Thoughts on Bad Times at the El Royale

Bad Times at the El Royale is like a tame Tarantino film. Some of the actors are having fun with the material while others seem to be sleepwalking. There are moments of violence surrounded by dialogue that adds nothing save some weak character development. The whole plot seems odd and aimless without much central conflict. The pacing is painfully slow and full of filler.  I am not sure why Dakota Johnson is on screen. She is awful. The movie lacks any cinematic tension. The cast is a mixture of people who actually want this movie to succeed and others seem to be just crusing for a paycheck. Lewis Pullman is seriously performing circles around most of the cast. It’s a fine rental if you got a lot of time to piss away.

Thoughts on Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is a fun ride. The voice actors are all good. The animation is fantastic and stylish. The story itself is pretty sweet. It there was one flaw it is that the animation sometimes gave me a headache and it looks as if you are watching a 3-D movie without glasses. It’s a lot of fun and seems like it captures the characters well. The movie is over-the-top and silly at times but it sets a tone that makes it appropriate. Check it out if you are a fan of Spider-Man.

Thoughts on The Predator

The Predator is a very weak attempt to capture the charm of the first film. The tag line should be, “Well, that was dumb.” The cast is a who’s who of TV actors getting a paycheck in the off season of their respective shows. The humor is mean spirited and low brow. It is far from the worst in the series but it is a mess. Most of the characters are simple caricatures of by-the-book action cliches. The writing is pedestrian and offers stale plot points that do not impress. The script is full of gems that show contempt for the audience and their intelligence. I wouldn’t recommend this movie. Stick with the first and second movie.