Tag: Rated PG-13

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Post author By Mark A. Lester
Post date May 17, 2024
No Comments on 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.

Tags Kingdom of the planet of the apes, Movie Reviews, PG-13, Planet of the Apes, Rated PG-13, William H. Macy

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).

2 Stars Movies

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Post author By Mark A. Lester
Post date March 31, 2024
No Comments on Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

As of now, I have seen only thirteen movies involving Godzilla and/or King Kong (about 19 percent of them all according to Letterboxd).

I mention this at the outset because I now only realize how all the movies have one key challenge to face: balance the monster scenes with the human character scenes. Of course, a vast majority (if not all) of audiences will be going to these films for the CGI monster mashing, making most of the human stories somewhat forgettable (unless you are Godzilla Minus One, the film that finally won Godzilla an Oscar).

Tags 2024, Brian Tyree Henry, Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla x Kong The New Empire, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Katie Hottle, King Kong, Rated PG-13, Rebecca Hall

3 Stars

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Post author By Mark A. Lester
Post date March 25, 2024
No Comments on 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.

Tags Bill Murray, Carrie Coon, Celeste O' Connor, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Finn Wolfhard, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Grace Mckenna, Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman, Paul Rudd, PG-13, Rated PG-13, William Atherton

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.”

Tags Arthur the King, Based on a True Story, Mark Wahlberg, Movie Reviews, PG-13, Rated PG-13, Simon Cellan Jones, Simu Liu

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.

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.

Tags 2024, 50 Shades, Adam Scott, Celeste O'Connor, Dakota Johnson, Emma Roberts, Fantastic Four, Isabel Merced, Madame Web, Marvel, Movie Reviews, Napoleon, PG-13, Rated PG-13, S.J. Clarkson, Super Hero, Sydney Sweeney, Tahar Rahim

1 Star

Argylle (2024)

If you have seen at least one movie at the cinema in the last 3-4 months, then you have seen a trailer for Argylle.

One of the taglines for this movie is “Once you know the secret, don’t let the cat out of the bag.” While this is easily meant to apply to the plot, it did not take long for me to realize the makers meant this for the movie itself. The secret is that this cinematic “cat” is the first one to not land on its feet since Mufasa (I totally understand if that is too soon to bring up).*

Tags Argylle, Ariana DeBose, Bryan Cranston, Bryce Dallas Howard, Catherine O' Hara, Colin Firth, Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, John Cena, Killers of the Flower Moon, Kingsmen, Matthew Vaughn, Oppenheimer, PG-13, Rated PG-13, Richard E Grant, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Star Wars

4 Stars

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

I was definitely not expecting that.

Am I the only one who thought this after seeing Godzilla Minus One? Having been around for nearly seven decades and being in more than a dozen movies, Godzilla is nothing short of a cinematic icon.

Tags 2023, Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, PG-13, Rated PG-13

4 Stars

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Post author By Mark A. Lester
Post date December 14, 2023
4 Comments on The Boy and the Heron (2023)

(Note: All actors regarded to are in the English version of the film).

I’m not sure if I was too late in joining the Studio Ghibli band wagon when I discovered Spirited Away (which, after two decades, is still the best animated film of the century), but I have yet to jump off of it.

Tags 2023, Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Florence Pugh, Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, Mark Hamill, Movie Reviews, PG-13, Rated PG-13, Robert Pattinson, Studio Ghibli, The Boy and the Heron, Willem Dafoe