Reviews by JR1220

Could have easily spent another 90 minutes just living in this visual feast of a movie. I went into this one really cold, which made the story a bit of a challenge, but on the whole, I was able to just go with the flow. Cowboy Bebop is another movie where I wish I would have had a chance to see it on the big screen.

Campy, campy, campy.
This is one of those "I bet the behind the scenes drama would be more entertaining than the actual movie" kind of movies.
Yes, there is a killer shark, and yes, Chief Brody is back and still a little bit on edge after the events of the mega-blockbuster original Jaws.
This is a pale imitation of the original, but there is still some fun to be had along the way. Is it "so bad it's good?" Yes, indeed.
Oh, and John Williams whipped up some fine music for this one, so that's cool.

Spectacular visual storytelling. Anya Taylor-Joy is a chameleon and one of the best of her generation. It's just fine if you don't know about chess, as this game simply provides the backdrop to the human drama that unfolds. If you got third place in your junior high chess tournament, you might like it all the more, however.
Along with some outstanding performances throughout, the set design, costumes and music choices add so much to the overall production. I'm reminded of the attention to detail that went into The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as it had the same level of craftsmanship.
All told, this series got me from the first moments and I had a difficult time letting go at the end.

I can't believe I've never seen this installment of the Bond franchise. Live and Let Die dished up outstanding set pieces and performances throughout.
While my introduction to Roger Moore as Bond was For Your Eyes Only, this younger version was hitting on all cylinders. Whether it was an out-of-control taxi in New York, an epic chase with speedboats in the bayou, or hand to, well, iron claw fighting in a stateroom, this one has it all! I also thoroughly enjoyed Gloria Hendry as Rosie, a nice addition to the Bond franchise as a person of color. I most recently watched her in Black Belt Jones where she held her own with Jim Kelly, so she has her action bonafides.
Then there is one of my favorite Bond villains, Yaphet Kotto as Kananga, who is a worthy adversary to Bond and seems to be a step ahead of him until the end.
This Bond, with an amazing theme song put together by Paul and Linda McCarthy, is smashing, as the Brits might say, and I would love to give it another look - before I die.

Imagination brought to life. With each Miyazaki movie I view, I understand why he has amassed such a loyal and passionate fan base. While I've only had the opportunity to see one of his films in the theater - Spirited Away - I hope to add more to my list as they are rereleased.

Let you lay this on you, this jive turkey enjoyed Truck Turner. The smooth and silk Isaac Hayes is the eponymous Mac Truck Turner, working with his partner Jerry played by Alan Weeks, as they comb the City of Angels for bail jumpers. When they take down a notorious pimp named Gator after an extensive chase (including an amazing set piece through a water treatment plant near LAX), it touches off a war with the rest of the adult services executives in the area, including the lead Madam played by Star Trek's own Nichelle Nichols, in a role that is delightful and 180 degrees from her role on the Enterprise.  
Yaphet Kotta takes the role of the Big Bad, and their final confrontation is beautifully filmed, albeit brutal. 
Throw in Scatman as an aging pimp/sage for just the icing on the cake. All in all, a fun slice of the 1970s, with incredible music provided by Mr Hayes himself

Flashdance left an indelible mark, to be honest. Was a unique movie that helped change the tone of Hollywood, too.

A cute romantic comedy where Janeane Garofalo gets to shine. An extra 1/2 star for an inventive romantic scene.

An instant classic!  
Having had an opportunity to follow the rise of the Broadway musical Wicked and then finally see it live when it came out here to Indianapolis, I was interested in seeing this take on the origin story of Elphaba and the development of her powers in the merry old land of Oz.
First off, this casting is inspired, with Cynthia Erivo taking the lead spot. If you haven't seen her in the underrated Bad Times at the El Royal, you might take a moment to find it at your local library. It's full of some fun twists and turns and an amazing soundtrack. Her exceptional voice is a character in and of itself in this first installment and she's taken the torch of all the previous witches with her particular "verdigris" and flown with it.
Then there's "Guh-linda" as portrayed by Ariana Grande in all of her pink finetudes ("witch" seems like an Ozian word, so take THAT Grammarly!). Grande's performance rises to the level of Erivo's and when they perform together, it's magic from here to Munchkinland. In this format, on the big screen, we can see so many additional layers of Oz and the set pieces of "What is this Feeling?," "Popular," and "Dancing Through Life." Then we jump on an outrageously whimsical train to the Emerald City and the multi-layered "One Short Day" wherein we catch a glimpse of two residents who are dear to Wicked history. Easily one of my favorite segments of the movie.
Wicked far exceeded every expectation I had and the expectations were, as they say, defying gravity!
Outstanding visuals matched by exceptional performances. Our family will certainly be counting down the days until part two!