The Good, The OK, and The Ugly
Hey everyone! I thought I'd try out a new idea by giving short reviews for films that I've watched over the last week in addition to the ones I review here and on The Drive Back. Each film below is one that I've seen over the last week, either on the show or on my own, and will provide a quick summary and review score. Films that were discussed on the podcast will have a shorter review than ones I've watched on my own. I will not include new releases like Shang-Chi or Candyman, which I am currently finishing my written reviews for separately. So let's give it a shot!
Let's start with the films reviewed on The Drive Back this week.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010) REVIEWED ON PODCAST
SCORE: 73/100
Podcast Episode Link: https://youtu.be/BiE6ILjdRqM
Directed By: Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera
Synopsis: A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.
Quick Review: The first film in the franchise is a fun, albeit safe, family film. It doesn't take any chances, and doesn't have consistent character design, but is a fun film regardless of its flaws.
If you'd like to watch it, it's only available to rent.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) REVIEWED ON PODCAST
SCORE: 84/100
Podcast Episode Link: https://youtu.be/BiE6ILjdRqM
Directed By: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Cate Blanchett
Synopsis: When Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.
Quick Review: This film has a scope, scale, and story that make it the best in the series. Wonderful cast additions also make the film shine, and its maturity lends to its success.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Netflix.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) REVIEWED ON PODCAST
SCORE: 39/100
Podcast Episode Link: https://youtu.be/BiE6ILjdRqM
Directed By: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham
Synopsis: When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn’t the only dragon of his kind, he must seek “The Hidden World”, a secret Dragon utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first.
Quick Review: This film completely lacks the heart and creative integrity of the first two. While it has another great villain and fantastic visuals, its story is recycled and completely misses the mark on what should have been an epic conclusion.
If you'd like to watch it, it's only available to rent.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021)
SCORE: 76/100
Directed By: Kwang Il Han
Starring: Theo James, Mary McDonnell, Lara Pulver
Synopsis: Escaping from poverty to become a Witcher, Vesemir slays monsters for coin and glory, but when a new menace rises, he must face the demons of his past.
Quick Review: While fans of The Witcher may get more out of it than the average viewer, this film manages to succeed due to its likable main character and unflinching violence. While not game-changing, it's a great film for a quick hit of fantasy thrill. The voicework is a particular standout in this film, especially Theo James as Vesemir, who has a voice fit for any fantasy character. It's a little on the shorter side, and I would've appreciated a bit more of the world. I would've liked to have seen more about the process of creating a Witcher, as it's not something I've seen too much of before. The villain could've used a bit more depth, but they serve their purpose. All in all a great
If you'd like to watch it, it's only available on Netflix.
The Tomorrow War (2021)
SCORE: 50/100
Directed By: Chris McKay
Starring: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons
Synopsis: A family man is drafted to fight in a future war where the fate of humanity relies on his ability to confront the past.
Quick Review: The film starts out pretty weak with bad exposition and constant unending sarcasm, get really interesting in the middle, and then returns to a weak ending. Pratt is good, the movie is fun enough, and that's about it. While the action is good and there are some surprisingly dark moments and aspects, it doesn't rise above being a mediocre sci-fi film that would usually get a straight-to-DVD sequel. It would have been more fun in theaters.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Prime Video.
Scary Movie (2000)
SCORE: 35/100
Directed By: Keenan Ivory Wayans
Starring: Anna Faris, Jon Abrahams, Marlon Wayans
Synopsis: A year after disposing of the body of a man they accidentally killed, a group of dumb teenagers are stalked by a bumbling serial killer.
Quick Review: While it still has jokes that work, the majority of this film relies on racial stereotype humor and gross-out gags that don't quite land anymore. You can tell they're having fun, at least on this one, but it's nowhere near as funny as you remember. I used to enjoy these as a kid, but now I know to just stay away.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on HBO Max through the end of September.
Scary Movie 2 (2001)
SCORE: 29/100
Directed By: Keenan Ivory Wayans
Starring: Anna Faris, Marlon Wayans, Tim Curry
Synopsis: Four teens are tricked by a professor into visiting a haunted house for a school project in this horror parody.
Quick Review: The second film begins the descent from painful to outright atrocious as the actually funny jokes leave, and the references and racial stereotypes still reign supreme. This film also pokes a lot of fun at those with disabilities, and really hasn't aged well at all.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on HBO Max through the end of September.
Scary Movie 3 (2003)
SCORE: 24/100
Directed By: David Zucker
Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Charlie Sheen
Synopsis: Cindy must investigate mysterious crop circles and video tapes, and help the president in preventing an alien invasion.
Quick Review: Painfully unfunny and devoid of all logic for most of its runtime, Scary Movie 3 is more of a chore than I remembered, and not at all worth your time or energy. While there are a few funny moments, gags, and references, it doesn't save the film. No other words are needed.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on HBO Max through the end of September.
Army of Darkness (1992)
SCORE: 52/100
Directed By: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert
Synopsis: A sardonic hardware store clerk is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead so he can return home.
Quick Review: The quips and the slapstick are great, and the action can be fun, but Army of Darkness fails to live up to the tall standard that its predecessor (Evil Dead 2) set before it. Bruce Campbell is his usual, amazing self, and is really the one carrying this film. He proves himself as a comedian as much as he does an action hero, and his slapstick remains on point. However, the setting and plot for this film leaves plenty to be desired, even if it does have a slight charm to it.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on HBO Max.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
SCORE: 69/100
Directed By: Tim Burton
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan
Synopsis: Earth is invaded by Martians with unbeatable weapons and a cruel sense of humor.
Quick Review: Crudely funny with cameos aplenty, Mars Attacks! is saved from obscurity by taking a relatively unknown property and injecting some fun life into it. Its cast of respected actors being put into ridiculous situations bring a level of campy fun that I feel is worth viewing. It definitely has dated effects, but its actually adds to the fun. What weighs it down is that it feels more like a who's who of actors and not like a cohesive story, and does get a little overwhelmed with the amount of stories going on.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available Netflix.
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