This is a good movie about the science fiction genre, the scenes are very vivid and have really quality frames to send to viewers. I was very impressed with the screenplay and I'm about to watch the movie one more time.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/godzilla-x-kong-the-new-empire-review/
"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a “more” version of the previous installment. More Hollow Earth, more Titans, more gloriously giant fights filled with fantastic visual effects… and much more nonsense too.
Through an openly absurd narrative, Adam Wingard takes the charm and chemistry of his cast to help focus the film’s main spotlight on the titanic protagonists, Godzilla and Kong, delivering two hours of pure, unadulterated entertainment.
It won’t convert the most skeptical, but it will certainly solidify the unashamed passion of MonsterVerse fans."
Rating: B

#MovieReview #DunePart2 #DuneMovie
"Dune" is a franchise that demands prior knowledge of the backstory and characters from either the book series or previous adaptations to fully appreciate the intricate narrative. While the film is long and dialogue-heavy, it manages to deliver a compelling story despite the limited action sequences.
Timothée Chalamet shines in his role, though at times, his character may feel overshadowed by the ensemble cast. Florence Pugh's character, on the other hand, seems to lack a clear purpose, appearing intermittently throughout the film without a defined role.
Rebecca Ferguson delivers a standout performance as the mother figure, commanding attention whenever she appears on screen. The dynamic between Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista offers a humorous nod to their previous roles, adding an entertaining element to the movie.
Zendaya's character receives more screen time than in the previous installment, but her role remains secondary to the overarching plot. Austin Butler's portrayal, while intriguing, is hindered by sparse dialogue and an unusual vocal delivery reminiscent of an "evil Elvis."
As a middle installment in a trilogy, "Dune Part 2" serves as a foundation for character development and plot progression. While it may not be as action-packed as some viewers expect, it sets the stage for the anticipated climax in the final film of the series.
Overall, "Dune Part 2" is a worthwhile watch for those invested in the franchise, offering a rich and immersive cinematic experience. With the promise of a third installment on the horizon, the intricate world of "Dune" is poised to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the story.

This is one of the few movies I've seen where I don't sit down later and start picking it apart. I can't say it's flawless. But whatever flaws it has simply fade into oblivion.

This is the greatest Science Fiction film ever made. Followed by part one.

As a big sci-fi/fantasy fan, I generally look forward to seeing new releases in this genre. However, when the first part of this story was released in 2021, I was sorely disappointed by this tedious, overlong slog that, despite its stunning visuals and cinematography, never really engaged me. Though, for all my disappointment with the initial installment, it can’t begin to compare to my reaction to “Part Two” – an even more tedious, unengaging, overly complicated offering that had me bored by 20 minutes in. I found myself not caring a whit about the characters or their story (which could have used a scorecard to help viewers sort out everything), and even the supposedly superior visuals of this iteration failed to capture my attention or interest. I can only conclude that I must be missing something, given the generally positive reactions and accolades this film and its predecessor have received, but I’m mystified that I haven’t yet figured out what. By all rights, the elements would appear to be in place here to make this picture succeed – a stellar cast, great special effects and the skillful directing of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, who created such excellent works as “Arrival” (2016) and “Blade Runner 2049” (2017) – but “Part Two,” like its predecessor, just never grabbed me. To be honest, I’m truly surprised that I made it all the way through, considering the nearly constant temptation to want to fast-forward through the egregiously dull sequences (of there were many). From all this, I can only surmise that this film and the one that preceded it were created simply to milk as much box office money as possible out of the source material, despite the fact that the story isn’t captivating enough to live up to that challenge. Indeed, if you’re like me and found the first part boring, you’ll probably find this one even more tiresome and lackluster (I’m certainly glad that I waited for this one to come to streaming and didn’t waste my money on theater ticket prices). And now, as I understand it, another sequel, “Dune: Messiah,” is in pre-production to continue a story that has still yet to reach conclusion after more than five hours of screentime. Be aware that the “Dune” films are far from the quality of other lengthy trilogies like the “Lord of the Rings” and “Dark Knight” series, films that definitely hold viewer interest from start to finish. Instead, “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” are more like such mind-numbing stand-alone offerings as “Heaven’s Gate” (1980), “Ishtar” (1987) and “Tenet” (2020) than anything of a genuinely epic nature. Treat the hype for this one with a hefty grain of salt, and don’t say you weren’t warned.

First of all, it just got dark when paul called out chani's rival princess :))
Funny though! The blue thing that they called they called WATER OF LIFE is just so mysterious,,it literally controls them i suppose! I literally enjoyed that part when chani slapped paul after being consious :))) also paul is a whole bloodline bearer ig while the harkonnens are just gay :.> Also the war parts were amazing. waiting for next part!!!

I remember the first film, no not the first in this contemporary series but the first attempt to bring the books, to cinema.
In terms of contextual cohesiveness and pacing I feel it did a better job, than its latter day counterpart. I believe with this effort they are going for sweeping epic but somehow it comes across as inexplicably pedestrian.
Yes cinematography is remarkable, as are CGI effects but the pacing is slow and things happen that don't come together all that well or give the sense that they are contributing, meaningfully, to the overall story. Acting is competent but again, its not remarkable, which I think is in part down to a lack of depth, in characterisations.
I know this review probably wont be popular or reflective of the mainstream but I sense they are trying to do too much and as a consequence, achieving too little.
In summary, visually compelling but lacking in a certain intensity and depth. Feels contextually spare and at times redundant, if that makes sense. Still worth a look if you liked the books.

**Not bad**
Overall, a nice movie.
But it was not something extraordinary. The acting and direction were pretty average. There were a lot of editing mistakes. In some scenes, you feel like it was rushed. Some scenes feel like they are missing context. Some scenes are unnecessarily slow-paced.
There were a lot of stupid and logical fallacies. First, they show how dangerous those 'worms' are and run for life. Then they show you can actually 'tame' them like a cowboy, but with immense difficulty. Then you see the whole clan with tents, food, luggage, etc., riding them for traveling. I literally couldn't hold my laughter.
Well, in the end, I was entertained.
Rating: 7/10

I had to watch Dune part 1 because if I didn't, I would not have known what to expect in Dune part 2. The movie was incredible. To see it on the big screen really makes a difference. You need to see every angle possible. I understand why it needed to be that way. I loved the movie. I would watch Dune 1 and 2 over again. I didn't like the scene where Feyd-Rautha died. But it was necessry if they planned on doing a third installment for Dune. The casting for this film was picked brilliantly. It fit them like they were part of the era of Dune itself.

Saw it on the bigger screen, which was worth it. The worms were quite large. The movie has a great way of passing across the grand scale of the world in a way that michael bay can never understand how to do with his robots movies.
It did stretch on quite a bit, looking back not even sure where all the three hours went. Its just all shaping up for the big battle with a bit of political intrigue here and there. Also, still have no idea how they get off the worms or how they load up large groups of people onto the worms, like, can they stop the worms whenever they want and let people climb on, and then giddy up, but if thats the case why dont they have stabled worms ready to go.

Great but a little long. Sexier than LotR and no hair. Yell acting. Jabba bathes in black goo and kills women horribly. Walken is hilarious. Zendaya still an addict. Bridges is a bit self-serious. Amazing visuals. Really enjoyed...was glad and a bit bored by the end. Shorter Dunes please.

An absolutely mesmerizing masterpiece, breathtaking cinematography and a spellbinding soundtrack that elevate the viewing experience to unparalleled heights. It serves as a testament to the brilliance of the book series, standing as the pinnacle of sci-fi cinema history. Thanks, Villeneuve!

This is certainly a great looking film to see on a big screen with some really effective, almost industrially sounding, audio - but what happened to the story? It's wafer thin and really stretched out for 2¾ hours. We pick up with "Paul" (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) trying to convince the "Fremen" that they are worth the hassle. Fortunately, leader "Stilgar" (Javier Bardem) is convinced of the messianic state of the young refugee, whilst their own reverend mother is on her last legs which might give "Jessica" a chance to prove her own worth, and provide an opportunity to peddle some embellished mythology about her son's ascendant propheteering. All of this manoeuvring and politicking is having quite an impact on "Chani" (the under-used Zendaya) and on the relationship between her and the increasingly worshipped new Duke. Meantime, now fully reinvigorated and emerged from his bath of recuperative Guinness, the evil "Baron Harkonnen" (an almost Zeppelin-like Stellan Skarsgård) has recruited his lethal nephew "Feyd-Rautha" (Austin Butler) to get to grips with the rebellion on "Arrakis" that is bringing him into the gaze of an ill-satisfied emperor (Christopher Walken). Battle lines are drawn! Now whilst I did enjoy this, the rest of the film is a gloriously photographed but slowly paced hybrid of "Khartoum" (1966) and "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) with a bit of the "Phantom Menace" (1999) thrown in for good measure. The acting is adequate but the characterisations are all too routinely sacrificed at the altar of the stunning visuals and from about an hour to go, I was convinced this this was but part two of three (or maybe even more). Walken and Charlotte Rampling feature all too sparingly to make much difference, indeed even Zendaya's warrior-like tendencies seem to have been neutered rather and I though that Chalamet just tried far too hard to imbue his character with a strength that he was far more successful with first time round. That said, it does work well enough as a classy and well produced sci-fi adventure with plenty of action and mysticism but I needed more meat on it's bones. I still get distinctly squeamish when I watch what they do with the water, let alone where they get it from!!

As anticipated, a thrilling watch!
I enjoyed 'Dune', though remember thinking it was obviously a complete set-up to a sequel and that this would only improve upon its predecessor - and that's very much the case. 'Dune: Part Two' is excellent! My interest did wane slightly at roughly the middle part, as was similarly the case with the first film in truth, but that was a feeling that only lasted for a relativiely short time.
All in all, it's fantastic. The acting is top notch, the visuals are breathtaking (those sandworms tho) and the score is outstandingly hefty - you can always rely on the great Hans Zimmer! Timothée Chalamet stars yet again, as do the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Dave Bautista & Co. The person I actually enjoyed most on screen was Javier Bardem, who is truly brilliant throughout.
Bring on 'Dune Messiah'! On that note, happy to read that director Denis Villeneuve has noted that he won't be rushing that one out - and rightly so!

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/dune-part-two-review-the-new-generational-epitome-of-sci-fi-epics/
"Dune: Part Two surpasses even the highest expectations, establishing itself as an unquestionable technical masterpiece of blockbuster filmmaking.
With a narrative that deepens the complex web of political relationships, power, faith, love, and destiny, it not only provides a breathtaking audiovisual spectacle, thanks to the genius of Denis Villeneuve, Greig Fraser, and Hans Zimmer, but it also offers a profound meditation on universal human themes through thematically rich world-building and thoroughly developed characters. The superb performances of the entire cast, led by a career-best Timothée Chalamet and a mesmerizing Zendaya, further elevate this incredibly immersive cinematic experience.
It warrants comparisons with the greatest sequels in history, easily becoming the new generational epitome of sci-fi epics."
Rating: A+

This had great potential as a martial arts extravaganza, but it relies way too heavily on some very repetitive and not so special effects to get its story across. It’s all about “Guo Jing” (Zhan Xiao) who’s the adopted (Han) son of the great Mongol chief Genghis Khan (Bayaertu). He has been out on a mission when he encounters the young “Huang Rong” (Dafei Zhuang) and the two sort of fall for each other, then a serious misunderstanding drives them apart and he has a series of encounters with the menacing “Venom West” who is desperate to obtain a scroll that will give him powers to rule the Earth. Instead, though, it’s our young hero who - thanks to some expert help from another constantly hungry master, secures the benefits of those teachings. On returning home, he discovers that his father has decided it’s time to make war on the Jin and to do that he is going to march his formidable army through the territory of the “Song” - and the young man cannot allow this transgressions of his erstwhile homeland. Thanks to the Khan’s loved-up daughter he manages to escape and take refuge in the besieged Xiangyang - but can he hope to defeat the approaching army, reunite with his gal and, don’t forget, the malevolent “Venom West” is still seeking global domination. If you’re looking for eye candy then Zhan Xiao does just about enough here, but the rest of the casting is pretty unremarkable and the mythology is really all rather undercooked as we lumber on for two and a half hours to a denouement that’s great for the CGI-fetishists amongst us, but otherwise isn’t really anything much to write home about. The story darts about too much, threads are left unfinished or simply abandoned and by the end I felt I’d got very little to get my teeth into. Visual effects technology is only going to make these kind of epic historical films easier to make, so to stand out there is going to need to be more work on the characterisations and the plot! This has the odd moment of mirth, but for the most part it’s just a procedural waste of an opportunity. It’s my kind of film and I do like the genre, but as the arch-ninja “Yoda” himself might have said - “an handsome man and some deft use of the computer do not a compelling story make”.

With the eponymous killer having had some success in previous years despatching nauseatingly loved-up couples on Valentine’s Day in quite spectacular fashion, the city is nervously gearing up for this year’s event. It’s especially nerve-wracking for “Ally” (Olivia Holt) who has been involved in a marketing campaign at work that she just knows her boss is going to loathe! Add to this nervousness a rather Laurel and Hardy style of start to her day in the coffee shop with an handsome stranger and, well, “Ally” is ready for a bad day. Imagine her chagrin, then, when boss “Crystal” (Michaela Watkins) introduces the man she’s brought in to salvage things. Yep, it’s no less than “Jay” (Mason Gooding) with whom she had her earlier altercation. He’s smart, suave and she thinks he wants her job… Meantime, the media are in full panic mode after it discovers that the killer has found a delicious new use for a wine press! “Jay” thinks that a dinner might break the ice between the pair, but all that does it get them onto the radar of the dastardly assassin who promptly turns his attention on them. Despite their repeated protestations that they barely know each other, they appear to be doomed! I really quite enjoyed this, not least because it doesn’t try to take itself at all seriously and at times reminded me of an episode of “Scooby Do” morphed into “Halloween”. There’s a decent amount of sarcasm contained in the script, a soupçon of chemistry between the two leads and a denouement that just yells sequel at you in a not very scary voice! I don’t know if it is supposed to be a spoof, per se, but there are some scenes in a drive-in cinema that do suggest it’s tongue is in it’s cheek before she finds an ingenious new use for a recyclable drinks straw. It’s meant to be a bit of a fun poke at the ridiculously cheesy nature of Valentine’s Day and if you don’t guess who is doing what after half an hour, then go to the bottom of the class!

In Heart Eyes, the Heart Eyes Killer or HEK has been at large for two years. HEK generally targets couples in love but will kill anyone just because. As HEK shows up in a town that has the biggest boner in existence for the romantic holiday, Ally (Olivia Holt) realizes that her marketing career may be over.
Ally has created an entire ad campaign for jewelry revolving around romantic couples dying and the company she works for is scrambling to create something new last minute. They call in a freelancer named Jay (Mason Gooding) to brainstorm something that will save the campaign and the company.
Ally, who not so secretly hates her job, is obsessed with her ex-boyfriend who is constantly posting on social media about his new love interest. Ally is overwhelmingly bitter over the concept of love while Jay is the opposite and is a complete sucker for falling head over heels for a soulmate. Ally believes that Jay wants to take her job, but the two begin to show interest in one another which puts them right into the swinging distance of the machete slashing and crossbow slinging HEK.
From director Josh Ruben (Werewolves Within) and writers Phillip Murphy (Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard), Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day 2U), and Michael Kennedy (It’s a Wonderful Knife), Heart Eyes is probably the dumbest concept for a recent slasher film but cashes in on Valentine’s Day for the horror genre.
The slasher film begins with a couple attempting to have the perfect proposal. HEK brutalizes them with arrows and a compression chamber that squeezes until the victim inside is a gooey squish. Apart from the mask, HEK dons an all-leather outfit and the loudest black boots the world has ever heard. The camera also seems to hover around HEK’s crotch like it doesn’t want to show its face even though they’re always wearing a mask.
Heart Eyes is a romantic comedy caterpillar cocooned within a slasher film. The film feels like a romantic movie parody since it is consistently pointing out its ridiculousness. The humor comes off as extremely meta since the film feels like a mockery of someone watching the film rather than taking part in it.
After the Happy Death Day films, Freaky, It’s a Wonderful Knife, and even Amazon Prime’s Totally Killer, there’s this genre of slasher comedies that now all feel the same and Heart Eyes is in the same group. It’s partially because it’s the same people working on the majority of these films, but none of them capture the same goofy magic that Happy Death Day or Freaky did. The more these types of slashers are released the more it seems like Freaky was entertaining because of Vince Vaughn’s performance rather than the actual script of the film.
Heart Eyes is a horror film that knows it’s dumb and completely plays into it. After the film’s opening, the film spends the next thirty minutes diving in to Ally’s drama at work and her possible chemistry with Jay. There’s some great imagery in the film especially with the sequence on the carousel and the drive-in. But every kill and every promising endeavor results in this sequence of stupidity that mostly doesn’t work.
Ally and Jay take refuge in an unlocked van at the drive-in. They attempt to have a serious conversation while a stoned-out couple has loud sex in the back. The sex scene culminates with a kill sequence that Jason Voorhees would approve of. Then there’s a beheading in the film that is so wonderfully slimy, goopy, and dripping with exceptional practical effects.
It’s so odd because Heart Eyes feels like a hornier version of Friday the 13th without any gratuitous nudity, which is one of the elements that made horror films from the 80s so memorable. Apart from romantic couples being the main target of the killer in Heart Eyes, the main tagline is that everyone has a kink or a fetish. But nothing in Heart Eyes is that kinky or revealing apart from the kills, which are legitimately the only redeeming aspect of the film.
R-rated movies and mainstream horror in general have shifted away from graphic sex scenes and nudity in recent years, and there are several reasons for that. But it seems unusual to have a film take place on what is considered the most romantic holiday of the year for most and be R-rated and not even tease something sensual apart from loud dirty talk.
Heart Eyes is a clumsy horror film that is so dumb that it stumbles into accidental amusement from time to time. Some inventive kills are nearly ruined by a half-ass plot that points out how convoluted it is every chance it gets and a killer reveal that’s about as satisfying as waking up at the bottom of a greasy flesh pile at an orgy you didn’t consent to.

“Marv” (Ke Huy Quan) is a cheery real estate agent who’s just won an award for his sterling efforts when he receives an unwelcome visitor at his office. “The Raven” (Mustafa Shakir) is a poet, he loves his verse - but he’s also an useful man with his knives too, and after a few minutes we begin to suspect that this meek little estate agent has really got all the ninja skills of “John Wick”. It transpires that he used to be an enforcer for his sibling “Knuckles” (Daniel Wu) who has been mixed up with some Russians and is now worried that “Rose” (Ariana DeBose) has managed to wheedle some information from his missing accountant “Kippy” (Rhys Darby). Now she is supposed to have been killed already, but big brother is sceptical and because “Rose” and “Marv” have some past, it’s going to be down to him to find her before she finds him! The first ten minutes of this are quite good fun as it pokes some fun at the faux-sincerity of the “Glengarrry Glen Ross” brigade but thereafter it all just descends into a rather farcical affair with it’s lightly-comedic and repetitive fight scenes destroying some perfectly good fitted kitchens. Sean Astin features briefly, but to no real purpose as the cat and mouse game vacillates between the two teams and some family menace ensues. DeBose tries hard, for that matter so does Quan, but the story is the stuff of a very weak Jackie Chan affair that rumbles along predictably and without much charm. It’s short, which is a good thing, and it’s not un-watchable, but it’s not good either.

Sadly, Love Hurts is Ke Huy Quan’s first film as a leading man after winning an Academy Award for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Quan’s acting career was sparse for nearly 40 years, but trained in martial arts his entire life and worked with Corey Yuen (martial arts choreographer for The Man with the Iron Fists, director of The Transporter) as a fight coordinator on X-Men and a stunt choreographer on Jet Li’s The One.
Quan is the highlight of Love Hurts. He’s likable and conflicted as Marvin Gable. Quan has this relatable charisma to his performances and that’s no different here. He’s wise and compassionate in the film while willing to tutor whoever is willing to listen. His action sequences are impressive with the speed and innovation of a Jackie Chan fight and a kind of brutality you’d find in a modernized Shaw Brothers film.
Other decent aspects of the film are Marvin’s brother Alvin (Daniel Wu), better known as Knuckles, drinking boba tea whenever he’s on screen. You half expect him to bleed boba by the end of the film. There’s also a knife-wielding hitman (think Danny Trejo’s Navajas in Desperado) called Raven (Mustafa Shakir). Raven has the best fights in the film, but he writes poems whenever he isn’t killing.
While the action is mostly solid in Love Hurts, the first actual fight in the film is rough. Involving bumbling hitmen Otis (Andre Eriksen) and King (Marshawn Lynch), who bicker like an old married couple and argue over Otis’ wife wanting to leave him like a weird bromance you’d find in a goofy stoner comedy like Pineapple Express, you can noticeably see Ke Huy Quan’s stunt double in this fight while a noticeable dummy is used moments later. It doesn’t seem like one of those on-purpose moments for laughs either, but rather a poor editing job or was rushed due to time constraints. But at least the POV shots inside the microwave and fridge during this fight are fun.
The action comedy feels like someone cut out the middle portion of the Kill Bill films and presented it as one film. Love Hurts is about a guy who used to kill people for his brother, but eventually got out. He fell in love with the last target he was supposed to kill, staged her death, and got them both out. Then he started a new life as a realtor.
The film makes it a point to portray the fact that you can’t outrun your past, but that line alone makes Love Hurts feel so predictable. Rose (Ariana DeBose), is the woman Marvin fell in love with who has returned for revenge. But she forces Marvin back into life for selfish reasons and it seems like she doesn’t love him at all. She only uses him for his ability to kill. She treats him like dirt the entire film and ruins his life all because she doesn’t want to run and hide anymore—hardly the actions of someone who reciprocates admiration for another individual.
An accountant named Kippy (Rhys Darby) is captured by Rose to locate $4 million which was part of the cause of why Rose went into hiding. While Kippy is tied up, two of his teeth are ripped out when the duct tape over his mouth is removed. But the mouthpiece looks like it was the cheapest one they could find because it looks like the jagged and oversized hillbilly teeth you normally find in a plastic baggy at a Halloween costume store.
Love Hurts is watchable because of Ke Huy Quan and the film features some decent action. However, the humor is juvenile and total cringe and the story is total butts. The characters in this film don’t have arcs. They have U-turns and straight lines. This is unfunny mediocrity with fast-punching turbulence and that hurts almost as much as the title of this film.

'Love Hurts' is one I highly enjoyed, thanks to thoroughly entertaining action, a good cast and a nicely paced 83 minute run time. There are things that can be classed as issues, for example the internal monologues are iffy and it's perhaps a tad over sentimental in parts.
Those aforementioned things aren't a big deal for me though, like at all. I'd recommend this and would happily revisit it, I'd imagine the rewatchability is pretty high. The pure action is great to watch, there is some top stunt work on show. It's super satisfying to see unfold.
Ke Huy Quan brings a strong lead performance, as he is supported competently by Ariana DeBose - who has been extremely busy this last year or two, not that that's a negative as I do enjoy seeing her. Daniel Wu, Marshawn Lynch, André Eriksen and Sean Astin are decent too.
Mustafa Shakir is the best behind Quan/DeBose, probably the best character overall in terms of the look, body language etc. Also, is it just me (most likely) or does he look/sound like he'd be a perfect Scar from 'The Lion King' - I can't unsee it. If Disney ever go 'Cats'-esque *shudder*, he's their man.
It makes little sense and is too silly in certain moments, granted. However, I had the desired amount of fun with it.

With the all-conquering "Shang" dynasty looking as if it's about to die out, their ailing King commands his young general "Deng" (Nashi) to attack the fortified city of Xiqi and retrieve something that might just prevent their extinction. Meantime, the folks in that city are ruled by a young man "Ji Fa" (Yosh Yu) who is enthusiastic and honourable, but not exactly a tactician. Despite his best efforts, the encroaching army arrives at the walls of his city aided by four powerful giants, all equipped with magical talisman. It's during this battle that the lines are truly drawn with a few immortals coming to the aid of the city and with both "Ji" and "Deng" finding themselves facing a new scenario for which neither are prepared, and which tests their mettle and their loyalties as an angry denouement looms. This is my kind of film: mixing mystery and mythology with superb special effects and a solid story that, though maybe a little predictable towards the end, has all the ingredients of a stylish and engaging acton-adventure. There's imagination a-plenty gone into the production and the characterisations offer us a little more than just the usual linearly flat persona. The green flying ogre works hard for his living here, and the last twenty minutes are lively and colourfully delivered. Might their be a trilogy? It does need a cinema, a big screen makes all the the difference.

At times this is actually quite a fun spoof along the lines of "Sherlock Holmes" meets "Charlie Chan" by way of "High Noon" but for the most part it's a mess of a film that goes on for far too long. With the Manchu court facing the great powers we saw in "55 Days at Peking" (1963) the Empress Dowager dispatches her finest officer to San Francisco to track down a traitor. As it happens, the Holmesian "Fu" (Haoran Liu) is also in that very city on a quest for the killer of the daughter of senator "Grant" (John Cusack). Quite swiftly his investigation and the imperial mission start to overlap as the enthusiastic "Fu" and his newfound spiritual Indian guide "Gui" (Baoqiang Wang) discover that the prime suspect in the killing (Steven Zhang) is the son of local entrepreneur "Bai" (Chow Yun-Fat) and that the senator is using this to stir anti-Chinese sentiment to the point where he can force them out and seize their property. What now ensues delivers a series of rather randomly assembled escapades that mix murder mystery with western with romance and add a good dose of skullduggery to boot as they try to prove the young "Bai" was framed. Fu and Wang make for a decent enough double act at times, but the story loses it's way way too often and after a while the characterisations - especially "Bai" and "Grant" become light-weight and strained parodies. Fortunately, after about two hours, auteur Sicheng Chen must have felt he was running out of file space and so decided he'd better wrap things up - and for that last quarter of an hour the story knits together things we knew with things we didn't and presents us with a rather feeble denouement that did sort of suggest that there could be more adventures to come for the likeable "Gui" and "Fu". What is potent is the closing statement from the elder "Bai" about remembering the importance of immigrant labour in establishing a country that was all too quick to shun that working community later when it suited it, but it's made in a cack-handed and over-the-top fashion and drowned out by an overpowering score and thus loses much of an impact that might actually resonate in an USA that's still unsure how to recognise those who do/did the work but perhaps didn't all have the same/right skin colour or paperwork. It has it's moments, just nowhere near enough of them.

One of Them days is an extremely fun, lively buddy comedy that thrives on the undeniable chemistry between Keke Palmer and SZA. Their dynamic friendship feels so effortless and natural that it feels like watching real-life best friends navigate a hilariously chaotic day. Feature film debutant director Lawrence Lamont and screenwriter Syreeta Singleton keep things simple, allowing the leads to shine while weaving in themes of socio-economic struggles, gentrification, and the importance of friendship. The one-day storytelling structure maintains the pacing brisk and the comedic moments fresh, making for an entertaining ride from start to finish.
While it doesn't reinvent the genre, One of Them Days succeeds in delivering exactly what it sets out to - a feel-good, energetic experience packed with heart and humor. The stakes may be relatively low, but the infectious energy of the performances and the overall positive messages make it a joy to watch. It's the kind of movie that leaves you smiling, even if it doesn't linger in your mind for too long. Solid, enjoyable, and effortlessly charming, it’s a great pick for when you just want to have a good time.
Rating: B

A must-watch
Dog Man definitely has its shortcomings. The story is weak, and the humor is 80% cringe and 20% spot-on hilarity. But those 20% easily make up for the other 80% if you don't hold a grudge and get too annoyed.
Add to this the absolutely beautiful art direction. This world I wanna live in. It's my new favorite style. I could watch it all day long. The Coraline world was stunning, and The Nightmare Before Christmas' was beautiful if also scary and deliberately ugly. Dog Man's art is the best. Ever. We need a video game set in this world, like stat! And we need a Dog Man 2, with tighter writing and better jokes.
I was also a bit disappointed with Petey's voice actor. Dog Man was great, the chief was fantastic, Rickey Gervais as Flippy was perfect, but Big Pete? It should've been someone with more presence and villain quality, like Sylvester Stallone or something.
The movie was also very sweet and enormously kid-friendly. I think any kid anywhere will love watching this movie. I'll watch it again, for sure, perhaps with my niece 😊
Watch it!

Following a bit of surgery that might have made “Dr Jekyll” proud, a police officer and his dog have been combined into the one formidable crime-fighting force determined to bring to book the evil menace that is “Petey” the stripey cat and criminal mastermind. No matter how many times he is captured, he still manages to escape - much to the chagrin of the police chief and the mayor! His latest scheme involves cloning but what he gets is a disappointingly timid, perhaps even decent, smaller version of himself who just wants to be his son! Essentially, “Lil’ Petey” is abandoned, but luckily taken in by the kindly “Dog Man” and so after a dose of bonding, off we go on a slightly sentimental round of detective work whilst just about everyone falls in love with the tiny little kitten with an heart of gold. It’s actually quite good fun, this, with plenty going on for the adults as well as for the sprogs. A little bit of literary effort has gone into the script and the messages of family, loyalty, hope and of nobody being entirely irredeemable are presented obviously but not too cloyingly. The standard of the animation is engaging enough and it mixes sci-fi with some heartstring tugging quite amiably, too. You’ll almost certainly never remember it afterwards, and at ninety minutes it is too long, but it’s an easy, colourful and vibrant film to watch.

**30-Women Royal Rumble Match**
A genuinely good Rumble for a majority of the runtime, with plenty of stories weaved throughout that can play out on not only Raw and SmackDown, but NXT as well, that is until we got into the last 5 entrants. The final 4 was absolutely terrible. Charlotte Flair not only returning, but winning was just bad. It felt like booking that would've happened in a Vince McMahon era show. The Royal Rumble should be an opportunity for new stars to shine, not for old ones to hog the spotlight. This took the winds out of the sails for a highly anticipated show. Luckily the show recovered from this low.
★★★½
**2 out of 3 Falls Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships -#DIY vs Motor City Machine Guns**
A really entertaining match between these two, with both teams getting to showcase why they are so special in the ring. The interference laden finish in a Big 4 PPV match was kind of ridiculous, but it made sense in the context of the story being told. Hopefully, this leads to a triple threat match for the titles at WrestleMania.
★★★½
**Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship - Cody Rhodes vs Kevin Owens**
Them taking their time to start the match was kind of annoying, not only because of Charlotte winning beforehand, but the tons of commercials put in this PPV. But, it ended up being absolutely worth it. There are some insane spots in this match, made all the better because of Rhodes' and Owens' intensity. The ending shot of this match has me thinking that things are not over between these two.
★★★★½
**30-Man Royal Rumble Match**
Thanks to rumors before the show, I spent this entire match thinking John Cena was going to win (because Charlotte was also named as a winner), and thank God they were wrong. While my favorite didn't win, unfortunately, Jey Uso is definitely a good choice to win given they've been pushing the guy. This Rumble also had some great surprises, like TNA World Champion Joe Hendry making his Royal Rumble debut (wish he was in longer), and the return of AJ Styles. I wonder how the fallout between CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns is going to play out on Raw.
★★★★
**PPV Grade:**
**Match Quality: 77/100**
**Show Structure: 90/100**
**Atmosphere: 85/100**
**Story: 55/100**
**Production: 85/100**
**Overall: C+ (78/100)**
Hampered by the terrible booking decision in the first match, this was unfortunately the worst Rumble PPV of recent memory. This wasn't a complete waste of time, though, as the Men's Rumble and the WWE Championship Ladder match definitely hold this show up. The neat addition of the ticker tape at the bottom helps people keep up with Rumble stats, which I hope they keep in the future.

'The Damned' sets the tone well and holds solid cast performances, it's a perfectly good movie with a fitting run time of around 90 minutes. There are naturally issues with it, I do think the plot gets a little repetitive for example, but all in all I liked it enough.
Odessa Young isn't someone I was aware of a few hours ago, though this is a pleasant and noteworthy first experience of her acting capabilities. Siobhan Finneran, another I didn't previously know, is also a plus point. Joe Cole and Rory McCann, much more familiar to me, are good as well.

Written by David Koepp (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Mummy 2017) and directed by Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky, Side Effects), Presence has an intriguing concept that doesn’t completely work in its execution. Shot in three weeks almost entirely in one location with a $2 million budget, Presence is a creative powerhouse that lacks a lasting impression.
All of Presence is from the perspective of an entity in a suburban house. The supernatural thriller seemingly has no close-ups while the cinematography is different in a way that seems like it was shot with a slight fish-eye lens. A family, The Paynes – Rebekah (Lucy Liu), Chris (Chris Sullivan), Chloe (Callina Liang), and Tyler (Eddy Maday), moves into the empty house revealed at the beginning of the film.
The snafued relationship between The Paynes is palpable as soon as they’re introduced. Rebekah is committing financial fraud and her husband Chris is contemplating separation or divorce. Rebekah also prioritizes her older son Tyler and his athleticism in swimming over her younger daughter Chloe who she barely acknowledges. Meanwhile, Chris is concerned for Chloe since her best friend abruptly died and she still hasn’t gotten over it.
The idea of a horror or supernatural film from the perspective of the ghost or entity is insanely cool, but the issue here is that this presence isn’t given much to do besides witness people have sex and argue.
There are expected supernatural elements here like doors mysteriously opening or closing on their own, a stack of books floating in the air one by one and being stacked neatly on a nearby desk, and shelves and posters being ripped off the wall.
Before The Paynes arrive, the first scene of the film is supposed to be this entity wandering around an empty house. It’s fascinating at first but becomes dizzying and nauseating, which may represent the claustrophobic aspect of being trapped somewhere with no escape but still not entirely fun to watch.
Presence features the first truly nasty on-screen character of the year in Ryan (West Mulholland). Ryan is a popular classmate of Tyler and a drug dealer. He gets romantically involved with Chloe and tries to appear as nonchalant and supportive.
Cracks bubble up to the surface early on as he loses his temper often and his rambling typically sounds like a villain attempting to explain their evil plan in detail to a subdued victim.
The film's editing is bizarre since most sequences either feel like one-take or suddenly shift to black before the next scene. Presence is presented like a bunch of scenes randomly stitched together that just happen to make a semi-coherent story.
The acting in Presence is fine, but two of the four Payne family members are complete assholes while the other two are pushovers. So it’s difficult to be invested in any of their character developments truly.
The existence of the entity in the film is deeply connected to grief and trauma, which allows people who have almost died or experienced something truly traumatic to see or feel someone who has died.
A medium is brought into The Payne's home after everyone but Chris stops making fun of Chloe’s encounters with the entity. The medium does little for the film apart from solidifying that Chloe isn’t making it up and drawing attention to an item in their living room that will be a part of the last scene in the film.
There is a unique concept in Presence that hasn’t entirely been explored in the genre with captivatingly different cinematography and a talented cast to keep you intrigued. But there aren’t enough actual horror elements in Presence to be scary and the family drama is mostly uninteresting apart from this entity being a part of their lives.
Presence is a close-but-no-cigar thriller with unusual camera tricks and everyone staring off slightly to the left or right to drive its sense of mystery.