joelwillems Reviews

South Park: The End of Obesity (2024 TV Special)

Breath of fresh air

[8/10 · 25 May 2024]

I personally still go to entertainment to get away from the heavy media and politics that are in too much of our lives today. It's nice when South Park or other shows make light of them and then turn it all goofy on end.

I've never listened to Lizzo and have no interest to. Body Positivity movement is probably worse for our health than navigating our insurance system. Right when you think South Park is going to come down on the correct side and show the obviousness that it is our own responsibility, they change it up with the next absurdness that will probably just become the new norm.

I haven't heard of anyone else comment on this yet, but the storyline analogies to parts of "Lost Boys" and "Mad Max" films were very enjoyable for me.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

What are the fanatics on about?

[6/10 · 18 April 2024]

This movie is visually well done, for 80% of it shot in the bright sun of a desert. The sound is also great, but I wouldn't call it music so much as tones. It fits though. More like something seen in a t.v. Show then the epic music that Danny Elfman or John Williams bring.

The writers really didn't read the books, did they? Like the first film but even worse, this was a child's Cliff Notes version of the actually books. To know the storyline you'd have to have read the books or watched the previous, superior versions. Chani is especially poorly done and again the characters are mostly just long gazes.

I understand the simpletons who enjoyed the visuals. This movie has made a good deal of money but there's a reason it won't ever reach a billion mark like truly epic films. And the IMDB meter on this will probably drop closer to my score as non-fanatics see this film over the coming years. Again, the 3-part Frank Herbert miniseries is the best, the 1984 is the classic nostalgia and this one looks pretty but says very little.

Madame Web (2024)

Teases excitement, just doesn't deliver

[7/10 · 10 April 2024]

This would be a fine film, if it was the third or fourth installment in the series. This is just not the way to set up an extended universe. Hopefully it is a study by film students and current writers / directors alike.

They tried an Iron Man story with his origin to go in chronological order. Difference was, Iron Many had a very charismatic hero and some dangerous villains along with a lot more, she we say, firepower. Even with the firepower in the final battle, this did not deliver on that. There were some entertaining chase sequences but, I don't believe I'm going to say this, too little of the character development. We learned more about Cassie and her partner's life than the three sidekicks.

It can't be the run time either. Another five or ten minutes added to some character development all around, except for more time on Cassie's partner and her cat, and this could have been much better and tighter. Obviously have to blame the director but also the writer and editor. Too bad we'll never see more of these actors in these roles. I suppose they could do an animated series but that's so 1980s.

Chick Fight (2020)

Could not chose a direction

[4/10 · 15 November 2020]

We get it, Hollywood and some viewers feel that certain character's genders or races are unrepresented. They do not ALL have to be in one film though. At it's core, I feel that this had a decent story to tell and from a unique perspective. It all was cluttered in too much WOKEfulness though and not in a subtle or thought-provoking way. The writers just hit you over the head with it, repeatedly.

Final thought, this tries to be an empowering film, but too much going on in the sideshows to develop characters and keep the story progressing to a conclusion.

Buddy Games (2019)

If "Grownups" dropped the families

[6/10 · 15 November 2020]

I find Grownups fun for what is it's target audience and rated it pretty high. But if you didn't like those films, you'll hate this one. The writing isn't as sharp, the gags and jokes are more raunchy and the cast, though fair actors in their best films, is not full of comedic professionals.

I thought the main games action section was well done but unfortunately none of the characters are that likeable nor relatable. In starring, direction and co-writing this film, Josh Duhamel may have stretched himself too thin in his directorial debut.

Okay to pass some time but not a film you will rewatch.