Movie releases from 5/12/23

This week's movies were a super weak lineup and I almost didn't want to post my reviews. As a compromise, I put all three in one post in case something seems interesting.

Book Club: The Next Chapter

For a movie called Book Club, they barely read books in this movie. A brief montage at the beginning is all you get. I want more of a proper Golden Girls Book Club. Instead, we get an Italy tourism promotion with the stupidest small things to create conflict. The funniest jokes do happen in the final part of the movie but they are not really worth it. This is an unnecessary sequel that did nothing for the characters. This movie is not really worth the time.

Story - 12%

Characters - 13%

Pacing - 15%

Spectacle - 15%

Entertainment - 14%

Total score: 69%

Fool's Paradise

I feel like the best way to describe the movie is a satire on Hollywood and the LA lifestyle with a weird oldie but modern blend. It wasn’t terrible but it was mostly a mute character going from one lucky or unlucky break to the next. He is clueless but people just go along with it and so does he. It was a bit nonsensical and didn’t really say much in my opinion. If you like Ken Jeong, he is the best part of the movie as a broke actor rep. It had star power but lacked execution. Charlie Day did his best but needed some more meat.

Story - 15%

Characters - 16%

Pacing - 15%

Spectacle - 16%

Entertainment - 14%

Total score: 76%

Hypnotic

This is the most confusing concept I have seen since Tenet. Basically, there is a group of Professor Xs and they are looking for a girl who is the child of two hypnosis parents. It has twist after twist after twist. There is even a twist during the mid-credits that could set up the sequel. It is a good story but you are left questioning everything every time a curtain is pulled. The constant twists were what kept the movie interesting but that’s all it really has going for it. If you want a thriller that has endless “you thought” moments, then this is for you.

Story - 17%

Characters - 16%

Pacing - 17%

Spectacle - 19%

Entertainment - 17%

Total score: 86%

Grade scale:

90%-100% = must watch

80%-89% = solid, but could be better

70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you

60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons

0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here