JenEric Movie Review

Now You See Me 2 – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2016 film Now You See Me 2.

Story

The movie spends too much time recapping and dealing with the events of the first movie. Once we get to the actual story, it goes out of it’s way to humble the protagonists. Several scenes feel like they were written before they had a story and just wanted to do something cool.

Score: 0.5

Characters

There’s a little more development of characters but not much. I like that they didn’t just replace the woman in the group with someone who did the exact same things.

Overall, it feels like the few lessons for the characters there are, are too short, and the growth doesn’t feel deserved.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Witty and quippy and just as good as the first.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

Several parts of the movie feel disconnected. The entire heist in the vault is overly long and ridiculously overdone. If it had been on stage it would make sense, but otherwise it feels like they are playing to an audience that didn’t exist.

The music is the same but just a little different to make it unique.

Score: 1

Fun.

The movie was a lot of fun. We had issues with the DVD which wasn’t great, but besides that it was a good movie and everyone loved it. There were some ambiguities that frustrated me though, and the twist at the end didn’t have much impact.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A fun sequel that isn’t as good as the first, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Ocean’s 8 – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2018 film Ocean’s 8.

Story

Convoluted, twisty, and ridiculously well planned; everything a good heist needs to be. I did miss the traditional hiccup in the plan but it was understandable to cut out.

Score: 1

Characters

The little development in the characters was extremely well done. It felt like veterans teaching a new generation. The acting was fantastic.

I do feel like the main character had the least growth and that’s a shame.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue is quippy and has so many Easter eggs you’d have to watch it several times to catch them all. It’s a movie you can passively watch and enjoy or pay really close attention and get a lot of it.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

Visually stunning with amazing camera work and great costuming.

The music stayed with the classic jazz vibes of the original and added some more high fashion style.

Score: 1

Fun

Despite the complex story, twists, and numerous flashbacks, the movie was easy to follow and everyone in the family liked it.

Score: 1

Overall

A stand-out heist movie that manages to feel fresh while still bringing all the tropes we loved of the first three. A must-watch for heist and Ocean fans.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

The Princess Switch: Switched Again – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2020 film The Princess Switch: Switched Again.

Story

Adding the third look-alike added a few interesting possibilities and it was well done. It thankfully didn’t get as dark as it could have and kept that light, angst free, Christmas feel.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Again all the characters are loveable, even the villains. Hudgens does a spectacular job at making us forget she’s playing 3 roles.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Lots of playing around with the three look-alikes and some adorable lines from the love interests. The scenes between the prince and the kid are some of my favourites.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

Filming on location really pays off in this one. Scotland looks magical and the architecture seems to just fit perfectly.

The music was nice but forgettable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

Everyone enjoyed this one but it had a higher angst level and will be more fun in re-watching. The whole family liked it.

Score: 1

Overall

A great idea for a sequel with some nice twists but it isn’t quite as good as the original.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

The Princess Switch – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2018 film The Princess Switch.

Story

A fun take on The Prince and the Pauper. Like the other early Netflix Christmas movies, it avoids too much angst.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The male characters are pretty and adorable, but it’s Vanessa Hudgens that rightfully steals the show. The adorable littler girl does a good job too.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Clever and cute with a few good social commentaries. I don’t think we’ll be quoting this one much in the future but it was fun.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

Filmed at a real castle and in a place that gets snow so it was partially believable. It was however obvious that the majority of the scenes that weren’t bridging shots were filmed in summer..

The music was cheerful and unintrusive.

Score: 1

Fun

I expected a lot of awkward and angsty scenes but it wasn’t; it was fun and light and I really enjoyed it. The rest of the family felt the same.

Score: 1

Overall

A lovely Christmas romance with lots of flirting and little angst. Hudgens shows that excellent acting doesn’t have to only be depressing.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

A Haunting in Venice – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film A Haunting in Venice.

Story

I haven’t read Hallowe’en Party and can’t speak to how faithful this is to the original plot.

That being said, this is the most fast paced of the three Branagh Poirot movies and definitely the darkest. The story is a fascinating mystery with a lot of ghostly dressing. The pace is slowed and story hurt by the humdrum attempts at integrating horror clichés into it.

Score: 0.5

Characters

There is a massive disparity in quality in acting. Branagh and Yeoh are absolutely fabulous and the kid is amazing. The rest of the cast is passable.

The characters are believable and act accordingly.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

There’s a near poetry to the banter and dialogue of the characters. Yeoh’s confrontation with Branagh is spectacular.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The movie was filmed on location and it adds a level of authenticity. The sets are great. Despite the jump scares and a few odd angles, the cinematography is a wonderful mix of the mystery and horror styles.

Score: 1

Fun

I’m both proud and a little disappointed that I guessed the killer, method, and blackmailer way before I should have. It was, however, a fun movie to experience.

It being on the scarier side means I watched it on my own.

Score: 1

Overall

An excellent movie with a fun Halloween twist. The acting is a little uneven and the mystery watered down, but a worthy successor to the other two films and a fun watch. Branagh and Yeoh are fabulous as usual.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Black Friday (2021) – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2021 film Black Friday.

Story

A very standard zombie movie with a dash of alien invasion. The progression is so predictable I was almost bored. Thankfully there were a lot of shopping jokes.

Score: 0

Characters

The usual rag-tag group of misfits fighting zombies and barely (or not) surviving. Some of the actors were pretty good and some not great. There’s some impressive character moments where they rush through their trauma (from before the events) but it feels forced and is played for laughs.

Score: 0

Dialogue

The jokes about feral customers, retail hell, and consumerism sent me back to my days working in a convenience store. The writers had definitely experienced the existential horror of retail work.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The visuals were creepy and well done. Lots of flash and violence.

The music was better than the movie deserved. The original Christmas song was well done.

Score: 1

Fun

There were parts that bored me, but overall I had fun. It was exactly what it said it was and didn’t try to be anything more.

Score: 0.5

Overall

This is a horror movie that wouldn’t stand up without it’s gimmick, but the gimmick is so well done that you don’t care. It’s violent, gory, and will give you flashbacks to working retail.

Final Score: 2.5 Stars out of 5

See How They Run 2022 – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film See How They Run.

Story

The story tries really hard to be clever and referential while still respecting the genre. It’s not a spoof or an homage, but some sort of clever combination. The great thing is that it works on all levels. Everything is laid out in the intro narration and I was still pleasantly surprised.

Score: 1

Characters

The main detective characters are clichés brought to life. They’d be almost boring if it wasn’t for the quality and charm of the actors. Unfortunately, that doesn’t apply to the whole cast, which is populated by a checklist of quirky film noir characters.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue is a combination of period and modern and was a little jarring at times. It was however very clever and well thought out.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The director and cinematographer must have been big fans of Hitchcock and Anderson. It mostly worked as a mashup, but lacked originality and felt a little forced.

The music was strong but unmemorable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

This movie was a mystery lover’s good time. All the adults loved it, but the kids found it slow and talky. I will re-watch this one.

Score: 1

Overall

An excellent homage/comedy to the mystery genre, Christie in particular, and a fun movie. Its odd directorial choices are held together by the impressive acting from the leads.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Haunted Mansion (2023) – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Haunted Mansion.

Story

The story leans heavily into the feel of the ride and it’s expansive lore, but grounds it in a powerful story about grief and loss. It’s well constructed and everything is wrapped up nicely. There are no unwanted surprises, but lots of good ones.

Score: 1

Characters

It’s hard to give a large cast proper character development, but the movie makes sure to give each of them those little moments of depth. The cast is superb and has amazing comedic timing that balances the scary bits really well.

I really like the parallels between the characters growth and how it revolves around grief. It’s easy to forget what makes the idea of real ghosts sad and scary is dealing with our own loss.

Score: 1

Dialogue

They only used the word “Quantum” once in the movie and I’m glad for that.

Beyond that, the dialogue is a wonderful mix of silly, weird, and deeply moving. Each of the characters have their own style and tone, so much so that they could be from different times or movies, but somehow it works.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The movie is completely saturated with references to the ride and expanded lore. It’s both glorious and at times makes you spend more effort looking at the backgrounds in fear of missing something. Which might not be an issue for casual viewers. That being said, it’s a beautifully shot movie with great visuals.

The music is a great mixture of New Orleans jazz, creepy music, remixes from the ride, and originals that fall into all three.

Score: 1

Fun

The movie is fun, but we’re all big Haunted Mansion fans in our house. Everyone loved it, despite a few screams. I’m going to want this movie and its soundtrack.

Score: 1

Overall

A must watch for anyone who loves the Haunted Mansion ride or creepy family friendly scares. The movie has heart and depth that is surprising and touching.

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.

The Rescuers – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 1977 film The Rescuers.

Story

It followed the basic recipe of old noire detective stories even, ending on a boat. The story is well contained and cute, but not super original and wastes a lot of time on antics instead of story or characters.

Score: 0.5

Characters

I really like the interplay between the two mains, there was a nice romance arc to them. I also like the competent but humble male lead. It’s a nice switch.

The little girl was cute and the albatross hilarious, but the others were a little boring. The villain felt like a bad copy of Cruella.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was efficient and had some nice quippy lines. Again, most of the best dialogue was between the two main characters.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

Watching it on Blu-ray meant being able to see the brush strokes on the stunning backgrounds. This movie was beautiful. I can see where this still influenced other film makers.

The music was good, especially the songs.

Score: 1

Fun

It’s a fun, easy to watch adventure movie with two likeable main characters. What’s not to like? The 6yo and the 4yo were glued to their seats (a refreshing change).

Score: 1

Overall

A classic adventure movie that is absolutely beautiful to watch and has two of the most likeable main characters in animated history.

Final Score: 4 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