Celewa Reviews

Eternals (2021)

B- (high 6). October 21' @Regal

[7/10 · 30 March 2022]

Character driven rather than story driven. A bit long for what it is but its character dynamics are great. Solid action sequences. Felt like a solid script. Screenplay way too convenient too often which can be a bit distracting.

The Batman (2022)

A- (flat 9). March 22' @Regal

[9/10 · 7 March 2022]

Spectacular direction that truly captures the essence of the character. Performances are subtle and quiet but land a punch. Pattison embodies Batman. Gotham feels real. Surprisingly well-paced for a film with this long of a runtime. Engrossing score. Gets better with every viewing.

Belle (2021)

C+ (flat 6). January 22' @Regal

[6/10 · 6 March 2022]

Spectacular visuals and animation but narrative is disjointed, particularly in the latter half of the film. Set up and themes don't quite land. Weak story.

Licorice Pizza (2021)

B (mid 7). December 21' @Regal

[7/10 · 6 March 2022]

Doesn't really have a plot and operates as a hangout film. Good acting and cinematography. Some good moments mixed with many where you're left where the narrative is trying to go. Doesn't quite pack the punch with it's message.

Nightmare Alley (2021)

B+ (flat 8). December 21' @Regal

[8/10 · 6 March 2022]

Hooks the audience from the very first scene. Strong visuals and performances. Uneven third act with pacing issues. Leaves a lasting impression. Runtime is a bit too long.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

A- (high 8). December 21' @Regal

[9/10 · 6 March 2022]

Follows exactly how you would beat-by-beat but damn is it spectacular. Well made film with solid performances all around. Emotionally driven arcs that have been culminating for years. Pays off. This is a must watch again as soon as you can. Nothing in particular that sticks out poorly. Maybe some spotty CGI here and there but otherwise really well done.

Encanto (2021)

B- (high 6). December 21' @Regal

[7/10 · 6 March 2022]

Really solid direction and animation but voice acting seemed a bit off with the animation. Something felt missing in the overall narrative. Solid musical numbers for the most part. Narrative is a bit contrived.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

C+ (high 5). November 21' @Regal

[6/10 · 6 March 2022]

Enjoyable and familiar elements that sometimes work and sometimes miss. Felt by the numbers. Perhaps too many nostalgia-fueled moments to the point where it never creates its own identity.

Dune (2021)

A- (high 8). October 21' @Regal

[9/10 · 5 March 2022]

Story and character driven film. Phenomenal direction, cinematography, score, acting. Strong film all around. Perhaps ends a bit on a cliffhanger like a TV show but in a good way.

No Time to Die (2021)

B- (flat 7). October 21' @Regal

[7/10 · 5 March 2022]

Great cinematography. Some good moments here and there. Too thin of a narrative and story makes for a questionable runtime. Weak and uninspired villain.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

B+ (flat 8). September 21' @Regal

[8/10 · 3 March 2022]

Strong camerawork, especially during action sequences. Action sequences are engaging and creative. Very little bloat with narrative.. Excellent score and sound design. Awkwafina can be hit-and-miss but she fits nicely into the film. Solid heartfelt moments. Strong performances all around. Marvel formula at play but things felt fresh. Strong, fleshed out villain performance and presence.

Candyman (2021)

C+ (flat 6). August 21' @Regal

[6/10 · 3 March 2022]

Thematically intriguing and viscerally entertaining, but clunky and lacking in execution. Focus is all over the place. Didn't feel particularly invested in the characters. Solid performances. Promising first act and to an extent the second act but underwhelming execution in the third. Heavy handed messaging.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

C+ (high 5). October 21' @Regal

[6/10 · 3 March 2022]

Extraordinarily dumbed down script and pacing. Should perhaps have established and built on the relationship between Eddy and Venom. Decent action sequences.

The Night House (2020)

B- (high 6). August 21' @Regal

[7/10 · 3 March 2022]

Another one of those films with some interesting and unique concepts packed in a viscerally engaging atmosphere but ultimately runs into the same problem of not landing its core messages as hard as it could have. Solid performances.

Free Guy (2021)

B- (high 6). August 21' @Regal

[7/10 · 3 March 2022]

Charming and fun film. Simple narrative that would be easy to mess up but they make it pretty darn cohesive. Solid action sequences and romcom elements. Some moments and sequences that are obnoxious and do not particularly work.

Jungle Cruise (2021)

C (flat 5). August 21' @Regal

[5/10 · 3 March 2022]

Does a little bit of everything. Feels very by the numbers... a checklist type of film. Very watchable but needs a shorter runtime. Decent CGI backdrops and animals but questionable CGI towards the end.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

B+ (flat 8). August 21' @Regal

[8/10 · 3 March 2022]

Lots of gags and ideas thrown there that work for the most part but quite a few misses. Really solid writing and direction. Narratively a bit loose and could be tighter and more engrossing. A lot of the story is compromised in order for a gag setup.

Black Widow (2021)

C+ (flat 6). July 21' @Regal

[6/10 · 3 March 2022]

Solid action sequences and moments that are bogged down by a mediocre story. Unfocused narrative. Too many ideas thrown in with little to no depth to them. No payoff.

In the Heights (2021)

B+ (flat 8). June 21' @Regal

[8/10 · 3 March 2022]

Joyous and vibrant. Musical numbers are solid. Somewhat sluggish narratively at times but should pack an emotional punch for most. Overly long runtime that could be trimmed down.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

C (flat 5). December 20' @AMC

[5/10 · 23 February 2021]

Incredibly lazy and convoluted storytelling. Massive narrative issues. Poorly written villain but strong performance. Well shot. Some nice moments here and there. Action sequences feel lackluster and by the numbers. Awful pacing. Scenes feel inconsequential.

Monster Hunter (2020)

D+ (low 3). December 20' @AMC

[3/10 · 22 February 2021]

Terrible pacing. Choppy editing. Jarring story structure. Slightly entertaining at times.

The New Mutants (2020)

C (flat 5). October 20' @AMC

[5/10 · 22 February 2021]

Feels different than other films in this genre. Never really commits to the horror aspect which is disappointing. Runtime felt short. Some out of place CGI. Distracting accents. Watchable.

Tenet (2020)

B- (flat 7). March 20' @AMC

[7/10 · 22 February 2021]

Interesting premise that doesn't feel realized. Visually stunning and some nice sequences. A lot of the runtime and dialogue is dedicated towards explaining things. Heavy exposition dumps. Characters feel like plot devices and narrative lacks a lot of focus. Payoff isn't quite there.

Emma. (2020)

C+ (high 5). March 20' @AMC

[6/10 · 22 February 2021]

Interesting ideas and executed well for the most part. Narratively uneventful. Well shot and good costume design. Characters are somewhat unlikeable and difficult to connect with.

Onward (I) (2020)

B- (high 6). March 20' @AMC

[7/10 · 22 February 2021]

Art direction is interesting. Voice acting is strong. Narratively disjointed at times. Some tonal and pacing issues here and there. Difficult to connect with the characters and their plight. Adventure aspect is lackluster. Good payoff.