Category: comedy
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Stan & Ollie [2018] ★★★½
First a personal story: for as long as I can remember, Laurel and Hardy were always a part of my life. When I was a kid my grandfather made it his mission to introduce me and my cousins to the famous duo. Needless to say, we were all hooked. So on my way to see…
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The Upside [2019] ★★½
On paper, this Hollywood version of the french hit “Intouchables” has no reason to exist. But I tried to keep an open mind as I was watching it last night. As a result, I found myself enjoying it. It’s nowhere near as funny or moving as the original, but with that aside, it’s an enjoyable…
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Mary Poppins Returns [2018] ★★★
Let’s take care of the elephant in the room right away: “Mary Poppins Returns” was never going to replace the beloved 1964 classic starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. The original means so much to so many people to let any modern movie diminish it. That being said, I breathed a sigh of relief…
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Second Act [2018] ★★
Jennifer Lopez plays a 40 something woman who wants to prove that street smarts is just as good as book smarts. So she creates a fake CV and lands a dream job as a consultant for a big company. That’s the premise of “Second Act”, a movie that pretty much gives zero fucks about logic…
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Instant Family [2018] ★★½
It doesn’t reinvigorate the comedy genre in any way, but there’s something truly irresistible about “Instant Family”. I was drawn instantly to its appeal, and I had a good time watching the story unfold. Also, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed seeing Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne in a movie. They play a…
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Green Book [2018] ★★★½
Simply put, “Green Book” is one of the best movies of the year. It celebrates friendship and family in a way that feels irresistible, thanks to a clever script, and, above all, a pair of terrific performances by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. They’re both a marvel, and watching them inhabit their characters brought me (and…
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Private Life [2018] ★★★
At last a good Netflix film. I know I’ve expressed my dissatisfaction with their recent releases, but as soon as I saw Paul Giamatti’s name in the credits, I knew this movie would be at least decent. And I wasn’t wrong: this is a solid adult drama, very reminiscent of Woody Allen movies and featuring…
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Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween [2018] ★★½
It was never going to top the 2015 original, and if we’re being completely honest, this sequel isn’t as memorable. But it gets the job done, especially if you’re watching it around Halloween season with your family. Jack Black stole the show in the first movie as writer R.L Stine, who wrote so many best-selling…
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Night School [2018] ★★½
It’s not original in any way, but “Night School” has the most important ingredient of them all: Kevin Hart. I wasn’t thrilled with the early reviews, but having seen it myself, I can already categorize it as a “guilty pleasure”, the kind you find yourself coming back to every now and then. Hart plays a…
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Johnny English Strikes Again [2018] ★★
Since it feels rushed and has no real beginning and no end, I’m going to cut right to the chase: “Johnny English Strikes Again” feels like leftovers from the previous films. You can’t convince me that it took 7 years to come up with…this. To be fair, I did laugh a few times, and it’s…
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A Simple Favor [2018] ★★
“Weird” doesn’t even begin to describe “A Simple Favor”. When I first saw the trailer over a month ago, I was instantly hooked. I guess you could describe it as a mix between “Gone Girl” and a Hitchcock movie. That was my first reaction at least. But nothing could have prepared me for one of…
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Destination Wedding [2018] ★★
It wouldn’t be completely unfair to say that this movie has no reason to exist except to showcase two of Hollywood’s most beloved actors of the 90’s: Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder. These two have been friends for 30 years and appeared in several movies together. But “Destination Wedding”, written and directed by Victor Levin,…
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Netflix Movies I couldn’t finish watching
I like Netflix. I’m not here to rant or to provide you with anti-Netflix arguments. I’ve been watching series on it more than ever before and I always enjoy browsing their film library. But recently, and for the first time ever, I had to turn off three movies before they even ended. Why bother dropping…
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Crazy Rich Asians [2018] ★★½
It would be tempting to call this comedy the “Asian” version of “Meet the Parents”, but considering the thought process that went into it, I won’t. For those who may not know, “Crazy Rich Asians” is Hollywood’s first major film in years starring an all-Asian cast. This is a big deal for Asians around the world…
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![The Spy Who Dumped Me [2018] ★★½](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/spy_who_dumped_me_ver6.jpg?w=490)
The Spy Who Dumped Me [2018] ★★½
It’s the dog days of summer. Some people take advantage of this period to spend some time on the beach. But if you’re anything like me, you’d be looking for the next “summer” film at your local multiplex. There was nothing about “The Spy who Dumped Me” that encouraged me to seek it out upon…
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Love, Simon [2018] ★★★
It’s not your typical boy meets girl coming-of-age stories. This is the story of Simon (wonderfully played by Nick Robinson), a teenager who is coming to terms with his sexuality, but still has no idea how to come out to his family or even his friends. Dad (Josh Duhamel) throws in gay jokes, while mom (Jennifer…
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Ocean’s 8 [2018] ★★½
Call it a sequel or a reboot, it doesn’t really matter here. What truly matters is that “Ocean’s 8” defines summer escapism: it’s light, it’s fun, and it features an array of talented actresses who steal the show. In fact, it’s all these women who make the movie enjoyable enough. The interaction among Sandra Bullock,…
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Tag [2018] ★★½
A new idea for a Hollywood comedy is a rare thing to find these days. The fact that “Tag” feels (somehow) fresh more often than other films of the same genre is cause for cheering. And if you have a cast that includes Ed Helms (in one of his funniest roles), Jeremy Renner (who is…
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Book Club [2018] ★★
It’s derivative, it’s predictable, and there’s nothing in it that you haven’t really seen before. But “Book Club”, starring screen legends Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen, is an amusing film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. In terms of plot, 4 friends decide to spice-up their sex life after reading “50 Shades…
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Deadpool 2 [2018] ★★★
Prepare your chimichanga, put on some R-Rated music, and get ready for another round of your favorite anti-superhero. It’s not Shakespeare, but Deadpool indeed belongs in history books for being one of the most entertaining heroes in this huge Marvel universe. Ryan Reynolds has a blast, once again, playing Wade Wilson, the cancer patient turned…
