Tag: RyanReynolds

Deadpool & Wolverine

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Everyone’s favorite anti-hero Deadpool is back and this time he’s teaming up with an unlikely ally. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has traded in his Deadpool life for something resembling normalcy after his break up with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). But when his timeline is threatened by new foe Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), Wade is coerced by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) of the TVA to suit up, find Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and save the world.

Fans have been waiting for this instalment for years and I’m happy to report that it totally delivered. Reynold’s sassy Deadpool mixed with Jackman’s grumpy Wolverine made for a match made in heaven. From their back and forth hijinks on social media to their natural chemistry on screen, I hope this isn’t the last time we see them together.

With any Deadpool movie, audiences can expect plenty of over the top action sequences, blood and gore. The opening number and the car fight in particular were especially entertaining. The writing was also strong and quippy with almost every single joke landing. There are also plenty of pop culture references, but they’re more blink and you’ll miss them.

One area in which the film suffered was its plot which was hard to follow at times. I’ve come to expect this from Marvel, however, as I often find it hard to keep track of everything that is happening. Luckily this didn’t take much away from my enjoyment and can even be considered a standalone for new potential fans.

It’s no secret that Marvel hasn’t quite been the same since Endgame. After quite a few fumbles, I think Deadpool and Wolverine is a step in the right direction for the franchise. There is a lot of fun to be had, with hilarious jokes, memorable characters and cameos galore. I also can’t forget to mention the outstanding soundtrack featuring hits from NSYNC, Madonna, and Avril Lavigne. For the first time in a long time, I’m feeling optimistic about the future of the MCU.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

IF

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John Krasinki is back in the director’s seat with a completely different type of film. Bea (Cailey Fleming) is going through a tough time. When she moves in with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw), she ends up befriending one of the upstairs neighbors named Cal (Ryan Reynolds). Cal is on a mission to reunite IFs, or imaginary friends, with new children as their old ones have grown up and forgotten about them. He enlists the help of Bea and together they embark on a magical adventure.

Where the film exceeds is in its casting. Fleming is a great pick for our protagonist. I’ve never seen her before, but her performance was endearing and relatable. Reynolds seems to dial it back a bit from his usual song and dance to give Fleming more of the spotlight. He’s still a very important player though and the two worked well together. For me it was the different voices that brought the IFs to life that I had fun discovering: Steve Carell as Blue, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Blossom, Louis Gossett Jr. as Lewis, Akwafina as Bubble, Emily Blunt as Unicorn, George Clooney as Spaceman, Bradley Cooper as Ice and many more.

Unfortunately there are some pacing issues that are evident throughout. Things take too long to get going in the beginning. There’s some groundwork that needs to be set up with the audience learning about Bea’s life which is fine, but I wanted more time with the IFs! I also felt like it wrapped up way too quickly in the end.

The moral of the story of getting back in touch with your inner child really spoke to me. I was one of those kids who had an imaginary friend and I could totally relate in that I don’t even remember who they are anymore. Just because you grow up doesn’t mean you don’t have to forget the parts of you that made you happy when you were younger. These sentiments really tugged at my heartstrings.

Overall IF was an enjoyable film that the whole family can enjoy. It will certainly resonate with children for the beloved friends they will meet along the way, but I think it is the adults who will get the most out of it. Though it may have gotten a bit muddled along the way, it is still worth checking out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Spirited

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We all know Charles Dickens’ classic story A Christmas Carol. A somewhat awful person is visited by the ghosts of past, present and future in hopes that they will learn from their mistakes and become a better person. Spirited is the modernized version. Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) is considered to be irredeemable; he doesn’t care what anybody thinks about him. But Present (Will Ferrell) wants to give Clint a chance to turn things around. And so begins a most magical adventure…

I feel like we’ve been waiting for Spirited to release for forever. It’s been sitting in the coming soon section of Apple TV+ all year long. Luckily it did not disappoint.

Although it took some time for me to become invested in the story, once I got there, it was all smooth sailing for me. I wanted to know why Clint was such an asshole and I doubted whether or not he really could change. It was such a breath of fresh air to have Reynolds play a different kind of character. The same can be said for Ferrell. He didn’t bother me like he usually does and his scenes with Reynolds were so entertaining.

The film would not be complete without Octavia Spencer. As Kimberly was a great addition not only as Clint’s work colleague, but also as a love interest for Present. I also loved seeing the different ghosts. I wish Past (Sunita Mani) had been featured more as I found her important to the story. Yet-To-Come (Loren G. Woods and Tracy Morgan respectively) was probably my favorite due to the fact that his looks and voice did not match whatsoever. And then of course there was Marley (Patrick Page) who audiences may remember from the original.

Turning this into a musical was a brilliant idea. The songs were catchy and the choreography exceptional. Combine the two with a Christmas backdrop and you have a winner. I may have been unsure about some of the actors’ singing talents, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, Spirited is a holiday treat for the whole family to enjoy. Despite the slow start, it really picks up and whisks you away for two hours. It has a good moral and some twists along the way that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

The Adam Project

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The Adam Project follows Adam Reed, (Ryan Reynolds) a fighter pilot from 2050 who accidentally crash lands in 2022 instead of 2018 while time traveling and stumbles upon his younger self (Walker Scobell). Together, they team up to find their father Louis (Mark Ruffalo), the creator of time travel and the only person who can stop his partner Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) from furthering altering the timeline forever.

I was under the impression that Ryan Reynolds was taking a break from acting, yet here we are. While he once again played another version of himself, I have to say that I wasn’t bothered by it this time around. His jokes were all on point. I also really loved the camaraderie he had with Walker Scobell. That young man has such a future ahead of him. He embodied everything about Reynolds and had it down to a T.

Unfortunately some of the other cast were underused. It would have been nice to have more scenes with Adam’s mom Ellie (Jennifer Garner) and his wife Laura (Zoe Saldana). I would have loved to know more about them.

Boasting plenty of CGI, fight scenes and time travel, The Adam Project is a fun film for the whole family to enjoy. It is very much what you see is what you get. It’s not something I will run back to watch anytime soon, but I appreciated it for what it was. The family dynamics added a little something extra that made it worth while.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Red Notice

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Red Notice follows FBI top profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) as he embarks on a mission to find some of the world’s most wanted. Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds), a renowned art thief, is trust into Hartley’s way, forcing the two of them to team up to find The Bishop (Gal Gadot), another art thief who is always one step ahead. On the hunt for Cleopatra’s eggs, Hartley and Booth will stop at nothing to get to them first, even if it means traveling the world, participating in some heists and having to put up with one another in the process.

My hopes for this film were high. How could they not be? Three of the most popular names in cinema right now star along side each other in this action adventure flick and I like them all individually. The chemistry between Johnson and Reynolds was exactly what I had anticipated while Gadot was great addition to the mix. My only problem with this trio was that once again, Reynolds was basically playing himself. I realized that this was the third movie I had seen him in this year and he really does tend to play the same type of character over and over again. While I do enjoy him as an actor, I also wouldn’t be mad if I didn’t see him in any projects in the coming year. I need a break.

I liked the storyline and thought the quest was interesting enough. There were some fun chase sequences and lots of twists along the way. The action was sort of lack lustre on the whole, however, and there was a bit too much predictability. I wish I had been caught off guard a few more times.

Netflix movies have mostly been full of misses lately and that makes me sad. I was really looking forward to Red Notice and while it was entertaining enough, my expectations weren’t really met. That being said, they set it up nicely for a sequel which I would still undoubtedly watch.

Rating: ♥♥. 5

Free Guy

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Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a bank teller who lives in Free City. Every day is the same and soon he starts to wonder – is there more to life? When he realizes that he is actually a background player in an open world video game, he takes matters into his own hands. Instead of playing it safe, Guy will become a hero.

One of my most anticipated movies of the year, the theatrical release of Free Guy had previously been impacted by the pandemic. I finally had the chance to watch it over the weekend and it truly was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

This is Ryan Reynolds at his absolute best and he did not let me down. The story was intricately planned out and executed, the special effects were brilliant and all the jokes had me laughing out loud.

The rest of the cast were so on point too. I have loved Jodie Comer since discovering her talent on Killing Eve and she was wonderful as coder Millie. After seeing her in this role, I hope she will go on to star in many more blockbuster hits. Joe Keery of Stranger Things fame was a pleasant surprise. Like Jodie, I hadn’t seen him in anything outside of the show that launched him to stardom. I enjoyed his characters Keys and thought he added something extra to the story. And then there was Taika Waititi who was outstanding as antagonist Antoine. He was both hilarious and over the top crazy which I got a kick out of.

Everything about Free Guy landed for me. It was such escapism and held my interest from the get-go. In addition to it being a ton of fun, it also has great morals and will surely leave you in a great mood.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5