review

Shotgun Wedding – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film Shotgun Wedding.

Story

A classic “Die Hard” style story with a fighting couple that borders on enemy to lovers. The plot is simple and only complicated by bad decisions.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The cast is fabulous and the characters wonderfully flawed. I like that they had no combat training and survived by luck and a little skill.

They did make a lot of really foolish decisions, and at times it felt forced.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue is cheesy and fun with lots of quips. It is really frustrating how much of the dialogue happens where the bad guys should hear them.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The location was beautiful and the costuming was amazing and consistent. The camera work was good and steady.

The music was okay and did a good job of punctuating when the dialogue was dangerous and when it was just exposition.

Score: 1

Fun

It was a lot of fun to watch, even with the frustrations of poor character decisions.

Score: 1

Overall

A solidly written homage to Die Hard with a wedding twist. The characters have no idea what they’re doing in combat or love but by the end they find both.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Rise of the Guardians – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2012 film Rise of the Guardians.

Story

A fun twist on the reluctant hero story with a better lineup than the Avengers. The story is fresh while still using standard superhero tropes. The worldbuilding is amazing.

Score: 1

Characters

Each of the characters had unique feel and character motivations. The actors did a great job, really throwing themselves into it. Even with a larger cast there was a lot of character development for all of them except Sandy.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Very quippy, funny, and isn’t afraid of being serious at the same time.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The animation has aged fairly well, there are some lighting issues and a few less smooth sections but it’s still very pretty.

The music is phenomenal and worth listening to if you ever need to get pumped up.

Score: 1

Fun

I saw this in theatres and loved it. This was the kids’ first time and they were glued to the screen. Everyone had a great time.

Score: 1

Overall

A classic animated film that has more heart and goes way harder than it needed to. The acting, writing, and music make this a family favourite and an all around fun movie.

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.

Boss Level  – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2020 film Boss Level.

Story

A hyper violent time loop story. I’m surprised there aren’t more than a few of these. The story was good and unfolded well but felt like the character development wasn’t as extreme as most time loop movies. The ending felt like the screenwriters got stuck and couldn’t think of anything better.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The main character is likeable and trying really hard to pretend to be a dick. The interactions and emotion with his son are the best part of the movie.

The rest of the cast does a great job but most of them are very cartoonish.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The narration was fantastic and the snappy dialogue was a lot of fun. Again, the dialogue between the main character and his son make the movie.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The action was great, the cinematography passable, and the special effects were well done.

The music was perfect for the film.

Score: 1

Fun

I watched this one on my own and there are so many fun moments but the ending was so bad it made me enjoy the movie less.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A run of the mill time loop movie where the action and character drama are fantastic but the story and ending are mediocre.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

The Princess Diaries – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2001 film The Princess Diaries.

Story

This was an interesting take on the My Fair Lady trope but without the bet. I like that the love interest is secondary but the angst and teen drama is still just as cringy as it was two decades ago.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The characters are fairly true to life for the teens while still being caricatures in a good way. It really reminds me of the early aughts.

The Queen is amazing and Joseph is absolutely perfect.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Quippy, fun, memorable, and most of all, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The cinematography is good and the framing done well. The colours feel muted a little but that could be Disney+.

The music is excellent and supports the action.

Score: 1

Fun

This movie always makes me uncomfortable and then happy. The kids liked it and the rest of the family have loved it for years.

Score: 0.5

Overall

This is a classic movie with all the teenage angst of the early 2000’s. Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews are iconic and it’s a lot of fun to revisit these characters with my kids.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

 Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2024 film Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.

Story

This is the standard love story where the “prince” meets the uncommon girl and her family and before she knows who he is, they start falling for each other. Then there’s drama when she finds out and eventually they rebuild trust and love. Same plot points as a lot of Cinderella stories.

There’s nothing particularly new in it, but they tie every plot point to the emotion of the movie.

I was worried this would just be a huge ad for the team and it’s players, but it never felt that way. Even with Donna Kelce popping up.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Throw a bunch of standard, but kind, family tropes at a wall and you’ll get the characters from this movie.

That being said, they act the shit out of it. Every line, every look, and every movement is purposeful and impactful. The actors are mostly veteran TV actors and they’re lovable.

The main characters are adorable and have enough chemistry to keep us interested.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue was pure cheese but delivered so well that it felt deep.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The camera angles were good and they made Kansas City look like a small Christmas town, which is impressive.

The music did it’s job and was good.

Score: 0.5

Fun

It was a nice relaxing movie that was sweet and still pulled at my heartstrings. Both my wife and I loved it. (We watched it after the kids wree in bed.)

Score: 1

Overall

It strikes the perfect balance between cheese and real emotion with all the heart you’d need from this sort of movie.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Jingle Bell Heist – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Jingle Bell Heist.

Story

They manage to meld the formula of a heist movie with the heart of a Christmas romance. It was happy, sad, stressful, twisty, and ends happily.

Score: 1

Characters

The two main characters could have been extremely bland but the actors were amazing and elevated them into real, feeling people.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue was good, especially when the two main characters were talking with each other, but there were times when they are talking about the heist where it felt very unnatural on the exposition.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie had very muted colours but overall was still pretty and well shot.

The music was excellent, melding the Christmas songs with more dramatic score.

Score: 1

Fun

We guessed several of the twists before they happened but didn’t feel cheated by it. Everyone liked it. Not sure it’ll become a yearly rewatch but it was good.

Score: 1

Overall

A fun and well thought-out combination of rom-com and heist movie set at Christmas. The actors are phenomenal and the story will keep you guessing.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Odd Thomas – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2016 film Odd Thomas.

Story

The screenwriters took all the fatphobia, misogyny, and ableism and removed it. They also took the overall slow story and made it feel fast paced. Unfortunately, all the polishing doesn’t help a mediocre attempt at a supernatural thriller.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The characters are made more human in this than in the book and that’s probably because of the actors and the cleaning up of the relations between characters.

Special shout out to Anton Yelchin who turned one of the least likeable characters into someone I’d want to read and watch. Also Addison Timlin who made Stormy into more than a cookie cutter manic pixie dreamgirl.

They still feel like outdated cardboard cutouts instead of real characters.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue is pompous, dated, and awkward. In the books, it was terrible, but in the movie it worked to build a sort of stylistic surrealism to the whole movie.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The digital effects look dated but everything that’s practical looks great. The cinematography and weird blue filter makes for a good match to the dialogue’s surrealism.

The music was okay. It did its job but was extremely predictable and a little dull.

Score: 0.5

Fun

I liked the movie and might even rewatch it. I watched it alone after hate-binging the novel. I don’t think the kids or the family would have enjoyed it. As a supernatural movie it was good. As an adaptation, it was better than the novel.

Score: 0.5

Overall

An amazing adaptation of a mediocre book. Anton Yelchin and Addison Timlin infuse personality and emotion into bland, borderline unlikable characters. Unfortunately, no clever writing or acting can save a tired plotline.

Final Score: 2.5 Stars out of 5

Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Buried at C – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Buried at C.

Story

The story is fairly well constructed but had way too many moving parts and didn’t have the screentime to give them proper attention.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Too many characters with too little time for their stories. The brother added a nice emotional anchor but once he knew her secret, he sort of faded into the background. There were hints that he and the Siobhan were going to have a romance subplot but nothing happened, a lot like the love triangle.

The main character and the ghost was great and I liked the cast of suspects.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was witty, heartwarming, and a lot of fun.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

Once again, the countryside and locations are spectacular. The camera angles and cinematography are excellent.

The music was great and the father’s song was a nice touch.

Score: 1

Fun

This was another cozy and fun mystery. The characters are interesting and the banter is great. The whole family liked this one.

Score: 1

Overall

Sequels don’t always need to get bigger and more intense. This tries but falls a little short. However, the banter and mystery are solid and it’s a fun watch.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Princess of Thieves – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2001 film Princess of Thieves.

Story

The story feels like a mid 1990’s feelgood made for TV movie. It’s slightly silly and it refuses to let its main character do much.

Score: 0

Characters

The main love pair are a lot of fun when they’re together. The rest of the cast is much too good for the material.

I am severely annoyed that they talked her up as being an expert archer, rider, and swordsman but she only seemed able to shoot. She needed saving far too often. They’d never have written the character in the same way had it been a boy.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Some lines could be iconic, others are just bad. It has a lot of, “But daddy!” energy that could have been way more annoying with another actor.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The visuals are pretty good, it shows that they filmed on location. The camera work is steady and well done, if very 90’s in style.

The music is a great match to the Disney Robin Hood and later versions. It’s heroic and fun.

Score: 1

Fun

This is the kind of movie that I expect is someone’s childhood favourite. It has all the elements to be great but needs the imagination of a child to put it together in a more coherent way.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A fun period movie that is bound to be someone’s favourite but that can’t decide what it wants to be. The acting and locations are excellent, but the rest is a little meh.

Final Score: 2.5 Stars out of 5