2023 - R - 7/10 - Nic Cage in another ‘good but not great’ movie.

Lately Cage can be hit-or-miss. This is very nearly another hidden gem. His character starts appearing in everyone’s dreams which leads to a plot loosely about cancel culture but missing a clear opinion. The result is unfocused as the main premise branches off to several ideas, none explored too deeply. By the end, it feels like watching part of 4 decent movies but fails to fully tie things together in a satisfying way. This is one that others will say I am too harsh on but it is frustratingly close to being a great film.

2024 - R - 8/10 - A solid follow up and another creepy trip.

I was pleasantly surprised by the first Smile. Stop reading here if you don’t want spoilers, I warned you. The first Smile has a great “unreliable narrator” twist to it as the protagonist loses her mind and we go with her. This movie doubles down on that bit and pays off in a lot of the same ways. The one thing that I will knock here is that it feels like a remake of its predecessor with a larger budget, without pushing the lore or larger story much further. That is a nitpick though as this film delivers again on this premise.

2024 - R - 9/10 - Another Robert Eggers Masterpiece.

This is a great film that delivers exactly what you would hope for when you hear Nosferatu is being remade by the director of The Witch. If you are not familiar with Eggars, he loves a slow burn movie oozing with atmosphere. This is only his 4th movie and his constant refinement of his craft really shows. Here he is attempting to make the definitive version of this story and by referencing other versions of Dracula in other movies and staying close to the source material, he may have accomplished just that.

2012-2014 - PG-13-R - 8/10 - An overstuffed Middle-earth dessert.

I know this trilogy has a lot of haters, and I’ll admit it is a bit of an overstuffed mess compared to LotR, but my take has always been that LotR is like watching history play out in realtime where the Hobbit is intentionally more cartoonish and fantastical as it is Bilbo’s retelling of his adventure. Thinking of it this way, I appreciate this trilogy as a complement to, not extension of, the LotR trilogy. I know it has its flaws, and plenty of them, but I also understand why they chanced giving us too much instead of too little.

2001-2003 - PG-13 - 10/10 - An unmatched cinematic achievement.

In nearly every way you could judge a movie, the LotR stands head and shoulders above the rest. Created at a time when CGI was still expensive enough to justify doing a lot of practical work, the visuals are a perfect blend of gritty realism and CGI-heightened fantasy elements, the script is about as true to the books as you could expect, the cast is a tour-de-force of at-the-time unknowns, and Howard Shore’s score is one of the most iconic of all time. If you have not seen these, do yourself the favor.

2024 - PG-13 - 6/10 - Not bad but we wanted to like this more.

The last hour of this movie actually delivers on a lot of the lore of Helm Hammerhand and how Helm’s Deep got its name. The first hour of this movie could use some editing and, frankly, gives you too much time to focus on the things that are bothering you about the film. This uses that half animation / half CG style that a lot of people don’t like. It also has some writing, editing, and pacing issues. These are all forgivable in the solid second half but you gotta make it through that first half first…

2024 - PG - 9/10 - A great take on a great musical.

Guest Gen Alpha Review by Elyse Weasle

I have seen Wicked on stage before so I was excited to see how they made it a movie. The movie was great and I can see why it’s trending everywhere. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were both great along with the rest of the cast. I do enjoy that they took time to develop more story line in The Emerald City but they did not add too much. It was more than the play but it was still Wicked. Some movie versions of musicals do not succeed but I’d say this was a success and I cannot wait for pt. 2 in 2025. - E.W.

1999 - R - 10/10 - Must see Halloween classic

This movie is a classic for a reason. If you caught our October episode of Scary But Not That Scary, you know that 25 years later we still can’t stop raving about Sleepy Hollow. Tim Burton’s gothic visuals, the eerie fog, and the iconic Headless Horseman perfectly capture the spirit of Halloween. It is so effective in all areas, it raises the bar for what we expect from all other movies. Stylish, mysterious, and full of spooky charm, it blends a classic story with great filmmaking, earning its place atop Burton’s catalog.

2024 - R - 8/10 - If you liked Fury Road at all, See this now

Another one that we chatted about on the podcast and I need to mention here because it was a favorite of mine this year. Like the internet says, this is essentially the Kill Bill, Vol. 2 for Fury Road, bringing some quality action but a lot more of the story to life. Hemsworth is having fun as the unhinged Dementus which helps draw you in for another installment of Miller’s over the top heavy metal wasteland. More rough edges than Fury Road but this was 100% the Fury Road follow up I was hoping for.

2024 - R - 7/10 - Exactly what we hoped, for better or worse

If you have seen the other Deadpool movies, you pretty much know what you are getting yourself into here. The addition of Wolverine definitely doesn’t tame down the Deadpool, it just adds a grumbly Logan to the mix. Ok, let’s face it, you have probably already seen this and know that it was hilarious and mostly great but it would seem odd to have a life-sized Deadpool in the store and not mention this movie! My only concern is whether the jokes will hold up during a rewatch but this was a blast in the theater.

2024 - PG-13 - 6/10 - Solid Sequel

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is an overstuffed, muddy mess of a film that I was entertained by from beginning to end. It definitely needs some editing and better focus on the main storyline. That said, I had a great time with this movie. Michael Keaton hasn’t lost a step in the 35 years since he last played this role. I loved all of the Tim Burton elements in this film, which felt like a return to form for him. Don’t overthink it and there is a good time to be had with this return to the land of the recently deceased.

1990 - PG - 9/10 - A Favorite of Joe’s And Still A Must See

A surprisingly well made movie about 4 brothers dealing with the loss and hardship of losing their home and dealing with their father’s kidnapping, taking his rescue into their own hands. An odd description for a movie with main characters in 6 ft rubber turtle suits made to capitalize on a children’s cartoon but that is the brilliance of TMNT.
While we saw it as kids because it was a Turtles movie, we love it years later because it is also an excellent movie that borders on film noir.

2024 - R - 7/10 - Impressively Unnerving And Intense

From the team who brought you the underseen but great Caveat is another intense little film. Taking place in essentially one location, Oddity does a great job of introducing few characters and plot points but drawing every bit of intensity and anxiety possible from those elements. From the beginning, this movie puts you on the defense and starts cranking up the tension. Great filmmaking and a sense of foreboding around every corner make this a great slow burn horror thriller.