What Movies Did You Watch in February 2020?

Toy Story 4 (2019) 3/8 Definitely my least favorite of the series. I liked the ending and the Forky shtick, but the rest was just okay. Hope they shut it down after this one.

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) 2/8 More of the same from this franchise. Even one of the car chases seemed the same as from the second movie. I liked the way they kind of ignored the last two movies and made this sort of a conclusion to the first two.

The Good Liar (2019) 6/8 I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen were really good. There are several twist and turns as McKellen plays an elderly con man trying to get his hands on an elderly widow's retirement nest egg. The final twist caught me by surprise. Not a lot of action, but a good story. Typically a movie like this would put me right to sleep, by this one kept me engaged until the end.
 
Sinister 2 (2015)

Horror: A mom and her twin sons are fleeing from her abusive husband and end up staying at one of the "marked for death" houses. It does not take long for the festivities to begin. This one was definitely not as good as the first and I could tell that right away but overall it wasn't that bad.... 5.0/8
 
Leatherface (2017)

Horror: A so-called prequel to the 1974 film. Not a huge fan of this series but I was able to stand this one. I'm not going to pick it apart and take it for what it was .... 5.0/8
 
Unfriended 2: Dark Web (2018)

Horror: Game night with the buds turns deadly when a computer is found that has hidden folders of the dark web.... 5.0/8
 
The Tormenting (Malaysia-2016)

Horror: A woman immediately feels uneasy about a new property they are about to buy believing something very bad had happen there. This one was basically unwatchable but I drudged my way through it. Could not even find it on IMDB ..... 0.5/8
 
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Den of Thieves (2018) 4.5/8 Someone else recently watched this and told the plot. I thought it was okay, even though it was hard to tell who were really the bad guys. Several times I found myself hoping the cops would lose in the end, which I guess they did in a way. I kind of felt like this was knockoff of the movie Heat, but all in all is wasn't bad.
 
To Be or Not To Be (1942) - Not the 1983 Mel Brooks movie but the 1942 Jack Benny original. I very much enjoyed this film. It is a dark comedy, not unlike last year's Jo Jo Rabbit. One thing drove me nuts as I watched it as one of the main elements of the film, a prominent citizen of the occupied country returning with a list of resistance members, was also in a dramatic film I watched last year, the name of which I could not recall.

My experience with Jack Benny was only from short TV appearances on variety shows in the 60's and 70's like Carol Burnett and also listening to old radio shows on WVXU back when I was in college. It was refreshing to see him in a film where he was not playing himself in a self mocking stereotype.

5/8
 
The Young Cannibals (2019)

Horror: 7 friends go camping but unknown to them become hunted by a creature only they can see. Once you buy into the premise of this film it is not that bad.... 4.5/8
 
Hangman (UK-2015)

Horror: Found Footage. A family is stalked by a serial killer who secretly inserted video cameras throughout their house. This was started out a bit interesting but never went anywhere and then finally when it did it was way too late.... borefest..... 2.5/8
 
Haunted High (2012)

Horror: Some students and teachers staying after school become trapped when a dead demonic headmaster returns to wreak havoc. It was a fun ride at first but then went stale.... 3.0/8
 
Upgrade: 5/8

A bit disappointed by this one based on good reviews I've heard. It's basically a so-so plot with a couple great action moments sprinkled in to the last hour of the movie. Ended up being largely your typical sci-fi trope. Guy seeks revenge, with the help of tech upgrades, for the killing of his wife. I'll say the ending was pretty good.


Dear White People: 5/8

I ended this one not exactly sure how to feel. It's a sattire on race relations, but for the most part I don't think any "side" came out looking good by the end of the film. Maybe that was the point, that there's blame on both sides. Either way it's definitely worth watching, it just didn't go quite the way I figured it would.

The Show: 5.5/8

Stumbled on this movie Friday while looking through some digital movie sales. I was very intrigued by the concept and trailer. Essentially a reality tv show goes horribly wrong when a contestant loses and kills the remaining participants. The network is held blameless since they had no act in the killings, and finds a loophole that basically allows them to play Dr Kavorkian to suicide victims, as long as they don't have a hand in it. That spurs a new show where people commit suicide live on air to help better their families financially. It's not something that would ever be realistic in our world, but I still found it gripping. Great cast too in Josh Duhamel, Famke Janssen, Giancarlo Esposito, Sarah Wayne Callies, Caitlin Fitzgerald, and James Franco. It also marked Esposito's directing debut.

Maleficent, Mistress of Evil: 5/8

I liked it a little more than the first. My youngest liked it as well. My oldest, who had loved the original didn't have any interest in watching. The movie itself is about 2 years too late for a sequel. Worth a watch though if you have Disney fans. I always like twists on the stories we think we know.


Playing with Fire: 5.5/8

Not a super complex plot but it was hilarious and a great family movie.

We also watched some movies from our younger days that our kids are becoming old enough to watch:

Big Daddy: 5.5/8

Always a classic, one of Sandler's better films with plenty of quotable lines.


Kindergarten Cop: 5/8

Kids didn't even make it an hour. Wife and I were the only ones to finish.

Happy Gilmore: 5.75/8

Arguably Sandler's best comedy? Again, plenty of quotable lines and moments.
 
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The Young Lions (1958) - Unusual WWII movie featuring Marlon Brando, Dean Martin and Montgomery Cliff. Martin turns in a very good dramatic performance as a show biz guy who is shamed after avoiding the service and then combat. Brando is great but his affected German accent reduces him to mumbling at points. Cliff is almost painful to watch with the character's social ineptness. After just seeing him in Red River (1948) last week as a confident and strapping young man, this film made a sharp contrast. The film did show how a good patriotic young man can find himself fighting for the country he loves, even after he discovers the rulers have betrayed it.

6/8

Boys' Night Out (1962) - A bit of fluff but a fun film never the less. Kim Novak looking exceptionally hot gets swept up into the sexual fantasies of four suburban working stiffs who rent a bachelor pad in Manhattan and plan to share it and a willing blonde for a one night a week escape from their dull lives. It was kind of cool to see Howard Morris doing something other than the Andy Griffith show's Ernest T. Bass.

5/8
 
Role Models (2008) 5/8 Paul Rudd and Stiffler (Seann William Scott) play working partners who tear up a company truck. To avoid jail, they are assigned to community service at a Big Brothers/Big Sisters type organization. A lot of laughs and many familiar faces. Definitely worth a watch if your in to what my wife calls "juvenile" humor.
 
Try and Get Me (1950) - The blackest noir I have ever seen. Very powerful ending. It got me hating Loyd Bridges and that is hard to do.

5/8
 
The Breakfast Club (1985) 8/8 Yesterday was the 35th anniversary of the movie's original release. I think this movie is the standard for the high school comedy type movies. It never gets old. If you grew up in the 80's, you have to love this movie.
 
Narcos Mexico S2: 6/8. Not quite as strong as the first season, still really good.
 
JoJo Rabbit 7/8

Just finished watching this on a plane...Parasite was really good, but it’s pretty ridiculous that it won best picture over this.
 
fish82 said:
JoJo Rabbit 7/8

Just finished watching this on a plane...Parasite was really good, but it’s pretty ridiculous that it won best picture over this.
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I wouldn't go with ridiculous on best picture but would certainly call it close. Jo Jo Rabbit was my clear favorite.

As for Best Supporting Actress: they nominate a bunch of mothers and the Divorce Lawyer wins. smh There's Hollyweird for you.

I didn't care for Marriage Story, didn't think it particularly tough acting job but Johanson in THIS picture? One of the most evoking acting jobs ever.

7/8 for Two Popes. I certainly think Jo Jo Rabbit better but I can see myself re-watching Two Popes more often. Less... stress and a hilarious buddy movie with serious over-tones. I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins but in this, I totally forgot it was him. I liked the little touches when he crushes the pizza into his mouth. So German.
 
Tone-Deaf (2019)

Horror: Look, Olive is having a rough time. She got fired and then breaks up with her boyfriend. She just wanted to get away and she finds a house to rent for the weekend but of course evil finds its way to her. Fun film..... 5.0/8
 
El Caníbal (Spain-1980)

Horror: This is a Jesus Franco film.... What does that mean? It is not going to be very good, it will be strange and of course it does not take long for the women to be nude. A woman gets kidnapped and held for ransom on an island where cannibals are near by. A man is hired to rescue her and off we go for a strange fun ride. If you can get passed the typical bad dubbing of these older European films this one is not that bad... ok, it is but I have seen a lot of his movies and this one is not that bad.... 4.0/8
 
Ta Paidia Tou Diavolou (Greek-1976)

Horror: Island of Death.... An English couple take a Holiday on a Greek island for some photography and murder..... This one is a video nasty and of course I saw the uncut version and got all the goods.... 4.5/8
 
eastisbest said:
I wouldn't go with ridiculous on best picture but would certainly call it close. Jo Jo Rabbit was my clear favorite.

As for Best Supporting Actress: they nominate a bunch of mothers and the Divorce Lawyer wins. smh There's Hollyweird for you.

I didn't care for Marriage Story, didn't think it particularly tough acting job but Johanson in THIS picture? One of the most evoking acting jobs ever.

7/8 for Two Popes. I certainly think Jo Jo Rabbit better but I can see myself re-watching Two Popes more often. Less... stress and a hilarious buddy movie with serious over-tones. I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins but in this, I totally forgot it was him. I liked the little touches when he crushes the pizza into his mouth. So German.
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I agree with you on all points, Jo Jo Rabbit, Johanson and Two Popes.
 
Intruder in the Dust (1949) - Good film based on a Faukner novel, so of course there has to be at least one mule. It has many of the same racial issues as To Kill a Mocking Bird (1962). The falsely accused Black man played by Juano Hernández is a man of intense pride and quite dignity.

6/8
 
eastisbest said:
7/8 for Two Popes. I certainly think Jo Jo Rabbit better but I can see myself re-watching Two Popes more often. Less... stress and a hilarious buddy movie with serious over-tones. I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins but in this, I totally forgot it was him. I liked the little touches when he crushes the pizza into his mouth. So German.
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Haven’t seen the movie yet, but the pizza reference made me think of that video from a few years back:

 
Dodgeball (2004) 7/8 "Dodgeball is a game of violence, exclusion and degradation." This movie has some 8/8 moments and some classic one-liners, but the I don't really consider the whole movie a classic. Vaughn, Stiller, Bateman and Rip Torn are all great.
 
Schramm (Germany-1993)

Horror: The lonesome death of the lipstick serial killer. Today I am dirty, but tomorrow I'll be just dirt. Disturbing Arts film about a serial killer who just happens to resemble George Constanza. This film is not linear and is only for those who are deep rooted in the genre.... 5.0/8
 
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