Everyone, today, we will be reviewing a film that is based on a true story. This biographical film will be telling about unique events that happened with certain people located in different parts of the world. So now, let’s discuss a film that starts Archie Madekwe, Orlando Bloom, David Harbour, Djimon Hounsou, and others. Presenting to you all my review of the biographical sports film, Gran Turismo!

Plot: The movie tells about how a video game game player from Cardiff, Wales, named Jann Mardenborough (played by Archie Madekwe), particularly of the virtual reality driving game, Gran Turismo, went from just playing that game to becoming one of the biggest actual Gran Turismo racing drivers in history.

Alright, as we know, Sony, Columbia Pictures, and even Play Station all worked together to make this film? Did they do well? Well, for the most part, yes! First of all, could many of us agree that it was cool to see a video game company like Play Station pitch in on a movie that was based on real life events? Hopefully so! I mean it was one thing for say Nintendo to partner with Universal, and Illumination to make a fictional story like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, or even Play Station with Columbia, and Sony to make Uncharted last year, or films like those. But now, for a video game company to team up with a popular movie company to make a film that’s based on a true story, now that’s a whole new ball game, wouldn’t you say? That being said, did the video game makers, and filmmakers do well with the material that they had? Definitely! First of all, the characters are all great, especially main character Jann Mardenborough, and Danny Moore, who was played by Orlando Bloom in this film, and was the marketing director for Nissan. I mean for Danny Moore to do what he did by inviting people that were qualified to race in the Gran Turismo race simply because of noticing how great some people were on the Gran Turismo game, that was cool. I mean yes, a lesson to take from this film, especially from a Christian standpoint is the fact that God doesn’t call the qualified, He calls the unqualified, as we all are, to share in His Mission. Anyway, I’ll try not to spoil much, but for Bloom’s character to organize that whole deal for the reasons that he did, that was a very kind, and also an intriguing move on his part. For the reasons that he made this move, it is surprising to know why he did that in the first place. Jann is also a really great character. I’m not sure how much was accurate for the events in this film to his life, and/or what elements were added. Either way, you have to appreciate his willingness to pursue his dreams, and/or overcome any obstacles that came his way in the process. David Harbour as Jack Salter, who was Jann’s trainer for the GT Academy, was also really great. He also had some really great lines throughout this film as well. Yes, people like Jann, Jann’s father, Steve, Danny Moore, and other characters had some really great lines too. Still, it was it was the lines from Harbour’s character, Jack Slater, that seemed to stand out the most. The rest of the acting, be it from people like Djimon Hounsou, and more, was phenomenal. It was also cool to realize that Gran Turismo was, and is, supposed to be more than just a virtual reality game, which is more than one can probably say about other games of that type. The movie also provides some really great lessons as well, especially near the end, that Christians, and maybe even non-Christians that are considering becoming Christians, could take away once this film is over. It almost makes you wonder, are there more Christian aspects of this story that weren’t included in this film, or are there just some things to see, and understand from a Christian viewpoint? You got me! One other thing to mention is that Lorne Balfe made a really fun score that seemed to have a nostalgic feel of an 80s, or maybe even 90s game, or music period. If there were any potential downsides to Gran Turismo, it would likely be that the film could have showed whether or not there were certain issues near the end of the film that were fully resolved. We have to imply that they most likely were, I suppose. Still, it would have been nice for the film to go a little more in depth in that regard, you know?

And that’s my review for Gran Turismo! It is a fun film that should have performed better at the box office than it has seemed to in the end. The acting is superb, the story is engaging from start to finish, and there are some really great lessons to take away from this film. I would highly recommend that you go see this movie. If Gran Turismo is still playing at a local theater near you, then definitely try to take some time to see it on the big screen. It’s one of those movies that truly deserves to be seen in theaters rather than just at home, and On Demand. So, go see Gran Turismo, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A

And now, ladies, and gentlemen, for the other animated film from 1995 that I rewatched this past weekend! Today, we are going to review an animated film that was released by the former Disney subsidiary company, DisneyToon Studios, as well as one of a few films from that studio to have a theatrical debut. It is the one, and only film from April 1995, A Goofy Movie.

Plot: Max (Jason Marsden), the son of single father, Goofy (Bill Farmer) is tired of being picked on all the time, and tries to step up his game by impressing his high school crush, Roxanne (Kellie Martin). Though, with the help of his friends, Bobby (Pauly Shore), and PJ (Rob Paulsen), Max succeeds in winning Roxanne over by impersonating the lead singer of the fictional band, PowerLine, his actions cause him to be suspended, and for Goofy to take him on a fishing trip to try to set Max straight. As Goofy, and Max go on this road trip, can Goofy, and Max learn to see things from each other’s point of view, and will Max be able to keep his new relationship with Roxanne in the end?

Again, much like with The Pebble & The Penguin, I also wanted to rewatch A Goofy Movie sometime this year because of this film’s release date, April 7th, being on a Friday just like it was back in 1995. Also, a rewatch for this one was probably long overdue anyway. So, watching this film again, was it as good as I remember it? Well, not quite. Okay, it was definitely miles better than The Pebble & The Penguin, no denying that. Still, there’s no denying that there are a couple things that could have most likely made this film a little better. First of all, there was a slightly crude scene that occurs around the beginning of the film. I’m thinking, seriously, did we really need that? Second, some of the characters, though likable, did some things that probably weren’t the best. Okay, I’m not saying that characters in a lot of movies don’t ever make mistakes. Of course, most of them do. However, in this case, some of them, especially the main ones, seemed to make ones that seemed to make them come off as a little mean, and maybe even cruel. This especially seems to be true with, for example, how Principal Mazur spread rumors to Max’s dad, Goofy, that weren’t even true. There was that, along with things like the way Max acted around others when venting his anger, and frustration for his dad taking him on a trip that he was unhappy about going on to begin with. I mean there were a couple moments where Max came off as kind of a jerk as a result. Okay, I get that the writers were likely trying to convey that people in real life, when they are super pissed about a situation that they’ll impulsively take their anger out on others. Still, the way it was handled with characters like Max, he seemed to go a little overboard, especially with some other characters when expressing his frustration about certain situations, you know?

But now, what are the pros for A Goofy Movie? Well, first off, there’s the animation. A lot of films from DisneyToon Studios didn’t seem to have the best animation like those of Walt Disney Animation Studios itself. However, while the animation may not quite the best, it is still really good, especially for this being a feature film that went to theaters. Next, there are the songs. Okay, they may not “A Whole New World,” “Bare Necessities”, or songs like those. Still, they are still very fun, especially songs like “Stand Out”, “Nobody Else But You”, and the film’s finale number “I 2 I”. There is also some very good choreography at times, again, especially with “I 2 I”. But one of the better aspects of this film was probably the relationships. I mean whether it was the relationship between Max, and Roxanne, and especially Max, and Goofy’s relationship, they are handled really well. In the end, it’s really Max, and Goofy’s relationship that seems to evolve positively over the course of this film. A Goofy Movie also has an incredible amount of heart to it. Sure, certain aspects of the film’s storyline could have been handled better. Even so, for what it was, it was done very well. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Kevin Lima, who directed 1999’s Tarzan, also directed A Goofy Movie. Even with Tarzan being good, Lima really did well even with A Goofy Movie. I can’t help but wonder if he took notes for what he did with A Goofy Movie, and took it a step further with films like Tarzan, and, later, Enchanted in the 2000s. You got me! Oh, and surely, I can’t forget to mention the voice acting that ranged from Bill Farmer as Goofy, Jason Marsden as Max, Kellie Martin as Roxanne, Jim Cummings as Pete, or even Wallace Shawn as Principal Mazur. I was surprised to find that Wallace Shawn did two voice roles in 1995 with both this, and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, when he voiced Rex. How about that? Oh, and did I forget to mention that A Goofy Movie has one of the most hilarious jokes that a movie could have. What’s even more funny is that an animated film that newer company at the time, by the name of DreamWorks, would have a similar joke in it’s film five years later, in the year 2000, around the springtime when A Goofy Movie would reach it’s 5-year anniversary. So, how about that as well!?! Finally, the message about learning to see things from each other’s point of view, it may have been done quite a few times before, and after this film. But still, that message was done in a very good, and creative matter in this case.

And that’s my review for A Goofy Movie. Though the storyline could have probably been executed a little better, A Goofy Movie has plenty of heart to it, has likable characters, has comedy, and a great many things that make it a really fun film. If you want to see a film in which Goofy, and friends made a well done debut, a film that briefly portrays high school in a family friendly manner, has fun songs, and more, then all the more reason to see this film. It’s creative, has a fun, and engaging story, and is overall a film that you won’t want to miss. That is, especially if you want to see Goofy, and the gang on the big screen, or a film that did go to the big screen years ago. So yeah, definitely see A Goofy Movie, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A-

Well, everyone, for today’s session of movie reviewing, we go back to the mid-1990s, 1995, a matter of fact. Not only that, but we shall discuss a NON-DISNEY animated film that was made by former Disney animator, Don Bluth, whom I’m sure some of us may remember for directing films like The Secret Of NIMH (1982), Anastasia (1997), a few others, and his last full length being the 2000 animated film, Titan A.E. Well, following his debut with 1989’s All Dogs Go To Heaven, Don Bluth released four animated films from 1992 through 1995 that were all flops, and, well, not that well received by the general public. This animated film of his, from 1995, was one of those films that was a flop at the theatrical box office. So, was the general public in the right, or were people rather harsh on this animated film? Let’s find out by going on the adventures of Hubie in this animated film that was produced by MGM Studios, and released back in 1995, the one, and only, The Pebble & The Penguin.

Plot: In Antarctica, there is a ritual in which Adelie penguins do their best to present a special stone to a female penguin that they want to attempt to mate with for life. It is on this occasion that a shy, and lovable Penguin named Hubie (Martin Short) tries yo do just this for a female Penguin named Marina (Annie Golden). But an evil Penguin named Drake (Tim Curry) also seeks her hand, and casts Hubie out to to try to get Hubie out of the way, and have her hand. Through a series of misadventures, Hubie teams up with a feisty rockhopper Penguin named Rocko (Jim Belushi) to try to get back to Antarctica. Now, can Rocko successfully teach Hubie how to fight Drake, and with his shiny green pebble to try to present to her, successfully attain Marina’s hand before the Penguin mating ceremony (or Full Moon Mating Ceremony, as they call it in the film) occurs?

Alright, so part of what made me want to rewatch both this film, and A Goofy Movie (which I will be reviewing after this one) this past weekend was that one, they both were released back in 1995, and that this year, their respective release dates of April 7th, 1995, and April 12th, 1995, landed on Friday, and Wednesday respectively just like they did back in 1995. Well, that leads to my other reason. That being the fact that the two films were released very close to each other, and faced some potential competition at the box office as a result. Rumor has it that A Goofy Movie was much more successful, while The Pebble & The Penguin was a flop.

So, again, you may be wondering, did The Pebble & The Penguin deserve to be a flop, or was that undeserved? Well, first of all, let me put it to you all this way. Rumor has it that Don Bluth, before going to a former animation studio by the name of Fox Animation Studios in Phoenix, Arizona to work on Anastasia (which was released two years after this film), made it abundantly clear that he DID NOT want to be credited as being the director of this film because of feeling unsatisfied with the final product of this film. So, as we will see in the credits of this film, Don Bluth was given credit in a different way. After rewatching this film years after being absent from this film, can I say that I blame him? Well, probably not! Oh, don’t get me wrong, there are quite a few good things in it. In fact, if I were to choose between watching, and rewatching 1994’s A Troll In Central Park (which, of course, was also directed by Don Bluth), I would definitely choose The Pebble & The Penguin. Yes, it does have quite a few flaws, but more on that momentarily. Still, of the four films that were released from 1992 through 1995, and consisted of Rock-A-Doodle, Thumbelina, A Troll In Central Park, and The Penguin, at least Penguin had more redeeming qualities to it then A Troll In Central, and maybe even the other two films that O just mentioned (though I need to rewatch those as well to know for sure).

That all being said, what made The Pebble & The Penguin not be one of Don Bluth’s best works during his time in the animation industry? Well, first of all, there’s the whole deal with this film trying a little too hard to be a Disney knock-off, especially in the 1990s. Allow me to explain! As we know, many of the Disney animated films that got released from 1989 through 1999 were musicals. Well, meanwhile other studios tried to make animated films that they tried to make on par with those. As a result, The Pebble & The Penguin was one of those many animated films that tried to act like a musical, and a good one at that. Here was the problem with that in this case! Animated movies like The Pebble & The Penguin didn’t seem to fully realize what made the majority of the songs in those films so catchy, and memorable. That is not until good non-Disney animated films like Anastasia, or The Prince Of Egypt, for instance, came into play near the end of that decade. Yes, there were a few decent songs like “Now And Forever,” “Looks Like I’ve Got Me A Friend,” or even the villain song, “Don’t Make Me Laugh.” Decent being the keyword, though. Still, there were others like “Sometimes I Wonder,” or “The Good Ship Misery,” where I found myself thinking, “Can we just get on with the rest of the film? I almost wanted to skip through songs like those because of them not being memorable. What’s more is that in the song, “Good Ship Misery,” the some of the characters that sang that song sometimes acted over the top annoying, and overly dramatic about their situation on the ship. Meanwhile, I’m thinking, “Guys, I get it. Now, please, shut up. I get that you don’t like being imprisoned on the ship. Yet, with the obvious exception of Hubie, and the streetwise Rockhopper penguin, Rocko, they don’t like being on the Misery ship, but are okay being at a zoo? What sense does that make? In addition to that plot hole, there were some other plot holes as well, like how Hubie’s green pebble somehow had this ability to show a vision of something Hubie needed to know about at some point, and weird things like that. In addition to that, a lot of the writing was lacking, including incidents such as Drake having these two different sets of sidekicks. First, he has this trio of penguins who are like his henchmen, but serve very little to no purpose except to act like comic relief. I mean the only thing they do is just go along with everything Drake says, and does, and just laugh whenever he decides to maniacally laugh about something? Really!?! Honestly, I would say that the one scene where Drake is having a meal with a pair of birds that were most likely skuas, that scene was mostly likely more interesting than any scene that involved Drake’s three penguin henchmen. I would say that the two skuas should have been the henchmen for the whole film, and not those three penguin characters. Like, come on, pick which henchmen the villain should have, and stick with that. In addition to that whole deal, the rest of the characters generally seemed to lack in memorabilia as well. As a result, and other factors, the story, as a whole, felt rather between mediocre, and above average. As far as the animation goes, while most of it was good, be it the backgrounds, or character movements, there were also some moments where the animation on the characters felt a little inconsistent at points. Finally, there were some moments especially around the middle to end of the film that made the movie feel a little strange as well.

That all being said, what pros did The Pebble & The Penguin have? Well, there’s the majority of the animation. Yes, again, it did feel a little inconsistent at times. Still, when that was not the case, it is amazing, much like other animated films that were directed by Don Bluth. Three of the songs were decent, with “Now And Forever,” “Don’t Make Me Laugh,” and “Looks Like I’ve Got Me A Friend.” Oh, and did I forget about some of this film, instead of having a storybook, decide to go a unique route by having a song book instead? That was rather creative. Not to mention that you have some of the characters, especially during the beginning song, dancing on the pages of the song at times. How cool is that, you know!?! What’s more is that even during the songs that weren’t all that good, there is some surprisingly good choreography to go along with some of the numbers as well. Oh, and to have your cast include Jim Belushi as Rocko, Annie Golden as Marina, Martin Short as Hubie, and especially Tim Curry as the villain, Drake, was all really cool. Still, even if Drake is the villain, it sure seems like he seems to steal the show in any scene that he’s in. Even so, it was also great to see Hubie being willing to do whatever it took to be humble, and get outside of his comfort zone whenever necessary. Oh, and to have this film have more realism in it like with not having a leopard seal, or even a killer whale be friends with the main penguin characters, or things like that, was a very good approach this time around as well. Mark Watters also provided a very good musical score as well. Finally, some messages like how people, or creatures, in this case, are more important than any gift, or object that they might give you.

And that’s my review for The Pebble & The Penguin. Even if it was not the best, it’s still a fun film with good animation, an excellent voice cast, and more. Yes, another penguin film by the name of Happy Feet (which came out over ten years later, in 2006) was a total upgrade from this movie. Still, The Pebble & The Penguin does still succeed in maintaining things like charm, and heart to it. It could have been better, yes, most definitely! Still, for what it is, it’s definitely something to check it out if you can watch it for free on sites like Tubi, watch it for free on Amazon Prime, or even if you have a hard DVD, or even VHS copy of this film. If you want to see it, feel free to!

Final Grade: B-

Well, everyone, we arrive at the third installment of what is now considered the trilogy of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. That’s right! We have not one, not only two, but three adventures with Toula, her husband, Ian, and the rest of the Greek family. Let’s see how things went down for the family this time around with My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, shall we?

Plot: After the death of Toula’s father, Gus, Toula, Ian, their daughter Paris, Toula’s mother, Maria, and the rest if the Greek family decide to head to Greece to find any remaining family members related to Gus. Will the trip prove successful, or will their trip be for nothing?

And now, for the million dollar question! Did My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 either make up for the mistakes of the second film? Was the third film as good as the first film? Sadly, no to both questions. I mean sure, the second film could have been a little better. Still, at least it ended up being hysterical, and having a lot of the same charm as the first film. Sure, there are some funny moments here and there in this third film. Still, it likely could have been more fun, and funnier somehow, and some way. Putting aside the lack of comedy, the storyline felt rather mediocre, and the movie, overall, felt like like a sequel that was cashing in on the success of the first, or even the second movies. The characters, especially the old ones, didn’t seem to be themselves as much this time around. I mean even characters like Ian, or especially Toula, weren’t as likable as they had been in the previous installments of this movie franchise. What’s more is that none of them seemed to mature as characters either from the second film, or even the first one. Also, with the possible exception of Gus’ relatives, none of the newer characters seemed to be all that interesting, or memorable. In fact, in most cases, it felt rather pointless to add them in. There were also some scenes, especially near the end, that seemed to be poorly executed. Even some of the lines in the script felt a little cringeworthy at times. Finally, My Big Fat Greek Wedding seemed to drag a little too much at times.

But are there any redeeming qualities for this film/sequel? Well, there are at least a couple. First of all, it was nice to see some of the layout of Greece, as well as see the family go to the country of their ancestors. It was also nice for us to get to know some of the family’s long lost relatives as well. Finally, it was nice that there was at least some comedy in this film, even if we could have had more of that.

And that’s my review for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. Yeah, sequels like this serve as proof that just because a certain movie is really good, and/or successful at the box office, doesn’t mean that filmmakers should be milking the heck out of those movies. People need to know when a film needs to be left alone. Yes, this movie did have a few good elements in it. Still, I would say that if you really want to see this sequel, either see it if you either have the AMC deal where you can see up to three movies a week for free, or you can watch this movie On Demand for free. Otherwise, because this sequel wasn’t that good, it would be best if you just stick with the first film, or the first, and second one. You’ll most likely be glad that you did. Well, I will just end this review by saying this, “Let’s hope that Disney, and Hollywood in general, will try to make a better effort to make more creative, and original stories in future months, and years.” They’ll likely be sorry otherwise. We shall see, though.

Final Grade: D+

Well, everyone, today, we now continue with the franchise known as My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Who would have guessed there would be a sequel fourteen years after the release of the classic first film, eh? Well, now, let’s discuss the first sequel to the 2002 classic hit, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The one, and only My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2!

Plot: Set sometime after the events of the first film, Ian, and Toula Miller (played John Corbett, and Nia Vardalos, respectively once again) have a daughter named Paris (Elena Kampouris), who is in her senior year in high school, and desiring to go to college out of state. This upsets her parents, and her big fat Greek family, as they want to be close to her. Meanwhile, a subplot occurs, in which a certain big family secret is revealed. So now, the question remains, will Paris be able to have her wish, or will the rest of her family succeed in keeping her in Chicago, Illinois? Also, with the family secret revealed, will that deal be solved as well?

So, does this sequel hold a candle to it’s 2002 predecessor? Well, this is one of the many times where the sequel does not? First of all, the film had some unnecessary sexual innuendo moments. Okay, I’m glad that this film got a PG-13 rating simply because of moments like those. Still, did we really need scenes like those, especially since the first film didn’t have those? Like, come on! As for Ian, and Toula’s daughter, Paris, she’s a nice enough character. Still, she seemed to feel a little pessimistic more often than not, and seemed to act like a drama queen a little too much. Okay, I realize that’s typical for a female in high school, but still. It was also a little strange to put in some things that weren’t part of the first film, and make it part of the story as maybe filler to a degree, you know? And another thing! The storyline seemed to feel a little bit like an imitation of the one for the first film, especially since Toula was acting like her father Gus in the first film at points, and things line that. Does that always happen? Maybe! Still, it did also feel rather weird as well. One other thing to mention! Did we really need to have one of the characters from the first film be gay? I mean sure that seemed to be more implied. Still, I’m not sure if any of the characters from this film would have been made that way either 21 years ago, or 14 years before this sequel was released, you know?

With that all said, are there good things in this film? Absolutely! To begin, My Big Far Greek Wedding 2 does succeed in bringing over a great plenty of the comedy, and charm that My Big Fat Greek Wedding 1 had. It’s still funny, which helps make the film very enjoyable. There is also a good amount of character development with both the old, and newer characters. In fact, it was nice to see some of those from the first film get to shine a little more this time around. There were also some very cute moments in this film as well. Additionally, even if the storyline felt very much like a repeat of the first film, there was still heart added to it. One other thing to mention is that it was nice to have messages about how we need to learn to let others go, and spread their wings. Overall, it was also nice to see our favorite characters from the mostly Greek family back on the big screen again.

And that’s my review for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. In the end, did we need this sequel? Probably not! Still, it was nice to see the characters from the first film again on the big screen. The film is still very touching, funny, charming, and still has a few things to like about it, even if it likely could have been better. I would say that if you want to see these characters again, and haven’t yet, definitely give it a go! You’ll definitely enjoy it for the good stuff that this film does have.

Final Grade: B-

Alright, so many of you remember saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding when it was released back in 2002, did you not? If you did then many of you also enjoyed it as well, yes? Either way, because the third film was just released earlier this month, we shall go back, and review the first two films, followed by the third one that just came out recently. Had there not been the third film recently, I’m not sure when I would have rewatched, and reviewed this film. So now, in honor of the third My Big Fat Greek Wedding film being released recently, let’s go back in time to 2002, and review the one that started it all, the 2002 classic film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

Plot: Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos), thirty years, part of a Greek family, and not married. But one day, she meets, and begins to date Ian Miller (John Corbett), who is not Greek. Even if the family wanted her to originally marry a Greek man, the question remains, will they accept Toula, and Ian’s relationship, or will the relationship, and a potential marriage between the couple have to be called off in the end?

Well, I must say, it was definitely exciting that even if the filmmakers didn’t expect this film to be as big of a hit as it was in the end, it was definitely a miracle that it was. First of all, since this movie revolves around a Greek family, My Big Fat Greek Wedding respects that by incorporating Greek music into this film, giving us a taste of Greek culture with the food, what Greek families act like, viewpoints on topics such as marriage, and things like that. The movie is also really, really funny, especially with Nick, one of Toula’s brothers, Toula’s family in general, and, sometimes, even Toula herself, bringing some great humor to this film. Additionally, the characters are all really memorable, and likable. Whether it be Ian, and Toula, most, if not all, of Toula’s relatives, or any other character that one can think of, they each bring a special ingredient to the table that helps make this film a surprisingly classic film. It was also great to see that a popular film like this one could succeed in incorporating Christian elements into this film. This is most notably true with elements such as the main character being named Toula, her name meaning “light of God”, a scene when a character gets baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church at one point in this film, and reasons like those. Honestly, even back then, one could probably say that it was most definitely a miracle that this film was as popular as it was because of that. Another really great element about this film is how the movie does well with portraying two cultures. I mean here we have Toula, and a huge family works together for the most part, does nearly everything together, and more. Yet, we also have Ian, and his parents. Sure, Ian had other relatives as well, I’m sure, but didn’t get to meet them in this film. Well, not to mention the film does well with showing how getting immersed into another culture can be shocking more often than not. Finally, the movie is overall memorable, has plenty of heart in it, has plenty of lessons to take away from it, and will help others understand what’s like to become part of another culture, be it the Greek culture, Italian culture, or other ones. As a result, My Big Fat Greek Wedding served as proof that even recent decades like the 2000s, and onwards, were capable of having films that would be come timeless classics. Too bad these decades didn’t seem to have quite as many nostalgic films like that, especially when compared to say earlier decades like the 1950s, 1960s, or even 1970s, or decades like those.

So, what flaws are there with this film, if any? Well, there’s the fact that some of the humor may be a little too crude, and inappropriate at times, especially for a PG-rated film. I’m not sure how many parents took younger kids to see this film at the time that it was released. Either way, the film probably should have been given a PG-13 rating instead. Thankfully, the filmmakers seemed to have learned that lesson for the second, and third films. Thankfully, the scenes beside those couple moments were much cleaner, and justified all the more the film being given a PG-rating. So, maybe that’s why this film was rated PG in the end? You got me!

And that’s my review for My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It is fun, really memorable, has plenty of nostalgia even 20+ years later, has heart, likable, and memorable characters, and nearly every ingredient that help make a good classic film. If you’re one of the rare to few people who who hasn’t seen this film for one reason, or another, then make an effort to do so whenever possible. And if you choose not to see the two sequels that follow this film, then at least see this first film once, if not more, and stick with just this one. After rewatching My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I’m not that surprised that many people talked about it a great deal. In the end, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a movie that you’ll want to watch once, if not multiple times. So, definitely make a point to watch My Fat Greek Wedding, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A

Well, everyone, today, we are doing yet another movie review! This time, we will be talking about the newest edition to join the DC Comics superhero film franchise as of last month! To be fair, since it’s likely been over a year since we got a DC Comics movie in theaters with The Batman (I’m not counting DC League Of Super Pets as much, since that was more of an animated family-oriented film than adult one), it was about time that DC Comics released a film from their studio, and Warner Bros. once again. This film stars Xolo Mariduena, Bruna Marquezine, George Lopez, Susan Sarandon, and a few others. So now, let’s talk about the one, and only Blue Beetle!

Plot: In the fictional town of Palmera City, when a recent college graduate named Jaime Reyes gets hired at business company by the name of Kord Industries to try help pay off debt that his family’s been facing, he receives a fast food box, and his told by an employee named Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) that he must not open. However, Jaime does during dinner with family, and it is reveled to be a blue scarab. The blue scarab comes to life, and Jaime becomes what is known as the Blue Beetle. Jenny’s aunt Victoria, who is head of Kord Industries, is hellbent on retrieving the blue scarab back for herself, and use it for the destruction of the world. Can Jaime, with his newfound powers of the scarab, as well as the help of his family, and Jenny defeat Victoria, and the corrupt members of her company, or will Victoria succeed in getting it back, and use it for the destruction that she intended, when she, and her team uncovered, and acquired it in Antarctica?

So, did we have another winner in the DC Comics that have been adapted to the big screen, or did DC Comics have a dud like Justice League, Batman Vs. Superman, or films like those? Well, guys, even if this film has flipped at the box office thus far, Blue Beetle definitely deserves more recognition than it’s been getting in the end. First of all, the action is really good. The film almost feels like an Iron Man kind of movie except for the DC Comics, instead of Marvel. There is also really good comedy in this film. Let me tell you, it works really well. It was also really good to have this film set in a fictional city, and have people of color. Now, some might argue that having people of color in this movie might make it woke. However, this movie doesn’t seem to be woke due to the fact that that element works really well in this case. Why, you may ask? Well, mainly because Blue Beetle takes place in a more poor neighborhood, and around a family that is surrounded by mostly people of color. Not to mention that the film is set around an environment that consists most likely of a mostly Mexican population. As for the whole deal of Susan Sarandon’s character, Victoria, being related to people like her niece Jenny, well, I’m guessing her brother must have gotten married to a Mexican female? Quite possibly!!! Should we get a sequel, definitely would be more curious about that aspect. Anyway, there is also really great acting in this film. You have Xolo Mariduena as main character Jaime Reyes, Damian Alcazar, and Elpidia Carrillo, as Jaime’s parents, Belissa Escobedo as Jaime’s younger sister, and George Lopez as Jaime’s uncle Rudy. Rudy seemed to be one of the major highlights in terms of having quite a few funny lines in this film. Then again, nearly any film that George Lopez has been in, he’s been a major highlight in comedy, and here is no exception. However, it would seem that Susan Sarandon as the villain, Victoria Kord. Now, I’m sure she’s played some good character roles in her career, as well as villain ones. Still, to see her go from being a villain in the 2007 Disney live-action/hybrid, Enchanted, when she played the evil Queen Narissa, and then play this villain several years later, she definitely shows, once again, that she’s capable of pulling off playing a villain that’s good at being manipulative, conniving, and any other ingredient that makes for a really great villain. The CGI design for the the Blue Beetle scarab, along with the armor that Ignacio Carapax, Victoria Kord’s Lieutenant, wears is really cool. Then again, even villains do have cool body armor in movies like these, don’t they? The romance between Jaime, and Jenny is cute as well. Oh, and another thing! The climax, and the events that took place during it turned out to be a big surprise, and in a good way too. Finally, there are quite a few great messages in this film such as how we should be willing to accept the purposes in our lives (which, parallel to real life, how God has purposes, and plans for our lives), that we need to learn to stand up for what is right, even if it means going against any wrong beliefs that any family member, or friend, how evil is NEVER good, or vice versa, that sacrifices for family, and friends come first before yourself, and things like that.

With all that said, are there flaws with Blue Beetle? Well, there are a couple. First of all, Jenny Kord was a fairly fleshed out character. Emphasis on fairly. However, at the same time, she did also feel a little bland. I mean, we probably have a good idea of why she goes against her aunt Victoria’s beliefs, and things like that. Still, that aspect probably could have been explored a little more. In addition to that, there was some character development that occurred near the end that felt a little forced, and could have somehow been handled sometime before the third act of this film. Because of this, this is one of those films that probably should have gone through maybe an additional draft, or two, and probably been around 2.5 hours, rather than just two hours, or a few minutes past that. The whole deal with the blue scarab/Blue Beetle, though fairly expanded upon, could have maybe been a little more developed, and had a little more depth, and development as well.

And that’s my review for Blue Beetle. Yeah, it could have maybe gone though one, or two additional drafts in order to be a little better. Still, for what it is, especially with this film being one of the fewer films that has some more decent quality in it, having better morals in it, compared to quite a few films made in Hollywood nowadays, and things like that, Blue Beetle is still worth checking out. It’s fun, entertaining, and still has some heart in it. I would say that if you still have yet to see Blue Beetle, definitely do so. It could have been better, yes. Still, it’s worth checking out. Oh, and make sure that you stay during the beginning part of the end credits. There is an additional scene that occurs during that that you don’t want to miss. So, definitely go see Blur Beetle, and see what you think!

Final Grade:B+

Well, everyone, today, we are going to be reviewing a film that, like the last film that I just reviewed, was based on a true story. This time, however, we will not be going back to the time of WWII like we did with Oppenheimer. Instead, the film that we will be discussing today is basically a biography of a former baseball player that played in the Major Leagues for a while. So now, let’s discuss a film that stars people like Dennis Quaid, and Colin Ford, by the name of The Hill.

Plot: The movie depicts how former baseball player Ricky Hill (Colin Ford) had to overcome all possible odds, both physically, and emotionally, to become a professional baseball player in the Major Leagues.

Wow, what an incredible film. First of all, I’m not sure how many people are familiar with this piece of history. Either way, it was great to see this movie brought to the big screen. Additionally, the way that the filmmakers incorporated the Christian values in Ricky’s life, and the lives of his family members in this film was amazing. Honestly, whether you’re a Christian, or not, this is a movie that everyone should see. Yes, Christians will likely enjoy it more so. Still, even for a non-Christian, there are some very thought-provoking moments in this film. The characters are all written the way that they needed to be for this film. Still, the biggest standouts for characters would probably have to be main character Ricky Hill, and his father, Pastor Hill. The reason being is that the movie did well with showing how the two characters didn’t see eye to eye on the whole deal with baseball, as well as being a Christian. Because of that, it will make for a great discussion for Christians, and likely even non-Christians when it comes to drawing the line on pursuing one’s passions, and pursuing one’s relationship with Jesus Christ. What’s even better is how much Ricky was willing to face ridicule from others that mocked his physical disabilities, as well as willing to persevere, and do what he could to pursue his dreams, despite having to face obstacles with his health, including his spine problem, his problems when walking, and more. As a result, The Hill is a great reminder that we need to be willing to face our Goliaths, our Pharaohs in Egypt, and more. Director Jeff Celentano most definitely did an excellent job with directing The Hill. He also made a great casting choice with casting Dennis Quaid, Colin Ford, and the others. It was also really to see baseball, and Jesus incorporated into this film, especially since that was in fact part of the actual story that this film was based on. Finally, the ending ends up being really unexpected, and really great overall.

And that’s my review for The Hill. It is a really excellent film with a lot to take away from it. Yes, Christians will really enjoy it. Still, I do hope that this film will spark curiosity even among non-Christians, and that it will give them a desire to know God more. Yes, The Word Of God is the ultimate source of help for that. Still, God has definitely helped pave the way for movies like this, and I Can Only Imagine to bring more Christian films back into the mainstream movie industry. If you haven’t seen this film yet, I would highly recommend it. It will most definitely be worth seeing, and is really heartwarming, and uplifting overall. So, please go see The Hill, if you haven’t, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A+

Continue reading “Movie Review # 620: The Hill (2023)”

Well, everyone, today, we finally get to the other half of what was known as the Barbenheimer meme that started back on July 21st of this year, when Barbie, and Oppenheimer were released. Sorry that it took me this long to finally see Oppenheimer. Still, again, better late than never! I’m glad to have finally caught up on the Barbenheimer deal. After seeing, Barbie shortly after that film was released, let’s finally discuss Oppenheimer a month and a half, almost a couple months later, shall we? So, let’s dive into a film that was based on real events in history with Oppenheimer!

Plot: The film takes place during the time of WWII, when scientist Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) tries to come up with ways to end the war by making several attempts to make a really powerful bomb that could potentially end Wats instantly. With the help of people like Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon), his wife, Katherine (Emily Blunt), and other people, did he succeed in his mission to make one of the most powerful weapons known to man?

First of all, wow, what an excellent film this is. To begin, there is so much history behind not only events that occurred during WWII, as well as before, and after, but this movie also may yet make one more curious about Oppenheimer’s life besides what was depicted in this film. It was also great to see Christopher Nolan be at the helm of this film. To see that he directed good films like the Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar, Tenet, and a few other films that were really good, or great, I’m sure that most of us can agree that we were in for a treat from the very beginning. I guess the question remains, did this film really need to be around three hours long? Well, there have been films in the past that have been around 2.5-3 hours that probably didn’t need to be. Still, in this case, it was probably for the best that this film was around 3 hours at most. Well, for the most part, but more on why I say that later. Anyway, why!?! Well, in all honesty, there was definitely a lot to uncover in this film. I mean from hearing the history of how certain weapons were formed, seeing Dr. Oppenheimer’s humbleness when admitting that he needed help, and guidance from other people for his research, and more, there seems to be so much history behind Dr. Oppenheimer, and his life. Also, for those of you that have seen this movie thus far, you know that Oppenheimer is set during WWII, yes? Additionally, for those of us that have studied WWII, we have learned about Adolf Hitler, Hitler’s mistreatment of the Jews, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and more, right? Well, sadly, it would seem as if not nearly as many of us know about Dr. Oppenheimer, or how the atomic bomb came about before it was used against people like the Japanese. Because of this, this film is a really great instrument for knowing about Dr. Oppenheimer, as well as realizing that he too was an important influence in history, particularly during the time that WWII took place. Anyway, there is also a really great cast going for this film too. We have Cillian Murphy as Dr. Oppenheimer himself, Emily Blunt as his wife, Katherine, Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, and more. Yeah, they, along with the rest of the cast were really great in each of their respective roles. As far as the characters themselves go, they were amazing too. Even if there are characters in this film that you’ll likely find yourself not liking, they are really well developed, and stand out really well. Because they each have scenes in which they shine, and hardly, if ever, get shoved under the rug so to speak, you’ll hardly, if ever, find yourself saying that we could have had more scenes, or more lines from this character, or that character. Oh, and Ludwig Goransson’s score was really good. Though part of me had expected a more epic score than the film had in the end, it was still really good, especially for the fitting of the time period. Additionally, much like Barbie, Oppenheimer also ends up being very thought-provoking at points. Albeit, for different reasons than Barbie was, but still. Hmmm! Isn’t that somewhat ironic!?! Only one of those two films was based on real events, yet they both got released on the same day, have made plenty of money, and were each very thought-provoking at points. Anyway, it’s interesting how much Oppenheimer gives one to think about after seeing this film. There could be quite a bit to discuss, from the decisions that Oppenheimer, and his team of researchers made, and more. What’s even more is how the visuals, cinematography, and more are handled in this film? How do I mean, you may ask? Well, you know how in many movies, at least nowadays, visuals rely on things like CGI for effects, and things like that? Well, that was apparently not the case this time around. In fact, from what I heard real bombs, and explosions were used during the making of this film. Pretty miraculous, if no one actually got hurt, or killed in the process, especially if real atomic bombs, or real explosions overall were used, wouldn’t you say? Well, there may have been fewer CGI effects. Still, from what I heard, Christopher Nolan, and the team tried to have the CGI effects to as much of a minimum as possible. One other thing to mention as far as positives go! When the movie goes from Dr. Oppenheimer either meeting with researchers, or developing either an atomic bomb, or other weapons to him being in a courtroom with other government officials, rather than him getting all the researching, and testing done, followed by him being in court for the rest of the film, the filmmakers decided to switch it up by doing the flashback deal with scenes of him being in court, and doing the researching, and testing in other scenes during the course of this film. Honestly, had Christopher Nolan, and the other filmmakers not gone the flashback route in the end, people would have probably gotten bored by around the second half, or at least third act, and not enjoyed this film as much because of that. So, props to Nolan, and the team for doing that!

With all of that said, are there some negatives in this film? Well, sadly, the one downside to this film is that there were a few sex scenes throughout this film that ended up being thrown in your face full on. I mean sure, if Oppenheimer was a womanizer, then have scenes that portray him that way. Still, couldn’t the filmmakers done that in a more discrete way without it being full on, and in your face? Well, just a thought there! It’s just sad how Hollywood has been doing that in many R-rated films for quite some time, you know? Well, all to say that was one way in which the film could have maybe been less these three hours was for the filmmakers to tone down on scenes like those.

And that’s my review for Oppenheimer. Despite this film having some scenes that were thrown in your face, and unnecessary, the film was really good overall. It has some excellent visuals, characters that stand out, thanks to the fact that those characters did exist in real life, a good score, and more. It is also really thought-provoking, and makes you try to understand how people might feel about different aspects of life in the end. Because of this, it’s understandable as to why Oppenheimer has been so popular for as long as it has been. Hopefully, when the Golden Globes, and Academy Award ceremonies come around this next year, Oppenheimer will have plenty of awards. But we shall see, that’s for sure. Definitely go see Oppenheimer, if you still have yet to, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A

Well, everyone, today, we are going to review an action sequel film of a franchise that has been going on since around the mid-1990s, and is based off an action TV show. It stars Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames, plus newcomers like Hayley Atwell, and Esai Morales. Ladies, and gentlemen, I present to you all my review of the seventh installment of the Mission Impossible film franchise that is divided into two parts, one for this year, and the other for next year. Presenting to you all is my review for Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1.

Plot: When IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), and his team head of a two-pieces crucible key that could advance technology, and deal with artificial intelligence (AI), it becomes their mission to retrieve the two pieces, and stop a new threat that could use the key to destroy the world. Will Ethan, and his team complete their mission before people from a terrorist organization called The Entity get their hands on it, and most likely use it to screw the world over?

Now, as I’m sure some of us know, this new Mission Impossible film has not performed quite as well as many of the previous films. And yeah, that was probably due, in part, to films like Barbie, and Oppenheimer being released a week later, and making a butt load of money. So, is it safe to say that those two films caused Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One to make somewhat of a run for it’s money, or was this new Mission Impossible sequel not that good period? Well, although anything’s possible, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One is a really good film that seemed to have gotten fairly overshadowed by films like the two that I just mentioned a moment ago, and possibly a few other films that have been released over the course of this summer. First of all, there is plenty of action in this film? I mean come on, who most likely doesn’t love a good action film? Also, it was interesting to see some really good character development with the newer characters, and the old ones, especially the main characters that were part of Impossible Mission Agency (IMF) in this film. It’s especially interesting that we get to delve into main character Ethan Hunt’s past a little bit before he joined the IMF. Oh, and what’s more, we get to see a little more of a different side of Ethan that we probably never saw in the other Mission Impossible films prior to this one. So that was really cool. And, of course, there are characters like Ethan’s IMF buddies Luther, and Benji, especially the latter. Honestly, Benji seems to really act like the comic relief for this film, even when he didn’t have to do so. So, props to you guys at Paramount Pictures! Ilsa Faust, the other IMF agent, is also a really great character, even though she seems to play more of a minor role than when she was in 2015’s Mission Impossible: Fallout, or 2018’s Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. There are also new comers like Grace, who’s played by Hayley Atwell. For being a newer character seven films into this series, she was a really great character, especially with how her character is played out in this film. And, of course, there’s the villain, Gabriel, who’s played by Esai Morales. Oh man, talk about a well-written villain. In fact, if one were to ask about top five, if not at least top 3 most menacing villains in the Mission Impossible film franchise, Esai Morales’ character, Gabriel, would most definitely fall somewhere in that ranking. He’s clever, knows how to come up with the most diabolical schemes that one could imagine, and more. As for the other characters, most of them are fantastic too.

Next, there is the storyline. Wow, a great majority of these films were really good. But this one, though not quite perfect, is superb. First of all, the fact that the filmmakers were willing to divide this particular chapter of the franchise into two parts shows that they were willing to make this one as great as possible. Considering that Dead Reckoning is supposed to be the final chapter of the Mission Impossible series, it’s probably for the best that they did it this way. Granted, we’ll have to wait until next year to see the second part, as long as the current Actor Writer’s Strike doesn’t delay Part 2 to a later date. Still, what the filmmakers did by making the storyline of this sequel better paced, and trying to do a better job of developing the characters was a really smart move on their part. Otherwise, had it all been made into one part, this sequel would have likely had pacing problems with the storyline, probably suffer from lack of character development, especially when it came to newer ones, and things like that. Because of that, along with the fact that Dead Reckoning Parts 1, and 2, is supposed to be the final film for the Mission Impossible movie series, it was definitely wiser to divide it up into two parts, rather than making it all one story in this case. Additionally, this Mission Impossible movie has a much darker, and grittier feel than many of the previous films in this franchise, especially the first through fourth films. I mean even when it comes to the action sequences of this film, not only are they phenomenal (which how often is that not the case in an action film?), but it was almost like many of those sequences had depth, purpose, and meaning to them. That was also proof as to why the writers were trying to make this film as good as possible. As for the musical score by Lorne Balfe, wow also out of this world like for the other sequels in this film that he scored for.

So, with all of those good things, what could have possibly gone wrong? Well, there are a couple issues that Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 suffers from. To begin, some of the secondary villains could have been developed a little more than they were in the end. Going along with this, there were some potential arcs that could have been played a little better than they seemed to be in the end. Second, despite most of the story being well developed, there were some scenes, especially near the end, that may have felt a little rushed, and didn’t seem to be as well developed, and played out as they could have been. Finally, it wouldn’t be surprising if some people were to have issues with how certain scenes were handled, or how certain characters were handled this time around, or things like that.

And that’s my review for Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1. So, did this film deserve to be a flop, or just a moderate success at the box office? Honestly, no! Sure the film did at least have a couple issues. Still, it was a really good film that deserves as much recognition, if not more than, the previous Mission Impossible movies. It has a really good story, and action sequences that have meaning, mostly well thought-out characters, and a darker, and grittier feel that didn’t seem quite as present in the previous films. I would say that if you haven’t seen this film yet, please do. You will most definitely be surprised, and glad that you did afterwards. Also, since this, and the second part that’s supposed to be released next year, is said to be the final installment, then all the more reason to see the beginning of the end of this franchise! So, go see it, and let me know what you think!

Final Grade: B+