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• Shazam! (PG-13, 2019)

  - by fb100000293612769

  It was not what I expected, honestly. There were some charming moments here and there, but this film... read more is further proof that there are too many, unnecessary superhero films being made that are stitched together with poor scripts, lousy villains, and cliched characters. I am begging you: give me a good superhero movie.

• Us (R, 2019)

  - by fb733768972

  Ever since Jordan Peele shocked filmgoers around the world with his fantastic directorial debut in G... read moreet Out, it should've been no surprise that people would eagerly be awaiting his next project. Us marks his second outing as a feature film director and this time, he dives much further into the horror genre than he did with Get Out. I absolutely loved watching this film, but it's not without its flaws. Depending on the way you look at this film as a whole or how you see the ending itself, you may find yourself finding it flawless, but everyone views films differently, so as always, please take my review with a grain of salt.
  
  Following the Wilson family, as they begin their summer vacation at a cabin on the lake, Adelaide (the mother) begins to recall moments from her childhood, as a family then invades their home. Realizing the family is actually themselves, a large sense of mystery begins to shroud the film. Personally, the overall premise of this film absolutely astounded me and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout nearly the entire runtime. If there's one thing this film does right, it's in keeping the audience engaged.
  
  Without giving anything away, the film slightly began to lose my grasp throughout the final act. Yes, the storytelling remained clever as everything was being revealed, but the way everything unravelled left a little more to be desired, at least to me. What saved it was the devoted performances by the entire cast from start to finish and a couple of neat twists before the film truly comes to an end. There are some bizarre images that still have me thinking, but I believe that was the intention, so I will let them slide.
  
  Other than events in the third act, this is a very tight concept that was throughout engaging throughout. It's fairly early in the year to speak about Oscar chances for performances, but I'll just be completely honest with myself and state that an actress is truly going to have to pull off a miracle to have me believing someone will be more deserving than Lupita Nyong'o for best actress. Her performance floored me and I couldn't divert my eyes for a second.
  
  In the end, Us is the kind of film that gives you a fantastic set-up, presents a very enjoyable second act to back it up and is filled with a tremendously eerie score that sent chills down my spine. I do feel the movie falls into the territory of predictability throughout the third act, but at least it commits to the revelations and doesn't make any mistakes in going for it. I may not think this is a perfect film, but Jordan Peele has put together another great film, worth revisiting over and over again to dissect. I applaud every aspect of this film, even if I didn't quite love it. Definitely check it out, especially if you're a fan of the horror genre.

• Captain Marvel (PG-13, 2019)

  - by fb733768972

  Upon first viewing, I enjoyed this film, but I liked it a lot more the second time. The below review... read more is from my initial thoughts before my second watch:
  
  The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been an impressive run of films, whether you have loved every one of them or not. In my opinion, ranging from mediocre to fantastic, this franchise has had its ups and downs like any, but nothing has really been a huge misstep, as producer Kevin Feige has been steering this ship in a safe direction from start to finish. Captain Marvel is the latest introduction to a character in this franchise and while it may not rank among the best films this franchise has had to offer thus far, itâ(TM)s a welcome addition to the family, so to speak.
  
  Following Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she discovers her past and learns who she used to be on Earth, a relationship forms between her and a few familiar faces from Shield, mainly in Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). With a war between the two races of Kree and Skrulls, Carol finds herself caught in the middle of it all, while also discovering her past along the way. Filled with enough energy to keep you engaged from start to finish, this is a breezy addition to the franchise as a whole. Sadly, I donâ(TM)t feel that this film explored any of the characters enough and it really did feel like a stepping stone for a larger story to be told in the future.
  
  Feeling very much like the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with movies like Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain Marvel has a very solid introduction to this universe, but thereâ(TM)s a lot of room to improve. Brie Larson delivers a solid performance here and I look forward to seeing more from this character in future instalments, but I wasnâ(TM)t blown away by any means. Aside from an interesting backstory, she really isnâ(TM)t given anything to do and almost seems unbeatable, which is kind of a draw-back for future stakes that may arise. Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jacksonâ(TM)s chemistry is easily the biggest highlight of this film and will probably keep even the uninterested fans entertained.
  
  Captain Marvel gets off to a very messy start throughout the first 20 minutes. It finds its footing very fast, but I must admit that I was very worried when the movie first began. The way her past is quickly thrown in and jumbled around to set-up the rest of the film felt a little rushed, but the movie does slow down to a nice pace. Itâ(TM)s not that I have a lot to complain about here, but there truly wasnâ(TM)t anything that wowed me about this film, which was disappointing, considering itâ(TM)s the final film that leads into the culmination of the last ten years with Avengers: Endgame.
  
  In the end, Captain Marvel doesnâ(TM)t do a whole lot to dazzle, but it works very well as a standalone origin for this character. I enjoyed myself quite a bit, but this formula has been done over and over again throughout the course of these 21 films and although the formula works, I feel something new has to be done once Avengers: Endgame brings this first segment of this universe to a close. I had a lot of fun with Captain Marvel, but itâ(TM)s by no means a great movie. I definitely recommend it to fans of this franchise (who will be the most impacted from it) and to those who are simply looking for a fun superhero flick. Captain Marvel delivered for me, but there was a lot that could have been improved upon.

• Captain Marvel (PG-13, 2019)

  - by fb1442511448

  It's not without its obvious woes, but Captain Marvel's hip vibe, humor and effect... read moreive action/thrills fits the formula of an MCU film that's a worthy entry and wholly entertaining for fans to invest in. 4.45/5

• Captain Marvel (PG-13, 2019)

  - by ironclad1609

  Another Marvel blast, starting off with a loving tribute to the late Stan Lee. While some of the act... read moreion sequences are somewhat formulaic, you don't really notice it because the chemistry between the actors is a pleasure to behold and it's all just so much fun. There are some rather surprising character developments too, which keeps things interesting. Great songs and some 90s nostalgia sometimes make you feel like watching a cop buddy movie a la Lethal Weapon. Larson is a fantastic leading lady with a wide range from bad-ass to vulnerable. Knowing she will be among the prominent faces of the coming MCU phases gets me pretty excited. The awesome Ben Mendelsohn and the cat are stealing a couple of scenes here, though, which just shows another of the movie's strengths: an equally outstanding cast.

• Us (R, 2019)

  - by fb1576983399

  Perhaps my tethered was somewhere above me watching a good movie while I was stuck below watching th... read moreis surprisingly disappointing film? With thickly veiled parallels and odd references, Peele seems to have gotten caught up with the symbols and underlying tones that he forgot to write a good movie. This film doesn't work particularly well as a horror, with just a few creepy bits, or as a psychological thriller, with its flimsy plot and many unanswered questions. The positives are the score, decent performances, and the handful of chuckles, but that is it.

• Shazam! (PG-13, 2019)

  - by fb733768972

  The films in the world of the DC Universe haven't exactly been smooth sailing from the begi... read morenning, but I would definitely say they've found their stride in these last few years. From standalone films like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, they're proving that taking a step back is sometimes the best thing to do. Shazam! is the latest film to be added to this collection of movies and while some may view it as incredibly cheesy, I believe the majority of audiences will find it to be an absolute blast as I did. Here's why, when Shazam! hits theatres, you should definitely seek out a screening of it.
  
  Following young Billy Batson at a very pivotal point in his life, after having lost his mother and jumped between foster homes throughout the years, he may have finally found one that works for him. Making friends with one of the foster kids in Freddy Freeman, he's interrogated about what superpowers he would love to have. Little does he know that he's about to stumble upon a magical wizard who will grant him numerous abilities and be able to turn himself back and forth between boy and man. This may sound silly and that's because it is, but it's all done in good fun and the story plays out very well on-screen.
  
  When going into a film like this, you need to know what you're in for, otherwise, you may find yourself cringing at the cheesiness of it all. Shazam! embraces its cheese and pokes fun at classic films that it's clearly borrowing from and even pokes fun at the fact that this film even exists in the same world as movies like Man of Steel or Aquaman. That being said, you absolutely don't have to see any prior films, because this movie truly does stand on its own, which was a breath of fresh air. In terms of pure enjoyment, this movie fires on all cylinders and hits all the right notes, being a near-perfect film for what it's striving to be.
  
  On the other hand, where I feel this film continuously took a nose dive was within the villain subplot. While Mark Strong gives his all here and commits to creating a great character, the certain characters around him and the burden that comes with the powers he has, felt very strange and out of place in my opinion. Aside from that, I really have nothing to complain about, but these things are very much present on multiple occasions throughout the movie and I wasn't a big fan of them. The idea behind them was interesting, but the overall execution just didn't quite work for me.
  
  In the end, Shazam! is a fantastic, comedic superhero flick, with a few minor weaknesses throughout. Zachary Levi as the leading man is the reason to see this movie alone, as his charisma and chemistry with Jack Dylan Grazer is absolutely amazing. Aside from a few annoying aspects, there is so much to love about this movie. I had a blast with it and I think you will too. I definitely recommend checking this one out when it hits theatres.

• Us (R, 2019)

  - by fb584658586

  Us is gonna be a tough one to review. Difficult to review without spoilers, which is what I&#x27... read more;m gonna do here, but I think even if I was doing spoilers, I'd still struggle.
  
  What I will say, is that my feelings on Us went up and down as I sat there and the story progressed. At one point, I was enraptured by a single scene that for a brief moment I got so caught up I felt certain no movie of the year was ever going to be able to top it. But then the scene ended, and shortly after the movie ended and my mind just went to "...It's good".
  
  Definitely merits watching, re-watching and analysing (there is a lot to unpack from Us) but maybe not the highest of all available praises.

• Pet Sematary (R, 2019)

  - by mrbungle7821

  I already know my computer's spell check is going to hate this review. In the wake of the b... read moreox-office bonanza of It, prolific author Stephen King is a hot property once again for studios and everything old is new again. Pet Sematary (yes it's intentionally misspelled) is a remake of a 1989 that was a hit back in the day. It was never regarded as a good movie but had its campy entertainment, so there was some room for improvement. Early reviews were positive and I raised my hopes for the 2019 edition, but after having seen the finished product, maybe some movies too are better off left dead.
  
  Eschewing a sense of camp, the film risks being overrun by its own sense of seriousness, which only works if there is room given to explore the ramifications of grief, the choices people make when they're hurting, and the irony of good intentions. If you're going to go in a serious direction then you need the confidence and dedication to play to that decision, and that's not the case with the 2019 Pet Sematary. It's lacking those important moments of contemplation or even dwelling with the horror of bringing back a loved one from the dead. There's only so much evil hissing cat you can have before you hit a limit and start saying, "What else you got?" There's going to be an escalation, I don't think it's much of a spoiler, considering the nature of the premise but also its predecessor being 30 years old, that one of the children will die only to be brought back. It's also an easy speculation that they will "come back wrong" but the drama is processing this decision and trying to mitigate the mounting consequences. How far will a parent go to protect their child even if that child is an undead murderer? The trials should strain the moral resolve or our protagonist while reveling in the grotesque.
  
  Because every viewer is going to already expect this much, it's the film's job to develop this premise in a satisfying manner and/or provide surprises from our expectations. Pet Sematary 2019 unfortunately does neither, barreling through the dramatic downtime when it could be developing its horror and unleashing standard slasher jump scares. When Louis is brushing his daughter's tangled hair he runs his fingers over the metal staples in the back of her skull holding her head together. It's a stark reminder that she is not the same, and it goes beyond her scraggly voice and unyielding stares meant to convey the same information. The film needed more moments like this, small details to unnerve and remind, rather than making her essentially The Ring girl from the start. The movie voluntarily eliminates its own storytelling runway, giving it little room to ramp things up and being forced to simply jump to the big bad killer demon girl. The filmmakers try and compensate somewhat by giving Rachel her own independent haunting, seeing hallucinations of her dead, twisted deformed sister. Those sequences reminded me of the slow stirring sequences in 2017's It, drawing in the audience to dread what will happen next. It's a side plot that could be eliminated entirely and I enjoyed these sequences the most because it was at least something pregnant with possibility.
  
  For fans of King, or fans of genre horror, there may be enough standard thrills and chills to enjoy the new Pet Sematary. In the extremely spotty spectrum of King movie adaptations, it's definitely somewhere in the middle, not bad per se but nothing special.
  
  Nate's Grade: C+

• Pet Sematary (R, 2019)

  - by fb584658586

  The things that this 2019 Pet Sematary add to the original may not strictly speaking be improvements... read more, but at least it's not a shot for shot remake, which it was looking like it might have been based on the trailers. A couple of those additions I was not particularly fondof, one's a massive spoiler so I'll let that slide, but the biggest one I knew going into it, 'cause of the trailers, which is: As much as I appreciate John Lithgow, I really wish they had kept the original guy (or an emulation of him I more mean) on as Jud Crandall.
  
  Unrelated sidenote, but when I was young (and I found out about Pet Sematary overall through the Ramones song of the same name) my dad always told me that it was called Pet Sematary and not Pet Cemetary because Americans spelt it that way. That guy lied about... Just everything.