Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
8.2
Can an animated dog win best actor at the Oscars? If so, Buck needs to be the first. He even brought ornery old man Harrison Ford to life in a way that hasn’t been seen in years. Thoroughly impressed by this film chuck full of gorgeous wildlife, rich characters (even the animated creatures) and a story that elicits genuine emotions from viewers. Everything from laughter to the tear jerking moments. Never thought I’d shed a tear over an animated dog movie, but here we are…
8.1
Better than I could have fantasized! A intricate story, with well crafted twists and smart use of special effects and tension made for another Blumhouse home run in my book! Fans of the classic show and fans of modern horror alike will find themselves thoroughly entertained and impressed. “Not everything is what it seems” is just the beginning as the fantasies turn to nightmares before your very eyes. Strap in, and enjoy the haunting images set against a strikingly gorgeous tropical backdrop. Think “couples retreat” meets “saw.”
7.8
Solid superhero film from DC. The tone feels more “Suicide Squad” than “Dark Knight” or “Joker,” but it works. Margot Robbie fully comes into her own as the character, and really starts to embrace the chaos and take over the screen. Everyone in the film really seemed to enjoy playing the off the wall characters, which really comes across. Solid standalone. She’s Harley F**king Quinn, and she’s here to party!
5.0
Disappointed in EON Productions. (The production company behind the James Bond Franchise) Come on, guys! And Paramount should know better by now… Clunky, poorly directed action. Choppy at best story development. One dimensional characters throughout. What attempted to be a “strong woman gets destroyed and comes back to be the next Bryan Mills from ‘Taken'” lands somewhere between Mr. Bean and Frank from “Naked Gun.” Ouch… Blake Lively being cornered by a shark for 2 hours was worlds better.
7.5
He may only officially make a small cameo introducing a wedding speech, but this is a pure Michael Bay movie through and through. One last time… one last ride. Let’s roll! Get ready for this film to penetrate your soul. Explosions, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith playing their most stereotypical characters in a long time. Put some extra stank on Mike Laaawreyyy, and kick some ass with the old boys and new crew of tactical SWAT in the Miami PD? Vanessa Hudgens is bae. And hilarious. All in all, you get exactly what you expect, and it’s an extremely fun 2 hours at the cinema.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 