MovieWarfare

  Gladiator II is a disappointing, unnecessary, and inferior sequel. The story is a complete retread of the first movie, with the revenge plot, evil rulers to overthrow, and a gladiator who rises up to inspire the people. The only real difference is that everything is just worse. Paul Mescal is fine, but he’s not as great as Russell Crowe. The evil emperors are fine, but they’re not as great as Joaquin Phoenix. The music score is fine, but it’s not as great as what Hans Zimmer did for the first. The cinematography is fine, but it’s not remotely as gorgeous as it was in the original. The film lacks any real originality and keeps leaning on flashbacks and dialogue from Maximus in the first movie. I just couldn’t care about any of the characters. It does have some cool gladiator battles, and Denzel is a pretty fun villain—but that’s really it. Do better, Ridley Scott!

  Heart Eyes has the makings of a really cool modern slasher character. The killer’s design is pretty cool, and the concept of killing couples on Valentine’s Day is a novel idea. The movie even starts off well with some creative kills. However, the movie goes downhill from there. It turns into an incredibly corny romcom—the dialogue is sappy, and the characters feel cartoonish. The movie then whiplashes between romance and horror, as if suddenly remembering there’s a killer on the loose. At one point, in the middle of a chase, the characters start opening up to each other—which was definitely not the time. Meanwhile, the killer becomes increasingly incompetent, failing to take out the main characters. The comedy doesn’t land, the romance is bland, but the kills are at least enjoyable. Just don’t go into this expecting a full-on slasher horror movie.    

  Five years after winning Best Picture for Parasite , Bong Joon-ho returns with Mickey 17 . The big question is: does this live up to his previous work, or is it a disappointing step down? What initially drew me to this movie was its intriguing concept. The idea of a person whose sole job is to die repeatedly for the sake of humanity—thanks to cloning technology—is both fascinating and disturbing. For the most part, the film explores the political, religious, and ethical dilemmas that would arise if such technology existed. Bong Joon-ho uses this premise to craft a sharp satire on American politics while exploring deeper themes about identity and what makes us truly human. The writing is strong, filled with clever comedic moments, subtle jabs, and a genuine message. At its core, Mickey 17 also functions as a quiet coming-of-age story for its protagonist, leading to a satisfying and well-earned conclusion. Visually, the film is stunning. The production design—from the se...

  It is nice to see Pokemon branch out of the normal animated series and do something new. Pokemon Concierge is a stop-motion animated series featuring our main character becoming a concierge for a Pokemon resort. Season 1 is incredibly short with only 4 episodes with a short run length of 14-20 minutes. Each episode is incredibly sweet, lovely and heartwarming to watch. The series is very slice-of-life and doesn’t have any overarching story but each episode does a nice and meaningful message to teach. It’s a good time and I am glad it is getting a second season!

  I absolutely love Ke Huy Quan. He is incredibly charming and lovable in this film. He also gives a great Jackie Chan style of energy with the action scenes. The problem is that this film does live up to the title because it hurts to watch this awful movie. The story and writing are terrible, the change in tone is jarring, and the characters are poorly written. Love Hurts wants to be an action, romance comedy but it doesn’t succeed in any. The romantic chemistry between Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose is nonexistent. Heck, Ariana’s character isn’t even remotely likeable. There are too many silly romantic subplots that ruin the pacing. There are random moments of extreme gore that feel out of place. The story never gets any more interesting and we never truly delve into our main character or villain. Watch it for Ke Huy Quan alone.

  The idea of two people on opposite sides watching over a gorge so monsters can not come out is a fun concept. For the most part, the film delivers on the idea while having an enjoyable romance on top. Miles Teller and Anna Taylor Joy have incredible chemistry and I brought the build-up of their relationship. It has a fun tension and romantic-filled first act with an excellent action video-game-like second act. Unfortunately, the film is let down a bit by a dull and overly convenient final act. Still, this is a solid two-hour popcorn flick that entertains the audience.