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Harlem Nights (1989)
Harlem Nights (1989)
1989 | Action, Comedy
9
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A Movie Packed With Entertainment
Harlem Nights getting a 21% on Rotten Tomatoes really leaves me scratching my head. Apparently I’m not the only one as the Audience Score is an overwhelming 80%. Critics (and I include myself in this) don’t always get it right and this is definitely one of those instances. The Story: Two black clubowners in 1930’s Harlem have to outsmart gangsters and corrupt police officers when they try to muscle in on their business.

Acting: 10
Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor are comedic legends and they work so well together in this movie. Murphy plays Quick, a flashy hot-head who carries scenes with sheer charm. Pryor’s role as Sugar Ray sees him take more of a fatherly approach. His voice of reason provides a sweet balance to all the chaos going on. Outside of these two, the supporting cast is filled with amazing performances from the likes of actors like Redd Foxx and Della Reese.

Beginning: 10
The first ten minutes are not only hilarious but get you quickly involved in the story. We get to see how Quick and Sugar Ray meet and the crazy circumstance that brought them together. Great setup that perfectly tees up the rest of the movie.

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 7

Conflict: 10

Entertainment Value: 7
While I can’t put it in the category of All-Time Great, it’s still damn good. It’s the kind of movie with serious replay value. It gives you something to cheer for and plenty of things to laugh about.

Memorability: 8
One of my favorite all-time scenes for film happens in this movie when Quick faces off against Della Reese’s character Vera in an alley. All hell breaks loose when a big toe gets shot. It’s moments like this that adds a magic to this movie you just can’t get anywhere else. It reminds me why I love movies.

Pace: 10

Plot: 7
The story has some holes and relies on a couple of shortcuts to get through, but nothing too damning to impact the overall solidity of the movie. For the most part it works. I appreciated its originality, specifically with putting black characters in such a prominent position during that time period. Nice touch.

Resolution: 7
Not a perfect wrapping of the story, but feels complete nonetheless. I was definitely satisfied. A little bit more closure and I probably would have scored higher.

Overall: 86
If I’m being honest, I think critics sometimes suffer with trying to fit in. Desperately seeking approval from their peers, they produce like reviews that are not a fair indication of a movie’s actual quality.Damn the critics, Harlem Nights is an awesome movie and, if you haven’t checked it out, give it a shot!
  
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Christopher Robin (2018)
Christopher Robin (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Endearing and Pleasant
Never was a big “Winnie the Pooh” guy growing up, but I was always familiar with the characters. Christopher Robin made me fall in love with these characters all the same. Now an adult, Christopher returns to the Hundred Acre Woods to reunite with old friends he left behind.

Acting: 10
Jim Cummings is stellar as both Pooh and Tigger. Although I don’t have a huge point of reference, I can say that it felt like he poured his heart into these characters, making them extremely lovable. His tone and inflection just have a way of making me smile. I also loved Brad Garrett voicing Eeyore. That choice is almost a given as his voice is perfect, but I loved how he took the role and made it his own. Amazing job by the cast all around.

Beginning: 9

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Reminiscent of what they did with the Snuggle bear, the characters are not quite animated, but an odd form of CGI. They don’t feel like fake creatures, rather they are a uniquely pleasant creation. Seeing them interact with Christopher Robin and the settings around them was a treat. I loved the way the Hundred Acre Woods are captured and the well-crafted closeups of the characters that evoke emotion. Especially powerful was the montage of Christopher Robin growing into a man at the beginning of the movie. It shows you just how far removed he is from his childhood.

Conflict: 7

Genre: 9
I appreciate it when a kids film can take their material and use it to appeal to adults. Christopher Robin straddles the line between adults and children extremely well and makes it an enjoyable experience for all. I smiled. I laughed. And maybe, just maybe, I got a little teary.

Memorability: 9
The movie hits you with a strong message about the necessity of growing up and the importance of holding on to yourself as you age. Watching it inspired me to remember how it felt to be fancy free without a care in the world and how good that felt. The movie does a great job of sprinkling the message in with the fun of the story.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Pooh and Christopher reunite for the first time. They are sitting on park benches facing away from each other. It’s an endearing moment that helps to get the adventure rolling.

Pace: 10

Plot: 10

Resolution: 10
If this ending doesn’t move you, you are not human. Kidding, but it’s the perfect sappy ending for a sappy movie. The kind of ending that makes you want to start the movie over from the beginning and watch it all over again.

Overall: 94
First Po, then Paddington, now Pooh. I don’t know what it is about these bears that put a smile on my face, but whatever it is, it works! Christopher Robin was definitely one of my favorite movies of 2018.
  
Mortal Kombat (2021)
Mortal Kombat (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The action, the blood, guts, and gore, special effects and CGI were awesome (2 more)
Some characters were done really well, like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, even Sonya Blade and Jax
Kano
The Story or plot (3 more)
The many changes to the Mortal Kombat lore and universe
The way they underutilized certain characters or didn't do them justice
Hollywood/director or whoever choosing to make-up a new character to be the main character for this movie who isn't even in the games or original movie.
https://youtu.be/8K-0TD-BO2s
I thought this movie was good. I kind of had high expectations going into it and I can say that in some ways it lived up to the hype and in other ways it didn't. This movie certainly isn't your "daddy's" Mortal Kombat and delivered the goods when it came to blood and gore but I have to say that it was a little more than disappointing when it came to the plot of the movie and how they re-arranged or changed up the storyline. I for one love the opening of the movie that you can see the first 7 minutes of right now everywhere on the internet. How it opens up with the history of the characters Sub-Zero and Scorpion was just awesome. I have to admit that I'm a big Mortal Kombat fan and especially of Scorpion, he's probably my favorite character. So to see the back story to his character done right was just great. I'm still mixed on how I feel about the new kid to the group Cole Young. I mean Lewis Tan did a pretty good job on playing the character in the movie and his action scenes were pretty great too, I guess I'm just not that big a fan of the director throwing in a character into the story that wasn't in any of the games. I also didn't like how they took "poetic license" so to speak with the whole storyline of the franchise and make some rather big changes to the whole Mortal Kombat universe. Like the origin of their powers or even the significance of the whole dragon markings that they have. I will go over in detail all the things that I liked and didn't like in the spoiler section. Although I have my qualms to pick with this film, it was quite enjoyable and I really liked watching it in theaters. That being said though, I think it's worth waiting to see this movie or watch it at home on HBOMax instead of paying more to see it in theaters. I'm at odds on whether to give it my "Must See Seal of Approval" and therefore I don't think that I can but if you are a fan of the old movies or video games then you definitely have to see this movie. I give Mortal Kombat 2021 a 6/10.
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I had a lot more to say about this movie I. The spoiler section review but it was way too long for Smashbomb so please check out my YouTube video review or check out my full review on my website at
https://cobracharliecr.wixsite.com/charliecobrareviews/post/mortal-kombat-review
  
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Awkwafina recommended Saving Face (2005) in Movies (curated)

 
Saving Face (2005)
Saving Face (2005)
2005 | Comedy, Drama, Romance
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I actually had the poster of Saving Face hanging in my room for a long time. It was the first Asian-American movie that I saw that really connected with me. I’ve seen some Asian-American indies, but that really kind of opened up my search for them. I didn’t even really know about the genre when I first saw it. It was written and directed by an Asian-American woman, Alice Wu, and it centers around, an Asian-American lesbian. It stars one of my favorite actresses ever – Lynn Chen – and Michelle Krusiec. This girl, she’s from Queens, and she takes the 7. It was the first time I’d ever seen a movie with an Asian American on a 7 train! I think that was the first time I really understood what representation was. But it hit closer to home because she was an Asian-American woman and because, you know, she is from Queens. And she went to Flushing all the time, and her mom [Joan Chen] was kind of this Flushing socialite who actually becomes pregnant. And she kind of has to go between both worlds of being the good Asian daughter and also coming to terms with her sexuality. It was one of those movies that I think explored a lot of layers about the Asian-American experience and the negotiation that come with it. And, so, I love that movie so much. I still have the poster somewhere."

Source
  
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Han & Chewie's first meeting (7 more)
Don Glover as Lando
Ehrenreich as Han
Suotamo as Chewbacca
Woody as Beckett
The Kessel Run
The "HOLY SH*T!" cameo
The train robbery scene
Movie is very dark. And I mean dark, like "Put on the lights!" dark (1 more)
Music not as good as other Star Wars movies
Almost perfect Star Wars movie
I think people didn't like The Last Jedi & so, they didn't even want to give this a chance. Well, they're missing out, because Solo was awesome! As you can tell from my positives, I thought the actors were perfect for their roles. We get all of Solo's back story here. The first meeting of Han & Chewbacca. The meeting of Han & Lando. The "introduction" of the Millennium Falcon. The infamous Kessel Run, as well as the spice mines. Now I know why C-3PO was scared to be sent there.

The action scenes in this film are some of the best I've seen in a Star Wars movie. somewhat Maybe my favorite was the train robbery scene. It was intense! And the Falcon really takes a pounding in this one.

Like all prequels, there is the problem where we know nothing is going to happen to the main characters, since we know they live long enough to have been in the later films. But somehow, it doesn't matter with this film. I still felt suspense as Chewbacca hung on for dear life. If I have one problem, it's that the movie was very dark & I found it hard to see what was going on in some scenes. The focus was somewhat soft too. Not sure if that was the theater's problem though. I will definitely have to buy this when it comes out on Blu-ray.

If you haven't seen it yet, give yourselves a treat and see it when you can. Very fun!
  
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
2018 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The music is back, the dinosaurs are back, the chaos is back!
Jurassic Park is one of my all time favorite movie series. There are so many iconic moments in the original movie and I love that this latest addition to the series makes some of those moments come alive for both long-time fans and a new generation of fans. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom brings fans all of the music and action they've fallen in love with over the years and mixes into that a whole new conundrum. With an active volcano threatening to wipe out all of the dinosaurs that have been abandoned on Isla Nublar, the world must decide if they want to step in and rescue the dinosaurs or let nature run its course.

Jeff Goldblum returns to the franchise as the famous mathematician, Dr. Ian Malcolm, and if you've seen any of the original movies you can probably guess where he stands on the matter. Chris Pratt and Dallas Bryce Howard also resume their former roles, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing respectively. The pair disagrees on what the outcome for the dinosaurs should be, but they team up nonetheless and their romantic tension provides a lot of comic relief throughout the movie.

Overall, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom does a wonderful job of blending the old with the new (in terms of themes, characters, etc). A number of well-placed twists keeps the audience in suspense. There are heart-wrenching moments that make you want to cry, celebratory moments that make you want to cheer, action-filled moments that make your heart rate skyrocket, and plain old funny moments that make you laugh. What more can you ask for in movie? Flock to a nearby theater, hold onto your butts, and watch it today!
  
TL
The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1)
Peter S. Beagle | 1968 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
7.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
harpy scene (2 more)
the characters
The timelessness and that it grows with you
harpy scene (0 more)
As a child l loved this movie. And I cannot write a review with out chiming in with the movie. Both the book and screenplay was written by Peter S. Beagle. So they are very similar the book expands most of the scenes. And the only thing that is omitted is basically chapter 10(?). I had watched the movie the first time when I was around 5 or 6 and first read the book while I was a college student 17 or 18 and loved it too. The book and movie is for all ages (although that harpy scene...) and it does and doesn’t change as you grow older. It’s about love and duty, innocence and aging, loss and sorrow and many many things in between. Smendrick is still my favorite character although know I’m older I realize the importance of Molly Grue. A very well written story. Good on a lazy day when you don’t want to rush through a book.
I will leave with this one quote:
“It’s a rare man who is taken for what he truly is,...there is much misjudgment in the world. Now, I knew you for a unicorn when I first saw you, and I know I am your friend. Yet you take me for a clown, or a clod, or a betrayer, and so must I be if you see me so. The magic on you is only magic and will vanish as soon as you are free, but the enchantment of error that you put on me I must wear forever in your eyes. We are not always what we seem, and hardly what we dream.”