namyers-31561 Reviews

Monkey Man (2024)

Finally...

[9/10 · 24 April 2024]

...a revenge movie that isn't just a cash grabbing action flick.

Monkey Man is a revenge film unlike any I've seen. Dark and tragic subject matter, brimming with culture and importance. A movie that doesn't just demand your eyes and ears, but your brain, your heart, and your soul too.

I can't praise Dev Patel enough for his work with this movie. From the acting, to the writing, to the direction, he went all out. Through suffering multiple injuries during filming and production hell spanning 4 years, he made damn sure this movie got released and I will forever be grateful to him (and Jordan Peele) for that.

My only ask of you is to not go into this movie expecting a clone of recent revenge flick movies. This one is a whole different breed and raises the bar. Watch it.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Wow. Just, wow.

[10/10 · 2 August 2023]

First off, Cillian Murphy. Wow. What a performance. You feel EVERYTHING through his portrayal of Oppenheimer. Every. Single. Thing. Shoutout to Robert Downey Jr. Too. Best dramatic performance of his since Chaplin, easily.

Secondly, for 3 glorious and hauntingly beautiful hours, I was leaned forward in my theater seat glued to every single scene. Every second of this film is worth your undivided attention.

This is Nolan's best. Which really isn't said lightly by me, considering his body of work and my love for anything related to Batman. But, this, this movie is a masterpiece. An absolute masterpiece. An instant classic and a movie that will go down as one of the most important of the 21st century and possibly, of all time. Oppenheimer is, in my opinion, a movie that deserves to be studied, scene by scene and shot for shot, by every single current and aspiring filmmaker, actor/actress, screenwriter, producer, etc. This masterclass of a film belongs in a museum.

Go see this, especially if you don't have a particular interest in WWII, or American history, or world history, or science. I promise you'll care about at least one, if not all, of those topics when the end credits start rolling.

The Bear (2022– )

YES, CHEF!

[10/10 · 29 June 2023]

I cannot say enough good things about this show. Jeremy Allen White puts on SUCH a brilliant performance and the supporting cast is up there too. I will confess though, that I think this show appeals to a pretty niche audience. If you've worked in a restaurant, FOH or BOH, this show should absolutely stick the landing for you. However, I can definitely see this show not being...mhmm...appetizing to those with no restaurant work experience.

All in all, I easily rank The Bear amongst my favorite shows of all time. It's got plenty of drama and sometimes very intense drama, there's comedy, delicious food, and it feels VERY real. This show is an absolute masterpiece deserving of all the Michelin Stars.

Creed III (2023)

One round short of a knockout

[7/10 · 31 March 2023]

Creed III is not a bad movie, by any means, and I think fans of the Rocky and/or Creed movies will enjoy this one, as I did!

However, 30-ish minutes added to the run time could've gone a LONG way. After the twist is revealed that Dame is the "bad guy", the movie rushes to the finale with barely enough time to really FEEL the twist and the emotion behind it. The finale makes up for this a bit though, as it's beautifully shot and tense and emotional.

Michael B. Jordan did a great job with this movie, both acting and directing, but was 1 round shy (pun intended) of a 9/10 or even a 10/10 from me. Needed more of that RAW and VISCERAL Creed emotion that MBJ is capable of.

The news surfacing about Jonathan Majors being an extremely toxic and abusive person is horrible, but please don't let that deter you from watching this movie. His performance in this movie is incredible and, provided he isn't shunned/canceled, he has a very promising career ahead of him.

Horizon Forbidden West (2022 Video Game)

Worth every drop of hype

[10/10 · 19 February 2022]

Holy heck. This game is STUNNING. Easily the most beautiful looking game I've ever played. Brilliant story, well written and intriguing characters, challenging combat, tons of side activities, easy and fun to get lost just exploring/hunting, and just purely phenomenal. Aloy's return is glorious.

Black Widow (2021)

Finally

[9/10 · 11 July 2021]

I don't understand the negative reviews for this movie.

It's action packed, funny, heartfelt, and the end credits scene is very impactful (more so if you've watched Falcon and Winter Soldier, but that's all I'll say to keep this spoiler free).

This movie plays out a bit like a spy film, but with the MCU's dash of over the top action. Not a bad thing, by any means, but it would've been cool to see this movie kinda take the trend of Ant-Man and be a different breed of MCU movie. It just felt like it kept bouncing between wanting to be a spy movie and an action heavy summer blockbuster. They still pulled it off, in my opinion. Also, while it was cool to see Taskmaster used in the MCU, that character felt very underutilized. Those are really my only two critiques.

I've always loved Scar Jo as Black Widow, but Florence Pugh smashed this role out of the park and seeing her in the MCU makes my heart happy (she is forever my May Queen). David Harbour was also very good and sorta acts as the comic relief, alongside Florence. It was also very nice to see Rachel Weisz back in a major movie (I loved her in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, so seeing her in a badass role like this was almost nostalgic for me).

All in all, this might be my favorite SOLO Marvel film since Thor Rangnarok (if that counts) or Black Panther (if Ragnarok doesn't count).

Black Widow finally got her solo film and Marvel did her justice. Well worth the wait, though we shouldn't have had to wait this long.

The Little Things (2021)

This movie should've been longer

[6/10 · 30 June 2021]

There was a lot of potential here. Despite the iffy performances from 2/3 leads, the plot is intriguing enough. It just fell short, literally.

This movie is both a prime example of why it's okay for movies to be 2+ hours sometimes and trying to do too much.

There's a plot point pretty early on that will never be resolved, fair warning. And there are scenes that are unnecessary as well.

Explaining how I feel about this movie is tough for me because there is SO much potential here but it falls short of almost all of the potential.

I will give credit where it's due, this performance from Jared Leto should've been his Joker interpretation. They really should've spent more time exploring his character. It would've changed this movie for the better, I feel.

All in all, it's worth a watch because I can see this movie being divisive. So if the above complaints don't turn you away, give it a chance.

Psycho Goreman (2020)

Instant Cult Classic

[8/10 · 20 June 2021]

This is one of the most wild movies I've ever watched and I mean that in all the best possible ways.

Awesome costumes and makeup and creature design.

Hilarious. The main character, Mimi, is a riot. And there are plenty of laughs elsewhere.

It's got loads of over the top violence, gore, and plot points, but all used in such a weird, lovable way.

This is a 90-ish minute love letter to 80's and 90's creature flicks and I loved every second of it.

This movie won't be for everybody, but I'm so glad I'm one of the people it was made for.

The Djinn (2021)

I don't understand the bad reviews

[8/10 · 18 June 2021]

This is how horror should be done.

Terror, disturbing elements, a couple of jump scares, tension, a creepy antagonist, and a protagonist that actually uses their noggin.

This movie is also almost entirely contained within the confines of a small living space, so there's a subtle element of claustrophobia or the feeling of being trapped.

Ezra Dewey, who plays the main character, will be someone to watch. That kid nailed this performance.

The cinematography in this movie is VERY impressive too.

Does the movie need a little more meat? Yeah, maybe. It could've used another 10-15 minutes for some lore or character depth. But, for the 80-ish minute run time, The Djinn still manages to pack some serious punches and is undoubtedly one of the best horror movies I've seen in the last year or two.

This is one of those low budget indie horror flicks that will be divisive and will appeal more to the artsy fartsy indie horror film types, but it's worth a shot if you're considering watching it.

The Wretched (2019)

Plenty creepy, but not without flaws

[7/10 · 8 June 2021]

The acting is off a bit, primarily from the lead. It's not terrible and doesn't ruin anything, but it's noticeable. Dug the premise and enjoyed the movie overall. Very solid indie horror flick that strays away from traditional jump scares and steers more toward creepy/disturbing.

The King of Staten Island (2020)

Put Pete Davidson in more movies!

[8/10 · 14 June 2020]

This movie was very relatable for me. Not the exact same circumstances or even similar circumstances, but I've struggled with depression and other mental health afflictions for some time now. Pete Davidson's portrayal of those afflictions was extremely relatable for me and I can assume many others.

I know Pete is very outspoken about his mental health and his story and I commend him for that. That takes courage. He did incredible in this role I think because he lived it and continues to live aspects of it on a daily basis.

The rest of the cast was outstanding and made for wonderful support. Big shoutouts to Bill Burr and Marisa Tomei and the cast that plays Scott's friends.

My only complaint about this movie is that it wasn't longer. I loved these characters all so much that I wanted at least another 30-60 minutes with them.

I know some will be hesitant to rent this with the $20 price tag for the VOD premiere, but I can assure you it is worth it.