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Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure, Drama
Rambo's Last Hurrah, Decent Action Flick
Rambo: Last Blood is a 2019 action movie directed by Adrian Grunberg, with screenplay written by both Sylvester Stallone and Matthew Cirulnick and story by Stallone and Dan Gordon. It was produced by Millennium Media, Balboa Productions and Templeton Media and distributed by Lionsgate with producers Avi Lerner, Kevin King Templeton, Yariv Lerner and Les Weldon. The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, and Adriana Barraza.


In Bowie, Arizona on his father's horse ranch John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) lives with his old friend Maria (Adriana Barraza) and her granddaughter Gabriela (Yvette Monreal), eleven years after the events in Burma. Against Rambo and Maria's wishes, Gabriela ventures to Mexico to find her estranged father when her friend Gizelle finds his location. In Mexico she is drugged and kidnapped by a Mexican Cartel and now Rambo must do everything he can to save her.


I have to say that before I saw this movie I was hearing bad things from reviewers and critics. That made me lower expectations before I saw it but what I took away from it was that it was going to be lacking story wise but definitely shouldn't be lacking in action. Then I was very surprised to learn that the creator of Rambo said that the movie wasn't good. Now I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy the movie. After watching it, I have to say that this movie was good. I have to be honest and say that usually I'm a sucker for revenge movies but this movie was better than what I thought it would be. The plot, of course was very simple but for the story it was trying to tell, it didn't need to be complicated. The acting was alright, some actors could have done a better job. Stallone did a decent job reprising John Rambo. The setting when they travel to Mexico was pretty realistic and I really liked his ranch in Arizona that was the backdrop for the third act of the movie. The action was really brutal and gory which was expected as the last installment in the franchise Rambo was also equally brutal. All in all I thought this movie was pretty good, I give it a 7/10.
  
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
2019 | Action, Drama, Thriller
Not The Best In The Series But A Good Farewell
Angel Has Fallen is a 2019 action/thriller movie directed by Ric Roman Waugh with screenplay written by Waugh, Robert Mark Kamen and Matt Cook from story by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt. Producers on the film included Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Matt O'Toole, John Thompson, Les Weldon, and Yariv Lerner. It was produced by Millennium Media, G-Base and distributed by Lionsgate. The film stars Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Piper Perabo, and Lance Reddick.


Undergoing training at a private military facility, Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) finds himself hiding the fact that he's suffering from migraines, insomnia and self-medicating to deal with severe back pain. He is nominated by the President Alan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), for the position of Secret Service Director to replace retiring Director David Gentry (Lance Reddick). An assassination attempt occurs during the President's fishing trip and his security detail is killed by armed drones, leaving only himself and Banning the sole survivors. Banning is arrested by FBI Agent Helen Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) after finding substantial evidence that Banning is responsible for the attack. After escaping from his captors Banning must evade his own agency and the FBI to find the real threat to the President. To save the country from imminent danger he must turn to unlikely allies and uncover the truth to clear his name.

 

This movie was all over the place but it was good. I think i liked it better than the last one which was London Has Fallen, but not as much as the original movie Olympus Has Fallen. It was refreshing to see Gerard Butler's character Mike Banning humanized a bit in this film. The plot was a little predictable but I enjoyed the whole man on the run while trying to still do his job angle to it. Like I said the movie was kind of all over the place and didn't have the action scenes as tight as in the other films especially in the middle of the movie but it didn't matter too much overall. Fairly entertaining, it was a good movie to end the summer action movies off with. I give it a 7/10.
  
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
Spider-Man Knocks It Out Of The Park In This Summer Vacation Superhero Hybrid
Spider-Man Far From Home is a 2019 superhero movie directed by Jon Watts and written by Chris Mckenna and Erik Sommers. It was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. The movie stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Samuel Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, and Jake Gyllenhaal.


The Midtown School of Science and Technology in New York City organizes a two-week summer field trip to Europe to accommodate the students who were resurrected by "the blip". Peter plans to avoid heroics and confess his feelings to "MJ" on this trip but is warned by Happy that Nick Fury is trying to get in contact with him. Distraught about the events in Endgame and the questions overwhelming him about Tony Stark, Peter decides to not answer when Fury calls him causing Fury to seek him out on his vacation.


This movie was phenomenal. It was really awesome and a perfect summer action blockbuster. Marvel did not drop the ball with this one and I'm so glad I saw it before anybody spoiled it for me because it had plenty of surprises. Especially the after credits scenes, the one after the movie finishes and the one at the very end after the credits. Jake Gyllenhaal was perfect as Mysterio and his acting was on point and Ned (Jacob Battalon) was awesome as Pete's best friend and wing-man in this movie too. The action was great and the effects were spectacular especially for Mysterio and his powers, they really did a amazing job. I really couldn't find much that I didn't like in this movie other than a couple ways the plot or story didn't unfold in a way that I liked; but that's probably me just being picky and a super fan from the comics and watching the cartoons. Also a part having to do with Peter taking a major injury and kind of just shrugging it off when he should have been hurt worse. Zendaya did a good job of portraying "MJ" and showing her come out of her shell a little more too which I though was also cool. I give this movie a 8/10 and I also give it my "Must See Seal of Approval" If you haven't seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for?
  
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Toy Story 4 (2019)
2019 | Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Funny, Heartwarming, And Beautifully Animated
Toy Story 4 is a 2019 CG/comedy movie directed by Josh Cooley and based on screenplay written by Andrew Stanton, and Stephany Folsom; along with John Lasseter, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, Valerie LaPointe, and Martin Hynes. It was produced by Picard Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Keanu Reeves.


Woody (Tom Hanks) and the other toys are happy in their new life after Andy donates his toys to Bonnie; but Woody worries Bonnie will feel overwhelmed at school when she starts kindergarten. Woody sneaks into her backpack and recovers her arts and crafts supplies when a classmate throws them away. She uses the supplies, including a spork Woody grabbed to create a handmade toy she names "Forky" (Tony Hale). And when Bonnie and her family go on a road trip, Forky jumps out of the window setting off a chain of events that will change the group forever.


This movie was funny, stunningly animated, and emotionally touching. They really were shooting to impress with the amount of detail they had in this movie, from the glossy porcelain shine of Bopeep, to the fur on the cat, to all the other toys little details. I liked how the action was very character driven and how the storytelling was really well done. The character growth/arc for Bopeep was one of my favorites and I really enjoyed the cast of new characters and how they were incorporated as well like, Keanu Reeves and Key and Peele. This was such a great movie and it got me choked up at the end of the movie and I couldn't find anything to really complain about but then I read an article that made me question how I felt about it and what I saw. I'll see if I can add the link to it at the end of my review. It ultimately made me drop my rating by a point, I almost gave this movie a 9, but I give it a 8/10. But I do give it my "Must See Seal Of Approval".


Here is the link to the article: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/theres-a-problem-with-toy-story-4-opinion/1100-6468073/
  
Tolkien (2019)
Tolkien (2019)
2019 | Biography, Drama
An Unexpectedly Dull Journey
Tolkien is a 2019 biographical/drama movie directed by Dome Karukoski and written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford. It's produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Chernin Entertainment and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, and Derek Jacobi.


As a young boy living in the countryside, J.R.R. Tolkien, learns multiple languages and how to read and write with his younger brother as they are taught by their mother. They are forced to move to the city so their mother can better provide for them when unfortunate events have them taken in by the Church and and stay at a boarding house. This is where, as a young student at King Edward's School, among a group of fellow outcasts, he finds friendship, love, and artistic inspiration. But his friends and their new brotherhood must endure the ups and downs of his position in society, his relationship with the love of his life Edith Bratt and later the outbreak of World War I.


I was really excited for this movie and having my hopes up and expectations might be the reason I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. For one I don't normally watch autobiographies but I have seen more that I liked in comparison to this film. I guess I thought they would show more about him coming up with the ideas for his books, which they showed very little of. Instead it was about the important events of his life which I guess is what biographies should do. For some reason though I felt like the storytelling dragged and it didn't do enough to keep you interested, very lackluster. I found that the story, acting, and dialogue were all well done but the movie suffered from the direction they went with and how they chose to show it. One thing I really liked was there were several instances where you could see what influenced him when he wrote the Lord of The Rings" books. It's an entertaining film with flair and ambition that teems with on the nose moments but is hindered by the usual biopic framework. I believe the quote from Rotten Tomatoes says it best, "Tolkien Has the period trappings and strong performances of a worthy biopic, but lacks the imagination required to truly do it's subject justice". I give it a 6/10.
  
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
2019 | Sci-Fi, Thriller
End of a Generation
Marvel's Avengers: Endgame is a 2019 superhero movie produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was directed by the Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe), written by Christopher Markus and Stephen Mcfeely and starred an All-star cast of actors. It is a sequel to Avengers: Infinity War and is the 22nd film in the MCU.


Three weeks after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, what's left of the Avengers are coping with their loss in their own ways. With so many gone, the world itself has changed and become a different place. Many struggle to move on or move forward, others try to keep busy continuing to fight crime/criminals. Thanos is gone and his location can't be found by any deep space satellite or advanced technology that Earth has. However in their darkest moment a glimmer of hope emerges when information outside of Earth comes into play with Thanos possible location. They form a plan and maybe just maybe, have a chance to get their hands on the Infinity stones and bring their friends back. But this time there will be even less of them to fight the all powerful Thanos.


This movie was epic. This film definitely lived up to all the hype. Already a phenomenal success financially, it made 1.2 billion opening weekend. This film was also a success in story telling being the finality of a story being told in over 20 films. It was very emotional with lots of action and pretty satisfying. Very somber in the beginning, especially with how the last installment in the franchise went. I really thought that i knew how the beginning of the film would play out but they really gave the audience some twists early on and throughout. And they also made sure it had plenty of "fan service", giving the fans a lot of what they wanted. Not a lot more that i can say without spoilers but I was really thrown for a loop with a couple of characters mainly Thor and Hulk. This movie gets my "Must See Seal of Approval" and I give it an 8.


I almost gave it a 9, but I felt Infinity War was better and certain Avengers acted out of character. Also a pretty confusing plot device that plays a very important role in how the movie unfolds.
  
An Amish Christmas Wedding: Four Stories
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/11/21/an-amish-christmas-celebrate-lit/">Travelers Wife 4 Life</a>
This was such a good collection of stories to get me in the Christmas spirit! I had the privilege of reading last Christmas’s book (<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/amish-christmas-bakery-celebration-lit/">An Amish Christmas Bakery</a>) by this collection of authors (Vanetta Chapman is new though) and truly fell in love with each author’s unique writing style. While not interconnected each story brings hope and warmth into my mind and I hope you will like them too!

<b>Evergreen Love</b> by Amy Clipston – I so enjoyed this story filled with mishaps, love, and second chances. Ryan and Lorene both show growth as characters and a sweet desire to learn from their previous experiences. They were fun to get to know and they showed a great look at forgiveness and the importance of communication!

<b>Holiday of Hope</b> by Kelly Irvin – This story was adorably sweet and heartfelt. I loved Henry’s journey, his special patience with his nephew (especially how he took it all in seamless stride not trying to force things), and his dedication to his first wife and subsequent openness to second chances. Leesa was also a very interesting character whom I rooted for from the beginning. I loved her courage, strength, and willingness to help others; even when it was outside her comfort zone. Overall, I loved the sweet romance in this book and enjoyed Kelly Irvin’s descriptions of deep snow Montana life.

<b>Wreathed in Joy</b> by Kathleen Fuller – I loved this friends to more gone awry story! Definitely one of my favorite sub-genres and Kathleen Fuller nails it. Mary and Jakob are sweet and the best of friends until a sad misunderstanding changes everything. But I enjoyed watching them banter and rekindle their friendship. It was full of sweet moments, memories, and the courage to try again. A great reminder to always give people second chances. Such a sweet story and I loved the ending.

<b>A Christmas Prayer </b> by Vannetta Chapman – Ever had the feeling that life is not going where you planned? Well, Rachel and Micah’s story is definitely one you will like. It was like ‘watching Rachel bloom’ as Micah so eloquently put it. I loved Micah’s caring nature, his use of Cloe (a Beautiful lab
  
Tone-Deaf (2019)
Tone-Deaf (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Horror, Thriller
As a proud owner of yet another subscription service, the first thing I did was scroll through every movie to create a watchlist. Killer Instinct popped up, and seeing Robert Patrick... *presses play*.

Olive's life has taken an unexpected turn and she decides that a trip out of the city is just what she needs. Peace and tranquillity awaits in the odd home she finds online, but the even odder owner and goings on aren't entirely what she'd hoped for.

I seem to be picking films recently that remind me of other films, and Killer Instinct (also known as Tone Deaf) reminds me heavily of The Intruder from 2019 starring Dennis Quaid... with the slight difference that The Intruder was kind of watchable.

For a film under 90 minutes it feels significantly longer with nothing much happening. The whole idea that Harvey (Robert Patrick) is hatching this plan is poorly set up and once underway I didn't fully understand what the motivation was behind his character. As well as Intruder vibes, I was getting heavy Home Alone vibes too... you'll see.

There felt like two distinct sides to the cast, "serious" and "comedy". But the serious weren't, and neither were the comedy. The way everything was laced together felt like a sloppy attempt to merge Happy Death Day with a serious thriller.

As a lead character, Olive (Amanda Crew), doesn't feel massively likeable, and there seemed like there wasn't really any way to bring that to life as she was. Unengaging characters are also something that's happening more to me in recent film choices, and here, as with others, I found myself getting pulled out of the events of the film because of it.

I had hoped that Robert Patrick would offer some respite, but Harvey is equally... blah. There's no real explanation about why he is the way he is and it's introduced in such a strange way that his motivations are almost entirely obscured by it.

Killer Instinct tries very hard to be relevant and be a commentary on generational divides, but it's done by breaking the fourth wall and talking to the camera in a way that wasn't at all palatable. Each time it happened I frowned and instantly felt disengaged from the film. Combine that with the oddly comedic mother storyline and you get a film with a constant identity crisis.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/killer-instinct-movie-review.html
  
In Disguise - Single by Ashe
In Disguise - Single by Ashe
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Ashe is a talented singer-songwriter based in California. Not too long ago, she released a lovely alternative-pop tune, entitled, “In Disguise”, released via Mom + Pop Music.

“I was living free like I wanted to, but they laughed at me. So, I came to you asking for a good time and a ticket out of my mind. You said people ‘round the world will try to bring you down. Told me don’t give in to the power, you got power yourself. Everybody’s got their reasons they can all go to hell if they like.” – lyrics

‘In Disguise’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who would rather be hated for who she is than waste it all giving a damn.

Apparently, she would rather dig her own grave than to listen to what people have to say about her.

Later, she admits that it’s beneficial to follow your own heart. Also, it’s important to find out who your friends are in disguise.

‘In Disguise’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and groovy instrumentation scented with an alternative-pop aroma.

“‘In Disguise’ is about having healthy boundaries with the people around you. I don’t want to make everyone feel suspicious about the people they love. I just know there have been several people in my life who were seemingly ‘there for me’ when they really just wanted to use me. It’s just another look at the human condition.” – Ashe

‘In Disguise’ marks the announcement of the sprawling Mom’s First Headline Tour presented by Live Nation’s Ones To Watch and features support from Charlie Burg.

Ones To Watch is Live Nation’s discovery platform for emerging artists of all genres. As avid supporters of Ashe’s music since day one, they are proud to present what is set to be the prolific talent’s breakout tour.

⇒ Buy Tickets to see Ashe perform ⇐
The trek will begin on September 10th in Washington, DC, and run through October 25th as she wraps up over a month of performances in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ashe has established an incredible track record which includes being Amazon’s 2019 Artists To Watch, performing on Last Call with Carson Daly, and co-writing Demi Lovato’s hit single, entitled, “You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore”.

Her music has amassed over 48M global streams online, repeated appearances on Spotify’s Global Viral 50, and nine HypeM #1 slots in a row.
  
Prom - Single by COTIS
Prom - Single by COTIS
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Ashe is a talented singer-songwriter based in California. Not too long ago, she released a lovely alternative-pop tune, entitled, “In Disguise”, released via Mom + Pop Music.

“I was living free like I wanted to, but they laughed at me. So, I came to you asking for a good time and a ticket out of my mind. You said people ‘round the world will try to bring you down. Told me don’t give in to the power, you got power yourself. Everybody’s got their reasons they can all go to hell if they like.” – lyrics

‘In Disguise’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who would rather be hated for who she is than waste it all giving a damn.

Apparently, she would rather dig her own grave than to listen to what people have to say about her.

Later, she admits that it’s beneficial to follow your own heart. Also, it’s important to find out who your friends are in disguise.

‘In Disguise’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and groovy instrumentation scented with an alternative-pop aroma.

“‘In Disguise’ is about having healthy boundaries with the people around you. I don’t want to make everyone feel suspicious about the people they love. I just know there have been several people in my life who were seemingly ‘there for me’ when they really just wanted to use me. It’s just another look at the human condition.” – Ashe

‘In Disguise’ marks the announcement of the sprawling Mom’s First Headline Tour presented by Live Nation’s Ones To Watch and features support from Charlie Burg.

Ones To Watch is Live Nation’s discovery platform for emerging artists of all genres. As avid supporters of Ashe’s music since day one, they are proud to present what is set to be the prolific talent’s breakout tour.

⇒ Buy Tickets to see Ashe perform ⇐
The trek will begin on September 10th in Washington, DC, and run through October 25th as she wraps up over a month of performances in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ashe has established an incredible track record which includes being Amazon’s 2019 Artists To Watch, performing on Last Call with Carson Daly, and co-writing Demi Lovato’s hit single, entitled, “You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore”.

Her music has amassed over 48M global streams online, repeated appearances on Spotify’s Global Viral 50, and nine HypeM #1 slots in a row.