JoeMama's Movie Reviews

The Wild Robot Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Catherine O'Hara Directed by Chris Sanders "Sometimes to survive we must become more than we're programmed to be." That line from the trailer perfectly encapsulates the movie, a film that's rich in visual storytelling, vibrant in its animation, and one that will pluck at your heartstrings like its being played by an expert cellist. It's a children's movie that is far more than just for kids, something that doesn't come off as a cheap cash grab, and one that will move you to tears on more than one occasion. A film like "Toy Story" that will have you getting one lesson as a child, and another one entirely when you're an adult. The layers are multiple and deep, spanning different themes without being cheesy or toned down. It's heavy for a kid's movie, but it's one you won't soon forget. You see it, you hear it, and - most importantly - you feel it. On an ab...

The Shade Starring Chris Galust, Dylan McTee, Sam Duncan, Laura Benanti Directed by Tyler Chipman Horror movies in recent years focus on mental illness as a horror all its own, while establishing traditional scares you find in horror movies to further personify such illnesses. "The Shade" is one such film, a movie that takes a deep dive into the theme of familial curses and mental illness that ravages a small family while also being hunted by a strange female entity. It's unique and cleverly written and performed, but the length is its greatest detriment. Years after seeing his father kill himself, Ryan Beckman (Chris Galust) is still struggling with what he saw, haunted by dreams of black-cloaked people coming after him. He serves as the man of the house, taking care of his younger brother James (Sam Duncan) while his mother Renee (Laura Benanti) works at the local hospital. He's seeing a therapist and relies on his friends and girlfriend to keep him grounded, and it...

My Old Ass Starring Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maria Dizzia Directed by Megan Park Coming from someone who, like the older Elliott, is "a very young adult," "My Old Ass" is one of the best coming-of-age comedies I've seen in awhile. It really pulls the heartstrings in a way that doesn't come off as manipulative, but rather reflective: remembering the great moments of my life, never thinking they would end, and not really lamenting their end as using them as an opportunity to be a better person now. It's a powerful film subverted with laugh-out-loud comedy and stellar performances, and even though some moments are cliche and stereotypical, it doesn't take away from the message it tells so beautifully. Elliott Labrant (Maisy Stella) just turned eighteen and is about to leave her farming family for college in Toronto, with a desire to never take up the family business. She goes to an abandoned island with her two best friends and do ...

AfrAId Starring John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Lukita Maxwell, Isaac Bae Directed by Chris Weitz Back in 2002 a horror movie called "Feardotcom" was released, centering on the fears people were having of the Internet in its infancy, and it became one of the worst films of the oughts due to its sheer stupidity. It didn't really touch on anything important about real-life fears and instead settled for generic scares and a mismatched story that didn't make a lot of sense. Now, in 2024, "AfrAId" will carry on the tradition of being one of the worst films that center on a newfound technology: Artificial Intelligence. If you told me that not only the script - but the entire movie as a whole - was made by AI, I wouldn't be surprised - it's soulless, pointless, devoid of scares, and is ultimately a Frankenstein's Monster mixture that doesn't make a lick of sense. Curtis (John Cho) is selected to test a new form of Artificial Intelligence called AIA t...

The Killer's Game Starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Pom Klementieff, Ben Kingsley Directed by J.J. Perry "John Wick" revitalized the action genre for a new generation, offering stylistic action sequences, compelling characters, thought-provoking stories and a unique code of conduct for the assassins. It was a breath of fresh air and gave people hope that the action genre wasn't entirely dead. "The Killer's Game" is no such movie, but it's one that hearkens back to the classic action of the 80s and 90s that doesn't really focus on plot, but instead delivers the humor and action in equal measure. While it won't be one you'll remember after it ends, it's one that'll have you smiling throughout due to its mind-numbing story that allows you to turn off your brain and enjoy the senseless carnage led by the ever-charismatic Dave Bautista. Joe Flood (Dave Baustista) is an accomplished assassin who works for his mentor Zvi (Ben Kings...

Speak No Evil Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Franciosi Directed by James Watkins I hate it when people compare remakes to the originals, at least when it comes to writing reviews, because their views are skewered by it (personally I love debating such things, but when it comes to writing reviews I try to remain impartial). The 2022 Danish film "Speak No Evil" was an excellent film (if not a bit flawed in parts) that has an ending that sticks with you long after it ends, proving that international films aren't afraid to "go there" when it comes to their endings. I fully expected the American remake to not have such daring feats of filmmaking, since it seems American cinema is more about getting butts in the seats and to do so they know general audience members want a polished, nice, happy ending. So taking the film at face value and apart from the remake, I was left unimpressed, with it being a bit difficult to even remember moment...

Speak No Evil Starring Morten Burian, Sidsel Siem Koch, Fedja van Huet, Karina Smulders Directed by Christian Tafdrup "Speak No Evil" is a Danish psychological horror film that went under the radar in America when it came out in 2022, but it did draw the attention of some, as it's already received an American remake that's being released this week. To prepare for how the American version will undoubtedly butcher the source material (looking your way American versions of "Martyrs" and "Inside"), I decided to finally sit down and watch the original. While there's several glaring plotholes that don't make a lot of sense, the ending is absolutely shocking and one I won't soon forget - and I doubt the American version will be as daring. While vacationing in Italy, Danish couple Bjorn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) - along with their young daughter Agnes (Liva Forsberg) - meet Dutch couple Patrick (Fedja van Huet), Karin (Karin...

The Front Room Starring Brandy, Kathryn Hunter, Andrew Burnap, Neal Huff Directed by Max and Sam Eggers It's rare that I go into a film totally blind, not seeing a trailer or hearing anything about a movie, and "The Front Room" is one such movie. I knew nothing about the premise, what it entailed, or anything about it until I sat down and watched it. Then hearing it's from A24 and directed by Max and Sam Eggers (half-brothers of Robert Eggers, director of "The Lightouse," "The Witch" and "The Northman"), I was excited to see what would come. Sadly, sometimes the talent doesn't run in the family, and while there was some noteworthy moments in this film, overall it felt like it didn't know where it was supposed to go, leaving us confused and underwhelmed. Belinda (Brandy) and her husband Norman (Andrew Burnap) are expecting a child after the loss of their first child, and things are a bit rough around the house - Belinda quit her jo...

The Forge Starring Cameron Arnett, Priscilla Shirer, Aspen Kennedy, Karen Abercrombie Directed by Alex Kendrick Faith based films are good in their message but terrible in their execution. They teach themes about love, faith, forgiveness, overcoming adversity and being a better human being, but do so in a way that beats the Bible over peoples' heads. While it's great for Christian believers who fill auditoriums, it's extremely preachy and polarizing to non-believers. Not to mention the performances and production values have a lot to be desired (the second is forgivable because films like this don't have Avengers-level budgets), and you get films that give comfort to believers but don't appeal to non-believers like they should. Being a believer myself, I'm inspired by the message, but can also understand how heavy-handed they can be. "The Forge" is a bit less heavy-handed, but the message it tries to tell is misplaced at best and totally misleading at ...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Jenna Ortega Directed by Tim Burton The 80s was a great decade for movies, including many notable standouts that have withstood the test of time and ones that people still hold fondly in their hearts. One of them is 1988's "Beetlejuice," directed by the great and eccentric Tim Burton and stars Michael Keaton as the trickster demon Betelgeuse who tries to trick young Lydia Deetz into marriage. It seemed like a one-and-done film (although an animated series followed, and if you can find it I highly suggest watching it, it's a darn good time), but now we get a gift from Burton and company: "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," the long-awaited sequel. While it's not as memorable as the first, it's a decent addition to the franchise and brings back not just Keaton and Burton, but Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara as well. After watching this film three times in three days (sadl...

  Kinds of Kindness Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos I've gotten into this debate more than I care to admit, but people often wonder why there's no originality in Hollywood anymore, as it seems everything is either a superhero movie, sequel, or another iteration of an already established intellectual property. I tell them that there is originality in Hollywood, but people don't see them because when push comes to shove, people would rather buy a ticket for a franchise they already know, even if it's going to suck, as opposed to taking a gamble and watching something they know nothing about. It's a shame, because there's some wildly original content out there right now (like "Civil War," "Longlegs," "Cuckoo" and the like) including "Kinds of Kindness," which - to be honest - I still don't fully comprehend. And I love that. I love a movie that makes you think, that ...