Rating: Full

 

Cast: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Brouobert, Imelda Staunton, and Ashley Jensen

 

Director: Sarah Smith

 

Writers: Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith

 

Producers: Peter Lord, David Sproxton Carla Shelly and Steve Pegram

 

Rated: PG for some mild rude humor

 

Fun Fact: When Steve is sneaking into Gwen’s house, he almost stepped on a stuffed Shaun the Sheep, a main Aardman’s character.

 

Quote: “Operation Santa Claus is coming to town!”- Steve

 

Favorite Part: When the Waker alarm goes off (a Waker is when a child wakes up during the elves visit).

 

Favorite Character: Steve

 

Synopsis: Kids has been asking how Santa delivers presents all around the world all in one night, well the answer is with the high tech, state of the art ship and millions of elves. Arthur was Santa’s klutzy son who spends time reading letters while his older brother, Steve, is about to become the next Santa. Another Christmas was a success but only one child is forgotten. This causes Arthur to worry, he asks Steve and their father to deliver the last gift before the child wakes up but they said it was impossible. But Arthur’s grandfather disagrees with them and decides to help deliver the last gift using an old-fashioned sleigh, eight reindeer and a stowaway elf who is crazy about wrapping gifts. Together, they can deliver the last gift.

 

The Review: Outstanding British Christmas movie who can give the children hopes. Such quite a cast! Clever technology for the citizens at the north pole (including the iPhone for elves called HOHO). Be prepare for a sleigh ride! This is Aardman’s first fully length CGI animated film.

 

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temurera Morrision, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk

 

Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker

 

Writer: Jered Bush

 

Producer: Osnat Shurer

 

Rated: PG for peril, some scary images, and brief thematic elements

 

Fun Fact: Maui’s tattoos are not CGI.

 

Quote: “If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess.”- Maui

 

Synopsis: Moana is a teenager who lives on the island in the Pacific Ocean. She wants to go beyond the reef but her father forbidden her to leave the island. She discovers a green stone which is the heart that Maui, a demi-god, removed a thousand years ago, causing the islands to die. But when her dying grandmother encourages her to do so, she and her pet chicken sails beyond the reef. She finds Maui and encourages him to return the stone to the island. Now Moana and Maui must sail across the ocean to return the green stone in the right place.

 

 

Review: Another great Disney princess movie, only this time, without a lover of a princess. With great songs and quite characters, and an awesome story, this could be the next frozen. The Rock makes a funny Maui. This is basically like reading a fairy tale from the pacific islands. The true self message was so true. Moana is a tropical paradise!

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiotor, Rachael McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scot Adkins, Mads Mikkelson, Tilda Swinton

 

Director: Scott Derrickson

 

Writers: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Corgill

 

Producers: Kevin Feige

 

Rated: PG-13 for Sci-Fi violence and action throughout and an intense crash sequence

 

Fun Fact: Doctor Strange was inspired by Chandu the Magician and Vincent Price

 

Quote: “You want to know what I see in your future? Possibility.”- The Ancient One

 

Synopsis: Steven Strange is an award-winning neurosurgeon but on his way to some event, he got in the accident, preventing his use of his hands, yet, ending his career. He tries to find a way to get his hands working again but was unsuccessful so he traveled to Nepal for a miracle. But he does not know that he will become a powerful sorcerer as he must save reality from being destroyed.

 

Review: Another exciting chapter of the marvel series as this is the ice cream treat for your eyes. Cumberbatch is a powerful sorcerer. Swinton is a wise ancient one. Stay through the whole thing as you get a surprise post credit scene. This movie will blow your mind. A marvel version of Inception. If you don’t see this in 3D, you are out of luck.

 

 

 

Rating: Half-Full

 

Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Sean Penn, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage

 

Directors: Fergal Reilly, Clay Kaytis

 

Writer: Jon Vitti

 

Producers: John Cohen, Catherine Winder

 

Rated: PG for rude humor and action

 

Fun Fact: The movie was to be released on July 1^st.

 

Quote: “Drop your nuts and move your butts! It’s time to get angry!”- Red

 

Synopsis: Bird island is an island full of happy, flightless birds but not all of them are happy. Red has anger issues, so he was sentenced to anger management class, hoping to fix his issues. There he meets Chuck, a speedy bird and Bomb, a bird who blows up (literally!) But a mysterious ship full of green piggies arrived on the island and offered their friendship but Red, becoming suspicious, tried to tell everyone that these pigs are up to no good but they refused to listen. He was proven right when the pigs stole all the eggs and they must travel to Piggy Island to get them back.

 

The Review: This animated film based on the iconic game is filled with colorful birds, hilarious pigs, porky humor (get it?), references and some inappropriate moments (like the mighty eagle going wee wee in the lake Chuck and Bomb just swam in). Josh Gad stood out as Chuck. The first half is fun while the climax and ending is ok. It has a meaningless message about how its okay to be angry. Love the fur and feathers though.

 

 

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dave Franco

 

Director: Nicholas Stoller

 

Writers: Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendon O’Brian

 

Producers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver

 

Rated: R for Pervasive language, strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity and drug use throughout.

 

Fun Fact: Neighbors was originally called Townies.

 

Quote: “I’ve got claws!”- Mac

 

Favorite Part: When Mac, Kelly and their divorced friends tried to get Delta Psi their third strike.

 

Synopsis: New parents Mac and Kelly Radner are worried that now they have a baby daughter, they are starting to lose their coolness. So, when the fraternity house brothers of Delta Psi moved next door, Mac and Kelly attended their first party to regain their coolness, but when the brothers’ party gets crazier every time, Mac and Kelly had enough. Learning that the brothers get three strikes at the university, the new parents successfully got them Delta Psi their second strike (the first strike is when the brothers burned down their last house) and they are not allowed to throw any more parties for the rest of the year. They know if they ignore the probation, they get strike three! So, with the help of their friend and his ex-wife, they send a fake letter telling them they are off probation and help them with the end of the year bash, hoping they will be gone!

 

The review: Neighbors is just getting the party started. Zac Efron went from the Disney star to the party animal while Rogen makes an interesting father. Great jokes and a hilarious diabolical plan. It will make you glad you aren’t neighbors with a fraternity house in this modern version of Animal House.

 

Rating: Half-Full

 

Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Freddrichs, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer

 

Director: Oren Peli

 

Writer: Oren Peli

 

Producer: Oren Peli

 

Rated: R for language

 

Fun Fact: The entire film is shot in Oren Peli’s home and it took only 10 days to shoot!

 

Quote: “I feel it. I feel it breathing on me.”-Katie

 

Favorite Part: The ending

 

Synopsis: A young couple, Katie and Micah, moves into the house in San Diego and Micah is obsessed with their new camera hoping to capture some supernatural activity. But night by night, the activity gets scarier and scarier each time.

 

Review: low budgeted film is partly entertaining, realistic and looks like the actual footage like the Blair Witch Project, but it’s too tame for hardcore horror movie watchers and not much jump scares. Although, the ending does make up for it and the sound effects bought this film to life and if you are a wimp, you’ll probably be offended by this.

 

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Kristen Wigg, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams.

 

Director: Paul Feig

 

Writers: Katie Dippold and Paul Feig

 

Producers: Ivan Reitman and Amy Pascal

 

Rated: PG-13 for supernatural action and some crude humor

 

Fun fact: Stars of the Original Ghostbusters make a cameo appearance (excluding Harold Ramis since he died in 2014).

 

Quote: “I don’t have a cat. I have a dog named Mike Hat.”- Kevin

 

Synopsis: Author Erin Gilbert stops believing in supernatural stuff but her co-author, Abby did not. Them and engineer Julian had encountered the ghost while at the haunted house and post it on YouTube but they ended up getting fired from the university. Along with the subway worker, Patty, they formed a ghost catching business and their headquarters took place above the Chinese restaurant. They hired a handsome but dim Kevin for their receptionist. However, the mayor of the New York City is concerned about ghost problems so they decided to support the ghostbusters on one condition that they call them frauds. But when a bullied, people-hating, hotel janitor Rowin plans on making the apocalypse in New York City The all-female ghostbusters grab their gadgets and is off to save Manhattan.

 

The Review: This reboot is a Laverne and Shirley version of the ghostbusters with funny jokes, advanced gadgets and advanced special effects. Chris Hemsworth has found his funny side and he’s hilarious when he’s possessed by Rowin. The scariest part would have to be the beginning. This is really a Paul Feig movie and Harold Ramis would have laughed at this redo of the comedy of the 80’s.

 

Side note: I have been working on my popcorn and we finally just finished harvesting.

 

 

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Jeffery Jones, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder

 

Director: Tim Burton

 

Writers: Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren

 

Producers: Michael Bender, Larry Wilson and Richard Hashimoto

 

Rated: PG

 

Fun Fact: The Beetlejuice script was originally a horror film; Betelgeuse was a demon and his goal is to kill the Deetz, not scare them away.

 

Quote: “I’ve seen The Exorcist about 167 times and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it!”- Betelgeuse

 

Synopsis: Adam and Barbara Maitland are a young couple who decides to vacation in their home, a home which they refuse to sell. But when they died in the car accident, they begin to see such supernatural things and they can’t leave the house. The Deetz family from New York bought and remodeled the house. The Deetz daughter, Lydia, is the only one who can see the Maitlands. When they failed to scare away the new house owners, they called for professional help, and their professional help is Betelgeuse, an outrageous bio-exorcist and that’s when the fun really begins.

 

The Review: Another well done film by Tim Burton which he doesn’t usually do comedies. Michael Keaton makes a hilarious Betelgeuse and Winona Ryder makes a descent Lydia. A wacky film filled with stop motion effects, a makeup that won an Oscar, and a hilarious dinner table scene. But I do not know how a PG movie would get away with Keaton saying the F word. Otherwise, this film will make you howl, is full of chaos and certainly a good time.

 

 

Note: I know this is going to get posted on Tuesday but I m a little behind with my family gone.

 Note: The image below isn’t the clip art for my blog but my brother isn’t finished drawing up the clip arts.

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts

 

Director: Ivan Reitman

 

Writers: Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

 

Producer: Ivan Reitman

 

Rated: PG for some language, suggestive humor, and frightening images

 

Fun Fact: John Belushi was going to play Dr. Venkman but died while writing a script so the role went to Bill Murray

 

Quote: “I’ve been slimed!”- Dr. Venkman

 

Favorite Part: When Stay Puft comes on.

 

Synopsis: Three college professors got fired from their jobs at the University and decided to use their parapsychology knowledge to create a business of catching supernatural creatures, which they call it “Ghostbusters” and held its headquarters in the abandoned firehouse. Their poltergeist hunting business was a success but the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) came and shut down the machine that held all the ghosts they caught (due to several environmental violations and ghost hunting without license), releasing the ghosts causing the chaos in Big Apple. And to make things worse, a cellist Dana and her nerdy neighbor, Louis were possessed by the ancient spirits who happened to open the gateway to hell… which is located in the apartment building and was to destroy the city. So, who are you gonna call? Ghostbusters!

Review: This is the film of the 80’s with incredible special effects, unforgettable theme song, an iconic logo and the fact that you won’t turn away from the climax. Bill Murray makes a funny Dr. Venkman and Harold Ramis makes a smart Dr. Spengier. However, the beginning is a little rushed and Stay Puft is in the movie for a very short period, otherwise, it’s a best supernatural comedy of all the supernatural comedies.

 

My name is George Johnson and starting today I am going to be a movie critic! That’s right! I am going to post my reviews of films once a week, some old, some new. I want to do this because I want to have a job that had something to do with movies. I am going to call it “Few Burned Kurnels” There will be five stages of this review. Those stages will rate on how I think of the movie. There is Overflow (the best review), Full, Half-Full, Empty and worst of all, Few Burned Kurnels. If you didn’t get those stages, think of the popcorn you get at the movies.

 

I will be posting my weekly blogs on Mondays. I hope you will enjoy it.