"Knives Out"

I was skeptical because my hatred towards Rian Johnson after f*cking up Star Wars was still burning. This film is hilarious and entertaining, but it doesn't change anything.
The film takes every whodunit cliche and flips them on their heads. You think have it figured out, but it changes on you halfway through, and then it changes it back when you think you figured it out again. I knew Christopher Plummer's character really did kill  himself, but I was way off on the reason why. It was an interesting take for the killer to commit the act without actually doing anything. However, he failed to factor in how good of a nurse Marta was, who he tried to frame for the murder, as the film suggests. She feared she gave him an irreversible injection of morphine. The killer also failed to factor in how Plummer's character was willing to commit suicide to save Marta from being discovered that her family were illegal immigrants.
When Marta inherits Plummer's massive fortune, including the house, the family goes ballistic and tries to tear her apart. It is clear as to why he cut them out of the will because they are clearly spoiled. Even Jamie Lee Curtis' character, who made her fortune on her own, is distraught that she didn't get anything in the will.
I should have seen it coming that Ransom was the culprit behind the whole shebang. I mean, his name is "Ransom." He worked to try and convict Marta of murder and use the Slayer Law to revoke the will. But I wonder, if he had succeeded, if he would split the fortune evenly with the rest of the family or if he was going to keep the fortune for himself. That means he ruined himself anyway, whether Marta was convicted or not. His family would have torn him apart too. And when he kills the housekeeper to frame Marta on another count of murder, didn't he factor in that his prints would be found on Marta's bag?
With that in mind, the running joke throughout the movie is that lying makes Marta literally puke. It was funny the first few times, then it got annoying with the number of times she tried to hide her puking. At one point she pukes into a McDonald's cup she had while Daniel Craig was outside her window. Then, he took a ride with her. He would have smelled the fresh puke. The climax has her lying to Ransom, saying the housekeeper survived, then she holds out long enough for Ransom to inadvertently confess to the murder so she can puke on him. Doesn't that mean she can control her puking? Can she puke on cue? What does this mean?
Now, a sequel is planned for this film. Will it entail just Daniel Craig or will Marta be tagging along? Will she a crime novelist like Jessica Fletcher and chronicle their adventures? Will Marta ever reconcile with the family? Will Ransom return? Will there be a copycat murder? So many questions.

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Released On: November 27, 2019
Rating: PG-13
Stars: Daniel Craig, Anna de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Katherine Langford, Lakeith Stanfield, Jaeden Martell, Christopher Plummer
Director: Rian Johnson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.0/10

Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy - Nominated
Best Actor Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Daniel Craig - Nominated
Best Actress Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Anna de Armas - Nominated

Academy Awards
Best Original Screenplay Rian Johnson - Nominated

(Click here to view more awards for "Knives Out".)

Videos
CinemaSins - Everything Wrong With Knives Out in Whodunnit Minutes
Screen Junkies - Honest Trailers | Knives Out

"How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World"

Before we begin, check out my post on How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World on my other blog, Before I Go See It.
Now, on with the show.

I have mixed emotions with this movie. I loved this franchise when it came to theaters ten years ago, and it is sad to see it go. But at the same time, it is a good thing that it is ending. While it was fun to soar with Hiccup and Toothless, it is time for their journey to end.
But I still have questions. There are flashbacks throughout the movie where Hiccup remembers talking with his father. During one in the beginning, Stoick talks of a hidden world where dragons come from. Putting that into perspective, was the nest the hidden world he was looking for in the first film, or was the nest just a stepping stone?
How come no one has heard of Grimmel before this movie. In the first film, Hiccup says that no one has killed a Night Fury. Grimmel is a renown Night Fury killer. Grimmel mentions that Berk has enemies in the East and South, so that means there are other viking civilizations. Word has seriously not gotten around about this guy? Really? Everyone knows about Hiccup and his flying pet dragon, so what the heck?
Astrid has probably the worst character development of all the characters, which sucks because she is a bad ass. She starts the franchise as a tough girl determined to fulfill her destiny and join the dragon wars who softens up when Hiccup shows her how dragons aren't all that evil. Then that's it. She only says what needs to be heard in order to move the plot along.
Through it all, I enjoyed this film. The characters are all still fun. Even though I hate Kristen Wiig, her performance as Ruffnut is my favorite of hers. Toothless flying with Light Fury reminds me of WALL-E and EVE flying near the Axiom. And those baby Night Furies are adorable. Move over, Baby Yoda, I want one.

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Released On: February 22, 2019
Rating: PG
Stars: Jay Barachel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kit Harington, F. Murray Abraham
Director: Dean DeBlois
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 7.5/10

Awards
Golden Globe Awards

• Best Animated Feature Film - Nominated

Academy Awards

• Best Animated Film - Nominated

(Click here to view more awards for "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World".)
Videos
CinemaSins - Everything Wrong with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

"Missing Link" (2019)

This is truly a remarkable film. I enjoyed every minute of it. I know Laika doesn't do sequels, but please just make one.
Though the story is very familiar, new elements were added, like the Sasquatch himself asking Lionel Frost for help. Then they go on an unforgettable that binds them more together than they thought. And when the Yeti community refuses to accept the Link, Frost takes it upon himself to give him a home.
There was one thing that bothers me, and that's the antagonist. he goes out of his way to make sure Lionel doesn't succeed, and we don't really know why other than he didn't want Frost to succeed. the motive tends to foreshadow that he had encountered a Sasquatch in the past. He even goes as far as  hiring a hit man, who accepts the job without the promise of being paid. All the telegram said was "Stop Lionel Frost". Does it make you a good thug that you can get the job done without knowing the reward, or does it make you bad at judging people in possibly getting cheated out of payment?
Frost is a man with a dream to be among the greatest men in London's society, and he struggles with the mockery laid upon them. Susan, the name Link's given himself, feels lonely in the forests of Washington State. The two of them manage to connect based on how society has treated them as cryptozoological atrocities. It is the trust in each other and believing in themselves is what brings them together. Though Frost may still not be part of London nobility, it is Susan who has given him the companionship he needed to continue with his journeys.
If you haven't seen it, I recommend that you go check it out now.

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Released On: April 12, 2019
Rating: PG
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, Zach Galifianakis
Director: Chris Butler
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 6.7/10

Awards
Golden Globe Awards

• Best Animated Feature Film - Winner

Academy Awards

• Best Animated Film - Nominated

(Click here to view more awards for "Missing Link",)

Videos
CinemaSins - Everything Wrong with Missing Link in 15 Minutes or Less

"Marriage Story"

This movie is okay. The film got a lot more depressing than I wanted it to be. I'm glad everything worked out for Charlie and Nicole in the end so that they can stay in their son's life.
The film dives deep into the ugly process of divorce where what we want and what we agreed are two very different things, and both Charlie and Nicole struggle with that. Nicole has been living in New York helping Charlie build his dream as a theater director, which she left her own film career to do so. Over time she felt used and unseen by Charlie, so she files for divorce and moves to Los Angeles with her son, Henry. Charlie, still absorbed with his career figures that the TV show Nicole was starring was temporary, and that she'll back home. He obviously isn't too happy when Nicole was serious about staying. This is where, I say, Mrs. Doubtfire should step in. I actually had that vibe going in. Both parents want to be part of Henry's life, and they are willing to fight for it, including hiring some of the craftiest lawyers LA has to offer: Ray Liotta and Laura Dern.
Towards the end of the movie, Charlie has an interview with a family evaluator so that he could gain some custody of Henry. In short, he knew it didn't go well. There was a hole in the drywall from when he punched it, and he accidentally cut himself with his pocket knife doing a trick. That was when, I think, Charlie knew he lost, so he decides to drop his claims in the divorce.
I still haven't forgiven Adam Driver for killing Han Solo, but he and Scarlett Johansson really nailed their performances in this film. There was scene at the beginning where Nicole was telling Nora, her lawyer, about her life, and it was five continuous minutes of a single shot with just walking in and out of the room and then sitting down. I felt the emotion build throughout the scene. It was just her sort of defending Charlie where she still cared about him, and then it gradually unfolds to where she admits she wants more out of life. I felt hooked in that scene.
I thought Charlie's musical number at the end was rather random and off-putting. The song fit the situation perfectly, since he was a theater person and was around theater people, but it just came out of nowhere. When Nicole sang, she was performing in front of the children. He performed in front of an audience too, but his seems more like an alone song. They shouldn't have done that is what I'm saying.
I don't have high hopes of this winning Best Picture, but if Terms of Endearment Kramer vs. Kramer can do it, so can this, I guess.

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Released On Netflix: November 6, 2019
Rating: R
Stars: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, Merritt Wever
Director: Noah Baumbach
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.1/10

Awards
Golden Globe Awards

• Best Motion Picture Drama - Nominated
• Best Actor Motion Picture Drama Adam Driver - Nominated
• Best Actress Motion Picture Drama Scarlett Johansson - Nominated
• Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Laura Dern - Winner
• Best Screenplay Noah Baumbach - Nominated
• Best Original Score Randy Newman - Nominated

Academy Awards

• Best Picture - Nominated 
• Best Actor Adam Driver - Nominated 
• Best Actress Scarlett Johansson - Nominated 
• Best Supporting Actress Laura Dern - Winner 
• Best Original Screenplay Noah Baumbach - Nominated
• Best Original Score Randy Newman - Nominated

(Click here to view more awards for "Marriage Story".)

"Jojo Rabbit"

Before we begin, check out my post on Jojo Rabbit on my other blog, Before I Go See It.
Now, on with the show.

I was rather impressed with this movie. This is making it harder to know which to root for at the Oscars.
The film is shot through a child's perspective about how he understood being a Nazi in Germany. Many shots are at a low angle, from Jojo's eye level, to give you a better understanding of the situation. This way, you learn as Jojo does of how terrible war is and not to misjudge people based on terrible stereotypes, especially when it hits close to home.
When Jojo discovered a Jewish girl hiding in his house, not only did it place him in a dangerous predicament, but it changes everything he knows. Elsa toyed with Jojo on the stereotypes that somehow don't apply to her, like why she didn't have horns yet; she explained that they haven't grown in yet. Jojo was understandably angry by how much he's been lied to, but he learned to care for someone that's different and sees them as human. That should hit home more than we care to give it credit for. It rings in truth with the way we treat people of the LGBT community. Fortunately, many of us consider them as allies and as human beings. However, there are many more who consider them an abomination. If a young Nazi boy is willing to accept a Jewish girl, then we are capable of accepting a man wearing a skirt.
I struggle to understand the ending. My guess is that it is Jojo's last attempt to control Elsa. Though Elsa was better than Jojo in every way, he seems confident enough to still have her under his thumb with the threat of being discovered. When the war ends, and she's no longer a criminal, I believe he was trying to be a hero in her eyes, like a knight protecting her through her escape...until it backfires the second she walks out the door and sees American soldiers waving Old Glory through the streets.
Hitler being Jojo's imaginary friend is a little unsettling, but it makes a point in which children will consider political figures as their heroes and their friends, and Hitler is no exception in this case. There is a little Great Dictator humor throughout the film to show how little Hitler cares about the boy and how he is willing to go to great lengths to ensure Jojo is loyal to his country, which includes coming back from the dead after shooting himself in the head.
All in all, it was a splendid film. I hope it will be taught in history classes where children can have some fun while seeing that war is a terrible thing.

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Released On: October 18, 2019
Rating: PG-13
Stars: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Taika Waititi, Rebel Wilson, Alfie Allen, Stephen Merchent, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson
Director: Taika Waititi
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.0/10

Awards
Golden Globe Awards

• Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy - Nominated
• Best Actor Motion Pitcture Musical or Comedy Roman Griffin Davis - Nominated

Academy Awards

• Best Picture - Nominated 
• Best Supporting Actress Scarlett Johansson - Nominated 
• Best Adapted Screenplay Taika Waititi - Winner 
• Best Production Design Ra Vincent & Nora Sopková - Nominated 
• Best Costume Design Mayes C. Dubeo - Nominated 
• Best Film Editing Tom Eagles - Nominated 

(Click here to view more awards for "Jojo Rabbit".)

"Ford v. Ferrari"

This movie is a lot of fun, I'll give it that. But when you compare it to the rest of the nominees, it is the Phantom Thread of this year's selection. It was interesting when you first heard about it, but you immediately forget about it, and you wonder why it was nominated at all. I actually liked this movie, which is another point towards it.
The trailer may be to blame in my opinion. Like, the Solo trailer, this movie's trailer told a different and more fun story. According to the trailer, the movie is about two frenemies who must band together beat Ferrari at the Le Mans race in France. That is the plot of the movie, but the trailer made it seem like they had 3 months to build the better car, and in the movie, it was several years of failed attempts before finally unveiling the GT40.
The only reason I went to see it was I wanted to watch Matt Damon and Christian Bale duke it out on the sidewalk with a loaf of Wonder bread. I wanted to watch Henry Ford II sob like a little baby when Damon takes him for a spin in the car. Neither of those events happened in real life, which sucks because that is the only reason any of us went to go see it. Be honest, it's true.
I could see Bale getting an award because his charcter was relatable to the blue collar workers. He's a hothead when nothing works the way he wants it to, and he doesn't take it real well when he gets stiffed. Like in the beginning of the movie when we are introduced to him, he gets disqualified from the race because his trunk didn't close. So he dents the hell out of the lid and gets it shut. But it turns out it's Matt Damon who's telling the story. Bale's just a pawn in the story. We got a cool car out of it though.
It could have been a cool underdog story about beating Ferrari at Le Mans, but Bale's character gets cheated out for reasons I don't remember because I'm still thinking about the fight on the sidewalk. This is just a fluke that you wouldn't turn away if it comes on TNT.

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Released On: November 15, 2019
Rating: PG-13
Stars: Matt Damon, Christian Bale
Director: James Mangold
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.2/10

Awards

Academy Awards

• Best Picture - Nominated 
• Best Film Editing Michael McCusker & Andrew Buckland - Winner 
• Best Sound Editing Donald Sylvester - Winner 
• Best Sound Mixing Paul Massey, David Giammarco & Steven A. Morrow - Nominated 

Golden Globe Awards

• Best Supporting Actor Christian Bale - Nominated

(Click here to view more awards for "Ford v. Ferrari".)

"Spider-Man: Far From Home"

I honestly don't know what to make of this movie. Don't get me wrong, it was a lot of fun, but it was kind of sloppy. I think part of it is because it is trying to recapture the attention from the success of Endgame.
A straight up remake of Iron Man 3, Peter struggles to break from the shadow left behind by Tony Stark's legacy. All he really wants is to get away from the big time superhero stuff and just be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. He wants to have a good time on his trip to Europe and confess his feelings to the girl he likes.
I thought there was going to be conflict between Ned and Peter this time around because Ned wants to be a bachelor in Europe with Peter, but then he meets a girl on the plane ride over and Peter strikes out making it with MJ. But Ned pretty much gets pushed into the background and is almost forgotten. Maybe that's to help build tension between them in the threequel. Ned didn't really contribute in the Battle of London, and that might get on Peter's nerves when Ned still wants to be the guy in the chair.
Now, where in the first film did it indicate that Peter liked MJ. All we really see is MJ looking at Peter longingly in the end of the film as Peter runs off to save someone. And isn't her name Michelle, not Mary Jane? I think this was constructed for the sake of the comics because Spidey is contractually obligated to save his love interest. And why did he lie to her when she figured it out that he was Spider-Man? If there was one person he can trust to keep his secret, it's the girl he likes. And she never let on that she knew. If I were MJ, I would have trust issues after that little stunt. But I guess seeing a 16-year-old's ripped abs erases all that.
The Mysterio character was really confusing to me, probably because I never read the comics. When it was announced that Jake Gyllenhall would play the villain,
I thought it was confusing that he was all friendly to Fury and Peter. Then I thought that he may be the culprit for the destruction of his own Earth, and that he's after this one. But then it was revealed that he and many members of Stark Industries had a personal vendetta with their former boss and they decide to mess with a teenager to get the glasses Tony left behind for him. I thought it was another Mandarin debacle, but it's rather legit despite Quentin Blake being visual effects artist and failed actor instead of working for Stark.
It's hilarious that Aunt May calls the Spidey Sense "Peter-Tingle", but I think the reason it didn't work when she threw the banana at him is because it doesn't exist. The most disappointing about this franchise is the set of powers he possesses. He can't shoot webbing out of his wrists, he has no Spidey Sense, all he can do is climb walls and lift really heavy things. Actually, I don't think he can really climb on walls, not without his suit. And that thing at the end when he defeats the drones? I think he watches Marvel's Daredevil in his spare time.
The sudden twist in the end credits scene is a game changer. In Blake's dying breath, he reveals Peter's identity and frames him for the attack on London and himself. For the sake of the story, it will be frustrating to not know what's next for Peter. One theory I have is that he will be convicted and sentenced to prison where he will clash with Adrian Toomes once again. Another theory, definitely not based on the comics, is where Peter runs away to Hell's Kitchen where he meets a kind blind attorney named Matt. They discover that they're both vigilante superheroes. Matt takes on Peter's case to clear his name while he teaches Peter to not run away from his past, a continuation from this film where he tries to run away from Tony Stark. Just a thought.
Honest Trailers brought this up, and while it was funny, it may fuel something. Flash Thompson, who constantly bullies Peter, has a rather tragic backstory where he struggles to communicate with his parents. I wonder if his parents were part of Blake's party, and they disappeared when the illusion failed. That may be trying to shoehorn the Green Goblin into the next film because he needs to blame someone, and Spider-Man could be an easy target. That's another thing. With his secret identity out in the open, will his defend Peter? Ned and MJ will without a doubt, but will Betty? His teachers? Flash? This entire time he's been abusing Spider-Man and not knowing it. Will he step up and protect him?
It's probably a good thing it will be a while before a third film can be made. This can give Marvel time to actually make an excellent third installment that will blow everything out of the water. The last franchise failed so hard that the third film was canceled.
Oh, one more thing. The fact that Fury and Hill were Skrulls the whole time is a big middle finger to the audience and a weak attempt to try and reincorporate the plotline in which everyone's a Skrull. in retrospective, however, it should have been obvious that they were Skrulls because there were several hints throughout the film where they weren't themselves. For one, Fury criticized the fact that Tony recruited a teenager to lead the Avengers. This is coming from the guy who recruited Tony to head the Avengers Initiative. Hill and Fury's casual talk of Kree having sleeper agents is another factor. And when Hill had Fury's back in taking out the drone...unless they're dating. There was a joke in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that Fury only made her second in command because she was eye candy. And let's not forget that Happy's cryptic "looks can be deceiving" actually has a double standard.

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Released On: July 2, 2019
Rating: PG-13
Stars: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove
Director: John Watts
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 7.6/10

Videos
Screen Junkies - Honest Trailers | Spider-Man: Far From Home
CinemaSins - Everything Wrong With Spider-Man: Far From Home in Tingle Minutes
How It Should Have Ended - How Spider-Man Should Have Ended Far From Home Should Have Ended
How It Should Have Ended - Bonus Features | Spider-Man: Far From Home HISHE