American Made

American Made is based on the true story of Barry Seal, a pilot in the late 1970s who is recruited by the CIA to smuggle drugs and guns to foreign countries.

I had no idea this was based on a true story. I thought that the cinematography was well done. The movie kept me mostly engaged and had some entertaining twists and turns with a touch of comedy.

I thought that the plot was interesting yet frustrating. I would get annoyed with Barry Seal and some of the actions he was taking throughout his life because they weren’t well thought out, especially toward the end of the movie.

The acting was just okay; however no one truly stood out. One thing that I found quite distracting was that I couldn’t tell if Tom Cruise was trying use an accent or not. It was something that faded in and out and became more prevalent toward the end of the film and by then it was all I could hear.

Overall the movie was good but wasn't a movie that I would seek out to see again. It is however worth checking out once

The Space Between Us

The Space Between Us is the set in the not so distant future when the first human is born on Mars. As he grows into a young adult he becomes more interested in who his father was and curious about Earth.

This movie had an interesting concept that unfortunately fell flat due to a terrible script, acting and casting. The script was not written well and at times so corny it was uncomfortable. The interactions with some of the characters was sometimes confusing. For example, one of the characters was supposed to be a mother figure, but her parenting style came off like she was attracted to her surrogate child, which was creepy. I thought that the casting of Tulsa, the female lead, played by Britt Robertson, was too old to play a high school kid. Additionally, her personality and the way she carried herself was too mature. I enjoyed her in The Longest Ride but not in this role. Gary Oldman also should not have been in this movie. He is too good a quality of an actor to be in a teenage-centrist, romantic, science fiction movie. It was almost as if he dumbed-down his acting chops for this role. 

In the end, I should have known that this movie was going to a disappointment. Not a complete waste of 2 hours of my life but close. Avoid this one at all costs or come in with really low standards.

A Bad Moms Christmas

A Bad Moms Christmas is the sequel to Bad Moms. It follows the 3 main protagonists as they deal with the stressors of preparing for Christmas while dealing with surprise visits from their dissimilar mothers.

I liked that it was an all-female led comedy with strong, developed characters. I thought that the additions of the moms, all unique and funny in their own way, was an amusing idea. But unfortunately, like most sequels, especially comedic ones, this one didn’t quite live up to the original. There were parts that were funny and original but a lot of the script was old hat.

I’d say skip this one and keep the nostalgia of the fresh, original film in your mind.

Wall-E

Wall-E is the story of the last living waste collecting robot on Earth. His name is Wall-E and he’s evolved over the last 700 years, developing a personality, and because of that has become quite lonely over that time span. Then one day he meets Eve.

This movie came out 10 years ago but you’d never guess that. The quality is timeless and although there is a stark lack of dialogue, the movie does a good job of eventually revealing the plot, which is very much a reality. The theme of taking care of the planet is as important as it has ever been. I also liked the character development and the heart of the film. At the end it might even get you to tear up a bit.

What I didn’t like was that the movie starts out slow and it takes a while to fully reveal itself. It’s an hour and 38 minute movie but it felt longer than that. In the end, even though it was slow moving, I’d still recommend giving this one a shot.

Black Panther

Black Panther starts where Captain America: Civil War ends. After the death of his father, T’Challa becomes the new king and protector of Wakanda. Soon after his coronation, he is needed to defend his country and his people from outside forces looking to destroy their way of life and steal their natural resource, vibranium.

I thought this was the best Marvel movie to date. The acting and character development were really great. I liked how all of the actors played off of each other; there was a genuine chemistry among the cast. There was a nobility, a classiness and a dominant presence to the entire group. I loved the strong, diverse, beautiful female leads in the movie. The all women led army was amazing to see on film. The General, Okoye, portrayed by Danai Gurira, did a great job showcasing what it looks like to be a loyal and fierce leader. I also really enjoyed the Black Panther’s sister, Shuri, depicted by Letitia Wright, who was smart, funny and sassy. Chadwick Bowesmen’s interpretation of the Black Panther, was a proper superhero, polished, powerful & honorable. 

The story was engaging; I thought that the writers did a great job giving us complex content and introducing us to a new world with a rich and dynamic culture. 

I also really appreciated the cinematography, the costume design and the soundtrack. The movie was full of great fight sequences and chase scenes. The costumes had a beautiful cultural influence and the soundtrack helped to bring additional swagger to the already #SoLit production.

Overall, this movie was phenomenal. It’s a beautiful cultural movement that I would recommend seeing again and again. And when it comes out on DVD it will be one of the few movies that I will buy.

Kidnap

Kidnap is the story of a waitress whose son is taken while they are at the park. The story follows her as she attempts to track down the people who took her child.

This was a terrible movie, it was unrealistic with a lack of any true focus or plotline. There were hints of promise, with the strong female lead, and moments of thrill, like the beginnings of the car chase, but overall another dud from Halle Berry.

It was unfortunate because I really like Halle Berry. It’s just a shame that the latest roles that she has chosen just aren’t very good. This is yet another one of her's, that I am sad to say, I would definitely recommend skipping.

Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the original Blade Runner that came out in 1982. 2049 is about a new LAPD Blade Runner, K, played by Ryan Gosling. K’s mission is to eliminate all of the old replicants. While on a mission he stumbles upon a secret that leads him to looking for an old Blade Runner, Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, who had been missing for the last 30 years.

I don’t remember much from the original movie but I felt like it would have been good to re-watch it before watching this one. I thought that the movie was slow moving and the story didn’t really bring me in. Overall I didn’t care much for the characters that were presented and thought that the character development was lacking. Additionally, I would have liked to have learned more about Dave Bautista‘s character, Sapper Morton, who only made a brief appearance.

The only thing I did like was the visual depiction of a futuristic world. The cinematography, however, couldn’t save this movie for me. I would say that 2049 could easily be skipped, especially for those that didn’t see the first one or didn’t enjoy the original.

Fifty Shades Freed

Fifty Shades Freed is the final movie in the trilogy. The romance/thriller picks up right where Fifty Shades Darker left off. In this story Christian and Anastasia are working to navigate their new life together as husband and wife while unforeseen dangers threaten their well-being. 

This book was my favorite of the series. I thought that the movie did a good job of highlighting the key themes that were depicted in the novel. The movie is quite different from the original two, with more of a suspenseful, clearer story line. I also thought that the acting was much better this time around, especially that from Jamie Dornan, who portrayed Christian Grey. An issue I had in the last movie was that he wasn’t able to hold an American accent for the entire movie. This time around he did much better with the accent and portraying some more believable emotion. I also particularly enjoyed Dakota Johnson’s portrayal of a more confident and independent Anastasia.

Where the film lacked excellence was in some of the dialogue that was corny and I thought that the movie was a bit long and dragged out. Then, at the end, it was rushed and didn’t provide as much clarity for the wrap up. For those that have already read the books, they will understand what is going on, but parts might be missed for those that just watched the movies.

For this one I’d say, if you read the books and/or seen the first two movies and enjoyed them, you will enjoy this one as well. For everyone else, this one could easily be skipped.