James' Movie Blog

  In May of 1999, Nickelodeon premiered a new series on the channel called 'Spongebob Squarepants', and it was an instant hit. Created by the late Stephen Hillenburg, the show proved to an animated must for those in the late 90s and early 2000's. And once the show achieved massive success, chances of a movie were inevitable. And fortunately, that wish would come true. And, in the year 2004, we got “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie”, which was also a big hit. But with a price. After the movie, Hillenburg left the show, and only served as an executive producer, and many fans consider the seasons post movie not that great. Which only begs the question: is the film that divisive? Well, it's not bad, but it's good, but it does contain some flaws, which will be discussed later on. One good thing that easily be said right off the bat, is that this movie can please everyone. With “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie”, we get an entertaining film that certainly pleases everyone u...

  It's the end of the world as we know it, and I am mildly unimpressed. Yeah, that's the main reaction of this movie here. With “Knock at the Cabin” we get a standard apocalypse movie courtesy of M. Night Shyamalan. And the result is just a big predictable mess from when we saw the first trailer. There are quite a few good things that are present here, like the production value, and the themes explored, but the overall tone and quality is not that great. It feels as if this movie took an awesome concept, and just took it to a rather bland territory. While not the worst film out there, “Knock at the Cabin” is a rather boring experience that really plays it safe with its topics. And not in a good way. The story involves a family consisting of two gay men named Andrew and Eric (Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff respectively), along with their young daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) going to spend some quality time at a cabin the woods. Everything goes well until four complete strangers co...

       In theory, this concept should work. The premise that this movie brings forth, tries to work within its setting. Unfortunately, the whole thing just collapses and falls apart. With the movie “Fear”, we do get an interesting idea, but the whole execution just doesn't work within itself. This horror film is the perfect example of how not to do a horror movie in general. From the fast and rushed execution of the story, to the incredible annoyance of the special effects, this film fails in every sense of the word. And yes, I paid real money to go and see this one. “Fear” tries desperately to go ahead and scare its audience, but the end result is just cheap Halloween trick. The story involves a group of friends renting out a cabin in the mountains. It also comes at a time after a global pandemic has died down greatly. However, once at the cabin, the friends admit their darkest fears, and throughout the course of the weekend, these fears will play all kinds of tric...

  We all like to be judgmental about everything; from the clothes we wear, to the places we go. It seems like we want to criticize everything that the world offers. Including food. Food is something that quite a lot of people take for granted, and they want to compliment themselves before they eat what is on their plate. That is where the recent film “The Menu” takes complimenting food to another dark territory. Conceived as a horror comedy, “The Menu” takes its obsession with food, and turns it into a place you do not want to go to. But it is rather fascinating while you watch it. There are a few questions that are not answered within the course of the movie, but the pacing more than makes up for by keeping the viewer engaged throughout the movie's run time. “The Menu” is a blend of suspense and comedy that keeps you on edge, and makes you really appreciate what goes on in constructing a meal. The plot involves a group of people who are heading to a remote island where special me...

  The world of fantasy is a great opportunity for those wanting to explore strange new worlds of excitement and wonder. And all around the world, fantasy is being brought to us in many shapes and forms. One such place where fantasy can thrive heavily is in Japan, and within the realm of animation, fantasy know no bounds. And, there is no better example of a perfect of a fantasy film that outdoes pretty much everything else than 2001's “Spirited Away”. Which was given a proper English dub and release one year later to critical acclaim, and winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Since its release, the impact that this movie has had, has been phenomenal. Many people and critics have praised this movie left and right, and, honestly, what else is there to say that hasn't been said already? It's amazing. “Spirited Away” is clearly one of those movies that needs to be seen to be believed. Not just on an animation level, not just on a fantasy viewpoint, but as a movie in gener...

  True love. It's common fact that that particular statement has been around for quite some time. And nowhere is this quote more hilariously spoken than in 1987's “The Princess Bride”, a movie that blends together both comedy and fantasy all at the same time. While not a huge hit upon release, the film has certainly gained a following. And rightfully so. Mostly due to how funny it is. Directed by Rob Reiner, with a script by William Goldman based off his book, the movie has endured and enthralled audiences for nearly 35 years. There are some minor problems present, but the overall experience is more than worth the price of admission. “The Princess Bride” is an engaging and captivating film that pokes fun at the concept of a fairy tale. The story has a grandfather (Peter Falk) proceeding to tell his grandson (Fred Savage) a story. In said story, a woman named Buttercup (Robin Wright) falls desperately in love with a man named Westley (Cary Elwes). However, he goes missing, and ...

  The 1980s were full of silly action movies that provided great fun and provided lots of entertainment that made audiences did not care what they were seeing as long as they were being entertained. It's mindless fun and entertainment. Some examples include “Rambo: First Blood Part II”, “Commando”, and “Die Hard” which were all great action flicks that defined the 1980s with energy. But there are some action movies from this time period that stick out like a sore thumb. And “Above the Law” from 1988 is no exception. This film basically shows you how to NOT make a good action film, but at same time you have to admire it for being stupid. And of course, launching the career of Steven Seagal. The movie stars Steven Seagal as Nico Toscani, a cop who used to work for the CIA and now works for the Chicago Police Department. He's rough and tough, but Nico has a dark side that does not want to get let out. One day, Nico stumbles upon a plot that involves terrorists from assassinating ...