Minions (PG)

My Rating: 40%
The Rotten Tomatoes: 54%
Audience Rating: 51%

Don't let this cute movie poster fool you into watching this movie. Because believe me, it wasn't worth it.

Oh yeah. It was bad. It was REALLY bad. Not as bad as my experience with watching The Visit... but it came pretty close. To be honest, I don't even know why I went to see this movie. I had a feeling it was going to be bad from the start. But, as always, I was roped in my my little brother, so... yeah. I saw this movie. By the end of the film, even my brother regretted going. And when my eight-year-old brother doesn't like a minions-themed movie... that's when you know it's bad.

Why was this movie so bad? Well, first of all, this movie shouldn't have been made in the first place. I get that they made it because the minions were so popular, but there was nothing to go off of.  I mean, the whole movie is about (caution, spoilers ahead) the minions just running around trying to find a new master, until they eventually find a woman named Scarlet Overkill. And that just doesn't last long and then... well to be honest, I don't know what happens! The story jumps all over the place! You think you're watching one movie at one point, and then a totally different movie with a totally different plot line at another point! Nothing makes any sense in this movie.

I don't really know what else to say... I guess the reason I still gave this movie a 40% is because it did have some moments that made me laugh. They had a nice mix of jokes for small children and jokes that only adults or older people would understand. Some people are bothered by this, but I never understand why. When adults are dragged with their children to a kid's movie, they don't want to just be bored to death. I think it's always nice to have at least one thing to like about the movie. And this was the only thing that I'm guessing adults did like, if they even liked anything at all.

They should have just kept the original Despicable Me movies. Those films were pretty good. Minions just seems like a knockoff film to those original movies, and in truth, it was! The only reason people thought this movie would be a good idea is because people really liked the minions from the original movies, like I said earlier. But I imagine everyone who watched this movie then decided the minions weren't that interesting. This movie just ruined the simple, cute experience of the minions for everyone.

The Peanuts Movie (G)

My Rating: 80%
The Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Audience Rating: 84%

I had to see this movie! It's Peanuts! I mean, the Peanuts comic strips and movies are classics. I always loved watching the holiday movies, like "It's Christmas Charlie Brown" during the holidays. These characters were just so... real. It was always fun to watch. So when I found out they were going to make an actual Peanuts themed movie, I just knew I had to watch it, and see what they decided to do. And it turned out... pretty good!

Basically the movie is about Charlie Brown finding a way to tell a little red-haired girl the he likes her. He thinks that he keeps embarrassing himself in the process, but he doesn't realize that he ends up showing many admirable qualities. This movie is so cute. Just the way that it's played out makes it such a delightful and adorable story about being who you are. There's also a fun side story with Snoopy that's also a nice addition to the movie.

This movie just has such a pleasant atmosphere around it, and it captures reality, and what usually happens in the real world. There's nothing magical or strange about it, like what Peanuts usually is. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from all that, and realize what actually happens. It's so simple. Everything about this movie is so simple, and, well... cute!

I mean, just look at this poster! It's adorable!!! :D

Another fun thing about this movie is that they actually put elements from all the other original movies into this movie! So if you've seen the other movies you will totally recognize the references to the other movies, because they don't make them subtle. Which I think is good. This movie was made by the original creator of Peanuts' son. So I imagine he loved putting the original movies into this one, big movie. If I had to say one thing I didn't care for, it's the animation style. But I get it. I don't think many people really wanted it to be the original animation style. It might just be me. I don't know.

The thing with Peanuts is, I don't know if it will ever be forgotten. It's just such a big part of everything now. It was interesting now to see a modern take on it, but here's the thing. Although this movie was fun and really adorable, this movie will probably not be remembered as long as the original Peanuts films. That's why I only gave this movie an 80%. It's very easy to soon forget after you watch it. Even if you don't want to forget it... it's just one of those movies you won't remember, you know? Unfortunate, but true. It doesn't really have any memorable qualities. That's all I really have to say about that. Even though I did like the movie. And the trailer is... you guessed it- adorable! :D

Spectre (PG-13)

My Rating: 85%
The Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
Audience Rating: 67%

The James Bond series has done it again! Another amazing movie filled with adventure, romance, and thrills. These movies have it all. Especially this movie, Spectre. I am a big James Bond fan, and I've seen all the movies with my family. Spectre had pieces of all the old movies hidden inside it, and that was really cool to recognize the references to the old movies, while still keeping the movie really modern.

I love this picture for the movie, because it's so simple. And I am a very strong believer in less is more.

Here is a quick, spoiler-free summary of the movie. After infiltrating a secret meeting of infamous criminals, James Bond discovers the existence of an evil organization that went by the name of Spectre. He goes to the daughter of his old nemesis for aid in his mission to stop Spectre, and he realizes that there is a really chilling connection between himself and the ultimate enemy he seeks.

This movie has all the action that every James Bond movie has in it. Car chases, gun fights, fist fights... yeah, it's pretty awesome. And a lot of people were excited to watch this movie, because this movie made a ton of money. In fact, the only James Bond movie that made more money than this one was Skyfall. And as you might know, Skyfall was huge. If I were to compare this movie to Skyfall... yeah, I would say Skyfall was better. But that doesn't mean this movie wasn't amazing, because it was.

If you're new to all this James Bond stuff... well then, I don't know what to tell you. There are a LOT of James Bond movies that were made. I'm not saying that you have to watch all the other movies before watching this one, because you can totally just start by watching this one, no problem. But there are a ton of references to the other movies that you might not get. And if you have seen the other movies, that's awesome! You will totally love watching this movie and seeing all the references to the old movies.

Some people don't know this, so I will say this in case you didn't know. This movie is actually before the first James Bond movie in the timeline. So as far as the story goes, this movie comes first before all of the other old movies. I think it's pretty cool that they designed it like that. At the end of the movie, he gets a car that he has in the very first movie, so that was cool to see it connect with the first movie like that.

So overall, this movie was great to watch. I feel like I could watch this movie again, because it's one of those movies that you can just... watch again, I guess. But before watching the movie, I recommend watching the trailer. Unless you totally want to be unaware with what's going on when you watch the movie. But if that was true, you probably wouldn't be reading my review right now... Ok I'm just going to end it here. Bye!!!

The Martian (PG-13)

My Rating: 90%
The Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Audience Rating: 93%

Oh my goodness gracious this was one of the most stressful movies I have ever seen! In a good way! ...Yeah, I'll explain. I am TERRIFIED of space. It's so hard to comprehend how big the universe is. Earth is safe. Earth is good. Space is terrifying. Getting abandoned on another planet that doesn't support human life? Yeah, I'm just going to say this now. If I was the person left behind, I would die the first day/sol. That's just... uuuhhhhhhgggggh. The only other movie that stressed me out more than this one was Gravity. And if you've seen that movie, you know what I mean. That was... that was...
.............eeeeeeehhhhhhhh.

 ANYWAYS! Enough about me, maybe I should just talk about the actual movie!!!! Yaaaaaay... *sigh...* This movie was amazing. The way he handled so many tough situations... I mean, this guy never gave up. Like I would have. He took a deep breath, and always focused on the current problem. And he faced a LOT of problems. The way this movie just turned out made it so incredibly moving, you started caring so much about this guy's life and well-being. The feeling you get makes this movie feel so realistic.

Now for a short summary of the movie. A group of astronauts were sent on a mission to explore Mars, but they were cut short when a huge storm hit. One astronaut, Mark Watney, was hit with a satellite and presumed dead, so the rest of the group left Mars without him. And yes, you guessed it. He actually wasn't dead. With limited resources, Watney must find a way to survive on a planet that doesn't support life, while NASA tried to find a way to bring him home.

This movie was so incredibly moving. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen, mostly because of a combination of how amazing it was combined with how stressed out I was. I think about 3/4 of the way through the movie I had to go to the bathroom, and I just... couldn't leave. I literally could not stop watching this movie. It was just... wow, so amazing. Personally though, I wouldn't watch this movie again. It's one of those one-time deals. I feel like all the magic would be gone if I watched it again.

Overall, this movie was beautiful and so moving. And it really makes you think. Always solve the current problem, don't worry about bigger problems you need to solve later on. Because this might just save your life... Even though that is EXACTLY what I would do. I would NOT survive because I am terrible with stressful situations... but this movie really makes you think. But ultimately, this movie was crazy stressful and there were many moments that I was about to fall out of my seat and make a complete fool of myself. So... yep. Great movie. :D

Watch the trailer here.

Photo ad for the movie. I got it here.

Hotel Transylvania 2 (PG)

My Rating: 65%
The Rotten Tomatoes: 51%
Audience Rating: 73%

Okay, before you think of judging me for watching a kid's movie, in my defense I had to go with my younger brother, who's eight. So shush. It wasn't as terrible as I thought it was going to be though. I thought the first movie was actually really clever, but usually sequels do not live up to the expectations. Why? Because the idea isn't that original anymore. So it's usually just something you've already seen. That's what this movie mostly felt like.

I will now give a brief description of the movie. (without spoilers, of course) Dracula just opened up his hotel to humans, and everything is going really great. Until he realizes that his grandson could have the possibility of not becoming a vampire, like him and Mavis, but just stay human, like Johnny. When Mavis and Johnny take a trip away from the hotel, Dracula must prove, with the help of his monster friends, that his grandson Dennis is a vampire. And the only way to find out is to see if Dennis will ever get vampire fangs.

I thought the overall plot of the movie didn't really have much going on. Although knowing the audience the movie is directed to, I know I may be sounding a little picky. As far as my little brother, he loved the movie. Of course. But I will say that there are moments in the film that are funny, and there are some jokes added in that younger children wouldn't understand, but older people would. I'm pretty sure those jokes are only put there so the teenagers or parents that have to come with younger children to these movies won't get... well, I think the best way of saying it is BORED TO DEATH. (Get it? Death? Monsters? Undead vampires? .....*sigh*)

All things considering, I thought the movie was cute. I mean, did you see Dennis, Dracula's grandson? So adorable! And it was nice to see all the original monsters working together again in this movie, like the first one. This movie never really has any crazy moments in it, (like that can stress you out and stuff) but again, it's a children's movie.

All in all, this movie was fine. I loved going because I knew my brother would love it. For me, it's just one of those movies you go to for another person. Unless there are some younger children reading my blog. If you are young, then you will love this movie! Because although the plot didn't have much going on, it's a nice experience for children. It's cute.

Watch the trailer here.

A photo ad for the movie. I got the picture here.

The Visit (PG-13)

My Rating: 35%

The Rotten Tomatoes: 62%

Audience Rating: 57%

This movie could be summed up in one word. Disappointing. This movie was described as a Thriller/Horror. If this movie is an example of Thriller/Horror, then the whole world must have gone soft. When I first heard of the movie, I basically heard it was about kids visiting their creepy grandparents. The idea around it sounded good, but the overall concept wasn't delivered well in the film.

I'm going to give a brief description of the movie, without spoilers. Two children, brother and sister, leave their mom so they can spend a week at their grandparents house, who've they never met or seen before. All is well for them until they notice strange things happening to their grandparents as night falls. Upon closer examination of the issue, the two of them learn a dangerous secret that may not let them leave alive.

To be honest, I was never a fan of Thriller/Horror movies, and really the only reason I went to this one was because my friend desperately wanted to see it, and none of her friends wanted to go. So yes, I decided to go with her. (After much persuasion) Also, the movie was only rated PG-13, so I thought it wouldn't be that scary. And man, was I right. The entire movie you expect something scary to happen, and it really never does. They set it up so you think you know it's coming, and nothing comes. I would have preferred the movie to at least live up to it's title of a Thriller/Horror movie. At the end of the film, you just have a feeling of disappointment, because nothing memorable happened.

This movie is the type of movie that you forget about in a couple days. There were not really any plot twits, and the movie itself just dragged on. I always thought: Ok, nothing happened on this day, but it has to happen tomorrow, or tonight. Nope. Never happened. Like I said, disappointing. To be fair, I should have known from the start it wasn't going to be this hardcore horror movie. It's only rated PG-13 and many people also describe it as a Horror/Comedy. Why is that even a thing??? Comedy does not have any place in a horror movie! It just... doesn't work!

I do have one positive-ish thing to say. If you are someone who doesn't really know if watching a horror movie is a good idea (based on personal preference) then this movie is definitely one I would recommend. The fact that nothing scary really ever happens (even though it kind of happens... occasionally) can help you compare to other horror movies. You can see the difference between a horror movie rated PG-13, and one rated R. As i found out, it's quite the leap.

Overall, I must say that this movie was just... boring. And of course, disappointing. People watch these movies to be scared, and it just didn't deliver that. And let me remind you that I'm not into scary movies in the first place. So if I think it's not that bad, then you DEFINITELY know it's not that bad. Also I do want to add that I know there was an original movie, made a while ago. I have not watched that one, and I don't know how it compares to this one. Honestly, after this experience, I don't think I ever want to find out.

Watch the trailer for this movie here.
(By personal opinion, the trailer was scarier than the movie. That's right.)

The photo ad for the movie. Found it here.

The Scorch Trials (PG-13)

My Rating: 90%

Rotten Tomatoes: 50%

Audience Rating: 67%

To start off, I'm just going to say now that The Scorch Trials was one of the best movies I've probably ever seen. This movie was very much an action-packed thriller that always had me on the edge of my seat. Like The Maze Runner, this film had its fill of narrow escapes and plot twists that constantly changed the fate of the group of boys and Theresa, the only girl in the group. Honestly, every time they found themselves in a tough situation where they could die, I held my breath until they were safe again.

Before I go on, I'm going to give a brief description of the movie. (Some spoilers from THE MAZE RUNNER, but NOT from The Scorch Trials, so read at your own risk...of spoilers) After escaping the maze, Thomas gets transported to a safer location with his friends. But after they learn a terrible secret, they escape to The Scorch, a deserted, barren land crawling with diseased, zombie-like "people" that constantly put Thomas and his friends in extremely dangerous situations. They have one mission, and that's to find a group called "The Right Hand," which could be people that can help them be rid of the group they escaped from, known as WCKD.

I would have to say this genre of movie is one of my favorites (action/thriller) so if you don't really like that type of movie, I definitely don't recommend this movie for you. But if you're like me, who loves cringing at near-death experiences and watching zombies (yes, zombies) jump out at they most unlikely of times, then I DEFINITELY recommend this movie to you. It does have a PG-13 rating, so there are parts that I guess are a bit scarier... but it's really not that bad. Just really, really, REALLY intense, which, let's be honest, is awesome!!!

I will also point out that there were times in the movie where it slightly dragged on, mainly in the beginning. But this was most likely to balance out with moments that were, well, a little more crazy. Once you get into the movie, you seriously won't care about the beginning anymore, because of everything that goes on later. But of course, this is just my point of view.

Overall, The Scorch Trials would be a movie that I would want to see again. And again. And again. I seriously don't understand why The Rotten Tomatoes only gave this movie a 50%, but I guess... To each his own. And also a side note: If you saw The Maze Runner and wasn't a huge fan of it, I understand. But The Scorch Trials (In my opinion) was 10 TIMES BETTER than that one. It's so rare that a sequel is better than the original, but in this case, it was.

Want to see the trailer? Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-44_igsZtgU

Here's a photo ad for the movie.
Link to photo: http://maxcdn.dardarkom.com/files/uploads/14432331622.jpg