The New Review - Black Adam

Copyright goes to DC Comics and Warner Bros Discovery

Black Adam

Starring Dwayne Johnson

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

Concept: Story of Shazam's biggest rival, and current anti-hero of the DC Universe.

Execution

Here we go...

Characters: So... this was the biggest let down. Let me explain. We have Black Adam. We have the Justice Society and 4 of the members. And some support characters. Plus a criminal organization with little explanation. Black Adam get PLENTY of backstory, or course, it is HIS movie. The JSA members were cool, but they barely got any backstory. Very very little. And I still get it... it is Black Adam's movie. And the main villain of the movie, Sabbac, was done very well. Waiting until the best point to introduce what he was... I give credit there. Score: 12/20

Presentation: Fight scenes... action... lightning... super powers... CGI... it was a run of the mill of the DC Superhero flick. Some of the CG was off. But nothing that feels like it didn't fit... just needed more polish. And not Transformers 2 level bad. And most of it dealing with Dr. Fate's magic... so... you can say it was magical. Score: 18/20

Chronicle: As mentioned before, the characters didn't get the backstory they all deserved, but the story around Black Adam was pretty good. Especially since they slightly CHANGED his backstory. That twist made this version of the story pretty good. Still sad that Hawkman and Dr. Fate didn't get a bit more story, but that it okay. The overall story was pretty good, even with lackluster support for the JS and Intergang. Almost felt like Intergang was thrown in, but they deserve another story. Score: 20/30

Impact: There are questions about whether or not Black Adam shifts the power in the DC Movie Universe. And so many say no. And... I slightly agree. But it is became a game changer in other ways. We got Henry Cavill back in the saddle as Superman. The Justice Society got established, and I would take a JS movie or series on HBO Max. And we got to see Dwayne Johnson finally do the passion project that took the better part of 15 years to get done. And... it works. The power might not have shifted, but it absolutely sets the tone for the new direction we are heading in for DC Movies. And I think it is a good thing. Score: 18/20

Extra Oomph: Because of the cameos of Superman and Harcourt(from Peacemaker), this movie established a canon connection between the Snyderverse that was, and the James Gunnverse that we are about to enter. Making Black Adam a very interesting linchpin in that transition. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 78/100

Final Grade: C+

Conclusion: It is a fun movie. And if you like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, then you will like this movie. Not perfect, but entertaining.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I say... go see it. Watch it. Again, it has flaws, but it is still entertaining. But it is also a passion project. The Rock could've abandoned the idea at any time, but he followed through. And that should be appreciated and supported. So go see it. If you wanna pass in the theater, then buy or rent it. It is worth it.

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There you go... Black Adam has gotten a 78!!!

Not as good as I hoped, but it was still worth seeing.

Have you seen it yet? What did you think? Excited for the next phase of DC Films with Cavill back... and James Gunn at the helm?

Comment and share.

Until next time...

Don't forget...

Renewed Top 15 - October Holiday Month

We just passed through two Dump Months. And now it is time for the Holiday season.

When you think of October, you think of Halloween... horror films... and Slasher Icons! But the movie industry doesn't always follow that. Sure, some great horror and slasher films end up in October... but quite a few end up in February. Must want to compete with Valentine's Day? Who knows.

As you are about to see, October is very diverse when it comes to movie releases.

Let's kick it off with the Top 6 at the Box Office(you'll see why).

1. Joker (10/4/2019) $335m

2. Gravity (10/4/2013) $274m

3. The Martian (10/2/2025) $228m

4. A Star Is Born (10/5/2018) $215m

5. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (10/5/2018) $213.55m

6. Venom (10/1/2018) $213.51m

A Star Is Born and Venom: Let There Be Carnage were released at the same time and they both made the top 5. And the different between Venom and it's sequel was less than $40,000. So... Venom had to be included!

Now... what about MY list? I had a large pool, so... expanded list!!!

Top 15 Movies Released In October

Here we go...

HM The Marine (10/13/2006): WWE Studio produced film starring John Cena pre-Hollywood attempt. A generic action film, but a good one. And sparks of the AWESOME actor Cena is now.

HM The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (10/11/1974): The OG Leatherface tale. So many version, sequels, retellings. The original is still the best of the best.

HM Wes Craven's A New Nightmare (10/14/1994): My favorite of the Freddy Krueger outings. Meta in that Freddy was after the ACTRESS who played Nancy. Freddy was most sinister in this movie. Less camp, more attempting to kill Langencamp

15. Look Who's Talking (10/13/1989): Bruce Willis as the inner voice of a baby. I mean... it writes itself. And it was pretty funny too.

14. The Beverly Hillbillies (10/15/1993): It is difficult to beat the Original with Buddy Epsen... so they didn't. We had Ernest himself, Jim Varney, as the patriarch Jed Clampett and one of the first times I remember seeing Dietrich Bader(playing Jethro) making me laugh. This was a great adaptation.

13. First Blood (10/22/1982): The Debut of John Rambo. A role as synonymous with Sylvester Stallone as Rocky is... and should be studied as what PTSD can do to people.

12. Candyman (10/16/1992): Recently had a sequel/revival. This is the original. And the lore behind this slasher film is pretty tragic. Plus... this is movie that led to be having cold chills hearing the voice of Tony Todd.

11. The Terminator (10/26/1984): Time traveling robot coming back to cause a pre-conception abortion so his robot brethren can win their war. Ha! You know the movie.

10. Dracula Untold (10/10/2014): What was supposed to be the start of a new Universal Monsters Universe, Luke Evans brought to life a new type of Dracula, mixing the lore of the fictional vampire and the real life monster it was based off of. Extremely underrated Dracula movie.

9. Demolition Man (10/8/1993): Stallone and Wesley Snipes in a "perfect" future getting into Cops and Robbers shenanigans. But... I have to point something out... this was an era in Sandra Bullock's career where she was sweet, innocent, endearing...... why was she just SO DAMN CUTE in this movie?! Answer me dammit!!!

8. Thir13en Ghosts (10/26/2001): A Remake with modern horror tendencies. Tony Shaloub does a great job, but in my opinion, this was Matthew Lillard's breakout role. And... a wonderful movie to boot.

7. Blade Runner 2049 (10/6/2017): One of the GREATEST Legacyquels of all time. It brings a little bit of closure to Deckard's story from the original... while throwing another twist in the universe. Don't make us wait 30+ years for the 3rd movie.

6. Halloween (10/27/1978) & Halloween (10/19/2018) & Halloween Kills (10/15/2021): No. I haven't done a review for either of the new ones, but both are quality. Halloween is the best Horror Erasequel is history. And Kills lived up to the name. Going to do an article after seeing all 3(with Ends just around the corner). And of course, the original is just a masterpiece. One of the greatest slow build suspenseful horror films of all time.

5. What Dreams May Come (10/2/1998): If you know me, I don't get into the whole religiosity stuff. But... this has Robin Williams. This has STUNNING visuals. And an interesting story about life after death... love after death... and the lengths someone would go for both. This is classic in every sense of the word.

4. Joker (10/4/2019): Batman's nemesis gets his own gangster noir style movie, and damn it was so good. Joaquin Phoenix DESERVED the Oscar for this performance.

3. Dune Chapter 1 (10/22/2021): I have been waiting for Dune to be adapted properly, and even though the 1984 movie... happened... and is a cult classic... it didn't do the job. This one DID. And split into 2 parts, I can't wait for Part 2...

2. John Wick (10/24/2014): One of the greatest stylistic action films I've EVER seen. So good, we are about to get a 4th one next year. This movie is responsible for giving Keanu Reeves NEW life in his action star career. Because of John Wick, we got another Matrix... another Bill & Ted... and they announced another Constantine movie. John Wick change the game... and gave us another Keanulution.

And the Number One movie release in October is...

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas (10/29/1993): WHAT ELSE WAS IT GOING TO BE!?! This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Not just for October. I know the songs by heart. I know the lines by heart. This is my movie. I love this movie. So damn much.

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Were you surprised by any of them? Any I missed? What do you think of what I included?

Comment down below. And share this thing!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - Legacyquels

Time for another regular Renewed Top 10!

This time, I will be highlighting what I think are the BEST Legacyquels in cinema history.

For those that never saw the original post for the Term, a Legacyquel is a sequel that came out YEARS after the last installment. There are 2 types: A Minor Legacyquel is one that came out 10-19 years after the last entry and a Major Legacyquel is one that cane out 20+ years after. Those that DID read the original, I did adjust the range by 1, as to include 10 years in the Minor, and so 20 became a Major. The main difference between a Minor and a Major is reason. The Minor could just be delayed. But a Major is usually just for Nostalgia purposes.

You'll get it, if you don't already.

So let's do it...

Top 10 Legacyquels

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Clerks 2(12 years): Clerks launched Kevin Smith's career, and the View Askewniverse took off. It was nice to see Dante and Randall come back in a great follow up.

Honorable Mention 2: The Odd Couple 2(30 years): The original Odd Couple, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthieu. After doing two Grumpy Old Men movies, they finally did a sequel to their movie that spawned a TV series. Sadly, this was the last movie they shared screen time on.

Honorable Mention 3: Scream(11 years): Scream returning to form(no, I didn't do a review... gonna watch it again before I decide to). It was great to see a passing of the torch for the franchise. Wes Craven would be proud.

Honorable Mention 4: The Godfather Part 3(16 years): The original Godfather got Marlon Brando an Oscar. Part 2 got Robert DeNiro an Oscar. Part 3 rounds out the story. And rounds out the best Mafia trilogy in fill history.

10. Blade Runner 2049(35 years): The Original Blade Runner was legendary. Never did I think they would make a proper sequel. It answered some questions from the original, but it also opened up new ones. I need another, it set up for another. I hope it doesn't take another 35 years.

9. Finding Dory(13 years): Finding Nemo was a classic. So why not a sequel based on a supporting character? The Disney thing to do... right? Dory was one of the fan favorite characters in Nemo. So it made sense. And we got Ed O'Neill as a voice too.

8. Split(16 years) or Glass(19 years): I am listing both as Legacyquels to Unbreakable. Why? Unbreakable was M. Night Shyamalan's Superhero movie. And Split was a thriller about a killer with multiple personalities. You didn't know it was a "sequel" until the end, and it felt like an after thought. But Glass is a sequel to both. So... this entry counts them both based on whether you think Split is a sequel or not. And...... I don't. Split feels like a spinoff.

7. Mad Max: Fury Road(30 years): Mad Max Fury Road was the latest installment from a series that helped make Mel Gibson famous... without Mel Gibson. Why? Well Max is still around the same-ish age. And... Mel Gibson is not. But Tom Hardy carried this into the modern era, and I hope they can do more somehow.

6. Bill & Ted Face The Music(29 years): Bill & Ted. The movies that put Keanu Reeves on the map... and then turned Alex Winter into a director/producer. Poor guy. Excellent!!! Well, decades later, we finally got the 3rd movie, and they passed the torch to their kids.

5. The Matrix Resurrections(18 years): Bill & Ted put Keanu Reeves on the map. The Matrix was the franchise that turned him into a Mega Star. Innovative. So... going back into the Matrix and using the original trilogy as a backdrop. Can't reveal too much. Because that makes The Matrix series awesome.

4. Halloween(40 years): Michael Myers stalking Jamie Lee Curtis. Again. This one is the LONGEST stretch in between on this list, and while it doesn't feel like it because the original had so many sequels... but... it is because this Legacyquel was ALSO an Erasequel. This was a direct sequel to the original, ignoring ALL of the others. Also making Halloween the only Erasequel on this list!!

3. Superman Returns(19 years): I know what you are thinking... How? Superman Returns is a sequel to Superman IV The Quest For Peace. How? Kevin Spacey was easily the Gene Hackman Lex Luthor. Kate Bosworth was easily the Margot Kidder Lois Lane. And Brandon Routh... he LOOKS like a young Christopher Reeve... this was on PURPOSE to be the unacknowledged Superman 5!

2. Doctor Sleep(39 years): Sequel one my favorite horror films of all time, The Shining. And... yes there is a Stephen King book. This was as much an adaptation of the book as it was a sequel to the Stanley Kubrick film. All the way down to Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall lookalikes. A wonderful film!!!

And the Number 1 Legacyquel is...

1. Ghostbusters Afterlife(32 years): Answer the Call isn't a sequel. It is a parallel universe movie. Because of that, Afterlife is the sequel to Ghostbuster 2(yes, the Ghostbusters game is the unofficial 3rd movie... as it was based off the original 3rd script... but it wasn't a movie). Captured the imagination of the first 2 movies, and treated the passing of Egon with dignity and respect. It felt like a kid again watching this movie. And ANY Ghostbusters fan should be proud of this film. Ivan Reitman was proud of enough of it that he passed known it was good enough to BE a Ghostbusters movie.

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Some big gaps in some of those Legacyquels!!!

What did you all think? Any Legacyquel or Legacy Sequel did you think was awesome and did the previous entry justice?

Drop it in the comments.

And share this post!!!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - September Dump Month

Time for the September Dump Month List!!!!

You've been following along... so you get the whole Blockbuster/Dump Month idea. So let's get into September.

Starting with the Top 5 Domestic 

1. IT(9/8/2017) $328m

2. Shang-Chi(9/3/2021) $224m

3. IT Chapter 2(9/6/2019) $211m

4. Crocodile Dundee(9/26/1986) $174m

5. Hotel Transylvania 2(9/25/2015) $169m

Now let's get into my September list. This one was FUN!!!

Top 10 Movies Released In September

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Hellraiser(9/18/1987): The original Hellraiser, based on Clive Barker's novella. Getting some attention because of the reboot coming up. It ALMOST made the list, but a different horror film deserved the spot.

Honorable Mention 2: 50/50(9/30/2011): Seth Rogen movie based on the life of a friend of his who was hit with a life changing cancer diagnoses. Seth Rogen playing himself(technically). Joseph Gordon Levitt playing the cancer stricken friend. And it was a great movie.

10. Tenet(9/3/2020): John David Washington showing he is as smooth as his daddy, Denzel. A movie about a unique take on time travel. A bit confusion at times... but worth it. Also felt like Robert Pattinson's Batman audition.

9. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs(9/18/2009): Cute animated movie about a genius who creates a machine that turns water into food, and it gets out of hand. Bill Hader... that is really all you need. But Anna Faris, Andy Samberg, and Mr. T all make this movie Great With A Chance Of Awesome.

8. The Good Son(9/24/1993): Macaulay Culkin playing a little psychopath trying to kill a little Elijah Wood. We get it... Frodo must die. But this was also in the era of Home Alone and Uncle Buck... and Culkin comes out swinging in this thriller. Child stardom can be cruel. Think of how Culkin would've turned out if he and the drugs hadn't found each other...

7. Rush Hour(9/18/1998): Jackie Chan is an action comedy legend. So pair him with the annoyingly voiced Chris Tucker. What would happen? Well... this was the start of an EPIC trilogy/franchise.

6. The Prophecy(9/1/1995): Christopher Walken as the Archangel Gabriel. Start of a franchise centered around an Angelic War. Elias Koteas as the detective caught in the middle of it. And Viggo Mortensen(pre-LOTR) as The Devil. THIS is the horror film that kept Hellraiser out as an Honorable Mention.

5. Dredd(9/21/2012): Reboot of the earlier Stallone movie. Karl Urban coming in as a younger Joseph Dredd. Never took his helmet off. Stayed true to the 2000 AD comics. And GORY!!! Not for the faint of Stomach. And I loved every bit of it.

4. To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar(9/8/1995): When you think of Wesley Snipes, you probably think of Blade. When you think of Patrick Swayze, you probably think of his kicking ass in Road House. When you think of John Leguizamo, you probably think of The Pest or Super Mario Bros or Ice Age. But what about the 3 of them together in a movie AS NYC drag queens driving across country to Hollywood for a "Miss Drag Queen of America" Pageant. Yeah. It is as funny as it sounds. Swayze and Leguizamo both got Golden Globe nominations for this movie. The perfect joke... but not implied.

3. The Last of the Mohicans(9/25/1992): I loved James Fenimore Cooper books when I was younger. They were big... they were interesting. And this is a pretty damn good adaptation. Plus, it introduced me to Daniel Day Lewis... and he may have won an Oscar or two.

2. IT(9/8/2017) & IT Chapter 2(9/6/2019): Remake of the classic Stephen King tryst. And I know not everyone agrees with me, but I like this version better. Solified Bill Hader as a star, showed the potential of Finn Wolfhard as a future star(playing the same character), shows that Andy Muschietti is careful with his work, and Bill Skarsgård can be whatever he wants to be in Hollywood(including The Crow, apparently).

And the Number 1 Movie Released In September Is...

1. Se7en(9/22/1995): A LEGENDARY film. One of Brad Pitt's best films. One of Morgan Freeman's best films. One of Kevin Spacey's best films. About an anonymous killer basing his murders on the seven deadly sins. One of the greatest thrillers in cinema history.

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Three Movies from September 1995!!!! Can you believe it?

What did you all think? Any movie that should've made the list?

Comment and share.

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Bullet Train

Bullet Train

Directed by David Leitch

Starring Brad Pitt and many many more

Concept: A man doing a job involving stealing a briefcase filled with $10mil gets caught up in SO much more.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: This a perfectly cast ensemble. Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny(yes, that Bad Bunny), Zazee Beets. And not a single wasted casting. Score: 20/20

Presentation: A very Japanese movie, which is the point. It takes place on a Bullet Train. Includes a few famous songs translated into Japanese. Best thing about the atmosphere is that is takes place on a bullet train. And each car is vastly different. One environment... but many sub-environments. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: The story starts very slow. And that is to subvert expectations. What you think the move is from the trailer... that is how the movie starts. Then you go into the meat of the movie. Plenty of exposition. But each exposit scene is fun. And the 3rd act makes up for whatever slowness the beginning of the movie has. Balanced with all the sub stories going on, and all of them connected, paired with all of the stylistic violence that ALSO tells a story. Like Murder on the Orient Express if Hercule Poirot was played by Deadpool(not Ryan Reynolds... the character DEADPOOL). Score: 28/30

Impact: Based on a book, and you know how book adaptation are: either spot on or not even close. This makes a few small changes, and one big one that just... works better. It shows just how good adaptations can be in the 2 hour movie format. The action sequences prove that the small scale, controlled action of John Wick can work with different mediums AND can work with comedy. The impact of the movie is weighed less from this movie, and more on the John Wick series. It really was the first attempt outside of John Wick to use this style of action. And I'm going to give you a new Term of Entertainment Endearment(which I am going to make a post about): Intimate Combat. Because of that... Score: 22/20

Extra Oomph: The cast... I could talk about bigger parts the whole post, but I am going to highlight 2 small ones. First... I watched this movie twice already. It was until the SECOND watch through that I noticed Karen Fukuhara was the cute snack cart girl. Don't know the name? Katana in Suicide Squad and Kimiko in The Boys. THAT Karen Fukuhara. Yeah. It was a small role, but it was cool that I couldn't tell at first. The second small role... Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny plays The Wolf. An assassin. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen the big fight scene. But the small character backstory exposition, the fight scene itself, and a bit of situational comedy(you'll know what I mean)... I fully believe Bad Bunny could be a GREAT actor if he wanted to be. And I fan cast him in a reboot for Desperado already. Cast Karen in more stuffs... and get Bad Bunny on his movie star track... now. Score: 10/10

FINAL SCORE: 100/100

FINAL GRADE: A++

Conclusion: Yes, Bullet Train does start a little slow with ZERO exposition on Ladybug's behalf. But if your attention span is long enough to get past the small slow opening... this one of the BEST movies I've seen in quite awhile.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: Go watch it... a few times... and then buy it on disc and/or streaming. And then get a back up copy.

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There is folks... Bullet Train gets a PERFECT score. And it deserves it.

Have you seen it? What do you think? Plan on seeing it?

Comment and share!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

Renewed Top 15 - August Dump Month

It is that time again. Time for the monthly post, and according to Hollywood, Blockbuster seasin is over... so... now it is time for our second set of Dump months.

If you checked the title, you will see a Top 15, and that is because since it is the late Summer Dump month, I wanted you to see the Diversity with movies I love from the month of August.

I almost didn't number the list, because there are a handful on the list that could be interchangeable based on mood. But I settled on the list you are about it see... and... you are about to see a FIRST for this series. What is it? You'll see.

So... let's start with the Box Office Top 5.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy $333m

2. Suicide Squad $325m

3. The Sixth Sense $293m

4. Signs $227m

5. The Bourne Ultimatum $224m

Already some diversity. So what about my list?

Well...

Top 15 August Movies

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Unforgiven(8/7/1992): I'm not the biggest fan of westerns, but this later in life classic with Clint Eastwood was pretty damn good.

Honorable Mention 2: Flatliners(8/10/1990): Not to be confused with the subpar remake, this movie had a STELLAR cast and a great premise with medical students trying to force near death experiences and dealing with the consequences.

Honorable Mention 3: Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back(8/24/2001): Make no mistake, I love this extremely Meta Kevin Smith film. The reason I kept it off the list is... I don't remember it being released to theaters. I know it was, I think. But I just don't remember it being in theaters. Granted... my life was really weird during that time frame, but it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't get released only to select theaters.

15. Collateral(8/6/2004): Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in a wonder dynamic film about a cabbie taken hostage by a hitman as he is during jobs around the city. Proof of how good Tom Cruise is... proof of how good Jamie Foxx was going to be.

14. Halloween(8/31/2007)/Halloween 2(8/28/2009): Included both, and if you are keeping score, these are the Rob Zombie films. Now, that we have the continuation of the original series, this one isn't as important anymore. But it is fun revisionist take on the Michael Myers tale.

13. Jack(8/9/1996): I love Robin Williams. And this movie about a 10 year old with a rare condition that makes him age 4 times as fast(so he looks 40). And his best adventure yet... public school. It has plenty of tropes you would expect... and it is a very Robin Williams movie.

12. Bambi(8/21/1942): A Disney Classic. And was my first movie I remember seeing as a kid. One of the rereleases of it, and it was at the Crump. If you know... you know 

11. Don't Breathe(8/26/2016): Steven Lang in a very anxiety inducing thriller. I've seen many horror films... I've seen many thrillers. And this is still the most anxious I've ever been watching a movie.

10. Mortal Kombat(8/18/1995): Yes, the original. It isn't a great movie... it doesn't hold up. But it is still an enjoyable movie for those who grew up with the games.

9. Fast Times at Ridgemont High(8/13/1982): The Quintessential High Schooler movie. Still makes me think of Sean Penn as an airhead, even after all the other work he has done.

8. Scott Pilgrim vs The World(8/13/2010): The movie based on a book series basically set in a video game world... that eventually became a video game. Fun fact: the ending is different than the books because the books weren't done yet. Un-fun fact: Michael Cera really just plays himself.

7. The Expendables(8/13/2010): Classic Action Stars kicking major ass and blowing shit up. That is what this movie is. Don't watch it for the plot. Because it is paper thin.

6. The Fly(8/15/1986): Science experiment gone wrong that turns a scientist into a Fly creature... and somehow turned Jeff Goldblum into a sex symbol.

5. The Sixth Sense(8/6/1999): M. Night's Twisty Magnum Opus about a kid who sees dead people and counselor who wished he didn't.

4. Desperado(8/25/1995): Story of a mariachi singer with a guitar case full of guns. This is the movie that introduced me to both Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. And... damn. This movie is STILL legendary. The "Okay... it's me." scene is one of my favorites of all time.

3. Uncle Buck(8/16/1989): John Candy. The Car. The GIANT Pancakes. And Macaulay Culkin. This was such a great film. John Candy... you are SO missed.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy(8/1/2014): One of my favorite MCU movies. It represents one of the biggest risks the MCU have taken. A team that casual fans would never have heard of is now a household name. All because of James Gunn and a STELLAR cast.

And now... the Number 1 movie released in August is...

1. Bullet Train(8/6/2022): YES! For the first time, a movie from THIS year on one of these lists, and the number one spot!!! Like Murder on The Orient Express crossed with Deadpool and John Wick. So much fun. And shows you how adapting a book to the big screen can be more enjoyable than you expect!!!(review up soon)

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What did you think of this month's list? I had a large pool to choose from this month, and I represented my likes... but wow the diversity!!!

This was the first dump month after the string of Blockbuster movies. Hopefully you see what that really means now. And September is a dump month too. So... we will see how this month goes!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - Famous Actors In Video Games

Time for a new Renewed Top 10. And this one gets credited to Mr. Bob Garlen!

We are about to highlight Famous Actors that have does voiceovers or even face captures for video games.

Simple rule... if they are MORE known for voice acting, they are not qualified for this list. Also... I need to have played it the game for it to qualify.

Along with the name of the actor, I will also cite the name of the game or game series they are featured in. And... you might only see one game/series per name, unless there is a reason I decide on. You'll get it.

So... how about it?

Top 10 Famous Actors In Video Games

Here we go...

Honorable Mention: Mark Hamill - Batman Arkham Series: So... Mark Hamill is Luke Skywalker. But he has also been the main voice for the Joker since Batman The Animated Series. So... while it counts, it also doesn't count.

10. Seth Green - Mass Effect Trilogy: Seth Green does alot of voice work. But he also does plenty of acting gigs. The reason this is getting mentioned is because his work as Joker(unrelated) was one of the best non-Seth Greeny roles he has done. If you know, you know.

9. Keifer Sutherland - Metal Gear Solid V: Simple here. Keifer Sutherland has a history of playing badasses. So... why not hire him to voice Solid Snake in MGS5? It worked so well. I hope he gets another shot at it.

8. Samuel L. Jackson - Grand Theft Auto San Andreas: Sam Jackson as the villain cop? Yeah, it's GTA. So... of course.

7. Jack Black- Brütal Legend: Jack Black plays a roadie turned into a fantasy level heavy metal hero. And you can't have Heavy Metal fantasy with legends of Metal... so, Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy Kilmister, Lita Ford are all in it as well.

6. Martin Sheen - Mass Effect Trilogy: I know... 2 from Mass Effect. But as a cinephile, it was awesome to hear Martin Sheen voice the Illusive Man!!!

5. Ray Liotta - Grand Theft Auto Vice City: The late great Ray Liotta. He was know as a mobster actor(well, again... if you know, you know). So, it made since to turn him into a video game mobster.

4. Keanu Reeves - Cyberpunk 2077: This game has had a horrible reputation due to all of the bugs. But... it is now a playable, amazing game. And at the core of the game's marketing is that Keanu Reeves was a main character. You don't get to play as him all that much, but think of him a douchebag holographic Jiminy Cricket.

3. Rami Malek - Until Dawn: I would like to point out that Rami Malek isn't the only big actor in this horror/thriller game, it also features Hayden Panettiere and Peter Stormare. But can either of them say they have an Oscar? Rami Malek can.

2. Elijah Wood - Legend of Spyro Trilogy: Spyro went through a reboot phase, and who did they get to voice Spyro? Frodo... Baggins!!! And just as a surprise, they got Gary Oldman to do the trilogy as well! And... honestly... it was more shocking to see Elijah Wood do it more than Gary Oldman... because Gary would do... anything.

And the number one famous actor in a video game...

1. Sir Patrick Stewart - Castlevania Lords of Shadow and Elders Scroll IV Oblivion: Let's start with Oblivion, because it is... brief. Stewart voices Uriel Septim VII, the emperor that is killed at the beginning of Oblivion. But... Castlevania Lords of Shadow, Sir Patrick Stewart voices Zobek, friend of Gabriel Belmont and ultimately the main antagonist of the first game(though you don't know that until it is revealed). He returns in the second game to with a warning to Gabriel(now Dracula) about Satan's return. Now... side note... both games ALSO include the great Robert Carlyle as Gabriel and Jason Issacs as Satan... but I chose to highlight Patrick Stewart because... it is SIR PATRICK STEWART. Also... he also voice Charles Xavier in the X-Men tie-in games AND the X-Men Legends action RPG games.

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Any that you have played with famous actors in them?

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