Life Of The Party (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: After being told that her husband (Matt Walsh) is leaving her for another woman, Deanna (Melissa McCarthy) decides to take her life back into her own hands and do the one thing that she always wanted to do: Get her archeology degree. She enrols herself at the same college her daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon) is attending, and as she adjusts to college life as an older student, she discovers just how much she missed out on the first time round.

Breath (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Younger surfers Pikelet (Samson Coulter) and Loonie (Ben Spence), always seeking the thrill of the waves, make a connection with older surfer Sando (Simon Baker) and his wife Eva (Elizabeth Debicki), who teach them the ways of the world and how, while it may be risky, some risks are worth taking.

Deadpool 2 (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), in-between killing anyone he sets his sights on, is contemplating starting a family. Whatever domestic roles may be involved will have to wait, however, as his reconnection with the X-Men leads to him to a young boy named Russell (Julian Dennison), a powerful mutant with the potential for great disaster. As he connects with the young mutant, time-travelling mercenary Cable (Josh Brolin) has arrived in the present to hunt down the one responsible for the death of his family. With multiple threats on his life and others and his anti-social tendencies making his want to start his own superhero team a bit wonky, it's just another day in the life of everyone's favorite Merc.

Tully (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Mother-of-two Marlo (Charlize Theron) and her husband Drew (Ron Livingston) are expecting their third child soon. However, the stress of taking care of the two they already have has taken its toll on Marlo. Her brother Craig (Mark Duplass) suggests that she hire a night nanny to help around the house, and soon, Tully (Mackenzie Davis) arrives at Marlo’s front door offering to help her. As the two connect, it seems that Marlo is finally getting the support she needed and things are looking up… but how long will it last?

Early Man (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: The simple life for Dug (Eddie Redmayne) and his tribe of cavemen is about to be interrupted when the Bronze Age ruler Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) kicks them out of their meadow and leaves them to fend for themselves. Desperate to save his tribe, Dug challenges Nooth to a game of soccer: If Dug and his team win, they get their meadow back. As the tribe practices the ancient sport, and Nooth prepares to make bank from the match, the heat is on to see who will win this battle of the Ages.

Truth Or Dare (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: While in Mexico for Spring Break, Olivia (Lucy Hale), Markie (Violett Beane), Lucas (Tyler Posey), Penelope (Sophia Ali), Tyson (Nolan Gerard Funk) and Brad (Hayden Szeto) are convinced by Carter (Landon Liboiron) to join him in the ruins of an old rescue mission to play a little game of Truth or Dare. However, when they return home, the group discovers that the game came back with them and, unless they play along, they could wind up dead.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: After many long years of planning and machination, the alien despot Thanos (Josh Brolin) is ready to initiate his ultimate plan: Gather all of the Infinity Stones and, with their combined power, wipe out half of all life in the universe. As he and his lieutenants make their way to Earth, where most of the Stones now reside, the now-scattered Avengers have to reunite and, with the help of the Guardians Of The Galaxy, stop Thanos from decimating the universe.

What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962) - Movie Review (Reader Request)

Happy Mother’s Day one and all, and it looks like it’s time for another Reader Request. Yes, those two things aren’t a coincidence in this case: For this year’s Mother’s Day gift, my own mother asked if I would review a film for her. I agreed, since this kind of situation is one where I’m more than happy to eschew my usual 2012-now cut-off date, but… let’s just say that I use that cut-off for a reason. This is likely going to go even further outside of my comfort zone than usual, as most of my own knowledge concerning cinema involves what has happened in my lifetime; I have bits and pieces to call from beyond that, but I honestly have a lot to catch up on as far as older cinema goes. Add to that my previously-mentioned hesitance in watching “classic” films due to a certain sense of cultural obligation to like them for their status, and I’m in a bit of a weird situation here.

 

Still, this is the task I’ve been set, and if I’m unable to provide my writing for someone who genuinely wants it, then what good am I? Let’s get into what is sure to be a bizarre pick for the day where we all give thanks to the women that birthed us, and take a look at the 1962 psycho-thriller What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?

Isle Of Dogs (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: After a plague of dog-flu spreads throughout Japan, Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) declares that all dogs will be sent into quarantine on Trash Island. Among those dogs is Spots (Live Schreiber), a guard dog charged with protecting Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin), the mayor’s ward and nephew. Determined to get his beloved dog back, Atari makes his own way onto Trash Island where he encounters Chief (Bryan Cranston), Red (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban), Boss (Bill Murray) and Duke (Jeff Goldblum), a pack of alpha dogs who agree to help Atari find his lost pet and, hopefully, prevent further destruction.

Rampage (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: In an alternate present where gene manipulation has become a prized asset in the development of medicine and biological weapons, a space station housing a number of mutated specimens has crashed into Earth… and had a rather monstrous effect on the animals that got near them. As Energyne corporate leaders Claire (Malin Åkerman) and Brett (Jake Lacy) race to recover the valuable specimens, primatologist Davis (Dwayne Johnson) is brought into the equation after one of the specimens affects George (Jason Liles), an albino gorilla in his care. It’s up to George and medical engineer Dr. Caldwell (Naomie Harris) to get to the bottom of this calamity before the overgrown George and the other affected animals reduce Chicago to rubble.

I Feel Pretty (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Cosmetics worker Renee (Amy Schumer) has a lot of self-image issues and wishes that she was prettier. But after an accident at the gym results in a knock to the head, she suddenly not only sees herself as pretty but gains a sense of confidence that she never had before. As she sets out to show off her "new" looks and climb up the corporate ladder, her friends and co-workers start to wonder what exactly has happened to this woman.

The Party (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Politician Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas), after being announced as the new shadow minister for health, is throwing a close-friends party at her house to celebrate. As the guests arrive, from her best friend April (Patricia Clarkson) and her partner Gottfried (Bruno Ganz) to professor Martha (Cherry Jones) and her wife Jinny (Emily Mortimer) as well as Tom (Cillian Murphy), the husband of one of Janet's co-workers, Janet and her husband Bill (Timothy Spall) do their best to try and cope with what will become a very turbulent and potentially fatal get-together.

Ready Player One (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: In the year 2045, most of the world has been become desolate and most of the population spends their time inside the OASIS, a virtual reality containing pretty much anything a person could want. However, with the death of OASIS co-creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance), a new game has been established. Before his death, Halliday placed hidden items within the OASIS. Whoever finds all of the items first not only gets major bragging rights, but also becomes the official owner of the OASIS itself. As adventurous teen Wade 'Parzival' Watts (Tye Sheridan) tries to hunt down the items, and corporate CEO Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn) sets out to seize the OASIS for himself, the race is on to find Halliday's Easter Egg and both the virtual world and the real world hang in the balance.

A Wrinkle In Time (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: After the unsolved disappearance of their father Alex (Chris Pine), Meg (Storm Reid), her adopted brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) and their mother Kate (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) are trying to carry on with their day-to-day lives. However, when Meg, Charles Wallace and Meg's friend Calvin (Levi Miller) are contacted by the mysterious Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), they discover that not only is their father still alive, but that they have a chance to rescue him. They set off on an extradimensional voyage to rescue their father, while the IT prepares to stretch its dark tendrils across the universe.

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Ten years after the Kaiju first attacked Earth, Jaegers have become a standard part of Earth’s defence initiative with Shao Corporations, led by technology magnate Liwen Shao (Jing Tian), working on a series of drone Jaegers. However, when one of their drones goes rogue, it seems that the world may be under threat once again. As Pan-Pacific Defence Corps conscripts Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) and Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny) are brought into the fight, the Precursors lay in wait to once again launch an assault on humanity and bring it to its knees.

Blockers (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: On the eve of their senior prom, Julie (Kathryn Newton), Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Sam (Gideon Adlon) make a pact that they will each lose their virginity on the night of the prom. However, Julie's mother Lisa (Leslie Mann), Kayla's father Mitchell (John Cena) and Sam's father Hunter (Ike Barinholtz) discover the pact and set out to stop their daughters from making a terrible mistake. But as the night carries on, they start to question who is truly making the terrible mistake in this situation: Their children or themselves.

Peter Rabbit (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: After the sudden death of farmer Joe McGregor (Sam Neill), Peter Rabbit (James Corden) and his woodland friends use the opportunity to take back the farmer's garden, and his house, for themselves. However, once news of the death reaches Joe's nephew Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson), he plans to fix up the house, secure the garden and, if necessary, get rid of any pests that try to sneak into either. As Peter and his friends try to fend off the new neighbour, and Thomas strikes up a friendship with Bea (Rose Byrne), who takes care of Peter and his extended family, both Peter and Thomas are hell-bent on winning this fight.

A Quiet Place (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: Humanity is on the brink of extinction. An alien species has landed that will attack at the slightest sound, forcing the survivors like Lee (John Krasinski), his wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and their children Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Beau (Cade Woodward) to be live a literal quiet existence or else they will be killed. As they try to lead as normal a life as one can have in this situation and prepare for the arrival of their next child, the creatures lay in wait for them to make even the smallest of mistakes... and snatch their prey.

The Death Of Stalin (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: In 1953, Joseph Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin), the leader of the Soviet union, has died. As his inner circle tries to deal with the power vacuum, Deputy General Secretary Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), Moscow Party Head Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) and head of the interior ministry Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale) begin their plans to become the new leader. However, between those who wish to live up to Stalin's legacy and those who want to replace it with their own, things are about to get chaotic in Russia.

The Open House (2018) - Movie Review

The plot: After the death of her husband (Aaron Abrams), Naomi (Piercey Dalton) moves herself and her son Logan (Dylan Minnette) into her sister's house until they can get back on their feet. As they encounter the locals, and shuffle around the 'open house' schedule for the house that is currently on the market, Logan starts to notice strange things going on inside the house. It seems that there are some drawbacks to opening up one's home to other people.