JoeMama's Movie Reviews

The Dog Stars Starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce Directed by Ridley Scott Post-apocalyptic movies are thrilling, exciting, and fast-paced. Be it a zombie apocalypse, a natural disaster or man-made viruses, you're always bound to see survivors gathering together to horde their supplies as they come under attack from one group of enemies or another. This is why "The Dog Stars" is so frustrating - it's perpetually boring. Out of the too-long two hour runtime only about fifteen minutes are filled with action, and the rest is a dour story that is more about remembering the past than facing the future. Although it's got some great natural setting, this is a world where I would've wished I was gone before it happened, otherwise I'd die of boredom. After an unknown virus killed most of society, Hig (Jacob Elordi) lives in an abandoned airport bunker with his trusty dog and former Marine Bangley (Josh Brolin). While Bangley is content ...

Coyote vs. Acme Starring Will Forte, Lana Condor, John Cena, Tone Bell Directed by Dave Green "You complete me." Those were the words uttered by Heath Ledger's Joker in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster "The Dark Night" when he's being interrogated by Christian Bale's Batman, as he wondered if the Joker wanted him dead. The Joker laughed and said those words showing that, while they're way on opposite ends of the legal spectrum, they really do compliment one another. There can't be a Batman without his Joker, or Professor X without Magneto, or Spider-Man without Green Goblin. Likewise, spanning back since 1949, Wile E. Coyote can't be without the Road Runner. The two have been chasing each other down for over seventy years, and it seems almost unthinkable to wonder what would happen if the Coyote did in fact capture the Runner (although it's happened in non-canonical situations). That's the heart behind the long-delayed and almost n...

Insidious: Out of the Further Starring Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Lin Shaye Directed by Jacob Chase The "Insidious" franchise was something that was never meant to be. The first movie was an astonishing hit, earning over $99 million worldwide on a $1.5 million budget, making it one of the most financially successful horror movies. It was expertly done, with well-timed jump scares (including one that's still listed as one of the best in all of horror) and had a great story behind it, with impeccable performances by Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins and Lin Shaye. The ending did leave it open, but it seemed that it was still contained as a one-and-done, but as we all know, money talks. The future installments stretched the story so thin it became a caricature of itself, even though it did keep earning money hand to foot. So now it's the fifth installment, "Insidious: Out of the Further," which doesn't have a lot to do with ...

The End of Oak Street Starring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, Christian Convery Directed by David Robert Mitchell Ever since 1993, dinosaurs on the big screen have been unofficially owned by "Jurassic Park" and its subsequent sequels, reboots and franchises. Any time you hear of a dinosaur movie, you'll be sure to hear John Williams' iconic score with the title "Jurassic ____" in it. Which is what makes "The End of Oak Street" so refreshing - it's a dinosaur movie without having Chris Pratt try to calm Velociraptors or Jeff Goldblum talking about life finding a way. Instead, it's a unique mix of prehistoric and modern day, where a normal cul-de-sac is somehow transported to another era where dinosaurs ruled supreme. Not just that, but the family dynamic at the heart of the film propels the thankful 99 minute runtime forward, along with surprising humor and even more surprising shocks that makes for a lean, entertaining, memorab...

Motor City Starring Alan Ritchson, Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber Directed by Potsy Ponciroll The idea of a revenge movie has been done time and again in cinematic history, but rarely in the style of "Motor City." The movie was almost entirely absent of audible dialogue, letting its soundtrack and actors' facial expressions tell the story. It's not like it's a complicated one to understand, as we've seen it all before, and without clunky exposition-laden speeches we're allowed to become fully immersed in the film's violence, which comes hot and heavy, and gives deep character dives without uttering a single word. In 1977 Detroit, John (Alan Ritchson) is an ex-con Vietnam vet who has made his life right and is settling down with his girlfriend Sophia (Shailene Woodley) when his world comes crashing down and he's framed by crooked cop Savick (Pablo Schreiber) and his accomplice Reynolds (Ben Foster) who happens to be Sophia's abusi...

Pinocchio: Unstrung Starring Richard Brake, Robert Englund, Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield In a world where CGI has all but overtaken the cinematic landscape, seeing a film filled with practical effects is a breath of fresh air, no matter how convoluted the story is. "Pinocchio: Unstrung" - the continuation of Rhys Frake-Waterfield's "Twisted Childhood Universe" - falls under that category. While there's a lot about this movie that doesn't make a lick of sense, it can be forgiven because the practical effects are so well-done for such a small budget you can't help but admire it. Where production companies crap out soulless sequel after soulless sequel, Frake-Waterfield's work showcases his deep desire to see his vision come to life, and you can feel his heart beating with every scene. After losing his parents, young James (Cameron Bell) goes to live with his grandfather Geppetto (Richard Brake) who's been plann...