A Christmas Story

 Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes

Director: Bob Clark

Starring: Peter Billingsly, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin

        When Ralph (Billingsly) tells his mom, teacher, and even santa that he wants a Red Ryder BB gun for christmas, they all tell him that he'll shoot his eye out! But, that didn't stop him from wanting one! I actually saw this movie, not at home, but at a movie theater! Because of COVID-19 forcing studios to hold a lot of new movies off, theaters have been showing some Christmas classics. Films like this one, Elf, White Christmas, and maybe even The Polar Express, I think that doing so is a good idea. A Christmas Story I think is a timeless Classic, that can be seen no matter where, or how! No matter in a theater, or at home. Parents, show this film to your young ones (In a movie theater, or at home), because I think there's (nearly) family-fun for everyone!

Final Grade:

B+

Krampus

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes

Release Date: December 4, 2015

Director: Michael Dougherty

Starring: Toni Collette, Adam Scott

     This film is based on a Christmas legend known as Krampus, which is a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing those who don't believe in Christmas. As he has been for thousands of years, he comes not to reward, but to punish. he comes not to give, but to take. Krampus is not a Christmas film that I think kids should watch. It's very intense, and there are scenes that may fright young children. The Nightmare before Christmas may take the Christmas movie genre toward the Halloween movie genre, but Krampus takes that to a whole other level. So Parents, I strongly advise you to not show this film to your kids.

Final Grade:

B

The Nightmare Before Christmas

 Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 16 minutes

Release Date: October 29, 1993

Director: Henry Selick

Featuring Voices of: Danny Elfman, Chris Srandon, Catherine O'Hara

    This Christmas-Halloween crossover film is about Jack Skellington, who's the king of Halloween town, discovers Christmas, and decides to bring the holiday to his hometown, not knowing what the consequences would be. Even though I'm reviewing this film during the Christmas season, but I wonder if it should be considered either a Halloween film, or a Christmas film. I mean, it does bring together both holidays together in my opinion, but it does bring Christmas toward the Halloween genre. Parents, this is a ok film to show to your kids, so give it a shot!

Final Grade:

C+

The Santa Clause

 Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes

Release Date: November 11, 1994

Director: John Pasquin

Starring: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson

    When Scott Calvin (Allen), a advertising executive becomes Santa Claus, even though he's initially a scrooge, he eventually becomes a true believer in this family-friendly comedy. I have decided (at the last minute) to start reviewing Christmas films this year, and I started with this one. I think this movie, is a good, enjoyable comedy for the whole family! Parents, show this film to your little ones if you haven't already! There's family-fun for everyone!

Final Grade:

A-

Stay tuned, because there will be another review tomorrow!

Come Play

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes

Release Date: October 30, 2020

Director: Jacob Chase

Starring: Azhy Robertson, Gillian Jacobs, John Gallagher Jr.

    In this intense PG-13 horror flick, a monster named Larry decides to manifest itself through technology. Mainly devices like Smartphones, and tablets. And decides, that it wants to become friends with a non-verbal autistic kid. The best way to describe this film, is that it's basically a horror version of E.T.. I watched a video review of this film, and that's pretty much how the person reviewing it describes it, and I agree with him.

      Parents, this is the most intense movie, that I've seen in a theater since A Quiet Place. It is a good movie but, I strongly encourage to keep your children (even if they're autistic) away from this flick. There are some really intense scenes, that might want them to stay away from mobile devices. Horror fans, if your brave enough to return to the movies during this pandemic, go see this film. It's a good one, and it'll probably be something that I'll rent from Redbox when it comes out on Blu-Ray.

Final Grade:

B+

The Secret Garden

 Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes

Release Date: August 7, 2020

Director: Marc Munden

Starring: Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Dixie Egerickx

     In this rendition of the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Mary Lennox (Egerickx) is an orphan girl from india, who after losing her parents to cholera, is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Firth), and his housekeeper Mrs. Medlock (Walters). While there, she discovers that his estate holds many secrets, including a key to a garden held locked for years by her uncle, after his wife had passed away.

    It's pretty good movie, compared to the 1993 version starring Maggie Smith (McGonagall from Harry Potter). But it does have a What Dreams may come feel to it in some scenes. Click here for my review of that movie. But overall, It think it's a good enjoyable film. Parents, this film is family-fun for everyone! I think your kids will enjoy it.

Final Grade:

A+

Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs

 Rated: PG

 Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

 Release Date: September 18, 2020

 Director: Sung-ho Hong

 Featuring the Voices of: Chloe Grace Moretz, Sam Clafin

          In this parody of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Seven princes that have been turned in dwarfs, seek the red shoes of a lady in order to break the spell, but it won't be easy. It's actually a really enjoyable film, there's a hidden message which I believe is seeing the inner beauty in others. Parents, I think this is an enjoyable for the whole family! Now, you may or may not agree with me on that. I rented this movie from redbox, but it's also available on streaming services.

Final Grade:

B

Tenet

 

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 2 Hours 30 minutes

Release Date: September 30, 2020

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki

        This latest action flick from Director Christopher Nolan, who has done movie like The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk, is about a unnamed character known as The Protagonist (Washington), who travels through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. 

       It's a good movie, but the plot is hard to follow. I had to use the internet for help with writing the synopsis of the film, for this review. Although, it is a movie that talks about something that has been talked about on the screen before: time. Christopher Nolan I think, is one of the very few filmmakers out there, that still make blockbusters (probably except for the batman movies) that are original ideas. If you like his movies, and feel it's safe to go back to the movies, then go see this movie! Parents, again the plot is hard to follow, so I don't think your little ones would be interested in this movie. But, your teens might.

Final Grade:

B

 

September 2020 film lineup

             Okay folks, it's been a while since I've posted on this blog, Mainly because of what you all are aware of what's been going on. This pandemic has caused movie theaters to shut down, which caused studios to hold all of the summer blockbusters off till either later this year, or early into next year, thus canceling the entire 2020 summer movie season. In case you didn't know, for a while movie theaters throughout the country have been slowly reopening. With various safety precautions like social distancing, frequent hand washing, hand sanitizers, requiring both customers AND employees to wear masks, enhanced cleaning between showings, and reduced capacity. and yes, I am looking forward to going back to the movies.

       While there's currently not many new movies coming out, but there's one that is hopefully coming out this week, and it's Christopher Nolan's Tenet. yes, I am planning on seeing this movie, and I've already bought my ticket. But I've only seen one trailer for this movie, and it's about unknown CIA operative known as the Protagonist, who is recruited by a secret organization called tenet, to participate in a global assignment that unfolds beyond real time. The mission: prevent a renegade Russian oligarch from starting World War III. The Protagonist will soon master the art of "Time Inversion" as a way of countering the threat that is to come.

Scoob!

Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes

Release Date: May 15, 2020

Director: Tony Cervone

Featuring the voices of: Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs

     This newest, full-length, animated scooby-doo adventure, is about how Scooby and Shaggy became two of the world's best crime busters! It is about how it all began, how they met, how they teamed up will Daphne, Velma, and Fred to organize Mystery Inc.! years later, they face their most challenging mystery ever: a plot to release the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. While racing to stop this dogpocalypse, the gang discovers that Scooby has an destiny anyone could've imagined.

    This is a good enjoyable film, that is definitely fun for the whole family! Too bad no one can enjoy it in theaters, but on demand streaming services will have to do. Parents, watch this film with the whole family! I think everyone will enjoy it!

Final Grade:

B+

Trolls: World Tour

Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
Release Date: April 10, 2020
Directors: Walt Dorn, David P. Smith (Co-director)
Featuring the voices of: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake

      This sequel to the 2016 animated film Trolls, the Queen of hard rock tries to take over all the troll kingdoms, so queen poppy and her friends go on a quest to save all the trolls. Universal Studios planned on releasing this film in theaters but, since COVID-19 has shut down all theaters nationwide, they had no choice but to release this movie directly onto streaming services. I think this is a bold move for them, and the announcement came suddenly. I thought it was an ok movie, I did find one hidden message in it. That message is: Be who you want to be. Don't let anyone, or anything else decide who you should be. Parents, gather the whole family together, and watch this movie. I think there's family-fun for everyone!


Final Grade:
B