Wonka is an origin story about Willy Wonka and how he got to become the famous chocolatier. The movie stars Timothee Chalamet, Calah Lane, Tom Davis, Olivia Coleman, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Keegan Michael-Key, Jim Carter, Rakhee Thakrar, Natasha Rothwell, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, and Hugh Grant.

I enjoyed Wonka. I thought it was a good movie. It’s a fun movie for the holidays. Timothee Chalamet was a standout as Willy Wonka. He really fit the role well. The rest of the cast did a great job. Hugh Grant did a good job as an Oompa Loompa.

Wonka is a musical. The music was very good. All the songs fit well. The cast did a good job. Wonka had a good story and as a prequel it worked very well. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has had two other famous adaptations which include the Gene Wilder Version which was also a musical and came out in the 70s and the Johny Depp version that came out in the 2000s. Wonka is just as good as both those versions. I liked Wonka better than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I was not that big of a fan of that one. I did like the Johnny Depp version better. Wonka ranks high up.

Wonka is a fun movie for the holidays. It has a solid cast and a good story.  The music is fun and is a solid prequel to a famous character.

Wish is about a girl named Asha who wishes upon a star and gets more than she was expecting. The movie stars Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natsha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Harvey Guillen, Niko Vargas, Evan Peters, Ramy Youssef, and Jon Rudnitsky.

I enjoyed Wish a lot. Wish is a great movie and is another Disney classic. It is an original story that celebrates the 100 years of Disney. There are some nice references to past Disney classics. Wish has a good story. It feels like past Disney classics which is a good thing. It has great music. The songs are unique and really fit the movie. The songs are catchy.

Asha (Ariana DeBose) is a good protagonist. She is a strong character and has a good heart. Magnifico (Chris Pine) is a good villain. There is an interesting dynamic between Magnifico and his wife Amaya (Angelique Cabral). Amaya is more than just Magnifico’s wife, and she gets to do a little more. The character isn’t solely dependent on Magnifico.

Wish is a solid Disney movie and has a great story with great music. It’s another Disney classic.

Based on the popular book, the prequel to the Hunger Games series is set during the 10^th annual Hunger Games with a young Coriolanus Snow who is mentor to District 12 Tribute Lucy Gray Baird. The film stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andres Rivera, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, and Fionnula Flanagan.

I thought the movie was good. I read the book and I read the original books. I enjoyed The Hunger Game books and enjoyed the movies when they came out. I think The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes has a great cast. Tom Blyth really shines as a young President Snow. The character is drastically different than the President Snow from the original movies played by Donald Sutherland. That is the point. Coriolanus Snow was a different person before the events of the original movies. Rachel Ziegler does a good job as Lucy Gray Baird. She has a good singing voice as well. Viola Davis was another standout as the sadistic Dr. Volumnia Gaul. It is a different role for Viola Davis compared to other things I have seen her in which include How To Get Away with Murder and her role as Amanda Waller in the DC movies.

There is a lot more music in this movie which makes sense given Lucy Gray is a singer. The songs she sings work well with the movie.

There are some references to the original movies but there are not too many. The movie stands well on its own and does not harp on the original movies too much.

The movie is different than the original movies which makes sense since the book is different than the original trilogy. That is not a bad thing, but it did feel a little too long at parts. Again, that would make sense as well since the book is substantially longer than the original books.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a solid movie with a solid cast. It’s a good prequel that gives a better look at the young man who becomes the villainous President Snow in the original movies.

The Marvels sees Carol Danvers’ powers get entangled with Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan and they have to team up to save the universe. The film stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, and Saager Shaikh.

I enjoyed The Marvels a lot. It is a fun action movie, with an emphasis on the fun. It has been a while since a Marvel project was a lot of fun. Every project has been different. The Marvels seems to have significant impact on the bigger picture but at the same time it was highly enjoyable. I think the greatest strength of the movie is the three leads. Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani really work well together. Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel have a great dynamic. It was cool seeing Captain Marvel work with other people. It is always nice to see Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Nick Fury is lighter in this compared to when he was on Secret Invasion.

The Marvels definitely looks to be setting up for the future but the at the same time, the movie felt small. The movie predominantly focuses on the three leads. I think that works well for the movie. It doesn’t feel too big. The plot itself sets up a lot of what’s to come with the upcoming Avengers movies. There is substantial screen time for Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel. No one felt shafted.

Like most Marvel movies, The Marvels has a mid-credit scene.

The Marvels is a great fun Marvel movie. It has a solid story, and it has a good length. It’s not too short but it’s not too long either. The Marvels is the last Marvel movie until Deadpool 3 which is currently scheduled for July 2024. It was a blast and I look forward to seeing this team again in the future.

Halloween opened in October 2018 and was a smash hit grossing 159 million domestically. Halloween is a sequel/reboot of the Halloween Franchise. Halloween is a sequel to the original Halloween movie that came out in 1978. The plot ignores the events of the rest of the franchise. The Rob Zombie films were its own thing. The movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matchiak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Will Patton, Haluk Bilginer, Toby Huss, and Virginia Gardner.

Major Spoilers to Follow.

I have seen some of the Halloween movies over the years. I was really interested in seeing this one. It just took longer to finally get around to it. The movies I have seen, I enjoyed. The Halloween franchise has an interesting history. There are eight films in the franchise. The continuity has been muddled over those films. This one is a direct sequel to the original movie. A few major changes include the fact that Laurie Strode and Michael Myers are not related anymore. That twist was established in Halloween II and Laurie Strode is very much alive. In Halloween: Resurrection Laurie Strode was killed off in the opening of the movie.

Halloween goes back to the basics. Michael Myers escapes from being transported to another facility and terrorizes the town of Haddonfield. There is a lot of carnage and bloodshed. There are references to the original movie including the opening scene. This movie is set forty years after the events of the original. The main stars are the three generations of Strode Women. Laurie Strode has a daughter and a granddaughter.

A major theme of the movie is trauma. The events of the original film have haunted Laurie for forty years and impacted her relationship with her daughter and granddaughter.

I thought Halloween was a good movie. It does a good job at capturing the suspense. Jamie Lee Curtis is the shining star and proves why she is considered the original scream queen. Judy Greer and Andy Matchiak also stand out as Karen, Laurie’s daughter, and Allyson, Laurie’s granddaughter.

Halloween has good pacing. It is not too long, and it wastes no time for bodies to drop. The movie is fairly straightforward. This is not a twist heavy movie, but the main attraction is the confrontation between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. That confrontation does not disappoint. Jamie Lee Curtis shows that she is a complete badass.

Halloween is a good movie, and it does the slasher genre proud. It feels both modern and classic at the same time. It is intimate with a small cast. There are only a handful of major characters. It is also nice to see the characters fight back. A lot of the Halloween movies have the characters run and scream. Another nice thing was that the iconic theme was not altered too much. I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the new trilogy turns out.

Blue Beetle is based on the DC comics and is about Jaime Reyes who gets chosen by an alien scarab and becomes the hero Blue Beetle. The movie stars Xolo Mariduena, Bruna Marquezine, Damian Alcazar, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Belissa Escobedo, Elpidia Carrillo, Becky G, Raoul Max Trijillo, Harvey Guillen, and Susan Sarandon.

I enjoyed Blue Beetle. It is a good solid movie. The cast does a great job and I think Xolo Mariduena who plays Jaime Reyes has a bright future ahead of him. What makes the movie different from other superhero movies is the family dynamic. I like that the family is involved from the beginning. The heart of the movie is Jaime’s family. The movie is a good length. It clocks in a little over two hours. It’s not too long and it’s not too short. It’s just right. There are a few references generically to a bigger world, but it is a standalone movie for the most part. The trailers had already referenced Batman. There are a few other superheroes who are mentioned briefly. The movie works on its own and it would be easy to integrate this into James Gunn’s DCU.

The movie is a lot of fun and it can get intense at times and emotional which I was not expecting. The movie has a midcredit scene and a post credit scene.

Blue Beetle is a fun action movie that has a lot of heart and a great family dynamic. I am hopeful that the character will return and that there will be more adventures for Blue Beetle and his family.

Haunted Mansion is based on the popular theme ride and is about a mother and son who move into a haunted house and need help to get rid of ghosts. The movie stars LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Chase Dillon, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto.

I enjoyed Haunted Mansion. I was not a fan of the original movie that came out in 2003. This was more what I was looking for from the original one. Haunted Mansion has a stellar cast of characters. They all do a good job. It has a solid story. I felt the original movie felt a little hollow. I did not feel that way about this version. It seemed to have more heart. The movie has a lot more ghosts this time around and it is spookier. It was spooky fun which I felt the original lacked a lot of. I think what helped this movie was the fact it is PG-13. It is darker but still has humor and is still fun for the whole family.

Haunted Mansion gets dark at times, but I think that helps make the film good. I also feel there is better character development. I wish the film came out in the fall instead. It seems it would have benefited from opening during the Halloween season.

Haunted Mansion is a fun spooky movie that has heart and a good story. It has fun characters and a lot of ghosts. I can see this become a classic in time similar to Hocus Pocus.

Barbie is based on the popular doll of the same name and sees Barbie go on an adventure to solve a crisis she is having. The film stars Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Simu Liu, Kinglsey Ben-Adir, Michael Cera, Helen Mirren, and Will Ferell.

Barbie is a fun and funny movie. I enjoyed it a lot. The cast does a solid job. Margot Robbie is a great Barbie. I could see similarities between her and Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods from the Legally Blonde movies. The rest of the cast also does a good job. The other Barbies really added to the movie and Barbieland which is the world Barbie and Ken live in. Ryan Gosling is great as Ken. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling have solid chemistry together. Both characters had great journeys in the movie. Helen Mirren was great as the narrator of the movie. America Ferrera did a great job in the movie. It was nice to see her in a substantial role.

Barbie is bright and colorful. It is warm and inviting, especially Barbieland. Barbie also has a great soundtrack. All of the songs fit the movie very well.

Barbie has a good plot. The characters really shine. The movie is a good summer movie. I am curious if there will be a future for the movie whether it’s a sequel or spinoffs. Time will tell. Currently Barbie 2 has not been announced however there have been talks that there will a sequel especially given how well the movie is doing. There have also been talks about making a Ken movie which presumably would star Ryan Gosling. If there are more films, I will see them. I am also content if this is the only movie. I can see this as a one and done or as a franchise. It is a solid and fun movie that has heart and humor.

Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One sees Ethan Hunt and his team go on a mission to track down a dangerous weapon and to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. The movie stars Tom Cruise, Haley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, and Henry Czerny.

I enjoyed Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One. It is a great, fun action-packed spy movie. I have seen all the previous films. I recently watched Mission: Impossible Fallout before seeing this. Dead Reckoning Part One was a little easier for me to follow in terms of the characters. Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames have been the most consistent through the franchise appearing in all of the movies. Simon Pegg is also another one who has been with the franchise for a long time. Those three have been easy to keep track of. This time around, it was easierfor me to follow all of the characters. I think it is just a case of not remembering the prior movies as much.

The whole cast does a great job. Haley Atwell does a great job as Grace. I am used to seeing Haley Atwell as Agent Peggy Carter in Marvel, so it was nice to see a different side to her. The characters are also completely different from each other.  Esai Morales does a great job as Gabriel. I am looking forward to seeing more of him in Dead Reckoning Part Two. I also thought Pom Klementieff did a great job as Paris. I have only seen Pom Klementieff in the Marvel Movies as Mantis. Seeing her in a completely different role was a nice change. As new additions to the franchise, they all did a great job. I am looking forward to seeing more of them in Part Two.

The movie has great action scenes which were very impressive on the big screen. This was also my first time seeing the Mission Impossible movies on the big screen. The experience did not disappoint.

The plot was fairly easy to follow. There were some details I was not clear on, but I understood the main plot. By the time the movie ends there is a clear path to what Part Two will be about. The movie is the longest out of the franchise. It clocks in at two hours and forty-three minutes, with previews its over three hours. For the most part the film did not feel too long. I think the length worked well for the movie and allowed breathing room with the characters. Toward the end, it did feel a little bit like it was dragging but then it ended shortly after.

Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One is a great summer action movie. I highly recommend it for fans of the franchise or summer action movies. It is nice to watch a movie that does not rely heavily on special effects. Everything felt very real and very plausible within in reason. I love superhero movies and science fiction movies, but it was refreshing to see a movie that is grounded more in reality. I am looking forward to how the story plays out in Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part Two.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is set in the 90s and sees the Autobots team up with the Maximals to stop Unicron from destroying many worlds. The film stars Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Luna Lauren Velez, Dean Scott Vazquez, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, and Colman Domingo.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the seventh Transformers movie in total. The last Transformers movie to come out was Bumblebee back in 2018. The Transformers franchise has been hit and miss. They have been financially successful but not as well received as other films. As the main films kept going that seemed to be especially the case after Transformers 3. I have seen all the Transformers movies and have enjoyed them. Transformers 4 & 5 were a bit too long and there did not seem to be much of a plot.

I enjoyed Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. It is a good length. It is 2 hours and 7 minutes. This is the second shortest Transformers movie behind Bumblebee which clocked in under 2 hours. I think a strong suit for Transformers is that Michael Bay was not involved. Bumblebee also was a substantially better movie than Transformers 4 & 5. Michael Bay is credited as a producer but did not direct Bumblebee or Rise of the Beasts.

Rise of the Beasts is a little more intimate, similar to Bumblebee. There are not a lot of characters, and the story is much easier to follow. There also is a story. There are less explosions than prior films. The action sequences are more effective since there are not as many of them. There was more heart in the movie. I felt a better connection to the characters both human and Transformers.

Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback both did a great job in the movie as the main human characters. Anthony Ramos especially shined and shows he could headline big franchises like this. Anthony Ramos also has a role in Marvel’s Ironheart series for Disney Plus which will be released at some point in the near future. I am excited to see where Anthony Ramos’ career takes him.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts also has a good soundtrack and the 90s setting works. I am curious if future Transformer movies will continue to be set in the past or if any of them will ever go back to the present. The movie’s ending makes a big change to the world. I won’t spoil it here. It is something to expand the franchise and gives a little hint as to the possible direction it could go in. There is also a midcredit scene as well. I won’t spoil that here either.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a good movie. It’s a fun summer blockbuster and is a good to see on the big screen. There are great action pieces, humor, and a plot that is easy to follow. The movie also has heart which is not very common for a Transformers movie. I am excited to see what direction the franchise goes in next.