Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder review by Dominic Rizzi

Written by: Taika Waititi (story by) & Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Directed by: Taika Waititi

Rating: That’s Hot

Thor attempts to find inner peace but must return to action and recruit Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman)—who is now able to wield Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor—to stop Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), an intergalactic killer wielding a weapon known as the Necrosword, from eliminating all gods.

Taika Waititi has proved himself as the greatest troll in Hollywood. The man went from making quirky comedies that felt grounded to making some of the biggest and most popular blockbusters of the last couple of years. Now he's got an Oscar, he's gearing up for a Star Wars movie, and for his next installment in the MCU, he literally just cut loose and ran, and I mean NOTHING was untouched in this movie. He went after religion, his own employers at Disney, relationships, memes, you name it and it was mocked somehow. 

Unlike Ragnarok, I feel that the blending of tones was handled much better this time around, and Chris Hemsworth might be the best he's ever been as the character, and that's saying a lot considering he's the character who's probably undergone the most changes and retcons in the 11 years he’s been playing Thor. Waititi also brings out career-best performances from Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, and Russell Crowe in his 5 minutes of screentime, and even provides a new and interesting path for Thor’s journey to continue. The movie suffers from the usual problems of being way too fast-paced for its own good and not really having the strongest story, mostly just slingshotting the characters from location to location until they reach the final destination and stop the bad guy, but it’s still able to reach a satisfactory and emotionally fulfilling conclusion. I think that while Multiverse of Madness was more thrilling, this is definitely more heartfelt.

Written by Dominic Rizzi

Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick movie review written by Zianna Weston

Written by: Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr., and Peter Craig

Directed by: Joseph Kosinksi

Rating: that’s hot

Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) may not be the highest ranking pilot that the Navy has, but he is arguably their best pilot. When the Navy is faced with an impossible mission to stop the creation of foreign nuclear weapons they are left with no choice. It’s time to bring back Maverick.

Let’s just cut straight to the chase.

Is Top Gun: Maverick a good movie?

Hell yes it is! The original Top Gun film is a love it or hate it piece of nostalgia. Full of hot and steamy men, phallic objects galore, and a kick ass soundtrack, it is a serious 80s vibe. But a few crucial components that are missing from the OG Top Gun are a plot, a climax that we can care about, and character development.

Enter Top Gun: Maverick. Without spoiling anything I will say that the aforementioned flaws of Top Gun are all rectified in the sequel. Tom Cruise gives a brilliant performance as the lovably cocky Maverick. He is arguably more attractive now, and his character has an edge to him. He knows what it’s like to have loved and lost, and you can see that the death of his best friend Goose irrevocably altered the course of his life.

There is a particularly poignant scene between Maverick and Ice Man (Val Kilmer). In real life, Val Kilmer has lost his voice due to cancer. They incorporate this beautifully into the film and it’s easy to get lost in this moment where two legendary actors are reflecting over the beginnings of their careers, and seeing where life has taken them. Val Kilmer is still a phenomenal actor and I selfishly hope to see him star in more films in the future!

We get some new additions to the cast including Jennifer Connelly as Maverick’s love interest and Miles Teller as Rooster, Goose’s son. Both actors have great chemistry with Tom Cruise. The sexual tension between Connelly and Cruise is delightful, and the conflict between Teller and Cruise feels authentic and steers clear of ever being too over the top.

I have to give a special shout out to the hotness of this cast. Seriously, Top Gun: Maverick is the perfect summer blockbuster and all I can hope is that Top Gun Summer aka Mustache Summer happens because let me tell you, I am HERE FOR IT.

Written by Zianna Weston

The Lost City Review

Directed by: Aaron Nee and Adam Nee

Written by: Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, and Adam Nee

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) is a successful romance novelist who just wants to be done with her best-selling series about a treasure hunting archaeologist and her sexy encounters. She’s a widow who began writing romance novels out of necessity after her husband passed away, but she can’t be bothered to continue with the vapid series. She just wants to stay home in solitary peace.

But when Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) to help him find a real lost artifact, Loretta finds herself living a plot that feels like it is right out of one of her novels. It is up to her hunky cover model Dash (Channing Tatum), his spiritual guru (Brad Pitt), and Loretta’s agent (Da’Vine Joy Randolph)to rescue her from the depths of an island jungle.

This movie is everything that I love in a cheesy action rom-com. It’s got a straightforward plot, a kooky villain, lots of eye candy, and tons of laughs. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum are an entertaining duo to watch fumble their way across the island and almost all of their jokes land.

Brad Pitt plays a hilariously over-the-top role that could have only been played by Brad Pitt. This film had me cracking up from start to finish. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, but the basic formula for a cheesy action movie is a classic for a reason. Be sure to stay through the credits for an awesome bonus scene!

Review written by Zianna Weston

Red Notice

Written & Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Rival art thief’s Nolan (Ryan Reynolds) and “The Bishop” (Gal Gadot) are both seeking to reunite all 3 of the famous eggs that Marc Anthony gifted to Cleopatra to get a huge payout from a billionaire. If the heist isn’t enough, FBI agent John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) made it his personal mission to take Nolan down at all costs. However things go awry when Interpol suspects John of being an accomplice to Nolan. They send both of them to a Russian prison where the two hilariously team up to escape, and to retrieve the eggs before The Bishop and Interpol catch up with them, each for their own personal gain. On their search for the priceless artifacts there are countless twists and turns full of hilarious banter and physical comedy.

What will happen? You’ll just have to watch and find out!

Written by Edelia Weston

The Matrix

Written and Directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski (as the Wachowski brothers)

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Computer hacker Neo is presented with a choice; take the blue pill and live in ignorance, or take the red pill and find out the truth about the matrix.

This movie came out over 20 years ago and now I feel old! My movie theater did a special anniversary screening in the dolby theater today and I am not upset that I went. This movie still holds up. The special effects, sound effects, editing and cinematography were revolutionary in their time and they still look and sound incredible today. In 1999 The Matrix won 4 Academy awards for sound effects editing, best sound, best film editing, and visual effects. Even more impressive to me than the technical accomplishments of this film is how iconic this film has become.The unique fighting style, ultra bad*ss black trench coats, and little sunglasses will forever be synonymous with The Matrix. Keanu Reeves is having a hell of a year, but let’s not forget arguably his best role ever.  His name isn’t Mr. Anderson, it’s Neo!

Review written by Zianna Weston

THE PREY: Legend of Karnoctus Review

THE PREY: Legend of Karnoctus movie review

Written by: Matthew Hensman

Story by: Gustavo Sainz de la Peña

Directed by: Cire Hensman & Matthew Hensman

Rating: that’s hot

A platoon of US soldiers, and a group of mercenaries in the middle of a heist, find themselves trapped in the same ominous cave in Afghanistan. The unlikely group quickly learns to work together as they head deeper into the cave, searching desperately for a way out, when they begin suspecting that they are not alone… They begin hearing strange noises, seeing movement, and even discover some dead bodies. But the deeper they go into the cave, the stronger their hallucinations become. Will they be able to work together to defeat Karnoctus, aka Aghani Sasquatch? Or have the predators truly become the prey?

If you are into 80s style creature features, this movie is for you!! And if you’re not, then this movie is unapologetically NOT for you 😂 Full of gory practical effects, a creepy yet sometimes kinda cute monster, and memorable one-liners, THE PREY is campy and fun in all the right ways. Nick Chinlund shines as the machismo protagonist, and has great on screen chemistry with the rest of the cast.

This film doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel because they know that they don’t have to. The goal was to deliver a nostalgic creature feature, and THE PREY achieves that goal on every level.

The practical effects were an especially delightful surprise for someone who gets bored by high-budget action flicks with no shortage of exploding cars and CGI. THE PREY leads you on a straight forward journey that never leaves you questioning what the movie is about and who it is for.

If you’re in Los Angeles, you can check out @thepreymovie in theaters this week for a limited run at the Van Nuys Regency Theatre. Otherwise, THE PREY is coming to cable on demand on June 7th, and to @primevideo and @googleplay on July 7th!

Review written by Zianna Weston

F9

Written by Daniel Casey and Justin Lin

Directed by Justin Lin

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

The Toretto family is back together, but this time it’s different. Previously never mentioned little brother Jakob (John Cena) is back on the scene. Determined to not live in Dom’s (Vin Diesel) shadow, he’s making a name for himself the only way he knows how; by being the bad guy with even badder biceps 💪

This movie is everything that I’ve come to love from the furious franchise; FAMILY, gratuitous exploding of cars, and a cast so jacked that almost no one can walk with their arms straight. There’s larger-than-life action scenes full of explosions that everyone is somehow able to walk away from unscathed, global travel that takes no time, a villain with a bad-ass bowl cut (Charlize Theron), and Kurt Russell. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone could want anything more from this movie. Is it believable? Realistic? Scientifically possible? Absolutely not! And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Written by Zianna Weston

Tenet

Tenet movie review by Zianna Weston

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan

Rating: 👌🏼 ok

After much anticipation, and so many months away from the movie theater, I am sad to report that Tenet does not live up to the hype. The latest movie from legendary director Christopher Nolan delivers his signature elements; a dark and broody tone, exceptional sound, and a score that enhances the drama.

The actor’s performances are raw and believable. But this twisty plot played with time in a way that didn’t work for me. This isn’t Nolan’s first rodeo with a time-bending plot, but Interstellar and Inception found ways to time travel and still make sense.

Tenet is just straight up confusing, and tbh I don’t care to go back and rewatch it for a better understanding. The characters are under developed and I didn’t care in the end if they lived or died, I just wanted this 2.5 hour saga to freaking end already. If you’re wanting a fun cinematic return to the movie theater full of big action and impressive cinematography, then Tenet is worth seeing. But all I can say is lower your expectations now, and maybe you’ll enjoy it more than I did.

Written by Zianna Weston

Cut Throat City review

Written by Paul Cuschieri

Directed by RZA

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

In post-Hurricane New Orleans, four men must turn to unsavory options to feed their families. But when the job gets complicated they find themselves wanted by both law enforcement and the gangsters that run the town.

This movie is an incredibly relevant watch for 2020. It deals with racial inequality, gentrification, government bureaucracy, and the destructive power of nature. While I was pulled out of the story by the poorly written law enforcement characters, everyone else kept me in it til the end. With powerful performances by @shameikmoore @terrencehoward @ethanhawke and T.I., Cut Throat City is a must-watch.

Written by Zianna Weston

The Old Guard

Written by Greg Rucka

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

Written by: Greg Rucka

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

A group of immortals turned trained warriors have utilized their powers over the course of millennia to fight for what is right. Lead by bada$$ woman Andy (Charlize Theron), the group of 4 is surprised after a compromised mission when a young marine Nile (KiKi Layne) discovers her immortality while deployed, threatening the anonymity and safety of the group.

Beyond this synopsis I will tell you nothing other than how much I genuinely enjoyed it, AND that the bad guy is played by Harry Melling (better known to most as Dudley Dursley from Harry Potter).  The fight scenes are fantastic, and so f*cking refreshing. Anyone else get pissed off watching “trained assassins” use a whole round of ammo on one kill? Or who are dangerously loud in covert operations? The Old Guard is a highly trained militant group, and they actually look like they are good at their job. This comic book was brilliantly brought to life, and I cannot wait to see what they do next- I smell a franchise coming on!

Written by Edelia Weston

My Spy

Written by Erich Hoeber & Jon Hoeber

Directed by Peter Segal

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

An ex-soldier turned clumsy CIA agent is demoted but finds his biggest challenge yet when he is assigned a seemingly easy task; to keep an eye on a single mother and her 9 year old daughter.

I love me a cheesy summer blockbuster full of explosions, quirky jokes, and ex-WWE wrestlers getting kicked in the nuts by women, and My Spy delivers all of that and more. The on-screen chemistry between this hilarious cast (Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Parisa Fitz-Henley, and Kristen Schaal) is on point and it had me cracking up throughout movie. There is nothing complicated about the plot and the action is predictable, but it’s not a problem because it’s well executed. Chloe Coleman is the heart of this film and her smart wit and comedic timing pair nicely opposite Dave Bautista. This is escapism at its finest. So, if you find yourself needing to take a mental break from protesting the racist patriarchy, and unlearning your own problematic biases, My Spy delivers.

Written by Zianna Weston

Extraction movie review

Written by : Joe Russo

Directed by: Sam Hargrave

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

When an imprisoned drug dealer’s son is kidnapped, Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is only one mercenary crazy enough to take the job to try and get him back.

You’ve heard me say it a million times, but action flicks usually aren’t my thing. Maybe it’s the effect of being trapped inside without access to a movie theater, or maybe it’s Chris Hemsworth’s impossibly sexy Australian accent, but I really liked this movie. The long, unspliced action shots were a nice change of pace from the expected choppy editing of an action movie. The creative stunt coordination, while a bit too gory for my taste at times, was highly entertaining and memorable. The story delivers nonstop action, heart-racing suspense, and characters worth rooting for. If you don’t mind a bit of bloody violence, I recommend checking out Extraction, now streaming on Netflix.

Written by Zianna Weston

Charlie’s Angels

Written and Directed by Elizabeth Banks

Rating:👌🏼 ok

The sexy female crime fighters are called upon to save the world, yet again, from a new technology that in the wrong hands could be weaponized.

I really wanted to like this movie but in the end I just couldn’t. Kristen Stewart is amazing! Her character is quirky and funny and had some great lines! Everyone else; who are you? What are you all about? Should I care about you? Because I don’t... The action scenes felt underwhelming. The “I am woman hear me roar!” theme is a message that I can always get behind. But rather than showing women kicking ass, the movie just seemed to repeatedly shout the message at us rather than showing us.

If you’re bored, or have some movie gift cards, this movie is entertaining and you might like it. But in comparison to the beloved franchise this newest installment falls flat.

Review written by Zianna Weston

Jumanji: The Next Level

Jumanji: The Next Level review

Written by Jake Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg

Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

When Spencer (Alex Wolff) begins struggling with his identity during his first year of college, he longs for the suave confidence that he felt as his Jumanji avatar Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson). He makes the decision to re-enter the game, forcing his friends to go after him to rescue him.

Jumanji is one of those comedies that has it all. You’ve got creative physical comedy, sexual tension, and Jack Black playing a ditzy teenage girl. The sequel delivers the signature comedy style that Jumanji is known for and raises the bar with old people having to learn about technology. The choice to add Danny DeVito and Danny Glover to the cast was an outstanding one. I’ve never been a huge Kevin Hart fan, but Kevin Hart playing Danny Glover was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while. Awkwafina is also hilarious, as always. She’s having a hell of a year, from winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress for The Farewell, to starring in a successful blockbuster with The Rock, it’s a real great time to be Awkwafina. If you’re afraid that Jumanji: The Next Level is just another tired Hollywood sequel I am happy to report that that couldn’t be further from the truth. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest theater to catch Jumanji: The Next Level while it’s still playing!

Review written by Zianna Weston 

Charlie’s Angels

Directed by McG

Written by Ryan Rowe and Ed Sullivan

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Eric Knox, a powerful business owner and tech tycoon, has been kidnapped by his biggest rival. It’s up Charlie and his Angels to find Knox and recover the stolen software.

I was hesitant to re-watch this movie when I first saw that it was available to stream on Netflix because this film holds such a special place in my heart. I have so many fond memories of middle school slumber parties where we watched this movie for the millionth time. Would a childhood favorite hold up to my adult standards? I am pleased to announce that I still love this movie. The charming and sassy performances by Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu that originally made me fall in love with this movie are still entertaining. But I have a newfound appreciation for the way that this movie celebrates women.

The angels are sexy, powerful, silly, smart, and so much more. Men are constantly featured in action films completing stunts that are well beyond their physical capabilities in real life, whereas women are more often constricted to more realistic expectations. But in Charlie’s Angels we see both men and women jumping out of planes, flipping through laser fields, and completing all kinds of crazy stunts that are not even slightly realistic. What I appreciated the most about this film is that the angels were allowed to dress sexy and then carry out badass action scenes. Their sexiness did not place limitations on their physical capabilities or intelligence. Too often when women are portrayed as sexy that is their only defining attribute. Though their costumes are iconic they are not defined by what they wear, they are defined by what they are able to accomplish. This is a theme that I will always be inspired by and celebrate. The world would be a different place if there were more movies that portrayed women as sexy and strong.

Review written by Zianna Weston

Iron Man

Written by Mark fergus, Hawk Otsby, Art Marcum, & Matt Holloway

Directed by Jon Favreau

Rating: 🔥 That’s hot

Arrogant, cocky, and ridiculously wealthy, Tony Stark is the billionaire bad boy genius behind Stark Industries- founded by his father Howard Stark. As his father before him, Stark uses his ingenuity to create weapons for the US Government. On a trip to demonstrate the newest Stark creation in the Middle East, Tony is kidnapped in an ambush and is dangerously injured, saved only by a magnetic implant in his chest done by a fellow kidnapped scientist.

A rude awakening awaits Tony as he realizes that the very weapons he created to ensure American military safety has been sold also to the enemy, and utilized against himself in the very ambushed that left him injured. Forced to build his strongest weapon yet for the enemy, Tony instead creates a mini arc reactor that powers not only the life saving magnetic implant in his chest, but also a suit of armor that allows him to escape his captors. Through his experiences Tony is forced to confront the reality of what his genius is being used for, and whether his conscience will allow him to continue on the same path. His choices are risky and brash, bringing him face to face to his greatest danger yet. 

The Marvel Universe is a wildly successful franchise that has pretty much dominated the cinematic world since the release of Iron Man in 2008. I remember seeing this movie in theaters and being absolutely captivated by Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark being a hero who toes the line of reality and fantasy so well (honestly I feel like this is the sh*t that Elon Musk would create in the exact same situation). It’s wild to watch this movie now and see how much our (american) cultural climate shaped the whole plot in which this movie is centered around- fear of the Middle East, how important the best tech was (do the words “weapons of mass destruction” ring a bell), and a general disillusionment that was beginning to take place regarding the amount of trust that we could truly put in our government and our capitalistic idealism.

Tony goes through that whole journey in front of our eyes being generally sheltered and oblivious thinking that Stark Industries is only helping the “good guys” to realizing that right and wrong are subjective. The growth that he experiences and the humanity in which he does it makes his character relatable and endearing. And though the female representation is yet again lacking, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is given depth, power, character development and an over all authority to her that makes you aware that she is definitely the one that wears the pants in the relationship. Under the incredible direction of Jon Favreau (one of my favorite directors ever) this is the standalone origin film that launched the MCU into what it is now, which is the highest grossing film franchise in the world.

Written by Edelia Weston

Quantum of Solace

Written by Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade

Directed by Marc Forster

Rating: 🤷‍♀️ ok

Bond is back, and he’s pissed. His lover has been killed, MI6 has been infiltrated by a spy, and someone had the audacity to shoot Judi Dench. Bond is on a mission, that he adamantly swears isn’t vengeful, to figure out who is responsible and what their evil plan is. This takes Bond from Italy, to Haiti, to Bolivia as he uncovers a plan to stage a coup in Bolivia and an even secreter plan to control the country’s limited water supply.

This film started off strong enough. It had all the signature clever action sequences, and a couple smokin’ hot Bond girls, but ultimately the ending of this movie dragged too much to hold my attention. I am admittedly not an action movie person, so if you are maybe you’ll enjoy this movie more than I did. But this movie is only an hour and 45 minutes and I still found myself praying for it to end.

Overall, the movie is fine? I almost liked it? But it didn’t quite entertain me enough to get a higher rating.

Written by Zianna Weston