kids might perceive wealth and social status. Based on a comic of the same name by Alfred Harvey and Warren Kremer, it introduces us to the Rich family the wealthiest in the world and their son Richie, who is the richest boy in the world. Despite his wealth, Richie feels lonely and friendless. His loyal butler, Cadbury, takes him to the park, where Richie plays ball with other kids and impresses them with his skills.

When the Rich family plans a trip, Cadbury persuades Richie’s parents to let him stay behind to combat his loneliness. Cadbury even invites the park kids over to the mansion, where they all have a great time. Meanwhile, on the plane, Richie’s parents discover a bomb. Though they manage to dispose of it, the explosion damages the plane, and they are declared dead. This leaves Richie in a position where he must navigate his new life alone (with the help of Cadbury and his new park friends), dealing with a scheming CFO eager to take control, and clearing Cadbury’s name after he is framed for the bombing.

What I liked most about the film was Richie’s journey of opening himself up to others and finding happiness through friendship rather than wealth. While the acting wasn’t Oscar-worthy, it was goofy enough to bring smiles and make kids dream about living Richie’s life.

That said, the film doesn’t hold the same appeal today. Modern kids, exposed to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Transformers, might find this type of comedy outdated. Back in the 90s, though, films like Richie Rich and Home Alone were staples of Sunday movie nights.

Joy Ride (2023)

Joy Ride (2023)

 

7/10

 

Starring

Ashley Park

Sherry Cola

Stephanie Hsu

Sabrina Wu

 

Directed by Adele Lim

 

Coming from a guy, I liked the way this film handled women and sexuality. It did a great job with the character development of the four main ladies and kept finding ways to pull a rabbit out of a hat just when you thought you had guessed how things were going to turn out.

This is a good film, and it deserves more attention, especially for how well it was written and directed by Adele Lim in her directorial debut.

It’s easy to walk into the cinema expecting to see something with B-movie-level acting and writing when the premise is about women going on a trip. That’s what Hollywood usually delivers in these kinds of films, so you can already predict a few things that might happen. This movie has some of those predictable moments too it sticks to the road trip formula, but the way it executes the familiar is where it shines.

There’s always one overly serious character in road trip films, and here, it’s Audrey (an Asian woman adopted by white parents as a child). She needs to visit China for a business trip but doesn’t speak any Chinese. Audrey’s childhood friend, Lolo, who grew up in a Chinese family and speaks the language, comes along to help translate. Audrey also plans to meet her university friend, Kat, an actress living in China. Rounding out the group is Deadeye, Lolo’s cousin, who joins them on the trip.

As expected, things go wrong. The group loses their passports after a mishap, and just when they seem to catch a break, the film takes a strong sexual detour that only adds to their troubles. From there, the group's bad luck was piling up, and their friendship gets pushed to the limit.

In the end, while the overall structure follows the typical road trip formula, I like the spin this movie adds to it. It starts with a business and then turns to a series of unfortunate events, which eventual ends with the group breaking up and reconciling. The movie is full of funny and occasionally surprising moments, and doesn’t stray far from what you’d expect. The actresses did a great job in their roles, bringing the characters to life with performances that were both goofy and engaging. While this film wasn’t a massive box-office hit, it’s definitely a standout in its category. If any movie deserves another go at the road trip formula, this one does it better than most we’ve seen try.

Hidden Strike (2023)

Hidden Strike (2023)

 

3/10

Starring

Jackie Chan

John Cena

 

Directed by Scott Waugh

 

An action movie with John Cena and Jackie Chan, and I still found myself bored.

You can tell when a production starts as a pipe dream someone had the idea of putting John Cena and Jackie Chan together in an action film with comedic elements. Eventually, they got funding for the idea, and the producers scrambled to piece together a script. The biggest problem here is that the film seems to think it could emulate Rush Hour. Then, to make things worse, the director decided to throw in elements of Mad Max: Fury Road, resulting in a jumbled mess. For a movie marketed as an action-thriller with comedy, it feels like a fish out of water.

The film introduces Jackie Chan’s character, Luo, in a relatively grounded way: he and his team are hired to extract someone, and they must cross the infamous "Highway of Death" to complete their mission. But then we meet John Cena’s character, Chris, in the most cartoonish setup possible. He’s shown lounging in a make-believe desert, hitting golf balls while his mercenary buddies arrive in jeeps, they ask him to come take up a job with them, but he refuses. The job was to go after Luo and his team.

The writers try to establish Chris as a good guy by showing him playing ball with a local boy in the town where he lives. Somehow, this one scene is supposed to convince us that he’s a "good guy in bad situations." Really? That’s all it takes?

The town doesn’t have water, and Chris learns from a fellow mercenary that the water can be turned back on for $100,000. Predictably, he calls his friends back and agrees to take the job (hunting Luo’s team) to earn the money and save the town from dying of thirst. The writers clearly think this reinforces his "good guy" persona, but they forget one glaring detail: Chris also lives in this town. If the town runs out of water, it affects him too. So, is he really being selfless, or just saving his own neck?

As expected, things don’t go according to plan. The film launches into a Mad Max: Fury Road style chase sequence, with explosions and chaos. Somewhere along the way, Chris parts ways with his mercenary group and crosses paths with Luo. Surprise, surprise—they know each other from their special forces days. After an obligatory fight scene, the two team up.

The action sequences are generic at best. It’s textbook B-film action with no attempt to elevate the material. Despite its big budget, the film sticks firmly in the realm of mediocre, failing to stand out among other B-movies in the same category.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Oppenheimer (2023)

 3/10

Starring

Cillian Murphy

Emily Blunt

Matt Damon

Robert Downey Jr.

Florence Pugh

 

Directed by Christopher Nolan

 

The film felt like Christopher Nolan wanted to prove he could make a three-hour-long movie about a subject he likes, turn it into a blockbuster, and have everyone want to see it. Because regardless of what I have read about this movie, I could not help but feel everyone is in on a joke except me. This movie is very boring and beyond the titular character, none of the other characters are given any depth. The film is so disjointed and lacks cohesion that there’s no point in trying to connect with anyone else. Cillian Murphy plays Oppenheimer, and apparently, that’s all that matters. Attempting to string a meaningful connection between the characters is a waste of time, just learn their names and places and move on.

As expected, the cinematography is world-class, as you’d expect from Nolan. But that’s about it. The storytelling is poor, and the non-linear structure makes it difficult to piece things together at first. When you finally understand the flow, you’re left wondering if it was even worth the effort.

Christopher Nolan is undeniably a great filmmaker, but the pride behind this film’s creation is evident. It feels like something made for himself rather than for the audience to enjoy.

The plot focuses on Oppenheimer, a physicist tasked with developing the atomic bomb during World War II. While the film explores moral dilemmas, questioning, and drama, it’s presented through cut scenes and a non-linear narrative that trades storytelling for flashy visuals. In the end, I couldn’t help but think, “Why didn’t I just read the book instead?”

Sometimes, it feels like reviewers and award shows decide in advance which films they’ll champion, regardless of their actual quality. This seems to be one of those cases. Despite its flaws, Oppenheimer receives overwhelming praise because of its marketing power and the name Christopher Nolan. Meanwhile, better independent films go unnoticed.

This is the Oppenheimer and Barbie year. Even Barbie, which was released around the same time, seems to have the same luck for being an award movie. Its marketing and messaging made it difficult for some people to openly criticize it. The same seems true for Oppenheimer. Any negative opinions risk being dismissed, simply because of the filmmaker behind it.

There’s no point rushing to see this film. It wasn’t worth the time or money I spent watching it. If you must see it, wait until it ends up free on a streaming service.

Barbie (2023)

Barbie (2023)

2/10

Starring

Margot Robbie

Ryan Gosling

America Ferrera

 

Directed by Greta Gerwig

 

There comes a time when you just know that everyone is pulling a fast one on you. You are the butt of the joke. This time, it’s all the people who rated this film so highly. Let me tell you, this film sucks. Same with Oppenheimer, there seems to be some jokes that I am not getting.

I saw it, waiting to experience all the greatness people were raving about. Yes, the acting was good. But beyond that, the characters were stuck in their own identities, making the entire movie feel stiff. And the story? OMG, this film should have been called Barbie’s Feminist Movement Parade.

I love Margot Robbie no film can undo her influence or the incredible work she’s done in the industry. But seriously, what was the point of this movie? Every wannabe TikToker or influencer is out there shouting the same thing, saying this film is great, at the top of its lungs. But even with all its messaging, the film could have done so much better.

What made the Lego films cool was how they broke away from the identity of the box their characters came from. But here, Barbie is stuck in that box wanting to be perfect, wanting things to return to the way they were, where she was in control. And when things do change, she doesn’t restore balance in Barbieland. Instead, she makes it so women rule everything, while the Kens are reduced to mere decoration.

Now, the plot: Barbie starts her perfect day in Barbieland, where everything is always the same. Nothing changes until one morning, she wakes up consumed by thoughts of mortality and sadness. She confides in the other Barbies, who send her to meet Weird Barbie. Weird Barbie explains that someone in the real world is projecting their fears and thoughts onto her, causing a crack between their worlds. To fix it, Barbie must venture into the real world, find this person, and set things right.

Barbie takes Ken along, and they quickly discover that the real world isn’t a reflection of Barbieland. While Barbie struggles to make sense of the real world, Ken becomes enamored with the concept of patriarchy and decides it’s the perfect system for Barbieland.

This film was offensive to my brain. I think I lost IQ points watching it.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this film became a box-office hit. People will probably praise it out of fear of being different or telling the truth: this film sucks.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)

 Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)

 

2/10

Starring

Lana Condor

Toni Collette

Annie Murphy

Colman Domingo

Jane Fonda

 

Directed by Kirk DeMicco

 

Sometimes, when a film sucks, we wonder why. This is an animation with a very odd name, a seemingly unique story, and a production budget that should have delivered great CGI. So, what went wrong?

Well, when you start watching and just about five minutes in, it will be clear to you why this movie flopped at the box office. I’ve spent time around kids today and listened to how they talk. One thing is obvious: children today are much smarter than we were at their age. They’ve grown up with animations like Spider-Verse and Disney films, so thinking this bad CGI and boring Krakens would hold their attention, or even warrant a re-watch, is ridiculous.

This film is so silly that it’s amazing it even got greenlit. The plot revolves around a family of Krakens who left the sea to live among humans. They manage to fool the entire town into believing they’re human too, by claiming they’re from Canada. You’d think Krakens look human for this to work, but no! Krakens are blue, oddly shaped, and move like eels, when they are away from water. You’d also assume they’d try to disguise themselves with makeup or act more human. But they don’t. They wander around as blue creatures, and anytime someone questions their behavior, they explain it away with, "I’m from Canada." And, somehow, people believe it. I do not know if Canadians should be upset by this, or it is one of those jokes where oddly behaved people are perceived to be from Canada, probably it is a USA thing.

You might think I’m overthinking this animation, but trust me, there’s nothing to overthink. Why not make it so that Krakens turn humans on land and revert back in the sea? That simple change would’ve solved so many plot holes. One thing is, if they get into water they transform to full Kraken.

The teenager in our Kraken family, Ruby, wants to go to prom. Her mother forbids her because the venue is on a boat, which will be in the water. Of course, as teenagers do, the more she’s told no, the more determined she becomes. Ruby and her friends dream of showing up to prom with their ideal dates, and Ruby is no exception.

How Ruby sneaks onto the boat and the predictable consequences of her actions form the rest of the story. It’s dull, formulaic, and an outright waste of time.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

 

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

 

8/10

Starring

Tom Cruise

Ving Rhames

Simon Pegg

Hayley Atwell

 

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

 

Leave it to Mission Impossible to kick off with an opening scene that spooks you and locks you in for the rest of the film. From the start, it’s clear this is a two-parter, which is one thing I dislike about some films—why make it so long, just to let me know I have another long movie to see some years after? That said, Hunt and his team deliver an exciting story that makes me look forward to the second part. The ending is satisfying and sets up the next installment perfectly. If all goes well, the second part should be out within a year—assuming the Writers’ and SAG strikes don’t delay it further.

Ethan Hunt is back with his team for another seemingly impossible mission. This seventh installment in the series continues from Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018), and like all its predecessors, it delivers magnificent stunts, impeccably edited scenes, and breathtaking cinematography. True to form, the film makes use of multiple stunning locations, as the series is known for never staying in one place for long.

This time, Hunt’s team is up against a rogue AI called The Entity. From the start of the film, we see what the AI is capable of, and now it’s up to Hunt and his team to take on the impossible task of stopping it.

Their mission? To acquire a key, which we learn early on is split into two parts. One half is with Ethan’s friend Ilsa Faust, who also has a bounty on her head. Ethan is tasked with retrieving her half and, with his team, securing the other half to return to the IMF.

If you’ve been following the series, you’ll remember Ilsa has been working with Ethan and his team since Rouge Nation (MI5) and returned in Fallout (MI6). Retrieving the key from Ilsa isn’t easy—not because she’s unwilling to help, but because the bounty hunters after her are relentless. Before starting his mission, Ethan infiltrates an intelligence meeting to learn what the key is meant to unlock. It turns out the AI, originally designed to sabotage systems, has gone sentient and hacked into all the world’s major defense systems. Every global power is now aware of this rogue AI and is racing to control it. The key is believed to hold some sort of control over the AI, though no one knows exactly how it works or what it does.

From the start, Ethan is warned not to go rogue as he often does, but he has his own thoughts on who should control the key—and the ultimate power it represents.

In the end, this film offers an amazing plot, great twists and turns, and jaw-dropping stunts. It’s an enjoyable ride from start to finish. Hunt’s team is bigger, and the mission isn’t over yet. I can’t wait for the second part, which will be the eighth film in the series. Even at a time when movies are struggling at the box office, the Mission: Impossible series continues to perform remarkably well.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

5/10

Starring

Anthony Ramos

Dominique Fishback

Luna Lauren Vélez

 

Directed by Steven Caple Jr.

 

I’ll be honest—I’ve lost track of how many films this franchise has or how many I’ve even seen, because they just keep making them. What I do remember, though, is how much I enjoyed Bumblebee five years ago. So, I walked into this film with an open mind, ready to either enjoy myself or officially sign off from the franchise.

Right away, the film delivers as much CGI and special effects as you’d expect. There are plenty of action-packed, metal-on-metal fight sequences, which might be exciting for some. For those of us who grew up with the cartoon, though, it’s just okay. Unfortunately, the cringy, cheesy lines and scattered scenes really dragged it down for me.

I felt Bumblebee was much better. A scaled-down version with fewer metal-on-metal fights and more focus on plot and character drama would make a stronger film. The excessive action scenes, paired with low-grade drama, made me want to fast-forward through parts of it. Bumblebee struck the perfect balance—it focused on character relationships and kept the action meaningful, which made it a fantastic prequel to the franchise.

In case you didn’t know, this film takes place before the first Transformers movie from 2007. It’s a sequel to Bumblebee, though Hailee Steinfeld doesn’t return in this installment.

One thing I’ve never understood is why films make the bad guys so impossible to kill, only for the good guys to miraculously find a way to win. Somehow, the heroes always discover a hidden strength or wisdom that the villains never see coming.

The plot revolves around the Transwarp Key, which allows its holder to travel through space and time. The Maximals are the key’s guardians, but their world is attacked by Unicron, a planet-devouring force. Unicron sends his Terrorcons, led by Scourge, to steal the key. When they fail, the surviving Maximals escape with the key, leaving Unicron trapped in their galaxy after destroying their home world.

The story then shifts to Earth, where the key is discovered by a museum intern named Elena. She accidentally activates its beacon, which only the bots can see. Scourge and the Terrorcons attack the museum, sparking a battle between the Autobots and the Terrorcons. Scourge easily overpowers the Autobots, but a Maximal arrives just in time to save them.

Scourge manages to get the key and almost kills the Autobots, but he soon learns that the Maximals split the key in two. What he has is only half. The Maximals inform the Autobots of this, and together with Elena and Noah—an unlikely ally who stumbled into the chaos—they set out to find the other half before Scourge does.

I’m certain there will be more films in this franchise. Given how much money these movies continue to make, I doubt they plan to stop anytime soon. While this film didn’t quite match the magic of Bumblebee for me, it’s another solid addition to the seemingly never-ending Transformers saga.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

6/10

Starring

Harrison Ford

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Antonio Banderas

John Rhys-Davies

 

Directed by James Mangold

 

This is supposedly the fifth and final installment in the Indiana Jones film series, following Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). The film opens with a jaw-dropping use of CGI to de-age Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. While many didn’t enjoy The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I did, so I was really looking forward to this one.

The massive expense on locations, costumes, and special effects is evident when watching this film, though I couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t scale it back a bit. This is the first film in the series without Steven Spielberg directing or George Lucas working on the plot, and maybe that’s why it doesn’t quite match the magic of the previous entries.

The movie drags more than it should, spending too much time on mysteries and running around. Still, I’m not upset about it—the director clearly wanted this to feel like a grand, final hurrah for Indiana Jones. What I did find unnecessary, though, was the over-the-top CGI sequence of Jones jumping around in the opening scene.

As expected, Harrison Ford is back with his iconic hat and whip, paired this time with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays Helena, Jones’s goddaughter. She’s also an archaeologist and comes looking for a mysterious artifact—the dial—that’s in Jones’s custody. The story reveals that Jones originally acquired the dial from Helena’s father, who nearly lost his mind trying to understand it before handing it to Jones to destroy. In the future, Helena gets the dial from Jones, but her complicated past and greed cause it to fall into the wrong hands.

What’s an Indiana Jones movie without bad guys? This time, it’s Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a German villain with plans to reassemble the dial and rewrite history. What follows is a globe-trotting chase as Jones, Helena, and their team race to stop Voller from altering world events.

I wasn’t particularly drawn to Helena’s character—not due to the performance, but because of how the character was written. She felt more like a plot device than a compelling addition to the story.

It’s no surprise that this film is a box office flop. The Indiana Jones character has run its course, and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull should have been the series finale. Many older fans of the original trilogy weren’t keen on The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and are likely waiting for this film to hit Disney+ rather than going to the cinema.

On top of that, studios keep cramming too many blockbusters into the same release window, leaving no room for this movie to stand out. Disney will undoubtedly add it to their streaming library soon, but I wish it had been a bigger success both in cinemas and online.

Daughter of the Bride (2023)

Daughter of the Bride (2023)

 2/10

Starring

Marcia Gay Harden

Halston Sage

Andrew Richardson

Cara Santana

 

Directed by Annette Haywood-Carter

 

The concept of this film lost me from the start. It took me a while to finally grasp the idea behind Daughter of the Bride.

I decided to watch it because any time I see a movie with "bride" in the title, I want to watch it. Father of the Bride (1991) brought me so much happiness growing up. Unfortunately, one thing this film lacked was proper directing. The scenes felt forced, and it’s obvious right from the start. The younger actors didn’t seem to fit naturally into their roles or with each other, especially in dialogue. The quality of their acting is worse than what you’d expect from even a B-movie. The older actors delivered as seasoned professionals would, but I couldn’t get past how terrible Halston Sage was.

She acted like one of those characters in Nickelodeon children’s shows that you know not to take seriously. All she needed to do was stop forcing it and act naturally. It’s a bad sign when you feel you could do a better job than the actor on screen.

The plot revolves around the close bond between a mother and daughter, which has endured from childhood to adulthood. Their relationship wasn’t the problem—everything else was. Kate (Sage) sees an older man helping a younger man start a car and is impressed by the way he carries himself. On a whim, she hands him her mother’s phone number and doesn’t think twice about it. Six weeks later, they’re engaged, and Kate is freaking out because she never expected things to move so fast—or even get to this point.

A Father of the Bride (1991) situation unfolds, with Kate panicking over her mother marrying a man she barely knows. Since the film lacked substance or enough material to carry the plot, they added another love story for Kate, which runs parallel to her mother’s wedding plans. Unfortunately, Kate’s love story is just as weak as her acting.

I’m especially critical because Father of the Bride is one of my favorite movies from the 1990s. When I was young, I didn’t even realize it was a remake of a 1950s film starring Spencer Tracy—I just knew I loved it. Growing up on the Banks family and then seeing the sequel felt like a perfect continuation. Father of the Bride (1991) and its 1995 sequel were my happy places as a child.

So when they released that disastrous remake in 2022 with a cast full of annoying characters, I was genuinely offended.