Isle of Dogs is directed by Wes Anderson and stars Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Courtney B. Vance, Fisher Stevens, Harvey Keitel, Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, Frank Wood, Kunichi Nomura and Yoko Ono.

The film follows a young Japanese boy and a group of dogs searching for the boy’s lost dog on the trash island their species has been place.

As with any Wes Anderson film the visuals are as much a character in itself. Amplifying all the colors and creating frames worthy of appearing in museums. The stop motion animation also contributes to the beautiful look of the film. The detailing on not only the background but each and every dog, human and environment were typically extraordinary.

The voice cast is all on point in particular Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, and Liev Schreiber. I loved that due to the setting a large chunk of the dialogue is entirely in Japanese.

The story and tone are well done and the dry wit typically found in Wes Anderson films is once again at full force. The score and soundtrack are also a large part of the film, mostly Japanese artists and Alexandre Desplat providing a drum heavy sound. I found it slightly darker than most Wes Anderson films, which may put off some fans of the eccentric director.

The film does try to pull at emotional heartstrings and while it works for people like me who is a dog owner, it may alienate some viewers, who don’t think they earned it.

Isle of Dogs is a fun, weird and beautifully unique experience that’s sure to delight and fan of Wes Anderson, stop motion or adventure films.

Isle of Dogs gets a 4.7 out of 5.

Love, Simon is directed by Greg Berlanti and stars Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr, Keiynan Lonsdale and Tony Hale.

The film follows a young closeted gay man coming to terms with himself while struggling with a fellow classmate blackmailing him over emails exchanged with a secret pen pal.

The cast is all good. Nick Robinson especially, who’ve I’ve been a fan of since his role as the lead in Kings of Summer. He’s very believable in the role of Simon and brings it in both the comedic moments and the serious ones. Katherine Langford and Alexandra Shipp, Keiynan Lonsdale and Jorge Lendeborg Jr, who portray Simon’s best friends and share beautiful chemistry with Robinson. Garner and Duhamel, play Simon’s parents and give great performances in small roles.

The story has so much heart. It hits many of the same beats that coming of age dramas have hit since the beginning of the genre but the film definetly gives a unique and special perspective on teen angst, young love and acceptance. The humor is well done and the message is truly a beautiful one. It has a great John Hughes feel, which given his importance to the genre is greatly appreciated. Music also adds to the heart and impact to the story and tone of the whole picture.

Love, Simon is a great addition to the coming of age genre, creating a great story for this new age.

Love, Simon gets a 4.5 out of 5.

Game Night is directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and stars Jason Bateman, Rachael McAdams, Lamorne Morris, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall and Kyle Chandler.

The film follows a group of friends who come together every week to play board games as they become wrapped up a in a kidnapping plot, they believe to be staged, that turns real very quick.

I remember watching the trailer for this film last year and almost immediately loving the concept as well as the cast and boy oh boy was this a fun movie.

The cast is all really good with particular props going to Bateman, McAdams, Plemons and Chandler. All of them use their natural talents they’re known for to amplify their characters. Particularly Plemons who I thought at first was going to prove rather annoying but ended up possibly being my favorite character. The chemistry between the various leads is all well done and feels so very genuine.

The humor was just as breakneck as the pacing in the film with Bateman’s razor sharp deadpan being complemented nicely back the wacky personalities he’s around. Never once does the film seem to rely on the troupes of recent comedies and the grossout humor many in the genre seem reliant on now.

The story is so simple and plays on that fact. Yet the movie has some great twists although at times there seem to be one too many. Fantastic camera work is never something one looks for or even finds in and R-Rated comedy but this movie is gorgeous to look at.

Game Night is a fast paced, hilarious romp that is definitely worth a watch.

Game Night gets a 4 out 5.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is directed by Ron Howard and is the second of the Star Wars spin off stories. Solo stars Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover, Thadie Newton, Jon Faverau, and Paul Bettany.

Avengers: Infinity War, the 19th installment of the MCU and the culmination of 10 years of build up, is directed by the Russo brothers and stars an ensemble cast consisting of but not limited to Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Pratt, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillen, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper, Paul Bettany, and Letitia Wright.

When Thanos begins to collect the Infinity Stones; the Avengers, Doctor Strange, the Black Panther and the Guardians of the Galaxy must unite to stop the Mad Titan and his henchmen before he destroys half the universe.

After 6 years of Thanos buildup and 10 years in the world, all of the separate franchises in the MCU converge and in a word: it’s beautiful.

If I seem vague about things it’s only because I want to keep the mystery and surprise of this film alive for all of you.

The cast is all amazing and every little group had great chemistry together. However the standouts were Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt, Zoë Saldana, Chris Hemsworth, Downey Jr and of course Josh Brolin as the Mad Titan Thanos! Brolin’s portrayal of Thanos is remarkable. He’s the perfect Marvel villain and truly lives up to the years of hype and build-up. While his methods are horrifying, the story helps you sympathise with Thanos and I loved that. The breathtaking CGI used for him captured every detail of the performance and that helped amplify the character.

The CGI on the other characters like the Black Order and the Hulk were really well done. The ridiculously high stakes were felt and were paid of in incredible emotional and well framed moments. Character interactions were all really cool and my favorite interaction (again this isn’t a spoiler) was that of Stark and Dr. Strange. It was really cool how flawlessly the Russo brothers captured and combined every tone of the different franchises in a way that never felt forced or unnatural.

The story moves between a few different locations and while every location has its own unique feel and tone, it never feels choppy or uneven. The script has alot to do with that, it gives every character something to do and treats them with respect for the history that has come before. The music also shifts and has tones of the past themes for the different franchises united in the film. The action sequences are also remarkable.

I think, if I were to have any cons, it would be initially one character used took me out of the film briefly and I can understand those who felt a few characters, while given great moments, were slightly underused. Neither of these things bothered me long enough to deter from my immense enjoyment of this film.

I cannot wait to watch this movie again and again. It’s a visually stunning, emotional, epic, and surprising masterpiece that works so perfectly and blends so many characters together.

Avengers: Infinity War gets a 4.9 out of 5.

Hey readers,

So as life happens, it has gotten in the way. My movie/TV viewing has continued much as it had before, but I hadn’t had the time to write much of my thoughts down. After I post this I’ll be posting my thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War as well as working on a lot more to post on this page.

Thanks all.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri is directed by Martin McDonough and stars Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes and Clark Peters.

The film follows the mother of a slain young woman who, frustrated with the inaction around the case, harasses the local police to spur them on and solve the case.

I’ve followed films from Martin McDonough for a few years now ever since catching his film “In Bruges” on Netflix. I love his unique style of film making so I was really excited for this film. The story is great and the best thing this about Martin McDonough films is you generally have no idea where the story is gonna go in the first viewing but on second or third views there are great elements of foreshadowing.

Thanks for joining me! I’ve had a deep love for TV and film, as well as other media, for years and it’s always been a dream of mine to be able to share my thoughts and opinions with the world. So please, follow and continue reading.

Thanks,

Erik, the Movie Guy

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton