I think maybe you who so devotedly read my blog are movie lovers like me. Though we may not be under the Stay-at-Home order here in New Jersey anymore*, perhaps also like me, you are taking it easy, not rushing back to your former, fast paced, running here and going there lifestyle as from before.
*Hooray!
Today I have a second category I will present to you. I have deemed it the “Bearable Movies” category. They were movies which didn’t quite cut it for me to say, “I loved it!” but they were unexpectedly enjoyable.
But first:
Four Movies I Recently Enjoyed
1. Bloodshot
I put off watching this one for a while because every time Lance suggested it, I googled it and upon seeing the picture of Vin Diesel looking all Vin Diesel-y standing in a cloud of red smoke with a red light glowing at the center of his chest like a knock off Iron Man, I immediately judged it to be something I would hate.
I was wrong.
In the realm of films made from comic books, I found this movie’s concept easy to catch onto and, what I especially liked was, it wasn’t insanely long.
I don’t know what more to say about this movie than that every taxpaying American needs to see it. Hugh Jackman is naturally brilliant, but Ray Romano has a small, surprisingly excellent bit of acting in it as well. If you want to see what can go wrong on the financial end of a public school system, this movie is a jaw dropping experience.
While I might not take to Guy Ritchie films the way Hubby does*, I do enjoy them. This one started a little slow for me, making me think it was going to end up on a different list here. Fortunately, this opinion quickly changed within the first twenty minutes. The cast is an unlikely, wonderful grouping of actors, and the story moves in a way which makes you want to stay alert to what is going on, and there is quite a lot going on.
*I’m pretty sure he has all the dialogue of Snatch memorized.
4. Green Book
Hubby swore I had seen this movie. I swore I didn’t. So, we watched it “again” *. It’s a good movie to watch during a time like this in our country. A reminder of an ugly past we do not want to repeat and the things which we are fighting against in this world.
*His words, not mine.
A Couple of Bearable Movies
1. My Spy
Jon loves spy movies. If the word spy is in the title, he’s down. So, we watched this movie for him, but I ended up thinking it was kind of cute. Of course, it had its corny moments, but overall, it had a positive message and Chloe Coleman, who plays the little girl, reminded me so much of one of my former students I was filled with nostalgia the entire time.
2. Gemini Man
I’ll admit it; I was one of the people trash talking this movie when it first came out. I expected the de-aging of Will Smith to go the way it went for Pesci and DeNiro in The Irishman*. Fortunately, this was not the case. Will Smith playing his younger and older self were both pretty convincing. The story, though a little far fetched of an idea, worked as well as any other wild action film** I’ve seen.
*Unnecessary and awkward looking.
**I’m looking at you Expendables.
Four Movies I Recently Disliked
1. The Hustle
Have you ever watched a movie and midway through, no, earlier than midway through, a quarter of the way through, you start thinking Gosh, I wish this movie would be over already!
That was this movie for me. I know. I should have known better. The movie had horrible ratings all-around and the plot felt rushed and the characters underdeveloped. But it was Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson*!
*I should note here I only include Anne Hathaway in this exclamation because she has kind of done quite a few notable movies, not because I actually like her very much as an actress. Especially after the atrocious British accent she attempted for this movie.
2. The Laundromat
Here was another big bummer, especially with a cast including Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, and Antonio Banderas. The movie had the feel of The Big Short without the clarity. It felt like they didn’t have enough information to make a movie on this subject (the Panama Papers scandal) but somebody really wanted to go ahead with the idea anyway.
3. Stuber
I thought, having just enjoyed My Spy that another Dave Bautista movie might also surprise me. It did not. It was for this reason, and my personal enjoyment of the main character Kumail Nanjiani’s humor that I ignored the 41% Rotten Tomatoes and watched it anyway. The moral of this story? Pay attention to ratings. They are there to spare you from wasting 1.5-2 hours of your life.
4. Onward
I kind of knew from the commercials and the fact that no one was fighting over this movie being quickly available digitally that this movie wasn’t going to be outstanding. And believe me, my dislike has nothing to do with it being a kid’s film, as I think I’ve proved with the whole My Spy admission. As an adult I have cheered on, laughed during, and cried after many animated films. This one just didn’t do it for me.
What about YOU? What are some movies you’ve enjoyed, been surprised by, or really disliked recently?
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