Dumbo

Pros:

•The visuals are really good. I especially liked the look of Dumbo. The pink elephant scene was pretty cool as well. 

•Most of the actors are fine in this and did the best they could given what they had to work with. 

•While not Tim Burton’s best movie, it’s not his worst either. 

Cons:

•The script is VERY weak.

•The original movie is just over an hour. Here they’ve stretched it into nearly two. I really felt the length after awhile and had to fight the urge to fall asleep.  

•Colin Farrell’s accent in this.... wtf was that!!! 

•Michael Keaton’s character is your typical cartoonish villain. He’s good at it though. I mean of course he is, he’s Michael Keaton! 

•The movie is just kind of... there. If that makes any sense. 

•Do I recommend it? Ehhh.... I guess if you’re curious. I wouldn’t rush out to see it though. Honestly you’re better off watching the original. 

My Rating: 6/10

Us

This is going to be a super short review. Honestly I’m still trying to process what I just saw. Plus it’s one of those movies that you should go into knowing as little as possible. 

Get Out was one of my favorite movies the year it came out. So I was looking forward to Jordan Peele’s follow up. I’m happy to say that he didn’t disappoint. Us is such a well made and unique movie (with a surprising amount of humor). If only more horror movies put this much effort into them. 

That being said, I can totally see people not liking it. The movie is not without its faults. It does drag at times. And the ending is a bit predictable and underwhelming. 

Was it better than Get Out? Well, no. That’s not a knock on the movie at all. It’s more of a personal preference. I highly recommend you guys check this out. 

My Rating: 8.5/10

Captain Marvel

Pros:

•I wasn’t so sure about Brie Larson at first (although I do like her as an actress) but I thought she was terrific as Captain Marvel. I especially enjoyed her interactions with Samuel L. Jackson and thought they had really good chemistry. 

•They story was engaging for the most part and it was fun seeing how it connected to the rest of the Marvel universe. 

•Stan Lee tribute had me in tears. Very touching. 

•It’s always great seeing bad ass female characters. 

•As someone who grew up in the 90s I enjoyed hearing a lot of the songs I use to listen to (and still do). Even if they did go a little overboard with it at times. 

•A lot of the humor works. I got more than one genuine laugh while watching this. 

•Both scenes during the credits (one in the middle and one at the very end) were amazing for different reasons. 

•Looks pretty good on an IMAX screen. 

•While I wouldn’t say this was my favorite Marvel movie it’s definitely worth checking out in theaters. 

Cons:

•The third act felt a bit rushed. 

•While most of the visual effects were fine towards the end some of them looked pretty bad. 

My Rating: 8/10

Destroyer

Plot:

Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman), an LAPD detective,    must returned to an old case that ended badly when a gang leader suddenly reappears. 

Pros:

• Nicole Kidman does give a good performance where she’s nearly unrecognizable. It’s certainly different from anything else she’s done. She’s the only reason I’m not giving this movie a lower rating than I already am. 

•There was potential here for something interesting. 

Cons:

•Cliched and predictable story. I’ve seen tons of these types of crime dramas/thrillers but done way better. 

•Poor editing

•Extremely slow

•I understand that this movie was all about showcasing Nicole Kidman but they could’ve at least tried to develop some of the supporting characters. Didn’t really care about any of them. 

•Was about 30 minutes too long. 

•Can’t recommend seeing this in theaters. But I guess it’s worth a watch on Netflix if you’re curious. 

My Rating: 5.5/10

If Beale Street Could Talk

Plot:

A young, pregnant woman from Harlem named Tish (Kiki Layne) and her family struggle to prove her fiancé Fonny (Stephen James) innocent of a crime. Based on the book by James Baldwin. 

Pros:

•Powerful story that left me in tears. Tragic but at the same time hopeful. 

•Amazing direction by Barry Jenkins. He really brought James Baldwin’s story to life in a beautiful way. He’s quickly become one of my favorite directors. 

•Strong performances by the entire cast. Regina King I can definitely see winning Best Supporting Actress. 

•Stunning cinematography. 

Cons:

•None really. This is a movie I highly recommended everyone see. 

My Rating: 10/10

Alita: Battle Angel

Plot:

A female cyborg named Alita (Rosa Salazar) is revived by Dr. Ido (Christopher Waltz) but cannot remember her past life. She goes on a quest to find out who she is. 

Pros:

•I’ve been waiting on this movie for years. When I finally saw a trailer awhile back I thought okay, this is either going to be really good or really bad. I’m happy to say that it’s really good for the most part. 

•Major props to director Robert Rodriguez for bringing to life this interesting and beautiful world that I found myself completely immersed in. I never wanted 

•The visual effects are stunning. I totally forgot that most of it was cg. I don’t say this too often but I’d love to see how it looks in 3D. 

•Loved the father/daughter relationship between Alita and Dr. Ido. Very touching and sweet. 

•Moved at a good pace. 

•Not sure if it’ll make enough money, but I really hope it gets a sequel. 

Cons:

•Some of the dialog is not good. In fact there were moments where it was downright awful and had me cringing. 

•The ending was a bit weak. Still, I definitely recommend it. 

My Rating: 8/10

Mary, Queen of Scots

Plot:

Follows the life of Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan), whose claim to the English throne threatens Elizabeth’s (Margot Robbie) reign. 

Pros:

•Despite the mixed reviews I was curious to see this movie. I’ve always been fascinated with this time period and have seen and read a lot about it. Overall this movie was.... okay. I didn’t think it was bad as some are saying. 

•Ronan and Robbie give good performances. 

•The costumes are nice. 

•Considering this was her directorial debut, I thought Josie Rourke did a fine job. 

Cons:

•I know movies based on real people and events tend to take several liberties but still.... this was inaccurate as fuck! For one thing, Mary and Elizabeth never met. Also, even though I’m all for movies being more diverse, I’m pretty sure Elizabeth never had a lady in waiting who was Asian. Nor did she have an African man on her counsel. 

•The story was very dull in spots and at times it felt like I was watching a slightly better version of a soap opera. 

•The score was pretty generic. 

•If you are interested in this movie, I’d wait for it to come out on Netflix. It’s not something you need to see in theaters. 

My Rating: 6.5/10