What Movies Did You Watch in December 2023?

The Santa Clause (1994)

Tim Allen unwittingly is designated to be the new Santa Claus. If you liked Home Improvement, Tim plays about the same character. I can't really get into these, but they're not that bad. 4.8/8
 
Reality (2023)- Sydney Sweeney plays a women accused and convicted for disclosing a top secret NSA memo regarding the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The entire script of the movie is the transcript from the interrogation when the FBI showed up at her home. Interesting approach. Sweeney is pretty good in this movie and more talented than I thought her to be. 6/8.
 
Four Christmases (2008) 6/8 A couple is forced to attend four separate family Christmas get togethers after their flight to Figi is cancelled Christmas morning. Underrated in my opinion. Watched it for the first time a couple of Christmases ago and I still find it very entertaining. I'm a big fan of both Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, so I'm sure that makes a difference. Great cast and plenty of laughs.

Napoleon (2023) 4/8 Joaquin Phoenix stars in the biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte. Not bad, not great. Had some good moments, but slow in parts. Too many slow parts.

Candy Cane Lane (2023) 2/8 Eddie Murphy stars in this one about a recently unemployed Dad desperate to win a $100,000 home decorating contest in his neighborhood. Thought the story had potential, but it wasn't very good.
 
Did not see any reviews in November or December for The Holdovers starring Paul Giamatti. Anyone see yet? In theaters now, but thinking about watching at home via Apple.
 
Oppenheimer: 7/8


First, such a stellar cast. It felt like every scene, a new well known actor was showing up in the movie.


Cillian Murphy
Robert Downey Jr
Florence Pugh
Emily Blunt
Rami Malek
Matt Damon
Alden Ehrenreich
Josh Peck
Josh Hartnett
Gary Oldman
Jason Clarke
Jack Quaid
Kenneth Branagh
Casey Affleck
Tony Goldwyn
Dave Dasmalchain
Matthew Modine
Dane DeHaan

The huge cast was also a slight double edged sword as it was tough at times to keep track of who was who, particularly early in the movie.





 
Last edited:
PantherProud said:
Oppenheimer: 7/8


First, such a stellar cast. It felt like every scene, a new well know actor was showing up in the movie.


Cillian Murphy
Robert Downey Jr
Florence Pugh
Emily Blunt
Rami Malek
Matt Damon
Alden Ehrenreich
Josh Peck
Josh Hartnett
Gary Oldman
Jason Clarke
Jack Quaid
Kenneth Branagh
Casey Affleck
Tony Goldwyn
Dave Dasmalchain
Matthew Modine
Dane DeHaan

The huge cast was also a slight double edged sword as it was tough at times to keep track of who was who, particularly early in the movie.





Click to expand...
I watched this last night and would give it a 6/8.

As you mention the cast is absolutely dynamite.

My only knock would be it is looonnnggg and the mellow drama feel never ends. It also had an Oliver Stone JFK feel to it as well.

Otherwise Murphy and Downey Jr. were VERY good.
 
The Creator: 5/8


Felt let down by this one, even though I thought it was pretty good overall. My biggest gripe was that it doesn’t make you care enough about what’s going on plot wise. Weird to say for a “pretty good” movie. I think the main issue is, it’s tricky to pull off a story about humans vs AI, and have team AI be the protagonists. You’re being asked to feel a human connection to non human characters.

 
The Family Plan: 4.75/8

Would have given this a 5, and then the third act got a bit silly. Still worth a watch.

Available on AppleTV.


 
Watched Eastern Promises again this morning. - 2007, 7/8.

Russian mob in London. Violent criminal Viggo Mortensen as a hidden good guy.

You get to see him naked. I'm not gay, but you might be. Not judging, just sayin'.
 
Last edited:
Spirited (2022) - Apple TV - 5/8


Also was a little goofy at times (and, being a musical, it can be a bit much), but Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds are pretty good in this one. Didn't know either of them could sing at all, either.
 
Dirty Grandpa (2016) 5.5/8 Robert DeNiro tricks his grandson (Zach Efron) into driving him to Florida after his grandmother's funeral and right before Efron's wedding. Grandpa has other plans for his grandson. Seen this one a couple of times now and it holds up. Great cast and a lot of laughs. Aubrey Plaza is awesome as DeNiro's "love" interest and the DeNiro/Efron duo works well.
 
NewOldBlood said:
Dirty Grandpa (2016) 5.5/8 Robert DeNiro tricks his grandson (Zach Efron) into driving him to Florida after his grandmother's funeral and right before Efron's wedding. Grandpa has other plans for his grandson. Seen this one a couple of times now and it holds up. Great cast and a lot of laughs. Aubrey Plaza is awesome as DeNiro's "love" interest and the DeNiro/Efron duo works well.
Click to expand...

I like this much more than most.
 
Greater: the Brandon Burlsworth Story. 4/10. From a walk-on to an All-American at Arkansas and a 3rd round draft pick of the Colts. Was going to help anchor a line to help protect Peyton Manning. Was tragically killed in a car wreck on his way home to meet his mom at church 11 days after signing with the colts. SI had a very good story about him when this happened.

A story like this is both inspiring and tragic. If you know the real story you’d be disappointed in the movie. The facts are pretty close to accurate but the acting is pretty horrendous, the production looks like a cheap hallmark movie, and even the young man who plays Brandon isn’t that good of an actor. There are parts that don’t really seem to make sense to me, the scene with that farmer. At just over two hours it left a lot to be desired.
 
PantherProud said:
I like this much more than most.
Click to expand...
I don't pay much attention to reviews and rotten tomatoes scores, but I was really surprised to see it had a 10% score on rotten tomatoes and 21% on Metacritic, yet 74% of of google users gave it a thumbs up. Sometimes, I think the professional critics take themselves way too serious.
 
Catch .44 (2011) 2.5/8 Three women are sent to a diner at 3am to intercept a drug swap along their drug dealer boss's route. Turns out to be a setup. Malin Akerman plays of the leader of the women. Bruce Willis plays the boss and Forrest Whittaker as his underling. Several other familiar faces on the cast as well. This movie was trying very hard to mimic what a Tarantino movie would look like, from the dialogue, to the violence, to the soundtrack, to bouncing around the timeline, but it ultimately failed.
 
Jeepers Creepers 4: Reborn (2021)

Horror: Not very good and it does not help when a sequel stated the first 3 movies did not exist..... OK, whatever..... Opening scene was decent but other than that not much to like about it..... 2.5/8
 
Ba'al (2021)

Horror: Following another failed attempt to get pregnant Liv is desperate and tries an old fertility totem but at what price..... not too shabby... 5.0/8
 
The Boogeyman (2023)

Horror: A little girl claims there is a monster in her closet.... she happens to be telling the truth in this adaptation of a Stephen King story ... 4.5/8
 
NewOldBlood said:
I don't pay much attention to reviews and rotten tomatoes scores, but I was really surprised to see it had a 10% score on rotten tomatoes and 21% on Metacritic, yet 74% of of google users gave it a thumbs up. Sometimes, I think the professional critics take themselves way too serious.
Click to expand...


Like I say, professional critics are there because it’s their job. Most times they probably aren’t watching a movie they would normally watch if given the choic. that inherently leads to bias in their reviews.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top