JoeMama's Movie Reviews

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...

Heresy Starring Anneke Sluiters, Len Leo Vincent, Nola Elvis Kemper, Leon van Waas Directed by Didier Konings Religion is a fascinating thing, and how it's evolved and adapted throughout the centuries. Back in the day, women were seen as nothing more than baby carriers for men who were doing the Lord's work, and who were confined to wifey duties like cleaning the home and cooking, and their voices were never heard nor acknowledged by the religious men. Woods were seen as the devil's playground, representing a chaotic, untamed, and dangerous unknown where the devil and his minions dwelled, luring men to their deaths and women to turn into witches. Barren women were seen as cursed by God for some sin, and until they rectified that sin they'd never be able to bare a child and were therefore shunned by the community. Thankfully times have changed, but "Heresy" (called "Witte Wieven" meaning "white women" in Dutch Low Saxon) shows us what it cou...

Supergirl Starring Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenarts, Eve Ridley, Jason Momoa Directed by Chris Gillespie 2026 has been an amazing year for original films, with movies like "Send Help," "Hokum," and especially "Obsession" proving that people will flood the theaters for something unique and new, if done right. This, however, also raises the argument at the other end of the cinematic teeter-totter: No one wants sequels, prequels and superhero movies anymore. Both arguments are invalid because they are polar opposites, but there's one main connecting arc: people want good movies, whether they be established IP or new creations. "Supergirl," sadly, is one of those movies that isn't necessarily bad, but not unique either. It follows the traditional superhero tropes people are tired of, and although the actors give it their all, they're hindered by a formulaic script and more flashy action sequences over substance. After being sent away fro...

Minions & Monsters Starring Pierre Coffin, Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz Directed by Pierre Coffin For sixteen years and seven movies, the yellow pill-shaped Minions have invaded the cinema to the tune of over $6 billion dollars worldwide and counting. What is it about these little creatures that's endeared them to the hearts of children young and old alike, especially considering they don't even speak a language we can understand? Simply, it's the fact that they're so lovable despite having their only goal being to serve the most horrible villains in the world, and their antics that oftentimes resort to blowing raspberries at each other and hitting each other with all kinds of blunt objects that hearken back to classic Hollywood slapstick comedy. To that end, their third solo outing "Minions & Monsters" leans entirely on that - focusing on a new group of Minions that existed during the golden age of cinema and how their shenanigans led ...