Looking Back at the Films of 2024 Part Three - The Mouse Trap, Stream, and Reagan

 

Alright, we're back with another Films of 2024. Let's get to it.

Why Didn't I See The Mouse Trap?

Truth be told I was looking forward to this not in the sense I was excited but because if any of you have been following my blog then you would know I've got a history of reviewing these childhood favorites being turned into horror characters. So naturally I was waiting for this where it was then titled Mickey's Mouse Trap. But after not really hearing another about it apart from it was dropped from it's original scheduled March 2024 release, I eventually just forgot about and saved a review of it for later down the lane.

What is The Mouse Trap?

The Mouse Trap is a supernatural slasher film and acts as a horror reimagining of Steamboat Willie. Into Frame Productions along with Bailey Phillips Productions were the producers and Gravitas Ventures were the distributor. The story was written by Simon Phillips with Jamie Bailey directing.

The story is, a group of friends are celebrating Alex's 21st birthday at the local amusement arcade. But they don't know yet is a deranged man in a Mickey Mouse mask is going to kill each and everyone of them. Now the friends must find a way to survive the night or else they're as good as dead.

My Thoughts

The Good: Usually I've got some good things to say about these public domain horror flicks, but nope. I've got nothing for this one.

The Bad: Oh boy, where do I start? Let's go with the characters. Now naturally nobody expects deeply layered characters in slashers movies, but we at least want them to bring some form of entertainment before the killer gets them. Here, nothing. As of recent memories go, these are the blandest characters for a slasher flick. They try to spice things up with a love triangle but it's very generic and nothing really comes from it. A matter of fact, it's such a nothing part of the story it could've been easily written out and we still would've gotten the same story. And speaking of the story. Not only is it nothing special, but there way too many questions. Like, what's the deal with the mask? Why is not only able to speak but put people in a trance? Why is the killer's weakness light? And lastly, why did the killer let one person live? I get it they not only wanted this to be mysterious and also save stuff for a sequel, but come on! Ya gotta give us some explanations.

The Okay: I thought the acting was somewhat tolerable. Other then that I got nothing.

Final Verdict: Bad.

Why Didn't I See Stream?

I actually did skip this one on purpose. Because when I read it was gonna be produced by the same people of Terrifier 2 & 3, I just didn't get all that excited. And it's not because I think those are awful movies by any means, I'm just not the biggest fan, although I do think they're overhyped. Anyhow back to Stream. So yes, when I saw those were the producers, I decided I'll just save this movie for this segment.

What is Stream?

Stream is a slasher movie that was produced by Fuzz on the Lens Productions and distributed by Iconic Events. The writers consisted of Michael Leavy, Robert Privitera, Jason Leavy, and Steven Della Salla and Michael Leavy also directed.

The story is, wanting to go away for the weekend, the Keenan family decide to go on a vacation to a nice hotel before going to an amusement park. As day turns to night, a deadly game begins. In this game four  masked psychopaths kill people for points which in return will give them lots of money. Now the Keenan family along with other hotel guests must outwit these killers and survive.

My Thoughts

The Good: First I'll start with the pacing. Now there are some slow points, but for the most part the runtime isn't too bad, it's pretty good. Then there's the cinematography. Let's start off with the obvious, yes the movie was made with a budget. However despite that fact, there's quite a few shots that are pretty solid and do add to the eerie atmosphere. Hell these two shots right here,

are actually pretty good, a matter of fact that noose scene actually creeped me out. Speaking of creeped out, the last thing I'll give credit to is the kills. I won't go into too much details, but there were a lot of gruesome ones as well as creative ones as well. The one that stuck out the most and will more than likely be the most remembered is a tic-tac-toe kill. I'll let your imagination run wild with that one.

The Bad: I've got nothing.

The Okay: One gray area is the acting. Now horror icons like Jeffrey Combs and Danielle Harris do geat in their roles. Combs getting the most praise from me among others what with him carrying most of the movie. But then you get to the acting of the lesser known stars. It's not that they did a terrible job by any stretch of the word, they were just decent. Now let's move onto the story. Now it's a very simple and fun premise. Four killers are in a competition to gain fame and fortune by slaughtering people in not only numbers but creativity as well. It makes them and Lockwood some messed up villains. But there is a slight issue. We know the Stream is this big underground platform for the dark web and it's used as a betting pool. But we never really dive any deeper. Mr. Lockwood explains how it's not so different from the gladiator days of the coliseum. Okay, so we know they're entertaining the most twisted of minds but that still doesn't answer other questions. Like how the killers picked? Is The Stream hidden from the authorities? And if so how are they getting away with this especially in this day and age when anybody can know things dark web or not?

Final Verdict: Good.

Why Didn't I See Reagan?

I didn't know anything about this movie until I was watching Jesse Watters Primetime and Jesse was funny enough interviewing the star of the movie Dennis Quaid. So I looked up showtimes in my area and sadly couldn't find anything. So much like the previous two films of this post I decided to save it for later.

What is Reagan?

Reagan is a biographical drama that's based on the 2006 Paul Kengor book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism. Production was done by Rawhid Pictures, MJM Entertainment Group, and Makeshift Productions with distribution rights being handled by ShowBiz Direct. Howard Klausner wrote the screenplay and Sean McNamara directed.

The story is, Ronald Reagan is going from dusty small-town roots to the glitter of Hollywood to command the world of politics. Through this journey Reagan will not only change America but will also become a great figure to the world whether it's for better or worse.

My Thoughts

The Good: If there's one praise I'll give it goes to Dennis Quaid's performance. Despite the material lacking in some areas, Quaid delivers a great performances that captures Reagan's charm and humor. He truly is the saving grace of the entire movie.

The Bad: It's the CGI and the makeup. It's very noticeable in a lot of scenes. Whenever Quaid is de-aged to play a more younger Reagan, his skin just looks way too smooth, almost like he's an action figure of Ronald Reagan. And the makeup isn't any better and Jon Voight got the worst of it. His de-aging and makeup was so bad that nothing about his character [Viktor Petrovich] looked natural. Whenever he was on-screen it really takes you out of the story.

The Okay: And speaking of story, let's get into that. It's a true mixed bag. It is good see all of Reagan's incredible accomplishments and how he helped make America an outstanding state. But even for someone like myself who's beliefs go into more right leaning territories (if it wasn't made obvious by the number of times I've ranted about woke/politically correct garbage), I would've also appreciated if the movie had dived deeper into some of Ronald Reagan's failures as well. It would've brought more nuance to not the movie's story but Reagan's legacy as well. But the biggest thing is the movie's runtime is only two hours and twenty-one minutes long, and they try to cram everything in there. Because of that the movie can come off more as of "best of Ronald Reagan" as supposed to a true story.

Final Verdict: Okay.

So that's all for now. Due come back on Thursday, Aug 28th, for another A Look Back at review. But instead of a tv series like Peacemaker, it'll be for the 1984 movie, The Toxic Avenger. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.

A Look Back at Peacemaker - Season 1

 

Alright I know I've made it clear I'm not James Gunn's biggest fan, but with season two coming out and Gunn has said this would connect to the new DC Universe, I figured I might as well give this show a chance and watch it.

Peacemaker is a tv series based on the DC Comics' character of the same name. This season was a spin-off of 2021 film The Suicide Squad and took place in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The Safran Company, Troll Court Entertainment, DC Studios, and Warner Bros. Television did production and was distributed on HBO Max. James Gunn created the show, wrote each episode, and also directed episodes 1-3, 6, and 8.

The story is, after the events of The Suicide Squad Chris Smith aka Peacemaker has recovered from his injuries but just when he thought he could enjoy his freedom, he's assigned to a new mission. For this he must stop an alien invasion from a species known as Butterflies. But Peacemaker is struggling with his own problems and might not be able to complete this task.

• Negatives

My only problem with the show is the comedy. Oh my god the comedy! It's bad enough is ruins serious moods, like all other comic book adaptations seem to be hell bent on doing, but it's just not funny. Okay, there were like three moments where I actually laughed. James Gunn tries so hard for the comedy to edgy that it just doesn't work. If anything he's just embarrassing himself and the actors along with him. The jokes are either something lowbrow like making fart noises, cursing, Peacemaker and/or Vigilante being idiots, being dark with over the top violence, or conversations that are either about some personal struggle or the mission only for the conversation to be diverted by something unrelated and have that talk go on for a minute or two and then be brought back to the initial conversation. I swear other than the word "fuck" that last one happened in every single episode. Now the cursing or dark comedy with violence I have no problem with as long as they're done right, but James Gunn's writing isn't doing that. You'll be unimpressed by the over the top violence by the third episode, be completely numb by the overuse of the word "fuck" (seriously they say that word like it's going out of style and not in a good way), and shake your heard in shame by the lowbrow stuff.

• Mix

I've got two gray areas. Starting with the Butterflies. While their invasion can be fun, their characters are lacking any sort of depth. We don't get their reason for invading Earth until the very last episode. But even then, they still feel generic.

Then there's the other aspect of James Gunn's writing. The show deals with themes such as trauma, redemption, moral ambiguity, identity, and etc. Now those themes are very much there. We see Peacemaker's trauma because of his abusive upbringing, we see the gray areas of heroism, and so on and so forth. The problem comes from James Gunn being his own worst enemy. Because for every serious moment we have with these heavy subject matters, a stupid joke or crude gag is right around the corner completely ruining the intense moment. It's the same exact issue people have not only with Gunn's work with things like The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, and more recently Superman (2025), but with current year comic book movies and TV shows in general.

• Positives

Now there are a couple of positives, starting with the pacing. While some episodes do have some slow moments, a majority of their pacing do go by quite smoothly.

Then there's the music. If there's one thing I think people can agree on it's James Gunn does have a good taste in music. There's a lot of great songs that are used in each episode. I actually have one of the songs (Monster by Reckless Love in case you were wondering) on my Spotify.

The last thing I'll give credit is to John Cena's performance as Chris Smith/Peacemaker. While I never viewed Cena as the strongest actor, I do believe he did a pretty good job here. He was a badass anti-hero as well as being vulnerable with the character's trauma, I just wish he had more stronger writing to go with it.

So I don't think this season of Peacemaker  is overall bad, it's definitely not gonna be something I'll re-watch anytime soon. There was great potential but poorly made crude humor brings the show down.

My final rating is, Okay.

Hopefully things improve with season two, although I doubt it considering James Gunn is the co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios. But that's going to do it for me. Come back on Monday, Aug 25th, for part three of Looking Back at the Films of 2024. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.

Road to Tron: Ares - Tron Review

Surprise! I've got yet another Road to! Thus that makes six, six roads I've done. Anyhow, let's get started.

Tron is a sci-fi action adventure film that was produced by Walt Disney Productions and Lisberger-Kushner Productions & Buena Vista Distribution doing well distribution. Steven Lisberger not only directed but also wrote the screenplay along with Bonnie Macbird.

The story is, leading software engineer Kevin Lynn was once employed by the mega corporation ENCOM but now a video game arcade. In an attempt to prove ENCOM's executive vice president plagiarized his game, Kevin is transported into a digital world. His only chance of escaping is to win a series of deadly games.

• Negatives

I've got nothing.

• Mix

The only slight issue stems from the pacing. While the first and third acts' pacing are pretty good, it's the second act that stumbles a bit. During that time we get a lot of tech jargon, so because of that it almost felt like this act was slowing down because things were stopping for a bit to explain or be amazed at all of the technology.

• Positives

One positive comes from its concept. Now we're use to people or this case programmers entering a digital world ruled by a sentient A.I. I think that's been a plot to many TV shows. But back in 1982, Tron was way ahead of its time. Now there's a good chance I'm getting this wrong, but other than 2001: A Space Odyssey, Tron was one of the earlier films to tackle sentient A.I.

Another praise to give and it's one of the most underrated aspects of the movie, and that's Wendy Carlos' score. Her electronic sound can engulf you in the Tron's world. Her score is just simply incredible.

Then there's Jeff Bridges' performance as Kevin Flynn. His acting grounds with a variety of energy. He brings playfulness when he's a hacker, great fish-out-of-water characteristics when Kevin's in the digital world, and finally a determined hero. Bridges is truly a highlight of the movie.

The last thing I'll praise is the special effects. Sure I could dismiss them compared to what we have today but, it was the 80's and there was only so much they could do. But even then it's amazing what they accomplished. The light cycle chase alone is not only iconic, but it would go on to set a new standard in visual effects. Not to mention the visual style has influenced many other films alongside video games and digital art.

While pacing can be a tiny bit of a problem, Tron is an amazing and fun sci-fi classic.

My final rating is, Great.

Okay that's a wrap. Come back on Thursday, Aug 21st, for my A Look Back at review of season one of Peacemaker. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.

Nobody 2 Review

 

Alright! I'm back from my break and just in time for this movie. Just as I planned.

Also, I'd like to apologize for this review not coming out around 9pm (if you got by Eastern time like I do). But I was helping my dad out with building a shoe shelf for my mom and because this is the dog days of summer naturally mother nature decided it had to be 88 degrees. So by the time I needed to write this review I was all hot, sweaty, and could use a shower. So I showered and decided to relax and cool off. Remember folks, you can love your hobbies and passions but always make sure to good care of yourself first. Alright enough of wasting time, let's get to the review.

Nobody 2 is a road action comedy movie and the sequel to 2021's Nobody. 87North Productions along with Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment did production with Universal Pictures distributing. Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin wrote the screenplay with Timo Tjahjanto directing.

The story is, after the events of the first film Hutch wants to be closer to his family and takes them to an amusement park. But Hutch soon finds the place is actually a bootlegging route and the boss isn't happy with Hutch after an earlier altercation at the amusement park's arcade. Now, Hutch must protect his family and put a stop to the small bootlegging operation.

Initial Reaction

I'll keep the explanation brief. I wanted to see this sequel because the first one was a very surprisingly good action flick. So I was hoping for the same excitement to this one.

Cons

I've got nothing.

Middle Ground

My only slight gripe comes from the villains. But not so much a character standpoint, but more additions. What I mean is the movie already had a good villainous premise with the corrupt law enforcement and park operators and their leader Sheriff Abel. The Sheriff was already good enough but for some reason the writers decided to add Lendina, who character is she's the big bad shadowy boss. I didn't outright hate her character but as I said previously she didn't really feel all that necessary to the bootleg operation.

Pros

One praise I'll give is the same one I gave to the first movie, and that's Bob Odenkirk's performance. Much like the first he's the best thing about the movie. Perfectly blending both the movie's action and comedy bits. Then there's the humor. Now I still had a lot of good laughs throughout. We still get that dark sense of humor from the first Nobody, although there were times when things didn't quite land with me. We also have great pacing. The movie is one hour and twenty-nine minutes. And that runtime is as brisk as it gets. The pacing is tight and never once did I feels like things were going on for too long. Lastly I'll praise the action. Without going into any spoiler territory, the action has brutal violence along with slapstick humor. The best showcase of those blended together was during a showdown at a park that I found hugely entertaining. I think that might have been my favorite action moment.

While not as good as the first, I still had a lot of fun with Nobody 2. And if you also enjoyed the first then I think you'll get a kick out of this as well.

My final rating is, Good.

That's all for now. Come back on Monday, Aug 18th, where I'll begin the Road to Tron: Ares, with my review of 1982's Tron. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.

Time for Another Break

 

Hey guys, so if you read my review for The Bad Guys 2, then you know about the special announcement.

And, well, this is it. I'm taking another break. The reason being is I just don't have enough energy and I just want to rest up. While it's good to enjoy your passions/hobbies, it's more important to also take care of yourself.

I'll be back on Saturday, Aug 16th, just in time for a review of Nobody 2. Also, I'm well aware this isn't a very long break, especially given the fact that sometimes I haven't posted in a week too. But during those silent weeks I was working on like three or four reviews and post. Here, totally cutting myself off. No writing for anything until August 16th.

So yeah, just wanted to keep you guys informed on what's going on here and with me. So until August 16th, enjoy the rest of your day, and don't forget to give yourself a break every once in awhile.

The Bad Guys 2 Review

 

After waiting for three years we finally got a sequel to a pretty good DreamWorks animated movie. But is it any good though?

The Bad Guys 2 is an animated heist comedy loosely based on Aaron Blabey's children's book series The Bad Guys and the sequel to the 2022 film. DreamWorks Animation produced while Universal Pictures distributed. Etan Cohen and Yoni Brenner wrote the story with Pierre Perifel directing.

The story is, after the events of the first movie the group known as The Bad Guys have gone straight, but their struggling to fit into society. After hearing about a criminal called The Phantom Bandit, the group decides that they'll capture the thief and with this good deed be declared heroes with society loving them. But they soon realize that not only is that gonna be easier said than done, but also find out they'll have to be The Bad Guys one more time.

Initial Reaction

Simply put I really liked the first. I thought it was a pretty good movie. So when the sequel was coming out I decided to see it and find out if it's just as good as the previous film.

Cons

I've got nothing.

Middle Ground

The gray area is the story. Now does have a good part where the Bad Guys trying to integrate into after a long life of crime. But the story does hit very familiar beats from the first movie. Such a heist story and wanting to be good, only with that last one the only difference is instead of just Wolf wanting to change it's the whole gang. Then there's the new characters being the trio called The Bad Girls with the team consisting of Kitty Kat, Pigtail, and Doom. Now Kitty shines with her charisma and menace. The other two not so much. Doom has some good moments what with being in a relationship with Snake, but we don't dive into her character. But the worse is Pigtail. She's just the muscle of the Bad Girls and that's it. Then there's the humor. Now for 99.99% of the movie, it's actually very funny whether it'd be chase scenes, heist, or dialogue. But oh man, do they overdo it with Piranha's nervous farts during the third act. I can't tell you how much I rolled my eyes during those parts.

Pros

Alright let's move onto the good stuff. Starting with the animation. Much like the first, the animation is gorgeous. DreamWorks once again killed it with stunning blend of 2D and 3D. Then there's the action. While I previously mentioned the movie going into old territory I can't deny the heist were still fun. But whenever there wasn't a heist, there were some good fight scenes as well. One being a very colorful pro wrestling festival. The last thing I'll praise is the cast. The returning cast not only give strong performances on their own, especially Sam Rockwell once again doing a tremendous job as Wolf, but their chemistry is just as strong as it was from the last movie. But there's also newcomer Danielle Brooks playing Kitty Kat. Who voice work brought out her character's previously mentioned meance and charisma, along with a commanding energy. So thumbs up to the cast.

While not as good as the first movie, The Bad Guys 2 is provides an enjoyable experience. So I'm willing, for the most part, forgive the slight issues.

My final rating is, a very high Okay.

That all for me. Come back on Thursday, Aug 7th, for an important announcement. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.

The Naked Gun (2025) Review

 

Alright, I've been waiting for this movie since the trailer dropped, then reviewed the first movie and its sequels. It's time to finally review the newest Naked Gun movie. Hopefully the long wait was worth it. 🤞

The Naked Gun (2025) is an action comedy movie. It's not only the fourth movie in the series but also serves as a legacy sequel. Production is done by Fuzzy Door Productions with Paramount Pictures distributing. Akiva Schaffer not only directed but wrote the screenplay alongside with Doug Mand and Dan Gregor.

The story is, Frank Drebin Jr. has just stopped a bank robbery and then gets a case of what appears to be a suicide. He soon realizes that the crimes are connected and suspects that tech giant millionaire Richard Cane is also involved. Now Frank Jr. must find out how all of the pieces fit together.

Initial Reaction

Years ago I discovered The Naked Gun films when Comedy Central played the movies  back when I was 7 or 8 years old. I thought they were very funny and even to this day still get a laugh out of them. So when I saw the trailer for this new one I was a little excited. I had my doubts, but still a little excited.

Cons

I've got nothing.

Middle Ground

The mix bag comes from the humor. Now the movie does embrace the franchise's absurdity, so thankfully that was still intact. However not every joke worked. Sometimes some joke or gag just didn't do it for me. But I would say about 97% of the time I was laughing and having a great time. Then there's the characters. While Frank Jr. and his love interest Beth Davenport are funny characters, others like Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. are alright. Yes I know that's a supporting character so I shouldn't have expected much, but so was George Kennedy's Ed Hocken. And I remember his Hocken was far better than Paul Walter Hauser's Hocken Jr.

Pros

One praise I'll give goes to Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. With Neeson I was surprised by his comedic chops. We did see a bit of that with his cameo in Ted 2 and playing a fictional version of himself in the Family Guy episode Fighting Irish. But with those he was playing the more stoic badass akin to his role in the Taken trilogy, here he's deadpan but playing more to a bumbling goof much like Leslie Nielsen before him. So it's refreshing to see him take out a full comedic role. And to my biggest surprise was Pamela Anderson. Yeah other than Scary Movie 3 and Superhero Movie, I haven't seen her in a lot acting roles, haven't even seen The Last Showgirl yet despite hearing many positive reviews. But despite those things she was really good. She was great with the comedy and surprisingly enough had good chemistry with Neeson. My last praise goes to the fact that we have yet another good parody film (the last one being 2022's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story). I was worried this would take the Disaster Movie direction and less of the original Naked Gun movie direction. Thankfully the filmmakers stayed faithful to the previous films that came before, and with that we got a pretty good movie out of it. And because of that I'm almost willing to forgive the more gray areas, almost.

While it does have problems, The Naked Gun (2025) is a great time to be had. It's got plenty of funny moments and is thankfully one of the better modern day parody films.

My final rating is, Good.

That's all for now. Come back on Monday, Aug 4th, for my review of The Bad Guys 2. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.