EASTER SUNDAY (2022)

Directed By: Jay Chandrasekhar 

Written By: Jo Koy and Kate Angelo 

Cinematography: Joe Collins 

Editor: Steven Sprung 

Cast: Jo Koy, Brandon Wardell, Eva Noblzada, Carly Pope, Tia Carrere, Tiffany Haddish, Lou Diamond Phillips, Lydia Gaston, Eugene Cordero, Jimmy O. Yang 

Set around a family gathering to celebrate Easter Sunday, the comedy is based on Jo Koy’s life experiences and stand-up comedy.

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This movie lives up to it’s title as a lightweight family comedy the only difference is that the main character in the family is Filipino so that we learn more about Filipino culture in general and the humor that can be found in it.

If you are a fan of the comedian, Joe Koy, this is kind of his big screen debut as a lead and he’s OK even if it seems majorly written around him and even allows him certain scenes to do some of his stand-up in 

The film takes place over one day mostly and all the situations he finds himself getting into while trying to please his family and handle a financial problem that his cousin has gotten him into.

That is where the strength of the film comes in is his chemistry with different characters and his one-on-one dialogue and interactions with them 

And also the family scenes of everyone either getting along or trying to run up one another .

The film is fairly and offensive, though it’s never quite exciting and comes across pretty basic as each character is more defined by their quirk half the time than feeling real even the film so-called villains feel more run of the mill something you see in a sitcom and quirky rather than dangerous

Though the film does allow for some interesting cameos from comedians and recognizable actors throughout even Tia career playing a supporting role, proving she is truly ageless as she is still quite beautiful 

The film also tries to be Meta with Joe Koy playing the lead and find some humor and Hollywood executives and business as well as San Francisco’s neighborhoods and neighbors by the end it comes across it’s so cute that you really don’t wanna hurt its feelings or it in general

It will find its audience and those who are seeking a nice inoffensive family film. That might be a little more mature or for adults, though kids can innocently watch it too. This might be the film for you.

Grade: C- 

MOVIES WATCHED IN MARCH (2026)

 MOVIES WATCHED IN MARCH (2026)

THE SECRET AGENT (INTERNATIONAL)(FOREIGN)(BRAZIL)(DRAMA)(THRILLER) 9/10 

PULSE (SCIENCE FICTION)(THRILLER) 7/10 

RUNNING TIME (THRILLER) 8/10 

FALL (THRILLER) 6/10

A SPECIAL DAY (INTERNATIONAL)(FOREIGN)(ITALY)(ROMANCE)(DRAMA) 7/10 

*I SAW THE TV GLOW (LGBTQ+)(CULT)(DRAMA) 9/10 

FACKHAM HALL (COMEDY) 7/10 

LUCKY 7 (ROMANCE)(COMEDY) 

MEN DON’T TELL (DRAMA)(MADE FOR TV) 7/10 

STAY THE NIGHT (DRAMA)(TRUE CRIME)(MADE FOR TV)(MINI-SERIES) 7/10 

*HOUSE ARREST (FAMILY)(TEEN)(COMEDY) 7/10 

*SPACE CAMP (FAMILY)(TEEN)(SCIENCE FICTION) 7/10 

HAMNET (DRAMA) 8/10 

URCHIN (DRAMA) 8/10 

TOGETHER (HORROR)(THRILLER) 7/10 

SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE (INTERNATIONAL)(FOREIGN)(WAR)(ACTION) 7/10 

READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME (HORROR)(COMEDY)(THRILLER) 7/10 

*MYSTERY DATE (TEEN)(COMEDY) 6/10 

PEAKY BLINDERS: THE IMMORTAL MAN(CRIME)(DRAMA) 7/10 

*EVE OF DESTRUCTION (SCIENCE FICTION)(ACTION)(THRILLER) 4/10 

SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE (DRAMA)(MUSIC)(BIOGRAPHY) 6/10 

PRETTY LETHAL (ACTION)(TEEN) 5/10 

IS THIS THING ON? (DRAMA)(COMEDY) 7/10 

THE LAST VIDEO STORE (HORROR) 5/10 

ANACONDA (REBOOT)(COMEDY) 4/10 

THEY WILL KILL YOU (ACTION)(THRILLER) 7/10 

TELEVISION SERIES, TELEVISION MOVIES, STAND-UP & SPECIALS

PALM ROYALE (SEASON 1) 7/10 

THE VALLEY: PERSIAN STYLE (SEASON 1) 8/10 

THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026)

 

Directed By: Kirill Sokolov

Written By: Kirill Sokolov and Alex Litvak

Cinematography: Isaac Bauman

Editor: Luke Doolan

Cast: Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Patricia Arquette, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, Paterson Joseph, Willie Ludik, Angus Sampson 

A woman takes a job as a housekeeper in a NYC high-rise, unaware of the building’s history of disappearances. She soon realizes the community is shrouded in mystery.

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Zazie Beetz is clearly a star and hopefully this leads to not only more roles but more action leading roles. I wish I could say a star is born, but she has been working for quite a while and always had the talent. Though here she has finally gotten a role to show it and prove it. 

This film Reminds one of the director Kirill Sokolov previous film WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE! (Which I was a big fan of) though not as good. This one has a bigger budget, cast and star power. 

It has the Same contained action and single location though working with a much bigger canvas and the space offering more inventiveness. 

While Not as action packed as expected. It still has thrills all through the film and it feels like a rollercoaster ride. So that it stays fun for the audience. 

The film’s  first half is awesome then it calms down. it keeps trying to stay captivating but seems to run out of steam halfway through. it stays entertaining but seems to Keep saying or presenting the same thing. Even as we learn more about characters and motivations through flashbacks.

The film is Obvious in its Quentin Tarantino influences. Especially when it comes to his movie KILL BILL. As it does feel like a combination of other movie influences. Director Sam Raimi’S EVIL DEAD films come to mind also. As well as his film CRIMEWAVE, Though making itself an original. 

The film is Very over the top violent. As Each new scene adds some layers to the film. As we get flashbacks that fill in the background. Though it has layers they aren’t as deep as expected and pretty much presented. Luckily unlike the recent READY OR NOT 2. The film isn’t dragged down by siblings reuniting and working through issues. Where each conversation is therapy. Here they get it and the bond is eternal. 

We need to get more films like this, that are genre mixed but also have an excitement about them that you can tell by the filmmaking. That audiences are hungry for that feels Familiar but original and not an extension of a franchise. That can also have some depth to back them up and be more than artistic genre exercises. Though also adds some fun into it all while having a craft 

It feels like a film made for film fans and general audiences alike and both can appreciate fo various reasons.

Watching the film it. Makes me kick myself for not taking to Zazie Beetz or at least acknowledging I knew who she was and saying hello to her in the comic book store FORBIDDEN PLANET years ago right around the time she was announced to be in DEADPOOL 2, As the character Domino. She is as beautiful and awesome Im Person as she is on screen. Her and Nathalie Emmanuel are needed in more leading roles stat.

Extra Points: for the Playing Ryan Gosling’s band DEAD MAN’S BONES song LOSE YOUR SOUL on the soundtrack, Still hoping they do another record, love the album. 

GRADE: B-

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA (2024)

 

Directed By: Samir Oliveros 

Written By: Samir Oliveros and Maggie Briggs 

Story By: Amanda Freedman 

Cinematography: Pablo Lozano 

Editor: Sebastian Hernandez 

Cast: Paul Walter Hauser, Walton Goggins, Maise Williams, David Straitharn, Shamier Anderson, Johnny Knoxville, Brian Geraghty, Shaunte Renne Wilson, Damien Young, Patti Harrison, Haley Bennett, Genesis Rodriguez 

May 1984. An unemployed ice cream truck driver steps onto the game show Press Your Luck harboring a secret: the key to endless money. But his winning streak is threatened when the bewildered executives uncover his real motivations.

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I know most of the story just from articles and watching the short documentary on the case and the character on Netflix. BIG BUCKS: THE PRESS YOUR LUCK SCANDAL. The only truth it seems to keep is the memorizing of the patterns of the game board to win.

The story that this film tells has been in development hell since 2000. When bill murray was attached to the film, before aging out and dropping interest in it. 

The film of course didn’t have enough time nor the budget to tell the whole story in multiple events and days that this actually happened during hand on different shows so instead condenses it mostly all into one day and the film taking place in one studio do more to probably the production constraints

The film has a very impressive cast of actors all likable they hear they seem thrown into this production that means well, but ultimately comes across like a TV movie on the subject only with foul language allowed in.

As the film keeps going along at first you wonder is this supposed to be more of a character piece or what is his motivation truly and what it all about while the film shows the slippery politics have not only show business but also production as we see the reaction to his winning from the exact to the behind the scenes production staff to the other contestants, the host and partly the audience, and finally where the film really gets emotional at its heart is in the final 10 to 15 minutes of the film

It’s great to see Paul Walter Hauser have another leading man role as a kind of lovable misfit out there who has tons of get rich, quick schemes, and this one finally might actually pay off that he believes will help solve everything, but only seems to help rip it apart even more.

You only wish the actors had a better film or were given a better script overall or at least a slightly bigger production to be in

It’s a satisfying story, especially if you’ve never heard it before and will induce you to do your own research more into the story but other than that, it’s one of these stories that you feel should’ve been done better or been at least illustrated a little bit better. it’s none of the actor‘s fault who all rise in the occasion. It’s just that by the end it doesn’t quite feel as satisfying as it should, though by the end, it does hit an emotional level. That is unexpected.

Grade: C+ 

SWEET DREAMS (2024)

 

Written & Directed By: Lije Sarki

Story By: Eric Gross

Cinematography: Sing Howe Yam

Editor: Ken O’Keefe

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Mohammed Amer, Gata, Bobby Lee, Brian Van Holt, Theo Von, Jay Mohr, Kate Upton, Beth Grant, Jon Park, Anderson Paak 

The film Follows Morris, who must coach a misfit softball team of his fellow housemates during his mandatory stay at Sweet Dreams sober living in order to get his life back on track.

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This is one of those films where you love the message and the characters more than the film or the filmmaking 

There isn’t much to this film. It’s pretty straightforward. It’s a film about a man was reach the end of his rope who has gone to rehab many times before and this is truly his last chance. The only difference is that the character is played by Johnny Knoxville (which truth be told is what attracted me to watching this film as I do have a soft spot for him as an actor and otherwise) 

Meanwhile, this film is a comedy drama. This is so far the most dramatic. I have seen him in a film and he is believable.

Though most of the rest of the cast that seem to be his roommates at this halfway house, rehab are mostly played by stand-up comedians in podcasts who have very few dramatic moments and are more there to lean into the quirks of their characters that makes them lovable losers.

It feels like a film that was made with a bunch of friends on weekends and trying to tackle a serious subject with humor and more of a homespun philosophy. As the cast seems more made up by someone signing onto the film and slowly recruiting comedians and their friends to appear in the film.While filming at what looks to be the same house, they filmed the television show 6 FEET UNDER in. 

The film is predictable yet. It’s fun. He tries to take a hard look at addiction and really, the aftermath the high, the lows the pains of recovery, especially freshly recovered. Also shows you that it’s a small world. We’re all trying to get over something. There is no ultimate answer . All you can do is just like in life take a day by day. See you where it takes you and deal with it as it comes.

The only difference here with this film is that as an activity they all focus on a softball tournament that will give them prize money that will of course help save the house so while the story rings of convenience, it is an interesting character study as far as the lead goes It has a 3 act structure is kind of a crowd pleaser and more focuses on the lead.

It’s watchable and it’s fun and affecting while you’re watching it. It’s not great filmmaking but it’s table filmmaking and it’s a cute little film. No, it’s not anything you haven’t seen before. It’s worth a watch, though. I can’t really say there’s anything special about it. 

Grade: C