Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

    Hello everyone!  I know it’s been a little while since I have posted on here but I have more content coming soon!  Unfortunately, November and December are two of the busiest months for me due to my job and from selling on eBay.  I will soon have reviews posted from movies in theaters including “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and classics including “The Karate Kid Part III” and “The Next Karate Kid” (review copies were provided by the very kind Mill Creek Entertainment company).  Anyway, I just wanted to take this time to wish all my readers a very merry Christmas.  Also, for those amazing readers who celebrate holidays other than Christmas, I hope you have a happy holiday season!  Lastly, if you don’t celebrate a holiday, I still wish you the best and hope you have a great week!  Thank you!

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” Movie Review

    “Wreck-It Ralph” was one of the more enjoyable non Pixar Disney releases over the last decade.  The film introduced the lovable protagonist Ralph who happened to be the antagonist in his own game.  The film dealt with self worth and the importance of non glamorous jobs.  It was a film both adults and children could connect with.  Unfortunately, the same can’t be completely said about it’s sequel, “Ralph Breaks the Internet”.
    Now, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” isn’t a bad film.  The story of the film is actually pretty original and enjoyable.  I liked that they went a different direction with the story.  A lot of sequels try to make a carbon copy of the first film and this film did not.  It tried to tell a different story of morality but that was also part of the problem I had with the film.  The film, at it’s core, deals with having to let go of someone you love if it’s better for them.  While this is something we all have to deal with, it makes the film feel somewhat depressing.  So the film’s theme ultimately feels too adult for most children yet the animation might be too childish for some adults.  I did like that the film was ambitious enough to try a different tone.
    Unlike the first film, the jokes in this film didn’t always land.  Maybe it was because most of the jokes tied into product placements which this movie was filled with.  I am talking obvious product placement as well which is something that shouldn’t be so in your face in a kid’s movie.  I was well aware of eBay before this movie but if I wasn’t, I would sure be now.  “Ralph Breaks the Internet” feels more like a commercial half the time over a real film.
    Luckily for this film, the characters were extremely lovable and this film, despite it’s faults, didn’t hurt that.  Just catching up with the characters was refreshing and worth the price of admission.  The voice cast once again helps add to the character’s charm.  John C Reilly and Sarah Silverman have great chemistry and sound as if they were friends for years.
   “Ralph Breaks the Internet” doesn’t live up to the first movie but is worth a watch.  Just be aware that this movie deals with serious themes that children might not have much interest in.  The film also has kind of a bummer ending for an animated film.  Ultimately, I feel like this movie was worth the admission but perhaps not all the praise it received.

Grade: C+

”Creed II” Movie Review

    The “Rocky” franchise was long lampooned as never ending.  Many parody films would feature background posters of an elderly man in boxing gear and would have a title such as “Rocky 64” blaster across it.  It has been the butt of many jokes since “Rocky IV”.  The ironic thing is after all these years, the franchise is still going strong.  The newest film, “Creed II”, is the eighth film in the much beloved “Rocky” universe.

    “Creed II” acts as a direct sequel to both “Creed” and “Rocky IV”.  The movie begins with the introduction of Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago.  Ivan Drago had killed Apollo Creed in the ring during the events of “Rocky IV” but lost to Rocky Balboa in a bout held in Russia.  As it turns out, this event brought shame to the Drago name.  Ivan hopes to restore his family name through his son, Viktor.  This brings the Drago, Balboa, and Creed families on a collision course once again as Adonis Creed has just now become the boxing Heavyweight Champion.

    “Rocky IV” is one of my least favorite “Rocky” films (“Rocky V” holds the title as worst) so knowing this film would be a direct sequel to that film made me a bit nervous.  “Creed II” manages to act as a superior sequel to “Rocky IV” by making the stakes more realistic and grounded.  The boxing match isn’t about a country’s glory, it is about a form of redemption for both families.

    Michael B. Jordan returns as Adonis Creed and delivers another stellar performance.  Sylvester Stallone was fantastic once again as the iconic Rocky Balboa.  Supposedly, this may very well be Stallone’s swan song as Balboa (though it’s hard to believe he will completely exit the franchise).  I wish Stallone was given a little more to do in this film should this be his last movie.  Dolph Lundgren returns as Ivan Drago and despite the fact that he isn’t give many lines, he manages to convey a lot of emotion through his eyes.
    The film is rousing and filled with many epic boxing scenes.  The fight sequences are expertly shot and make you feel as though you are in each fighter’s corner.  One of the few criticisms I have about the film is that it’s a safe and predictable sequel.  “Rocky II” was a very good film and also suffered from a predictable story.  On the plus side, “Creed II” contains a few cameos that feel rewarding to long time Rocky fans without being distracting or feeling out of place.
    I can’t help but feel like this film is a bit of a setup to a larger story to play out in a possible sequel.  The film ends without a sense of who the clear cut best fighter is and I have to wonder how that might play out.  Also, if a sequel is made, Stallone needs to return in my opinion to officially retire the character.  While “Creed II” is a very good movie, Stallone deserves a bigger role with more to do in his final appearance in the franchise.
    At it’s heart, “Creed II” is a story about fathers and sons.  It’s about not making the same mistake over and over again.  Lastly, the movie is about placing family above pride.  What makes this film so unique is that both the protagonist and antagonist learn the same lesson.


Grade: B+