Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 13th, 2019
Plus One takes a completely predictable premise and injects some much needed chemistry and comedic timing into it. I mean, come on; based off the synopsis alone we can tell that it is inevitable that our leads’ interactions will eventually turn romantic. I mean, we’ve got Ben, played by Jack Quaid (Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid’s son, also the star of Amazon Prime’s latest series, The Boys), the last of his single friends who has romanticized the idea of the perfect companion. Then there is Alice, played by Maya Erskine (PEN15), a jaded woman following a breakup. These two single friends decided to team together and act as each other’s plus ones to all their friends’ weddings. Come on, it doesn’t take a seasoned critic to see the romance coming. This ideal is pretty much standard operating procedure in romantic comedies with hit-or-miss potential. Well, if it hadn’t been for the chemistry between Quaid and Erskine, the comedic timing of the supporting cast, and Erskine’s individual performance, this movie wouldn’t have been a hit.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on August 10th, 2019
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.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on August 10th, 2019
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.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 10th, 2019
I am a Power Rangers fan. I grew up during the first incarnation of the series and had every one of the action figures with the flipping head to show them masked and unmasked. Hell, I am even a fan of the film that premiered in 2017 so much that I would welcome a sequel, though that prospect seems unlikely with the rising profiles of Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, and Dacre Montgomery. All that said, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is where I get off the bandwagon. Despite featuring some of the original cast members, the story is too convoluted and over-the-top to find enjoyable. Taking place after the events of Powers Rangers’ fourth season, also known as Power Rangers Zeo, Turbo sees Tommy Oliver still in command (i.e. the red ranger) of the last crop of Rangers. While competing in a local charity fight to save the Youth Shelter, Rocky DeSantos takes a fall and is seriously injured, which leads to the discovery of their identities by Justin, a friend of Rocky and frequenter of the Youth Shelter. Meanwhile, a new enemy emerges in the form of Divatox, an intergalactic space pirate who is searching for a key that will allow him to traverse an inter-dimensional gateway in order to marry a Maligore, who has promised riches and immense power in exchange for their union.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 30th, 2019
"The fall of the worlds, it was the war to end all wars. There was no one left to fight, no war memorials, no wall with the names of the dead, no statues of heroes. Only empty cities and the ruins of great civilizations on two planets. Tumbleweeds, skulls, crows. Only in Zolem did the lights stay on."
I was unfamiliar with the original source material. I found myself treated to a unique action-packed experience. Alita is unquestionably one of the top action films of 2019. I know it’s early, but I have no reason to doubt that my claim will be just as true as the year continues. I would have liked it a bit more if they expanded on the universe slightly more, but it was still a solid opening for the inevitable franchise. By the year 2563, the world has been ravaged by a catastrophic war known as “The Fall,” dividing the population. High-born members of society reside in a sky city known as Zalem, while low-born people live underneath in the junkyard metropolis known as Iron City. Many low-born people have cybernetic limbs and enhancements. One day cyborg surgeon Dr. Dyson Ido discovers a disembodied female cyborg with a fully intact human brain. Providing it with a body, the cyborg returns to life but does not remember her former life or her own name. Naming it Alita, Ido takes the cyborg and raises it like a daughter.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 30th, 2019
I thought Nalyce would be all about this animated movie, but it only managed to hold her interest for about forty minutes. After that, she was off playing with her toys without a care in the world. So that obviously means that Missing Link does not get the Nalyce stamp of approval. I remained more discerning than my daughter and continued to do my due diligence of sticking it out to the end. I’m glad I did; Missing Link does get my seal of approval. From the creators of Kubo and the Two Strings comes this new family-friendly film full of adventure and friendship. The story does drag a bit in the beginning, but it gets more interesting as things go on. Though there a couple of adult themes that I was not expecting at first, I would style characterize this as a film that the family can enjoy together, just not my family.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 12th, 2019
He is heralded as the gold standard of traditional country music. He has released 16 albums, including three greatest hits albums, two Christmas albums, and two gospel albums. He has sold over 80 million records. His accolades include two Grammy awards, 16 CMA (Country Music Association) awards, 17 ACM (Academy of Country Music) awards, and he was inducted in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame. However, before this disc I had never even heard his name. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a big country music fan, but I have some familiarity, so I figured I should recognize him. Then I realized that all the country musicians I know pay homage to this man. That alone establishes the mark this man has had on the music genre.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on July 2nd, 2019
“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.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 2nd, 2019
"You've seen a horsefly. You've seen a dragonfly. You've even seen a housefly. But you haven't seen anything until you've seen an elephant fly. Let's get ready for Dumbo."
So, Dumbo was never one of my favorite Disney classics. In fact, when news initially broke about a live-action version being filmed, I wasn’t moved one way or the other. I figured I would end up seeing it for the sake of my daughter, but I figured it would just be something that I would have to endure. I speak these words with the full knowledge that I now have to eat them, as Dumbo has gone from one of my least favorite Disney films to one of my favorite movie experiences of the year. With an all-star cast that includes Colin Farrell, Eva Green, Danny DeVito, and Michael Keaton, Dumbo is a fantastical and wholesome family experience that I will be taking my daughter to, but dragging her to it if she puts up a fight.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on June 15th, 2019
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.
