Film 2395 - The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Intro: I'm not super into superhero movies lately, but this one got me intrigued.

Film 2395: "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" (2025), Matt Shakman
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: Is it the best Marvel movie out there? No, but it's definitely a big improvement compared to other films released in the recent past. Not to mention that this new Fantastic Four outing is definitely better than the one from 2015.
To be honest, I really appreciated the more "domestic" and intimate tone of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps", the dynamic between the main characters is really interesting and it's easier to empathise with the characters when the scope of the story is scaled down and presented as a group issue. In this sense, it was a smart move to include how the public perceives the group while the story develops, giving a grater insight into how the protagonists feel and why they act the way they do.
Being that this a movie from the Marvel Universe, of course it has to be connected to a greater plot and serve not only as a reboot, first installment of a new franchise, and origin story, but also as a vehicle for a sequel and other superhero movies to come, so we don't escape this mandatory step here. Still, it is less prominent compared to previous films and, because of the characters' charm and the overall tone of the story, it's not as annoying.
Overall, I enjoyed "The Fantastic Four: First Steps", I think it's well-cast, the 60s vibe suits the franchise, and the adventure is entertaining and well enough crafted. Definitely a win for Marvel.
Film 757 - I Fantastici 4
Film 760 - I Fantastici 4 e Silver Surfer
Film 1018 - Fantastic 4 - I fantastici quattro
Film 2395 - The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Ralph Ineson.
Box Office: $521.9 million
Worth a watch?: Superhero fatigue has been happening for a while now, so it's completely understandable if this is not your cup of tea. "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is a good superhero movie, it has a nice aestetics, a good cast and, overall, it's quite entertaining. If you like the genre, it's a good watch.
Awards: /
Key word: Baby.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2394 - I Know What You Did Last Summer

Intro: I was really excited to see this movie as I am a fan of the original from the 90s.

Film 2394: "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (2025), Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: Not that the OG one is a masterpiece, but it's definitely one of those movies that I grew up with and fall into that 'so bad is good' category. Not to mention that the title is iconic.
That said, there's nothing iconic about this sequel/reboot, the story isn't great and, actually, the ending kinda ruined the franchise for me. I'm sure this "I Know What You Did Last Summer" 2025 is better than the other sequels that came out before (and I haven't seen, nor am I planning to), but I honestly think there was no need to bring back this IP if the end result is so meh.
Cast: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, Austin Nichols, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brandy Norwood, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Box Office: $64.8 million
Worth a watch?: Only for the fans of the franchise. It's nice to see the orginal cast back, but some of the storylines are questionable.
Awards: /
Key word: 4th of July.
Trailer
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Bengi

Grammys 2026: nominees & winners

68th Annual Grammy Awards 

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
A Complete Unknown – Timothée Chalamet
F1 the Album – Various Artists
KPop Demon Hunters – Various Artists
Sinners – Various Artists
Wicked – Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media
How to Train Your Dragon – John Powell
Severance: Season 2 – Theodore Shapiro
Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
Wicked – John Powell & Stephen Schwartz
The Wild Robot – Kris Bowers

Best Song Written for Visual Media
"As Alive as You Need Me to Be" (from Tron: Ares)
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)

"Golden" (from KPop Demon Hunters)
Ejae & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami)

"I Lied to You" (from Sinners)
Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Miles Caton)

"Never Too Late" (from Elton John: Never Too Late)
Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Elton John & Brandi Carlile)

"Pale, Pale Moon" (from Sinners)
Ludwig Göransson & Brittany Howard, songwriters (Jayme Lawson)

"Sinners" (from Sinners)
Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius Povilinus, songwriters (Rod Wave)

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Bengi

Film 2393 - Superman

Intro: Did I really want to go and watch it? Not exactly, but I was indeed curious to see if DC could finally turn things around.

Film 2393: "Superman" (2025), James Gunn
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I wasn't sure what to expect about this movie: I'm not a huge Superman fan, but the reviews were good and James Gunn directed some of the best superheroe moments, so there was hope.
In general, 2025 "Superman" is a movie well done and entertaining, but I have to admit it didn't stick. I remember liking it while watching it, but now a few months later... do I remember anything that happens in the story (other than the dog and the cousin)? Not much. I had to rewatch the trailer to refresh my memory.
This is not to say that "Superman" isn't a good outing - again, I liked it - but it's nothing memorable, let's put it this way. The overall feeling is more Marvel-esque, Nicholas Hoult is a f*cking star and should be a more prominent A-lister, and I appreciated the fact that Lois already knows Clark's real identity, at least we get to skip that for once. Other than this... a good movie for the Summmer?
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Angela Sarafyan, Alan Tudyk, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper.
Box Office: $616.6 million
Worth a watch?: Superheroe movies and/or Superman fans should appreciate this new DC era, as a fresh(er) take on these characters seems to approach. Nothing that we haven't seen before, but enjoyable still. It's an easy watch enough, perfect for some good old fun.
Awards: /
Key word: Selfies.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2416 - Bugonia

Intro: A new Yorgos Lanthimos' movie is always an event, so I had to go and see it.

Film 2416: "Bugonia" (2025), Yorgos Lanthimos
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: It was nice to go and see this movie at a different venue than my usual one, the Lighthouse. Unlike Cineworld, it meant sharing the experience with a different crowd: no one left the screening mid-show to go to the toilet and the room was quiet the whole time, everybody focused on the story, in silence. As an avid cinemagoer that values these things, it honestly made a difference. (There's nothing I hate more than people talking or laughing or coming and going to the bathroom during a movie.)
"Bugonia" is not my favourite film by Yorgos Lanthimos — I think that is still "The Lobster", yet I appreciated this new story. It's extremely well executed and tells an interesting story that conveys a green message, together with the satire of current corporate values. On top of that, it features the performances of two great actors at the top of their game: Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are fantastic here — I imagine an Oscar nomination for both of them is definitely in the cards. Particularly, Emma Stone proves once again why she is one of the best actresses working in films today. She's brilliant in almost every role she plays (better forget about that "Aloha" movie) and here she once again delivers a career best. And it's not just because she went all in by shaving her head for real (which Natalie Portman did as well in another great movie that was a bit too overlooked in my opinion, "V for Vendetta").
I know "Bugonia" has already been called a masterpiece by critics, I'm not sure I'm there yet. I liked it, I particularly enjoyed the plot twist at the end — I mean, I'm not sure how surprising it was considering the story was pointing in the opposite way the whole time — but it isn't necessarily the kind of movie I would rewatch multiple times. It's interesting, well-written and acted, and tells a story that feels different from most things that came out this year. It reminded me a lot of Darren Aronofsky's "Mother!", for example. But, as I said, it's not my favourite (to stay close to the Lanthimos lore).
Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, Alicia Silverstone.
Box Office: $2 million (currently)
Worth a watch?: One of the most talked-about movies of the year, one has to see it. I'm sure it's going to play a big role in the upcoming awards season, so better be ahead of the curve and watch it. It's a very peculiar film, like Lanthimos' usually are. "Bugonia" is definitely not for everybody, some may consider it too artsy or brainy, but to those who appreciate this kind of stories, it's worth watching.
Awards: In copmpetition at Cannes 2025, it won the Green Drop Award. Nominated for Best Feature at the 2025 Gotham Independent Film Award.
Key word: Bees.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2392 - F1

Intro: Honestly curious to see this movie, as the reviews were good and the trailer looked fine. Also, an Irish actress in the leading performance? Couldn't miss it.

Film 2392: "F1" (2025), Joseph Kosinski
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: Funny enough, I like sports movies about car racing, yet I don't like the sport per se. I don't watch it and the few times I did, I found it extremely boring. But I did enjoy all the movies I watched in the past that portray this sport, like "Ford v Ferrari", "Rush" or "Gran Turismo" and now, this one as well.
I'm not surprised I liked "F1", to be honest: I usually enjoy Brad Pitt as an actor, I liked Joseph Kosinski's previous outing "Top Gun: Maverick" and, as I said, somehow I'm a sucker for sports films. This one is particularly well shot, I'm sure it has a very realistic shot at a bunch of technical Oscars (like sound and editing) and, most importantly, it's quite entertaining.
There's all you need in a blockbuster movie: handsome lead, underdog story, compelling visuals, exceptionally crafted shots, a protagonist to root for. I mean, it was a big gamble for Apple to produce it, as it cost $200–300 million to make, but it surely paid off.
Is it the best movie of the year? No, but I'd say it has a shot at making it into the Best Picture category at the Oscars, just like "Top Gun: Maverick" did, eventually winning Best Sound. It's not a given, but it definitely wouldn't be unheard of.
Ps. Many artists realead songs for the movie soundtrack, including Tate McRae ("Just Keep Watching"), Don Toliver and Doja Cat ("Lose My Mind"), Rosé ("Messy"), and Ed Sheeran ("Drive").
Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Javier Bardem.
Box Office: $629 million
Worth a watch?: Definitely worth giving it a shot. Better on a big, big screen, possibly paired with Dolby Surround sound. Pitt is charismatic, Kerry Condon proves to be a great female lead after her Supporting Actress nomination at the 2022 Academy Awards and Joseph Kosinski once again proves that he's great at directing films that require a great level of spectacle and technical capabilities. "F1" is a good movie even for those who are not into the Formula 1.
Awards: /
Key word: Plan C.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2391 - 28 Years Later

Intro: I watched the first movie ages ago, I remember I liked it and that was kinda it. Probably my first introduction to Cillian Murphy.

Film 2390: "28 Years Later" (2025), Danny Boyle
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: I remember vaguely what happens in the first "28 Days Later", but I'd say it was enough to go off of and understand what's going on here: the zombies are still around, the world is still infected, the survivors are spread in communities far away from each other.
It might seem like your average dystopian-horror movie, but there's a bit more to it. First of all, the zombies are not our main concern straight away. The story takes its time to introduce the new characters, letting us familiarize with the environment and the general rules. At the beginning, it doesn't even feel like you're watching a horror movie. There's a fairly realistic approach to the first part of the story, the one on the secluded island, there's a sick mom, a dad, and a child and all of them are trying to cope and survive their own way. I appreciated the tone of this first section of the movie - in a way it reminded me how "Prey" recontextualized the Predator franchise by positioning it in a plausible scenario, the Northern Great Plains of 1719 - but after a while I was ready for the story to move on.
To be fair, when it does, things start to happen fast. The rest of the story is more zombie-hunt and horror-like, it works really well and it's very interesting till the very end, when a strange character named Jimmy (Jack O'Connell) appears together with a group of look alikes. It promises a sequel ("28 Years Later: The Bone Temple") that is coming out next January.
I liked "28 Years Later", I found it very entertaining and well shot (although the quality of the images sometimes would change and degrade a bit). Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes are superb, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams are great leads, and I was happy to see Jack O'Connell finally back on the silver screen.
Cast: Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell, Edvin Ryding, Chi Lewis-Parry, Ralph Fiennes.
Box Office: $151.3 million
Worth a watch?: It's definitely worth the watch, especially this time of the year. It's a good movie in general and a well made horrow movie. It works for the fans of the franchise, but it doesn't require you to know what happened before to follow the story.
Awards: /
Key word: Doctor.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2390 - How to Train Your Dragon

Intro: Back to the movies to watch this live-action. And i wasn't necessarily thrilled at the idea...

Film 2390: "How to Train Your Dragon" (2025), Dean DeBlois
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: Not that I felt we needed a live-action version of this movie, but what the hell, "How to Train Your Dragon" was actually quite good. Definitely better than I expected.
I personally believe it's time to let go of this copy and paste frenzy when it comes to animated movies turned into real life adaptations, yet I was impressed by how well this movie brought the story back to the big screen. It starts in a way that recalls the original and you can't avoid comparing the two products, but after a while this one goes its own way, at its own pace and it works.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a masterpiece, but it definitely is a well produced homage to the original film, with its fun and heartfelt moments.
Film 762 - Dragon Trainer
Film 778 - Dragon Trainer 2
Film 1740 - How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Film 2390 - How to Train Your Dragon
Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Peter Serafinowicz, Nick Frost, Gerard Butler.
Box Office: $635.1 million
Worth a watch?: If you love the original, definitely worth giving this one a go. At times it reminded me of 'Avatar', but obviously the tone is different. Great fun, perfect movie to watch with your family, entertaining, fun and with its own interesting visual aesthetics that complements the original cartoon.
Awards: /
Key word: Queen.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2389 - Druk

Intro: I wanted to watch this movie since it won the Oscar back in 2021, but I never found the right time. So it was nice to share this moment with Yegor.

Film 2389: "Druk" (2020), Thomas Vinterberg
Watched: From the TV
Language: Danish
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: I enjoyed 'Another Round', especially its interesting premise and Mads Mikkelsen's performance.
There's a lot of drinking and spiriling in the name of 'research', to test if being slightly drunk on a daily basis actually unlocks creativy and confidence. It sounds fun at the beginning, but the plan obviously derails quickly enough.
As a personal note, I also enjoyed witnessing how the Danish school system works, so different from my experience in Italy.
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, Lars Ranthe, Maria Bonnevie.
Box Office: $21.7 million
Worth a watch?: It has its moment of fun, but definitely this is not the fun ride it would appear to be. So better be prepared for it.
Awards: 1 Oscar win for Best International Feature Film and an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Nominated for 4 BAFTAs (for Best Direction, Actor in a Leading Role and Original Screenplay), it won for Best Film Not in the English Language. Nominated at the Golden Globes for Best Foreign Language Film; it won Best Foreign Film at the César Awards.
Key word: Experiment.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2388 - Moulin Rouge!

Intro: Funny enough, we ended up watching this movie once again a couple of weeks after we watched it together for the first time. It was meant to be?

Film 2388: "Moulin Rouge!" (2001), Baz Luhrmann
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: There's not a lot I want to add that I didn't say already, but I'll say this: "Moulin Rouge!" at the movies is still quite a phenomanl experience.
It made me think of the first time I've seen this film at the movies with my friends, back when I was 14yo, a lifetime ago. Still, this movie is a marvellous kaleidoscope of colours, songs, dances, aesthetics and ideas, all blended together in such a magic way. On paper, it looks like it would never work and yet it's a masterpiece. And, once again, Nicole Kidman is breathtaking.
Film 1771 - Moulin Rouge!
Film 2384 - Moulin Rouge!
Film 2388 - Moulin Rouge!
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Kylie Minogue.
Box Office: $179.2 million
Worth a watch?: Though I rewatched it so soon, it really didn't bother me because the soundtrack is amazing and watching Nicole Kidman perform in this movie is literally a pleasure. She's a great actress of course, but here she outdid herself. Baz Luhrmann at his best.
Awards: 8 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture, Actress for Kidman, Cinematography and Editing) it won 2 for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. Nominated for 12 BAFTAs (including Best Film, Direction, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costumes, Production Design, Editing) it won 3 for Best Supporting Actor (Jim Broadbent), Best Original Film Music and Best Sound. The movie won 3 Goldeng Blobes (Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Actress for Kidman and Original Score) over 6 nominations (Director, Actor for McGregor and Original Song for "Come What May"). Nominated for 1 Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. The movie was in competition at 54th Cannes Film Festival (where it lost to Nanni Moretti's "La stanza del figlio").
Key word: Maharaja.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2387 - Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Intro: I really wanted to see at the movies, but I almost missed it.

Film 2387: "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" (2025), Christopher McQuarrie
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: It's a good thing that we decided to rewatch the previous film, because I'm not sure I would have been able to follow the whole development of the plot otherwise.
As per the previous entry of this franchise, I feel like we're once again facing the issue of overstacking the story: there are a lot of plotlines, a lot of characters, a lot of stunts, to the point that it's hard to remember specifically what you just witnessed because so much happened. Don't get me wrong, this is another perfectly crafted movie, Tom Cruise proves one more time why he's perfect for the role and Christopher McQuarrie does another impressive job as a director and screenwriter. Still, "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" would be impossible to follow if you didn't watch the previous movie AND actually remember what happened there as well (there's a 2 year gap between "Dead Reckoning Part One" and "The Final Reckoning").
Overall, the 8th movie from this franchise is once again a really good one. I think the "Mission: Impossible" saga got better and better with time and although it peaked already, is still an engaging and entertaining ride.
This is supposed to be the final chapter of the story: do I believe it? Not for a second. It will be interesting to see if they reboot it in time for Tom Cruise to be still able to play Ethan Hunt.
Film 1005 - Mission: Impossible
Film 2382 - Mission: Impossible
Film 1027 - Mission: Impossible II
Film 1049 - Mission: Impossible III
Film 409 - Mission: Impossible - Protocollo Fantasma
Film 1058 - Mission: Impossible - Protocollo fantasma
Film 1012 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Film 1206 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Film 1672 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Film 1747 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Film 2205 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Film 2381 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Film 2387 - Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, Greg Tarzan Davis, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Tramell Tillman, Katy O'Brian, Angela Bassett.
Box Office: $598 million
Worth a watch?: If you love "M:I" and/or Tom Cruise, this is definitely a movie not to miss. If you skipped the previous entries, it might be a bit difficult to follow as the story flourishes with characters and subplots. But it's a really good action movie, I'm actually surprised it didn't make more money at the box-office this being the (alleged) final film of the franchise.
Awards: /
Key word: Coordinates.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2386 - Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios

Intro: And so it begins: the long list of movies I've been watching with Yegor since we started dating.

Film 2386: "Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios" (1988), Pedro Almodóvar
Watched on: Yegor's TV
Language: Spanish
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: Always wanted to watch this one being a big fan of Almodóvar's filmography. And he didn't disappoint.
To be fair, I didn't expect this to be such a surreal story, for whatever reason I expected it to be more grounded in realy. It really didn't matter, once I understood the rule of the game it was a really fun watch.
I really do think Carmen Maura here steals the show, she's magnetic all the way through it, giving an enchanting performance that frankly should have been nominated for an Academy Award (but back in the 80s it wasn't really a thing to reward foreign actors with a nomination, it was extremely rare). She is the whole movie.
Overall, great cast, the story is funny and absurd - but in a way that makes sense - and Almodóvar does a great job at introducing himself the the whole world (this was his first global success). And from here, the rest is history.
Cast: Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, María Barranco, Rossy de Palma, Kiti Mánver, Guillermo Montesinos, Fernando Guillén.
Box Office: $7,305,816
Worth a watch?: Great movie, a must-see if you enjoy Pedro Almodóvar's movies. Carmen Maura gives a fantastic performance and it's nice to see Antonio Banderas act in Spanish. Rossy de Palma has a smaller role, but you won't forget her.
Fans of Spanish cinema, this is definitely a movie worth watching.
Awards: Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes. Winner for the Best Foreign Director at the David di Donatello Awards (also nominated for Best Foreign Film and Foreign Screenplay) and in competition for the Golden Lion at the 1988 Venice Film Festival, where the movie won for Best Actress (Maura) and Best Screenplay (Almodóvar).
Key word: Iván.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2385 - Lilo & Stitch

Intro: Luckily this wasn't picked as the first movie Yegor and I went to see together.

Film 2385: "Lilo & Stitch" (2025), Dean Fleischer Camp
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: One of the worst movies I've seen this year so far, possibly the worst. We'll see what happens in the upcoming months, in the meantime "Lilo & Stitch", Disney's latest live-action remake/cash grab, is bad. B-A-D.
Firstly I want to say that I'm a big fan of the original, one of my favourite Disney movies. I still cherish the memory of when I went to see it at the movies. So clearly being the OG "Lilo & Stitch" a film that I really like, I had high expectations. Or, to better put it: I had very low expectations, but in my head I was hoping they would have treated this story with more respect.
There's nothing magical about the remake, all the fantasy is gone and this is just the carbon copy of the animated movie from 2002. Considering that that film made $273.1 million at the box-office and seen this live-action made a billion dollars, I understand why this was made and where a product like this lies. What saddens me, though, is that Disney doesn't even try anymore. At least at the beginning they did.
So, apart from being the frame-by-frame copy of the original, there's really not much here to see. Obviously this "Lilo & Stitch" is aimed at a young audience, to (re)introduce the characters and make even more money from the merchandise. We all know the name of the game, whatever. It's just extremely disappointing that the legacy of a movie like the first "Lilo & Stitch", a product full of imagination and stunning visual elements, is reduced to this CGI'd copycat with no soul or anything to say.
Cast: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis, Maia Kealoha.
Box Office: $1.034 billion
Worth a watch?: It's trash. The pace of the movie is insane, so fast you can barely sit on anything that is said or showed to you. No time to focus, process, think: we're fed this content, whether we want it or not, with the sole purpose of remembering how cute Stich is (so that kids by more merch). Even for a Disney+ original movie (which this was intended to be), this would be bad.
Awards: /
Key word: Ohana.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2384 - Moulin Rouge!

Intro: No need for the full recap—I've been dating Yegor for a while now, and we were trying to pick a movie to watch together.. Me being me - and him being him, to be honest - we wanted something that checked a few boxes: a film neither of us had seen before, preferably with a good story, and most importantly, iconic enough that we could proudly say it was the very first movie we watched together.
And we found it.

Film 2384: "Moulin Rouge!" (2001), Baz Luhrmann
Watched on: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: I don't know exactly how many times I've seen "Moulin Rounge!" already, yet I always enjoy it like it's the first time I'm watching it. It's an iconic movie for so many reasons - its visual style, the music, the cast, the direction - and it's definitely Baz Luhrmann's masterpiece. I think only he could have pulled this off: in the hands of a different director, with a different vision in mind, this could've been a disaster, a mismatched melting pot of colours, songs and musical numbers that would've ended up resulting in an incoherent blend more confusing than entertaining.
But there's nothing incoherent about "Moulin Rouge!", Luhrmann's vision is clear and striking, opulent and kitsch, extravagant and classy at the same time. I think he tried hard to replicate this magical patchwork of elements in his movies after this one was such a success - I think mainly of "Elvis", but also "The Great Gatsby" in parts - but never really got there again.
To me, "Moulin Rouge!" is a masterpiece, "Your Song" always makes me cry, Baz Luhrmann and Ewan McGregor should have been nominated for an Oscar and, 100% Nicole Kidman should have won her Oscar for this role and not "The Hours".
Film 1771 - Moulin Rouge!
Film 2384 - Moulin Rouge!
Film 2388 - Moulin Rouge!
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Kylie Minogue.
Box Office: $179.2 million
Worth a watch?: Musicals are not everyone's cup of tea, but this is not your regular musical, trust and believe. Absolutely worth watching it, it's a whole experience.
Awards: 8 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture, Actress for Kidman, Cinematography and Editing) it won 2 for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. Nominated for 12 BAFTAs (including Best Film, Direction, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costumes, Production Design, Editing) it won 3 for Best Supporting Actor (Jim Broadbent), Best Original Film Music and Best Sound. The movie won 3 Goldeng Blobes (Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Actress for Kidman and Original Score) over 6 nominations (Director, Actor for McGregor and Original Song for "Come What May"). Nominated for 1 Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. The movie was in competition at 54th Cannes Film Festival (where it lost to Nanni Moretti's "La stanza del figlio").
Key word: The duke.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2383 - Final Destination: Bloodlines

Intro: God was I excited for this one!

Film 2383: "Final Destination: Bloodlines" (2025), Zach Lipovsky, Adam Steina
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: I've always been a massive fan of the "Final Destination" franchise, especially the first movie (from sequel #3 onwards I can't really tell them apart to be honest). I still remember to this day that time my dad took me to the movies to watch it back in 2000: I was 13 and the opening sequence scared the sh*t out of me, to the point that I still wait until the day I'm packing to go somewhere before removing the tag of my previous flight from my suitcase. It's bad luck and "Final Destination" taught me that. (It's obviously a joke, but is it?)
Anyway, I obviously got really excited when they announced the new film, aiming to reboot the franchise. But with horror movies, reboots and sequels... you never know. And although the reviews were strong, I feel like you can never really 100% trust critics.
So, is "Final Destination: Bloodlines" good? It is, it's great fun and and an exhilarating ride for what it is. Meaning, it's not going to be entertaining for everyone - not only it's a horror film, it's also a very specific type of horror, there's a formula behind it and if you don't enjoy it, then there's no point.
Me being me, yeah, I quite liked it. It doesn't match the level of great camp and storytelling genius of the first movie, but it's definitely capable of delivering a very similar experience, combined with a bigger budget, better technology and a greater narrative scope. In fact, "Bloodlines" connects itself to the franchise by linking one of its most iconic characters, William Bludworth the mortician played by the late Tony Todd (to whom this movie is dedicated), to its opening disaster. Seldom this kind of fan-service is done in such a smooth way.
Overall, "Final Destination: Bloodlines" is a great addition to the franchise and a much needed injection of fresh horror to its lore. It's not a masterpiece, it doesn't reinvente the genre, but it definitely reignites the interest in the "Final Destination" IP. And I'm all here for it!
Film 427 - Final Destination
Film 2312 - Final Destination
Film 430 - Final Destination 5
Film 2383 - Final Destination: Bloodlines
Cast: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, Tony Todd.
Box Office: $287.2 million
Worth a watch?: If you're a fan of the original movie or the franchise it spawned, "Final Destination: Bloodlines" can't be missed. It was quite fun to watch it on the big screen to be honest, but I'm sure it works as well on a big TV at home. Prepare for more to come, a sequel has already been announced.
Awards: /
Key word: Coin.
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Bengi

Film 2382 - Mission: Impossible

Intro: Thank God we ended up watching this one before the sequel came out because clearly I didn't remember much of what happened on this one.

Film 2382: "Mission: Impossible" (1996), Brian De Palma
Watched on: My computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: Of the 8 movies from this franchise, one of my 3 favourites.
This movie is 30 years old and still works marvelously: extremely entertaining, greatly shot, led my a perfect Tom Cruise and, most importantly, "Mission: Impossible" starts with one of the most shocking twists that you don't see coming.
Overall, a great cinematic experience.
Film 1005 - Mission: Impossible
Film 2382 - Mission: Impossible
Film 1027 - Mission: Impossible II
Film 1049 - Mission: Impossible III
Film 409 - Mission: Impossible - Protocollo Fantasma
Film 1058 - Mission: Impossible - Protocollo fantasma
Film 1012 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Film 1206 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Film 1672 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Film 1747 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Film 2205 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Film 2381 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Film 2387 - Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Emilio Estevez, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave.
Box Office: $457.7 million
Worth a watch?: A great action thriller from the 90s, the theme song is contagious, Tom Cruise is the perfect secret agent - and, boy, he was handsome! - and overall "Mission: Impossible" is a fun, entertaining ride.
Awards: Nominated for Best Action Sequence at the 1997 MTV Movie + TV Awards.
Key word: List.
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Bengi

Film 2381 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Intro: Thank God we ended up watching this one before the sequel came out because clearly I didn't remember much of what happened on this one.

Film 2381: "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" (2023), Christopher McQuarrie
Watched on: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I honestly really enjoy the "Mission: Impossible", I watched all the movies at least one, with the first one, "Rogue Nation" (#5) and "Fallout" (#6) being my favourite. That said, I think this saga has become so convoluted that it's hard to follow. And I mean this in the best way possible.
The whole "Mission: Impossible" franchise is entertaining and fun to watch, Tom Cruise is perfect for the role and the action scenes are jaw-dropping. Sequel number 5 and 6 being my favourites of this saga, it's obvious that I appreciate the work done by Christopher McQuarrie, so kudos to him. Still, I think with this one things have slightly gone a bit too overboard.
It's always nice to witness a well-written and thought-through story play out on the screen, but here there's so much going on it's really hard to keep track of things, especially knowing that this is only the first part of a bigger plot that started years ago. For the casual viewer it's just too much.
Don't get me wrong, "Dead Reckoning Part One" is really well-written and shot, the quality is obviously there. I'm just saying that, unless you're a massive fan of this franchise and you know every plot point by heart, it's hard to follow. To the point that your brain gives up and you just tag along for the ride until the movie ends and you forget about all you just witnessed. And I think this is partially the reason why this film wasn't as successful as the previous sequels, only managing to pass the $500 million mark ("Fallout" went over $700 million). That, and because splitting your last film in two parts a) is so 2010s, b) after the split sequel fatigue that defeated even the strongest franchises (I'm thinking of 'The Hunger Games' especially) this is a mistake that could have been avoided. Not necessarily by condensing the whole plot into one movie, but just by not marketing it as the same movie split in two parts. All the previous "Mission: Impossible" films, although sequels, work well because they tackle one story at a time. In this decade, after all we've been through movie-wise, I'm not sure how many people are willing to commit to a story that won't wrap up for another few years.
I also think it's possible that this franchise got caught up in the James Bond renaissance, trying to go for longer character arcs and not just standalone movies in order to build a more dedicated fanbase.
Anyway, although the plot could have been a bit less thick, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" is still an impressive action movie, very well done and entertaining.
Film 1005 - Mission: Impossible
Film 2382 - Mission: Impossible
Film 1027 - Mission: Impossible II
Film 1049 - Mission: Impossible III
Film 409 - Mission: Impossible - Protocollo Fantasma
Film 1058 - Mission: Impossible - Protocollo fantasma
Film 1012 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Film 1206 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Film 1672 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Film 1747 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Film 2205 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Film 2381 - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Film 2387 - Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Henry Czerny, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Cary Elwes, Indira Varma.
Box Office: $571.1 million
Worth a watch?: I enjoyed the watch as I enjoy watching almost every single one of the "Mission: Impossible" movies (#2 is my least favourite, to be honest). Yeah, you really need to pay attention and follow what's going on, possibly remembering it for the next and final movie of the franchise, but even if you don't do it, it's still a pretty fun ride.
Awards: 2 nominations at both the Oscars and BAFTAs for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. 1 nomination at the Golden Globes for the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award.
Key word: The entity.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2380 - Thunderbolts*

Intro: Not necessarily dying to see the latest Marvel movies, this one seemed good enough. Reviews were good, the cast packed with great actors and it seemed to serve as Marvel's redeeming  first step. True?

Film 2380: "Thunderbolts*" (2025), Jake Schreier
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I thought the first part was quite enjoyable, the tone is fun and entertaining and the characters work together. I have a soft spot for Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Yelena (Florence Pugh) - but who doesn't? - their relationship moves smoothly from the funny bits to the serious ones, the two actors work well together and the chemistry is there.
So, overall, I enjoyed the new Avengers, as they now are trying to re-advertise them once the movie came out (that's why the * in the title).
That said, the moment Bob (Lewis Pullman) turns into the Void I honestly lost part of my interest. I mean, it's good that superheroe movies are portraying elements more grounded to our reality like being depressed, I just thing here they could have done a slightly better job. Being depressed and end up literally erasing (aka killing) everybody it's a bit sloppy, plus the scene in Bob's mind could have been a bit more creaive? Yelena looks for him, she goes through her bits... and then she finds him? And that's it?
I think Pullman does a great job, he's a talented actor and definitely one to watch, so no blame on him, but yeah, I was hoping for something a bit deeper than just being depressed turns into a killing spree.
Anyway, considering the quality on Marvel's work lately, this is definitely a good outing, one that didn't resonate much with audience ("Thunderbolts*" lost money), still a step in the right direction after years of disappointing films.
Cast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Box Office: $382.4 million
Worth a watch?: Not Marvel's strongest movie, but definitely one of the best they put out recently. Combined with the good reviews gathered by "The Fantastic Four: First Steps", definitely a better year for the company than the recent ones.
"Thunderbolts*" is a fun adventure, the characters work well together and the cast is really good. Overall a good watch. not my favourite villain, but we'll see what they do with him in the future.
Not really sure why they bothered feature Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko, even listed in the credits and poster) when they kill her 10 minutes in.
Awards: /
Key word: Impeachment.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2379 - Rocky

Intro: An iconic movie... that I had never seen before! And because I'm such a big fan of the "Creed" movies, I finally decided to give this movie - the OG of the franchise - a go.

Film 2379: "Rocky" (1976), John G. Avildsen
Watched on: From my computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I've never been a big fan of the 60s and 70s, so I'm not necessarily a big fan of movies from that era. That said, I thought it was ridiculous that I had never seen "Rocky" before.
With this in mind, I have to say that a) I understand why this film is considered so iconinc and b) yeah, it isn't necessairily my vibe, still I enjoyed the watch enough. My biggest struggle was understanding the accent and the delivery of the lines, which left me quite puzzled at times.
Overall it's a good sport movie. A bit outdated when it comes to gender and handling of the female character, but you can't watch a movie from 50 years ago with the eyes of today. Anyway... ADRIAAAAAAAAN!
Ps. Fun fact: Sylvester Stallone became the third person to be nominated for both acting and writing in the same year at the Oscars, following Charles Chaplin for "The Great Dictator" (1940) and Orson Welles for "Citizen Kane" (1941).
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith.
Box Office: $225 million
Worth a watch?: Definitely worth watching it if you've never seen it before. It's a cult classic and made Stallone a major movie star.
Awards: 10 Oscar nominations (including Best Actor for Stallone, Actress for Shire, Supporting Actor for both Young and Meredith and Screenplay for Stallone), it won 3 for Best Picture, Director and Film Editing. 5 noms at the BAFTAs (including Best Picture, Dirctor, Actor for Stallone and Screenplay). 6 Golden Globe nominations (including Best Actor and Actress, Director and Score) and 1 win for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Key word: Match.
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Bengi

Film 2378 - The Last Showgirl

Intro: There was so much excitement around this movie - even a possible Oscar nomination for Lead Actress - that we couldn't miss it. I mean, we missed it at the movies, but caught it in streaming eventually.

Film 2378: "The Last Showgirl" (2024), Gia Coppola
Watched on: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Sarah
Thoughts: Is it Pamela Anderson's best performance on screen? Absolutely. Is "The Last Showgirl" one of the best movies recently made? No, but it's a great comeback vehicle for Anderson and, even just for that, I think is great.
I honestly don't think Pamela Anderson could have found a better movie to reedem herself as an actrees and come back to the scene than "The Last Showgirl": a story about appearence, showbiz, loneliness, and a career in a business that has no mercy for women. All of thise combined together are hard to separate from Anderson's real life story at times, especially knowing what we know about it (too much, indeed). But specifically because we know about her, her past, and what she used to stand for and now stands for instead that "The Last Showgirl" works so well: not only Pamela Anderson gives the best performance of her career - before this movie it didn't necessarily mean much considering her filmografy, to be honest tho - but carries to movie perfectly because it's so easy to identify her with the main character, but she does it in a way that isn't in your face, it works because how understated is her performance at times (which is the very opposite of how her public persona used to be). It works well and she is the movie.
Other characters are there of course - most notably Jamie Lee Curtis is there, another actress that is having quite the resurgence lately - but in a way are less impacful or, to better phrase it, serves Shelly (Anderson) more than anything else.
All in all, a good enough movie. I admit that I was expecting something a bit more 'iconic' (along the line of "The Substance"), but it's a wonderful feeling to see Pamela Anderson leading a movie that is getting rave reviews (and "The Naked Gun" now!).
Cast: Pamela Anderson, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, Billie Lourd, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis.
Box Office: $7.1 million
Worth a watch?: It reminded me "Hustlers" and "Anora" at times, but it's definitely a way quieter movie. Not for everybody, but for those who enjoy arthouse film, definitely a good film to watch.
Awards: 2 Golden Globes nominations for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama (Pamela Anderson) and Best Original Song ("Beautiful That Way" – Miley Cyrus). 1 BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jamie Lee Curtis) and 1 Razzie Award win for Razzie Redeemer Award (Anderson).
Key word: Last show.
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Bengi

Film 2377 - Sinners

Intro: Probably one of the cinematic event of the year, Niamh went to see it and liked it so much she wanted to bring me as well. And off we went, of course.

Film 2377: "Sinners" (2025), Ryan Coogler
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: One of the most interesting movies I've seen so far this year: what a ride.
Although I have to admit the story takes its time to get to the juicy part, it definitely is a good ride. Yes, the first hour sees no vampire showing up whatsoever - and for a second there I was starting to think we were never getting there - but once things start to happen and everything gets in motion, it is a pleasure to watch. One of the highlights for me (watching this mvovie in Ireland) was the "Rocky Road to Dublin" musical number: very unexpected, extremely well executed and somehow perfectly fitting in the story.
The cast is solid, I'm a sucker for Michael B. Jordan (with whom I share my birthday Feb. 9, 1987) and he's great here, as usual. I wish Hollywood would give him more chances like this one and, to be honest, more awards. Wunmi Mosaku was a marvellous surprise, she's a scene stealer. I saw her before in "His House" and "Loki" and she's so magnetic you can't take your eyes off of her. Happy to see Hailee Steinfeld in something new for her, she's so talented, but she needs more projects like this one.
Overall, an amazing cinematic experience.
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Delroy Lindo.
Box Office: $365.9 million
Worth a watch?: It takes a moment to get to the horror bits (the movie is 137 minutes long), but once it gets there there's no turning back. Not your usual Hollywood scary movie, but a well made, constructed and narrated story, with an amazing cast and stunning visuals. I hope it gets its flowers at the Oscars (but the ceremony is still so far away...).
Awards: /
Key word: Juke joint.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2376 - Companion

Intro: I saw the poster and I got really curious about it. Then the red carpet, the press and the good reviews came in, which got me excited. Somehow, tho, I ended up forgetting about this film, until someone mentioned it and I finally decided to give it a go.

Film 2376: "Companion" (2025), Drew Hancock
Watched on: The projector
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Was it as revolutionary and groundbreaking as some reviews made it out to be? Not really.
"Companion" is a good sci-fi thriller with a little bit of horror and humor in it and it works well, althoigh the idea of a robot lover (the companion) that gains conciousness (or freedom) and turn agains her partner (or captor) isn't necessarily new. To be honest, it gave me "Black Mirror" vibes (which is good).
The cast is great, Sophie Thatcher does an amazing job and is a great lead - and perfect for the part - while Jack Quaid continues to do great work. I was happy to see Harvey Guillén outside his familiar Guillermo clothes ("What We Do in the Shadows").
Overall a good watch.
Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend.
Box Office: $36.7 million
Worth a watch?: Not groundbreaking, but an entertaining watch. Definitely not for everybody, but for those who enjoy this kind of movies it worth giving it a go.
Awards: /
Key word: $12 million.
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Bengi

Film 2375 - Black Bag

Intro: Really curious to see this movie, although not many people were talking about it.

Film 2375: "Black Bag" (2025), Steven Soderbergh
Watched on: My computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I'll be honest here, I was expecting great things and i think by doing that I shut myself in the foot.
The cast is great, but I really struggle to follow the story as a) most of the time I had no clue what they were talking about and b) because I couldn't follow the story properly, I started to get distracted.
So, because of this, I don't really have much to say about "Black Bag". I think Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender are great leads (and a pretty damn good looking couple) and it was really nice to see Naomie Harris and Pierce Brosnan once again. Regé-Jean Page feels like the "baby" of the group against all these other A-listers, but he holds his own.
All in all, I was definitely expecting something else (and more engaging).
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, Pierce Brosnan.
Box Office: $42.7 million
Worth a watch?: With hindsight, I would definitely watch this movie with subtitles and by paying way more attention. The cast is cool, Soderbergh does Soderbergh, but other than that it didn't resonate with me.
Awards: /
Key word: Severus.
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Bengi

Film 2374 - A Minecraft Movie

Intro: Not that I was interested in watching this movie, but Niamh was so I joined her.

Film 2374: "A Minecraft Movie" (2025), Jared Hess
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: Because I didn't back then and don't do this day know much about the video game Minecraft, I had nothing to compare this movie with if not its own cinematic merits. Is this the best movie I've ever seen in my life? Absolutely not (and nobody was expecting it to be). Is it still a fun and entertaining adventure that you can watch and forget about it five minutes later? Hell yeah.
So there it is, not much else to say about "A Minecraft Movie", a fun enough ride that will probably soon get ruined by a bunch of sequels that will sour the taste of the first movie.
Cast: Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen, Matt Berry, Rachel House, Jennifer Coolidge.
Box Office: $955.1 million
Worth a watch?: Harmless, fun story that work good enough and entertains as one would expect. Not groundbreaking, but at least it's not terrible (at least for one that has never played the video game like me).
Awards: /
Key word: Orb.
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Bengi