Quarantine is still in full effect in my in my area of Canada. This means minimal stuff to do outside of the house. It’s a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I have all this time to write, play video games, and watch movies. On the other hand, not being able to go out and do stuff is really mentally draining. But that won’t stop me from taking full advantage of the time I have. And recently I was able to catch up on all the movies I missed when I was busy with school.

This post will basically be mini reviews of what I thought about these movies. NOTHING WILL BE SPOILED

Sonic The Hedgehog

Movies based on video games are always cursed and tend to be bad. However, I believe the curse is broken with this movie. The plot is basic and is a story about sonic needing to find his rings while being wanted by Robotnik while forging friendships along the way. The standout aspects of this movie is Jim Carrey as Robotnik and Sonic himself, voice by Ben Schwartz. Jim Carrey’s physical acting and corky mannerisms fit the insane character that is Robtonik perfectly and is the best part of the movie, he steals every scene he’s in. As for Sonic, I’m impressed they avoided making him annoying. In the games, Sonic is usually quipy and full of one liners. What they did in the movie is make him a real fleshed out character with motives and personality, something they fail to do in the games. Overall, this is one of the best movies based off a video game I’ve seen. Solid 8/10

Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Another movie that I think avoids the dreaded video game movie curse. The story is about Tim Goodman (played by Justice Smith) teaming up with a talking Pikachu that only he can hear (voice by Ryan Reynolds). They are both on a mission to solve the sudden disappearance of Tim’s father who is also Pikachu detective partner. This adventure takes them through Ryme city, a city where Pokemon and people are considered equals and where battles are forbidden, and the surrounding country side. The Pokemon on display are all detailed with a realistic look that compliments some but makes others look off. I just wish they would’ve showed more diverse Pokemon instead of just fan favorites. The main complaints I hear about this movie is the acting, which in some cases is very amateur, but you’re watching a Pokemon movie so it’s not a big deal. However, the best actor, or should I say voice actor, is Ryan Reynolds. His lines in the movie are both hilarious and witty. If you really pay attention, his signature dialog comes through that involves some adult humor that will go over the heads of children. All in all, a solid movie 7/10

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

Honestly, there’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said about this movie. The visuals are amazing and sport an original, comic book esque, animated style. Colors pop out at every scene and is consistence throughout the film. The music featured is relevant in every scene and only adds to an already fantastic movie. Characters and voice acting are all well done and never misses a beat with humor, character development, and emotional moments. This movie goes down as one of my favorites of all time and is probably my favourite superhero film. Heavy 10/10, a gold standard for animated movies.

Alita: Battle Angel

Based off a manga and anime of the same name, Alita: Battle Angel sees the titular character, a cyborg girl named Alita, trying to find the truth about her past when she is rebuilt with her memory wiped. The story is not bad and has plenty of action set pieces that visually striking. Alita herself is really well done animation wise. She is entirely CGI but it’s not distracting when next to a real person. The action is also all CGi. However, CGI is clearly the only way as it showcases Alita flipping all over the place while she takes down her enemies. Now, I never watched the anime or read the manga, but from this movie alone I really like the character and surrounding world. Although I’m drawn to anything cyberpunk so I may be biased. Overall, being a movie based on an anime, it’s pretty good! A solid watch 7.5/10

Tomb Raider

Back to the discussion on video game movies being cursed, this one falls victim. The Tomb Raider movie acts as an origin story for Lara Croft and sees her traveling to an island to find her dad. On the island, Lara ends up having to stop a group hell bent on opening a tomb that could lead to the end of the world. Unfortunately, the plot is all over the place. There are some plot points that are pointless and add nothing to the story. The villain is one note and the only motive he has is money. Acting is okay but not very good. Story goes by way to fast to keep up with everything. And last but not least, the action is simply boring. I would recommend you watch this with the intent to mock it with friends, or if you had a couple drinks. 4/10 I wish it was better

The Old Guard

An adaptation of the comic with the same name sees a group of immortal soldiers trying to do good in the world. The story pits our little group of five immortals trying to avoid capture from a doctor who wishes to cause harm to them. The doctor believes their immortality is the key to new medicines, but like other movie villains he only cares about money. The core concept of having a group of immortal soldiers from thousands of years ago is super cool. It even showed scenes of them fighting battle in the middle ages. Although, the concept isn’t as fleshed out as I hoped and failed to really showcase what they did many years ago. Instead, they decided to keep them in the present and deal with present issue. The action is good though and really showcases their thousands of years of practice in combat. Acting is okay, Charlize Theron being the best, and the supporting casts is not bad. To concluded, if there’s a sequel I would like to learn more about their impact on past historical events. Maybe we can have something in ancient Egypt or the Roman Empire, or WW1 and 2 would be cool. It’s not bad but I wished they did more 7/10

And that’s all the movies I’ve watched lately and my opinion. I’m thinking about doing something like this once a month maybe. I watch maybe two or three movies a month, but recently its been different because of quarantine. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this kinda large read. If you have any opinions about my ratings feel free to post them in the comments. Have a wonderful week!

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