Ladies & gentlemen, today, we finally review a film that I saw nearly a week and a half to couple weeks ago, as well as one that of course I would review, like many films that I have reviewed as of nowadays. Oh, and also, as you can see, we are less than ten reviews away from reaching Movie Review # 350. Again, I do have some ideas of what movie I will review for that special occasion, once that time. Well, for today, we dive into the story of Dolittle, which this one supposedly follows more closely to the original novel, or novel series (which is more than one can say about the 1998 and 2001 versions that starred Eddie Murphy).

Plot: After tragedy strikes Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.), and the lives of his animals, Dolittle decides to confine himself, and the animals in his animal sanctuary in London, England. Years later, a female, who is an assistant to the queen of England, comes to Dolittle with a message saying that the queen is sick, and going on to say that if Dolittle doesn’t find a cure for the Queen before she dies, the animal sanctuary will be shut down permanently. So with the help of his animal friends, as well as some newer friends, can Dolittle get to a far away place to find a cure and back in time to cure the queen before it’s too late?

Now, it is very impressive how this story seems to try to go more along the route of the novel, The Voyages Of Doctor Dolittle. Not to mention that as a result, the makers were most likely trying to make this better than say the versions with Eddie Murphy that we got back in 1998 and 2001 respectively. Of course that’s not to say that those films were not good to one extent or the other. Anyway, did Universal Pictures, and the crew involved at that studio succeed in making possibly one of the best adaptations of this film? Well, this is a very good film, one should admit. However, there are some problems that the film has. First off, Dolittle fails due to having some cliches here and there, most notably with some of the villains being rather typical, and not being given much depth to themselves. To a lesser degree, the same can probably be said about some of the supporting characters as well. Not all, but at least some! There were also some scenes that seemed to feel a little rushed. Whether this was due to time restraint, or other reasons, the 2020 adaptation of the Doctor Dolittle story does not quite meet it’s full potential. At the same time, however, that doesn’t mean that this film is just as okay as something like Cats (which was just released a month before). As a matter of fact, Dolittle seems to have more quality elements to enjoy than that film.

Well, that leads to the good things to mention in this film. To begin, there are quite a few hysterical moments that will keep you laughing. Granted, the versions with Eddie Murphy might have been a little funnier. However, this version has it’s moments too. There is also some good action as you sail through the course of this film. Additionally, Danny Elfman has a very fun, and action-packed musical score. Man, how interesting that he feel from scoring from. Some Tim Burton films to certain Disney films, and now this film, eh? Additionally, for not being in films like Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, or evening The Avengers series, Robert Downey Jr. succeeds in making another one of his best performances. The same can be said about some if the supporting cast, such as Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, and most, of not everyone else in this film. There are also some very creative, and heartfelt moments. Yes, even if this film doesn’t quite live up to it’s full potential, there is still some richness and depth in this story. Finally, there are some good messages such as not letting hardships and difficulties destroy your life, and/or who you are as a person. Not only that, but there’s also the message about learning to be courageous and brave, even when you feel scared in any dangerous situations.

And that’s my review for Dolittle. While not quite a perfect film, there is still a great plenty to enjoy in this film. Sure, Dolittle May feel a little corny at times. Still, how could that not be the case if Dolittle was supposed to talk to animals even in the original story, you know? There is some good heart here, good performances, and other elements that make this story very enjoyable, even if not quite in the A range. Definitely check it out if you haven’t yet. You’re to enjoy the film for the most part in the end.

Final Grade: B+

Good morning everyone! Hope you all have been having a wonderful week so far. Today, we are going to be diving into something a little different than usual just for the fun of it. After a buddy of mine and I just completed this game recently, I figured how about we go ahead and review what could possibly be called one of the most difficult Nintendo 64 video games, if not the most difficult one ever? I present to you all a special review of the Nintendo 64 video game, The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

Plot: Set most likely sometime after the events of 1998’s The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, Link and his horse Epona get lost in the woods when an imp, known as the Skull Kid, steals Link’s horse and ocarina. After eventually succeeding in at least retrieving the ocarina from this secondary villain, Link must team up with a fairy by the name of Tatl, and also go on several quests to stop an evil moon, and the main villain Majora, from crashing onto a world by the name of Clock Town and Termina Field once and for all.

Now, I remember considering both 1998’s The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and 2000’s The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask a couple of my favorite video games as a kid, and/or teen. I’m not sure if that might have been because I thought that they seemed to stand out from other video games that I played, or some other reason. Either way, as I’m sure some of you know from me mentioning it recently on my weekend post, I at least replayed The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask again. I have to be honest with you all, I was rather surprised with the outcome, and in a positive ways too. Not only is this a video game where of course the hero fights villains, and things like that, but there are some really good symbolisms and themes that are covered throughout the course of The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. One theme and/or symbolism to mention is how that there are powers within a good majority of the masks that you have to collect as you play this game. Now, if that offends some people, let’s remember that even fantasy movies like The Lord Of The Rings had characters like Gandalf, who were wizards. And movies and games like these are just stories to represent the battle between good and evil anyway. Well, The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is no exception. Additionally, there’s the whole deal about bringing light into the darkness at certain points. With that said, this game might or might not have been written and/or made by Christians. But whether that was the case or not, one of the things that makes The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask stand out from probably many other video games, especially earlier ones made by Nintendo systems such as Super Nintendo or Nintendo 64, for example, is that, first off, this game more than likely could have been made by Christian people. The same can most likely be said about 1998’s The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (though I should maybe replay that one too just to see if that in fact is true). The other thing that makes this game stand out is how difficult this video game can be more often than not. Yeah, if you thought it might have been difficult to beat games such as 1996’s Super Mario 64, 1998’s Banjo-Kazooie, or even 1998’s The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, then all the more reason to play 2000’s The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. You might be surprised how long it would probably take one to beat the game. Some of the music is also really good to listen to as well. There are also some really fun, and comedic moments too. One other thing to mention that is covered in this game is the whole deal about how friends should never give up on each other, and be willing to forgive others if need be.

But are there any elements that make this game disappointing? The only thing that I can think of is that the villain didn’t seem to have as much development as say Ganondorf in 1998’s The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time. I’m not sure if part of that was because Majora was basically supposed to represent the devil, or something like that. Either way, let’s just say that people might like other video game villains a little better. The other thing to mention is that there are a few images that might scare kids to a degree. Oh yes, even kids will still enjoy this game to a good extent. Still, kids for sure should be prepared for any possible scary moments that might come up on this game.

And that concludes my review for the Nintendo 64 video game The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. It is such as great game with some great themes and messages in it. Also, there is some really fun music to listen to. Not to mention that there are additionally some of the good graphics and animation. In addition to kids likely needing to be prepared for any scary moments that come up in this video game, other people, such as teens and adults should prepare to spend a long while trying to beat this video game. Yeah, especially if you’re one of those people who will spend ONLY an hour a day playing video games, and/or you want to beat this game in it’s entirety, don’t be surprised if it ends up taking you somewhere around six to eight months to maybe even closer to a year to finish The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Well, that’s probably what makes this game more unique from other video games, eh? Regardless, definitely play The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask if you get a chance. You’d be surprised by how much enjoyment you’d get out of this game.

Final Grade: A

P.S. Happy 20th to The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask come October of this year!

Good afternoon everyone! Hope you all have been having a great week so far, and are ready for a new weekend up ahead, whatever you have planned! Anyway, I just want to take some time, and apologize for not getting to reviewing today’s film any earlier. I know I mentioned a while back that you guys would be seeing reviews for films Spies In Disguise, Cats, and Little Women. Well, even if all three were somewhat of a long time in coming, I hope that you all still believed that Little Women would be coming soon after I reviewed the first two movies recently. Either way, after seeing this particular movie on New Year’s Day, as promised, I now present to you all a review of the 2019 adaptation of a classic 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott. The one and only 2019’s Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig.

Plot: The story takes place first in 1868, followed by going back to seven years before, in 1861, shortly before the infamous Civil War, and even the years that the war took place. Marmalee March (Laura Dern) raises four daughters: Josephine (or Jo) March (Saoirse Ronan), Margaret (or Meg) March (Emma Watson), Amy March (Florence March), & Elizabeth (or Beth) March (Eliza Scanlen). As the mother and children struggle through being poor, and seeing the mother’s husband and children’s father fight in the Civil War, as well go through a number of other hardships, will they all stand strong in the end?

Now I remember growing up on this story to a degree, as I watched an anime version of this story when I was much younger, as well as saw another version that was live-action that was released in the 1990s, I believe it was. However, because I saw those films a long time ago, and may have been a little too young to fully understand what all was going on with this time period, I may have had a harder time understanding the themes of Little Women. However, after seeing this latest version recently, I believe I can could probably appreciate not only this version, but also the other couple versions that I mentioned before more so than when I was kid. But for now, let’s just stick with talking about 2019’s Little Women, shall we?

If I’m not mistaken, the original novel is most likely better than this movie, or any film version for that matter. Of course, most books are better than a movie version, that’s likely for sure. Regardless, the 2019 adaptation of Little Women is spectacular from beginning to end. I mean considering that when it has come to movies that have been released over the past two to three years, it has seemed to be ones that have been musicals like 2016’s La La Land, 2017’s The Greatest Showman, or even 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns that have seemed to be more well done from beginning to end, or even MOST Disney movies that have been released around this particular holiday period like Thanksgiving or Christmas, or even the summer time. However, shortly before 2019 came to an end, Columbia Pictures released Little Women. Just as Disney films like 2014’s Big Hero 6, or even 2016’s Zootopia finally succeeded in proving to the audience that a Disney film didn’t have to be a musical to be really good, the 2019 live-action Little Women did well in proving that a live-action movie, especially one that has been coming out in recent years, doesn’t have to be a musical, a superhero film, a biopic, or even based on a true story to be as well done as possible. Okay, yes, this was set during a real time period. But come on! This was historical fiction. Anyway, what makes the newest version of Little Women fantastic? Well, to begin, there’s the story. I’m not sure how many films that director Greta Gerwig had directed in the past before this film. Whatever the amount of films directed by her was, however, Gerwig seemed to understand and respect the story of Little Women that, even if she wouldn’t make a direct copy of the novel (which, why not take liberties when adapting to film?), she really seemed to understand the themes and messages that the original book portrayed, and really interweave them into this film. Not only that, but Gerwig seemed to understand that in order to make a good story, you need to know how long the story needs to go: not go too short, or too long, but at least the right amount! With all of that said, there is such an incredible amount of depth to this story. Part of that is with the characters that the story of Little Women revolves around, most notably, Jo, Meg, Amy, & Beth. Each of these characters is filled with life, great personalities, and are developed to the best that they can be. Same can be said about the rest of the cast like with Marmalee March, Father March, Theodore “Laurie” Laurence, and any of the other characters in this movie. In addition to all of this, people will more than likely relate to any one of these characters in one way or another. It will probably be difficult not to. There’s also the score by Alexandre Desplat. His musical score is another element that absolutely knows how to suck the watcher into the story. If Desplat doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score, I’m sure many of us can agree that there might be something wrong with the people who host the Academy Awards. There are also even some really good Biblical messages and themes in this story too, like “not letting the sun go down on your anger,” and forgiveness. Besides recent movies like with A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, how often have we had messages like that in mainstream media as of nowadays? Just something to think about! Anyway, what also makes this film really special is that as you watch this movie, you may yet feel like you’re walking alongside these characters every step of the way. That is even if they’re in the screen, and we’re in the audience. Wow, and some of us probably found ourselves wishing that we were dancing with the characters singing the catchy and memorable songs of 2017’s The Greatest Showman. Anyway, there are also other really good messages about how God brings good out of different hardships in life, not being jealous of others who got something in life that you yourself wish you had, loving even those who may feel unlovable to you, and other good messages. Finally, there is the acting. I mean this movie has people like Laura Dern, Bob Odenkirk, Timothy Chalamet, and many others who most definitely put their all into this film. Even Emma Watson, considering she might have been decent to good in films like the Harry Potter series, and 2017’s Beauty & The Beast, she really upped her game with her acting talents in 2019’s Little Women.

And that concludes my review for the 2019 adaptation of Little Women. Honestly, not only should this film get nominated, and/or even win an Oscar for Best Original Score, but also have Oscars nominations like Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading or Supporting Role, and probably some other nominations that I’m not mentioning. I will also say this, if companies like Columbia Pictures and Tristar Pictures continue coming out with movies that have Christian themes, and messages, in them, as well as continue to produce really good stories, we may yet see somewhat of a revival in the mainstream movie industry as far as movies with extremely good stories, and things like that go. If some of you still are planning to see a movie that just came out in December of this past year, or even November 2019, definitely put Little Women on your docket! You’ll be amazed by how much enjoyment there is in this film!

Final Grade: A+

Good afternoon everyone! Hope you all have been having a wonderful Sunday, whatever you have been doing thus far! Today, we continue on the movie reviewing trek, as we review a movie musical that happens to be based on a classic Broadway show that ran from the 1980s through 1990s, if not longer. It is the one and only Cats.

Plot: Based on the classic musical of the same name, a white cat named Victoria (Francesca Hayward) is dropped off by her former owner to a place where a tribe of anthropomorphic alley cats, known as the Jellicles, meet. This takes place at a time when these particular cats decide to nominate a cat, who will go to a paradise land known as the Heaviside Layer, and be granted a new life. With that said, will Victoria, or one of the other cats be picked to go to this place? Also can these cats deal with a villainous cat named Macavity (Idris Elba), who is trying to round up all these tribal cats?

As I’m sure many of us know, this particular movie musical that was directed by Tom Looper, and made by Universal Pictures, has been panned by many critics and audiences alike. For those of you who are still curious to know, is this version of Cats as bad as quite so many people have made it out to be? Allow me to put your guy’s worries to rest by saying that Cats isn’t exactly horrible, but it isn’t great either.

How about beginning with the positives of Cats, shall we? First of all, there are some of the songs of the film. Songs like “Beautiful Ghosts,” “Memory,” “Macavity,” and quite a few of the other songs will be enjoyed by quite a few people, most notably people who grew up watching the original Broadway play Cats. Granted, unlike songs from musicals from over fifty to sixty years ago, or even more recent songs from recent movie musicals like The Greatest Showman, the songs from Cats may not be quite as timeless. Or will they? There is also the landscapes and the visuals. If not for the rest of the film, people will more than likely be captivated by some of the incredible scenery, most notably when scenes are shot by a port, or there are morning sunrises, or things like that. As for the costume designs, they’re mostly good. However, those designs could have maybe been tweaked a little more. I know that sounds hard to explain now. However, just watch the film, and I’m sure you’ll know what I mean. There’s also some really good acting from Francesca Hayward, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, and evening Judi Dench to name a few.

Sadly, this is where the positives appear to end. Aside from these qualities, this movie version of the Broadway play Cats seems to go downhill. Sure, if it weren’t for the saving graces that were mentioned before, the cats of this film would fall flat on their faces and bellies instead of all four of their feet (as cats as said to often land on their feet when they fall). Thankfully the cats can still do what cats are said they can do often times. Where does Cats fall as a film? First off, there’s the story itself. I mean this film has an approximate running time of one hour, and fifty minutes. This film undoubtedly should have been an extra 30-45 minutes, if not longer. For what we got, Cats seems to be way too fast paced even for a musical. For those of you who have felt like songs have slowed down the pace of a movie, let me tell you all that the music here seems to do quite the opposite of that. Yes, a few of the songs are good regardless, but still. As for the fact that the film has songs that are sung during a good majority of the movie, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. In fact, that worked really well with the 2012 Universal musical Les Miserables. Before I go on, I will just say that I bring up Les Miserables mostly because of that one also being a musical, that one also being made by Universal Pictures, as well as the advertisements saying from the creators of Les Miserables during the previews for Cats. Anyway, here’s the difference! With 2012’s Les Miserables, that seemed to work really well. The only reason being is because that film was much more well-paced. Also, that story was around two and a half to three hours. Not to mention that most of those characters were well-developed. Sure, one or two of the characters could have sang a little better in Les Miserables, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, because of of all that, Les Miserables did a much better job of accomplishing what it set out to do, make a really good musical and story. In Cats, however, it’s obvious that the movie had a lot of potential to expand on the original play, as well as do the same for most of the characters in this film. Sadly, that did not end up being the case by a whole lot. Yeah, and quite a few people complained about the 2019 remake of Lion King not expanding on that story and characters? Yeah, let me tell you, Lion King seemed to do that a great plenty, even if not in the same way that remakes like Aladdin and Beauty & The Beast accomplished that mission. With Cats, however, it doesn’t seem to do so, at least not by much. Whether it was because Universal Studios didn’t have enough money to make the story longer, or they thought that more people would enjoy this film, or something along those lines, the studio had an opportunity to make a well-done film, and it likely ended up being somewhat squandered in the end. What a shame!

Well folks, that concludes my review for 2019’s Cats. Sure there are some songs throughout the movie that will be fun to listen to. And yes, the choreography is very good, and things like that. However, because there appears to be a big lack of depth with the story and characters, the movie seems to be dragged down from being a really good film. This particular film probably should have gone through a couple more rewrites, if not more, in order to be one of the best, if not the best musical ever. I would say still see it at least at the dollar theater, or even on video, if you want to see it for some of the fun songs, beautiful scenery, and things like that. Just don’t expect a film that will rank up with recent musicals like The Greatest Showman, or even Mary Poppins Returns, or musicals like those!

Final Grade: C

Good evening everyone! Welcome to another session of movie reviewing after being absent from that for apparently a couple weeks now. Today, I’m very excited as we review the first of three films that, as I mentioned in my weekend post on Facebook earlier this week, that I would be reviewing within likely a few days of each. Tonight kicks that off, as we review an animated spy movie that was made by 20th Century Fox & Blue Sky Studios of all companies. It is the one and only Spies In Disguise, starring Will Smith & Tom Holland.

Plot: After a Secret spy agent named Lance Sterling (Will Smith), who works for Secret spy agency by the name of H.T.U.V. (Honesty, Trust, Unity, & Valor), is framed for a crime, he accidentally gets turned into a blue pigeon shortly after that. Now, with the help of a nerdy scientist (Tom Holland), can they succeed in working together to bring down the very villain who actually is the criminal mastermind?

Now, I know what you all may be thinking? From the sound of the plot, this film sounds like James Bond meets The Emperor’s New Groove meets Who Framed Roger Rabbit, right? This film may have quite a few similarities with those movies. However, even if that may be the case, this film does do well with standing on it’s own two legs. But first, let’s talk about the downsides of this movie, shall we? First of all, Killian, who happens to be the villain of this movie, he was an okay villain. However, at the end of the day, you may find yourself thinking that there probably could have been more depth to him. Also, besides the two main leads, the rest of the cast could have maybe had bigger roles than they seemed to end up having in the end. As a result, most of those characters seemed to be very stereotypical. Honestly, I found myself thinking that even the supporting cast from the 2014 Disney film Big Hero 6 were more developed than these guys. Now yes, Big Hero 6’s supporting cast could have had a little more depth too. However, it was at least somewhat better there than here in Spies In Disguise.

Now, let’s talk about the upsides of Spies In Disguise, shall we? First off, there is plenty of comedy within this film. I mean what lacks in depth with characters, and maybe even the story to a degree, it makes up for with lots of comedy and action. In fact, when watching this movie, it’s almost like watching an animated, and/or more family friendly version of say the 2008 Warner Bros. action film Get Smart (which, as many of us probably know, that film was geared more for adults). Also, Will Smith and Tom Holland have really great chemistry as partners, and work really well off each other. I mean can you believe that Holland goes from working with Robert Downy Jr.’s Iron Man in the Marvel superhero films to now working with Will Smith in an animated spy movie? How about that? Additionally, the animation is very good. It just comes to show how far 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios has come with their animation since first releasing Ice Age back in 2002. Also, even if there is some amount of richness and heart that is lacking in this film, there is still a very good amount of that found in this movie. In addition to all of this, Spies In Disguise does a very good job of breaking some cliches that have been found in previous films from recently, or even from years ago. I won’t go into details as to what kind for those of you who haven’t seen this movie yet, but still want to. As far as the character development goes, while some of the supporting cast could have been a little better developed, at least we can be glad that our main characters seemed to be the more stronger points of this film. In fact, if it weren’t for them, while this movie wouldn’t have exactly fallen completely flat, the movie would have more than likely gone downhill slowly but surely. What’s even more is that Spies In Disguise does a fantastic job of teaching kids, and likely even teens and adults, to not be a lone ranger, but to allow others to come along with you on any journey that you take. I mean that’s what friendships are for, right? The premise is also really creative with the whole deal about trying to deal with dangerous situations in, let’s just say, unexpected ways.

Well folks, that’s my review for Spies In Disguise. It is a really fun family film with some good animation, some surprisingly good comedy, and a good, not great, storyline. Oh, and let’s not forget about the action and comedy mixing together. Definitely make a point to see Spies In Disguise if you haven’t! You may yet have an unexpected more of a fun time.

Final Grade: B

Alright, everyone! Hope you all had a merry Christmas a couple days ago! Today, we fly through a galaxy far, far away in what will be the final chapter of the Star Wars saga either for good, or at least for a long while. Let’s hope maybe for good, since there have apparently been plenty of people who have not been fans of this new trilogy. Anyway, let’s talk about the final chapter, Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise Of Skywalker.

Plot: As Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and the rest of the Rebels fight to defeat the First Order, will they succeed, and restore peace to the galaxy once and for all? Also, as Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), as well as the unexpectedly resurrected Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) try your bring Rey over to the dark side, will she succeed, or overcome?

So what is it about the newer Star Wars films that a lot of people have not seemed to like? Could it be that Force Awakens seems to recycle some of Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope? Could it be that Episode 8: The Last Jedi maybe focused a little too much on action and twists than a good story? You got me!

Either way, did Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise Of Skywalker succeed in improving upon Episode 7 and 8? For the most part, yes it did. Still, let’s talk about whereabouts this film fell slightly short. There was apparently this scene where a a couple who seemed to be a gay couple showed up, and then disappeared offscreen. Thankfully, it was at least for a second or two. Still, Disney, have you not realized by now, after the whole deal with Lefou in the remake of Beauty & The Beast, that allowing gay people in your films is not the best choice? Well, know this, J.J. Abrams and Disney, if you continue things like this, be prepared for even bigger controversy down the road!

Other than that, what does make this film work? Well, for one, there seem to be much better character arcs than there were in Star Wars Episodes 7 and 8. This is most notable with characters Rey, Kylo Ren, and/or maybe even Palpatine. I mean if you liked Palpatine’s character in the last portion of the original trilogy, or his role in the Star Wars prequels, you’re bound to like his character here too. Palpatine does well with acting so menacing, and basically symbolizing the devil. It just makes one wonder if movies like Episode 7, and/or maybe even 8 didn’t do so well in this area because of them trying to build up to the events of Episode 9, or if it wasn’t until Episode 9 that the makers of this film didn’t fully realize how to make a good Star Wars film, you know? Beats me! Well, I digress. Of course we have some really fun action sequences as well. Quite honestly, it is surprising how enjoyable the action is. Sure, maybe some moments of this could probably be recycled from Episode 6: Return Of The Jedi. Still, the movie knows how to go somewhat newer with that portion. The acting is also really good. In fact, it seems obvious that the actors, and/or everyone else involved in the making of this film was trying to make this movie as good as possible. What’s more is that not only will people like the visual effects, the action, and some bigger in depth moments that this movie has going for it, but there’s something else that Christians, if not non-Christians as well, will appreciate a lot about this film. What is it? Well, let me put it to you all this way! My old Pastor, Jim Ladd, back when he was Pastor at my old church, Grace Community Church, preached a series back in 2008, if I remember right, called Finding God In The Movies. Anyway, if I recall correctly, he basically took a movie each week, and discussed with the congregation how one can see God, as well as think of things from a Christian viewpoint within those certain films. Okay, yes, the Bible is the most important place to know God more. Still, let’s remember that Jesus spoke in parables in the Gospels. Not necessarily saying that the makers of certain films were Christians as well, but still. Well, just as in this year alone, we’ve also had films like Hobbs & Shaw, and the remake of The Lion King, where one could see certain aspects from a Christian perspective, the same can be said about Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise Of Skywalker. This can be most telling with the whole deal of showing grace, mercy and forgiveness even to others who don’t deserve it (which, let’s face it, who of us does deserve those things in our lives?), or not letting our past mistakes, failures, and/or even even bad backgrounds, to define us. Truth be told, I believe that even the Apostle Paul, who was in most of the book of Acts in the New Testament, as well as wrote most of the New Testament portion of the Bible, would have probably been most proud of those certain aspects of this film, if not the whole movie overall. One other thing that I should mention is that because of how much the main characters especially grow, people who have not been too fond mainly of Rey’s character in these new Star Wars film, will hopefully be more sympathetic towards her character in Episode 9. Not only that, but because of Episode 9 having better character development, better messages and themes, and other good qualities, people will more than likely enjoy Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise Of Skywalker more than The Force Awakens it The Last Jedi.

Well guys, that concludes my review for Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise Of Skywalker. You may all be wondering, did this film seem to recycle material from Star Wars Episode 6: Return Of The Jedi? Maybe to a degree! Still, due to how much the filmmakers seemed to make this as different from the other Star Wars movies as possible, there is undoubtedly more to enjoy and/or recommend with this final Star Wars movie. Because of certain elements being boosted up to the next level, people are bound to at least enjoy Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise Of Skywalker more so than they might have Force Awakens or The Last Jedi. Please give this movie a chance even if you liked most of the other Star Wars movies except for the recent Episodes 7 and 8. This is most definitely a Star Wars sequel that you would be in for a surprise.

Final Grade: A

Good afternoon ladies & gentlemen! Hope you all are having a rather merry Christmas, and that you all enjoy the rest of your Christmas! Well, today, we review a film that is supposed to be considered the highest grossing movie of all time until Avengers: Endgame took that slot (although, according to my Economics teacher, UNADJUSTED for inflation, it’s really Gone With The Wind that is actually the highest grossing film of all time). Not only that, but this particular film that we’re discussing today just reached it’s ten-year anniversary as of last Wednesday, on December 18th. Directed by Titanic director James Cameron, and made by 20th Century Fox, it is the one and only Avatar.

Plot: An ex-marine named Jake Sully, along some people in the US Army that he meets along the way, land on a moon by the name of Pandora. Jake is asked by the commander of the army to observe the culture for three months before they decide to possibly steal certain rich minerals by any means necessary. Will they succeed, or will something change in Jake, and/or some of his other new friends along the way?

Okay, now we know that we have had plenty of movies with this type of story, where someone comes from one culture, encounters another culture, the main character falls in love with the main female leader of that tribe, and/or anything else that one can name. I mean what, we’ve had movies like Dances With Wolves, Fern Gully, The Last Samurai, and evening Disney movies like 1995’s Pocahontas and 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire. And then came along 2009’s Avatar, from 20th Century Fox! You may all be wondering, with Avatar having a very similar storyline to movies like the ones that I mentioned just a moment ago, does that make Avatar a bad movie? Absolutely not! “Why not,” you may ask! The reason that Avatar is not a bad movie despite all this is because many movies can end being very similar to each other in one way, or another! Avatar is no exception to this rule. Not to mention what my friend Rachel Wagner had mentioned in her review for Atlantis: The Lost Empire about how there are different stories with seven window dressings, or something like that. Also, there is such an incredible amount of detail, from the visuals, to how the world building works, as well as the well-developed story, and things like that. Now, I know that I’ve mentioned movies like the 2016 Disney film Zootopia when it comes to how some movies can be very similar to that film, as fun as that film, and things like that. Forgive me if you guys have felt annoyed with that by now. However, I will say this, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if even Disney films like 2013’s Frozen, 2014’s Big Hero 6, or 2016’s Zootopia were more than likely successful due, in part, to seeing how incredible Avatar ended up being, and the materials that made that film work.

With all of this said, what elements do make Avatar work overall? Well, even if this story has had some deja vu elements that have been found in other movies of the past, one of the main differences is that this movie goes from being set on Earth to being set in a whole new fantasy world. Not only that, but you can tell that James Cameron, as well as the rest of the team at 20th Century Fox who worked on this film worked their butts off to make sure that to put as much craft and dream into this story as possible. Honestly, I found myself wishing that a Disney film like 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire had a great world building like this, even if that one just had an extra 15-20 minutes added to it’s running time. Now, don’t get me wrong! I’m one of the fewer people who enjoyed Atlantis: The Lost Empire, as well as also considered that Disney film (and still do consider it) one of my favorite Disney movies. Still, let’s remember there were not as many people who enjoyed Atlantis: The Lost Empire as there were people who enjoyed Disney films like Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Zootopia, or Moana. And who knows, had Atlantis: The Lost Empire not been released until sometime after 2001, even if not until recent years, it might have been liked more by the general public. Well, sorry to sidetrack you all with talking about another film instead of Avatar. I just figured I’d mention it for mentioning the fact that Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Avatar seem to act very similar to each other story wise, you know? Anyway, Avatar has a really creative premise, Jake and Natiri’s relationship is very well done, and the characters on Pandora are very well-rendered. What’s more is that the relationships with the other characters are, for the most part, handled incredibly well. Oh, and there are moments where the script of this film is just really, really hilarious. This may be due, in part, to how certain moments are just really well-timed. Another thing to mention is the action. Not only will people love the different action scenes that Avatar has to offer, but even those moments seem to have an amazing amount of depth to them. So much so that you yourself may find yourself ensconced in those particular moments in the film. As for music, that is also just spectacular. In fact, the score is an additional driving force that helps move this movie along well. And of course, how could there be a review of Avatar without mentioning the message of learning to have care and respect for other people’s and/or cultures? That is, as opposed to just trying to be greedy and taking whatever you want, you know? Let me tell you, the way that message is executed is also done really well.

With all of these good things that I just mentioned just now, is there any area where Avatar falls short? Well, the one area where Avatar seems to fall short of being perfect is that while the tribe of Pandora, and that world building, and Jake’s relationship with them is developed well, there are some of Jake’s other relationships, most notably with those with whom he travelled with. Okay, Jake’s professional relationship with the psychologist, known as Grace, is at least fairly well-done. However, Jake’s friendship with some of the other crew members could have been tweaked a little more. Also, Miles Quaritch, the villain of this movie, seems to have motivations similar to villains like Governor Ratcliffe, Clayton, Rourke, and some of those villains. Still, was it too much to ask to maybe make this antagonist a little more layered, as well as put a little more investment in some of the other relationships, even if it meant making this movie a little longer than 2 1/2-3 hours? Regardless, these flaws make up for the other really good elements in this film.

Well guys, this concludes my review for Avatar. Honestly, because of how well done it is for the most part, it is understandable as to how Avatar spawned some sequels that are supposed to be released after 2020, a virtual reality ride at Animal Kingdom, and has seemed to be a cultural phenomenon overall. If you haven’t seen Avatar yet, definitely make it a point ASAP to go and rent this one! You’d be surprised by how much craft, heart, and effort were put into this movie. This movie has a really good story, excellent visuals, well executed messages, and other things like this.

Final Grade: A

Alright everyone, it’s that time of year at the end where we not only get to celebrate Jesus’ birth around the holiday known as Christmas. Not only do people also give each other gifts, and other fun activities too, but it’s also the time where a lot of the films that are supposed to be considered good are released around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. Well, today, we review a film that seems to really kick things off. It is the sequel to 1995’s Jumanji, as well as 2017’s Jumanji 2: Welcome To The Jungle. Yes, the one and only Jumanji 3: The Next Level.

Plot: A good majority of our main characters from the 2017 film are roped back into the Jumanji video game. This time, they must recover an artifact from a villain, who’s trying to take over the world of Jumanji. Can they stop him in the end?

Now, this is a very fun film, no doubt about it! First of all, it’s good to have our friends from Jumanji 2: The Next Level back in the game once again. It’s also awesome that they get to switch things up as far as once our main characters are back in the world of Jumanji, as well as having a couple of additional new characters. Not only that, but it’s also cool to learn some rather interesting trivia throughout the course of this film. Okay, granted, people learn some new things from a good majority of movies. However, it is surprising what we learn about certain animals, and other things as this film progresses. There are also some really funny moments too. Sure, maybe the first two movies might have been a little more funny. Nevertheless, there are moments where one will get a kick out of certain scenes. Oh, and in addition to this movie having actors such as Jack Black, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, for example, how cool is it that we get to also have legendary actors like Danny Devito and Danny Glover join in this film too? Another thing that I would like to add is that one should stay for part of the end credits, as there is a really cool scene around the end that may imply an additional sequel. Assuming that’s the case, let’s hope it’s a good sequel. Finally, how about the action in this film? Oh boy, those moments are really fun too. In fact, remember how, in my review of The Greatest Showman, I said that one may find himself, or herself, wishing that he/she was sucked into the movie to be joining in the dance numbers to sing along with the characters in that film? Well, with Jumanji 3: The Next Level, while there aren’t original songs in this film, one may be interested in joining in on the action for the video game portion of this film. Guess it wouldn’t be surprising if one wanted to maybe join in on certain action video games, or even video games that are part of the fantasy genre sometime after that as well.

With all of that said, is this a good sequel? Well, while not quite in the A range, there is plenty to recommend for Jumanji 3: The Next Level. Anyway, some of what’s included in this not being one of the best sequels is that this third installment suffers from at least a few cliches here and there. Not only that, but Jumanji 3 seems to suffer from sequelitis, so to speak as well. Okay, sure, it’s not to the point where one won’t enjoy this movie. Not even close! Still, I would be lying if I didn’t say that there weren’t some new material, as far as certain aspects go, that could’ve been added to this sequel. Thankfully, there are some new things added in the end. It’s just that this movie could have been at least better in that regard. As for the ending, while that is still good, it wouldn’t be surprising if some people ended up being ambivalent about certain aspects of the ending.

Well folks, that concludes my review for Jumanji 3: The Next Level. While there are a few things that this film suffers from, at least it seemed to be a little more of an improvement from the 2017 film. Yes, the very first Jumanji film seems to triumph them both. Nevertheless, one can say that, even if not fully, this film did succeed in taking some things to the next level (pun intended) from the first two films. Definitely try to see this movie if you haven’t! It’s most definitely worth your time, especially if you enjoyed the first two films.

Final Grade: B+

Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to another session of movie reviewing, on Friday the 13th of December of all days! Today, we review the latest Disney animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. This is one that some of us were likely skeptical about, since there there were those of us who were a little worried that certain things might happen that may cause some of us normally Disney faithful, or movie faithful period, to stop watching Disney movies overall. Well, praise God those worries were laid to rest hopefully once and for all. Anyway, with that said, let’s venture into the cold once again with some of our good friends from the surprisingly big hit 2013 Disney film, Frozen. Yes, released just last month, the one and only Frozen 2!

Plot: Taking place three years after the events of 2013’s Frozen, Princess Anna (Kristen Bell), Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna’s boyfriend Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), and the gang have been getting settled in life, all the while Kristoff searches for the right moment to propose to Anna. But one night, after Elsa keeps hearing a mysterious voice, she accidentally awakens the spirits located near Arendelle. These spirits were talked about about by Anna and Elsa’s parents (Alfred Molina and Evan Rachel Wood) when they were kids. Because of this, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, the fun snowman Olaf (Josh Gad), and Kristoff’s reindeer Sven must venture to find where the voice is coming from. Will they find it in the end? Also, will Kristoff be able to propose to, and marry, Anna?

While Frozen 2 is still a very good film, this sequel does still have a couple problems, maybe a little more so than the original Frozen seemed to. First of all, there’s the whole deal with the world of the Northuldra, and the Northuldran tribe. Okay, hear me out! The world building in regards to them is fairly good. However, the problem here seems to be that, much like 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the world building here doesn’t seem to be as well-developed as it should have been in the end. Okay, they probably did a little better here than in Atlantis, but not by much. Because of this being the case, you might find yourself wanting to know a little more about the tribe, as well as enjoying movies like 2009’s Avatar, or even 2016’s Zootopia a little more so. The other problem is some the songs. Okay, okay, hear me out! They’re not bad, but there are some of the songs that are really good (which I will get to in a bit), while there were also those that were okay, but might have felt a little pointless, and may have acted as a distraction from the main plot of the continuation of the story of Frozen. So much so that one might find him/herself wishing that those songs had just been cut out altogether, and that the story has focused more on other aspects of the film as a result. Okay, have songs had a tendency to slow down the pacing of a film? Oh yeah, sometimes! Still, there are other times when songs have helped tie in to a story within a musical. Honestly, even if the original 2013 Disney film Frozen may have had one or two songs that may not have been all that memorable, at least most of the songs in that one were memorable enough, and helped the story move along more often than not. Granted, a few of the songs helped do that here in Frozen 2, but it was done better in Frozen 1.

Now, with all of that said, what were the things that made Frozen 2 good? Well, to begin, some of the jokes, and comedy overall were timed well, and written well overall. In fact, compared to last year’s Wreck-It-Ralph 2: Breaks The Internet, the jokes and the comedy are probably going to be more timeless and memorable much more here than those of Ralph Breaks The Internet. In addition to this, at least this time around, in the regards to the messages to this film, you won’t find yourself liking those messages while finding yourself ambivalent as to how those messages were executed. Okay, maybe I’m comparing Frozen 2 and Wreck-It-Ralph 2 to each other a little too much. Still, I’m doing that to show you all how much Frozen 2 ended up being an improvement to last year’s Wreck-It-Ralph 2: Breaks The Internet. Anyway, in addition to all of this, there is some really good character growth with Elsa, as well as Anna and Kristoff to a lesser degree. Same surprisingly seems to go for Anna and Elsa’s parents, as we get to know a little more about them this time around as well. So how about that for an added bonus, eh? Next, there’s the animation. Now, the color palettes in regards to the animation may have a little more of an autumnal color this time around. Still, the animation is very good here, even if it’s a little around the beginning to end of the film. As for the music, like I mentioned a little earlier, it seems to be a little more of a mixed bag this time around. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are still some good songs here. I mean songs like “Some Things Never Change,” “Into The Unknown,” “Show Yourself”, and even a continuation of a chorale song that was first heard in the first movie, are phenomenal. In fact, it might not be surprising if some of those songs, especially “Into The Unknown”, ends up at least being nominated, if not winning, the Golden Globe, or Oscar, off Best Animated Feature. Not to mention that either “Into The Unknown” and “Show Yourself” could be seen Christian lenses. Sure, either song will probably also be seen from other perspectives that may not be the best (which I won’t go into). So I guess maybe look at either song from the former viewpoint if at all possible. As for the other songs in Frozen 2, some will probably range from okay to just plain corny and stupid, especially this song called “Lost In The Woods.” Yes, that one has a fun beat to it, but at the same time, it doesn’t seem to fit in with the main meat of this sequel. With that said, while there are some good songs in Frozen 2, the original movie seemed to have more songs that would be classic and timeless for the most part. One other thing to mention with the songs is that there is some really nice instrumental music to go along with the score, and the songs, ranging from good choir music to beautiful piano music, and things like that. Additionally, because Frozen 2 seems to be aimed at a little more of a mature audience than the original Frozen, one could perhaps think that Frozen could feel like it could have been set in a live-action setting if that had been the case for 2013’s Frozen. One other thing that I would like to mention is that there a lot of really good action in here, maybe a little more so this time around.

Well folks, that concludes my review for Frozen 2. Quite honestly, if it weren’t for the couple flaws that Frozen seemed to have, this could have been an improvement to 2013’s Frozen, as well as maybe even been better than the first film. Well, thankfully, Frozen 2 is still good, and some of the score and songs still make it worth maybe purchasing the soundtrack for this film. There are some good songs, good old, and new characters, somewhat good world building, and other things too. If you liked 2013’s Frozen, definitely go see this sequel! Sure, you might end up liking the original Frozen better. Nevertheless, even if it falls short, Frozen 2 does come close to being as good as the original Frozen film. Not to mention that this could be a really good Christmas treat!

Final Grade: A-

Good morning everyone, and welcome to another session of movie reviewing. Today, we dive into some older territory, as we review a movie that happened to be directed by one of the most famous movie directors by the name of Steven Spielberg. Some of his works included movies like 1982’s E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, 1986’s An American Tail, 1988’s The Land Before Time, 2005’s War Of The Worlds, and today’s subject, 1984’s Gremlins.

Plot: When an inventor named Randall “Rand” Peltzer (Zach Hoyt) brings back a strange creature known as a mogwai from Chinatown as a gift for his son Billy (Zach Gallaghan), they must follow some careful steps in order to keep the creature safe. Can they pull it off, or will the mogwai have to go back where it came from in the end?

Now, for some of us who saw this movie, we more than likely may know that there are some aspects of this movie that will be outdated like the clothing, as this movie took place in the 1980s. Now, of course that’s not something that will bog the movie down, as of course we had movies like The Patriot that took place during colonial times, and those clothes will be outdated as a result. But anyway, is Gremlins a film that will come down as a classic film? Maybe to a degree. However, Gremlins doesn’t seem to have that same awe and charm that some of Spielberg’s other works like E.T. appeared to have. As a matter of fact, 1984’s Gremlins seemed to have quite a few plot holes in it. So much so that people who watch it may have some questions to ask once they finish watching the film. For example, where did the creative creature known as the mogwai come from before ending up in Chinatown? Are we to assume that it came from outer space, or somewhere else? Well, like I said, there are other questions to ask too. What’s more is that while there are some fun elements in this film, there doesn’t appear to be as much excitement as there was in some of Steven Spielberg’s other works. Additionally, for a film that seemed to act more like a family film, this particular movie seems to act a little too dark and scary for kids. Now, if this was aimed for a more adult audience, that’s fine. Still, Gremlins might feel a little confusing as to who the target audience is. Finally, some of the messages might feel a little, dare I say it, confusing

Now, are there some good things to enjoy about this movie? Very much so. For one, there are some rather creative elements to enjoy when it comes to watching Gremlins. Even if one will probably be curious to know more about how the story works, people will still get some enjoyment out of this movie. In addition to all of this, there are quite a few cute, and funny moments as Gremlins progresses. The music is also fun to listen to. What’s more is that most, if not all, of the characters are developed really well. One will probably even like the chemistry with Billy, and his girlfriend Kate Beringer. The action is also handled really well. I mean with these particular moments, even if you find yourself tired, and tempted to fall asleep as a result, one will most likely want to stay awake, and keep his/her adrenaline pumping, just to stay awake and see the outcomes of this movie to the very end.

And that’s my review for Gremlins. While it may not quite match the creativity of films like E.T., or even any other really good film in the end, there is still plenty to recommend in this movie. It still has some creative elements, a fun story, well-written characters, and other good elements too. If you haven’t seen Gremlins yet, try to make an effort to do so. People will probably still have fun with it.

Final Grade: B+

P.S. Happy 35th anniversary to Gremlins!