Jeremy Butler

Whistleblowing is a difficult decision. You are part of an organization, and you believe in that organization. Speaking out against that organization (yes, I know I’m overusing the word) at times can seem like ratting out family. Not to mention the downside. We all say that there will not be reprisal for whistleblowing, but more often than not, there is. However, that doesn’t mean that if you see wrongdoing that you should sit idly by and do nothing. Most believe that inaction is as bad as committing the act yourself. But when the organization you are speaking out against is the United States government, that is another animal entirely. Official Secrets portrays the real-life actions of Katherine Gun, a translator who back in 2003 leaked classified information exposing a conspiracy to facilitate the war against Iraq. Keira Knightly portrays our whistleblower with an all-star cast that includes Matthew Smith, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, and Ralph Fiennes.
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Anyone married understands that in-laws are not the easiest thing in the world to deal with. The next time you are struggling with your in-laws, I invite you to ponder this question: Have they ever tried to sacrifice you to the devil? If they have, I recommend divorce immediately, and if they haven’t, that puts you one step ahead of new bride Grace Le Domas (Samara Weaving, The Babysitter) That is the predicament that Samara Weaving’s character finds herself in. Here she thought she was marrying into one of the predominant families in the world; little did she know that wealth comes at a cost, and she would be that cost. Ready or Not is an entertaining tale of a woman’s attempt to escape her family, on her wedding night no less, as they use old-fashioned weaponry to hunt her and eventually sacrifice her. Think of it as a parody of The Most Dangerous Game in the format of an old-style horror film.
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When Dwayne Johnson joined the Fast and Furious franchise, I thought the series couldn’t get any bigger, especially when he and Vin Diesel faced off in one of the best scenes ever in an action movie. Then Jason Statham appeared in the end credits of Fast and the Furious 6 shattering that glass ceiling, and he didn’t disappoint, proving to be one of the group’s biggest adversaries. Then there was the fact that the Statham-Johnson showdown trumped the Diesel-Johnson battle, thereby showing the former’s electric chemistry. It was only a matter of time until a spin-off film came about. Lo and behold, Fast and the Furious presents Hobbs and Shaw. Now, the film has been a source of controversy for the franchise, with both Diesel and Tyrese Gibson voicing their discontent about the delaying of their next installment in favor of this film. Needless to say, Johnson will not be taking part of the ninth installment of the series, but I doubt he is losing much sleep about that, especially when he has the makings of his own franchise with this film.
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Live action remakes are Hollywood’s latest trend, and they are usually a hit or a miss. That was a universal truth that I went into this movie knowing. To that end, I fully expected that Dora and the Lost City of Gold to be on the side of the latter rather than the former, and yet I was unexpectedly wrong. The film even managed to captivate my daughter, and if you guys have been reading my reviews, you know that she has the potential to be a harsher critic than I do. (If you need proof, look no further than her opinion of Missing Link). I wasn’t even sure that my daughter was that a big a Dora the Explorer fan. Well, if she wasn’t before, she most certainly is now after this movie. Isabela Moner (Instant Family) brings the titular character to life in this live action film that has her facing the biggest challenge of her life.
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“It’s easy to fool people when they are already fooling themselves.”

There was a lot of pressure on this film to be great; it being the first MCU film following the epic known as Endgame. This film needed to be the statement that the MCU was finished after the events of Endgame, which completely and irrevocably changed the landscape of the franchise going forward. By the way if you have not seen Endgame yet, two things. First, what is wrong with you! You are the reason that the film hasn’t taken the all-time box office record away from Avatar yet. The film has just been re-released with additional footage, so there is even more to enjoy. So, get to a theater ASAP! We need to beat Avatar! Secondly, you should probably stop reading this review immediately, as I will be discussing events that will likely leave you lost. Let the previous declaration serve as your warning disclaimer. Iron Man is gone, Captain America has laid down his shield in favor for a lifetime with the love of his life. A little selfish, but I’d say he’s earned after his many sacrifices. The Avengers are essentially disbanded, but the world still needs heroes. Enter your friendly neighborhood Spiderman.
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So, the announcement of this film was of particular interest of me. Of course, I have familiarity with the character of Shaft from childhood. Not to mention the remake that wasn’t really a remake that premiered in 2000 starring Samuel L Jackson. The most interesting thing about the film is that it brings three generations of the character under the umbrella of one film, with Richard Roundtree and Samuel L Jackson reprising their roles as the titular character and introducing Jesse T Usher into the franchise as the latest addition to pick up the mantle. Another interesting thing is that despite it being a sequel it shares the same name as the 2000 version. Though this does introduce a certain level of confusion, it just proves just how bad a mother- shut-your-mouth Shaft is; he can name his movies whatever he wants.
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“The mind is a fragile thing. Takes only the slightest tap to tip it in the wrong direction.” 

The simple reality is that this franchise should have ended with Days of Future Past. That would have been a good point to call it quits; it had a good resolution and all, but the chasing of additional box office revenue has forced us to have to endure two more mediocre additions to the franchise. Though Dark Phoenix is better than Apocalypse, and it is a better telling of the Dark Phoenix Marvel Storyline, Fox’s second bite at the apple is still not the film that I hoped it would be. Fortunately, with Marvel recovering the property we are undoubtedly due for another reboot, and perhaps the third time will be the charm.
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“Fourteen million dollar bounty on his head. Every interested party wants a piece of it. I’d say the odds were about even.”

The word “Parabellum” acts as a double entendre for the film. First there is the obvious reference to a 9mm parabellum bullet, and then there is the Latin phrase, “Si vis pacem, para bellum,” which translates to “If you want peace, prepare for war.” That is exactly what Keanu Reeves gives to those interested parties looking to cash in on the bounty on his head. Picking directly after the events of Chapter 2, Winston (Ian McShane) grants John Wick a one-hour head start after he violates Continental rules and kills crime boss Santino D’Antonio on hotel grounds. Now excommunicated with a 14-million-dollar bounty on his head, John is the target of every member of the criminal underground of New York. Cut off from resources and without protection, the most anyone can hope to survive is a hour or two; however, John Wick is not most people. His attempts to stay alive lead him along the streets of New York City to the sandy dunes of Morocco. All while attempt to stay one step ahead of his pursuers, including the High Table that he used to serve.
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“That’s a great fifth option; let’s work on the other four.”

This line is one of the signature witty clips that Ryan Reynolds brings to the character of Pikachu in this movie adaptation of the popular Nintendo DS video game, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. It is clear that Pokemon is standing the test of time, as I remember collecting and playing the cards in my youth. Though the card game appears to have fallen out of favor, the franchise received a resurgence a few years ago with the emergence of popular mobile phone app, Pokemon GO! In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised of the popularity of app led to the decision for this live action film starring Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, and Bill Nighy. This was a solid opening in my opinion, though I am skeptical of its film franchise potential, given that those without a basic understanding of the video game or card game (there does not appear to be any connection to the original animated series or subsequent animated films besides inclusion of the Pikachu character) are unlikely to get by the questions of “What are Pokemon?” or “Where do they come from?”
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“No man will ever believe that a woman is smarter than he is.”

I love con movies. You name it, I’ve seen it. There is just something about someone or a group working towards pulling the wool over the eyes of some arrogant, corrupt fool that believes that they can’t be outsmarted. Mainly, it is about the scam; I like to see the elegance of the con. Lately I’ve been starved for a good con movie in recent years, essentially since Will Smith’s Focus, which was underrated in my opinion.
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