Monday, November 16, 2020

Bill & Ted Face the Music

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In case you haven’t seen the intro from my entry dated 1/26/19 (it’s in my archives whenever you want to read it), I’m no longer going to review every single movie I see.  I’m going to review one, with the occasional bonus, and just give ratings for the rest from now on (unless I decide to pick it up again in the future).  You can always ask me why I gave the ratings for the films without reviews though (via comments or the e-mail addresses under the ‘About Me’ section).
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Bill & Ted Face the Music                                          G
I can say I’m a fan of Bill & Ted.  I like the first two films, Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey, the latter being my favorite of the two despite many disagreeing with me; hey, I thought Bogus Journey had one of the best cinematic representations of Hell I’ve seen, but Excellent Adventure did contain a song I’m a big fan of (“In Time” by Robbie Robb).  I’ve seen some of the animated series that was made, and apparently there was a short-lived live-action series in 1992 I knew not about, and it could be because Ted “Theodore” Logan and Bill S. Preston Esquire weren’t played by Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter.  I remember wanting a toy phone booth with both characters I saw attached to a cereal box during the early Nineties; I didn’t get it, but I think I’ve proven I’ve been a fan of the fictional duo.  This third film was released almost 30 years after the previous one (Bogus Journey), 29 to be exact, and luckily it wasn’t a remake or a reboot (Kevin Smith’s last film was such a disappointment).  Now, my expectations were a combination of high and low for this threequel; low, being it’s a Bill & Ted movie and that it’s released all these years later; high, because it had a lot to live up to.  Is it an unnecessary sequel?  Probably, but all movies are arguably unnecessary (all you do is sit on your ass), but since it was made, fans like me can’t not watch it.  I can safely say this sequel is definitely more non-heinous than heinous and ties in smoothly with the rest of its cinematic universe while containing elements from both its predecessors without feeling like a remake/reboot.  I had a good enough time with it, dude.  And the film’s conclusion is like totally relevant to Bill & Ted’s timeless mantra---“Be excellent to each other!”  11/13/2020

Bonus reviews:

Spontaneous                                                                G
This is a different kind of teen movie.  It’s also a different kind of “Dead Teenager” movie.  There be no masked murderer offing these teens here.  They die by blowing up unexpectedly.  It only seems to be happening (randomly) to a senior class in one high school (we hear of no similar instances happening elsewhere).  Of course this gets everyone concerned (hell, there are countless other ways to have anxiety, let alone wondering if you’re going to explode any second) and the government tries to get to the bottom of it.  Drugs are postulated as a possible cause and one kid even mentions aliens (doesn’t someone always in inexplicable situations?).  I won’t disclose whether an explanation is given or not; I was a bit disappointed in the decision, but, at the same time, I wasn’t bummed out completely.  Like I suggested above, this is like no other movie I’ve seen before and, for the most part, it works.  It may be predictable at times, but it never felt repetitive which it very well could’ve been, and it never comes off as a joke which it also could’ve been; it is quite serious in retrospect.  It has been labeled as horror and comedy in some places, but I think it’s a coming-of-age teen movie with a body count, and blood, which there is plenty of (obviously, if people blow up).  Lastly, while it should instinctively be everyone’s philosophy to live each day like it were their last, its message is quite evident in emphasizing that (ask that person out, buy that beach house, buy that car, etc.).  I recommend this bloody teen movie!  11/13/2020

Last Days in October                                                  OK
Four-episode feature available on YouTube barely totaling 40 minutes (basically a short film released in parts).  It takes place in North Carolina during the (wait for it) last days in October and ties in with a certain franchise (hint---it involves a holiday occurring during the title).  It’s okay (hence my rating) for a “fan film (my words, no one else’s)” posted on YouTube and won’t take up too much of your time, but I think it could’ve benefitted from containing one or two more “episodes.”  11/12/2020

Other movies I've seen and their ratings (see above):

Force of Nature  >>>OK

Rows  >>>EH/OK

Souvenirs  >>>EH

Wish Upon a Unicorn  >>>OK

---Sean O.
11/16/2020

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