JoeMama's Movie Reviews

Sick Starring Gideon Adlon, Beth Million, Dylan Sprayberry, Marc Menchaca Directed by John Hyams It seems so long ago when Covid first hit, sending the world into isolation and lockdowns, maintaining social distancing, and masking up wherever you went. Fortunately most of that is gone now, and we've returned to a sort of normal life now even though the virus is still active, but back then pandemic craziness was at fever pitch. Mask versus anti-mask, neighbor against neighbor, the pandemic truly brought out the worst in our society. So it was only a matter of time before a horror film centering around the pandemic would come out, and it was a huge risk: people want to go to movies to avoid reality, so having the main thrust of the film center on the Covid craziness and anger was a risky bet to say the least: but thankfully the film was written by the master of culture themed slashers, Kevin Williamson, and "Sick" turned out to be an enjoyable little slasher flick with some...

Missing Starring Storm Reid, Nia Long, Ken Leung, Joaquim de Almeida Directed by Nick Johnson & Will Merrick Back in 2018 there was a small film that was released called "Searching," centering on a single father who's daughter goes missing, and his intensive quest to find out what happened to her. What made the film different was that it was filmed entirely through the screens of laptops, cell phones, and surveillance footage, and it was something of a gimmick at that time which didn't really work for the horror film "Unfriended," but thanks to a committed, career-best performance by John Cho, the film became a sensation and through a highly cerebral story that weaved itself through its stunning twists and turns, became a huge hit. Obviously the film wouldn't garner a sequel, but the concept really took off and now we got the "sister sequel" to "Searching" called "Missing," which once again is filmed through technology, ...

  A Man Called Otto Starring Tom Hanks, Mariana Trevino, Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo Directed by Marc Forster The stereotype of the angry old man exists for a reason: we all know in our real lives at least one older gentleman who hates the world and everyone in it, who possesses a steadfast scowl and in a gruff voice warns kids to keep off his yard. More often than not we tend to either ignore him or steer clear of him, only considering him as a Negative Nelly who shouldn't be approached because he won't have a nice thing to say. This is to our own detriment as well as his, as we oftentimes forget that this guy wasn't always this grumpy, and life has dealt him severe blow after blow, where now not only is he preparing to face the finality of his life, but he's probably lost family, friends, and especially his significant other in the process which is why he's so angry and grumpy - it's his only means of coping, in a world that's abandoned him. "A...

Plane Starring Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Yoson An, Tony Goldywn Directed by Jean-Francois Richet You can smell this franchise coming from a mile away..."In 2023, Gerard Butler is a train conductor who must save his passengers from an incoming herd of cows in...'Train.'" "Also in 2023, Gerard Butler is a school bus driver who must save the children riding in his bus from the tedious continual song 'The Wheels on the Bus' in...'School Bus.'" "Yet also in 2023, Gerard Butler is a submarine captain who must save his crew from an army of angry dolphins in...'Submarine.'" By naming a film after its main means of transportation, it doesn't wreak of desperation - just lack of creativity. That's what "Plane" delivers: a complete lack of creativity in this by-the-numbers 80s-throwback action film that'll have you grabbing the parachutes. Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) is a commercial pilot who also has trainin...

The Devil Conspiracy Starring Alice Orr-Ewing, Joe Doyle, Eveline Hall, Joe Anderson Directed by Nathan Frankowski 2023 is guaranteed to be a unique year in cinema, as we're going to be treated to films featuring a bear hopped up on cocaine, a live-action movie centering on one of America's most famous toy dolls, and a killer Winnie the Pooh, so why not include a film where Satan and his devil-worshiping biotech company who clones the likes of Vivaldi and Michelangelo into babies and sells them for profit steals the Shroud of Torin to clone Jesus's DNA so the cloned baby can be inhabited by the spirit of Lucifer and reborn and also have the Archangel Michael inhabit the dying body of a priest who goes on a Terminator-like quest to prevent this from happening after a non-believer is injected with the sperm of Satan and forced into solitude to give birth by a crazy old woman sounds just about right for the craziness of 2023 - if only the film was half as interesting as this e...

  Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Starring Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillen, Florence Pugh Directed by Joel Crawford & Januel Mercado The "Shrek" movies are still considered some of the best non-Disney animated films ever created, and one of their spinoff films was the 2011 Oscar-nominated "Puss in Boots" featuring the voice of Antonio Banderas as the Zorro-like British shorthair swashbuckler cat adventurer. As the "Shrek" franchise ended, so did the adventures of Puss in Boots  - until eleven years after the first film, with "Puss in Boots: the Last Wish." Sometimes I get my preconceived notions wrong, and when I saw the trailer I literally groaned out loud, thinking this would be another cash grab on a long-dead franchise with no soul whatsoever and lackluster animation - but after watching it I realized I was wrong on all accounts. Not only was it a fantastic animated feature, but it more than holds its own against its hi...

Aftersun Starring Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Brooklyn Toulson, Celia Rowlson-Hall Directed by Charlotte Wells Sometimes there's movies that are so subtly powerful you don't notice it until the final crushing moment, and you're left wondering what the heck just happened, but after pondering the small, minute moments that the film drops here and there, you suddenly realize the entire point and are left spellbound by it. "Aftersun" is one such film, a movie that, on the surface, looks like a nice, relaxing vacation for a young single father and his eleven-year-old daughter, but as you peel away the layers and catch the greater meaning, you notice that it's nothing like what you expect: instead of a feel-good family vacation, it's the last vestige of innocence. Taking his eleven-year-old daughter on a trip to Turkey, young single father Calum (Paul Mescal) wants to make it special for Sophie (Frankie Corio) before she returns to her mother, whom she's liv...