Movies, Film, and Chili

Karate Kid: Legends follows a new student stepping into the martial arts world with Jackie Chan returning as Mr. Han, trying to pass the torch once more. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, best known for The End of the F **ing World* , the tone is strangely uneven. The movie can't decide if it wants to be a heartfelt coming-of-age story or a legacy sequel cash grab. The choreography is passable, but the film lacks the grit and discipline that made earlier entries resonate. It feels more like a corporate product than a passion project. Jackie Chan, who once balanced comedy and heart in Rush Hour and The Karate Kid (2010) , phones it in. The charm and wisdom he brought to Mr. Han over a decade ago are gone. He looks bored, says his lines like he's checking boxes, and barely engages with the story. It's a disappointing return for one of martial arts cinema's biggest legends. Ben Wang, best known for American Born Chinese , plays the new Karate Kid. He’s got presence, bu...

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is the conclusion to Ethan Hunt’s battle against The Entity, and the stakes have never been higher, or more personal. Directed once again by Christopher McQuarrie , who has become as much a staple of this franchise as the theme song, the film stays in his usual lane. He delivers practical stunts, exotic locations, and clean choreography. This time, though, things feel a little safer than they should. There are flashes of brilliance, but it doesn’t quite reach the tension or impact of earlier entries. Still, it’s polished and confidently made, even if the sense of danger feels slightly dialed down. Tom Cruise is back doing what only Tom Cruise does. He throws himself at this role like he’s still trying to prove something. The stunts are still jaw-dropping, and his dedication to keeping things physical instead of digital continues to elevate the action. Emotionally, the character gets a few solid moments, but mostly it’s the Ethan Hunt show as ...

  A Complete Unknown is a biopic of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan.  Directed by James Mangold,  the same person who brought us Logan and Ford v Ferrari , but his filmography isn't without its exceptions. I'm looking at you Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny and The Wolverine. Here he's more loose with his direction. There does seem to be a tad bit of Disney involvement in some creative choices but most of the film is free from studio interference. Timothee Chalamet  transformed into Bob Dylan in the film and I found myself reminding myself that this is the same person whose the lead in Dune . His performance is only topped by Elle Fanning 's Sylvie Russo. At first, she seemed wooden but then it just clicked and everything went smoothly for The Neon Demon  star.  The film started off boring but I was entertained by the end. Result: B+

  The Brutalist  is a historical fiction set in the forties and fifties about a Jewish man who survived the holocaust.  Written and directed by Brady Corbet , the film is primed with being nominated for an Oscar. I have never seen a movie done by him before, but I did see him in Funny Games  and it makes me wonder where the quality of filmmaking came from. While the Venice Film Festival has loved Corbet for years, this might be the first time he gets more wide recognition.  He relies on lead actor Adrien Brody to carry the film. Brody can channel the emotions needed to sell the film. I first saw him in The Pianist, and this film tries to recreate that spark. Alessandro Nivola  plays a supporting character in the film who was recently in the nearly horrible Kraven: The Hunter. It's not like the film will hurt from him being in it at the super limited box office as it is only available in four theaters. It's smart for Corbet  to keep the camera focused o...

  Sonic the Hedgehog 3  is the latest from the SEGA franchise.  It's wonderful that they keep getting Jeff Fowler  to come back repeatedly to direct these films. It adds an element of consistency that, let's say, Star Wars didn't have. Fowler  will be directing the upcoming The Pink Panther  film starring Eddie Murphy . With the Sonic franchise done for now, we could easily see the next universe of films in the coming years.  Jim Carrey  plays both Robotniks in the film and is just as goofy as you've come to expect. Keanu Reeves  plays Shadow and adds a lot of seriousness to Ben Schwartz's Sonic. Idris Elba and Colleen O'Shaughnessey  both shine as supporting characters Knuckles and Tails. There was a surprise character that I wasn't expecting in Krysten Ritter's Director Rockwell. She hasn't aged a bit. The film entertained from beginning to end and was full of so many Sonic Adventure 2 references. Result: A-

  Kraven: The Hunter  is a Marvel-Sony project set in their universe about the somewhat known anti-hero.  Directed by J.C. Chandor, the film has been chopped to pieces and reshot many times over. It becomes very apparent after Kraven's origin story as a teen. This is probably best put to the fault of Uncharted and Men in Black: International writer: Art Marcum.  Most of his movies are poor and he was carried through Iron Man  with Favreau. I feel bad for Aaron Taylor-Johnson  as I've enjoyed him in Kick-Ass  and Godzilla , but much like his character in Avengers: Age of Ultron , I doubt we'll see them again. Ariana DeBose  does her best with what was given to her. Her character is believable and her acting shows a lot of beauty and strength despite the poor writing.  Fred Hechinger  plays Chameleon and is probably the worst part of the film. Just like how his father in the movie picks on him, he looks like the type of person who was pick...

  Conclave  is a drama about the naming of a new Pope. Edward Berger  directed the film, and his direction quality has increased since All Quiet On The Western Front .  Peter Straughan, who is better known for writing Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, is ambitious in his political statements, which I believe would very much alienate most religious people by the end of the film. It does overall diminish the film's integrity and value. Ralph Fiennes  plays Lawrence quite well and you can see his turmoil throughout the film. I believe there is an alternate ending that would see him in a different state by the end of the film, but alas we might never see that ending. John Lithgow  and Stanley Tucci  both play their respective political pope rivals as expected. Tucci the liberal, and Lithgow is the conservative. Since the film follows mostly Lawrence there is much to be desired from both of these characters. The film will still be nominated for an Oscar, but I fou...