Malawski's Movie Mania

For over 40 years, it has captivated the world, cinema, and pop culture. Two trilogies and now a third one has concluded. In 2015, the “Star Wars” phenomenon returned with the third trio of films. 4 years later the third trilogy has concluded. This new trilogy was the continuation of the Skywalker story and now ends the iconic story. It may not be the best that the series has to offer, but it sure is better than 2017’s “The Last Jedi” . Episode VIII was utterly horrendous, but this film is a much more satisfying entry into the franchise. It is a wonderful end to this third trilogy and is an exciting finale to the original story which has spanned for four decades. Episode VIII lacked severely in being a fun and entertaining film. This film was able to make up for the previous installment’s errors, in an extraordinary fashion. Legendary director J.J Abrams returns to the series. He previously directed the first installment in this trilogy, 2015’s “The Force Awakens” . That film was a...

If you aren’t a fan of car racing, you will be after this film. This film is filled with so much action and full-throttle fun throughout the entire film. This is a film that race car fans and nonfans alike will enjoy. It has something for everyone, whether you are a fan of racecars or not. It has a lot of humor to go right along with the rest of the film, which works very well. If there is one race car film that benefits from being both action-packed and inciteful, it is this film. I have no doubt that this film will excite fans of race cars and those that aren’t fans. Director James Mangold, “ Logan” , crafts an undeniably entertaining film. Mangold makes this film as entertaining as possible, it works. He makes this film in a heartfelt, humorous and action-packed way. This film benefits in being very entertaining because of the action sequences and the story itself. Mangold has created something unique and special. This is an achievement on all fronts. The film stars Matt D...

One of the best things about war films is that they tell the accounts of what happened. Historical war films like Full Metal Jacket , Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge and Dunkirk are some of the best war films ever made. The passion, authenticity, and heart are what drove those films.   Though the film is dazzling and historically significant, it is over the top when it comes to the special effects. This war film is one of a kind, but it seldom achieves what other films of this nature have accomplished.  Like other war films, this film is another solidly entertaining war epic. History enthusiasts such as I, really appreciate films like this because they are emotionally enriching and stay true to the source material. Acclaimed director Roland Emmerich makes a film that is good at capturing the rawness of war and the emotional impact of it. But, its reliance on the war CGI is not caused by excitement. This makes the film overloaded with just the visuals, which may...

It is perhaps one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the history of our country. The Richard Jewell saga was perhaps the biggest libel and slander tale of the last century. On one fateful evening in July 1996, the Olympics were being held in Atlanta, Georgia, and mayhem struck. A pipe-bomb filled with shrapnel exploded in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park. The tragedy killed two people and injured nearly 100 others. What followed the attack, was chaos and the besmirching of the hero security guard at the venue, Richard Jewell. 23 years later, acclaimed director and Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood makes an extraordinary film based on the whole ordeal. It is the single best film of the year. Clint Eastwood makes a film that should anger the entire country. This film does a remarkable job of showcasing the entire event of the attack and the aftermath, domino effect that soon followed. Eastwood's raw and gripping approach is sincere. This is as dramatic as it really was....

This anti-hate satire film is the next film by indie film director Taika Waititi. Based on the novel “ Caging Skies “, comes a film adaptation that is ironically humorous and surprisingly emotionally heartfelt. Back in 2017, the world first saw the genius work of director Taika Waititi with Thor: Ragnarök . This new film is bonkers in all the right ways. Films with these types of touchy subjects tend to be mediocre in nature and not successful. This film manages to tackle sensitive subjects and turn it into comedy without being dull or offensive. It is one of the year's most memorable films as far as story and performances are concerned. With an all-star cast lead by director Taika Waititi himself as an alternative version of Hitler who is the title character’s “imaginary friend”. Newcomer Roman Griffin-Davis plays the title character in a heartwarming and genuinely charming. He stars alongside Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell and Thomasin McKenzie. Their performances are a...

If there’s one thing that most sci-fi films have in common, are robots. Some films are dedicated to just robots and others are dedicated to space. With the classic Terminator films, they are dedicated to robots and the extinction of humanity. Now, with this latest installment, things get more exciting. Prior installments to the franchise, such as “GENESYS and Salvation” were mediocre in the storytelling and lacked originality. This direct sequel to the 1991 sequel “Judgement Day”, is as thrilling, even if more than the predecessor. This film has what fans of this franchise expect, and that is exciting action sequences and a riveting story. This is yet another exciting and thrilling entry into the saga. Original director James Cameron returns, this time as a producer. Director of Deadpool, Tim Miller, makes a triumphant action-packed entry into the series. What Cameron & Miller manage to do with this film, is to deliver a great film that supersedes all the rubbish of the prior s...

It has been 10 years since we last saw our favorite ragtag group of zombie-slayers. It has since become a cult-classic and one of the very few satisfying horror-comedy films. The zombie film phenomenon has been a thing for a long time now, with these films on the rise, it’s only a matter of time when they get old. But, in this case, that is not true. This film is wild, gory and insane which is why people love the films. The writers behind the first film and Deadpool bring audiences back to Zombieland . Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick return with a funny as hell film that is even better than the sequel. They are clever and witty in their approach at their return to the franchise. Alongside the writing duo, is returning director Ruben Fleischer. Fleischer returns with yet another hilarious film. Gory and a bloody good time, this film tops the first one by a longshot. This film wouldn’t be back to where the first film was without this amazing cast. Lead once again by Jesse Eisenbe...

One of the things that can make a sci-fi film great, are not only the stunning visuals that it may have, but also a compelling story. To this day, countless sci-fi films have been made. Some have been great ones, while others have been average and just downright boring sci-fi films. This film is another one of those sci-fi films that is worth watching but it does tend to be over the top and overly dramatic for its craft. The thing about sci-fi movies, is that they all have something in common with one another. Whether that be eye-popping visual effects or exciting action sequences, sci-fi films are arguably one of the most stunning and mesmerizing. But given those attributes, some sci-fi films go over the top. This new Will Smith film does exactly that. You think with big stars and directors a film would succeed, but not in this case. It does a seldom job at thoroughly entertaining. This film helmed by acclaimed director Ang Lee is imaginative but slow. What goes on in the film s...

When it was first announced that a film would be made on the iconic “ Joker” and serve as a backstory, I was annoyed. For one, because Heath Ledger’s masterful performance as the character in Christopher Nolan’s “ The Dark Knight”, was and still is the single greatest portrayal of the iconic villain. My negative thoughts on this new film completely changed when this film took me by utter surprise. This film is stunning to the highest level. What this film manages to do so masterfully is pull off the most in-depth character study in all of comic book films. This film from start to finish is simply eerily mesmerizing. It is unlike any other comic book-based film because this film is one of the darkest most foreboding film in the comic book film genre. The film not only is an in-depth character study, it is an impressive and grim look at the psychology of the title character. Director Todd Phillips crafts one hell of a film. His vision for the film is bold and shocking to say the...

Following  the success of the 2017 remake of the horrifying best-selling Stephen King novel “ IT” , comes part two of the story and a much more thrilling and horrifying installment. This film is one of the longer films in the horror genre that drags on quite awhile before things get interesting and more entertaining. Though the film is longer than expected and slow at times, this sequel is better than 2017’s “ It Chapter One” , in that it is more horrifying and suspenseful. The film is without a doubt one of the best horror films of the year so far and it shows.  Director Andy Muschietti returns to make audiences even more frightened than ever before. He tuns it up a notch and delivers an even bigger scare factor than the films predecessor. It is bold, big and heartfelt. What Muschietti manages to do here is make a bigger more thrilling film. The dialogue is strong, and the cast delivers with strong emotion. It’s driven by a force of power that possesses the entire fil...

It’s one of the worst genres of films to ever exist… the video game genre. Most of, if not all the video game-based films have been downright awful and should never be watched. But what’s surprising is that one video game-based film franchise is entertaining and worth watching. Based off the mega-popular mobile app game “ Angry Birds” comes a sequel to the 2016 film based on the game. Like the first film, this sequel is fun, hilarious and action-packed. It has something for both adults and kids alike. Both this film and its predecessor are entertaining, but this film is better than the first one because it has more humor, heart and action than the first one. This film is an unlikely surprise in a positive way. It will no doubt be regarded as one of the best animated films of the year. The film’s voice cast is without a doubt a great one. With returning cast members: Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad and Danny McBride playing the main characters and famous birds, (Red, the yellow bird, ...

If there is anyone film this year that is as hilarious as it's story, it would be this film. So far this year, not a lot of comedic films have been released. This film is the first this year that goes above and beyond to achieve laughs and hilarity that is genuinely satisfying. One of the best parts about this film is that it stands out from other films in regards to comedy. The laughs are genuine, the tween stars and heart in this film are wonderful and unique in its own right. This Seth Rogen produced film is absolutely hysterical and there's no film this year that could possibly be as funny and unpredictable as this film. You can't help but relate to the tween trio in this film because of their talents and being able to perfectly execute all of the films jokes and comedic jabs and gags. Director Gene Stupinsky crafts an amazingly hilarious film with heart, friendship and essentially a relatable film about the joys and terrors of growing up. It's beyond colorful i...

The " Fast and Furious"  franchise has not once appealed to me as far as action-films go, but this spinoff of the franchise is one hell of an entertaining film. It surpassed any doubts I had going into it, even though I didn't really see this film as worth watching. This film is fun, action-packed and very funny. Unexpectedly, this film did the impossible, which was entertain those moviegoers that aren't fans of the " Fast and Furious" franchise.  Director of "Deadpool 2"   David Leitch, takes the wheel in this action-packed film, which is the first spinoff in the " Fast and Furious"  films. Leitch has another entertaining film under his belt. He makes this film as action-packed and exciting as possible, which shows to the highest of levels. High octance leveled action fills this film from start to finish and I think that Leitch completely nails it. The humor is also pretty funny. It is mainly due to stars Jason Statham and Dwayne John...

It's one of the most absurdly entertaining films of the year so far. If you have been a Quentin Tarantino fan from the beginning or recently like me, you will be undoubtedly entertained watching this film. It is as wild and weird (in a good way) as you'd expect from a Tarantino flick. One of the most unique characteristics of some of his work is that it's unique, witty, action-packed and funny. This film shows all of those qualities in extraordinary fashion. If there is one film this year that is as wild as it is glorious, it's this film. Films that are based on real life have big shoes to fill because they have a responsibility to try and accurately depict true stories, in which their film is based on. It's one of my favorite genres of films and I love that this film, which embellishes the actuality of the events that this film is based on, it's one of the best true story films ever made. Legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino makes another absurdly wild and...

*If you haven't seen " Endgame" , don't read this review till you see it. This film takes place right after it and it's a huge spoiler if you just watch this instead of watching " Endgame" . Don't say I didn't warn ya. Minor Spoilers. Read at your own risk.  When I first saw Tom Holland as " Spider-Man" in the brief minutes in the third installment of " Captain America", I couldn't believe how authentic and fresh his performance was. I was wanting more after seeing him for the first time. Now, fast-forward to the first film of his very own, 2017's " Spider-Man: Homecoming" . This film gave audiences a much more in depth take on the web- slinging hero we all know and love. The sequel to " Homecoming" , is much more action-packed, a dazzling spectacle than the first one. This film tops all other " Spider-Man"  films before this because it has more to offer fans and more than " Home...

It's been 9 years since the 3rd and presumably final chapter in the " Toy Story" series nearly broke all of us emotionally. Now after much disagreement to make another film, the film is here and it is truly an end of an era. The 3rd film ended things on a high note- or so we all thought. This 4th and for sure final chapter is also a heart breaker and a crowd pleaser. This film may not be as emotional as the 3rd one but it's a delight for fans who've been with Woody & Buzz and the rest of the gang of toys all these years.  Director Josh Cooley makes a name for himself as this film is a joyful and entertaining sight to behold. The cleverness and genuine fresh and overall sense of closure is satisfying to see. The films story may not be as emotionally gripping as the third installment but it's still a good and pleasing one.  Returning one last time to voice our favorite characters are: Tom Hanks & Tim Allen plus newcomers to the film series Keanu R...

Films that have stories surrounding animals aren't anything new. It seems like we get an animated film centering around animals every other year or so. From the studio that brought us " Despicable Me" , comes the second " Secret Life of Pets". This film is just as delightful as the first film, but it does get a little over the top sometimes and it's too much handle. All that to say, this film is good, but lacks the potential to be better. I feel like I've already seen movies like this. Movies like " All Dogs Go To Heaven" & "Zootopia"  have set the standard for animal based films, but this film tries to top all others but barely succeeds in doing that. It's an okay film frankly. Being based on animals, you'd think the filmmakers would have more to showcase it's primarily young audience. Director Chris Renaud tries to top the first film by adding a new story, when it's really not. It's the same as the first ...

One generation had the " Ghostbusters", the other has " Men In Black" . Both franchises have been very successful but this new addition to the " MIB" films has received overwhelmingly negative attention. Granted that this film is a "reboot" of the Will Smith led films and doesn't have either him or Tommy-Lee Jones in it, this film is still an entertaining film. It has that same feel of pizazz that the films predecessor's had, which should instantly win over the skeptics. Director F. Gary Gray " Straight Outta Compton"  does a great job at continuing the saga in an undeniably charming and exciting way. Gray makes this film as sci-fi as possible. Some of the most dazzling parts of this film are the sets and action sequences. It may not be the best film in the series, but it is another successful film in the series. The absence of Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones is noted but reuniting are "Thor: Ragnarok" stars Chr...

For the past 8 years, audiences have gotten a quite mediocre " X-Men"   origins franchise. Now, after 3 films, comes the last film in the franchise. Though this film isn't perfect, it's still a better sequel than it's 2016 predecessor. This films got a much more interesting story too. It may not be as entertaining as other " X-Men"  films, both of new and old blood. I like how the film has a lot of action, which surpasses the previous film by a mile. Ever since the first film in the origin " X-Men" saga, these films have been hits and misses. Safe to say that I am glad and slightly disappointed that this is what calls as a franchise finale. " Fox"  should not have gotten rid of Bryan Singer. Singer, who directed the original " X-Men"  films with the older versions of our favorite characters. He managed to pull of some of the best in the saga, but new director Simon Kinberg can only manage to do less than half than what S...

After last years Queen biopic, could this Elton John biopic follow in that same step as being a great film that tells the origin of an iconic singers beginnings? The short answer... Yes. I didn't think that this would top " Bohemian Rhapsody" , but I am dead wrong. This film is extraordinary and is better than it by a long shot. Yeah, Rami Malek stunned audiences with his Freddie Murcury portrayal, but Taron Egerton's Elton John blows him out of the water. Two iconic singers, two amazing films. Once you see this Elton John biopic, you'll think that this does beat " Bohemian Rhapsody" . I said it with " Bohemian Rhapsody" , I'll say it for this film, they couldn't find anyone else to play their main man. Taron Egerton ( Kingsman) stuns audiences with his charisma, emotion and heart as the "Rocketman". His portrayal of one of the greatest singers of all time, is one you can't miss. I have no doubt that is his best performa...