(rendom film review) - Encanto

I was going to watch this movie yesterday, but I got distracted.  So I watched it today on the trusty ol' Disney Plus and whilst I didn't much care for the movie when it was advertised and when trailers came out, upon hearing how good it was and/or charming, it's December 29th 2021.  It's like 12:00pm, what else am I going to do?  So of course, I watched it.  Was the film as good as people have said it was. Ummm, yeah.

Encanto is about a woman who is blessed with a magical house when she loses her partner.  Left alone with 3 children to raise, she eventually raise these three children in this magical house and when the children become of age, a door within the magical house is presented and if chosen, you are imbued with magical talents. This is then seen to be passed down through generations and generations however, when Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz) is not granted any powers, she tries to find a way to simply live with being different in her family, but with the pressure of not being special like the rest of her siblings and family, she goes on a quest to search and try and find what her real purpose is.

I loved this movie.  The ending, I felt was a little weak and I didn't really understand it, but other than that, I loved the meaning/story behind this movie.  In a lot of families and likely more prevalent in families of people of colour, there is a pressure, unspoken or even spoken to please or perform. A pressure to be or do what family see you as not allowing you to be your own person.  These pressures can make or break people and in some or many cases, cast you aside from your family due to arguments or the butting of heads leading family members no longer talking/communicating.  These are very real themes and Disney touches on these themes with majesty.

At first, I thought there was going to be some kind of death and Disney was going to pull on my heart strings that way because they are always killing off a parent or something like that, but the formula on this one is different and touches you in a different way.  The animation was by far, the best animated photorealistic animation I have ever scene so far and although the magical house seemed a little crazy at first, I settled into it and really enjoyed it for what it was, along with the music numbers.  Whilst there was only one song that didn't really work with me, there was another song that was (I believe in Spanish) that was great. I loved it. I loved what it was saying any it touched me in a way that warmed my heart.

Whilst not aimed at my demographic, the film has a general appeal to adults and well as children who are yet to make choices in their life as they are not sure where they are going or know where they are going but feel a type of way due to family and what they bring to the table under "duress" in some cases. This film was funny! The voice acting was great and the storytelling was soo spot on.  One of my favourite characters was a character who could hear everything including over long distances. The way they used this character was amazing and was very accurate (in my opinion) to the portrayal of people with her ability. I also loved the interaction between Dolores Madrigal and one of her cousins and the way she would react towards them.  The film was a great watch and uplifting as well sad in some places. A nice watch between time if you want something to watch which is fun and enjoyable.  It's also on Disney Plus.

(film review) - John Wick: Chapter 2

Just when you thought the brilliant story had ended.  Just when you thought The Babayaga came out of the shadows to play and now playtime is over!  Just when you thought the guy that everybody is afraid of, was going to return to his life of solitude with his new dog! YOU. WERE. WRONG!!!

The story picks up only four days after the events of John Wick, where after seeking revenge for the murder of his cute dog, John hasn’t forgotten his beloved and stolen 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1, where he continues his rampage to rescue it from a chop shop owned by Abram Tarasov (peter Stormare), brother of Viggo and Uncle of Iosef.  Having retrieved his Mustang, john is later visited by Italian crime lord, Santino D/Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio).  Santino forces John to honour the promise upon his marker and carry out one last job, which is the only thing that will allow him to return to retirement life.  But will john honour his word and carry out the task and fulfil his marker or will he carry out his retirement life as planned?

At this rate, John should change his home address if people keep knocking on his door like girl scouts, right?  I’m sure WE are ‘in agreement here!?’  This movie is just what the first movie ordered, nothing but fight scene after fight scene after fight scene after brutal kills after fight scene after more brutal kills after even more brutal kills, a splash of car chasing and debauchery and with the most, if not ALL kills ending with a headshot or two in an art gallery and such.  The last movie had an epic gun-fu fight in a night club which went WITH the music.  This movie!  Sigh.  There is a scene where two men are casually stalking each other firing their guns at one another in a crowded street without ANYONE noticing.  There is a scene where John throws a gun at a man’s head because he was out of bullets.  I cannot express my joy and odd laughs you get during this movie from somewhat, graphic violence or the absurdity of certain situations and scenarios.

I feel like everything I said in my last review, this review is basically that x2 and a gold star. Keanu Reeves is no longer Neo, his name is John Wick.  And if the director and the people behind this movie, such as the writers and producers, continue to deliver such a fun-filled romp of violence in this neo-noir action movie in the continued style and finesse, visually, we will continue to want this until Keanu is physically unable to do it anymore.  I mean, he is 54 and kicking ass!

(film review) - John Wick

In film, sometimes the best stories are the ones that are the simpliest.  I can't think of any to hand, but if push comes to shove and of late, maybe Mad Max: Fury Road.  For the spectacle that it is, from what I understood from the story of that particular movie, Max is in a situation and he needs to get from point A to point B. Meets someone along the way who wants to go to point D and he's not too sure about them, but decides to travel with them to help them while they both desperately try to escape an ever engaging and relentless force chasing them.
John Wick, well, not quite like that but simple enough with even less moving parts to the story.

The general synopsis is, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is a retired family man.  After his wife contracts a terminal illness and leaves John a dog to remember her by, John is soon confronted by Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), the son of Viggo Tarasov, the head of the Russian crime syndicate in New York. He offers to buy John's car but John respectfully declines.  Iosef then actively finds John, breaches his home, beats him up, kills the dog and takes the car.  From that point on, John is forced to go back to his old ways and seek revenge for not only taking his car....but for killing his dog.  You see this in the trailer and it really couldn't get any simpler.  And who would have thought how exciting and entertaining that premise is?

It is difficult not to spoil this movie, well if it can actually be spoiled, because there isn't any twists and turns. There isn't anything too riveting or anything to really spoil, other than a man going on a mission to seek vengeance on a dead dog...I mean, it really is THAT linear and considering the circumstances, that dog WAS really cute.  However this movie is executed (Get it?) very well and does exactly what it says on the tin with finesse.  This movie also works very well with the lore and world it creates making you want to know more about this world and how it works.  How the cogs turn and how vast it may expand.

A neo-noir action thriller directed by Chad Stahelski that gives you nothing but fight scene after fight scene after fight scene after brutal kills after fight scene after more brutal kills after even more brutal kills and with most, if not ALL kills ending with a headshot or two.  I mean, I am missing one element from this movie which I will hold close to my chest as a spoiler, but it's nothing big at all, but kind of explains Keanu's character and  provides a little effectiveness for this review, I guess. 

In essence , you could look at this as a superhero movie or comic book movie although it is very grounded in reality, does come across as a graphic novel.  This movie is written very, very well, especially if you like colours and style.  If you like a simple revenge flick where 1 man takes on an army of people (almost like Judge Dredd in a Tower taking on many foes to get to the end boss), then this movie is definitely for you.  Or Raid, did you watch Raid? Blimey!

(film review) - Ride Along

Kevin Hart has been doing a lot of films and people have been gravitating to this comedian's films like crazy.  For me it's a matter of, is this Kevin Hart playing a character as Kevin Hart or is this Kevin Hart playing a character as Kevin Hart playing a character in a movie? If that makes any sense.  Yes he is a funny comedian, but is he funny in these films? SHould he be funny in these films? Is he always the same funny guy character in all of these films including this one? Hmmm....

Ride Along is about a detective named James Payton (Ice Cube) who is on a undercover operation only to find that a lot of the crimes he has come across has been orchestrated by a man named Omar who no one has ever seen.  To make matters worse as James is chasing a ghost, James' sister is about to marry her boyfriend, Ben 'Blackhammer' Barber (Kevin Hart), a man he cannot stand and doesn't think he is worthy of her.  To add the salt into the wounds, Ben is a security guard trying to progress to becoming an officer, but James doesn't think that Ben is cut out as a man, a man for his sister or as a cop and schemes of a way to foil his plans, embaress him, so that his sister leaves him by showing him, what a cop's life is really like and take down Omar by taking him on a Ride Along.

This film is goofy, funny and basically exactly what you'd expect from a comedy.  A bit like watching a Will Farrell movie, you know what to expect.  With that said, the comedic beats land well and this film is generally funny and goofy, with witty dialogue and decent action.  Ice Cube playing the mean, angry big brother cop goes without saying and Kevin Hart playing, the funny guy, basically Kevin Hart gels well.

Nothing too spectacular in terms of directing, script, screenplay, acting, cinematography, but a nice little popcorn flick for you to hangout to with a couple of friends.  If anything, the computer game sequences are great.  Especially the game to real life adaption, when you see it, you will understand what i mean.

Have a watch, you might just chuckle, if not, laugh out loud!