Because I'm a self proclaimed movie critic, I see a lot of movies during the year. Since life is busy, it's difficult writing reviews for every movie I see. So, I decided to make a compilation of mini reviews for all the 2018 movies I've seen so far, but haven't had the chance to talk about yet. I used to do this exact thing on my blog instagram, which you can view here. If you want to read my thoughts on Isle of Dogs, Avengers: Infinity War, A Quiet Place, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Tomb Raider, Annihilation, and Black Panther, as well as my reviews from last year, then check it out. This blog is for the movies that I haven't talked about in any capacity.
Hotel Artemis
Release: June 8
Starring: Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, Charlie Day, Dave Bautista, Brian Tyree Henry, Zachary Quinto, Jenny Slate, and Jeff Goldblum
Score: 7/10 (Good)
Despite being critically and commercially unsuccessful, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It's a fascinating concept that mixes an intense crime ring with advanced technology. It reminds me of a futuristic John Wick. The directing brings this concept to life, and watching how the universe functions, as well as how the business of the hotel works is engrossing. The performances are all great, and while the characters don't have a lot of depth, they make up in personality. There is a backstory involving the nurse that adds an emotional edge to the story, and that's really well done. The pacing and storytelling are choppy and the fight scene near the end is very poorly executed, but this is an overall solid film. I can understand why it's not that well received, but I thought it was a fun ride. If you're interested, then check it out.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Release: June 29
Starring: Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin
Score: 7/10 (Good)
While it's not as good or as well directed as the original, this film manages to offer a gripping story with scenes of amazing tensity. The performances of Brolin and Del Toro are top notch, and everyone else in the film played their parts exceptionally well. The movie felt real. It was gritty, violent, and impeccably well written. The story is a lot simpler than the first, but since the writing was so good, I didn't mind. As for complaints, the first twenty minutes or so are pretty slow. It takes a while for this film to really get going. There is also one subplot that seemed to go nowhere for a while, and though it served a purpose to the overall story, it wasn't woven well into everything else that was happening. For a super nitpick, the musical score did a small arrangement so often, that it got annoying. If you've seen the movie, you probably know what I mean. With all that said, Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a really good sequel to a great film. It's not as good as the original, but it continues the story very well, and it's definitely worth a watch.
Tag
Release: June 15
Starring: Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Annabelle Wallis, Hannibal Buress, Isla Fisher, Rashida Jones, Leslie Bibb, Jon Hamm, and Jeremy Renner
Score: 6/10 (Decent)
This is one of those movies where my personal feelings on the movie and the quality of the movie differ. If I scored my films on quality alone, then Tag would probably be a 4. However, I factor in my own personal enjoyment, and I had too much fun with this film to criticize it too harshly. Sure, the story is rather stupid. However, it knows it's stupid, and the movie has fun with it. The tagging scenes are so over dramatic. The lengths that these guys go to play the game, as well as how the scenes are edited, make the tagging moments absolutely hysterical. It's a lot more fun watching them play the game than it should be. Plus, the camaraderie between the guys is great. They all have fantastic chemistry. Not all of the jokes worked and the reporter character was completely useless, but I can't deny that I had fun with Tag. It's not great, it's not even that good, but it was fun. That's all I wanted with the movie, and I got it, so I'm satisfied.
I Can Only Imagine
Release: March 16
Starring: Michael Finley, Madeline Carroll, Trace Adkins, Prischilla Shirer, Cloris Leachman, and Dennis Quaid
Score: 6/10 (Decent)
As far as Christian movies go, this one isn't half bad. I was worried, because it starts out awful. The first fifteen minutes or so are completely ham-fisted with some of the world child acting I've ever seen. Luckily, once the characters grow up, it gets better. This is a powerful true story, backed up by great acting and a strong emotional core. It does have its cheesy and heavy handed moments, but the subject matter is handled very gracefully. Plus, the movie never gets preachy. Sure, the Christian message and themes are there, but it's never shoved down our throats. This is a great story and shows us that Christian movies can be good every once in a while.
The Hurricane Heist
Release: March 9
Starring: Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, and Ralph Ineson
Score: 4/10 (Mediocre)
I saw this film the best way I possibly could: late at night with a group of friends. We spent the entire time roasting the movie, and it was glorious. Every aspect of this movie is dumb, from the story to the acting to the special effects to the action scenes. It's all stupid, but because of the environment I was in, I found it highly entertaining. I probably would have still found enjoyment even if I was in a different setting. While the movie is pretty bad, being dull, predictable, and, like I said, dumb, it's made competently enough. There's nothing that stuck out as amazing, except for a few moments of stupid, unintentionally comedic moments. If you want a stupid film that you can watch with a group of friends, then this is the film for you. It's not good, but I had a blast watching it. As of right now, The Hurricane Heist is my number one guilty pleasure movie of 2018.
P.S. If you're wondering why I had the same reactions to Tag and The Hurricane Heist, yet gave Tag a higher score, keep in mind that the scores I gave them reflect a combination of both quality and how I generally feel towards them. It's all about what I experienced and how I felt about it during the given moment. Think of these scores less as a ranking and more as my general assessment of the film as a whole.
P.P.S. If I were scoring The Hurricane Heist on quality alone, it would probably get a 2.5.
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