Alien Buddha: Film Critic
Glass- Starring: Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sarah Paulson. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Pg13
I did not think this movie was as bad as most film critics claim; but I do agree that it is the weakest of its trilogy, as the plotline does not match up with that of Unbreakable’s; nor does the energy and direction resemble what was produced in Split. Willis and Jackson phone in their performances a bit. James McAvoy salvages the production the best he can, returning with a excellent performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb and all of the other people living inside of him.
Perhaps the real problem with Glass is that it was forced. At the end of Split when it was reveled that the movie took place in the same universe as Unbreakable, there was a sense of satisfaction in that for me. If Shyamalan had found a way to continue expanding this superhero universe subtly, an eventual crossover/showdown film may have worked out. The way things played however, it felt relative to if the MCU tried to release Infinity War after just two movies. Shyamalan was trying to sell a massive story that just wasn’t there.
5.1
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse– Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Lily Tomlin. Directed by Bob Persichetti
PG
A well written, family-friendly, coming of age story with mind-blowing animation. Into the Spider-Verse is engaging, funny, action-packed, and heartwarming. A refreshing take on a story that has been rebooted hundreds of times over. As the story unfolds it continues to find new ways to be anything but predictable.
It is a cartoon and all, and one of its stars is a talking pig, but the movie finds a way to use this to its advantage. With underlying quantum physics and super colliders in the story there is a lot of intelligence hidden under surface level of goofy fun.
9.0
Vice– Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Alison Pill, Lily Rabe, and Jesse Plemons. Directed by Adam McKay
R
Did Dick Cheney just benefit from the 9/11 attacks, or did he flat out orchestrate it? When Vice implied the former over the latter I began to have doubts about the movie, but as it progressed the film started to feel more credible. Vice pulls few punches, but it does pull a few. Another complaint I have is that it is almost too similar to W, the movie about George W Bush.
Unlike the former vice president himself, this movie does have more good things to say than bad. It is funny, brash, and most-unlike its subject, Vice has a good heart.
7.2
Creed 2– Starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, and Florian Munteanu. Directed by Steven Caple Jr.
PG13
It is what it is; a movie about grown men punching each other. Stallone and Lundgren were never known for having impeccable range as thespians, but when it comes to portraying punch-drunk old men, nobody does it better. Jordan is electric as sympathetic as always, and Munteanu plays a hateable villain.
6.6
Newer Releases
Avengers Endgame- 9.5
Us- 9.4 (horror movie of the decade)
Shazam! – 8.3
Captain Marvel – 7 (not as bad as incels on the internet desperately need you to believe)
Pet Semetery – 6
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