JoeMama's Movie Reviews

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...

One Night Only Starring Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox Directed by Will Gluck It's no surprise I dislike romantic comedies - maybe it's because I'll never find love, or because they're so formulaic you can tell everything that'll happen from the first trailer. Either way, it takes a lot for me to be genuinely surprised by a romantic comedy, and it's rarely happened. "One Night Only" didn't break that mold, and I predicted everything that would happen from the (far too many) times I saw the trailer. While the concept is unique, the execution is baffling, but at least the main actors had strong chemistry together, even though they come off as being best buddies rather than lovers. In the near future, a law is passed that makes having sexual intercourse before marriage illegal except for one night only, where singles can mingle for twelve hours. Pizza store owner Owen (Callum Turner) expects to spend it with his girlfriend, but s...

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton Spider-Man has consistently been a favorite for comic book readers since his introduction in 1962, spanning numerous comic books, television shows, video games and movies. What is it about him that draws people more than the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Superman or Batman? Essentially it comes to the relatability of the character - a mild mannered kid gets bit by a radioactive spider and gains superhuman abilities. It's something that every kid dreams of, but also showcases the depth of responsibility and danger it entails. Peter Parker always pines for what he can't have, because he has to remain hidden under the mask to keep his family and friends safe. The burden of responsibility is strong, because as we all know, "with great power comes great responsibility." Spider-Man is the most relatable character in all comics, hence why audiences attend...

Moana Starring Catherine Laga'aia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, John Tui Directed by Thomas Kail Disney has hit the bottom of the barrel, relying on their classic animated films turned into live action in hopes of drumming up money based on nostalgia, with numerous films already receiving this treatment. Instead of crafting original ideas that could give children of today's age the hopes and dreams of the future that were given to children of the past with the likes of Snow White, Cinderella, Pocahontas, Aurora and the like, we get to see them again only in live action, which diminishes the heart of the matter. Now, not even ten years later, "Moana" gets her own live action soulless remake, which is a shot-for-shot remake of the iconic original that, while having its pluses, feels more like your parents saying "we have 'Moana' at home" when their kids are crying to see it. The Polynesian island goddess Te Fiti formed the islands, supplied the lands wi...

The Odyssey Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson Directed by Christopher Nolan Stories have existed since the beginning of time, and they've brought people together, torn them apart, brought peace and war, and ignited the imaginations of countless world changers. One of the most famous pieces of work is Homer's  Odyssey , composed around the 8th Century B.C. and centered on the heroics of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, who may or may not have existed, and tells of his long-suffering journey to make it back home to his wife Penelope before a new suitor took her for his own. The story has been told and re-told throughout the centuries and has been adapted numerous times in different movies and miniseries, and now Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan takes his shot at telling the story. Before it even premiered it was met with resistance from a group of small but vocal naysayers who have...let's just say unwholesome reasoning as to why they woul...

Evil Dead Burn Starring Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan Directed by Sebastien Vanicek The "Children of the Corn" franchise is eleven movies strong, but only the original is passable while each subsequent sequel, reboot, and remake fail to deliver any sort of horror, excitement, or decent filmmaking. "Halloween" has had some great sequels but many have fallen way short of the bar. "Friday the 13th," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Child's Play," "Hellraiser" and so many other beloved franchises have had hits and misses, but there's really one franchise that's been able to stay above the line and craft its own path: Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead." From its humble beginnings when Raimi and college buddy Bruce Campbell made a now-iconic horror film with pennies and loads of talent, dedication, and originality to its all-but-obvious shot-for-shot remake that turned the horror to comed...