Original Movies (not sequel, not reboot, not spin-off)
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"A Holiday Chance" (2021) directed by Jamal Hill
This feels like a Hallmark Christmas holiday movie, except the all the protagonists and most of the cast are black. The story is that of two sisters overcoming their personality clashes to come together to save the family estate and the family business after the patriarch passed away, just in time for Christmas. The whole movie is quite cliché, quite Hallmark-y. The only other bit that's not so Hallmark-y is the excessive, unnecessary showing of partial boobs. Srsly, the movie and the plot can move along just fine without those sisters wearing low-cut blouses and showing sideboobs so frequently.
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"Encanto" (2021) directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard
Like most other big budget Disney animated feature films, this one is certainly very competently produced, with very nice music by Lin-Manuel Miranda (stylistically very similar to "Hamilton" the musical) and very nice (animated) choreography. Like virtually every animated feature film featuring Latino culture that made it to the silver screens in the USA's theaters, this one, too, feature some sort of supernatural magic thing. And just like almost every Latino-centric Disney productions, there is an Abuela (grandmother). Refreshingly, though, the Abeula in this case is not infallible.
Overall, it's a very nice family film. The animation and computer generated graphics are so good, so imaginative, that I think you will appreciate seeing it on a big screen if you can catch it on a big screen. The music is definitely an attraction by itself. If you like the musical style of "Hamilton" the musical, or you like Lin-Manuel Miranda's music in general, you will like the music in Encanto.
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"Licorice Pizza" (2021) directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Very good movie. In a sense, it's about young (and sometime stupid) love. In terms of story telling and plot, its style is very similar to "One Upon A Time In Hollywood", in that it follows the protagonists through multiple events and stories that do not really form a recognizable arc. While the "stories" do not really go anywhere, still, they are captivating and from time to time you get nice surprises. Overall the movie is well crafted. No need to go see it on a big screen. If you like the story telling style of "One Upon A Time In Hollywood", chances are you will like "Licorice Pizza" too, and I would recommend putting this into your watch queue for whenever it becomes available on streaming services. -
"Red Rocket" (2021) directed by Sean Baker
The story follows a middle-aged screw-up, has-been male pornographic actor, his return to his hometown, his interaction with his wife (also a former pornographic actress), his mother in-law, his colorful neighbor, local drug dealers, and a young women working in a donut shop whom he thought he could induct into the pornography business. But this movie is not pornography and is not about pornography. It's a bit like watching "Joe Dirt," but with some frontal nudities, and no where near as up-lifting. Not a bad movie, watch it if you like stories about screw-ball losers down on their luck. -
"The 355" (2022) directed by Simon Kinberg
It's an ensemble spy thriller/action flick. Competently produced and quite entertaining. The main cast consists of five agents from five different intelligent agencies, all young women, all different nationalities, a American brunette, a British black woman, a Colombian Latina, a German blonde, and a Chinese; and the whole movie was done without emphasizing the protagonists' sex appeal (which is very rare among woman-spy movies) -- so it checks the all the "diversity" boxes and the "girl power" box too. No, it does not check the "positive body image" box because these are good-looking, slender women. It's like a more "woke," augmented version of "Charlie's Angels", but less fun, with better action/fight scenes, but not as tight as the Jason Bourne action/fight scenes. Nothing profound or ground-breaking in this movie, but good entertainment! -
"Poupelle of Chimney Town" (2022) directed by Yusuke Hirota
Japanese animated film, a fantasy about a kid and his magical robot companion living in an enclosed world that's covered by thick smoke. It's very well-meaning and tries to squeeze a lot of emotion into the film with a motivating message about sticking to your guns to break out of a limited world, but ultimately did not move me much. Also not crazy about the visual style (a bit like "Box Trolls"), but that's just a matter of personal preference. Not a bad movie, just not to my taste. -
"Belle" (2021) directed by Mamoru Hosoda
Imagine "Ready Player One"-like virtual reality with a bit of "Beauty and the Beast" mixed in, juxtaposed with teenage angst, comical reliefs from teenage awkwardness, heart-felt abandonment issues, and a child abuse side plot, all dressed in Japanese anime form -- this is more or less "Belle." Very good music (even though I do not understand the lyrics in Japanese)! This is a very good movie, with colorful imagination, emotional depth, good story telling, and positive/motivating messages. Fit for grown-ups and kids. Definitely one of the best animated feature film I have seen in a long while. Some of the very elaborate, very expansive CGI scenes deserve to be seen on a big screen -- so go catch it in theaters while you still can. -
@axtremus said in Original Movies (not sequel, not reboot, not spin-off):
Free Guy (2020) directed by Shawn Levy
Fun! A lot of it unfolds in a virtual world in a computer game, so you might think “TRON” or “Ready Player One” or “Pixel.” The plot outline is a lot like “TRON” (“evil businessman stole my code and I have to find proof inside the game”) and a key element of the plot is the notion of NPCs coming to “life” through AI (like in “TRON: Legacy”). “Free Guy” is not as iconic or “groundbreaking” as “TRON”, but it is certainly more up-to-date than both “TRON” movies considering its treatment of MMPRPG and NPCs. “Free Guy” also has more emotional depth and appeal to the non-geeks. All in all, “Free Guy” is fun entertainment.
I saw this at a drive-in theater in Cape Cod this summer with my boy and two of his friends. I agree with your assessment. Much better than I was expecting, actually enjoyable.
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Parallel Mothers (Spanish: Madres paralelas, 2021) directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Drama centered around two single mothers, one a full grown professional woman and one teenager when when they delivered their respective babies. The plot goes many places. The women's uneasy dynamics with their own mothers, their complicated relationships with the baby-daddies and sexual paramours, bisexualism, baby mix-up switcheroo, even an underlying current of Spanish nationalism in the form of a multi-year project to excavate/re-bury the remains of Spanish Civil War casualties. The last part probably means a lot to the Spaniards though I have to admit I as a foreigner do not think I fully grasp its significance. It's a thoughtful movie, just go in knowing that it's a movie about emotions and relationships and set your expectations accordingly.
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Moonfall (2022) directed by Roland Emmerich
Fun sci-fi action/adventure movie. Great CGI. Plot is around an eclectic team of screw-ups saving the world from total destruction because the Moon turned out to be a hollow, artificially created super-structure being attacked by an AI that has gone rogue. Got most of your favorite tropes for fictions of this genre, including a bunch of odd but lovable conspiracy theorists. Watch it for fun, watch it on a big screen if you like CGI scenes of epic catastrophes.
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Marry Me (2022) directed by Kat Coiro
Fairly typical romantic comedy about an international pop diva marrying a public school math teacher. Not that the movie is bad, it's just not memorable to me. The actors and the production team did their best with the material given. But there's just nothing groundbreaking in this film among romantic comedies. Streaming it in flight or queue it up if you're bored, it's the "comfort food" type of movie where most things are predictable and you know you can pass the time with no risk of being upset by it. If the main cast were less famous, this could pass for a Hallmark made-for-TV movie.
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Blacklight (2022) directed by Mark Williams
Another Liam Neeson "bad tough guy redeeming himself by doing good" action thriller movie. Even among Liam Neeson films, this one is unusually mild. The villain boss is just not all that inventive and at the end just folded rather easily. Action and fight scenes are OK but not spectacular. Watch this if you like Liam Neeson but for whatever reason want a tame movie.
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Uncharted (2022) directed by Ruben Fleischer
This is a good action-adventure treasure hunt movie. The plot is fine although there is nothing ground-breaking about the plot for this genre. But the cinematography, CGI, and action sequences are very, very good. Powerful helicopters airlifting huge ships from the Magellan armada while the protagonists duking it out with the bad guys on the ships as well as on the helicopters. That's exciting stuff. Worth watching on the big screen.
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Dog (2022) directed by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin
I suppose this is a movie that honors military service, acknowledging the sacrifices made by those who served, including their canine companions that also serve in the military, and touch on the challenges of transitioning back into civilian life. Not sure if there is another movie that gives so much attention to a retired military service animal, so in that sense this movie may be "ground breaking." Not a bad movie, but also no need to watch it on a big screen. Can wait to watch it on streaming services.
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Studio 666 (2022) directed by B. J. McDonnell
Bad movie with lots of fake blood and gore, but maybe on brand for Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters. The plot is rather contrived and the Foo Fighters cannot act. I was hoping for some good music seeing that this movie features a world famous band, but even good music is scarce in this movie. Watch it if you really want to see how bad it is.
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The Worst Person in the World (Norwegian: Verdens verste menneske, 2022) directed by Joachim Trier
It's billed as a romantic comedy-drama but even that is an over-simplification. It tells the story of a young woman navigating life as she grows into adulthood. Challenges with figuring out what she wants for a career, with interpersonal relationships, with figuring out her worldview and finding her place in the world, etc. The writer/director tries very hard to be thoughtful, it's not preachy, though parts of it seem contrived. Not that it is emotionally heavy, just that it is not easily digested intellectually. Not something to watch if you just want to relax, you have to invest some brain power into digesting this one, with no guarantee that you will like what you get out of it.
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Gangubai Kathiawadi (Hindi film, 2022) directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
A film loosely based on the life story of Gangubai Kothewali. The story starts with a girl from an affluent family family in love and tricked into eloping with a man who then sold her to a brothel which forced her into prostitution. That girl grew up into the brothel boss and then an elected political figure who advocated for women's rights, for the rights of prostitutes' children to receive an education, and for the legalization of prostitution in India. Emotionally wrenching to start (to watch one sold into prostitution with all the abuse that goes along with it), but also uplifting towards the end (to watch one grows and conquers many obstacles to protect the welfare and advocate for the rights of those living in the bottom rungs of society). Competently produced in every aspect, this is a thoughtful movie.
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Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu (Telugu transl. "Salutation to you, ladies", 2022) directed by Tirumala Kishore
Romantic comedy about a man who grew up in household with his mother and four aunts who dote on him all his life, complicating the process for him to find a wife. If you have never seen a film about "family in an arranged-marriage society complicating a protagonist's quest to find a mate," then fine, watch this one for its novelty. Otherwise this is a fairly typical movie of this genre. Not necessarily a bad movie, but also nothing extraordinarily good to speak of.
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The Outfit (2022) directed by Graham Moore
This one is interesting. The plot centers around an unassuming old tailor, with all his old-world gentlemanly demeanor, dealing with multiple local crime syndicates that converged on his little shop in one night. Most of the movie feels more like a stage play than a movie (almost everything happens inside the tailor's shop). Action is scarce and subtle, this is an intellectual movie, a suspense that keep you guessing fairly close to the end. No need to watch on a big screen, but if you want something that is subtle, cultured, somewhat nostalgic, yet smart and interesting, this movie is as good as any.
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X (2022) directed by Ti West
Basically a slasher movie with porn (1970s style), necessarily with some psychologically damaged characters doing most of the slashing. Not sure if the "slasher" and "porn" part enhance one another, this one does not seem particularly inventive as "slasher" or as "porn."
But overall a competent production. My favorite part is actually the easter egg at the end (after the credit rolled) that's supposedly a trailer for a prequel to this movie.
