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1 1/2 Stars

Uglies (2024)

I really wish I was taking notes during this movie.

Questions were abuzz in my mind during Uglies, one of the newest films on Netflix these days. That is not a good thing in this case.

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3 1/2 Stars Movies

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Like many my age, my cinematic discovery of Michael Keaton was the same as my cinematic discovery of Tim Burton (well, it was actually Batman Returns before Batman.) The third for each would end up being Beetlejuice.

As a kid, it took me a lot of convincing that the guy behind the Batman mask was the same playing the bio exorcist. Still, it was a near perfect introduction to the mind of Tim Burton (I did not get to Pee Wee until later in life), as it made me aware at a young age directors could have there own sense of style.

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1 1/2 Stars Movies

Reagan (2024)

Let’s try something new here.

Rather than tell you that this movie is simply a bland, by the numbers bore fest that glamorizes our 40th president (at least Quaid is honestly trying to go for it), I present an alternative (this is one of the rare occasions when AI will help me in a review.)

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4 Stars

Twisters (2024)

Call it divine intervention or whatever you want, but it is worth noting that between revisiting the 1996 hit Twister and the sequel, there was at least two nights of pretty bad weather here in the Midwest.

Of course, being that I have grown up in the Midwest, it was nothing too new to me. Still, tornadoes are nothing I would dream of getting near (the closest I ever got was a few years ago driving home, not aware until later that a twister had touched down about a mile away). Thinking of it, the original Twister (which was always a go to rental for me at a point in my childhood) had a small bit of the “stay away from this force of nature” effect that Jaws had on me (as well as the whole world.)

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3 1/2 Stars Movies

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Sadly, it was only until a few years ago that I finally saw the OG Planet of the Apes from 1968.

My reasoning was mainly due to the fact that I had already had the famous plot twist spoiled for me as a kid (most likely from The Simpsons), and was unfortunately introduced to the idea of talking apes in Tim Burton’s disastrous 2001 film. Thankfully, the 2010s gave us a trilogy (all of which I just recently revisited) that was nothing short of solid entertainment, to the point I was worried this new film would be a de-evolution, as it were.

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3 1/2 Stars Movies

The Fall Guy (2024)

Most recently, I finally got around to seeing 1928’s Steamboat Bill, Jr.

It was this film where Buster Keaton (arguably the most influential leading man who did his own stunts) stood perfectly still as the side of a house fell on him, only unscathed due to an open window (your move, Tom Cruise!). Every since Keaton’s days, the stunt man has been risking all for the purpose of the shot (more than enough have sadly died in the process).

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3 Stars

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

I was very wary about this movie, perhaps mainly because I was wary about the franchise as a whole.

The original Ghostbusters from 1984 is an undoubtable bona fide comedy classic. The sequel,…I saw it once and don’t remember much from it. While I have yet to see the 2016 female reboot, the 2021 sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife showed that, with adding some new characters, the franchise still had a little bit of,…well, life. Still, with the film being pushed back from it’s original December release (albeit due to the SAG strike) still had me less than eager to see this. Thankfully, this franchise still has not yet frozen over.

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2 1/2 Stars

Arthur the King (2024)

One viewing of the trailer of Arthur the King is more than enough to see where this film is going.

When asked what movie I was going to see, I mentioned the title. 

“What is that?”, I was asked.

“The Mark Wahlberg/Dog movie.”

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4 1/2 Stars Movies

Dune: Part Two (2024)

“Dune Part 2 is the The Godfather 2 of Sci-Fi films.”

– My buddy Rudy

Like many, Rudy was able to see this movie this past Sunday (I was unaware of this early showing until I had already had my tickets). As great a movie lover (and friend) that he is, Rudy does tend to over hype things a bit (I fall into this same trap, but I am gradually improving a little).As the storytelling is more gradual and less bombastic as other sci-fi films, so was my appreciation for this epic sequel.

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1 Star Movies

Madame Web (2024)

Recently, the MCU announced the long awaited casting decisions for the Fantastic Four going forward. 

The cinematic stories showcasing “Marvel’s First Family” have been rather substandard at best. There was a nearly forgotten 90s movie followed by two lackluster films in the mid 2000s. There was promise when a new version was to be displayed in the mid 2010s with stars Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, resulting in Fan4stic Four, one of the worst comic book movies ever made. I never thought I would see a superhero film stoop that low again.

Enter Madame Web.