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Movie Review – Shaft

Movie Review - ShaftI loved Shaft, as did the entire audience based on the many, many times there was crazy laughter in the theater. I had a great time watching Sam do his thing.

I have not seen the first one, but I can guarantee that I’ll be streaming it this weekend. If it’s half as funny as this one I’ll be happy.

I enjoyed watching Jessie Usher as JJ. These two guys worked so well off of each other, the chemistry was fantastic. The characters were so different from each other, but melded in a way that makes the movie magic happen.

I can’t count the amount of times that I laughed at Jackson, whether it be his lines or just his facial expressions.

It’s got a lot of violence and graphic scenes, but it wasn’t over the top. What was most prevalent was how Jackson can use the ever so popular F-word. I’ve got a whole new arsenal of colorful retorts, now thanks to Shaft.

If this kind of movie appeals to you, I wholeheartedly recommend it. It was fun and a great time was had by all.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: I’m going to recommend the 2nd Peetime, there is a lot of dialog in it, but was easily summed up. The 1st Peetime was also easy to sum up but there is a really funny moment during the scene.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Shaft. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for pervasive language, violence, sexual content, some drug material and brief nudity
Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Remake

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Movie Review – Brightburn – An Ingenious Anti Superman Film

Movie Review - BrightburnLast night I was thoroughly entertained. Brightburn has something for everyone. There is horror, science fiction, humor, drama, suspense — the list goes on and on.

The special effects garnered most of my applause. There were sequences I’ve never seen done before. One scene in particular was a literal jaw dropper. I won’t spoil anything for you, but you’ll know the moment I’m talking about once you see the movie — which I highly recommend doing. One word of warning: it’s graphic. If you have a weak stomach, you may want to cover your eyes.

The casting was done perfectly. Normally, while watching a movie there are a few characters I could care less about. You know the ones I’m talking about — the ones with no spark. I can honestly say that doesn’t happen in this movie. It felt super cohesive and everyone’s onscreen chemistry was out of this world.

The way the story unfolds is really refreshing. They don’t follow your typical outline we’ve become so used to. It’s not predictable, you’re fed little pieces here and there and the outcome is unexpected.

So, is Brightburn anything like Superman?

You are most definitely led down a Superman like path. The resemblance is there but boy, that feeling ends.

I don’t know about you, but personally I’m tired of superhero movies. I’m not a big fan of them, but this one is more my speed. We know the boy has super powers; it’s how he chooses to use them that is tickling my fancy. Yes, I’m one of those folks that’s usually rooting for the bad guy. I know they never win, but my hope will never die. Brightburn stoked my fires of hope. Good doesn’t always prevail…sometimes evil comes waltzing in and steals the show.

I really hope there are more Brightburn films to come. The writers and the director worked magic — they had me spellbound. Great job, everyone! I left the theater very pleased.

Grade: A-

About The Peetimes: This was a really short movie and moved fast. I chose only 1 Peetime to keep you from missing anything in the last half of the movie. It’s full of nonstop action and critical developments.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Brightburn. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for horror violence/bloody images, and language
Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi

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Movie Review – The Intruder

Movie Review - The IntruderThe Intruder was a decent film. The story has been done before and was really predictable, but the performance that Dennis Quaid gave made it enjoyable to watch.

He really brought his character to life. That was fun. Basically, this was Cold Creek Manor all over again with Quaid as the bad guy, instead of the new homeowner. He just switched roles. I found his performance in this one a lot better than Cold Creek Manor. I think being a bad guy suits him.

I’m considering this movie as a great way to spend an evening in, curled up on the couch, watching it on the television. I don’t feel that it had enough presence to compensate for ticket prices.

Grade: C+

About The Peetimes: 2 Peetimes were submitted. They are equally good choices to use, easy to sum up, and I avoided any of the action/suspense moments.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of The Intruder. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (PG-13) for violence, terror, some sexuality, language and thematic elements
Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery

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Movie Review – The Curse of La Llorona – A Good Scary Time in the Conjuring Universe

Movie Review - The Curse of La LloronaThis premier was a happy moment and a sad moment for me. I’ve been anticipating this film for quite some time. The Conjuring Universe is my all-time favorite series of movies. Ever.

As a little girl, I read The Amityville Horror, and that is where I first discovered Ed and Lorraine Warren. I’ve followed their lives ever since and was ecstatic when The Conjuring came out. This has been a wonderful way to give them the limelight they deserved.

Sadly, last night, in her sleep, Lorraine Warren passed away. She lived to a ripe age of 92. I call that a successful life…a life that touched many people and will be surely missed. So as I sat in a beautiful Dolby theater, with my seat reclined, the woman on the screen left this world.

That’s a little chilling all by itself.

What was also chilling and creepy was The Curse of La Llorona. I tell you what — I got the chill bumps so many times that my legs looked like a Yeti on the way out. There were so many scenes that I jumped that I lost count.

I really like it when you can hear how much the movie is affecting the audience. I wasn’t the only one leaving with furry legs. I thought this one really vocal woman was going to have a heart attack. A good time was had by all.

They gave you a few glimpses into the rest of the movies: the way they wove them all together is really impressive. There is some great writing going on here. I’m looking forward to the next Annabelle, which is talked about in this movie.

There were even some funny moments; the delivery and timing of these lines were extremely well-placed.

My one and only complaint is that I kind of felt the little girl didn’t shine like she could have. Her role was a little flat. Other than that, I loved it.

This is odd…two weeks in a row, now my main complaints are the roles of the little girls. Pet Sematary did the same thing. This solidifies my thoughts on getting my granddaughter an agent. The acting world needs some fresh faces of the little girl kind.

In conclusion, if you’re a fan of James Wan and the creations he comes out with, see this movie. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Grade: B+

About The Peetimes: This was a really short, fast paced movie. I’ve decided on only 1 Peetime. I found a spot right in the middle that allows you plenty of time to use. Any point after this Peetime is a must-see.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of The Curse of La Llorona. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for violence and terror
Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

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Movie Review – After – Happy and Bittersweet Young Adult Romance

Movie Review - AfterI didn’t realize that this movie was based on fan fiction until after I saw it. That said, I don’t know how it stacks up against the book. I do intend on reading it now, because the story caught my attention.

It’s your typical young romance movie. There are happy moments and bittersweet moments.

I felt that it was really well done. The acting and chemistry between the two main characters was great, and the pace kept me interested the whole time.

I’m curious to hear from the book fans how they felt the movie was, so please leave a comment to let me know. Did this stand up to your expectations, or did it fall flat?

Grade: B-

About The Peetimes: I opted for 2 Peetimes, both work well without disrupting the flow of the movie.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of After. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (PG-13) for sexual content and some college partying
Genres: Drama, Romance

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Movie Review – Little – Nothing “Big” but a pleasant enough film

Movie Review - LittleLittle was an extremely funny movie. There were a ton of laugh out loud moments that had the whole theater cackling.

It was very predictable, but still enjoyable to watch. The humor overshadowed the predictability. The movie doesn’t really have any standout moments, but I’d definitely recommend it if you’re just wanting some laughs.

Grade: B-

About The Peetimes: Both Peetimes will give you plenty of time to take care of business.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Little. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (PG-13) for some suggestive content
Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

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Movie Review – Pet Sematary – A Worthy Adaptation

Movie Review - Pet SemataryThe newest adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, Pet Sematary, was a solid remake. Thirty years after the original release, the makers attempted to revive their cult classic film. That’s a huge undertaking, and an enormous gamble, considering the die-hard fans of the original. To please or not to please — that is the question.

They took a chance and drastically changed the plot…and it worked! I loved what they changed up and was very satisfied they didn’t shame the original.

From the trailers, I had two major red flags go off. These differences were huge to me, and made me cringe in fear of a total flop.

First and foremost, the cat. The original Church exemplified terror. He was a majestic British Short Hair that is, and always will be, iconic. I was scandalized that they were using a fluffy, long haired Maine Coon. What?! This in my mind was going to be a CATastrophe! So there I was, sitting the theater waiting for my disappointment to build, and low and behold, Church 2.0 won me over. This cat worked it on the catwalk; his performance was CATaclysmic. Well done. I was wrong.

My second gripe was Jud’s role. When I saw and heard John Lithgow in the trailer, I thought to myself, “Lithgow’s got some Munster-sized shoes to fill.” To me, no one could replace Fred Gwynne. He 100% owns that part in Hollywood History. So again, I’m sitting there waiting for the disappointment. Happily, because of the drastic plot changes, Lithgow pulled it off. He melded perfectly into the film. Almost. They fleshed his character out more so than the original, and that was an enjoyable addition. My one complaint: the essence that was lacking in his role was a result of a directing issue.

So I am now two for two on my fears being squashed. Kind of like a kitty cat on a heavily traveled road. Squish. I love it when movies prove me wrong.

There are a few minor issues that I’m going to throw in real quick. Jete Laurence as Ellie Creed had a very big part to fill. Her presence just wasn’t strong enough. She was okay, but I could see the possibilities, I felt she came in just under the bar the rest of the movie set.

Amy Seimetz as Rachel Creed also slightly bothered me. However, after a long discussion with RunPee Mom, we deduced it wasn’t her fault. The character itself isn’t endearing, and we’re saying that about Denise Crosby’s portrayal too. Rachel comes across as weak and needy, but that’s how she was written. So technically, Seimetz pulled her part off. I’m a very strong-willed person and I don’t like it when women are portrayed that way, but here, it worked.

I like ending my reviews on a positive note, so let’s praise Jason Clarke: he was awesome as Louis Creed. His performance was phenomenal, as was little Hugo Lavoie. He did a dandy job as Gage. I’m sad I didn’t hear “No fair,” or “Now I wanna play with youuuu,” but he was still fabulous.

Now that the cat’s out of the bag about what I thought, I’ll end by saying, “Great job! I was not disappointed.”

Grade: B+

About The Peetimes: This is a pretty short movie. 2 Peetimes were picked, and they both allow you plenty of time.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Pet Sematary. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for horror violence, bloody images, and some language
Genres: Horror, Thriller

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Movie Review – Unplanned – Warning: Horrific Visuals You Can’t Unsee

Movie Review - UnplannedWhat I just watched so severely traumatized me that I, in good conscience, can’t go to sleep without putting up a warning tonight. There are scenes in Unplanned that are so intense and graphic I had to look away. I could not watch what was happening on the screen. I was left nauseated, and in tears.

Abortion is a highly controversial subject — it is a heartbreaking decision no matter what abortion side you’re on. In my opinion, what this movie just did was unforgivable. They put images in my head I can never forget, and will carry with me till the day I die.

This movie will leave it’s imprint with you. Forever.

I honestly don’t know how to grade this film. I’m at a total loss here. I can’t give it an A, because I think my fingers would burst into flames. I can’t give it an F because the abortion story they had to tell…well…they not only told it, but they screamed it out loud, and I heard it. I’ll go with the law of averages, I suppose. It gets a C.

Grade: C

About The Peetimes: Either Peetime will give you a safe 4 minutes: both were easily summed up.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Unplanned. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for some disturbing/bloody images
Genres: Drama

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Movie Review – Captive State

Movie Review - Captive StateCaptive State had a good idea of dropping the movie goer right into an alien invasion. The aliens have been in control of earth for years and are known as “legislators.” They control the law and humans.

Okay, great idea up to that point. It’s a dandy way to start a movie. I like the idea of seeing how the humans and aliens basically have to work together. That’s where the greatness ends. The mere idea of it. The execution was retched, absolutely discombobulated and confusing.

It’s really an hour and a half give or take of humans passing messages and traveling from one secret location to another secret location. I honestly didn’t even know the characters names until I got home and looked them up on IMDB.

One of my biggest gripes is John Goodman. I’ve loved that guy since the beginning of Roseanne. He is a staple in the strong male actors category. Did he have bills to pay? Why in the world did he take this role? The character was written so poorly that even the great Goodman couldn’t bring life to the role. Sad face.

The only reason I’m not giving this movie an F is because the sets were done really well. They immersed you into a bleak, poverty stricken world that oozed with desperation and hopelessness. Good job there.

Another positive note was that while doing my job I have to sit through the credits to tell you wonderful people if there is anything extra. Happily they were only four minutes long. I thought to myself, “Wow, those credits were really short. Woohoo for that!” Most movies run at least 7 minutes, sometimes longer. I figured out why as I was falling asleep last night trying to forget this movie. The credits are so short that no one wanted to take credit for this farce of a movie. I chuckled to myself as I fell into a peaceful sleep that luckily contained no part of this movie in my dreams.

Treat yourself to a wonderful movie and get out of the house for a while. You deserve it! I just wouldn’t pick this one.

Grade: D+

About The Peetimes: I only submitted 2 Peetimes due to the fact that this was a really hard movie to follow. I chose scenes that were fairly easy to summarize.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Captive State. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (PG-13) for sci-fi violence and action, some sexual content, brief language and drug material
Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller

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Movie Review – A Madea Family Funeral – A Fine Farewell to the Franchise

Movie Review - A Madea Family FuneralFittingly enough, A Madea Family Funeral is Tyler Perry’s last performance as this iconic, foul-mouthed, insanely funny character. I went into the theater with great anticipation of a stellar finale. Halfway into the movie, I’m wondering when he’ll pull out all the stops and give me some more funny stuff to laugh over. There were a few moments that met my expectations, but overall it didn’t deliver.

I was impressed at the amount of controversial topics he addressed. He showed us the fear the public has over police brutality, and let me add that was probably one of the funniest scenes. However, looking back at it, it was painfully true. Bad things are happening in America, and Perry wasn’t afraid to bring some of them up.

I’m going to miss Madea. She always said the things that my brain thinks but my mouth won’t allow out. I’m sad that I won’t be seeing her anymore, because inside me lives a little bit of Madea. She was a hero to all the folks out there too quiet to speak up for themselves. Long live Madea!!

In summary, yes, it was funny. No, it wasn’t as funny as I was expecting. The problem was, Tyler had set the bar so very high with his other movies. I’m still happy I saw it, but there was room for more shenanigans from our mischievous and brutal Madea.

Grade: B-

About The Peetimes: Both Peetimes will work well for you: they’re evenly spaced and plenty long for a quick exit to do what needs to be done.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of A Madea Family Funeral. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (PG-13) for crude sexual content, language, and drug references throughout
Genres: Comedy