Cinematic Reviews

Jumanji: The Next Level is the sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It has returning stars of the first film such as Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan. These stars are only bolstered by the addition of Danny Devito and Danny Glover who play an interesting part in this movie. In reality, Danny Devito and Danny Glover aren't in the film all that much. Instead what the audience gets is an amazing portrayal of Danny Devito by Dwayne Johnson and Danny Glover by Kevin Hart, resulting in an amazing combination. Jumanji: The Next Level is more of the video game and panic focused comedy from its predecessor. However, this comedy is only elevated by the joy of watching actors portray others in what I can only imagine must have been a ton of fun. The nail their impressions and it is just an absolute joy to watch actors flex their talents to show they have more range than just the one character they are usually given to play in a film. It was a personal delight, and

The Irishman is a deep-dive into the underground world of Italian gangsters. It should be noted that when I say deep I mean 3 and 1/2 hours deep. Despite it's length, the movie also has several well known actors. The top 3 that shine in the spotlight among this group are Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. They all preformed very well with a shot out to Al Pacino for his acting as the role of the famous Jimmy Hoffa. That said while the de-aging of faces is done well, the old stiffer movements of the actors tend to show through the movie editing magic. There is a lot in this movie, not just because of it's length but because it almost functions as a documentary about gangsters after WWII. The movie doesn't have much in terms of comedy, not nearly enough to keep someone laughing for 3 hours. The way it captures the interest of it's audience is by relying on them to pay attention and be fascinated or intrigued by the story they are unraveling. In reality the film is a

21 Bridges star Chadwick Bosman in a lead role as a detective known for being a killer of cop killers. A pair of robbers steal drugs in an unsuspecting job leading to a chase filled with mystery and action. I will say that what this movie really does is put Chadwick upfront as the star and mostly keeps it that way. The movie is straightforward as it begins to slowly unveil and unravel the circumstances of the chase through Manhattan island. The movie's linear nature is only broken up by the cuts of showing the perspectives of the cops and robbers. Overall there isn't anything too novel about the film, but that isn't to say that it's bad. Chadwick Bosman and a decent plot are the real saving graces of the film. It is also well directed and keeps the audience engaged, but it still lacks something to make the movie stand out on it's own. I would only recommend it if you just enjoy chase movies or if you can't think of anything better to watch.