Movie reviews of The Massie Twins

The mood and atmosphere tend to win out over the sillier concepts, building up macabre moments, unsettling imagery, disquieting acts of violence, and bloody deaths that make the overall effort unexpectedly entertaining. Review

As the film progresses, it’s not Shang-Chi and the various supporting characters that are unamusing, nor is it the ludicrous action shots or the vehicle chases overloaded with computer imagery; it’s the legend of the ten rings, brimming with meaningless, devised-on-the-spot lore, that really bores. Review

It gets too repetitive too quickly, especially when detailed explanations arrive in the form of flashbacks, hampering the pacing – or when answers never turn up at all, such as the purpose and power of the seemingly metaphorical fizzy beverage. Nevertheless, Cage takes the pervasive silliness seriously, embracing the opportunity to wreak havoc in ever goofier, bloodier ways. Review

This tedious exercise in unvarying repetition continuously struggles to justify its own existence; telling the same tale again and again simply doesn’t translate to much entertainment value. Review

Despite the fact that few things here are completely fresh, while conflicts are flimsy and the resolution is predictable, the pacing is fast, the gags are blithe, and there’s something unexpectedly enjoyable about this brand of bonding, unlikely collaborations, and easygoing personas. Review

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the basic lack of meaningful characters; no one here is really worth caring about, nor are they developed in a manner that moves them beyond mere victims to be butchered for an ogling camera. Review

Miami Connection” isn’t merely bad. It’s so deficient in every moviemaking aspect that it’s routinely hilarious; it’s one of those unimaginably shabby productions that is so dreadful that it provides constant amusement as it finds new ways to be lousy. Review

As it pulls pieces from countless other properties for its spoofing, it tends to run into two major problems, however: derivation from movies that are already largely comical, and missed opportunities for parody when high-octane action grows too sincere. Review

At least the overarching theme of humankind’s contributions to planetary annihilation grows increasingly more relevant throughout the years; the CG and tech sequences may age poorly, but the message remains potent. Review

None of it will likely stand the test of time, but it’s quite amusing in the moment. Review

Every poignant sequence is frustratingly dampened by pervasive eeriness or editing eccentricities, as if Carax insists upon preventing audiences from appreciating even a single moment of unadulterated human pathos. Review

A good portion of the film resembles My Fair Lady, as Vinka steadily discards her severe demeanor and masculine garb for warmer smiles and lacy undergarments, while also exhibiting a Ninotchka flavor, though its occasional derivative qualities don’t help it feel any less muddled or insipid. Review

Countless scenes ramp up tension and forbidding imagery, only to stop far short of awe; nearly every sequence abruptly ends its build to stumble into anticlimactic weirdness. Review

Stillwater is ultimately, however, a performance piece, allowing Damon to shine in a weighty, dramatic role. He’s entirely believable as a failed father figure searching for the possibility of redemption, of doing something right to attest to a worthiness for the people he loves. Review

Boasting a chemistry that attempts to mine the best parts of The African Queen – and somewhat succeeding from time to time – Jungle Cruise’s leads help to keep things amusing, even when the story proceeds with a formulaic quality that prevents it from being as original as it could have been. Review

The simplicity of the basic plot is handled well (the running time is still a touch overlong), while the pervasive morbidity generates consistent entertainment value. Review

Not surprisingly, this origins tale ignores much of the considerable lore already established by the action figures, comic books, cartoon series, and previous films – a decision that will perplex longtime fans, especially considering that the numerous alterations and deviations aren’t better fitting or more creative. Review

Although the cinematic combination of an invincible heroine, one-dimensionally evil villains, and unremitting revenge ploys should work, nothing comes together with clear harmony; every element battles against one another, as if a dozen disparate writers contributed to the script. Review

In the end, the humor is significant, turning the incongruity of African plights and sincere antagonists into opportunities for fourth-wall-breaking, nonsensical, fantastical feats of stupidity and playful sabotage – even though few of them are memorable and most are of the low-effort, cartoonish variety... Review

Winger clearly has the harder role and she’s very convincing; in contrast, Gere has a difficult time conveying believable sentiments, even when he’s supposed to be angry, which should be the easiest. Still, the story is engaging, chronicling the efforts of two disparate people as they struggle not to end up like their parents... Review

In the end, however, it’s not enough; Cage may be mesmerizing in every scene, but only because audiences are anticipating some spontaneous, chaotically absurd freak-out (utilizing a very special set of skills), which this production just isn’t able to deliver. Review

Storytelling clearly isn’t the priority here; instead, once the alien attackers are finally shown in full, the picture is all about sci-fi action. Review

Problematically, the main characters are too bland to create much of an impression; heroes are largely defined by their ability to survive, while villains are designated by spouting words of hate and bigotry or wielding blood-soaked munitions. Review

As it shifts away from a take on La Femme Nikita to the dystopian sci-fi routines of Equilibrium, ultimately betraying a distillation as a simple revenge flick, Black Widow proceeds to remind viewers that all of this could have been so much more powerful and riveting without the over-the-top tech or superheroes of any kind. Review