Bad Times at the El Royale

Plot:

Seven strangers, each with a secret, meet at the El Royale- a hotel with a dark past. 

This is one of those movies that you really need to go into knowing very little. All I’ll say is this is definitely one of the most unpredictable, unique movies I’ve seen in a long time. With a great cast (Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Bridges were the highlights for me) and a kick ass soundtrack, you’ll definitely want to check this out. The only reason I’m not giving this a perfect rating is it did drag a little in spots. 

My Rating: 9.5/10

The Cakemaker

Plot:

A German pastry maker named Thomas (Tim Kalkhof) travels to Jerusalem in search of the wife and son of his dead lover. 

Pros:

•Beautifully shot with nice locations. 

•Lots of good porn! Don’t watch this on an empty stomach. 

•The performance that really stood out to me was the actress that played Thomas’ lover’s widow. 

•Simple score that never once overpowered the movie. 

•Slow paced but I wasn’t bored at all. 

Cons:

•While the movie is well directed for the most part, there were times I felt the director would focus either too long on a shot or on something that in the ending added nothing to the story. 

•I found myself not caring about the main character. 

•The movie ends on a rather unsatisfying note. 

My Rating: 6/10 

Venom

This is going to be super short. Mainly because I’m exhausted and an emotional mess after watching the amazing A Star Is Born (feel free to check out my review of it). 

Bottom line- Was it bad? Yes, yes it was. The special effects are terrible most of the time. Like, almost Gods of Egypt level bad. Oh yeah I went there. The dialogue is cringeworthy, the third act is a mess (literally, there were times during some of the action scenes I couldn’t even make out what was happening on the screen), and overall the movie is pretty forgettable. 

That being said, I didn’t think it was Catwoman/Fantastic Four level bad the way many have been saying. Tom Hardy is the saving grace of this movie. And no I’m not just saying that because I’m obsessed with him. He does the best he can with the material he has to work with. And I liked the whole dynamic between Eddie and Venom. I got some genuine laughs out of it. 

Would I recommend it? Ehhh, not really. Certainly not in theaters. If you insist on seeing it wait until it comes to Netflix. 

My Rating: 5/10

A Star Is Born

Plot:

Seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper, also making his directorial debut) discovers and falls in love with struggling young singer Ally (Lady Gaga). As Ally’s career takes off, Jackson’s struggles with alcoholism puts his in a downward spiral. 

Pros:

•Wow!!!! I’m blown away by how amazing this movie is. Not that I had any doubts. I’ve been looking forward to this since I saw the first trailer months ago. 

•Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga just radiate chemistry. I like how their relationship in the movie felt well developed and natural. So sweet. Had it been lesser actors this definitely wouldn’t have worked. I hope they get recognition come award season.

•Not only is Bradley Cooper a talented actor but he’s actually a pretty good director. I’d love to see him direct more movies. 

•The music will definitely be playing repeatedly on my Spotify list. SO good! 

•Make sure you bring tissues. I’m not kidding. I thought I was prepared but nope. I was a sobbing mess by the end. Even now a few hours later my eyes are still red and puffy I was crying so much. 

Cons:

•There are none. This movie is going to be a big hit I know it. One of the best movies I’ve seen this year. I know it’s still early but this definitely has earned a spot on my top 10 list. Please go out and support it. 

My Rating: 10/10