Welcome to Movies at a Glance! Over the last few years, I’ve kept notes on most of the movies I’ve watched. As part of my ongoing review section, I’ve cleaned up my notes and am presenting these short reviews as a supplement when I won’t be posting a full review. This list will be updated periodically. You can use the search function at the top of the page to look up specific films.

*Streaming services listed reflect where I originally watched the movie, not necessarily where they’re currently available.

Films watched in 2022 so far...

Updated June 10, 2022)

Seized (Netflix) (2020) *** An enjoyable low-budget action thriller directed by Isaac Florentine (Undisputed II). This one mixes Commando (1984) with the Doom video game. Scott Adkins is great here if a little muted martial arts-wise. Mario Van Peebles is excellent as a villain. Watchable all the way through, there are some slowdowns, but for fans of action and martial arts, this one is recommended for casual viewing.

Death on the Nile (HBO MAX) Hulu) (2022) ** A lethargic revisionist storyline that doesn’t get going until a full hour into the film can’t be saved by beautiful cinematography. Keneth Branagh, Gal Godot, Annette Bening.

Firestarter (2022) * (Peacock Premium) A lackluster remake of 1984 original, based on the novel by Stephen King published in 1980. On a positive note, Zac Efron is better than expected. Drew Berrymore’s iconic portrayal of Charlie McGee can’t be topped.

Moon Knight **** (2022) (Disney Plus) Probably the best of the Disney Marvel superhero series. Puts more emphasis on Egyptian magic than I’d like. I prefer an underpowered Batman-like version. The tone is a little uneven. Are we watching an adult superhero movie or one for children? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Still, this was more enjoyable than expected. Great Dolby Atmos especially when Khonshu speaks. Oscar Isaac is brilliant here playing multiple characters/personalities.

The Lost City **** (2022) A light-hearted romantic comedy about a romance novelist and her cover model who get caught up in a kidnapping attempt. It’s silly, runs a little long, but makes the perfect date night movie. Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt, Daniel Radcliffe.

(Updated May 10, 2022)

Free Guy (2021) **** Disney+ HBO Max One of the better movies to come out after the pandemic. This one deals with a guy who realizes his life isn’t what it seems. Ryan Reynolds plays Ryan Reynolds and it works here. A fun popcorn flick with a lot of heart.

Matrix: Resurrections (2021) *** HBO Max A divisive movie among fans. While vastly more comprehensible and entertaining than previous sequels, this installment still misses the mark. The chemistry between Keanu and Carrie-Anne Moss keeps this mess of a movie from becoming unwatchable.

The King’s Man (2021) ** HBO Max/Hulu A prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) and Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), The King’s Man follows the formation of the Kingsman agency in the early 20th century to thwart a cabal plotting a world war. After a good emotional start, I found some of the content so bizarrely over the top that I really didn’t know what to think of it. Like many modern films, the character's actions and dialog are not appropriate for the time. Some explanations work but most of the time makes little sense.

The Night House (2020) ** HBO MAX A well-acted mind-bender that’s not as smart as it tries to be. This movie is watchable but a little slow in the beginning. Hopelessly muddled, the narrative comes alive late and the conclusion left me wanting. Still, there are a couple of good jump scares and chilling moments.

Wrath of Man (2021) *** Paramount+/Prime/Epix I’d be interested in watching the original French film this was loosely based on. The move got off to a great start. Statham is in his element here. Then things get way too complicated and convoluted. There’s enough plot for at least two films. Paring this down and simplifying could fix it. Once we get to the second group the movie slows. I still found it enjoyable enough. Don’t think I’d watch the whole thing again, maybe just the first part. Nobody’s a good guy, but the bad guys aren’t bad enough.

Slumber (2017) ** Prime Hot on the heels of watching Maggie Q in The Protégé, we decided to check out this horror movie. Maggie is in fine form here but the writing and directing are not up to par. The film begins well but by the second act goes off the rails. The rules of the supernatural are never firmly established and combined with some quirky charters that are never defined quickly derail this effort. A great idea terribly realized.

(Updated February 22, 2022).

Fistful of Vengeance (2022) ** (Netflix) A follow-up to Wu Assassins television series. If you like the Netflix series you might like this. Supernatural urban fantasy martial arts stories don’t work for me unless they lean toward horror. Iko Uwais. Lewis Tan. JuJu Chan.

Nobody (2021) ***** (HBO MAX) One of the best movies of 2021. A “nobody” with a troubled past is forced to return to his true self. Bob Odenkirk. Connie Nielsen. Christopher Lloyd. RZA. I thought about doing a retrospective review, but it’s unnecessary. Go watch it!

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) * (Digital) I found this movie unwatchable. This is a throwback to cornball superhero movies. It was like watching a children’s film with adult situations. If you enjoyed the original, you might like this sequel. Tom Hardy. Woody Harrelson. Michelle Williams.

Daughter of the Wolf (2019) *** (Prime) - A meditative yet muddled slow burn actioner. It’s watchable and interesting, but ultimately only semi-satisfying. Gina Carano is a little wooden here but I never had to suspend belief during the action sequences. Richard Dreyfus elevates the film and the cinematography is excellent. Would be a good choice for a relaxing whiskey and movie night.

Kung Fu Yoga (2017) ** (Prime Video, Peacock) Very popular in China, prepare to read subtitles interspersed with wooden English dialog. It starts out as a promising family movie that devolves into a snooze-fest. Chan tries to play much younger. the then 63-year-old spends a decent amount of time trying to impress a 23-year-old love interest, partially by hitting a mook jong wooden dummy, a nod to Rumble in the Bronx. If anyone can pull it off, it’s Jackie, but it’s a little cringe-worthy. With that said, it’s not a complete loss. There’s a Bollywood dance number included at the end if you’re into that type of thing.

The House at the End of the Street (2012) * (STARZ) An unbelievable setup that leads to an unlikely conclusion. Boring. Not scary. Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Shue.

Eraser (1996) *** (HBO MAX) Arnold Schwarzenegger. Vanessa Williams. Completely ridiculous but watchable.

The Exorcist II: The Heretic: 1(979) ** (HBO MAX) Sometimes referred to as the worst movie ever made, it doesn’t deserve the derision it gets. A little muddled, and definitely not a horror movie, Exorcist II explores interesting ideas that never totally translate to the screen. Still, the movie is watchable and at times a little unintentionally funny. Linda Blair is great here reprising Regan and it’s fun to watch James Earl Jones in an early role. While not great, it is better than a lot of what comes out of Hollywood today. Linda Blair. Max Von Sadow. James Earl Jones.


Films watched in 2021:

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin ** (2021) (Paramount +) Next of Kin is the seventh installment in the franchise and a stand-alone sequel to this found-footage series. Next of Kin breaks new ground thematically while also remaining fairly predictable. All the players are for the most part unknown character actors which helps suspend disbelief. Although not very scary, Next of Kin is an enjoyable enough watch. By the finale, it gets a little ridiculous.

The Little Things (2021) *** (HBO MAX) A slow-burn neo-noir but enjoyable film that keeps you guessing. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto.

Coming 2 America (2021) **** (Prime). A sequel to 1988’s Coming to America (which I originally watched in the theater). Very funny. I think it’s better than the original.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) **** (HBO Max) Much better than the theatrical. I really liked it. It’s not perfect but the imperfections are easy to ignore.

Godzilla Vs. Kong (2021) * (HBO MAX) This movie wasn’t for me. There’s no story for the humans and the monster battles lack an emotional soul. With that said, a good many people love monster fights. If you want to watch a good-looking movie with lots of monster action, this is for you!

Mortal Kombat (2021) *** (HBO MAX) Not as good as the original. The fight scenes are clunky. The story is convoluted. I prefer the original. Although, I didn’t like that one much either.

Tenet (2020) ***** (HBO MAX) This movie is fantastic, but you really need to focus to understand what’s going on. Turning on captions might also help. The dialogue audio is terrible. If you like Nolen movies, you can’t go wrong streaming this flick.

One Night in Bangkok (2020) ** (HBO MAX) A slow burn. Watchable but not a good movie. A little muddled. Some of the acting was sketchy. Kane Kosugi and Mark Dacascos are both waisted in this film.

Bloodshot (2020) *** (Starz) This was a pretty enjoyable dark superhero movie. Better than expected. A little muddled but still a fun watch.

Unhinged (2020) ** This isn’t a great movie but it’s watchable. Russell Crowe.

The Craft Legacy (2020) * (STARZ) Nothing like The Craft (1996). Silly. Only tied into the original movie through the final scene.

Honest Thief (2020) *** (Prime) An enjoyable genre thriller. A lighter-hearted neo-noir. As current Liam Neeson movies go, this one is pretty good.

Ford v Ferrari (2019) (HBO MAX) **** Very enjoyable. Well acted. I found the beginning a little hard to get into but by the middle, I was hooked. It’s well worth staying with this. Christian Bale. Matt Damon.

Fighting with my Family (2019) (Prime) ***** Loved it! A very funny and surprisingly heartwarming movie based on a true story. Florence Pugh. Dwayne Johnson. Vince Vaughn.

Doctor Sleep (2019) (HBO MAX) **** I’ve watched both the theatrical and the Director’s Cut, which adds about 30 minutes of extra material. I like both versions. A sequel to the Shining (1980), the director does a great job of mixing Stephen King’s vision with Stanley Kubrick’s classic movie. This film is much better than the book. Ewan McGregor, Kyleigh Curran, Rebecca Ferguson.

Batman Ninja (2018) ** (HBO MAX) Great idea. Campy. I wasn’t sure if I was watching a movie for adults or children. Nice artwork.

First Man (2018) ***** This was a controversial movie but it was much ado about nothing. This film is fantastic! It’s a slow burn and audiences didn’t like it.

Pay the Ghost (2015) ** (Prime) A solid 2 stars. Enjoyable enough for what it is. Nicolas Cage stars. From a short story by Tim Lebbon.

Tower Heist (2011) ** (Peacock) Better than I expected but not great. A feel-good comedy. Ben Stiller. Eddie Murphy. Casey Affleck. Alan Alda. Matthew Broderick. Tea Leoni.

Dead Silence (2007) ** A little convoluted. Watchable but not great. It does have some creepy moments. Donny Walburg.

War (2007) *** (HBO MAX) This was a good little martial arts crime thriller with an interesting, if convoluted, twist at the end. Better than expected. Jet Li, Jason Statham.

Insomnia (2002) *** (HBO MAX) After rewatching, it’s better than I remember. Not a perfect movie. Like most of Nolan’s work, it deals with obsession. Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank.

Blade (1998) ** (HBO MAX) This vampire superhero movie has become a cult classic, but I don’t think it holds up. I was bored when I finally watched this for the first time. I know, a sacrilege. Wesley Snipes is charismatic. Stephen Dorff and Kris Kristofferson round out the cast.

Under Siege 2: Dark Teritory (1995) ** A lackluster sequel but okay as a background movie.

Speed (1994) *** (HBO MAX) This holds up well, but the acting isn’t great. Watchable but somewhat ridiculous. This is a fan favorite so your mileage may vary.

Fire in the Sky (1993) ** (Prime) I saw this in the theater back in the day. It’s a very lackluster film. My wife interviewed Betty Andreasson for a radio program and was told that the interaction with the aliens was pure Hollywood. However, the alien abduction scene is well done and difficult to watch. D.B. Sweeney, Robert Patrick, Craig Sheffer, Peter Berg.

Under Siege (1992) *** (Netflix) Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Erika Eleniak. This is a fun actioner with Seagal playing a Navy Chef. Probably, Seagal’s most successful movie and a fan favorite. I prefer his older films. If you haven’t seen it, and you’re a fan of anyone I’ve listed, it’s a fun watch.

The Monster Squad (1987) ** (Prime) This is a much-beloved horror comedy for kids who grew up in the ‘80s. I was already a teenager when this came out and the trailer didn’t appeal to me. Watching it for the first time as an adult, it didn’t hold my attention. Just like Back to the Future, some of this movie was shot at Capital Square.

The Beast Master (1982) *** (Prime) This is a fun sword & sorcery movie. I originally watched it on HBO in the 1980s. A very innocent PG movie back then, but would be politically incorrect today. Probably should consider it a PG 13 movie as there is nudity.

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) ** (HBO MAX) Not one of Carpenters best. Rio Bravo meets Night of the Living Dead. Don’t take my word for it. Some love this movie. The mistakes made with firearms make for unintentional laughs and frustration.

Films watched in 2020:

Acts of Vengeance *** (Netflix) Not bad but didn’t work as well as it should. Still, very interesting.

From Paris with Love *** (Netflix) It was okay. A little ridiculous. Sam Jackson would have been a better pick for Travolta’s role.

February

Death Race (Starz) *** This was a fun movie. Mad Max meets the running man, meets Undisputed, meets Fast and the Furious.

Death Race 2 ** (Starz) Hard to watch once you get to the racing.

Rambo: Last Blood **** (Prime) UHD. Liked it as much if not better than in the theater.

Red Eye (2005) ** (HBO) By the numbers suspense thriller. A little boring. A little ridiculous. Cillian Murphy is always good. Here he’s great as the villain.

Shaft (2019) *** (HBO) I equally loved and hated this movie. Thought that most of it was kind of boring and wasn’t violent enough. Some laugh-out-loud moments.
The Blood of Heroes **** (HBO) Just as good as when I watched it for the first time in 1990. Terrible image quality on HBO.

Soldier **** (HBO) A cult classic. Better than I remembered. It’s aged very well. Great in HD and 5.1 surround. I think I thought it was too derivative when I first watched it. I don’t think that now.

Cold Pursuit ** (HBO) A little boring. Sometimes laugh out loud funny. A lot of the main villains chewing the scenery. Watchable but not a great movie.

Bohemian Rhapsody ***** (HBO) Well cast, well-acted. Excellent!

Chuck **** (HBO) This was very good and very well acted. I enjoyed it. This is the true story of the man who may have inspired the Rocky film franchise.

Upgrade ** (HBO) I didn’t think it was that great. Critics liked it. Thought it was very contrived and somewhat boring.

Killer Elite *** (Starz) Well cast but a little convoluted and boring at times.

Machine Gun Preacher (Starz)*** Very well done but overlong. It could have used cutting about 30 minutes.

Escape Room * (Starz) couldn’t sit through 15 minutes.

Only God Forgives (Prime) ** 1/2 A very weird movie. Slow but watchable. Interesting.

Dead Pool 2 *** Fun enough. About as good as the first one. I’m still not a big fan.

The Prodigy (Prime) ** Derivative of the Omen. Watchable but not very good.
Hellboy (2019) ** (HBO) Boring. Hard to focus on the second half. The beginning was just ridiculous. David Harbour did a good job, as good as Ron Perlman in the original. And Ian McShane is always good if derivative of his other roles. Look it’s Ian McShane playing Ian McShane!

March

Pet Semetery (2019) * (Prime) A steaming pile of crap. Especially the ending.

Haywire **** (Netflix) This was enjoyable and had a great cast.

April

Train to Busan **** (Shudder) Excellent!

Hobbs and Shaw *** (HBO) Watchable but too long. Much too long. It dragged a little and some scenes had uncomfortable pauses. The science fiction element seemed out of place in the Fast and Furious Universe.

47 Meters Down: Uncaged ** Boring. Unable to tell characters apart underwater.

X-Men Dark Phoenix ** (HBO) Watchable but boring and seems to take us out of the timeline.

Alita: Battle Angel ** (HBO )Dull. Vapid. Too many moving parts. Muddled. Can't tell if it's a young adult or adult movie. Too long.

The Predator ** (HBO) Dull. Vapid. Cardboard Characters. Juvenile humor.

It Chapter II *** Watchable but a little boring. Didn’t care about the characters despite reading the book. I think the old miniseries is better. CGI monsters are not scary. No real suspense. McAvoy does a good job in his role. Started better than expected but then ran out of steam.

Phantasm: Ravisher (Shudder) *** This wasn’t bad and more coherent than the other movies. Don’t understand the hate.

Crawl (EPIX) *** This was done well. I felt no emotion but definitely watchable.

Childs Play (2019)*** (EPIX) Thought they did a great job for a reboot. Near-Future SF mixed with horror.

Bridesmaids *** (HBO) Funny enough. A little uneven but enjoyable.

Puppet Master: The Littlest Riech. ** (Shudder) The first act made it seem like it might be good, but it didn’t work. Watchable enough. Very gory.

Ip-Man 4: The Finale **** Excellent. Very enjoyable.

Predator ***** A classic that still holds up. The transfer is amazing.

Stuber ****(HBO) A fun movie with some laugh-out-loud moments. We enjoyed it.

Bad Education: ** (HBO) Boring. Depressing.

Cyborg *** (HBO) Good restoration, but still shows its age. Not bad for a movie made on a shoestring budget

Bangkok Dangerous *** (HBO) This was an enjoyable assassin movie with a terrible ending. It dragged a little in spots but I liked it.

May

Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown. * Almost everything is wrong with this movie. What happened? It’s an absolute mess. Nudity for nudity's sake. Things come out of nowhere. Character arcs don’t connect. No emotion and no one to root for.

The Meg ** (HBO) This started out strong with some flaws but was enjoyable until the second half and then went downhill. By the time we get to the second act, Patty and I lost interest and wondered when it was going to end. Cardboard characters who don’t react appropriately to the CGI around them. The book was better.

Instant Family *** (Prime). A cute movie. Deserves another star for re-stomping the groin. Emotional. Don’t forget tissues.

Never Back Down: No Surrender ** (Crackle) A masterpiece compared to part 2. MJW redeems himself here. Much more tightly plotted, although ancillary characters are mainly waisted. Old school karate training is highlighted over MMA and is worth a watch just for that.

Extraction (Netflix) **** Very good genre movie. Enjoyed.

The Hustle *** (HBO). A little flat but still fun.

Joker ***** (HBO). Excellent. Joaquin Phoenix was amazing and had an incredible transformation at the end. A slow burn.

Hotel Artemis **** (Prime). This was interesting and fun. Very influenced by John Wick.

Ready or Not *** (HBO MAX) A solid three stars. Enjoyable. The most dangerous game meets house on haunted hill.

The Silence ** (Netflix) Patty thought it was silly. I liked it a little better, but you really needed to suspend disbelief. Watchable enough.

July

Rapid Fire *** HBO MAX Good for what it is. I liked it better this time. Not sure if I went to see it at the cinema or watched it on home video originally.

The Old Guard ** (Netflix) A poorly conceived TV movie.

Blow Out **** (Prime) A great early 80s thriller. All-star cast. I enjoyed it. Has a gut-punch ending.

Black Rain **** (Prime Video). Engaging. Interesting. We both enjoyed it.

August

Get Carter *** Forgot I watched this. It wasn’t bad.

Prometheus *** Liked it better this time. The third time’s a charm. Originally saw it in IMAX. Still muddled. Recognized almost all the actors in the movie. I was unaware of any of them when this movie originally came out. What a difference 8 years makes. The 4k stream looked really good with HDR.

Midway *** (HBO MAX) Not bad. Too many characters. No real star power. But enjoyable enough.

Master Z *** (Netflix) Not Ip Man but it had its moments.

Crackerjack ** Bad B movie Die Hard retread with Terry Silver as the main character. Watchable but ridiculous. Like a TV movie but with gratuitous nudity.


Conan the Barbarian 1982 ***** One of the greatest movies of all time. Looks great on Blu-Ray can’t wait for a 4k restoration.

September

Relic ** (Prime) This is still good but hasn’t aged as well. Needs a little something, something.

*Debt Collector 2 *** (Netflix) An enjoyable action film. I quite enjoyed it, mate.

Jeepers Creepers 2 *** (NetFlix) Not a bad little horror sequel. Rewatched. Background movie.

Split Second ** (Prime) Decided to finish this movie as a background film. It’s really terrible, but fun to see the actors in these roles.

Merantau **** Well done. The Raid’s DNA resides here.

Troll Hunter ** This was well done but overlong. Filled with Norwegian references and dry humor that can only be appreciated after the fact with research.

Gemini Man ** (Prime) Should have been told from another perspective. Very mediocre.

October

Blood Fist II (Prime) ** Not great but watchable.

*The Invisible Man (2020) HBO Max **** Really good for a reboot horror movie. Looking forward to The Invisible Woman.

Psycho II **** Liked it better than when I saw it at the drive-in when I was 12.

Boo! ** Great cinematography but a very derivative story.

Lights Out *** (HBO Max) Good enough. Creepy. No character arcs. Runs long at 89 minutes.

Sinister **** This was pretty good. Better than I remember.

Amityville The Evil Escapes 4k Restored ** (Prime) Patty Duke vs.Amityville. Not bad for a TV movie but not good. Watchable enough. The film looked fantastic if a little soft.

Terminator: Dark Fate *** This was mediocre but watchable. A little long.

*Black Box ** (Prime) Okay but not great.

Legacy of Lies ** Scott Adkins. Nothing special. A little long.

Dead Pool 2: Super Duper Cut **** Better the second time around with more content. Got me in the feels. Patty liked it as well.

V is for Vendetta ** (HBO MAX) I liked it better this time and found the dialog easier to understand. All the characters were unlikeable. I think we originally watched this on home video not long after it came out.

Haxan (1922) Interesting and a very modern interpretation.

My Amityville Horror *** Interesting but muddled without much direction.

Man of Tai Chi **** Great movie!


The Lighthouse **** (Prime) Powerhouse acting. Interesting. Id meets superego.

Jackie Chan’s First Strike *** The film is just okay but the choreography is amazing.

*Underwater ** (HBO Max) boring. A movie about secondary characters in search of a lead.

The Midnight Man ** This was very safe, too slow, boring, and convoluted, but was shot well. However, it was watchable.

Horrible Bosses (HBO MAX )** Watchable but not very funny. We watched the theatrical. I don’t think it would be worth sitting through the extended version.

Total Recall 4k disc **** The best it has ever looked. A classic. So much better than modern movies.

Midsommer (Prime) 4k **** Solid.

Top Gun 4k disc **** More enjoyable than it should be. Fun. Great Soundtrack. four movies could be made with the material here. Very simple story but most of the plots goes nowhere. Still enjoyable. Top Gun has probably never looked better.

Tightrope (HBO Max) *** A neo Noir. Better than most films shot today. I enjoyed it.

*Wonder Woman 84 *** (HBO MAX) 4k Dolby Vision - Started strong but was really dragged out. Some scenes were there only to show off HDR. The Monkey Paw is overdone. Too much Diana Prince, not enough Wonder Woman. Linda Carter’s inclusion is a nice touch. Hard to remember you’re watching a movie set in the 1980s.


Moves watched in 2019

January
Angel has Fallen **** (Prime) We enjoyed it. Might be the best one yet.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ** Boring and unnecessary. The robot was the best.

Lion Heart MVD Rewind Collection (Prime) *** Not bad, but not his best.

Sicario **** Really good but still didn’t live up to the hype. A little slow at times.

The Happytime Murders ** Watchable but fell flat. Needed to be a feel-good buddy cop comedy or a raunchy comedy. Tried to do both. Needs the deleted scenes reinstated.

Step Up (2006) **** Fun. Watchable. Dancing is not as good as part 2. Good characters. Tatum does a good job playing his character.

Meet the Feebles ** Very messed up. Not as funny as so I was led to believe.

Annihilation ** (Prime) “Lethargic, pretentious twaddle.

The Equalizer 2 *** Good performances and action, bad pacing, and too many subplots. I’d love to re-cut the movie to improve the pacing. The real story begins halfway through the story (second reel).

You Were Never Really Here ** Pretentious twaddle.

Delta Force 2: The Columbian Connection ** (Prime) Watchable but not as good or as fun as the original.

Lone Wolf Mcquade *** (Prime) A little uneven but watchable.

Final Score ***Die Hard meets Sudden Death Derivative but enjoyable. One laugh-out-loud moment. Patty insists we saw this in the theater.

Horror Express *** (Prime Video) Watched because Heath at Cereal at Midnight suggested. Watchable.

Alien Code *** (Prime Video) Well-acted B-movie. Sometimes hard to pay attention. It’s a little slow. Takes a little from 2001. Tries to be intellectual and thought-provoking. Not sure if it’s more pretentious than anything. Yet it was well done.

A Hunter’s Prayer ***Watchable. Not bad for a low-budget actioner.

The Commuter *** Prime. Watchable. A good Neeson roll. A little ridiculous at times but a good journey and return thriller. We enjoyed.

Abominable ** (Prime) MVD Fun enough for a background movie. Rear Window meets bigfoot meets teenage slasher.

March

Invasion USA ** (Prime) I thought this one was a little boring. Great line: I’m going to hit you with so many rights, you’re going to be praying for a left.” Nothing really connects and there is no character development. Chuck said it was too much, I think there just wasn’t enough.

Black Water. *** (Prime) Some bad acting but it was fun enough for a DTV. Better than I thought it would be.

Wake of Death. ** Prime. A little boring. Too artistic at times.

The American 2010 **** (Prime) Slow but watchable. Character study. Tragedy. Good attention to detail.

Boy Wonder *** Prime. Watchable enough. Interesting.

One Dark Night *** Prime. Fun to watch again. First time since 1982.

The Street Fighter ** (Prime) A little hard to watch. Very influential. Patty didn’t like at all.

Venom (Starz) *** A watchable mess that was fun enough for a diversion.

Baby Driver (Showtime) **** A little uneven but enjoyable. We liked it.

American Ninja 2 ** (Starz) Showing its age. Not great but still fun.

Cult of Chucky *** Whacked out but pretty fun. I liked it better than Patty. I think it traumatized Patty. Haha!

The Foreigner Showtime **** Good. Followed the book but modernized it. We enjoyed.

The Wrecking Crew ***** (Hulu) Fascinating documentary.

The Grey (Starz) *** Watchable but nihilistic.

The Dark Tower ** (Showtime) Watchable but only loosely based on the book.
Hellbound ** (Starz) Good enough. Not great. Interesting history for Texas Ranger.

Aquaman *** Entertaining. A little muddled. We enjoyed it. Patty enjoyed it a little more than I did, but it was good.

Hummingbird (Starz) *** watchable. Well done and well-acted.

Double Impact ** (Starz) Hard to watch. Not one of his better films. But JCVD did a good job switching characters.

Hunter Killer ** Very disjointed. Liked the challenge coin idea.

Glass **** Enjoyed. Thought it was put together very well. Not completely what you’d expect. An ending of hope like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Stigmata ** (Hulu). It’s okay. Watchable. The ending is a little muddled. Didn’t remember Patricia Arquette was in it.

Mile 22 Showtime **** I don’t understand the negative reviews. I thought Rousey did a great job.

Solaris 2002 *** Starz. It was good but tries to be more cerebral than it really is.

The Hunted 1995 **** Starz. Haven’t seen it since 1995 and didn’t remember much, but it is the type of movie I like. Fun stuff. A homage to Japanese cinema updated.

Amityville The Awakening *** (Starz) Not bad.

Undisputed ** Ambiguous and the fight scenes were terrible. No clear hero.

Captain Marvel ** Watchable but not great. No story arch.

Den of Thieves. *** Watchable. Fun. Dark. Noir. Preposterous. The ending is interesting but wasn’t telegraphed enough. Came out of the blue.

Death Kiss * (Prime) Only good for a minute to see the look-alike Bronson. Amateurish.

No Contest ** Watchable. Dice and Piper do a good job.

Showdown in Little Tokyo *** (Starz) Watchable. Fun enough. Very unrealistic. Lots of nudity.

Hero and the Terror *** (Starz) One of Chuck’s best. Watchable. Likable characters. Could have used more development.

A Good Man ** (Star) Dull.

Blood Father *** (Starz) Watchable. Not bad.

Hereditary **** (Prime) Well directed and acted. Ambiguous.

Sicario II: Day of the Soldado **** Think I liked it better than the first one.

Breaker! Breaker ** (Prime) A more serious episode of Dukes of Hazard. Watchable enough.

The Curse of Llorona *** By the numbers but enjoyable. Creepy. We enjoyed but not the best of the Conjuring Universe.

Prophecy * (Prime) Terrible. Funny exploding sleeping bag scene.


Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo (Prime) ** The progenitor of all modern dance movies. Corny but still fun.

Ninja III: The Domination *** A cult classic.

Vahalla Rising ** Slow but watchable. A thinking movie. It was okay.

Midnight Offerings *** very good for a TV movie and accurate as could be with magic.

Avengers: Endgame **** Enjoyed.

September

Lucy ** Okay. Kinda stupid. Transformation story.

Avengement **** A well-done independent film. Very British. Well acted and directed.

Triple Threat ** Fun but ultimately unsatisfying. Great martial arts but no emotion behind them. Great performance by Scott Adkins. Patty liked it better than I did.

Rambo: Last Blood ***** Cinema with my dad. Very well done. Satisfying. The best revenge thriller I’ve ever seen. Beautiful cap to the series.

Spider Baby *** (Prime) Good. Very influential.

Pit Stop *** 1/2 (Prime) Good. Very influential.

Escape plan 3: The Extractors ** (Prime) Better than Part 2 but I was already bored 30 minutes in. Opened well. Had some good fight scenes and revenge scenes. Some of them including a pipe and a shot that made a wound on Sly's face were a nod to Rambo: Last Blood. Set up was the same as Die Hard 3.

Trackdown (1976) *** (Prime) Despite what I was told, it's only superficially like Rambo: Last Blood.

Wild Card *** (Prime) Enjoyable. Not perfect, a little slow at times but well done.

Angel Town ** MVD Rewind Collection (Prime). Think I may have watched it before. It was okay. A little unrealistic and some plot threads are not completed.

Annabelle Comes Home ** (Prime)Not the best in the franchise, but an entertaining diversion. Lacks a plot.

Insidious: The Last Key *** This had a plot. Lin Shayer is always delightful. Liked it better than Annebelle Comes Home.

The Patriot Steven Seagal Prime Video ** Not very good. Very little action.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra * (Prime). Terrible. Hard to watch. Couldn’t pay attention.

John Wick 3: Parabellum **** Enjoyable but not as good as the first 2 movies.

Overlord ** (Prime) Well acted but very by the numbers and boring and not historically accurate.

Halloween (2018) ***** Excellent. Originally watched it in the theater.

Night Breed Director’s Cut ** Prime. Still didn’t like it.

The Russian Specialist (The Meckanik) *** A little uneven and bad tradecraft but enjoyable enough. Revenge thriller.

Candyman 2:Farewell to the Flesh (Prime). ** We remembered that we already watched it. Not very good. Watchable enough.

Get Out *** This was a fun and funny movie. Came off as a parody.

Don’t Breathe ** DVD No sympathetic characters equals no suspense. I hated every minute of it. Bored me to tears.

Kill Chain *** (Prime). This wasn’t bad for a whiskey night. I enjoyed it.

Web of the Spider *** (Prime) Interesting. I liked it. It’s Italian. I believe it might have influenced King in writing the shining. The original movie from the ‘50s Castle of Blood has the same name as a non-fiction Stephen King book called Danse Macabre.

Godzilla: King of Monsters *** Better than Kong: Skull Island.

The Gauntlet ** (Starz) Not bad. Seems to be very influential.

6 Underground *** (Netflix). Not as bad as the critics say.

Bright ** (Netflix) Lord of the Rings meets Alienation in an Urban Fantasy setting.