RaeSerbeck

First off, I want to thank the ones who gave me the complimentary early screening tickets, that was very kind. I had the chance to catch Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning ahead of its wide release, and while it's always a treat to preview something early, this particular outing left me with some mixed feelings.

Let's start with the obvious: this movie did not age well, and it hasn't even officially released yet. I'm not someone who leans into politics (in fact, I typically avoid it), but even I couldn't help noticing the oddly heavy-handed political undertones. There were clear parallels drawn, perhaps intentionally, to real world figures, like a "what-if" scenario imagining Kamala Harris as president. It felt like a veiled political commentary wrapped in an action blockbuster. Every line written for that character came off as forced, almost as if it were part of a campaign pitch rather than a film script. I wouldn't even bring it up if it didn't make up about a quarter of the entire movie. That said, it was at least unintentionally humorous, like watching a more polished, less inebriated version of a fictional Madam President. There's definitely a wishful thinking sentiment baked into it.

Now, onto the film itself. As far as Mission: Impossible films go, this one falls somewhere in the middle. It was better than some of the earlier entries in the franchise, but it's weighed down by a few glaring issues. Chief among them: the editing. I don't think I've ever experienced scene transitions this jarring. One moment, you're in a snow covered tundra, and the next - bam! - you're in the jungle. The transitions were abrupt to the point of being mentally disorienting. It felt less like a seamless globe-trotting adventure and more like channel surfing between locations.

The action? Fine. The acting? Also fine. Tom Cruise, as always, deserves credit for performing many of his own stunts, which earns the film a few extra points in my book. But overall, it was a "just fine" movie. If I had to rate it, I'd land somewhere around a 6 out of 10, and most of that score is out of respect for Cruise's dedication.

If you're a longtime fan of the franchise, it's worth seeing just to complete the saga. It does try to tie a bow on Ethan Hunt's story, though whether this is truly a "final reckoning" remains to be seen. My guess? We haven't seen the last of him yet.

I am Rae Serbeck, I Watch and Review all Movies Large and Small!

It's not easy adapting a video game into a film especially one like Minecraft, which famously lacks a predefined story or characters beyond the player's imagination. And yet, here we are with A Minecraft Movie, a live-action/CGI hybrid directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and headlined by Jason Momoa and Jack Black.

The premise is simple and suitably chaotic: a group of four misfit teens, including Emma Myers and Sebastian Hansen, are mysteriously transported into the pixelated Overworld of Minecraft, where they must team up with a grizzled old Steve (Jack Black) to find a way home and save the world from a piglin warlord. It's the kind of story that tries to stitch together nostalgic gameplay references with coming-of-age beats and big, effects-heavy set pieces.

Jack Black, unsurprisingly, is the film's standout. His performance as a weary, ex-doorknob-salesman version of Steve somehow works, quirky and oddly heartfelt. It's the kind of role Black can ground with humor and pathos even when the film around him wobbles.

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast struggles to find footing. Despite being made up of generally likable and talented actors, their characters are flat and their arcs barely register. This feels less like a performance issue and more like a script that didn't give them much to work with. The writing, while peppered with clever nods to in-game mechanics, is mostly thin and scattershot.

To be fair, maybe this was always going to be a tough assignment. Minecraft has no inherent plot, so any film adaptation was bound to feel either too far removed or too contrived. Hess and the team lean heavily into silliness, and while some audiences (particularly younger viewers and die-hard fans) might enjoy the ride, it never quite lands emotionally or tonally.

The visuals are energetic, if a bit overwhelming, and there are fun cameos from YouTubers and Minecraft royalty that fans will appreciate. But beneath the fan service and kinetic energy, the film lacks narrative cohesion.

In the end, A Minecraft Movie is a strange mix of creative ambition and structural mess. It's not without its moments, mostly thanks to Black, but it's hard to shake the feeling that the film never really figured out what it wanted to be. I'm not even sure what I wanted from it, but I know I didn't find it here.

I'm Rae Serbeck, I Watch and Review all Movies Large and Small!

I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10.

Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts marks a confident step into murkier waters, and honestly, that's where the modern MCU tends to shine best. The film brings together a ragtag lineup of antiheroes Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker under the reluctant guidance of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. What follows is a surprisingly introspective, if uneven, character driven story that offers more emotional depth than many recent MCU entries.

Unlike the last Captain America film, which felt hollow despite its ambition, Thunderbolts actually delivers some substance. The stakes feel personal, the team dynamics are messy in a compelling way, and Florence Pugh continues to prove she's one of the strongest additions to the franchise.

That said, the film isn't without its flaws. At times, the writing feels stilted or corny even. There are moments where you can almost feel the script veering into AI generated territory, lacking the natural wit and rhythm we've come to expect from Marvel at its best.

One of the more interesting deviations from comic canon is the handling of Bucky Barnes. While some fans (myself included) may have hoped to see him take up the Captain America mantle as he did in the comics, this pivot doesn't feel like a complete loss. Bucky's arc here wrestling with his past and his place in a world without Steve Rogers, feels grounded, even if it's not the version some envisioned.

Perhaps most refreshing is the spotlight given to Marvel's so called "small time" characters. Ghost and Taskmaster, once considered background noise in the larger Avengers narrative, get moments to breathe and matter. It's a reminder that some of the MCU's most interesting stories don't always revolve around gods and galactic empires.

Thunderbolts may not be a perfect film it's flawed, a little awkward, and tonally conflicted but in its messiness, there's something honest. It's the MCU experimenting, letting characters explore the grey areas of heroism, and that's worth applauding.

I'm Rae Serbeck, I Watch and Review all Movies Large and Small!