Gemini Man

I know Will Smith likes doing sci-fi film and all, but he should be doing better shit than this Gemini Man; the premise being about a retired assassin being pursued by a clone of his younger self.  One of the problems here against Smith is that he still looks like his 30 year old younger self.  Not to mention, that this cgi and the stunt effects are just too damn distracting the further along the story goes.  So, all of this gives it this weird kind of confectionery feel under director Ang Lee and writer David Benioff's unique set design.  

Shaft

I must admit that I didn't realize until writing this that it had been 20 years since Samuel Jackson reprised the Shaft role, because I was saying to myself why is he doing another one again (as if it had been like only a decade ago).  However, I still ask myself why.  I like Sam, but this movie just feels like an excuse to hear him cuss out folks and it's funny and entertaining in that sense.  But that's just it, Shaft was never a comedy, at least never leaning into it this much.  Jesse T. Usher is supposed to be the son and grandson here and shit, I'm not feeling it on any level.  So, the Shaft franchise goes from legendary to what can only be approximated to this kind of comedy buddy film that just distracts from what the plot of the film is; because I sure as shit can't tell you what the film is about and nor do I fuckin' care.

Black And Blue

Naomie Harris has been doing some amazing things in film lately and she certainly shines in elevating Black And Blue from what could have been just a mediocre action film.  It also stars Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo, and Mike Colter. What Black And Blue succeeds at is in showcasing a powerful Black actress of Harris in lead role that comes with very controversial and charged subject matter, while also being a winning action thriller that would make a good companion film to Training Day.  This is certainly one film where the generic title doesn't apply to the quality of what's being watched.

Rambo: Last Blood

When will this movie series end?  I thought 2008's Rambo was better on every level and would have been the one to end this, but this Rambo: Last Blood should have been called Rambo: Latest Blood.  In 2008, the character was in Burma and now he's off to Mexico to save his stepdaughter.  The script and character development are so lacking, the plot is tired and pointless, and the action (which is what we're all waiting on) is excessively bloody, predictable, and just laughable in it's unrealism.  The special features are like 50 minutes to the hour and a half film and I'm like for what.  I look at an excerpt or two of that and Stallone's saying the Rambo movies aren't action movies and his job is to tell stories. Wtf, as pretentious as all that was.  But I digress. The film is shit.

Hustlers

This film is a case of just a wee too much ambitious hype.  Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lizo, and Cardi B are an impressive and diverse group of actors and entertainers and this certainly sells the film and bolsters the budget.  Much like Casino and Goodfellas, it's a film that takes you into the seedy life of strippers turned criminals and is told from that voice, most notably and commendably from the real star here in Constance Wu. Oh, but let's not forget about the pole dancing skills of a 50 year old Jay Lo that's displayed at the onset. Unfortunately, this display and her admirable return to some real quality acting, and the nice directing of  Lorene Scafaria aren't quite enough to keep Hustlers from reaching a sustainable heightened interest throughout the film.  It's also a character driven heist film focusing primarily on the relationship between Lopez and Wu, which seems to lose much of its momentum in the midst of everything else going on.  So while it doesn't have all the strengths of cohesion and character development of a Set It Off or a Widows, it is a decent enough film to watch - just once.

The Beach Bum

Ok, sure it's a stoner movie.  Matthew McConaughy, Snoop Dogg, Jonah Hill, Zac Efron, Isla Fisher, and Martin Lawrence are all here for the ride.  But what in the fuck was the point here. McConaughy's character Moondog is so stoned the whole time and I suspect, he and everyone were on set.  Don't get me wrong, Matthew is perfect for the role here, but it is so overplayed and wrought with excess, that it can't be anchored by anything or anyone else.  Whatever carefree living point was attached to some semblance of a questionable plot here, The Beach Bum, did not quite make it with flying colors and it seems like such a waste of a film, however much fun the cast may have had.