In Theatres

[Davy_Lee]

Us - 6.5/10

A family of four is terrorized by their doppelgangers while vacationing at their beach house in Santa Cruz one night. What they don't realize is their deadly encounter with the strange family of psychos is just the beginning of the horror...

This is my first time seeing Jordan Peele's work as a director. A unique thriller with metaphorical undertones of social issues that could've been more satisfying overall had the premise not been over the top. With such ludicrousness, the narrative expositions fail to make the subplots believable. Absurd, but quite recommended.

[Davy_Lee]

Dumbo - 7/10

I saw it only for two reasons: Tim Burton's the director, and Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton are in it, all of whom reminded me of Batman Returns. The film itself is quite entertaining but nothing special.

[Noor_Razzak]

Us - This was ok, I can see the 80's horror influences here, but it wasn't as riveting as Get Out. I didn't dislike it, overall it was a decent film, I just don't think I'd see the need to rewatch it. 6/10.

[Noor_Razzak]

Shazam - I remember seeing the first images of Zach Levi in costume leaking online and thinking this looks corny and stupid, the trailer came out and it was mildly funny but didn't raise expectations at all. Then came the reviews, critics praised it, rotten tomatoes registers a rating of 93%, everything I heard was positive. Suddenly my interest peaked, expectations rose, and I should have known better. It will be hard for DC to drag me into another one of their movies after this one. I was not impressed, the comedy was flat, the casting was terrible, the beats played out, the action was generic, the effects where terrible, overall I was not interested at all, didn't care for anyone or anything happening. I laughed three times, the rest of the time I wished I could Shazam myself out of that movie theater. 2/10.

[Davy_Lee]

Shazam! - 7.5/10
I thought it was pretty entertaining, which kind of reminded me of Tom Hank's Big. They even pay homage to it with the scene in the toy store

Pet Sematary (2019) - 6.5/10
I've never read the novel or seen the 1989 version, and never will. Only know that it's about a cemetery that brings back the dead. Quite spooky horror with an abrupt ending that could have been fleshed out.

[Noor_Razzak]

Hellboy - Let me start by saying I love Neil Marshall, Dog Soldiers and The Descent are among two of my favorite horror movies, I was somewhat intrigued by his hiring on Hellboy. The Del Toro movies where excellent and as a fan of the comic I thought he nailed it combined with Ron Perlman performance there was no better actor to embody Hellboy. So, it's a hard act to follow, let alone reboot. As expected, the experiment failed. I was really rooting for this film, I wanted to love it, but there's not a lot here to love. The Story was choppy, and seemed cobbled together. Three stories mashed into one narrative and it didn't flow too well. The casting was completely wrong, David Harbour does his best, but he never quite grasps the role. Ian McShane was severely miscast, Daniel Dae Kim and Sasha Lane where terrible and had zero chemistry. The film's primary villain, Nimue aka The Blood Queen played by Milla Jovovich was never a real threat. The CGI was terrible, so many moments that looked rushed and Del Toro's practical touches where severely missed. The film's music cues where all over the place, the complete product is a mess. There were small moments and the occasional shot that were cool but that far from equates to a good film. I wish the powers that be had let Del Toro finish his trilogy with Ron Perlman, if anything this film made me want to revisit those two older films all the more and and that this one never existed. 1/10.

[Davy_Lee]

Avengers: Endgame (2D) - 7/10

The time travelling, and the events that follow, is the weakest plot point that feels like the scriptwriters ran out of ideas to settle the unresolved conflict in Infinity War. Captain Marvel, whom I thought would play a decisive role like what's been advertised, turns out to be merely an appetizer and dessert on the menu.

Two-thirds of the three-hour run time consist mostly of extended dialogues. Unless you're a Marvel fan, just see it in regular 2D. No reason at all to see it in IMAX or 3D.

[Noor_Razzak]

Avengers: Endgame - Easily the most anticipated movie of the summer if not the year. Marvel once again delivered, the story was engaging, the pops of humor where great, the action incredible. For a 3 hour movie it certainly didn't feel like it. Marvel went all in and the result paid off. I'd love to see this film with Infinity War together as one cut in theatres, I think that would be cool. Otherwise I had very minor issues but nothing that deterred my enjoyment of this satisfying conclusion to Marvel's last 10 years. 9/10.

[Noor_Razzak]

Rocketman - While I'm aware of Elton John and his impact on music, I wasn't ever a fan per say, just not my style of music. However, I can certainly appreciate his catalogue, and boy is it ever extensive. That's one of the many things I got from this film, his music is so iconic. I was impressed by Taron Egerton's and also Jamie Bell's performance, as far as recent music biopics go I enjoyed this more than Bohemian Rhapsody. 8/10.

[Davy_Lee]

X Men: Dark Phoenix - 7/10
I'm not a fan of the X Men franchise. Only watched the first two on DVD years ago and didn't like them.

Dark Phoenix is pretty entertaining despite its flaws and the criticisms. The narrative is easy to follow but has a serious tone with very little humor, which might be one reason many viewers dislike it. The best scene is the climactic fight on a speeding train.

[Noor_Razzak]

Toy Story 4 - The last Toy Story ended on such a perfect note, so the existence of this sequel can only be seen as a money grab, and in some way it kind of is. While it was enjoyable, it wasn't as funny or poignant as the previous films in the series. It begs the question of whether this film needed to exists? Overall it was just ok and I was ok about it, but if they never make another Toy Story film I'd be ok with that too. 6/10.

[Davy_Lee]

Men in Black International - 5.5/10
Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson don't have chemistry and screen presence, and their jokes fall flat. Both can't play comedy. Ironically, it's Thompson's alien sidekick Pawny that steals the scenes. If Sony Pictures is planning to produce another sequel, they should replace the mismatched pair.

[Davy_Lee]

Toy Story 4 (IMAX 2D) - 8/10
This is the only Disney Pixar franchise I own on BD. The characters are likable and the plot enjoyable for adults. Looks like another sequel on the adventures of Woody, Bo Peep and the other lost toys is coming up!

[Noor_Razzak]

Spider-man: Far from Home - I've been looking forward to this sequel since it was announced. Homecoming was such as breath of fresh air for the spidey franchise, Tom Holland is easily my favorite Peter Parker/Spider-man. Far from Home is one of the best blockbusters of the summer and excellent end to Marvel's phase three. It's funny, has plenty of twists, the action is quintessentially spider-man. I'll be seeing this again for sure. 9/10.

[Davy_Lee]

Spider-man: Far from Home (4DX 3D) - 8/10
I haven't seen the last three Spider-man films since the first trilogy. Having no prior knowledge and expectation, I was satisfied with the easy-to-follow plot, face-paced action, and eye-catching 3D effects as a whole.

Like Noor, I'll also be seeing the 2D version this week.

[Davy_Lee]

Crawl - 6.5/10
Mildly intense terror-gator thriller with an abrupt ending. Recommended only to moviegoers who are easily scared. The jumpscares didn't work for me

[Noor_Razzak]

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - I had extremely high expectations for this, I love Tarantino's films and this was on my list all year. Sadly I was left rather disappointed, the film doesn't really go anywhere other than providing an "alternate" history of the Mason murders. While the performances where great, the soundtrack excellent, and the Tarantino-esque vibe was all over it, I was left unfulfilled and occasionally bored. Probably one my least favorite Tarantino films of his catalogue. 6/10.

[Davy_Lee]

The Lion King (2019) - 7.5/10
I felt like seeing a Nat Geo Wild episode on the big screen, but this time it has a narrative plot!

[Davy_Lee]

Hobbs & Shaw - 6/10
Hobbs & Shaw is a ridiculous and mindless action comedy adventure. Johnson and Statham have good chemistry but the simple story lacks a good sense of pacing, which could have been more enjoyable if the run time had been trimmed down by half an hour. At 130 minutes and without necessary complications, some parts -- like the prolonged banter on the plane and the electro-torture scenes -- feel plodding. The excessive (but bloodless) bludgeoning and over-the-top action sequences are the highlights that might satisfy action junkies. And as almost always with a Hollywood franchise spin-off, an unnecessary sequel is coming.

[Noor_Razzak]

Good Boys - This was an ok comedy, not as good as previously produced Seth Rogen films but it had it's moments. The standout was Keith L. Williams of three boys. 6/10.