Emma Stone Shines in Poor Things: A Comedy with Stunning Production and Artistic Choices

Today I reviewed the movie "Poor Things" starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and William Dafoe. This artsy, comedic film was a delightful surprise that I can't wait to share with you. The production design and costumes were stunning, and the performances were top-notch. Emma Stone shines in a role you won't want to miss.

🌟 Key Takeaways:

1. Engaging Storyline: "Poor Things" is a tale of sexual liberation, independence, and self-discovery, presented in an enjoyable and humorous manner.

2. Stunning Visuals: The production and costume designs in the movie are truly Oscar-worthy, creating a visually compelling and artistic experience for viewers.

3. Outstanding Performances: Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo deliver stellar acting, with Ruffalo particularly shining in a different type of role, which adds a unique charm to the film.

This movie is definitely worth watching for the visuals alone!

An Unexpected Thrill: Reviewing the film “Five Nights at Freddy's”

In this non-spoiler review, I dive into my thoughts on this unexpected gem of a movie, "Five Nights at Freddy's" based on the popular video game franchise. If you're a fan of horror movies, or even if you're simply curious about the film, this review is for you!

Here are three key takeaways from the movie:

1️⃣ Surprisingly Good: "Five Nights at Freddy's" exceeded my expectations. Despite its horror genre, the film was more suspenseful than scary, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout.

2️⃣ Impressive animatronics and visuals: The electronic toys, or animatronics, in the film, are incredibly well-designed and realistic. You'll find yourself wondering if there were actually people inside those costumes. The attention to detail adds an extra layer of creepiness to the movie.

3️⃣A refreshing take on the horror genre: "Five Nights at Freddy's" offers a unique storyline and suspenseful moments that make it stand out. The cast of "Five Nights at Freddy's" delivered standout performances, with Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, and Elizabeth Lail taking the spotlight. Not to forget, Matthew Lillard, known for his roles in "Scream" and the "Scooby-Doo" movie, brought his A-game and proved why he's such a talented actor.

Overall, I highly recommend giving "Five Nights at Freddy's" a watch if you're in the mood for a thrilling horror flick that will keep you entertained. You can find it in theaters or on Peacock.

Family Legacies and Ghostly Encounters: Examining Netflix's Miniseries "The Fall of the House of Usher"

In today's review, I am diving into the dark and mysterious Netflix series, "The Fall of the House of Usher." Get ready for a series recap and review that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Whether you're a fan of horror drama or are intrigued by intense storytelling, this series is a must-watch.

This dark and mysterious series is the perfect binge-watch for the fall season. It explores themes of greed, ambition, family legacy, and lust and pays homage to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. If you're a fan of Poe, you'll love this series! You'll be happy to find nods to his other short stories throughout the series. From its gripping storyline to its well-developed characters, this series had me hooked from the very first episode. I admit I didn't know much about the show initially and thought it was about the singer Usher. But as I started watching the show, it captivated me with its dark and mysterious plotline.

🌟 Three key takeaways from my review of "The Fall of the House of Usher":

1️⃣ Gripping from the start: This series grabs your attention right from the first episode with its intriguing storyline and well-developed characters. You'll find yourself wanting to know more about the Usher family and the mysteries surrounding them.

2️⃣ Stellar performances: The talented cast, including Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Mark Hamill, and Carla Gugino, delivers incredible performances that bring the characters to life. Their portrayal of complex emotions and internal struggles adds depth to the story. Particularly, Carla Gugino, who plays “Verna” stands out with her chameleon-like performance as she transforms into different personas in every scenario.

3️⃣ Thought-provoking exploration: "The Fall of the House of Usher" delves into important themes such as the consequences of ambition and the weight of family legacies. It will leave you pondering the choices we make and the price we're willing to pay for our desires.

So, don't miss out on this captivating and thought-provoking series! If you're a fan of psychological horror and suspense, make sure to add "The Fall of the House of Usher" to your Netflix watchlist.

10 Latinx Films to Watch & Support Before Hispanic Heritage Month is over

Although Latinx representation in Hollywood has improved in the last few decades, it is still relatively low. According to the 2023 Latino Donor Collaborative in Media Report, since 2021, our participation in front and behind the cameras has actually decreased. Oftentimes, shows or movies centered around Latinos are not given a chance, as rarely does a show get a second or third season, and movies centered around Latinos often go straight to streaming or don’t do well at the box office. And it doesn’t matter if shows are well received by audiences and critics, like the shows “Vida” on Starz, “The Gordita Chronicles” on Max, or “Gentefied” on Netflix, all got canceled way too early, in my opinion. 

But we all know that numbers and money drive Hollywood; the more popular something is, the better the chances are a show will get a second season, a movie will get a sequel, or the lead actors or filmmakers from that project will get more work. So, being that Hispanic Heritage Month will be over soon. Streaming services are pushing all their Latinx content onto our home screens. So, I’ve prepared a list of ten movies about the Latinx community or by Latinx talent for you to watch and support before Hispanic Heritage Month is over and help us increase our representation in the media. 

Although there are filmmakers from all over Latin America, you will find that most of the films on this list are Mexican, as Mexico has the largest film market in Latin America. 

10. Cassandro 

I recently watched Cassandro on Amazon Prime, and it was such a great film about adversity and proving everyone wrong. Cassandro tells the true story of Saul Armendariz and his rise to wrestling stardom after creating the character of “Cassandro,” the “Exotico,” a character known worldwide in lucha libre. The film shows his early beginnings and how other wrestlers treated him during his rise to stardom. The film stars Gael Garcia Bernal as he submerges himself into the character of Cassandro, his performance is transcending, and I have to say, if he doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for his performance, I am going to riot. The film is authentic in portraying the lucha libre world, so if you don’t mind the subtitles, you’ll fall in love with Cassandro the Exotico. 

9. Pelo Malo (Bad Hair)

This is another film you need to not mind the subtitles in order to appreciate the film. Pelo Malo is a coming-of-age story about a Venezuelan boy who yearns to straighten his curly hair. In doing so, he elicits a wave of homophobic panic in his hard-working and struggling single mother, who has piled on extra stress after losing her job. The movie explores questions of sexuality, race, and the working class. This film made me cry so much; my heart broke for that little boy and his mother as she was forced to do some unfortunate things to get her job back from her sleazy boss. The film was very well done, it won best film at the Havana Film Festival and it was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival. This film will have you in your feelings throughout. You can watch the film for free here: https://www.kanopy.com/en/product/bad-hair-pelo-malo 

8. La LLorona

This has to be the highest-rated Llorona film on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 96% score which is very impressive considering the only other LLorona film with a rating was cursed with a 7% rating. This film was Directed by Guatemalan director Jayro Bustamante and it takes a different approach when telling the legendary tale of “La Llorona.” The film explores the Mayan Genocide of the 80s in Guatemala, and it follows the dictator responsible for the Mayan Genocide as his health deteriorates and he becomes very paranoid. It was beautifully shot and I would consider this more of a historical film with a lot of supernatural elements to tell the story. You can stream this film on Shudder. 

7. Vampires vs. The Bronx

If you love Vampires, check out Vampires vs. The Bronx. This Netflix comedy horror follows three young friends who are concerned about their beloved Bronx neighborhood getting gentrified until they discover they have more significant problems to worry about than hipsters: Vampires.  After watching the 1998 movie Blade, the kids devise a plan to help cleanse the Bronx of the Vampires that are threatening their beloved borough. This is a light-hearted comedy with great performances all around. It was fun to see a fun story showcasing the modern-day Bronx. The film focuses on the power of community and dealing with change which is something we all can relate to.  

6. CoCo

Over on the House of the Mouse, Disney+, we have Coco with a 97% percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. Coco is a story about family and tradition. It follows young Miguel, who yearns to be a musician even though his family banned music from ever being played in the house by any family member. After Miguel finds himself in the land of the dead, he embarks on a colorful and magical adventure with a newfound dead friend and his stray dog, who helps him discover the real story behind his family history. There’s a scene with the abuela who reminded me of my abuela, and you guessed it, I broke down and cried. This is one of my favorite Pixar films; it is a beautiful story that explores traditions, life after death, and the meaning of family. 

5. Roma 

On Netflix, you can stream the Mexican film Roma, Written and Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, who also served as the cinematographer and co-editor of the film. The movie is set in the 70s and follows Cleo, a maid who works for a wealthy Mexican family who live in Roma, a colonial neighborhood in Mexico City. It is based on Alfonso Cuaron’s childhood and told from the perspective of his childhood maid, Cleo. It showcases the wealth gap in Mexico, which can still be relatable today. It explores loss and infidelity, with powerful performances by both Yalitza Aparicio, who plays Cleo, and Marina de Tavira, who plays Sofia, Cleo’s wealthy boss. It is beautifully shot and a very personal and emotional story. It took home three Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Foreign Language Film. 

4. Real Women Have Curves

Over on Max, you can stream the movie that introduced us to the icon that is America Ferrera: Real Women Have Curves. It is a coming-of-age story of a Mexican teen who is torn between moving to New York to go to school or following the path her immigrant mother and family have set out for her, staying in Los Angeles and working at her sister’s garment factory and eventually getting married and giving her mother some grandkids. It is a beautiful story with heart that looks at the struggle experienced by first-generation immigrants. Paving your path in life is a story we can all relate to, whether you are an immigrant or not. I really enjoyed this movie and thought America’s performance was excellent. 

3. Flamin’ Hot

Over on Hulu and Disney+, you can check out Flamin’ Hot, the directorial debut of former Desperate Housewive Eva Longoria. Flamin’ Hot tells the story of Mexican American Richard Montañez, played by Jesse Garcia, a janitor who worked at the Frito-Lay plant and worked his way up to become an executive after creating the snack we all love, the Flaming Hot Cheeto. This is a story of determination and reaching the American dream. Although there are reports that Mr. Montañez might not have created the flaming hot Cheeto, it is still an enjoyable story that will inspire you one way or another. 

2. Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle is the first Latino superhero introduced by DC Comics in 1939. It follows Jaime Reyes, a college grad who finds himself possessing the Scarab, an ancient relic of alien biotechnology. The Scarab chooses Jaime as its host, and Jaime is bestowed with a suit of armor capable of incredible and unpredictable powers, making Jaime the superhero Blue Beetle. I really enjoyed this film; it was directed by a Puerto Rican director, Angel Manuel Soto. It was a love letter to Latinx culture, and I found myself laughing and rooting for the Reyes family. It uses a lot of Latinx pop culture references, which brought me back to my childhood. It had a straightforward but compelling story about a young boy, Jaime, just trying to save his family from the evil hands of Victoria Kord, played by Susan Sarandon, who wants the Scarab from Jaime to use to create weapons. Blue Beetle is also the first character introduced in James Gunn’s new DC era. As of the writing of this article, you can rent the film on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, and it will be available to stream on Max in November. 

1. Instructions Not Included 

Instructions Not Included is a comedy-drama, heavy on drama, because I cried like a baby watching this film. It follows a Mexican playboy, played by Eugenio Berbez, who also directed the film, who, after creating a life for himself and the daughter that was left at his doorsteps six years prior by one of his one-night stands, the family he created is threatened when the birth mother reappears to claim the daughter. This is a love story between a parent and their child; the twist at the end will break your heart. It will have you crying with laughter and sobbing as if someone you hold dear has died. I didn’t know much about his film before watching it, but after I was done sobbing, it became one of my favorite films. I don’t know who hurt the writers of this film so much that they needed to write this movie how they did, but overall, it was a fantastic film. Eugenio Berbez was excellent at balancing the comedy with the drama aspect of the film. You can stream Instructions Not Included for free on Pluto TV, Fubo TV, or the Roku Channel. 

An Unexpected Gem: Saw Ten Delivers a Much-Needed Revival for the Franchise

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching the highly anticipated Saw Ten (Saw X), and I must say, it exceeded my expectations! 🔪💥 As a long-time fan of the Saw franchise, with the first movie being one of my all-time favorite horror films, I was excited to see how this installment would measure up. And boy, did it deliver!🌟 Directed by Kevin Greutert, Saw X brings back Tobin Bell as John Kramer, A.K.A Jigsaw, and his apprentice Amanda Young, played by Shawnee Smith. Saw X takes us back to the roots of the franchise, capturing the intensity and suspense that made the first movie a classic. It's a refreshing change from some of the previous installments that didn't quite hit the mark.

🎥Here are my key takeaways from Saw Ten:

1️⃣ Fresh and Heartfelt Storytelling: 💔Saw Ten adds an emotional layer by exploring the journey of Jigsaw (John Kramer) battling his own cancer. The story not only focuses on his personal struggle but also highlights the exploitation of hope and desperation by those who scammed him and others dying of cancer. The emotional depth added a new dimension to the film.

2️⃣ Elaborate and Nerve-Wracking Traps:😱 If you're a fan of the intricate and suspenseful traps that the Saw franchise is known for, Saw Ten will not disappoint! The traps in this movie are incredibly elaborate nerve-wracking, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The level of detail and tension created in each trap is exceptional and adds to the film's overall enjoyment.

3️⃣ Unexpected Twists and Turns: 🔀Saw Ten pulls off some surprising plot twists that genuinely caught me off guard. When you think you have it all figured out, the movie throws a curveball, leaving you with a "wow" moment. The twists keep the audience engaged and guessing until the very end, making for a highly satisfying viewing experience. If you're a fan of the Saw franchise or enjoy well-crafted horror movies, I highly recommend checking out Saw Ten.

It's a refreshing and exciting addition to the series, ranking up there with the first movie in terms of quality.

🌟Let's discuss! Have you seen Saw Ten yet? Go on over to my YouTube review and Share your thoughts and favorite Saw movie in the comments.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello, everybody. Welcome to today's video. My name is Johanny. If you are new here, welcome. On today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie Saw Ten or Saw X, which came out this weekend. I saw it last night. Sorry if you hear, like, the rain or sirens. I'm filming this by my window because my other camera is not charged.

Some improvising. So it's a little loud here in New York City sometimes. Well, all the time. Anyways, on today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie Saw. I've always been a fan of the Saw franchise. The first one is my absolute favorite. It's one of my favorite horror movies. And after that, I became a fan.

There's been ten. I feel like one and two were good. It just kept going downhill from there. And then the last one that they did was Spiral with Chris Rock. And that one wasn't bad. It was the same thing like a Saw movie, but it was like from the book of Saw. But it wasn't terrible. So I didn't really have high expectations for Saw ten.

I was just going to see it for brand loyalty. I was like, it's a Saw movie. I'm going to go see it. But then I kept hearing positive reviews, so I had a little hope. So I can report back and tell you that I really enjoy Saw Ten. It was way better than I expected it to be. It's way better than any of the other Saw movies. Any of the other seven or eight Saw movies from the last decade or since the first one.

So Saw Ten takes place according to the producers, it takes place between the first one and the second one. It's three weeks after the events of the first one, which is funny because if that's the case, the actors are a lot more older. Like, much older. And after I got home from the theaters, I saw Saw Two just to kind of put me back into that timeline. And Amanda, who's in this movie, in Saw Ten, she looks completely different. I don't know who was doing hair makeup, but they didn't bother to watch Saw Two to get her hair correctly. Because if this movie Saw Ten takes place right in between, her hair should have been at least very similar. But in Saw Ten, she has this really short pixie cut.

And then in Saw Two, she has a short it's like a pixie cut, but her hair is much longer. I was like, they couldn't find a wig. I'm sure there's a wig on Amazon that looks like that one from Saw Two. Anyways. And then I think Jigsaw actually, he didn't age that much because I was watching Saw Two last night after watching Saw Ten. And he aged maybe like a few years. But he didn't age that much. So good on Mr.

Jigsaw whatever skin routine. He needs to drop his skin routine because he has not aged not one bit. I mean, maybe like a year or two. Anyways, I did really enjoy this story. It brought you back to, like it added a little heart, I felt like, because it's about Jigsaw, john Kramer, he has cancer. We saw that at the end of the movie. He's dying. He's just like, hanging on to hope.

And he finds this treatment facility in Mexico City it's all in the trailer. I'm going to try. If you see us, the whole movie pretty much spoils I mean, the whole trailer pretty much spoils the movie. So he finds this facility in Mexico City that is supposed to cure his cancer. He goes there, pays them $250,000 to only realize that he was scammed. So he enlists his apprentice, Amanda, kidnaps everyone that was involved in his scamming, and tortures them. Well, he gives them a choice live or die. I really enjoyed that.

A lot of the players from this movie, they had a lot of will to live. I think in the previous movies, they are just so in denial about what's happening that they die pretty fast. But I was surprised a lot of them had will to live. The only thing is that they took too long to find the will. Each trap was three minutes and they all spent about a whole minute in denial and crying and screaming for help. And then they realized, all right, let me get to it. And it's always like, at the very last second, that right when they're about to escape the traps, time runs out and they die. But I enjoy that.

Two of them survive. Actually, one survived. Okay, I'm sorry. The ambulance is going by. Let's just wait. Got out of okay. So two of them one of them survived. He got to it right away.

He's like, no, I'm not going to die. He took those traps, but he shoved his arm and then he lived. And then another one survives. But then the doctor who's in the trap, she's like this evil bioch. She ends up killing her after she survives. There's a twist at the end. It got me. He had me.

I was like, what? They had us the first half. I'm not going to lie, because I thought Jigsaw wasn't going to be able to complete his master plan. There's a good twist at the end with one of the doctors and her lover, which had me going for a second. But at the end, Jigsaw survives and he helps a little boy pay his college tuition, which I thought it was wonderful. I really love this one. I think it's up there with the first one. It was really well done. It brought you back to the beginning and they just added emotion to it because you really want these people that took advantage not only of John Kramer who has cancer, they took advantage of 30 other people who were dying of cancer and took all their life savings, just praying on their hope and like, desperation.

So I really like that. I really enjoy the story. It was different than the other ones that had come out since the first one. So I'm pretty sure if there is an eleven, you know what I was thinking. I was watching some videos on YouTube about they were doing like recaps from like one to three, three to four, four to seven, et cetera. And there's a lot of apprentices, Jigsaw apprentice. So I feel like they should do one where it's like Saw Apprentice and maybe have all the apprentice in a trap and somehow Jigsaw convince each one to kidnap the other. And then they all find themselves in different rooms.

Because Jigsaw died, I think, sometime in the past in one movie. And maybe this is like his final test for his apprentice, to see which one is the true predecessor to Jigsaw. I think that would be a good movie. Anyways, I really enjoyed Jigsaw Ten. I'm going to watch all of them. I'm going to try to rank them. I'm going to make a video ranking all of them. But I gave Jigsaw ten three and a half stars.

It was really enjoyable. The traps were really elaborate and nerve wracking and stressful. So I really enjoy what they did with this film. I love that Jigsaw came back and he was in the whole movie. And Amanda too. I really like Amanda. I think she has always been my favorite apprentice. The actress looks very different now.

I mean, it's been 20 years since the first one, but she still looks good. But they did a really good job. And I really enjoyed this one. So I highly recommend it. If you are a fan of the Saw franchise, again, I gave it three and a half stars on my letterbox. If you like to follow me on letterbox, I'm going to leave my profile below so you can follow me. Anyways, thank you so much for watching. If you plan on watching Saw Ten, comment down below and share your thoughts after you watch them.

Or just come back and tell me what you thought about the movie or share below. Which is your favorite Saw movie? Mine is the first one. And now this one. It again, thank you for watching. I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the world. Until next time. Bye.

A Celebration of Diversity and Artistry: Amazon’s Cassandro A Wrestling Biopic to Watch and Boca Chica The Dominican Film That Won Big at Tribeca

In today’s movie review, I have two reviews to share in one short video. First, is the Amazon Prime original film, "Cassandro." This biopic tells the true story of Cassandro, the Exotico character created by Saul Armendaris, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso, Texas who rose to international stardom. I share the significance of the Exotico tradition in Mexican wrestling and the cultural impact of this unique character. I was so impressed with Gael Garcia Bernal's impressive portrayal of Cassandro and how the film beautifully showcases his journey of self-acceptance and challenging societal norms. Gael Garcia Bernal embodied the character not just of the real person but his wrestling alter ego, Cassandro, as well. This has to be an Oscar worthy performance for him and I hope the academy sees that and nominates him.

Next, I discussed the Dominican film "Boca Chica," which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. I got to watch it at the New York Latino Film Festival last weekend. This heartfelt film follows the story of Desi, a twelve-year-old with dreams of becoming a singer. I loved the film's authentic portrayal of life in the Dominican Republic and its exploration of familial tensions and the pursuit of artistic ambitions. The films explores very sensitive topics and themes which can be uncomfortable for some audiences to watch. As a Dominican myselves, I was very proud to see our country shine on the big screen.

Both films offer compelling narratives and showcase the talent of diverse filmmakers. If you enjoy wrestling, Lucha Libre, or stories of resilience, "Cassandro" is a film you won't want to miss. And for those who appreciate insightful storytelling and a glimpse into Dominican culture, "Boca Chica" is a must-watch. As of the writing of this blog, Boca Chica is not available on any streaming service as they are currently doing the festival rounds.

Now, here are three key takeaways from these films:

1️⃣ "Cassandro" reminds us of the power of self-acceptance and the importance of embracing who we truly are.

2️⃣ "Boca Chica" showcases the aspirations and struggles of a young girl chasing her dreams, and highlights the rich culture of the Dominican Republic.

3️⃣ Both films serve as a reminder of the impact that diversity and representation have in the world of cinema, and the importance of telling stories from different perspectives.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello, and welcome to today's video. My name is Giovanni. If you are new here, welcome on this channel. I like to post movie reviews, travel, and New York City content. So if you're into that sort of thing, please consider subscribing. I am working towards getting a thousand subscribers by the end of the year, and I would love to have a thousand subscribers. So if you could help me out by subscribing, that would be amazing. In today's video, I'm reviewing two films I watched this weekend.

The Amazon Prime's new film, Cassandro and the Dominican film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Boca Chica. First is the Amazon Prime original film, Cassandro, which is a biopic and follows the true story of Cassandro, the exotico character created by Saul Armendadis, a gay amateur wrestler who rose to international stardom. If you're not familiar with what an exotico is in Mexican wrestling, an exotico is a luchador who cross dresses or assumes feminine characteristics that can challenge the machismo of the sport and the culture. There's an article that I read on The Guardian.com that goes into what an exotico is and what they mean for lucha libre. And in the article it says, exoticos are an almost century old tradition in the sport. The first was Dizzy Gardenia Davis, who performed in Arena, Mexico, the cathedral of lucha libre in 1941. Exoticos were just as athletic as any other wrestler, but wore extravagant outfits and makeup, too. Back then, however, exoticos were just characters to be played in the ring, often for laughs and often to be vanquished by a more straightforwardly matchup character.

Even if the wrestlers were gay, they were not open about it. If you are a fan of wrestling and lucha libra, I think you are going to like this movie. I really enjoyed it. Let's wait for the siren to go by, because God forbid I decide to record a video and a siren doesn't drive by. Cassandra's origin story, although sad, is a story of self acceptance and changing the norm. Gael Garcia bernardo was so good as Cassandra. If they don't nominate him for an Oscar, I'm gonna be very upset, because he embodied that character. He did the real person justice.

He was so good, and I think he was the perfect person to play Cassandra. He really committed. I was really impressed with his work. Cassandra was directed by Roger Ross Williams, and originally he was supposed to do a short documentary on the person that plays Cassandra on Saul Armendaris. But after having a conversation with him and learning his story, he was so inspired that he was like, no, this is a movie. So he decided he co wrote the movie, and now it's this beautiful story that you can watch from Amazon Prime. So there's so much that is the real Cassandra experience, that yearning for acceptance from his father and then learning to accept himself. I really appreciated that the movie was in spanish.

The whole movie was in Spanish. There are some instances where Cassandra speaks English because he was born in El Paso. I mean, he grew up in El Paso, but 95% of the film is in Spanish, with subtitles, of course. And I really appreciated that because sometimes they do biopics on people from another race, another culture, and the whole movie is in English when this person is from a whole nother culture that speaks another language. Like, I watched this biopic of a woman in the Dominican Republic and whole thing was in English, and the movie was set in, like, the Dominican Republic. And I'm like, okay. So I really appreciated that the filmmakers took a very authentic approach and made the film in Spanish. Also, Bad Bunny is in this movie.

I don't know why. Maybe they just wanted to use his name. I don't know. But his role was not necessary. The way that they make it out to be in the trailer, it seems like he has a big role, but he has, like, five scenes and majority of them, you saw them in the trailer. So I'm not sure why he was in this, but I don't think it was necessary to tell the story. Okay, just to give you a little backstory, there might be some spoilers here if you haven't seen the movie. But Saulu's story is very sad.

He was the product of an affair and his mom never got over the guy. To this day, when he's older, they would drive to a baseball field, a baseball field where the dad coaches and they would just, like, spiral him. So she never got over him. After Saul, Cassandra came out of the closet at 15. His dad didn't want anything to do with him. So the mom was always blaming him, Saul, for the reason the dad didn't want to be with them. But in reality, the dad was married with a whole family, and even when Saul was little, he didn't want them around. So his mom lived, like, a really sad life.

And I just feel so sad watching her. The lady that played her did a really good job. And the movie shows how Saul, through wrestling and through becoming this character, this exotico character, how he found self acceptance and community and gained the people respect. Because at the time, people didn't respect exoticos, but people just fell in love with him to the point that he was invited to wrestle one of Mexico's biggest star at the moment, El Ijo del Santo. And he wrestled him for the world champion at this arena in Mexico City, which helped his career. I like the direction that the director, Roger Ross Williams, took. He did a really good job. I also liked how the film looked.

He had this greedy vibe to it that I really liked. Overall, I give this movie three and a half stars. If you're a fan of wrestling, a fan of Lucha Libre, or if you just want to watch a feel good film about a man overcoming adversity and proving everybody wrong, I highly recommend that you watch Cassandra on Amazon Prime. Next, we have the Dominican film Boca Chica, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this year, and it was awarded the Nora Ephraim Award, which is an award given to female filmmakers that are having their North American premiere or world premiere at the festival, in whose work embody the spirit of the late filmmaker Nora Ephron. I watched Boca Chica at the New York Latino Film Festival, which is happening right now. I'm not going to give any spoilers because the film still doesn't have a home. I hope that a big streaming service picks it up because I think the film was really good. And as a Dominican, I was really proud to see not only my country in the big screen, but in such a beautiful way, because the film was just really well done.

So I hope someone out there, Netflix, HBO, Amazon, I hope they pick it up and put it on streaming service for the world to see, because I feel like it needs to be seen. The film is a directorial debuted for Gabriella a Moses and the hypnosis of the film, which you can find at the Tribeca Film Festival. It reads as follows dominican twelve year old Desi has musical aspirations and performs with a local all girls choir. But her ambitions are much bigger. Desi yearns to one day leave her beachside community of Boca Chica behind and achieve fame and recognition as a singer. She keeps this yearning a secret from her family, especially the woman in her family who have raised her her occasional confidant, her older brother Fran, who lives a Forcade of his own in New York City as a struggling musician who shippishly works as a food delivery worker. When news arrive that the sibling's cousin Elvis is coming to Boca Chica to marry his wealthy older American fiance, it opens up past tensions and trauma in the family. Meanwhile, a restless Desi meets a group of Dominican teens, also aspiring singers and rappers, that lights up a spark in her artistic pursuits.

I felt that the film was very authentic in the way that it portrayed life in the Dominican Republic, especially for those who live in poor circumstances. There are some themes in the film that are explored that some people might find risky and might not like, or might be able to handle when they watch this film. There were parts of the films that made me feel very sad and nervous at the same time, but at the end the lead character has a happy ending, which was good. The film is not on streaming right now, but I'll add their instagram right there so you can follow them and see the next time they'll be at a film festival or whenever they get picked up by a streaming service, you can check out the film overall. I gave the film four stars and I added it to one of my favorite films of the year. And like I said, as a Dominican, I was really proud. They told a really authentic and beautiful story, and I hope that they get picked up by streaming service soon. Anyways, those were my reviews for Boca Chica and Cassandra.

Cassandra you can watch on Amazon Prime, and hopefully soon you'll be able to watch Boca Chica somewhere on streaming. Thank you so much for watching. If you enjoyed the reviews, please consider subscribing and help me get to a thousand subscribers. I post videos every week, so I hope you can come back next week for my next video. I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the until next time. Bye.

A Lackluster Murder Mystery: A Haunting in Venice Movie Review

In today’s movie review, I'll review the newly released movie, "A Haunting in Venice." Prepare for a spoiler-free discussion as I explore the unexpected twists and turns of this murder mystery set in 1940s Italy. Join me as I share my thoughts on the film, the performances, and the stunning production design.

Here are my key takeaways from the movie:

🎬 False Advertising: The movie wasn't what I expected, as it was marketed as a supernatural thriller but turned out to be more of a murder mystery in the style of Knives Out. It could have easily taken place in any other location or time period, but Venice did provide a picturesque setting. 🌆

💼 Inconsistent Accents: While the detective portrayed by a French actor nailed his accent, some of the other characters seemed to struggle with maintaining a consistent accent throughout the film. Tina Fey, in particular, had her accent mysteriously appearing and disappearing throughout the movie. 🎭

📸 Solid Production Design: Despite my mixed feelings about the overall film, I appreciated the attention to detail in the production design. Venice looked absolutely stunning on screen, and it was interesting to see familiar landmarks used in different movies filmed in Italy. 🎥

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello, everybody. Welcome to my channel. My name is Johanny, and in today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie a hunting in Venice, which came out today, September 15th, a hunting in Venice, it's pretty much knives out 3, set in the forties in Italy. This movie was, false advertised to me because I thought this was gonna be some sort of supernatural mystery, but it wasn't this could have been the 3rd film to the Night's Owl, Mystery series. It is just it takes place, in the forties in Italy, and the detective is a French guy instead of a southern guy. By the way, this is also gonna be a short review. I am still without a computer, and I cannot edit any videos. So I am filming this review in my phone, so I'm gonna try to make it short so I could just do it all in one take.

So a hunter and I'm not gonna do I'm not gonna give you any spoilers. I'm just gonna tell you what I thought about the movie. So a hunter and Venice was not I was not impressed. I didn't really care for it. Like I said, I thought it was gonna be some sort of supernatural, like, horror thing, but it wasn't. It was just a murder mystery film that could have been part of the knife's out miss, series. Tina Fey was in this movie, and at the beginning of the movie, she had an accident and it disappeared throughout in the middle of the movie. Didn't have it, and then you came back and then she didn't have it again.

And it was sort of like that. Like, a lot of them had some accent that came in and out. The only one that was really good with his accent was the detective, the French guy. He stayed consistent throughout, but everybody else, they were like, in and out, and they all, they were all from different place. I don't know why this took place in Venice. This could have this could have been taken place. Upstate New York, and it would have been the same movie. It could also be taking place in modern time, not in the forties.

Anyways, I did like the production design. I've noticed that, in the setting, I've noticed that a lot of movies this this is the 3rd movie that I saw that was filmed in Italy, like, fast ten. They had a bunch of scenes in Italy, and I feel like it was around same area. Mission impossible. They had a scene and there's a bridge. They used it in this movie too, and I've remember seeing it. I mean, like, Wait a minute. That's formation impossible.

Anyways, but I love the setting, Venice, Italy. It's beautiful, and they look pretty good. There were scenes that I felt like the camera work. I was like, was this fun with an eye pro? Because I have that, like, fish eye look. Not an eye pro, a GoPro. Like, was this film with a GoPro? Anyways, if you're into murder mystery, films. I'm sure you're gonna like this one. I didn't care for it.

Because I was expecting something else. I was expecting a supernatural horror thriller, and it wasn't that. But overall, the movie was okay. I rated it 1a half stars. You could wait for it to come on, streaming services because The movie was just okay to me. The, the detective was pretty good. You know, it reminded me, it's the same story from, like, all this murder mystery movies, knives out, the glass on A bunch of people in a house, a murder happens, and then they have this, like, world famous detective, the finds that figures out who did it. That's it.

That's the movie. But, overall, I gave this movie 1a half stars, in wasn't that I wasn't that impressed with it. Aside from the production design and, like, the setting and the detective, those they're, good. Everything else was just okay. Tina faced accent came in and out. I don't know why she decided to do an accent when she to commit for the whole movie. Anyways, that is my review. Hopefully, by next I'll have my computer and I'll be able to edit these videos a little more.

Like, I like to do and, like, add my things here and there. For now, this is, it's just my phone. There's no music, which I hate because I like putting the music on Anyways, thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed this review. If you did, please give it a thumbs up sure to subscribe. I would like to have a 1000 subscribers by the end of the year, and I'm like 400 away. If you could help me out, that will be amazing. And comment down below and share if you're planning on watching a haunted in Venice this weekend or what other movie you're watching.

Anyways, I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the world. Until next time. Bye.

The Nun 2 Movie Review: A Disappointing Sequel That Lacks the Chills

In today’s movie review, I dive into "The Nun 2," which was released on September 8th. This is the sequel to the 2018 film, The Nun. I share my thoughts on the plot, the pacing, and the scares (or lack thereof). No spoilers, I promise! 😉

I had some reservations about watching the movie but was intrigued by the involvement of writer Akela Cooper, known for her work on "M3gan." Unfortunately, despite high hopes, "The Nun 2" fell short of my expectations.

🎯 Here are 3 key takeaways from my review:

1️⃣ . The movie starts off a bit slow, with a lot of talking and not enough action. However, the suspense and excitement kick in during the last 40 minutes if you hang in there. It's worth the wait!

2️⃣ . If you're looking for a truly terrifying experience, "The Nun 2" might not be for you. While it does have some jump scares, they are not as intense as I had hoped. But hey, everyone's tolerance for scares is different!

3️⃣ . For all the fans of "The Conjuring" franchise, there's a little treat for you at the end! Stick around for a post-credit scene featuring a familiar couple from the previous movies. It's a great setup for potential future films in the series.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello, everybody. My name is Johanny. Welcome to my channel. In today's video, I'll be reviewing the nun 2, which came out yesterday, September 8th. Yes. September 8th. This is gonna be a short review. No spoilers.

I am recording this on my phone, and I'm trying to get this review all in one take because my computer crashed. So I have nowhere to edit any videos. So I'm gonna try to get this done in one take and make it really short, without spoilers. So the note 2, the plot is 1956 France. A priest is murdered and evil is spreading the sequel to the worldwide Smash Kate follows Sister Irene as she once again comes face to face with a valak the demon nun. This is a sequel to that one from 2018, I believe, which I actually didn't care for. I didn't think it was good. So I wasn't really looking forward to watching this one, but I found out that one of the writers for this movie is aquila Cooper who wrote, Megan, which came out earlier this year, and I really enjoy Megan.

So I was like, you know what? I'm gonna watch it and see who it is, and I can tell you that just like the first one, this one was not good. Now that it wasn't good, I just I didn't really care for it. It wasn't exciting. Like, it didn't I didn't get in toy until the last 40 minutes. That's when good, like, the good stuffs that are happening. The 1st hour, like, 5, 10 minutes. There was going a lot there was a lot of back and forth between this boarding school and then back to Sister Irene There's a lot of talking. There was like, the opening scene was really good.

I wish there was more of that. And I'll and that started happening, like, in the last forty minutes of film. Like, a lot of suspense and, like, the nun will show up. I don't know where you start killing people. The nuns will even show up. Until the last 30 minutes. Throughout the whole movie, there's, like, glimpses of of the non, like images and, like, shadows, shape like her and, magazines, flipping back and forth, and they form, like, her shape. So the first hour a half There's not enough killing for me.

The nun wasn't there wasn't enough nun. Okay? The movie is called the nun. 2. So give me none. There's this one scene where they killed this girl at the at the boarding school, but then no one even addresses that. And then I remember thinking, I was like, what happened to that girl? No one even brought it up. Like, do they normalize her body? Anyways, the beginning of the movie is kinda slow. Like I said, like, the first scene, the opening scene was good.

Well, then the first 9:40, 55. No. 50, 55 minutes. It's really slow and dragging. It's a lot talking. I was like, I don't wanna see the people talk. I just wanna see your screen. I wanna see this none chasing you, but none of that happens until the last forty And then, like, the last 4 the last act, the last 40 minutes, it's some goat demon shows up and starts chasing these girls from the boarding school.

He was like briefly there. I wish she would have been there earlier to spice up things. I mean, spice things up in the middle of the movie. Because she's he shows up at the end and then he just he disappears. Anyways, I really don't care for this movie. It wasn't as good as actually, no. It was just as bad as the first one. I was gonna say it wasn't as good as the first one, but the first one wasn't good at all.

Actually, this is act this is better than the first one because I did not like the first one. Because the first one, I think the none doesn't show up until the last 20 minutes. At least this one, she shows up 40 minutes. But the movie's okay. I could just wait for it to be on streaming. Like, I was gonna wait for it to stream, but I was like, let me just go watch it and see what the fuss is about. But overall, I gave this movie 1a half stars and yeah, you could wait for it to stream, to be honest. It's not even that scary.

There's some jumpscares here and there. But they're not as intense where I was, like, looking away. I wish there was some more, but movie was just okay. And then at the end, like, after the credits, there's a post credit seed with that couple from the conjuring. I forgot the names. But the priest, a priest calls them, and he's like, Oh, well, how can we help you, priests? Anyways, and that was it? I'm sure there'll be a non 3. I don't know why, but I'm sure there'll be another one. Anyways, this movie was not for me.

I if I could go back, I would just wait for it to stream. But if you wanna watch a scary movie, this is not it. And that is my review. Thank you so much for watching, please subscribe to the channel. I am working towards growing the channel, and I would like to get a 1000 subscribers by the end of the year. So you could please if you could please help me out. My subscribing, that will be amazing. And hopefully my next week.

I'll have my computer back, and I'm able to edit more of my videos. I have I went traveling, so I'll be posting some travel content. And hopefully I don't have to buy a new computer. Until my computer is back, I'm gonna try to do my reviews like this. But I feel like I should have my computer by next week, and it's raining here in New York City, so I'm gonna go watch another movie. Anyways, Thank you so much for watching. I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the world. Until next time.

Bye.

Netflix's Hidden Strike movie review - John Cena & Jackie Chan's Latest Action Film

In today's video, I am reviewing the action-packed world of Netflix's Hidden Strike, featuring John Cena and Jackie Chan. I discussed everything from the plot and character chemistry to the thrilling action sequences. Join me as we explore the highs and lows of Netflix's Hidden Strike and discover whether it's a hidden gem or a strikeout.

I wanted to share my review and give you some key takeaways from the movie.

🌟🎥 "Hidden Strike" follows the thrilling journey of two former special forces soldiers as they protect a group of civilians on the dangerous highway of death, aiming to reach the safety of the Green Zone.

Here are my key takeaways from the film:

1️⃣ Impressive Stunts: As a fan of Jackie Chan, I have to say that his dedication to his craft is awe-inspiring. At almost 70 years old, he pulls off jaw-dropping stunts and fights scenes like a pro. It's incredible to see him in such great shape and still delivering as an action star.

2️⃣ Concise Runtime: Unlike many action movies that can drag on, "Hidden Strike" keeps a tight runtime of around 1 hour and 40 minutes. This makes it a fast-paced and enjoyable watch, ensuring that the action never loses momentum.

3️⃣ Lackluster Chemistry: While I had high hopes for the pairing of Jackie Chan and John Cena, I felt that their chemistry fell short. The attempt at creating a buddy-action comedy dynamic seemed forced, and I couldn't help but wish for the return of the iconic duo from Rush Hour. Despite this, the film still delivers some decent action sequences.

Overall, while "Hidden Strike" didn't quite hit the mark for me, it's still worth checking out for Jackie Chan's incredible performance and the adrenaline-pumping action.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello everybody. Welcome to today's video. My name is Joani. If you are new here, welcome on this channel. I like to post movie reviews, travel content, New York City content, etc. So if you're into that sort of thing, please subscribe to the channel. It will help me out a lot. I've noticed that YouTube has been adding ads to my videos and I can promise you that I am not monetized and am not getting any of the AdSense.

So please help me out by subscribing so I could get the AdSense and not YouTube. On today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie hidden Strike with John Cena and Jackie Chan. Hidden Strike apparently came out on July 20 eigth, but this movie just showed up on my home screen on Netflix. I don't know if they were using a different artwork before, but I am just seeing it now. And being that I like Jackie Chan and John Cena, I like sometimes he was really good in peacemaker. So I decided to watch it and see if it was good or not. Hidden Strike is about two ex special forces soldiers played by Jackie Chan and John Cena who must escort a group of civilians along the highway of death to the safety of the Green Zone. This movie was trying to be a lot of things.

It felt reminiscent of Mad Max Fury Road, but like a downgraded version of it, it dragged at the beginning and I felt like they were trying to force this buddy action comedy between Jackie Chan and John Cena. But I'm sorry, I really didn't care for the pairing of the two. I didn't think they had chemistry at all, to be completely honest. I would much rather watch Rush Hour Four. I am not sure what's taking them so long. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan had the best chemistry. They were so funny together. So I'm not sure what's taking them so long, but I am looking forward to Rush Hour Four.

But this review is not about that. This is all about hitting Strike. So here are some facts about this movie that I found online. So this movie was originally a collaboration between Sylvester Stallone and Jackie Chan, but Sylvester Stallone canceled because I think he was doing Expandable Four, so they replaced him with John Cena. The movie was filmed in 2018 in location in China as the Middle East. The movie is supposed to be in the Middle East somewhere, but it was all on location in China. Before settling on the title Hidden Strike. The movie had several different other names, including X Baghda, Project X NAFU and Project Extraction.

The film was released theatrically in the United Arab Emirates and selected international markets on July 6 of 2023. And on the 20 eigth of July, it hit the United States and internationally on Netflix. And I'm just finding out about this movie this weekend, but apparently the film became the most viewed on netflix worldwide on its launch weekend, charting as the number one movie in the US. And 53 other countries without any promotion from the platform. So, what did I like about this movie? Like I said, I'm a big fan of Jackie Chan, so I like him. And this man is almost 70, and he's doing all these crazy stunts, fighting. He's like in the perfect shape, and he doesn't even look like he's about to be 70. So I like Jackie Chan.

I liked that the filmmakers had an idea for this film and they executed that idea. And I think the movie is like an hour and 40 minutes, which is not that bad. Usually all these action movies are like two, 3 hours. So I appreciated that it was an hour and 40 minutes. What didn't I like about this movie? Well, they were trying to do a lot. There were some scenes in this movie that I felt were not necessary for the plot. Like, there's this one scene between John Cena and Jackie Chan where they're just like singing and dancing for these kids that didn't move the movie forward in any way or didn't move the plot forward. So I don't know why that scene was in it.

I think it was just because they were trying to make John Cena and Jackie Chan a thing, but that thing wasn't happening. So there are some scenes that could have been removed from this whole movie and it wouldn't have any effect on the film or the plot. There were also some camera movements that were making me dizzy. Like, there's this one scene when there's this girl fighting this bad guy, and I know they were trying to showcase this fighting scene, but they just kept going in circles and he was going so fast. I was like, please slow down. I'm, like missing half the punches because this camera is going so fast. Anyways, overall, I thought this movie lacked excitement and jokes. The action was okay for what it was, but like I said, it was reminiscent of other movies that were better movies.

So, at the end, this movie was not for me. I rated this movie one and a half stars, but the movie is available on Netflix right now. So if you want to go watch it and form your own opinion and come back and tell me what you think, that's perfectly fine. And that is my review for Hidden Strike out right now on Netflix. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed this review. Please subscribe to the channel comment down below and tell me if you watch Hidden Strike. Do you like it? Did you hate the movie or recommend a movie for me to watch on Netflix next? I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the world.

Until next time, bye.

Bottoms Movie Review: A Hysterical Comedy Delight Filled with Endless Laughs!

Plot:

Two unpopular queer high school students start a fight club to have sex before graduation.

In today's review, I delved into the hilarious world of "Bottoms," a new film by Emma Seligman which just hit theaters. "Bottoms" stars Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri and written by Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennat, is a hilarious high school queer story that will keep you laughing throughout its 90-minute runtime. I really enjoyed the chemistry and friendship dynamic between the main characters, PJ and Josie. And, I would have loved to see more of the hilarious Marshawn Lynch, whose character provides plenty of comedic moments.

Overall, "Bottoms" is a must-watch if you're in the mood for a good laugh. Watch my overview of this queer high school story, filled with laughs and unexpected twists. From the talented cast to the vibrant script, I give my thoughts on what worked and what could have been enhanced.

Here are 3 key takeaways from watching “Bottoms”

🌟 Hysterical Script: "Bottoms" had me laughing throughout the entire 90 minutes. The witty and clever script kept the humor flowing, making it a joy to watch.

🌟 Stellar Cast: The chemistry between the actors was spot-on, particularly among the group of girls in the fight club. They brought distinct and funny characters to life, making their friendship dynamic a real highlight.

🌟 Nostalgic Vibes: If you're a fan of late '90s and early 2000s high school movies, you'll appreciate the nostalgic vibes in "Bottoms." It's a mix of current times and that classic teen movie era, creating a unique and entertaining experience.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello and welcome to today's video. My name is Joani. If you are new to my channel, welcome. On today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie Bottoms. If you're new to my channel, I do a lot of movie reviews, travel content, whenever I'm able to travel. So if you're into that sort of stuff, please subscribe to the channel. I've noticed that YouTube has been adding ad to some of my videos and can promise you that I am not monetized I am not getting any of the AdSense. So if you want to help me out, please subscribe to the channel.

I post videos every week. Videos like this, movie reviews, travel content, New York City content, et cetera. So on today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie Bottoms, which comes out today, August 25. If you have AMCs in your city or some movie theaters, they premiere them the night before. So I got to see it last night. Bottoms was directed by Emma Selingman, and it was written by Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennat. I'm gonna try my best not to spoil the movie since it came out today, but the plot of the film on IMDb says two unpopular queer high school students start a fight club to have sex before graduation. This is a queer story, a high school story.

It's rated R and it's really funny. Yesterday when I went to the movies, there was this one old lady there and I think she was trying to see another movie, but she didn't realize it until the movie started. And they were cursing up a storm. And she turned to me and she's like, am I in the wrong movie? And I told her, I was like, well, this is bottoms. Is this the movie you want to see? She was like, oh, no. Anyways, that was funny to me. Sorry. I think I touched.

I forgot I had sorry about the sirens. There's nothing I can do about them. Where was I? Oh, yes. So Bottoms is a high school queer story. It's really funny. I'm going to tell you what I liked, what I didn't like or didn't get, or what I wish had more of, and then my overall thought on the film. So this is probably going to be a short review. So what I really liked about the film I thought the movie was really funny.

The script was really strong. I was laughing throughout the 90 minutes. I also really liked the cast. I thought all the actors did a really good job. All the girls in the fight club had a lot of chemistry, and a lot of them were very distinct and funny. I really liked the friendship dynamic between PJ and Josie, who are the two main girls who start this fight club to have sex with other girls. They were really funny together. I really enjoyed their friendship dynamic.

I thought that was really good. I also really liked that it reminded me of the late 90s, early 2000s high school movies. I felt like it might have been set in the 90s, but it wasn't really clear. But it just reminded me of that era of high school teen movies that came out in the early two thousand s. I love what they did with the boys football team that they kind of turned into like the mean girls of the school. And they were worshipped by the whole school. And it was so funny that they just went to school in uniform every day and they treated them like royalty. And one of the quarterback, his right hand guy, was so protected over him and it was just so funny that they were the mean girls of the school.

I love that this movie is 90 minutes. If you've seen my reviews, you know that that is my ideal length for a film. So it was just perfectly packaged together in 90 minutes. Okay, what didn't I like about this film? It's not that I didn't like it. It's just like, I wish there was more of or I didn't get I wish there was more of Marshawn Lynch. I think he's such a funny guy just in general. I first heard of him when he did Clueless Gamer with Conan O'Brien. Conan O'Brien had this series on YouTube called Clueless Gamer, and he was in it where they play games, video games, and he was just such a funny person.

And he also had this thing he's a football player that it was all over the news that he would go to press conferences and he wouldn't answer anything. His thing was just like, hey, I'm just here so I don't get fined. I'm here so I won't get fined. I'm here so I won't get fined. So that was so funny. So I wish there was more of him because his character is really funny and the dynamic between him and the girls because he's decided to be the advisor for the group because he thought he was going to be an ally for feminism, and then he turns into something else. So I wish there was more of that because there's one scene which is actually on the trailer where he's, like, talking to them about how to go down on a girl, and one of the girls is like, I don't think you should be talking to us as a teacher like that. So I wish there was more of that.

I also wish that we had a little more background on the other girls in the fight club. Like Hazel, the character hazel played by Ruby Cruz. I thought she was really funny. And there's this other one that she wants to kill her stepdad and she's always screaming. I thought she was good. So I wish there was more background on them. There's one scene when they're all sitting around after they've been in the fat club for like a few days or a week and they try to get to know each other and they kind of give a few lines just to give more on their backgrounds. But I just felt like maybe we could see it instead of hearing about it.

I was kind of confused about what era this movie was set in. It's giving current era, but there's a lot of like there's one one of the football players, he's just listening to a walkman and no one has a walkman right now. But I don't know, I was kind of confused because a lot of and even the way they dress, it was like a mixture of now and the also the way that this principal is talking to these kids, I don't think that will fly right now. So I was just a little confused on what era this movie is set in. Overall, I thought this movie was really fun and witty. The script was really strong and was hysterical, and I enjoyed the cast. It had a really strong cast. So I will give this movie three stars.

And if you're looking for a good laugh this weekend, I recommend Bottoms, which is out right now. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed this review. If you did, please give it a thumbs up, make sure to subscribe and comment down below and share what movie you'll be watching this week. I post videos every week, so I hope you can come back next week for my next video. I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the world. Until next time. Bye.

DC's Blue Beetle Review: Dive into the Exciting World of Jaime Reyes - The First Latino Superhero

In today's review, I have an insightful review of the latest superhero movie from DC, "Blue Beetle." This action-packed film marks the debut of James Gunn's new DC universe and is directed by Angel Manuel Soto.

Let's dive into the plot of the movie without giving away any spoilers;

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

Here are some facts I found about Blue Beetle. Did you know that there have been three different Blue Beetles throughout comic history? The first Blue Beetle, Dan Garret, appeared in 1939 and is now in the public domain, available for anyone to use in their own stories. Additionally, "Blue Beetle" was originally planned for an HBO Max release but in 2021 was later changed to a theatrical release by DC. Which I think was the right decision.

While I enjoyed "Blue Beetle," there were a couple of aspects that left me wanting more. The process through which the scarab chooses its host is never fully explained, which left some unanswered questions. Additionally, the trailer may have given the impression that certain characters, like Jaime's grandmother, had a more significant role than they actually did. This led to some surprising character developments in the final act but I wished for a better foundation in the earlier parts of the film. I also had mixed feelings about Susan Sarandon's portrayal of the villain. While her character showed potential, I felt that the portrayal lacked the necessary oomph to truly stand out. Furthermore, her henchman, who gradually transformed into a blue beetle-like entity, felt reminiscent of other similar characters in the superhero genre.

Here are three key takeaways from my review:

🔹 Representation Matters: Blue Beetle marks a historic moment as the first Latino superhero in a major blockbuster film. It was refreshing to see a Latino family represented on the big screen, with nods to Latino culture and experiences. As someone from a Latino household, the callbacks and dynamics showcased in the film were relatable and made the viewing experience even more enjoyable.

🔹 Xolo Maridueña Shines: Xolo Maridueña's portrayal of Jaime Reyes, also known as Blue Beetle, was a standout performance. From the moment he discovers the alien scarab and becomes the superhero, Xolo brings a sense of thrill and authenticity to the role. His chemistry with the cast, particularly the family dynamics, added depth to the story and made it all the more engaging.

🔹 Suit Up! The Blue Beetle suit and its mechanics were visually captivating. The seamless integration between Jaime and the scarab technology showcased an impressive arsenal of abilities, making for some thrilling action sequences. The suit's transformative properties, allowing Jaime to conjure various weapons at will, added a level of excitement and unpredictability to his superhero persona.

Overall, "Blue Beetle" is an enjoyable superhero film that introduces a compelling new character to the DC universe. With its representation, engaging lead, and exciting action, it is worth a watch for superhero fans and moviegoers alike.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello, and welcome to today's video. My name is Giovanni. If you are new here, welcome. On today's video, I'll be reviewing the movie blue beetle, which is the latest superhero movie from DC. This is the first character from James Gunn's new DC universe. Blue Bureau was directed by Angel Manuel. So, though, this is his first, major superhero movie that he directs And the movie stars, Cobra Kai's, star Zolo Marinduenya as Jaime Regis. also known as blue beetle.

Alright. So the plot of the movie reads as follows, recent college grad, Jaime Regis, returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology, the scarab. When the scarab suddenly chooses hymet to be its symbiotic host, he is stowed with an imprintable suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers. Forever changing his destiny see as he becomes the superhero blue beetle. Alright. So here are some fets about blue beetle, just FYI, I am not a common book historian or, you know, comic book guru. this is stuff that I found online.

This is something that I'm I'll try to do more and just kinda give you some fets about the movie that I'm reviewing, some fun fets are behind the scenes stuff. Okay? So here's the stuff that I found about blue beetle. There's been 3 blue beetles throughout comic history, The first blue beetle appear in the Fox feature syndicated comic book series mystery men comics number 1 in 1939. as archaeologist, Dan Garrett. And then if you are a comic book writer and you wanna have maybe an appearance by Blue beetle, The original blue beetle, the Dan Garrett blue beetle from 1939 is now in the public domain and free to use tool for anyone who wants it. So DC better get it together and go get the rights back from the 1939 Blue Bureau. And the last fact Well, this movie is that Will Beetle was actually supposed to premiere on HBO Max, not in theaters, but in 2021, DC changed their minds, and they decided to release it to the world to see in theaters, which I thought was the best plan and a good idea on their part. Alright.

So, I'm not going to spoil the movie. Chancey just came out. I'm gonna tell you what I like, what I did on Mike and overall what I think. overall, I thought it was a fun film. it has some action. So what did I like about this movie? I liked that it was the 1st Latino superhero. You don't often see that. I was nice to see a Latino family represented on the big scream in a major blockbuster film.

The last time we saw a Latino hero was noir, and he was really an anti villain. no more was aesthetic, you know, from Mexico. I think he was aesthetic or Mayan. I think he was Mayan, actually. But, you know, he was an anti hero. He wasn't, like, a superhero. So it was nice to see Blue Viro being this Latino guy that just graduated college and trying to find himself and trying to find work and, just being a normal fine two year old until he becomes Filipino, obviously. And, you know, as a Latino, I grew up in a Latino high households.

So it was nice to see, a lot of callbacks that you will get if you grow up in Argentina households, like the TV, the shows that we watch, and Telenovelas. So I love the aspect of the film. I also like Zolo as blue beetle. I thought he did a really good job. I thought he was fun, the way he portrayed the character, when he became when he sorry. That was my neighbor. I don't know if you heard that, but my neighbor just slammed something in the background. anyway, so Zolo was really good at Boodle beetle, the way he portrayed him.

When when the scarab, when he found the scarab, and he, like, you seen his nephew in the trailer. And the carib just, like, jumped to his face. And the way he becomes a little bit, though, that was a really funny scene because the family's, like, watching him screaming and, Zolo, it's just, panicking and it's they he destroys the house, becoming blue beetle, but that was a really fun scene. And I, like, And I just thought he did a really good job as Blue beetle. I enjoy the family dynamics between Blue beetle and his family. I thought that was really well done. And I, wish there was more of that into an incorporated into the film. I also like the movie to suit and how it works and all the mechanics about it, how it kinda becomes, like, you kinda interwine.

Eventually, towards the 3rd act, you know, you kinda intertwine with this carib and you become 1, it was really cool to see, like, when he's fighting, he just he can just get any weapon that he wants, and he's like, his hands will transform into that weapon. So I like the mechanics of that suit and how it works and how it looked. So here are the things that I didn't like about the movie or that I was confused about. So in the film, they just say that the scarab chooses you. But it is never explained how he chooses someone or what are the qualifications or, like, what you need to be in order for this character to choose you. And it's never fully explain, like, how he chooses someone or why Zella was the chosen person? Like, we all know in Thor, you have to be worthy and my goodwill to be able to pick up Thor's hammer. you know, it is explained who are the people that are able to pick it up. It's just like Thor in Captain America because Captain America like, a goodwill individual.

And, you know, he's a hero, and he's he has a good heart, etcetera, etcetera. So that was, like, like, he was the only one of the avengers that picked up the hammer. But, anyway, It is to explain why people are able to pick up this hammer. This scarab, it is not explained why the scarab chooses who he has chosen. So I wish they will have delve into that a little more. I also didn't like that the trailer was kind of misleading. It makes you think that the family is a little more involved than what they actually are. Like, The grandma, for example.

The grandma, the first hour and a half of the film, she's just there. You know, she's like, drinking tea or watching TV or, like, making some clothes. She's not really she doesn't have a purpose in the first two apps. So in the in the set in the last act when they're, like, trying to find Jaime, she out of nowhere becomes this warrior grandma, this, like, killer grandma, that I wish they would have hinted tours. So when this happens, we're more decided to see her in action, then, like because if you were to remove her from the story, no one would even know because she didn't really have, like, anything exciting happening to her, or she didn't have, like, a conversation or some sort of monologue something where where it hinted that she was this badass. I think there was like one line right before she started shooting people that said she was part of some revolutionary thing. I don't know. But I wish that we have given her a little more to do at the beginning instead of just standing around being a grandma.

Because then the 3rd act, she turns into this badass, And I it's so it's surprising, but I wish we would have known a little more of her background. I also didn't like Susan Sarandon as the villain of this movie. I don't know. I just didn't feel like she was a villain enough. And her henchmen, she has a henchmen when that she turned into this, like, killer machine. He's like human, but he has some robotic parts. And the whole point that she's trying to turn him into like a blue beard of pretty much. eventually, he turns into a blue beetle.

I mean, not a blue beetle. Well, he was just blue beetles technology, this caraps technology. and he becomes this, like, killer machine and he just felt like a knock off Ironman. And even at the end, during the big scene between him and Lobedo, like, his suit is this red suit that was channeling Ironman, and I wish they would have picked a different color. I don't know if, like, there is a list of evil colors that superheroes can you use? But I don't know. We use I don't know. If he would have used purple, then I would have been like, well, channeling Thanos. So maybe a a a blackish brown, maybe brown.

You can use brown. I don't know. But with a red sued, it was giving Ironman And I just didn't like that. And I was really confused about the time frame or setting. Like, it's giving nineties. It looked like the nineties, The music was very nineties. the fonts that they used was really retro. It's there's a lot of retro aspects to the presentation of the film.

So, I it felt like the nineties. And, like, if you're Latino and, like I say, if you grew up in So you would know that, like, a lot of the references that they mentioned is stuff from the 90s. Like, they keep referencing this telenovela, Mariela Delvario, which came out in the nineties. And then they show the Grandma watching that the Anawala, which, unless I don't remember ever seeing a rerun of Venezuela. and, like, even there's a show called Sabahigante, the the, episode that they showed is set it's like a nineties episode. because I remember I don't remember the particular episode, but I remember how he looked back then as opposed to how he looks in the 2000. So those, you know, it was like a 90s presentation, but everyone were dressed. Like, it was the 2000s.

They had modern cars. So I was I was really confused about where is this movie set? Is it 19 in the nineties, or is it 2000? It wasn't clear. overall, although the movie has some flaws. I thought this was an entertaining, fun, origin story with some heart. And I'm glad that they released it in theaters and not on HBO Max. I gave this movie 2 stars. And if you're into Super Youth movies or you're fan of the DC universe. this is a fun one to watch.

And that is my review for a blue beetle, which is out right now. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoy this review. Please subscribe to the channel. I've noticed that YouTube has been adding ads to some of my videos. and I can promise you, I am not monetized. I am not getting any of that absence. So if you wanna help me out and make sure that I get the absence and not you too, Please subscribe to the channel and comment them below and share if you're watching Lovedo or what is your favorite superhero movie of all times.

I post videos every week, so I hope you can come back next week for my next video. I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are in the world. Until next time. Bye.

From Toxic Relationships to Epic Dog Adventure: A Review of the R-Rated Comedy “Strays”

Today, I am reviewing the R-rated comedy, "Strays," alongside my small furry assistant, Lucky. I had the opportunity to watch an advance screening of "Strays" last night, and I must say, it was an absolute delight!

🐾🎉 🐶"Strays" is the first live-action movie with talking animals to receive an R rating. The movie stars Will Ferrell as the voice of Reggie, and Jamie Foxx as the voice of Bug. This movie brings a fresh twist to the talking animals genre. I loved the movie's soundtrack, which enhanced some of the scenes and added a touch of humor. The blend of comedy and wholesomeness provided by the four hilarious pups will surely keep you entertained. Jamie Foxx's fantastic performance as a tough guy voicing a small dog is a real highlight too. With a mix of innocent and sweet characters, "Strays" delivers a refreshing take on complicated relationships, self-worth, and self-discovery. I thought “Strays” was incredibly funny, with non-stop laughter from the audience throughout. And I admit I did shed a few tears at the end. "Strays" is set to release on August 18th, nationwide.

Here are my 3 key takeaways from "Strays":

1️⃣ Hilarious Cast: The blend of talented actors like Will Ferrell, Isla Fisher, Dennis Quaid, Sophia Vergara, and Jamie Foxx really brought the characters to life. Jamie Foxx, in particular, stole the show with his tough guy persona juxtaposed with the small dog he voices.

2️⃣ Refreshingly Funny: "Strays" is packed with laugh-out-loud moments that had the entire audience chuckling throughout from beginning to end. The humor is cleverly crafted, relying on the contrast between the innocent charm of our furry friends and the adult language and humor used in the show.

3️⃣ Heartwarming Story: Amidst all the comedy, "Strays" delivers a poignant message about complicated relationships, self-discovery, and knowing your own worth. It's a feel-good film that will leave you with a smile on your face.

Overall, I give "Strays" a solid four-star rating, and added it to my list as one of my favorite movies of the year. It's a perfect choice if you're in the mood for an entertaining laugh this weekend.

And, my dog, Lucky, absolutely loved the ball and scarf he got from the advance screening!

Thank you “Strays” movie!

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello, everybody. Welcome to today's video. My name is Joanne, and today I'll be reviewing the movie Strays with Will Ferrell jamie Foxx randall Park I just got back from an advanced screening. The movie comes out this weekend on the 18th. And I got some toys. I got toys that I got for my dog. He got this little bandana, too, right? Look, him, he loves. So.

Oh, my God. I went to this screening in Times Square and there was two screenings happening. One for Lucky, I'm doing this video, one for Blue Beetle, which comes out on Friday as well. And Straits, I'm actually going to go pay for Blue Beetle because I want to support them. This is the first Latina superhero, so I decided to go and pay for that ticket. But this one I'm signed up for some screening website and I got to see it in advance. And I have to say, I love this movie. It was so funny.

Let me just say, this screening was this lady that was running this screening. They were like so rude, just yelling at people. I had to sit in the second row when I got there. It was really annoying. I thought Will Ferrell was going to come out because there was all these seats reserved. But then he never came out. But it doesn't matter because the movie is so funny. I was laughing from beginning to end.

Like no lie. The first scene, everybody was dying laughing. So Strays was directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Dan Peralt. I hope I'm saying his name right. I'm sorry if I'm not. The movie has an all star cast. I already said. Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Randall Park.

Isla Fisher is in this? Dennis Quaid is in it. And he plays himself. Like a brief scene, which is funny. Sophia Vergara, and the list goes on. If you haven't seen the trailer, the sypnosis of the film reads as follow this is straight from Universal, which is the studio that's releasing this movie. I'm sorry about my dog. He's just really excited for his toy, so he won't stop doing what he's doing. When Reggie, played by Will Ferrell, a naive, relentless optimistic border terrier, is abandoned on the mean city streets by his low life owner, Doug, played by Will Forte, reggie is certain that his beloved owner will never leave him on purpose.

When Reggie falls in with a fast talking, full mouthed Boston terrier named Bug, played by Jamie Foxx, Astray, who loves his freedom and believes that owners are for suckers, reggie finally realizes he was in a toxic relationship and begins to see Doug for the heartless sleaze ball that he is determined to seek revenge. Reggie, Bug, and Bug's pals Maggie, played by Isla Fisher, a smart Australian shepherd who has been sidelined by her owner's new puppy. And Hunter, played by Randall Park, an anxious Grey Zane who's stressed out by his work as an emotional support animal. Together, they hatch a plan and embark on the epic adventure to help Reggie find his way home and make dog pay by biting off the appendage he loves the most, his penis. Although the movie might look cute, this is a rated art movie. Just FYI, if you're planning on bringing your kids, this movie is rated art. There's so much profanity in it and a lot of adult conversations and content. So be warned, if you're planning on bringing your kids, this movie is not for kids.

Here are some fun facts about Strays the movie. This is something I'm going to try to do more as I review movies. Just share some facts that I found online about behind the scenes and about the movie overall. So for strays the movie. This is what I found. This is the first live action movie with talking animals to receive an R rating. Unlike all the previous talking animal films, which were all rated G or PG or PG 13, this is Will Ferrell's first time voice acting in a live action film. He has done voice acting, but they have been animated films in Latin America.

The movie got the more raunchier name iho de Perra, which literally means son of bitches, Sweden and Germany. The film got renamed doggy style in English. And Reggie the lead terrier, the lead dog. He is played by a female named Sophie. Okay, so I don't know what happened to my camera. I was recording on my GoPro, and then the SD card got full and I deleted a bunch of stuff and I put it back in and then continues to say that it was full. So now I'm recording with my other camera because I had to do this whole setup. My whole tripod broke down.

That's why I was recording with my GoPro. Anyways, let's get back to the review. Okay, I'm not going to spoil the movie, but this is in the trailer, his owner, Will Forte, drops Reggie off in the city and he meets these three other dogs and they become pals. And it's pretty much the film is about their adventure, trying to go back to Will Forte so Reggie could have his revenge and bite off his penis off. I thought this movie was so funny. Like, from the beginning to end, everyone was laughing. I laughed literally every other scene. And then at the end, I cried.

It was a perfect Tuesday night film to watch. Okay, so what did I like about the movie? Let me look at my notes. I wrote some notes on my way home. I love the cast. The cast was fantastic. Their voice acting was pretty good. Don't sound like Nate. Oh, yeah.

There's a real innocence and a sweetness to Reggie. The four ducks together, they were like the perfect blend of comedy wholesomeness. It was really funny. They were really good together. Jamie Foxx was my favorite one out of the mean will Ferrell. I was going to say Will Smith. Will Ferrell did pretty good, but Jamie Foxx was my favorite because the contrast between this little dog and then Jamie Foxx cursing up a storm and just giving everyone attitude and just being this tough guy, it was so funny. Overall, just the contrast between all of them and hearing all this adult language and adult humor was just what made it even more funny.

Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm Astray and I'm having a time of my life. You'll learn how old are you? Is that I've been wasting my time with you guys. Listen, I'm Astray and I am going to start acting like one. I love the soundtrack to this movie. All the music that they used, it just went perfectly with the scenes. When they started playing a song and something was happening in the scene, it just fit perfectly, which added to the humor. I thought that was so good.

This movie is 93 minutes, which is the perfect length for me. If you've seen some of my reviews, you know that I hate a long movie for no apparent reason, like a three hour movie. Why are you 3 hours? Okay. But this movie was 90 minutes. The pace was perfect. It never dragged. I laughed through every other scene. I was laughing.

Will Ferrell was also really good as Reggie. He captured Reggie's innocence really good. I love my life. I love sunshine, I love butterflies. But more than anything, I love Doug, that dog that played Reggie. Sophie. She needs an Oscar. The other Will in this movie, Will Forte, was also really good as the villain Reggie's owner that dumped him everywhere and just forgot about him.

So the payoff at the end was really well deserved because he made us hate him throughout the whole movie. Overall, I thought this was a really funny script. I really have nothing bad to say. Like, I laugh, I cry, and I wanted a little more. I thought the script was perfect, funny, wholesome. It made me cry at the end. I thought this movie was sweet. It was a perfect combination of, like, wholesomeness and adult humor.

I thought it was a great story about complicated relationships, knowing your worth and finding yourself and having friends who will stand by you through thick and thin. So I'm going to give this movie four stars. I'm also going to add this movie to one of my favorite movies of the year because it was that good. So if you're looking to laugh this weekend, strays is the movie for you. And that is my review for Strays the Movie, which comes out this Friday on the 18th. Thank you so much for watching. Please subscribe to the channel. I've noticed that YouTube has been adding ads to some of my videos, and I can promise you that I am not monetized I am not getting any of the AdSense.

So if you want to help me out and make sure that I'm getting the AdSense and not them, please subscribe to the channel. I'm trying to get to a thousand subscribers by the end of the year, so please help me out. And again, thank you so much for watching. Comment down below and tell me if you're watching Strace or are you watching Blue Beetle? I'll have a Blue Beetle review on Friday. I'm going to go watch it on Thursday night, I think. So until my next review, I hope you have a great day or night, wherever you are in the world. Until next time. Bye.

Say bye. Bye. Bye. Say bye.

Meg 2: Dive Deep into THE TRENCH - A Recap and Review with Spoilers

In today's review, I dive deep into the exciting and heart-pounding world of "Meg 2: THE TRENCH." Beware, spoilers ahead! I'll recap and review the movie that had some people on the edge of their seats. Join me as I share my thoughts on the film, from the lack of shark action in the first hour to the exhilarating scenes towards the end. Join me as I explore the confusing plot lines, question the believability of high-tech suits, and discuss the chemistry between the talented cast.

I was looking forward to watching Meg 2 but after leaving the theater "Meg 2" didn't quite live up to the excitement of the first installment, it still had its moments. The first hour or so were a bit slow and lacking in shark action, leaving me wanting more Meg. However, things picked up towards the end with some fun and thrilling scenes. I loved the emergence of not one, not two, but THREE megs on Fun Island. Fun Island was my favorite part of this film, who can forget the bravery of that little Yorkie who was ready to go paw to fin with the Meg. Plus, that surprising octopus appearance from the trench which I wished made an appearance earlier in the film. These moments injected the movie with some much-needed excitement.

I do think they could’ve flushed out some of the characters a bit more particularly with the introduction of mysterious people mining in the trench. Additionally, I couldn't help but question the believability of the high-tech suits featured in the movie. Overall, "Meg 2: THE TRENCH" offers a mix of thrilling shark action and intriguing storyline, with some shortcomings. I think this is one of those movies that you could wait to watch on a streaming site.

The Scariest Movie of the Year: A Recap and Review of A 24's Talk To Me

This weekend I watched what has to be the scariest movie of the year, A 24's "Talk To Me." I'll be delving into the thrilling and spine-chilling film that has everyone talking.

"Talk to Me," premiered at Sundance this year and was quickly acquired by A 24, a company known for producing exceptional films. Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou twin brothers from Australia. "Talk to Me" stands out for its fresh take on summoning spirits and the addictive thrill that ensues. It explores the consequences of tampering with the spirit world and the fine line between fascination and danger.

The movie is a testament to the power of original storytelling, and I, personally wish Hollywood would embrace more unique narratives like "Talk to Me." In today’s video 'll discuss the captivating performances, particularly by Sophie Wilde, who brings Mia, our haunted protagonist, to life. I’ll explore the plot twists, the party scenes that blur the line between exhilaration and danger, and the consequences of not closing the door within 90 seconds.

If you're a fan of horror films that make your heart race and send shivers down your spine, "Talk to Me" is a must-watch. It offers a fresh and terrifying experience, delivering scares while delving into complex emotions and exploring the consequences of our actions. Join me as I share some details and uncover the underlying themes that make "Talk to Me" one of the standout horror movies of the year.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello and welcome to today's video. My name is Johanny. If you are new here, welcome on today's video. I'll be reviewing the movie Talk to Me, which came out today. Well, last night I watched it last night. Talk to Me has been advertised as the scariest movie of the year. I wouldn't say it's the scariest, but it was pretty good. And I really enjoyed it.

Actually had to sleep with my light on. It wasn't my light on my apartment light, but I had to have a little light on. So the movie was directed by Danny Philippe and Michael Philippe. I'm sorry if I'm saying your name, your last name wrong. I'm guessing they're brothers. So Talk to Me is a story that has been told before, but this is a different take on it. It's about the spirit world and allowing the spirit world to come to our world. And I really enjoy and like the way they approach this story.

So the description on IMDb says when a group of friends discovers how to conjure spirits using an embalm hand, they become hooked on the new thrill until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. Yeah, the movie premiere at Sundance this year, and I think it was this year. And it was acquired by 824. And, you know, if 1824 buys or makes a movie, you know, it's going to be good. I'm going to try my best not to spoil this movie. I'm going to make this quick because it's like over 90 degrees here in New York City and my apartment is super hot. I turned the AC off just so I could film this. But I'm already sweating, so I'm going to make it quick.

Anyway. So Talk to Me follows a group of kids. They're like teenagers, and they're having this party. Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm about to spoil some of this movie. I don't know how to talk about a movie without spoiling it. So I'm going to try my best. But I don't make any promises.

So Talk to Me follows Mia, who recently lost her mother, which is something that I liked how the movie kind of used grief to drive this story because Mia, her mom passed away. She recently lost her mom. So she's going through grief. And her dad we don't really see her dad as much. It's mostly about Mia, her best friend and her best friend's little brother. And they're like a little family together. So they find this party. One of her high school friends and this other guy, they're having parties where they're conjuring spirits using this hand.

When you touch it, you say, talk to well, you grab the hand, you say, talk to me. And then a dead person is going to appear in front of you. And then you're going to say, I'll let you in. I let you in. And that person takes over and starts talking and doing whatever. So the thing is, you have 90 seconds. You have to turn a light like a candle on to open the world, to open the door, to open a doorway between the spirit world and the human world. And then you say the words, and then you have 90 seconds.

If it goes over 90 seconds, it's going to be a mess, and they're going to stay here, and it's going to be hard to get rid of them. So you have 90 seconds to close the door. So they start doing this, and they start having these parties and having fun. And it was a different take on, like, because there's this one scene when they're all going, taking turns conjuring these spirits and being possessed. And the way it looks is like, this is like this crazy drug that they're using that is so amazing to them. But it's not drugs. It's like being possessed by some spirit. So at one of the parties, mia's best friend's little brother is 14, and he wants to do it.

But Mia's best friend is like, no, you're too young. You're not going to do it. Yada, yada, yada. So she steps out of the room. She goes, I don't know where she went, but Mia, because she's like, she really cares for the little brother that's like her little brother. Oh, my God, I'm sweating. Okay, let me hurry up. Okay, I'm sweating bullets here.

But Mia tells the little boy, the 14 year old, all right, we can do it for 50 seconds so you can get, like, a little hit. So they agree to do it. They tie him up. But then the person that takes over that little boy's body is Mia's mom. And Mia's like, when the 50 seconds are up, mia's like, no, just give me a few more seconds. It's my mom. I want to talk to her. But then he goes over 90 seconds, and something else comes through and takes over.

And then the boy is, like, hit, destroying himself, like hitting himself against the wall, like his head slamming his head. And they have to bring the boy to the hospital. But now Mia's seeing all these spirits everywhere, and she keeps seeing her mom, the 14 year old, the little brother, he's in the hospital, pretty much in a coma. And the mom keeps showing up. Mia keeps seeing the mom, and the mom's like, the only way to save him is to pull the Bloke and his mystery. So Mia takes him, like, she sneaks him out in a wheelchair into the highway to end it for him. But then she actually is the one that throws herself into traffic. And at the end, which I really liked, she is no longer alive, and she becomes one of the spirits.

So the final scene is like Mia. She's in a dark room. She sees, like a little light, a candle, and she goes over, and there's a hand waiting for her to touch. And she grabs it and she appears in front of a different group of kids in another country. And now she's one of the spirits. And then it ends like that, which I really liked. I really like the way that they used her grief to kind of drive this story. And the only reason why she opened the world to open the spirit world and allowed the spirit to be there for longer than 90 seconds is because she was going through so much grief and not accepting her mom's death and kind of wanting to understand what happened to her.

Because her mom, they say that she took more sleeping pills than what she was supposed to. But then her dad tells her that she unalive herself, but Mia didn't want to accept. And her mom, after the spirit world is open and her mom keeps she keeps seeing her mom, her mom's like, no, he's lying. Don't believe him. To a point. Like, Mia sees her dad as a spirit. He's attacking her, but it's really like some other spirits. And she grabs a scissor and stab him, thinking it's like a ghost.

But it was really her dad because he opened the door and she's like shaking on the ground. And then she stabbed the dad because of these spirits, this crazy whatever spirit is like in her head. I thought the actors were really good. The girl that played Mia, what's her name? Sophie Wilde. I thought she was really good because there's a point she's possessed by some two different spirits and it was like a completely different character. So I thought she did a good job being possessed, but just overall processing her grief and showing that through her emotions. And this is a spirit world story that has been told a million times that's like the conjuring. It's a whole franchise based on the spirit world.

And I felt like Talk to Me was way better than the conjuring universe, to be quite honest. And I'm a fan of the conjuring universe, but Talk to Me I thought was way better. I feel like this is one of my favorite movies of the year. Horror movies. I've seen a lot of horror movies this year, and I'm going to say this is one of my favorite. I personally, when it's like a spirit thing, I always get freaked out and nervous, which is why I had to sleep with the light on. But I thought this movie was really well done, so I really enjoyed it. And overall, I give this movie three and a half stars.

I'm also going to add this movie to my favorite movies of the year because I've seen a bunch of horror movies this year. And this is by far the best one. So the movie was written by Danny Filippou, who's one of the directors, and Bill Henceman. So kudos to them. This is a really great, original horror film. I like originality. I wish Hollywood would be more open to original stories instead of remaking them or doing sequels because some of the best movies this year have been original stories like Megan Barbie Talk to Me. I mean, Barbie is based on an IP, but it was still an original script.

But this is not about Barbie. This is about. Talk to me in horror films. So I highly recommend talk to me. If you're into horror movies. This is a really good one to watch. I was scared, but I do feel like the way that it ended, it's like open for a sequel. I feel like this is a good just one off because it's going to be unless they come up with a different concept, I don't know.

But it's pretty much going to be the same, like the same story in a different country. The way that it ended. But I feel like this is just a good one off. Anyways. I said too much. What time is it? I'm already 60 minutes in, but overall, I give this movie three and a half stars. It's a great movie to watch if you're into horror movies, supernatural type of films, this is a great one to watch. So great job, 824, in catching this film at Sundance because it was well worth it.

And that is my review for Talk to Me out right now. I highly recommend it. So if you're planning on seeing it or if you saw it already, please share your thoughts. If you had to sleep with the lights on like I did, if you liked it or if you didn't, comment down below and let me know. Make sure to subscribe. It will help me out a lot. Thank you so much for watching. I post videos every week.

I have a podcast where I talk to people who are making film and TV in New York City and all around the world. I post the podcast on Wednesdays, so I hope you can catch that this coming week and have a great day or night. Wherever you are in the world, stay cool. Bye. It's.

Barbie Makes History at The Box Office

This weekend, Barbie stomped her little high heels all over the competition by taking over the box office and making history. The Greta Gerwig-directed film opened in theaters Friday, July 21, and accomplished to have the biggest domestic opening of 2023 so far with an astounding $162 million domestic and a worldwide total of $362 million! Barbie stars several A-list actors including, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, and Simu Liu.

Aside from having the biggest opening of 2023, Barbie became the biggest opening for a female director ever, the biggest opening for a movie based on a toy, the biggest opening ever for Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and the biggest opening weekend for a movie that isn’t a sequel, remake, or superhero movie. I hope that with these numbers, Hollywood is more receptive to original stories and give a bigger budget to more female directors. You can check out my full review of Barbie below.

Tom Cruise Saves the Theaters Once Again!

Tom Cruise is single-handedly saving the movies once again! First, the sequel to Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick generated 1.49 billion at the box office making it one of the biggest post-pandemic openings and the biggest worldwide grosser for Paramount Pictures. And now, with Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One the seventh installment to the Mission Impossible franchise which opened at number 1 during its opening weekend. Tom is back doing his crazy stunts, which he does himself at 61 years young! You can watch my full review below.

Joy Ride is a Joy to Theater Goers

This weekend I watched Joy Ride a comedy about four friends who travel through China in search of one of their birth mothers through their journey we see them bond and discover the truth of what it means to know and love who you are. The film was directed by Adele Lim who wrote the film “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Raya and The Last Dragon.”

You can watch my full review below.