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Movie Review – Joker

 

Movie Review - JokerI have a feeling a lot of people will really like this Joker movie. Personally, I don’t understand how this film can even come close to the DCEU and their best films. It’s not funny at all, like EVER, and doesn’t involve any of the Justice League members. I have to admit that we’ve had a lot of Jokers over the years that don’t give us much fun. I don’t even think I like any of the Jokers we’ve seen, except maybe Mark Hamill as the Joker in the animated Batman TV series.

Sometimes going back to the well works. I mean, look at Tom Holland against all the Spider-Men we’ve had in the last decade. We finally got a great one! Holland’s beloved, with good reason, after the other Spideys that had both great and awful qualities in the end. Which is a whole other conversation.

Another comparison: by Thor: Ragarok, Marvel finally figured how to handle The Mighty Thor (with great comedic timing). Right? This improved the entire MCU and gave Chris Hemsworth a new lease on super life.

So, what is the deal with the DC comics not being able to make consistently enjoyable films? The studio is all over the place, and fans aren’t sure what to expect. How does a delightful outing like Shazam fit in with the gritty Batman trilogy? And do all these Jokers fit within one continuity? I think we have to accept they don’t.

I’m looking forward to seeing James Gunn’s work on Suicide Squad 2 and hopefully, he’ll make it as amusing as Guardians of the Galaxy. But don’t expect Joker to be amusing at all. This film feels more like Logan , the X-Men standalone, (to which we gave an A+) than anything else. Or at least maybe that’s what this film tried to be. Joker is depressing, and deep, but filmed well, with a lot of care to the details.

Do you want a superhero/super-villains film? If you’re a huge Joker fan, I don’t think this is your film.  It just has nothing “super” in it. Really. It’s a dramatic movie, very traumatic, and more than a bit weird.

I initially gave Joker a C+, but today I upgraded it to a B-, for being a good drama that spins an unusual take on the iconic Joker role.

K, thx. Can we stop rebooting Jokers for a while now?

Grade: B-

About The Peetimes: There is a lot of plot and character development here, making it hard to get Peetimes as the events unfold. I recommend the 2nd Peetime for a nice long break. Try to use it proactively in this 2 hour movie.

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

Rated (R) for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images
Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller, DC

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Movie Review – Hustlers

Movie Review - HustlersI’m giving this movie an A for sure. I loved it. Watching these women do their thing was so much fun that I forgot I was working. All of the sudden a little thought popped into my head like, “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be watching for Peetimes?”

So yeah, what they were doing was wrong and illegal, but who am I to judge? I lead a very boring and mundane life on the right side of the law. These women were doing exactly what the little devil on my shoulder whispers in my ear. I of course don’t listen to him, but during Hustlers, I was able to live vicariously through these devilishly, devious women. It was a good time!

Let’s talk about J Lo really quick. Wow! She’s got a body on her that I am so envious of. She could work that pole like a pro. Nicely done, lady.

Everyone has been talking about Cardi B branching out into movies. Well, I gotta say for her first gig, she did great. She doesn’t have a very big part but her character was larger than life. I can see her building a reputation on the silver screen.

Hustlers will make the top of my list for chick flicks. Grab your girlfriends and make a night out of it. A great time will be had by all. Thinking about it, you could bring your boyfriends too; I’m sure they’d see a thing or two that would please them. Wink wink.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: Hustlers moves pretty quickly, luckily there are a lot of music montage scenes to choose Peetimes from. These 2 should work pretty well for you.

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

Rated (R) for pervasive sexual material, drug content, language and nudity
Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama

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Movie Review – The Kitchen

Movie Review - The KitchenAndrea Berloff did a fantastic job writing and directing the Kitchen. There are no wasted scenes in this tightly edited film. Everything follows from one step to the next. The characters are very well defined, and evolve during the movie for obvious reasons.

The three actors — Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss — headlining this movie were fantastic. Each totally sold their characters as fearful timid women to begin with, that became powerful confident women later…and in McCarthy’s case oscillated back and forth a few times, all with good reason.

The plot isn’t as predictable as the trailers might suggest. There’s a few enjoyable twists and turns I didn’t expect.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: This movie is very well edited. There were lots of Peetime options early in the movie to select from, but were all very short. I  recommend the 2nd Peetime. It’s near the middle of the movie and doesn’t have much dialog. The 3rd Peetime is for Emergencies only. There’s a big plot development, but it’s the only describable scene in the last 3rd of the movie to pick from.

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

Rated (R) for violence, language throughout and some sexual content
Genres: Action, Crime, Drama

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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 – John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum (Not as good as the first two)

Movie Review - John Wick: Chapter 3 - ParabellumI loved the first two John Wick movies, especially the first, which really brought new life to the action genre. But I found myself getting bored by the monotonous action in John Wick Parabellum.

I think the movie might have been better if it had been a little shorter. Many of the fight seems felt redundant.

Beyond that, the gravitas expressed by Keanu Reeves in the first movie just isn’t available in this story.

What was Good in John Wick Parabellum

The director (Chad Stahelski) works hard to break some new ground in each of his movies, and I think he accomplished that with the dog scenes in this version of John Wick. I’ve seen attack dogs in movies before, but nothing like this. Kudos to the dogs and their trainers. They earned the treats and then some.

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Besides that, there were a few times I spotted errors in the choreography of the fight scenes. For instance, men would stand still after being punched by John Wick, while he turned his attention to another foe, before turning to shoot the first guy. It didn’t feel as tight and polished as the first two Wick movies.

The Unsung Heroes of Action Flicks

That said, going to see this movie in the theater is a good way to support the men and women who work hard to perfect their craft at making action movies like this. It’s hard and dangerous work, and they don’t get the glamour showered on the big name stars. They’re the blue collar workers of Hollywood and deserve a pat on the back — and some coin in their pocket — for their work, as the unsung heroes of John Wick, and all action films.

Grade: C+

About The Peetimes: I found 3 good Peetimes. None of them involves any good John Wick action. I recommend the 2nd Peetime. It’s the longest, and right in the middle of the movie.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for pervasive strong violence, and some language
Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller

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Movie Review – John Wick 1

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Movie Review – Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

Movie Review - Nancy Drew and the Hidden StaircaseWho would have thought that Nancy Drew would still be rocking it after 89 years?

This new and improved version of Nancy Drew is perfect for the target audience of today’s prepubescent girl. The movie addresses bullying, body image hating, peer pressure, and the need to fit in as the new kid in school. So it’s a job well done for the writers, and director Katt Shea. Young girls will flock to this movie.

The acting was well done, and I can’t say enough about the performance given by Sophia Lillis as Nancy Drew. She provided most of the comedic relief with her perfect delivery of some hysterically funny lines. The ‘new Drew’ is spunky, funny, rebellious — but in a cute way — and smart, and doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘no’ or ‘you can’t do that’. She’s a great role model!

And it was so nice to see Linda Lavin — of Alice and Barney Miller fame — is still cranking out product at 82 years young.

I whole-heartedly recommend Nancy Drew for kids of all ages, but most especially, prepubescent girls.

Grade: B

About The Peetimes: This was a short movie, needing only 1 Peetime. I chose 1 at about half way through the movie: it gives you plenty of time to get back to your seat before the drama picks up again.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (PG) for peril, suggestive material, thematic elements and language
Genres: Crime, Drama, Family

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Movie Review – Replicas

Movie Review - ReplicasThere are two movies coming out this week about dogs. One is A Dog’s Way Home. The other is Replicas, which has no dogs in it, but it is a dog.

Question: why does the saying, “This movie is a dog,” imply that a movie is bad, yet we also know this one: “A dog is a man’s best friend.” Someone ‘splain English to me, please. 🙂

I can’t criticize the actors because they had nothing useful to work with. [pullquote]Three minutes into the movie, and the dialog was already clumsy and heavy handed. The only good reason to watch this movie is for a film student to see how not to write dialog.[/pullquote]

It was strange that the CG for the computer displays — the 3D images seen when characters have the HUD on –were pretty snazzy, but then the robot CG was 15 years out of date. It was so jerky it looked like stop motion.

The only good thing I can say about Replicas is that the credits are 11 minutes long, making this only a 95 minute movie.

BTW, Keanu Reeves, if you’re reading this, my apologies.  I love your work. There’s nothing anyone could have done to save this miserable script. But I have to ask, “Did you lose a bet? Why on earth did you take this role?”

Grade: F

About The Peetimes: I have 2 Peetimes here. Both are fine, however, there is a crucial scene following the 2nd Peetime. The credits for this movie are 11 minutes long with no extras, so the movie is really only about 95 minutes.

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

Rated (PG-13) for thematic material, violence, disturbing images, some nudity and sexual references
Genres: Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi

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Movie Review – John Wick 1

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Movie Review – If Beale Street Could Talk

 

Movie Review - If Beale Street Could TalkIf you question what it means to be in love and not just love someone, If Beale Street Could Talk will truly give you clarity. This movie defines love while defying the odds. I was very enthralled in the plot of this movie, because every scene with Fonny and Tish seem to be intense in a quiet, subtle kind of way. The way that they looked at each other was like they were speaking without uttering one word or sound.

You know when you hear the phrase “life happens?” That’s exactly what happens to these childhood BFFs/high school sweethearts. This plot is not your normal black guy/black girl/white racist cop with his underroos in a knot. This story actually lays out how the racism affected two families, a pregnant 19-year-old, and a dreaming fiancee in such a way that everyone will empathize with the couple. Pay attention though, because the movie starts with Fonny in jail, and the scenes bounce between his life with Tish before he got there, and her jail visits. The love story is well laid out about the two naive young adults. I will say that I was drawn to Tish, because she seem to have a serious look all the time, as if she was unsure or not confident. I thought there was going to be an emotional explosion in some way to release her inner uncertainty…to no avail, though.

It was ironic that Tish and her family, along with Fonny’s dad, did all the fighting to try to free Fonny. Fonny’s mother and sisters were the epitome of bougie. They did not approve of Tish or her “low life” family. As soon as they walked in Tish’s mom’s house, I knew Fonny’s female relatives were a bunch of bible thumping, judgmental, and conceited women. Don’t worry though: Tish and her “female brigade” told off the Hunt women, to the point they left Tish’s house crying…looking for holy water to sprinkle on the door post on the way out…figuratively speaking. LOL!

I gave it a solid B for the good acting, especially Regina King (she never fails), the numerous comedic moments to lighten the mood, and the somewhat unique story twist, despite that the ending left you with a few unanswered questions.

I hope you enjoy this review. My theater attendees (mostly whites) sure did, so much so that they stayed afterward, discussing the movie. Walk in confused about love, but you’ll walk out love struck, and yearning to love everyone with just a little more intention.

TTFN (Ta Ta For Now), DanaSimone!

Grade: B

About The Peetimes: There are 3 Peetimes in this movie. Several of the scenes had no dialogue or did not yield to the importance of the plot so it was easy determining the Peetimes. I would use the 1st or 3rd one for sure but do not get sidetracked, come straight back as the plot thickens a little after each Peetime.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of If Beale Street Could Talk. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)

Rated (R) for language and some sexual content
Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance

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Movie Review – Holmes & Watson

 

Movie Review - Holmes & WatsonHolmes and Watson was really disappointing. Being a huge fan of the Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly comedy duo, I was expecting more. A lot more. I know these guys are amazing together; I personally think this film was simply poorly written.

The characters lacked a depth that made you care about them, and the off-beat secondary characters left you scratching your head as to why they’re even in the movie. They detracted too much — way too much.

There were some funny moments, but definitely not what I was hoping for. If you’re a fan you’ll understand; the humor in this one was at like a quarter volume, compared to Step Brothers on full blast.

The chemistry with the rest of the cast lacked terribly. I wasn’t a fan of any of them. The more I think about it, the more I really didn’t care for this one.

I petition that these two guys knock out another film soon, so I can get the taste of this one out of my mouth. Save your money; wait for Netflix, and chill with them then.

Grade: C-

Movie Released: 2018-12-25

About The Peetimes: This was a really short flick — I think 1 Peetime works just fine. I found a great one that gives you plenty of time.

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

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Movie Review – The Mule

 

Movie Review - The MuleClint, how do you do it? Year after year, for how many years now? 50? 60? Do you ever get tired? Is it ever hard to drag yourself out of bed and face the cameras? I ask these questions because after seeing The Mule, I have to accept the fact that you are not just human, but superhuman. To not only produce, but to direct this magnificent piece of work, no mortal man could do that at the age of 88. For that reason alone you should be rewarded with a Best Actor nod from the awards community.

The movie was a very good flick. It was even paced, well written, and of course well directed. We got to know Earl fairly well, but not any of the other characters…but you know, we really didn’t need to. This was all about Earl.

We did get a heavy dose of ‘family commitment’, but that’s what gave the movie its backbone. Watching Earl as he drove around the country wasn’t going to make for a good story. By putting Earl’s occupation aside and looking at the man, not the mule — that’s what made the movie.

So get some rest Clint; I think it’s going to be a busy awards season for you.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: I have designated the 2nd Peetime as the preferred break because of the length of said break: you may take 4 and a half minutes to get back to your seat.

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

Quiz – Clint Eastwood – Actor, Director, Mayor, Musician

Quiz – How well do you know Clint Eastwood’s career?

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