Top Gun: Maverick
6.8/10
Coming into this movie, my expectation weren't really that high. i honestly thought that this would be kinda a cash grab, and a cash grab it kinda was. The first 20 mins. or so really emphasize the previous movie, with the exact same text at the beginning, the intro credits having Danger Zone over the title sequence, and they show a clip from the original to show a character death that happens in it, which is a main part of this movie's plot. Essentially, Maverick has been stagnant over the past 30 years, not being promoted but still staying a captain in the US navy. He blows up an experimental jet and the chief gets pissed at him, so he gets sent back to top gun to train new recruits, one of which, is the son of his best friend who died in the original. I did enjoy the new cast of characters, they were kinda cool. especially bob. When the story picks up pace, it does become much more entertaining. there is a beach scene, but it definetly was much less homoerotic than the original. I honestly didn't like the love interest subplot, it just felt kinda forced in. although i thoughttake my breath away by berlin was played too much in the original movie, i was slightly dissapointed when it didn't play once throughout the movie. maybe they tried it during an original take of the movie and it didn't fit and i have no idea what i'm talking about.
skipping to the final act of the movie, they are doing the special mission. they have been training for and it all goes to plan, and then suddenly, maverick gets shot down by enemy jets. his best friend's son (who's name is rooster) goes back to save him and he does, they argue about how they're gonna get back from enemy lines, and they steal a f-14 (the jet used in the original movie) just kinda as a way nostagia thing. kinda neat. overall, it was an alright movie. would wanna watch again back to back with the original but after that i dont wanna watch it again.
MINONS: The Rise Of Gru
5/10
going into this movie, i was expecting a cinematic masterpiece among the likes of citizen kane, the godfather trilogy and despicable me. what i instead recieved was a movie that was purely style with no substance. The movie starts out with a heist of the zodiac relic, which grants its users the powers of the animals on the chinese zodiac. they make their getaway in this helicopter sort of thing and i imagined gru throwing minions into the propellers to jam them and steal the zodiac relic. that was one of 2 funny parts in the movie. the only other funny part was when gru gets kidnapped. i did enjoy how the movie is stylized. taking place in 1975, it very much draws inspiration from movies and media from that era. the animation is very good, as it has a good amount of fluidity to it, and doesn't feel stiff. there are plenty of refrences to the first movie in the despicable me trilogy, such as the appearance of Dr. Nefario, the bank of evil, the urinal eye scanner, the banker (forgot his name), vector, the freeze ray, gru's "car", and Dr. Nefario saying "shoot for the moon!" my main issue with the movie is that it was just kinda bad. the jokes didn't land, the plot was very simple, and it didn't feel like it has much substance. you could excuse it by saying "its a kids movie!" and although you would be right, its not a good family movie. disney has the formula down for family movies, but for illumination, they just appeal to kids. i definitely would not watch this movie again, and if it was on tv, i would change the channel.
Danniel's Bigger Gayer Chrismas
11/10
As one of the largest phenomenas of the past decade, Danniel's Big Gay Chrismas was such a landmark achievement in the art of filmmaking, praised by critics and audiences alike, that a sequel would have insurmountable expectations