Hundred-Word Review - "Mandy" (2018)

"Mandy" is a breathtakingly psychedelic trip that finds a strange middle ground between strong characterization and heavy metal storytelling. While the pacing of the first half takes a slow, almost David Lynch-like approach where its surreal violence takes time to wear on the audience, the second half plays out like a metal rock song that uses sharp, almost disturbing imagery that invokes songs from bands like Led Zeppelin. Yet at the center of this lies a strong emotional core. Combine this with yet another insane performance from Nicholas Cage, and you get the most unforgettable revenge tales in recent memory.

Final Grade: B+

Hundred-Word Review - "Funny Girl" (1968)

I get what "Funny Girl" was going for - a film about a woman (Barbara Streisand) who relies far more on natural talent, singing prowess and comedy than beauty or sex appeal set in a time when women couldn't be in show business if they weren't attractive. The problem is that this theme and period piece gets muddled by a rather forgettable and uninspired romance with a gambler (Omar Sharif). This plot keeps going around in circles, since Sharif and Streisand show little on-screen chemistry and seem rather distant. Now this forgettable film is only remembered for launching Streisand's film career.

Final Grade: C-

Hundred-Word Review - "Pride of the Yankees" (1942)

It is very quickly established that "Pride of the Yankees" was made as a tribute to one of the greatest and most beloved baseball players ever, Lou Gehrig. The film was released one year after Gehrig died of ALS, had the most loved actor in Hollywood portray the baseball star, Gary Cooper, and starred many teammates of Gehrig, including Babe Ruth. As a bio-pic, the film only casts an overwhelmingly positive light on Gehrig, hardly ever showing him going through any hardships or challenges until his death, which can be attributed to making this film so close to the tragedy.

Final Grade: B- 

Hundred-Word Review - "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" (2018)

Having never watched the supposed train wreck that was "Mamma Mia!," I went in to this with zero expectations and only having heard a few ABBA songs. The result was a fine time with a few heavy moments that I did not expect to see here, especially with its almost "Godfather Part II"-like storytelling and editing, juxtaposing the conflicts and loves of the mother against the success and affection of her daughter. Maybe it is because of the lack of musicals nowadays, but the elaborate dance numbers and genuine passion for song elevates this far more than it normally would.

Final Grade: B-

Hundred-Word Review - "Christopher Robin" (2018)

Did Winnie the Pooh have to be so unbelievably dark and dreary? I know we're in the age of gritty reboots and reimaginings, but I would have thought Pooh was immune to that. "Christopher Robin" feels like the flashback scenes in "Saving Mr. Banks" that everyone forgets - a depressing story that contradicts the whimsy of these Disney characters. While scenes in the Hundred-Acre Wood remain as heart-warming and optimistically naive as I remember, the scenes in London and the color palette are so dismal that it takes most of the fun out of this look at an adult Christopher Robin.

Final Grade: C+ 

Hundred-Word Review - "A Simple Favor" (2018)

I would say that "A Simple Favor" is yet another attempt to cash in on "Gone Girl," but that would be doing this film a disservice. While "Spy" and "Bridesmaids" director Paul Feig adds his usual modernly witty touch to many scenes, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively turn in the best performances of their careers as women with engaging yet deeply self-absorbed motives for the dark seductive game they play, painting a tangled web of morally confused and tortured souls. This film perfectly blends together thrills and laughs, while always remaining charismatic and charming, almost the opposite of "Gone Girl."

Final Grade: B+

Hundred-Word Review - "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018)

"Crazy Rich Asians" is a surprisingly uplifting and stylish breath of fresh air in 2018, offering a vibrant, tantalizing glance at another culture while being supported by wonderful onscreen chemistry between Constance Wu and Henry Golding. But in this film about an heir to a wealthy family coming home to Singapore and to show his middle-class girlfriend, it is the mother that stands out due to Michelle Yeoh's performance as the domineering yet sophisticated and restrained matriarchy that steals the show, always commanding the room. In an age where romantic comedies have faded, this was a pleasant change of pace.

Final Grade: B-