JoeMama's Movie Reviews

The Friday Five:  Vera Farmiga Vera Farmiga is one of those actresses that you've seen in several supporting roles in films, but might not notice her playing any real significant characters (except for one notable role).  She's continually churned out terrific performances, and with "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" being released, I took a look at my personal five favorite Vera Farmiga films. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #5  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Vera Farmiga plays the mother of a young German boy whose father works for the Nazis, as their family is moved to a house near a concentration camp.  The young boy befriends a young Jew boy who's in the camp, but neither boy really understands what's happening.  The film is truly heartbreaking and powerful, and Farmiga gives a terrific performance as a mother who's torn over her duty to her husband and the atrocities of war. #4  Orphan In this thrilling horro...

Aladdin Starring Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari Directed by Guy Ritchie The Story: Young street rat Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and his pet monkey Abu live in the streets and survive by stealing, and one day he runs into a mysterious woman who calls herself Dalia, but is actually the Princess of Agrabah, Jasmine (Naomi Scott).  The two share an immediate attraction, but are separated due to Jasmine having to marry a prince. Meanwhile, the Sultan's advisor Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) is looking for a mythical lamp that will grant its owner three wishes, and enlists Aladdin to retrieve it for him.  Aladdin summons the Genie (Will Smith), and wishes to become a prince to impress Jasmine.  As he lives his life as a prince, Aladdin feels he has to live up to a higher standard to get Jasmine, while Jafar plots to steal the lamp and make himself ruler of the world. The Synopsis: Back in 1992, Disney's "Aladdin" become one of the company's ...

Brightburn Starring Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn, Matt Jones Directed by David Yarovesky The Story: In the small town of Brightburn, Kansas, married couple Tori (Elizabeth Banks) and Kyle (David Denman) are trying to conceive a child to no avail.  One night a spaceship lands in their backyard, containing a baby that they immediately adopt and name Brandon. Ten years later, Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) turns twelve, and begins exhibiting strange behaviors and hearing voices in his head that leads him to his crashed spaceship hidden in the family barn.  He levitates, finds that he has super strength, and is able to project lasers from his eyes, and also becomes more angry and disobedient.  As his actions escalate to murder and mayhem, Tori works to find out why Brandon is like this, and if there's a way to bring her once loving son back from the brink of madness. The Synopsis: "We got lucky with Superman.  He shared our values.  T...

Breakthrough Starring Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Marcel Ruiz, Topher Grace Directed by Roxann Dawson The Story: Fourteen year old John Smith (Marcel Ruiz) wants to be a typical teenager - play basketball, hang out with his friends, and talk to girls - but his religious mother Joyce (Chrissy Metz) wants John to focus more on herself and God.  Joyce maintains a stiff upper lip as she clashes with her husband Brian (Josh Lucas), and especially the new pastor at her church, Jason Noble (Topher Grace), and she exhibits a desire to control everything. When John goes to play on an ice-covered lake with his friends, they fall through the ice.  While his friends make it out, John becomes submerged in the water, and first responder Tommy Shine (Mike Colter) hears a voice that tells him to keep going, and they find John unconscious in the water fifteen minutes after drowning.  Unresponsive, the doctors do all they can, but there's no pulse - until Joyce arrives and pra...

The Friday Five:  Will Smith From famous rapper to star of one of television's most iconic shows to bonafide film superstar, Will Smith can really do no wrong.  As he's about to pick up the mantle of the character Genie in "Aladdin" from the late, great Robin Williams, I take a look at my five personal favorite Will Smith films. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #5  I Am Legend The third film based off the classic novel by Richard Matheson, "I Am Legend" stars Will Smith as Robert Neville, the last human living in New York City after a virus turns millions of people into bloodthirsty mutants.  Neville is immune to the virus and sets about finding a cure while avoiding the horde and surviving day-to-day, and Smith shines in a unique role for him as he's pretty much the only human on screen for most of the film. #4 Bad Boys Directed by Michael Bay, "Bad Boys" features everything you'd expect from a...

Unplanned Starring Ashley Bratcher, Brooks Ryan, Robia Scott, Jared Lotz Directed by Chuck Konzelman & Cary Solomon The Story: Abby Johnson (Ashley Bratcher) grew up in a very conservative home, whose parents were pro-life believers, so when Abby goes to college and volunteers at Planned Parenthood, she obviously doesn't tell her family.  She was told that the corporation helps women in all areas, and not just abortion, and according to director Cheryl (Robia Scott) desires to reduce the amount of abortions with their help. After a failed marriage and two abortions herself, Abby marries Doug (Brooks Ryan), and becomes pregnant again, but she chooses to keep the baby, to Cheryl's dismay.  All the while Abby rises the ranks at Planned Parenthood, and is eventually offered the director job by Cheryl, to which she accepts.  As all this unfolds, protestors outside the clinic keep up their demonstrations, led by 40 Days for Life founder Shawn (Jared Lotz) an...

John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum Starring Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Halle Berry, Mark Dacascos Directed by Chad Stahelski The Story: After John Wick (Keanu Reeves) disobeys the rules of the High Table and kills a man in the Continental Hotel, he's labeled "excommunicado" and is given a one-hour head start from Continental manager Winston (Ian McShane) before every hitman and assassin in the world finds out that Wick is a wanted man, who has a $14 million dollar bounty on his head. Left without any aid, Wick calls in favors from past associates including the Director (Anjelica Huston) to get him to Morocco to find Sofia (Halle Berry), a close friend who could get him to the head of the High Table.  Along the way he's encountered by several assassins who try to kill him, and the High Table's Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) brings on assassin Zero (Mark Dacascos) to finish Wick off for good.  As Wick traverses the shady world of assassins, he finds ou...

The Friday Five:  Halle Berry Halle Berry is one of today's most acclaimed actresses, someone who's versatile enough to handle any type of genre and really excel at it.  With her next film "John Wick: Chapter 3" being released, I took a look at my personal top five favorite Halle Berry films. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #5  The Call In this tense thriller, Halle Berry stars as a 911 operator whose mistake cost a young girl her life, and now sets out to right her wrong by helping another female who's been kidnapped escape from her captor.  Berry gives a strong performance and showcases both vulnerability and determination to not let the mistakes of the past affect the outcome of her future. #4  Swordfish In this thriller, Halle Berry stars as a no-nonsense femme fatale who works for John Travolta's character Gabriel Shear, who's planning on stealing nine billion dollars through a computer worm.  Berry is tough a...

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Starring Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, John Malkovich Directed by Joe Berlinger The Story: In 1969, single mother Liz Kendall (Lily Collins) meets Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) at a bar, and the two hit it off right away.  They begin a relationship together, and Ted is like a father to Liz's daughter Molly, and as their relationship blossoms and grows, news about murdered women begin being televised.  When one of the women survive, she points out Ted as the man who almost killed her, and he's sent to trial.  Liz stands by him, even as he escapes custody and news of more murders becomes apparent.  Ted is apprehended again, and Liz begins to have her doubts as she stumbles into alcoholism and depression as Ted vows to fight the legal system and prove his innocence. The Synopsis: What goes on in the mind of a killer?  Documentaries, movies, and biographies have tried to answer that question, but there's...

The Friday Five: Ryan Reynolds Ever since his role in the hit television series "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place," Ryan Reynolds has become synonymous with comedy, but he's also been able to perform expertly in horror, drama, and action as well.  Now as he voices everyone's lovable Pokemon in "Detective Pikachu," I decided to look at my personal five favorite Ryan Reynolds films. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #5 Waiting... If you ever wonder about whether or not to be nice to the waiters and waitresses at your local restaurant, think about "Waiting..."  Ryan Reynolds joins an all-star comedy cast including Anna Faris, Justin Long, Dane Cook, David Koecher and Luis Guzman as they play employees at a local restaurant, and the antics and shenanigans they take part in.  Reynolds is laugh-out-loud funny, as is the entire cast. #4  The Proposal Ryan Reynolds dominates the romantic comedy genre, and "Th...

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Starring Sophia Lillis, Zoe Renee, Mackenzie Graham, Andrea Anders Directed by Katt Shea The Story: After moving to a small town from Chicago after her mother's death, Nancy Drew (Sophia Lillis) and her father Carson (Sam Trammell) are trying to adjust to small-town life.  Nancy befriends fellow geeks George (Zoe Renee) and Bess (Mackenzie Graham), and after pranking a jock who cyber-bullied Bess, Nancy is given community service.  During that time she meets the jock's girlfriend Hannah (Andrea Anders) and her eccentric aunt Flora (Linda Lavin), who claims her home is being haunted. Nancy and Hannah spend the night at Flora's house, and encounter seemingly supernatural events.  Nancy isn't convinced it's ghosts, and sets out to unravel the mystery behind the hidden staircase, as well as uncover a plan to allow a train station to be built through the town that threatens her father's well-being. The Synopsis: ...

Hellboy Starring David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane Directed by Neil Marshall The Story: Centuries ago, the Blood Queen Vivian Nimue (Milla Jovovich) was defeated by King Arthur, Merlin, and Excalibur, and her body was cut up and buried around England, while she vowed to once again return.  In modern times, Hellboy (David Harbour) is a demon who works with the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, led by Trevor Bruttenholm (Ian McShane) - who Hellboy calls Dad because he rescued him after being released from hell due to Nazi magic.  They discover that the Blood Queen is beginning to be put back together again, and devises a plan to stop her before she unleashes a plague that will wipe out humanity - but as Hellboy encounters people like Ben Daimio (Daniel Dae Kim) who hate him, he begins to wonder if the Blood Queen might have a valid reason, and wonders who the real monsters are. The Synopsis: "Hellboy" is based off the Dark Horse co...