John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Wick's got one more thing he's gotta do before he is square with The High Table and it's basically kill kill kill. Even though that's all the story there is for nearly THREE HOURS, the combat scenes are so inventive and well-shot that I didn't mind at all. 

The best of the four Wick films, in my opinion.

B+

Kneecap (2024)

A "mostly true" origin story for the Irish-language rap trio Kneecap. For the first two-thirds or so, I just assumed this was complete fiction. Then I looked up the band and found out it was a real thing -- but I still thought that these must be actors playing the band members because they are so natural and charismatic. Nope! Those are the band members themselves! And -- to further admit to my ignorance -- I had no idea that the Irish have a language of their own. And people say that movies are a waste of time...

Truly fun if a bit chaotic/confusing at times.

B

Gladiator (2000)

Caesar selects the loyal General Maximus  as his successor, which makes Caesar's unstable son Commodus less-than-happy so he murders Dad and takes over. To clip all the loose ends, he orders that Maximus & his family also be murdered, but it doesn't work out quite as he planned.

This was the third time I've seen this -- for some reason it never quite sticks in my mind. Yes, I remember the "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED" bellow and the incesty vibe of Commodus with his sister, but I'm also always on the edge of my seat as to what's going to happen. Definitely rousing entertainment though.

B+

Born Yesterday (1950)

DC reporter is hired by a garbage tycoon to smarten-up his girlfriend Billie so she'll fit in better with the bigwigs he's trying to influence. What the tycoon couldn't have foreseen is that the more she learns, the less satisfied she is with the status quo. His insults no longer roll off of her and she begins considering the morality of what he's up to.

This is a bit darker than I remembered -- more abusive. But what really stood out to me this time around was the lesson that "Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." This film is about 75 years old and tackles both fascism and the evil role of money in politics & here we are, all these years later, with the same old stories in news.

B-

Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)

The Bronx is facing gentrification, which is bad enough. But when a trio of friends discover that the  properties are being bought up by vampires, they decide to make like Blade & take 'em down.

It's way too light on both plot and innovation. It's neither scary nor funny enough.

C