Movie Reviews

Hoppers – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2026 film Hoppers.

Story

The first three quarters of the movie felt a lot like an older environmental movie (Fern Gully etc.) but the last part added a lot to the message and was something I hadn’t seen before.

Score: 1

Characters

Everyone does a great job acting and the characters are good. I found the main character acted younger than her age and the maniacal Titus was a little on the nose.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

There’s a lot of great quotes and a lot of resonating messages. The kindness and love shown by George is wonderful and refreshing.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The animation is stunning and the use of the camera is excellent. I really appreciate the characters’ changes depending on who is perceiving them.

Score: 1

Fun

There are some laugh out loud moments and lots of good stuff in this movie. The kids loved it and so did the adults.

Score: 1

Overall

Another excellent story from Pixar that will make you laugh and cry in turn. The message of co-operation and seeing the best in people is deeply needed in today’s world.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay.

Story

This felt like a middle grade book from the early nineties. The twists of the mystery are simple but satisfying and the overall ecological message is solid. It’s definitely aimed at a younger audience.

Score: 1

Characters

I liked the characters on their own and when they got along but the fighting between the girls was frustrating. One of those, “Just talk to each other!” type of things.

The villain was well hidden and a lot of the secondary characters were very likeable.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Some of the dialogue was very young but overall it was okay.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The setting was spectacular and it elevated everything. The camera work was solid and the use of shadows was great.

The music was kinda bland but still did it’s job

Score: 0.5

Fun

The whole family liked it and we’ll probably watch it again. Loved the queer representation and acceptance.

Score: 1

Overall

A solid middle grade story with plenty of beautiful scenery and good acting to make it worth everyones while.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Shotgun Wedding – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film Shotgun Wedding.

Story

A classic “Die Hard” style story with a fighting couple that borders on enemy to lovers. The plot is simple and only complicated by bad decisions.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The cast is fabulous and the characters wonderfully flawed. I like that they had no combat training and survived by luck and a little skill.

They did make a lot of really foolish decisions, and at times it felt forced.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue is cheesy and fun with lots of quips. It is really frustrating how much of the dialogue happens where the bad guys should hear them.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The location was beautiful and the costuming was amazing and consistent. The camera work was good and steady.

The music was okay and did a good job of punctuating when the dialogue was dangerous and when it was just exposition.

Score: 1

Fun

It was a lot of fun to watch, even with the frustrations of poor character decisions.

Score: 1

Overall

A solidly written homage to Die Hard with a wedding twist. The characters have no idea what they’re doing in combat or love but by the end they find both.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Rise of the Guardians – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2012 film Rise of the Guardians.

Story

A fun twist on the reluctant hero story with a better lineup than the Avengers. The story is fresh while still using standard superhero tropes. The worldbuilding is amazing.

Score: 1

Characters

Each of the characters had unique feel and character motivations. The actors did a great job, really throwing themselves into it. Even with a larger cast there was a lot of character development for all of them except Sandy.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Very quippy, funny, and isn’t afraid of being serious at the same time.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The animation has aged fairly well, there are some lighting issues and a few less smooth sections but it’s still very pretty.

The music is phenomenal and worth listening to if you ever need to get pumped up.

Score: 1

Fun

I saw this in theatres and loved it. This was the kids’ first time and they were glued to the screen. Everyone had a great time.

Score: 1

Overall

A classic animated film that has more heart and goes way harder than it needed to. The acting, writing, and music make this a family favourite and an all around fun movie.

Final Score: 5 Stars out of 5*

*A 5 star review doesn’t mean the movie was perfect nor that it is perfect for everyone but it is a movie I believe is as close to perfect as possible.

Cold Storage – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2026 film Cold Storage.

Story

A combination between zombie and disaster movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It strikes the perfect balance between expected plot and surprise twists.

Score: 1

Characters

I like that for once it’s the guy who’s overly talkative and a little bit of a mess. The girl is grounded and clever while still being dangerously curious.

Liam Neeson was extremely entertaining as the elderly expert that no one listens to until it’s too late.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue was fast, quippy, and smart. It managed to move the plot forward and create character development even while being sarcastic and funny.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The movie was gory, gross, and over the top, but it was well shot and interesting. Despite the dark locations, it was always clear.

The music was a little underdone and didn’t add much.

Score: 0.5

Fun

I love smart and quippy movies and this was a great horror/end of the world movie. It was cheesy but oddly believable. I watched it on my own and enjoyed it a lot. I’ll probably watch it again.

Score: 1

Overall

A terrifying, funny, and fascinating film. Filled with quips, gore, and Liam Neeson being awesome. More than worth a watch for horror fans.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Boss Level  – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2020 film Boss Level.

Story

A hyper violent time loop story. I’m surprised there aren’t more than a few of these. The story was good and unfolded well but felt like the character development wasn’t as extreme as most time loop movies. The ending felt like the screenwriters got stuck and couldn’t think of anything better.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The main character is likeable and trying really hard to pretend to be a dick. The interactions and emotion with his son are the best part of the movie.

The rest of the cast does a great job but most of them are very cartoonish.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The narration was fantastic and the snappy dialogue was a lot of fun. Again, the dialogue between the main character and his son make the movie.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The action was great, the cinematography passable, and the special effects were well done.

The music was perfect for the film.

Score: 1

Fun

I watched this one on my own and there are so many fun moments but the ending was so bad it made me enjoy the movie less.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A run of the mill time loop movie where the action and character drama are fantastic but the story and ending are mediocre.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

The Carmilla Movie – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2017 film The Carmilla Movie.

Story

A sequel to the 3.5 seasons of the web show Carmilla. It does a good job of recapping what happened, but it’s quick. I think someone who hasn’t watched the show would be confused.

The story itself is interesting and really uses the locations well. It felt like a shorter version of the show.

Score: 1

Characters

The characters, even after five years, acted the same and retained the character growth from the show. The new characters were nice but didn’t have much screen time.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue was flippant and irreverent, just like the show. I particularly appreciated the sound mixing since I didn’t have subtitles.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The visuals were obviously a large improvement from a webcam-based story and were well thought out. The locations, particularly the manor house, were beautiful.

The music was okay but felt lacking at some points.

Score: 0.5

Fun

This really is a love letter to the fans and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Score: 1

Overall

The movie is a lot of fun for those that already have a nostalgic love of the show. If you haven’t watched it, you won’t get as much out of the movie. (Go watch the show.)

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

The Princess Diaries – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2001 film The Princess Diaries.

Story

This was an interesting take on the My Fair Lady trope but without the bet. I like that the love interest is secondary but the angst and teen drama is still just as cringy as it was two decades ago.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The characters are fairly true to life for the teens while still being caricatures in a good way. It really reminds me of the early aughts.

The Queen is amazing and Joseph is absolutely perfect.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Quippy, fun, memorable, and most of all, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The cinematography is good and the framing done well. The colours feel muted a little but that could be Disney+.

The music is excellent and supports the action.

Score: 1

Fun

This movie always makes me uncomfortable and then happy. The kids liked it and the rest of the family have loved it for years.

Score: 0.5

Overall

This is a classic movie with all the teenage angst of the early 2000’s. Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews are iconic and it’s a lot of fun to revisit these characters with my kids.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Fear Street: Prom Queen – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Fear Street: Prom Queen.

Story

The story plays out like a mediocre R. L. Stine novel without the creative deaths or any form of tension. The twist was spoiled part way through and copied from Scream.

Score: 0

Characters

Most of the characters were cardboard cutouts of 80’s slasher movies or teen dramas. The main character was interesting and I did like the gender swap of the lovesick friend.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was decent if a little over the top. Some really cringy moments. It also felt like the villains had very little originality, and it would have been nice if someone had pointed that out.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The cinematography, gore, and overall camera work were great. Not too much shaky-cam. Some of the deaths were a little predictable and lacked the Stine flare.

The music was good, especially the soundtrack.

Score: 0.5

Fun

Even though I’m not a huge fan of the movie, it was fun in its predictability. It’s nostalgic, has a few Easter eggs for the other movies, and is an okay slasher.

Score: 1

Overall

A fun slasher with lots of nostalgia, both for Fear Street and the 80s. It’s not original and falls flat, but it’s a good time.

Final Score: 2.5 Stars out of 5