Moonstrike9 Reviews

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

It's Simple Fun

[6/10 · 16 May 2024]

The movie is quite fun overall.

Negatives: The dialogue delivery left much to be desired. Sometimes it was too cheesy and I cringed. I like having people feature heavily in these movies bc it'd be difficult to relate to a bunch of monsters destroying stuff on their own, but the interactions felt disjointed. The science was pretty bad in this movie, and the protagonist would just blurt hypothesis with zero proof on screen lol exposition isn't always the best.

Positives: Beautiful color palette, a lot of the effects were very cool. The titans all looked pretty great, both design and CGI wise! The different specie designs were also pretty cool. The fights were good of course, and engaging! I loved the young ape.

Bottoms (2023)

Hilarious and Over the Top

[9/10 · 3 September 2023]

Hands down one of the funniest movies I've seen this year. It's awkward, relatable, and satirically hilarious. I really wish I could have seen a movie like this when I was in high school.

The acting is great, the humor is well written and witty, the costume design was awesome, and it's such a blast to watch. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who could use a little queer humor in these trying times.

I've kind of run out of things to say because I'm tired but I can't post this review until it hits six hundred characters for some reason. I really hope that my review isn't taken down because of this.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Great Action, Terrible Dialogue

[4/10 · 2 April 2023]

The plot of this one was pretty good, the scenes were incredible and very cool, and the fight sequences were very solid, but there were way too many. About halfway through the movie I was already getting bored of them. Most of the actors were good, some of the characters were a little cartoonish, but perhaps the biggest sin of this movie is the absolutely ham-fisted, cringey, awkward, wooden dialogue John Wick has in this movie. I love Keanu Reeves, and maybe I'm missing something and the character is supposed to be weirdly emphasizing everything he says, but every time he spoke in the movie I was suddenly and violently jerked out of the story. I think I even rolled my eyes at one point and nearly laughed at others.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Breathtaking

[9/10 · 16 December 2022]

Great (though sometimes redundant) world building and character building! Its a three hour movie and I wish intermission would return as a thing soon, bc I love the longer movie format but sometimes I need a bathroom break or snacks and I'm left hungry and in pain because I don't want to miss anything.

I loved the movie. I felt transported, invested, and so nostalgic with the first movie, which I rewatched in preparation. It's a movie you leave the theater feeling good about.

You can feel the care put into the characters, the world of Pandora, the design of the biome, the cultures of different Na'vi, the languages both visual and auditory. Absolutely fantastic. The story is simple but profound and the visuals tell half the story themselves.

Keep This Between Us (2022)

Necessary and scary

[10/10 · 5 September 2022]

I have just watched the second episode and I was struck by the interview with the teacher at the end who was a friend of the groomer Cheryl survived. And I must say, he should be investigated. His interview was defensive, and he closed his eyes when detailing the moments he'd be pulled aside and questioned over sex on his desk. And his defense was why would I ruin my filing system? Not only were his eyes closed when he said that, but that's not a normal defense. I'd say a more innocent response would have been, I would never have sex with a child. I don't know, the man needs to be looked into.

It's all super compelling and I hope will open the eyes of parents everywhere. A predator can be anywhere and anyone.

The Invitation (II) (2022)

Not great

[3/10 · 28 August 2022]

The acting was hammer fisted, corny as all heck, and the plot was basically Van Helsing (the one with Hugh Jackman) but definitely no where near as fun to watch. The jump scares were not frightening. The worst part was the fangs, and more specifically, the acting around the fangs. Very early two thousands with the snarling and hissing and baring, I couldn't really stomach it. The main character was relatable half the time and seemed really rude the other half of the time. I didn't feel any connection with any of the characters in this movie except for the evil cousin. Too bad his energy wasn't enough to carry a truly terrible script. Halfway through the movie I had a hard time keeping my head up from how sleepy I felt. Such a shame, it could have been awesome.

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

A crazy fun whodunit

[9/10 · 21 August 2022]

It was a fun whodunit that ends with you staring at the screen incredulously. In a good way. I came into this movie thinking it was going to be a crap slasher with obnoxious druggie out of touch people, and while that second one is true, the movie does a fantastic job of keeping you tense and on the edge as it explores the dynamics of a toxic friend group and a murderer on the loose in a dark house!

Ms. Marvel (2022)

So great

[10/10 · 15 August 2022]

What a great show! It feels so organic, genuine, heartfelt, and the beautiful colors, design, music, and story had me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. I really don't know why it has so many poor reviews, it's better than some of the shows that have been done, like falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye really pale in comparison. Please watch this one! Kamala's actress is amazing!

Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)

Breathtaking and Painful

[10/10 · 16 July 2022]

It's such a heartfelt story put together in such a great way. It's bittersweet and one of those films where you feel changed coming out of it.

I loved the main character so much, felt what she felt, a great testament to the gifted actors, writers, and directors associated. A new favorite movie!

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

A very weird movie

[6/10 · 8 July 2022]

I think they took the reaction to ragnarok as an all-seasons pass to wacky, resulting in a strange mishmash of good and nonsensical, and arriving at whatever this is. Ragnarok was great, but this movie just confused, waffling between internet memes and a very compelling but not fully fleshed out (cuz of all the jokes shoved in) villain, and a compelling story of love and loss in Jane Foster's character. Jokes are great, too many jokes just ruins the very serious and compelling parts of a movie and cheapens them for the audience.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Not the best not the worst

[6/10 · 7 July 2022]

There's lots of really awesome ideas and scenes in this movie, namely Wanda and Doctor Strange's scenes. I hope to see improvement in Xochitl Gomez' acting, but I was not a fan, esp after watching the actress from Ms Marvel in her first act as well. The differences are palpable. The writing also suffers in this movie, and could have had loads less of boring exposition. There is also the glaring "oops" of having most of the film be based on a show not everyone watched or had access to.

Legion (2017–2019)

I'm well into season 3

[5/10 · 13 February 2022]

And it's disappointing. I love crazy symbolic media, with twisted meaning and insane surrealism, but I also need substance. A tangible line from point A to B. That is where this show fails, because there is neither point A nor point B but instead a line with no trajectory in mind. It's out of control and annoying, because it's trying to hard to be transcendental when it's really just aimless. I would have loved this show so much more if it had told a story, instead of being a story afflicted by the thought that it is more important than the ending.

Not Cool (II) (2014)

Don't bother

[1/10 · 29 August 2020]

This film deserves to be erased from history. Or used as toilet paper to wipe the giant compacted disgusting rectum this giant turd was extruded from.

Don't Let Go (2019)

I don't get why it's rated so poorly

[9/10 · 2 September 2019]

It's a typical premonition/time changing movie that's pretty well done, except for some stoic acting that still really grows on you. I really enjoyed the movie, I highly recommend it. It's got a nice spookiness to it, and the twist felt like a twist to me. Go see it, give it a chance.

The Lion King (2019)

It's what you expect, but a little blander

[7/10 · 21 July 2019]

The whole film was nice, but that's abt it. Nice. There are no surprises, just comparisons. Some of the dialogue falls flat. The movie also felt rushed, like the producers were just ticking off boxes. "This song happens now, and done. Okay, the fall is next." Will I watch it again? No. That's what the original is for. Me personally, I don't like this "live action" remake kick Disney is on. At least make a new story, we all know what's going to happen, we're just seeing to compare. Give us a new classic we'll love for the next 20 years, like Moana and the newer Disney films they've already made well.

Nailed It! (2018– )

Yikes

[3/10 · 14 June 2019]

First the show isn't clear from the beginning that they make fun of people for being unskilled, which, yikes. But really the biggest problem is the hostess. Obnoxious, humorless, forced, and graceless doesn't begin to cover it. The show would be somewhat palatable if she weren't in it.

The Cell (2000)

In incredible movie...visually and symbolically speaking.

[8/10 · 22 May 2019]

The plot is a bit meh, but the overtones, subtlety, symbolism, and imagery is fantastic. The dreamscapes feel and act like dreamscapes. Visually stunning.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Whoa

[10/10 · 26 April 2019]

It certainly doesn't feel like a three hour movie. Went in at 6pm and by some ungodly magic it was 9pm when I left. It feels like I got sucked into a wormhole and then got pooped out into the same dimension in the same place. What happened? I don't know, but it was amazing from start to finish.

Casino Royale (2006)

Omg it was so bad

[4/10 · 12 February 2019]

I normally love Craig's Bond movies but omg, the plot was nonexistent in this one, and there were some seriously disjointed out of place moments, lines, etc. It was a hot mess. Daniel Craig is as hot as ever, and made some of the movie passable with his acting, as did the actress who played Vesper. Beyond that, this movie is a waste of time.

The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990)

It's a mediocre

[1/10 · 28 December 2018]

Rehash of the decent first movie. Lame, don't waste your time.

Hot Bot (2016)

It's got a low rating

[9/10 · 10 December 2018]

But if risqué and childish sexual humor is your thing, this movie is hilarious XD

Suspiria (I) (2018)

Gutteral

[9/10 · 13 November 2018]

The movie is wild, untamed, ferocious. The dances were so aweing, I even found myself tensing in my seat from unconsciously mimicking the motions. I loved it all.

Girl From Nowhere (2018–2021)

Omg it's crazy and great

[9/10 · 8 November 2018]

I don't know what the heck Nanno is but she serves the best justice.

Venom (2018)

It's a very flawed movie

[9/10 · 6 October 2018]

But damn, even though it's so transparent, I just really enjoyed the action, gore, and implausible plot line. I'd watch it again, unapologetically.

Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018)

It was touching

[9/10 · 22 September 2018]

However I disliked the ending, but my mom argued that Jamey is a good guy who sees the best in people. All in all, kinda inaccurate on high school life, but accurate in the things you think about yourself when you're young, ignorant, and awkward. Also accurate in the cyber bullying XD