JoeMama's Movie Reviews

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Starring Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black Directed by Aaron Horvath & Michal Jelenic Back in 2017, "The Greatest Showman" starring Hugh Jackman received a beating from the critics, giving the film just a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, however, chose not to listen to the critics and wanted to decide for themselves, and the results were historic: an 86% audience rating, an Oscar nomination, over $428 million worldwide, and a soundtrack that still thumps to this day. "The Greatest Showman" proved that critics aren't always right, and that rings true again for "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" - a film lambasted by critics but hailed by audiences, that does have its faults but it's so filled with nostalgia and lovely animation that in the end it doesn't really matter. As Bowser (Jack Black) remains miniaturized and under the watchful eyes of Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Pe...

They Will Kill You Starring Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette, Myha'la, Tom Felton Directed by Kirill Sokolov What happens when you throw in "Kill Bill," "Hotel Artemis," "Ready or Not," Quentin Tarantino and Sam Raimi into a blender? You get "They Will Kill You," a film that obviously takes license from the aforementioned films and directors but concocts its own story. While the screenplay itself will never earn an Academy Award, a film such as this doesn't need one to validate its existence. It's just a fun, bloody, action-filled movie with a commanding lead performance from Zazie Beetz and a welcome return for Patricia Arquette in a role like she's never played before. After getting out of prison, Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) applies to be a maid for a local apartment complex known as the Virgil, run by the superintendent Lily Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette). The first night there Asia wakes up to find a group of people in her room thr...

Reminders of Him Starring Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford Directed by Vanessa Caswill Should one mistake dictate the rest of your life? This is the question haphazardly asked in the latest Colleen Hoover-written-to-film "Reminders of Him," where a woman who accidentally caused the death of her boyfriend spent years in prison only to get out and find that she can't get access to the child she had with him, and finds herself a pariah in her hometown because of said event. While this could've worked if the movie really focused on that, it instead tried to weave in a melodramatic romantic relationship where the two actors have as much chemistry as oil and water. Six years after accidentally causing the death of her boyfriend, Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) is let out of prison and returns to her hometown in Wyoming in hopes of connecting with the daughter she gave birth to while in prison who's now in the custody of her boyfriend ...

  Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Starring Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy Directed by Radio Silence 2019's surprise hit "Ready or Not" made a household name out of Samara Weaving, solidifying her legacy as a modern-day scream queen (with that exciting, unique shrill scream) and gave directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (also known as Radio Silence) the clout needed to go on to direct the newer outings of the long-running "Scream" franchise, "Scream" and "Scream VI," along with the underrated "Abigail." Everyone thought the movie was a one-and-done, as Grace accomplished what she set out to do, but there was more story to be told. Some fans (including myself) were worried that they over-extended their reach with "Ready or Not 2," but they managed to prove the sequel's need to exist by expanding the world, introducing new foes, and a new ally for Grace - her long-estrange...

Undertone Starring Nina Kiri, Michele Duquet, Adam DiMarco, Keana Lyn Bastidas Directed by Ian Tuason 2010s and 2020s horror has elevated itself to include deep personal themes like psychological disorders, religious zeal, and personifying mental illnesses. "Hereditary," "Midsommar," "It Follows," "The Babadook" and several more epitomizes this new subgenre of horror, and "undertone" is one of the newest ones. Focusing on religion and the fears of motherhood, the movie gives a slow burn terrorizing tale of one woman who encounters the supernatural during her darkest time. Normally, movies are meant to be seen on the big screen, but "undertone" is different...it practically requires you to watch it on a laptop screen with your noise-cancellation headphones plugged in, because this is almost an entirely auditory horror experience that, while not wholly efficient, is enough to deliver some severe goosebumps and jumps. Evy (Nina K...

Project Hail Mary Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller The word "masterpiece" gets tossed around a lot lately, especially in regards to film. However, when it comes to "Project Hail Mary," I can say that this is, indeed, a masterpiece. From the performances to the themes; the cinematography and visuals; the story and the action all connect with perfection, leaving very little to critique apart from small nitpicking that could've just made it better. Waking up in a spaceship with amnesia, Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) begins piecing together in his mind the events that led him to his situation. A former scientist turned schoolteacher, he is approached by Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller) with important news: the planet is dying because the sun is slowly being eaten away by a string of Astrophage that is slowly siphoning the sun's energy, and in 30 years will leave the Earth a frozen wastelan...