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The Instigators is an underwhelming mix of action/drama, it centers around two brothers, Jack (Matt Damon) and Mike (Casey Affleck), who find themselves pulled into a high-stakes heist.  

The impressive cast not only includes two Academy Awards winners, Damon and Affleck, but it also an Academy Awards nominee, Jeremy Renner, and a very accomplished actress, Michelle Monaghan, who all really try to do their best with the material and kinda fall flat. The story is relatively straightforward, with a few predictable twists and turns, but it lacks an emotional impact to make it memorable. The chemistry between Damon and Affleck feels somewhat forced, and their performances lack depth. Director Doug Liman’s effort is falling short of its potential with a talented cast and intriguing premise.  

With a strong cast and an experienced director, the expectations for The Instigators was high, but it did not keep on its promise. I give it a THUMBS DOWN. 

This is probably one of the boldest attempts to combine two of Marvel’s most unconventional anti-heroes into a single flick. Unfortunately, Deadpool & Wolverine ends up feeling like a muddled mash-up rather than a seamless fusion of the two characters. 

Having said that, with a cast including Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reprising their iconic roles of Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively, bringing an instant chemistry of the mega star caliber type allowing for some genuinely entertaining moments throughout even if the storyline was not perfect. 

Honestly, the script fails to capitalize on its potential. The plot is a jumbled mess of forced humor and predictable action sequences that don’t quite land. The issue this movie suffers from is that it swings between trying to be a gritty Wolverine story and a zany Deadpool romp, often leaving viewers unsure of what kind of experience they’re supposed to be having.

Bottom line is, if you are a deadhead fan of the characters and don’t mind a bit of chaos in what’s going on, you’d probably somehow survive it, for me this was a bit too much, I give it a THUMBS DOWN. 

Now that A Quiet Place is officially a franchise with the release of “Day One” the style of using total silence and frightening sounds continues as it tries to intensify the horror experience, but can it recapture an audience that already know the “schtick” a second time? The question arises, can Academy Award Winner, Lupita Nyong’o, and Joseph Quinn play frightened better than (married couple in real life), Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, who also directed the original six years ago. 

What does stand out in the sequel is how visual effects have evolved in the intervening years, cinematography by independent filmmaker, Pat Scola, is outstanding, portraying the eerie tranquility before the invasion and the subsequent pandemonium with striking visuals portraying both haunting and beautiful aesthetics, drawing audiences into the movies unsettling world. 

Day One has well-developed engaging characters, that draw you into the next chapter of the franchise without shaming the original. I would even dare to say this is a high-quality horror film. THUMBS UP! 

Sometimes a single cab drive may leave an impact of a lifetime on us, and this is exactly what first-time director, Christy Hall, manages to capture in this truly magical movie, Daddio.

Set within the confines of a New York City taxi, the film crafts an intimate and engaging story driven by poignant dialogue and powerful character interactions between Academy Award winner, Sean Penn and the captivating, Dakota Johnson.

The whole movie takes place during a cab drive from JFK Airport to the city as it delves into the innermost emotions of the two from loneliness, and resilience, to the quest for meaning in everyday life.

The direction feels subtle yet effective, allowing the story to take center stage. It is quite evident that Hall’s emphasis in her directorial debut has character-driven storytelling in a story that she brought to the screen, as well. 

Daddio is undoubtedly a standout film in this summer fare of blockbusters, it manages to bring thought-provoking themes in a minimalistic setting, which results in a gratifying experience. This is a very easy THUMBS UP! 

In this, the third iteration of the Bad Boys franchise, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are trying to prove to themselves that even though they are already in their late fifties, they still got it. To make sure the movie will come across without a hitch, not one but two directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, were hired for the task. 

This time around, Mike and Marcus end up becoming fugitives while trying to clear a colleague’s name. As expected, it is packed with high-speed chases, explosive stunts, and intense fight scenes, while the high-octane action scenes try to keep you on the edge of your seats. The storyline is predictable and lacks any depth but the chemistry between Martin and Smith compensates for that, adding charm and humor with their usual banter. 

If you are a fan of the genre, you will not be disappointed, for me it felt like a waste of 115 minutes (about 2 hours) of my life, therefore it will get a THUMBS DOWN from me.