Fox

Back in Action – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Back in Action.

Story

It hits every beat of a spy movie and does a great job with the family drama. The story is a pile of tropes thrown together and avoids risk with the obvious set-up for a sequel.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Excellent acting and characters that are a lot of fun. Diaz and Fox have chemistry both as a couple and as a battle couple. The kids are well picked, and Glenn Close is an inspired choice to play Diaz’s mother.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Snappy and more than a few quips. It has a lot of humour and heart in the dialogue, although sometimes it felt like filler.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The visuals were great and the fight choreography was excellent.

The music sounded like someone trying to combine every spy movie’s soundtracks together. It was good but a little over-done.

Score: 0.5

Fun

This was a lot of fun but the “key” being still useful 15 years later felt like a stretch. The whole Mcguffin was a little over the top. It also could have been done better for the demonstration. Use it to take over Air Force One, or make the alarms at the tower of London sing showtunes. Lot of wasted potential.

That been said, the kids and the family liked it and we all hope for the the inevitable sequel.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A charismatic and excellent cast makes up for a hum-drum spy story. The heart is the family and that’s very well done.

Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5

Zootopia – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2016 movie Zootopia.

*This was my favourite movie of 2016*

Story

Fast paced, coherent, with several great messages. It’s strange watching it in a post-Trump world and seeing messages that were clearly political. If by political you mean: don’t profile people, be kind, don’t give in to fear, and don’t give up.

The structure of procedural and buddy cop movie is done very well, with lots of allusions to other movies, while keeping the twist fresh. It’s also re-watchable even if you remember the twist.

Score: 1

Characters

To build relatable characters it’s important that they have flaws and strengths. To make great characters you need to have those strengths and flaws be intrinsically linked. Judy’s hopeless optimism and refusal to quit are strengths but they also blind her to the obvious dangers and villains.

Nick’s clever mind and overthinking are great for hustles but they make him doubt everything people do.

Score: 1

Dialogue

There’s a lot said out loud and a lot said between the lines. This movie could have easily been bogged down with world building dialogue but is instead filled with wonderful lines. I love the evolution of Nick calling Judy “Carrots”.

I also love the Disney humour. Hearing Idris Alba say, “Life isn’t some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and all your insipid dreams magically come true. So let it go.” was just the kind of self-mocking humour I love.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

This movie is stunning and absolutely beautiful. Zootopia the city is as much a character as a setting and you quickly fall in love with it.

The music is perfect background and the Shakira song is catchy and inspirational.

Score: 1

Fun

Other than the press conference scene, I smile and laugh all the way through. It’s a movie that makes you think about the world you live in and the prejudices, while still making silly sloth jokes.

Score: 1

Overall

This movie is wonderful and has everything I’m looking for. There are a few contrived moments and it’s not absolutely perfect but it makes up for it in humour, heart, and making you think.

If you haven’t seen it, now is the time.

Final Score: 5 Stars*

*A 5 star review doesn’t mean the movie was perfect nor that it is perfect for everyone but it is a movie I believe is as close to perfect as possible.