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Elemental – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Elemental.

Story

The trailers made this look like a trope-y rom-com rip-off of Zootopia. What it is instead is a wonderful story of immigration and family. The elements together in a big city is used well and not as a gimmick but a metaphor.

Score: 1

Characters

The two main charactes are animated in very traditional proportions and that’s unfortunate and stereotypical.

Their personalities are much better however and don’t fall into stereotypes too much. It did feel a little odd that neither of them had friends.

The rest of the characters and cast are fun and fairly well fleshed out.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

There are so many element puns that I can’t wait to rewatch and catch more.

The dialogue was very honest to their emotions and simplified. I liked the micro-aggressions from the well-meaning family, it gave the story some needed grounding.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The animation was amazing. Lighting, colour, detail, backgrounds, all beautiful. I loved the line art look of the fire people.

One of the fun parts of watching things with subtitles is seeing how they describe the music. Accorting to the subtitles, the music was “[Emotion] New Age music”. It was however extremely well done and worked perfectly with the tone and feel of the world.

Score: 1

Fun

This was fun in every concievable way. The 6yo said it was good but not great and the three year old concured.

The rest of the family loved it and I think it’s one of my top Pixar movies. Definitely going to want to rewatch this one.

Score: 1

Overall

The movie takes the story of an immigrant family and wraps it into a magical world of elements. The emotions are authentic and story compelling. It’s colourful, fun, and easy to watch.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

The Super Mario Bros. Movie – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Story

The writing was concise and clean. The story was a thin scaffolding for large game set pieces and had little to no substance. I appreciated all the nods to the vast catalogue of Mario games.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Mario and Luigi were fairly bland. The addition of their family felt weird and the fake, and disappearing, accents were jarring. I had my reservations about Donkey Kong being played by Seth Rogen but his iconic laugh was perfect for Kong.

I already knew that Bowser would steal the show and he did. Jack Black did an excellent job. A great surprise was the nihilistic cheerful blue star Lumalee. Absolutely hilarious.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The video game references were great and everything Lumalee said were great. Bowser’s dialogue was good, but the rest was a little forced and juvenile.

This is not a movie that will be quoted outside of Bowser’s lines.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

Visually stunning and impressively colourful. It was great to watch the background and see all the easter eggs.

The original song will be stuck in my head forever and the rest of the score was wonderfully referential.

Score: 1

Fun

This was an easy watch with lots of nostalgia. I’ve been playing mario games since the eighties and this was very faithful to the world.

That being said, I really did find Mario and Luigi to be the weakest part of the movie.

Score: 1

Overall

A fairly inoffensive nostalgia-driven ride that will have gamers pausing every five seconds for the easter eggs, others will enjoy the angst free fair, and kids will be singing “Peaches” for way too long.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Anna and the Apocalypse – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2017 film Anna and the Apocalypse.

Story

I have a massive soft spot for musicals and I’m not a huge fan of zombie movies, so this was interesting. The story itself is cookie cutter zombie genre with nothing new to add other than the music.

Score: 0

Characters

The final girl, the best friend, the overbearing dad, the bad boy, the lesbian, the smoochie couple, and the maniacal . It’s a buffet of zombie, YA, and horror tropes.

They might be tropes, but the actors and writers did a great job and managed to balance the psychological horror of zombie with the almost sillness of a musical.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Vacillating from corny to deep and touching, the dialogue does a great job in understanding the characters. There’s more than a few good quips too.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The cinematography in general was okay, the choreography was acceptable, and the gore was well done. My favourite scene happens when the main character doesn’t know there’s been a full apocalypse and is dancing and singing on her way to school with total carnage happening behind her.

The music is excellent and I’ll be humming, “Hollywood Ending” for a long time. Great harmonies, fun numbers, and they work both for a zombie movie or just a high school movie.

Score: 1

Fun

I loved the music, the characters were great, and I enjoyed the movie, but there’s a nihilism to zombie films that just isn’t fun. Nailing the ending to have a little hope but still be dour is hard. There was no hope left in this one.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A fun film with some excellent musical numbers and great acting, but in the end it’s just another zombie movie with nothing new to add.

Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5

Ice Princess – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2005 film Ice Princess.

Story

There’s literally nothing original in this script. This is the teen sports/theatre/music storyline that you can see in every other teen drama. Down to the line, “It’s not my dream, [parent], It’s yours.”

Score: 0

Characters

The main character is adorably nerdy and most of the rest of the cast fit perfectly into their roles. The cast take a pedestrian script and do a great job of elevating it with excellent acting. Kudos to Michelle Trachtenberg for learning to skate that well in 10 months.

The mother’s character made me really ANGRY, Joan Cusack does a fantastic job, but the character makes no sense. She’s supposed to be a feminist, granola, pro-education type of mom. However, her comments about the outfits setting women back fifty years are ridiculous and no feminist literature professor would say that. (This comment made me pause and rant about the purpose of the miniskirt from a feminist historical point of view. Sorry family.)

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was cute and the nerd flirting was painfully accurate.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie was very well shot. It’s 2005 so they used hand held cameras more than they should, I never got the appeal, it doesn’t enhance the drama.

The music was unmemorable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

Both kids didn’t want to watch it and by ten minutes in were glued to the screen. It’s a feel good movie. Despite the mother, I did enjoy it and despite my lectures, so did the rest of the family.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a comfort movie. It’s the kind of movie you turn on and you know how it’ll end, and probably everything that leads to it. The acting is wonderful, the nerdiness is great, the skating cameos are fun, and despite some poor character choices, it’s enjoyable.

Final Score: 2.5 Stars out of 5

Kim Possible – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2019 film Kim Possible.

Story

Kim Possible isn’t and hasn’t ever been a spy but the stories follow all the spy tropes with a few superhero ones thrown in. The movie does a great job of being faithful to the spirit of the original while updating it to modern audiences. (It’s shocking how much changed between 2007 and 2019.)

The story is mostly nostalgic for older audiences and the story is quite simple. Perfect spy/superhero intro for kids. There is some cartoony ridiculousness that is a little annoying but overall good.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Kim is great and it was nice to see her going through the awkwardness of change.

Ron was portrayed perfectly, one of those super awkward kids with a giant heart. I always cringe at Ron to start and then he quickly becomes my favourite character.

The villains are wonderfully portrayed with the perfect level of overacting.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue is cheesy and irreverent. Lots of good lines but I found the mixture of mid 2000’s slang and late 2010’s a little weird. Hearing Lit and Fam followed by Booya, felt wrong.

The scene between Kim and her Grandmother was one of the best training dialogues I’ve heard.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The action sequences are very Disney Channel but overall they did a great job with the visuals and the music was acceptable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

The kids loved it. The adults, who watched the original in university also loved it.

It was fun and struck a great balance.

As an adult it was nice to see the kids and family talking instead of hiding things.

Score: 1

Overall

Cheesy, fun, and angst free. The story might be a little young and cartoony but they commit and there are some genius scenes.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Nimona – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Nimona.

Story

The movie took a lot of traditional fantasy story elements and moved them around or flipped them upside down. It meant that everything felt familiar but was still suprising.

The not-so-subtle message of inclusiveness and not treating others like monsters is painfully current and needed.

Score: 1

Characters

I was so happy to see the queer relationships in this. It was a relief not to just have it hinted at. The characters were all very well fleshed out and distinct. Despite being in a massive city, the cast is actually quite small which gives us that personal time with the characters while keeping the feel of a rich world.

I liked Nimona’s chaos gremlin energy and was a huge fan of Ballister’s unyielding goodness.

Score: 1

Dialogue

There were a lot of quippy lines, lots of good jokes, but also lots of well used emotional words. The characters don’t outright answer every question, but they also don’t completely dodge every question and that leads to some excellent character moments and developement.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

I found some of the animation almost underdone and other parts absolutely gorgeous. It was probably the style of animation that threw me. Beyond the animation was the astounding use of colour, lighting, camera angles, and world design.

Score: 1

Fun

As a creator, you want to make your audience feel something and this movie delivers an emotional rollercoaster that felt personal while still being fun.

The entire family was glued to the screen.

Score: 1

Overall

This was a fantastic movie with great diversity and impressive writting. If you enjoy animation, science fiction, fantasy, or good stories; please watch it.

Final Score: 5 Stars out of 5*

*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.

Bandslam – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2009 film Bandslam.

Story

Beat for beat the same basic story as so many other teen movies. (Could overlap 90% of the plot with Sky High.)

Is is exactly what it says on the tin, a battle of the bands movie. It’s a great formula, but not original or clever.

Score: 0

Characters

Where the story loses points for originality, the characters, and actors, make up for it. They are much better developed then most movies of the same time. The kids and the setting feel real.

Bonus points for not having a full love triangle and not making the surprise twist a “she was the villain the whole time” twist.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue is pretentious, but in the way that teens feel about pretention and not an adults forced shallow concept. They talk about music and make real points that is part of the story and character instead of window dressing. There’s an odd honesty to the dialogue that makes it feel real despite trying too hard.

There are also plenty of pithy and funny lines.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

There’s a gritty 1990’s grunge scene camera style that I really like. Mostly it’s a little washed out, but certain colours are extra vivid. It’s a memorable effect that reminds me of old grunge and punk music videos.

The original songs are fun and the overall soundtrack is filled with some great music. I’d love the soundtrack.

Score: 1

Fun

There were the usual angsty/cringy moments where the main dude does the dumb thing, but in this it’s him following his passion not his dick. Doesn’t make it any easier to watch, but the ending and the music make it well worth while.

Score: 0.5

Overall

An essential film in the cannon of the “Battle of the Bands” genre. It’s smart and sweet with fantastic characters, but suffers from a formulaic plot and too much angst.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

Story

This story felt like every D&D campaign I’ve read from Wizard of the Coast without being derivative, bland, or predictable.

There was a lot of worldbuilding and character set up, and I loved every second of it.

Score: 1

Characters

The characters are well defined in their quick backstory introductions, but I’m not sure how well someone who doesn’t know the game would understand what they can do. (My father-in-law was as confused as Doric why Edgin was useful.) Having not played much of the system after 3.5 edition, I spent a long time trying to figure out what they could do and what their classes were.

The actors were perfect in their roles and the character development was better than most D&D sessions.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

This was the perfect balance between epic and cheesy. The dialogue was perfectly delivered.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The dedication to practical effects was a welcome change. They filmed a real volcano!? Everything was stunning and I liked that the spells weren’t too flashy or overdone. It gave the world a sort of grounding that made it feel more realistic.

The music was a great combination of epic fantasy (honouring scores like Lord of the Rings) and of action. I liked the slight Celtic flair to it.

Score: 1

Fun

This was fun from one end to the other. My daughter complained there were no dungeons or dragons at the beginning, but loved it once they got to the Underdark.

I enjoyed this immensely and can’t wait to re-watch it.

Score: 1

Overall

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves toes the line between catering to long time fans and being accessible to casual movie goers. It doesn’t always succeed, but it does a fantastic job overall. This is an excellent adventure movie with wonderful characters. More then worth watching several times.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Bullet Train – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film Bullet Train

Story

A fun mix of mystery, action, and absurd comedy; this movie is extremely well plotted. Nothing is wasted even the throwaway gags.

I normally find excessive flashbacks tedious, but it was done perfectly here and even manages to mock itself.

Score: 1

Characters

The absolute strength of the movie is in the characters. They are almost all killers and all of them likable, even those you’re not supposed to like.

The relationship arc between ladybug and his handler is excellent and the emotional journey he goes on is extremely relatable.

Score: 1

Dialogue

This is a very verbose movie and I’m totally here for it. I look forward to re-watching it and paying closer attention to the details.

Lots of excellent quips, monologues, and pseudo-psychology; all very entertaining.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The visual style is colourful, exciting, and vibrant. The action quick and punchy. The camerawork is excellent, considering it is all supposed to be on a train.

The Japanese versions of American pop songs, along with the score, set a perfect tone for the movie.

Score: 1

Fun

This is a rated R movie and I watched it on my own when the kids went to sleep. It was exactly what I needed to relax. It’s violent, funny, and a lot of fun.

Score: 1

Overall

A fantastic, violent, and funny movie with all the mystery of an Agatha Christie and all the irreverent humour of Deadpool. The actors pull out all the stops and despite the over the top action, the film never feels inauthentic. Seriously, go watch this.

Final Score: 5 Stars out of 5*

*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.

Zoom: Academy for Superheroes – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2006 film Zoom: Academy for Superheroes.

Story

The story works. It’s a nice mix between superhero and underdog sports movies. It has a lot of awkward moments and more than a few scenes that could have been cut or replaced.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Yikes is Jack an asshole. Seriously, he comes shy of insulting everyone but racial minorities (and that’s probably because there are none in the movie). His turnaround from asshole burnout to father figure is not believable and neither is the love story.

Thankfully, the kids are fantastic and bring the emotional heart to the film. The secondary characters felt a little out of place and there just for gags.

The little girl acted a lot younger than my 6yo does.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Lots of ableism, racism, sexism, and just meanness. There are a few good jokes, but the movie doesn’t balance it’s slapstick, seriousness, and heart very well.

The little girl had some of the best lines.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The special effects look cheesy but still hold out pretty well. Lots of nice practical effects and I liked the comic book style of filming.

The music was so mid 00’s that it was nostalgic. I kinda want the soundtrack. It’s dated but not in a bad way.

Score: 1

Fun

It’s hard to like a movie when the main character is so unlikeable. The 6yo and 3yo loved it and ran around the house pretending to be Zoom or Princess.

I did enjoy the obvious twist with the scientist girl.

Score: 0.5

Overall

Despite Tim Allen’s thoroughly unlikeable character, the movie is fun and exciting with a few surprises along the way. Great movie for kids and for those who have fond memories of Smash Mouth.

Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5