5's 2022 film & series short reviews

Cowboy Bebop (2020)
Short,  spolier free review
A bold, jazzy, pulpy noir about bounty hunters in a future where Jupiter's moons have been colonized and terraformed.
I really dug this live action remix of the anime, and I am disappointed there will not be more, but hey it happens. I loved what we did get.
 8/10

Encanto is a magical, musical, mystery fairytale in a fantasy Columbia. It is also a very hard one for me to rate overall. While I didn't feel the same level of excitement and love as I did for Raya and the Last Dragon, and the music didn't stay with me the same way Moana's did, this had it's own level of charm. The song Surface Pressure did resonate on a personal level.
The theme of trying to live up to family expectations is something a lot of folks can relate to.
7/10



Don't Look Up is a dark comedy satire, that well, also hits home for other reasons. It was funny and I laughed, even though it was more of a "oh shit this is fucked up and spot on but aaaaaasahhhhhhhhh," kind if humor.
It's the end of the world, but will those who have proven it be taken seriously, and then finally if so, will greed and "getting an edge" over other countries win out? I think you might know the answer.
8/10

Short spolier free series review
Archive 81
My most favorite horror trope ever is spooky stuff with video tape or film, so I'm sold out the gate already. Also I like the weirdness level of my spooky shit turned all the way up, and this delivers. An archivist is given a job to restore the tapes of a missing filmmaker, and Lovecraftian strangeness ensues.
9/10
Please renew this, Netflix!

Antebellum
This dark thriller takes you on one messed up ride, but it is worth sticking through until the end. I don't want to give anything away, but evoked the very real theme of the horrors of the past might not stay as dead and buried as you would hope.
This is not a "fun" horror movie, as it deals with real life themes and terrors, but still a well done film. 8/10

The Runner
Much like Carpenter Brut's Blood Machines, this is a long-form, multi song music video. Growing up with MTV, there is a kind of warm nostalgia to these kind of films, even though the music is current.
There is less of an overall story here then Blood Machines has, but there is still pecies of a dreamlike narrative.
9/10, I have been really digging Boy Harsher's music, and this film shines best as a showpiece for music.

Jakob's Wife
A small-town America take on a Dracula type story, with a twist.
The master vampire's motives for turning a minister's wife were not what I was expecting!
Features a really nice score, and a bangin' cover of "Bloodletting."
7/10

Groundhog Day
I hadn't actually seen this before, until today.
There are tons of time travel movies, but maybe not so many time loop movies. Was this the first? I can think of some others (and that one X-Files episode), but none before this.
Not bad at all, and cute. I just was expecting it to be funnier, I guess. I kept thinking of "Scrooged," and then it hit me...this is a romantic iteration of the "A Christmas Carol" theme/story.
6/10

Nightmare Alley
A man on the run from his past becomes a cold reader, then a hot reader, and then gets way in over his head.
Beautifully filmed and directed, and did not feel as long as it actually is for me. I have not seen the 1947 film version and have not read the book, so I cannot make any comparisons.
I liked the story too. There's a lot of foreshadowing going on, so if you pay attention, it tells you how it will end early on.
8/10

The Book of Boba Fett
Reeeeally enjoyed this! If you liked The Mandalorian, don't skip over this.
Also don't let the title fool you, this involves more Star Wars characters then Fett alone! Fantastic!
9/10

The Expanse
I was only going to review things that I had not seen before, but given that it is now over, might as well review the series as a whole.
This is one of my favorite space sci-fi series next to Babylon 5. However, mostly due to the final season, it falls a bit short. It is still *very* good though and I very much recommend it to anyone as into science fiction like myself.
Not to spoil anything, but why introduce cool new stuff that would lead into a next season, but then not do it? Despite the rushed final season though, it's a pretty solid story.
8/10

Peacemaker

Well, this was a delight. I have definitely needed a good laugh lately, and this certainly did it. If you like your humor with a side of violence, check this out if you can. If you liked the last Suicide Squad movie, you will probably like this too.
And the music is also a bonus. I had forgotten about Kix until this reopened some late night MTV memories.
I am much more of a Marvel nerd then DC, but caught some cute references.
It gets a high rating for me, because it's the right kind of humor I need right now.  9/10

The Cursed
A dark and brooding Gothic tale of revenge and monsters. Slow burning and splattered with gore, I think it's fair that of you liked "The Witch," or maybe "The Others," there is a chance you might like this. And despite some common tropes, and the link with Beast of Gévaudan, the creatures are not quite what you think they might be.
Loved the atmosphere and music, but I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of the monster design. (Yeah, I know that's kinda nitpicky, but I suppose at least it's something different)
7/10

 

The Golden Child
Another 80s movie that I just didn't have the chance to see. Actually, I didn't even know anything about it until recently.
I learned it's a fantasy, so I needed to check it. It's an urban fantasy comedy, similar in feel to others like Big Trouble In Little China and Ghostbusters.
A magical kid who is destined to save the world, needs rescuing from demonic forces by a seemingly unlikely Chosen One. Lots of fun, I really enjoyed this. 7/10

The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun

I absolutely adore Wes Anderson's films, and this is no exception. It hasn't replaced my two favorites, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," and "The Fantastic Mr Fox," but it is still very good.
An anthology of sorts, stories of the articles of a magazine's final issue. Very funny and artistic.
One thing though that jumped out to me: this movie seems like a goldmine for samples. If I still did music I would be tempted to  strip-mine it. Perhaps someone else will...
8/10

The Batman

Best damn bat-movie ever!
So nice to see him doing detective shit.
Everything about it was great.
The mood and atmosphere puts the goth back in Gotham.
Cool takes on classic characters.
Just see it for yourself.
10/10