The Fall Guy (2024)

 

 

Movie Name/Year: The Fall Guy (2024)

Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Length: 2h 6min

Rating: PG-13

Director: David Leitch

Writers: Drew Pearce, Glen A. Larson

Based On: The Fall Guy (1981-19686)

Actors: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke, Ben Knight, Matuse Matuse, Adam Dunn, Zara Michales, Ioane Saula, Gregory J. Fryer, Madeleine Wilson, Kalkidan China, Angela Nica Sullen, Di Smith, Megan O'Connell, Jack Doherty, Tony Lynch, Georgia Nottage, David Collins, Semu Filipo, Andrew Owen, Dan Reardon, Marky Lee Campbell, Chris Matheson, Ben Gerrard, Lee Majors

 

IMDb Blurb: A stuntman, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

Where do I even begin? Action movies have been a life-long love of mine. I adore many genres, but action always stays near the top of the list. If a movie can get my heart beating faster from a vicarious adrenaline rush, I am all about it. Dramatic action is also great, but comedic action also provides amazingly entertaining and fun experiences. The Fall Guy was one such movie.

 

I was eager to watch from the moment I first saw the trailer for The Fall Guy – and it would have been my #1 pick for May 2024's Top 20 List if not for going head to head with a Ryan Reynolds (Free Guy, IF, Deadpool & Wolverine) movie. (Sorry The Fall Guy, but can you blame me?)

 

 

I haven't been able to make it to the theater to watch this production, so I was excited to be able to share this experience at home with my family through an On-Demand rental. Worth. Every. Penny.

 

We laughed and enjoyed this thrill ride as it gave a live-action love letter to the stunt profession. The story was fun and meta in a movie-about-making-a-movie sort of way. The romance elements didn't feel contrived, and (as expected) the stunt-work was unbelievably awesome. Seriously though, this movie actually, legitimately set a GuinnessWorld Record during production.

 

 

Ryan Gosling (La La Land, The Gray Man, Barbie) was a fantastic choice to play Colt Seavers. The Fall Guy has been in development for well over a decade and many leading men have come and gone from this film while still “at the drawing board.” I think the end-product we got was just right and highlighted Gosling's talent with multiple genres with the action sequences, his comedic timing and marvelous banter, as well as the spark of the romance angle. Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place, Oppenheimer, IF) is one of my favorite leading ladies, as well. Their chemistry was great and it was a treat to see her in a movie where she got to let loose a bit more than the usual dramatic performances we see her in. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Tenet, The King's Man, Bullet Train) was also phenomenal as the AWOL actor, Tom Ryder, who Gosling's Seavers has to track down in order to save the movie they're working on. It was inherently easy to believe that Gosling could fit as a double for Taylor-Johnson. There are more reasons he works well with this story, but I don't want to slip into spoilers. I can say that he was responsible for one of the most hilarious Easter Eggs ever.

 

 

The whole production was stacked with talent, really. Of course, with a movie about stunt performers, you'd expect the stunt-work to be well done. I was not disappointed. There were some absolutely bonkers stunts within The Fall Guy. I love that this film pushes them into the spotlight, as they're often overlooked because of the background nature of what they do. I think the Academy Awards alleged excuse that giving the Stunts category Oscars would make an already long show too much longer is rather lame. These performers can make or break a whole movie and deserve more of the fanfare when things go right. I digress...

 

 

The rest of the core production team were nothing to sneeze at, either. Director David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Bullet Train) has been firing on all cylinders of late and I think he's really hit his sweet spot with the action-comedy blend. Further, I think that Drew Pearce (Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, Hotel Artemis, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) did a great job in adapting the concept from The Fall Guy (1981-1986) TV series. While I don't remember watching that particular show when I was younger, its original writer and creator, Glen A. Larson(1937-2014), was responsible for creating and/or writing some of my favorite shows of all time such as: Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-1981), Knight Rider (1982-1986), and Magnum P.I. (1980-1988).

 

While a sequel has not yet been confirmed, there's quite a lot of material out there and available to draw from between the 112 episodes of the series and the challenges of the modern stunt profession. I would absolutely enjoy taking this ride for a second time or more.

 

My family and I really had a lot of fun watching The Fall Guy, and if these genres, actors, or production team interest you then it will probably be an entertaining experience for you too.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 82%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –86%

Metascore – 73%

Metacritic User Score – 6.8/10

IMDB Score – 6.9/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

 

P.S. - There is a mid-credits scene with behind-the-scenes footage and a look at the stunt-work done for the film as a tribute to the stunt community.

 

Movie Trailer:

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

  

Streaming Service: STARZ

Movie Name/Year: Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Genre: Action, Horror, Comedy

Length:  1h 39min

Rating: R

Production/Distribution: Columbia Pictures, Pariah, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Filmverleih, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writers: Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick

Actors: Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Bill Murray, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Thomas Middleditch, Dan Aykroyd, Jesse Eisenberg, Luke Wilson, Avan Jogia, Victor Rivera, Victoria Hall

 

IMDb Blurb: Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I absolutely loved Zombieland (2009). Everything about it was glorious. It was one of those rare blends of horror comedy that just worked. It also had a little of the feeling that it was a graphic novel come to life. It took a whole decade for the sequel to release, but it was well worth the wait.  When we put together our Top 20 article for October 2019, this movie was near or at the top of the list for both Selina and I. 

Zombieland: Double Tap is one of the good examples of what a sequel should strive to be. It honored the original and expanded the story without being redundant or phoning it in order to cash out. 

 

We got to see all of the primary characters again with their roles reprised by Woody Harrelson (True Detective, Midway, The Man from Toronto), Jesse Eisenberg (Now You See Me, American Ultra, Vivarium), Emma Stone (The Croods, La La Land, Cruella), and Abigail Breslin (Final Girl, Scream Queens, Stillwater). This is, in fact, my favorite of Harrelson’s. 

Zombieland: Double Tap also introduced new characters played by Zoey Deutch (Why Him?, Rebel in the Rye, The Outfit), Avan Jogia (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shaft, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City), and the kickass Rosario Dawson (Luke Cage, The Mandalorian, Clerks III) among others. 

There were callbacks to the first movie that fans would definitely appreciate and get a kick out of, and the story stayed true to the themes established in the first Zombieland. Though, it brought a fresh perspective with more information on the zombies and insight into the characters. It gave us a what came next perspective that everyone craves from a sequel. 

I was also glad to see that Zombieland: Double Tap retained its devil-may-care attitude about how the characters moved through the apocalyptic landscape. The dark and twisted hilarity laced throughout and it didn’t take itself too seriously. I also really appreciated the little homages here and there to other staples of zombie cinema. Zombieland was inspired by Shaun of the Dead (2004), after all. 

 

This is exactly the sort of movie that probably makes critics pull out their hair and roll their eyes. However, from an audience fan perspective, Zombieland: Double Tap was just a fun ride from beginning to end. It was one of the few movies where I barely even noticed the passing of time and wasn’t even tempted to fidget on my phone while I was watching. 

I would recommend Zombieland: Double Tap to anyone who enjoyed the first movie. If you haven’t watched the first one yet - my suggestion would be to do that first. These 2 films would make a great double-feature movie event with friends. I know I’ll enjoy watching these movies for years to come. My family and I have already watched them both several times. 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 68%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 88%

Metascore – 55%

Metacritic User Score – 6.5/10

IMDB Score – 6.7/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

P.S. - There is a special modification to the Columbia Pictures intro to the movie as well as a post-credits scene.

 

Movie Trailer:

Instant Family (2018)

 

Streaming Service: Paramount+

Movie Name/Year: Instant Family (2018)

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Family

Length:  1h 58min

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Paramount Pictures, Closest to the Hole Productions, Leverage Entertainment, Two Grown Men, Paramount Pictures International, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI), Paramount Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures

Director: Sean Anders

Writers: Sean Anders, John Morris

Actors: Britt Rentschler, Carson Holmes, Charlie McDermott, Eve Harlow, Gustavo Escobar, Iliza Shlesinger, Isabela Merced, Joan Cusack, Julianna Gamiz, Julie Hagerty, Jody Thompson, Margo Martindale, Mark Wahlberg, Michael O'Keefe, Octavia Spencer, Rose Byrne, Tig Notaro, Tom Segura

 

IMDb Blurb: A couple find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children.

 

Cat’s Point of View:

Instant Family was one of those movies that looked fine in the trailer; but, as a story, it might have the potential to be heavier than I was feeling up for in the dramatic feels department. It didn’t make my personal Top 20 for November 2018 for that reason, and not based on the potential merit of the movie. 

Now that it came up in our random review rotation, I did my best to push aside any preconceived notions and even didn’t re-watch the trailer beforehand so I could experience the film with an open mind and fresh eyes. I am very glad I did. 

 

Instant Family didn’t shy away from the drama, though tempered the more intense elements of the story with comedy and lots of heart. The laughs were organic and woven into the tale deftly so that the production worked as a whole rather seamlessly. I’ve seen movies in the past that made clunky attempts at such but there was no hiding the segmented feeling. I didn’t find any such problems with Instant Family. It all had a natural flow about it. I didn’t even really note the passage of time all that much during my watch-through.

The foster and adoption system is one that doesn’t often get press, and generally when it does, it’s not good. There are so many kids out there that need good homes that can’t be the ones they started out with. In that way, Instant Family really hit an important topic and gave a positive feel-good story to go with it - without glossing over or sugarcoating anything. 

 

When I was in the 3rd grade, I got a front-row seat to some aspects of the lives of foster kids, as some of my family fostered often, and I stayed with them for a time and got to know the children that were around when I was. Instant Family hit on so many levels and had the benefit of authenticity, as well. I hadn’t realized it before, but writer and director Sean Anders (Horrible Bosses 2, Daddy's Home, Spirited) based Instant Family on aspects from his own life with fostering and adopting children. You could tell that this came from a place of deep understanding.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the outstanding cast. I couldn’t fault any of the performances within Instant Family whether they were Hollywood heavy hitters such as Mark Wahlberg (Deepwater Horizon, Spenser Confidential, Father Stu), Rose Byrne (I Am Mother, Jexi, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures, The Shape of Water, Ma), and Tig Notaro (Lucy in the Sky, Army of the Dead, We Have a Ghost) or the up-and-coming child actors. Everyone was cast well and just felt right in their roles. Though, I do have to say my favorite was Isabela Merced (Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Sweet Girl), who played the oldest of the 3 primary kids in Instant Family, Lizzy. 

 

While there was a family theme throughout Instant Family and the word even within the movie’s title, as well as young kids featured in the film, this is not a movie for the very young. The PG-13 was a good rating here for the occasional language and some scenarios shown. 

Instant Family was definitely worth the watch, and I didn’t even mind the Paramount+ related ads. I have to be pretty invested in something for that not to be bothersome. If you’re looking for a heartwarming movie with laughs and just enough edge, this could be a good one to try.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 81%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 83%

Metascore – 57%

Metacritic User Score – 7.3/10

IMDB Score – /10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

 

 

Streaming Service: STARZ

Movie Name/Year: Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Length:  2h 4min

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Columbia Pictures, BRON Studios, Ghostcorps, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Montecito Picture Company, Sony Pictures España, Sony Pictures Releasing Argentina, Sony Pictures Releasing Canada, Sony Pictures Releasing International, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures, Universal Pictures International

Director: Jason Reitman

Writers: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis

Actors: Annie Potts, Bill Murray, Bokeem Woodbine, Caillou Pettis, Carrie Coon, Celeste O'Connor, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim, Marlon Kazadi, Mckenna Grace, Oliver Cooper, Paul Rudd, Sigourney Weaver

 

IMDb Blurb: When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

 

Selina’s Point of View:

I grew up on Ghostbusters (1984). I was only 1-year-old when it came out, so I don’t know when I first saw it, but I know it was early in life. Nothing was ever going to live up to the original Ghostbusters. I didn’t go into this thinking anything would. Still, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was the absolute best they could have done.

 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife had all the nostalgia that fans of the original series could hope for, including cameos from the majority of the original cast. They even had Harold Ramis (Stripes, Groundhog Day, Orange County) represented. You can’t really blame them for not getting Rick Moranis (Little Shop of Horrors, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Brother Bear), though. He left acting to be a full-time dad after the death of his wife. (As a side note: He’s talking about getting back into it now that they’re grown.)

 

Those ‘member berries alone would have floated Ghostbusters: Afterlife. They could have left it at that, and people would have watched. Especially Millennials and Gen Xers. But the creative team didn’t rest there.

 

 

There was a lot to the story. On top of that, the group of actors chosen to take over the reins was well-cast.

 

Finn Wolfhard (The Addams Family, The Turning, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) is a no-brainer. As one of the kids from Stranger Things, he’s not going to have any trouble getting work. For good reason. On the same note, Paul Rudd (The Fundamentals of Caring, Mute, The Bob's Burgers Movie) was as good as expected. There was no way he was going to flub this performance. He was practically born to play any kind of weird fan-boy part. And I mean that in the best way.

 

Carrie Coon (Fargo, The Nest, Boston Strangler) acted with the ability of someone with a household name. I never questioned any of her scenes. While Logan Kim’s (Home Movie: The Princess Bride) performance reminded me of Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things) as Mikey in The Goonies (1985). I don’t say that lightly. His mannerisms felt inspired by that 80s classic. Mckenna Grace (The Handmaid's Tale, Spirit & Friends, Crater) was the shining star, though. She absolutely transformed into her character. I know her from other works, and I didn’t place her at all. I love it when an actor can cause that effect.

 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was all the fun it was meant to be. If you stick around for the mid, and post, credit scenes – it’s even more so. If they make more in the series, I hope they continue from here. We can forget the remake.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I absolutely adore the Ghostbusters (1984) franchise. All of it. Watching the original in theaters when I was little was one of my earliest handful of magical theater experiences. I even loved the short-lived cartoon series. (I’m pretty giddy that there’s allegedly another animated series in development, too.) I even have a few of the Ghostbusters comics that were in the same artistic style as the existing cartoon series. I digress…

My point is that this particular IP holds a special nostalgic place in my heart. I will always give something with the Ghostbusters label a chance and hope for the best. Though, after the slight disappointment with the non-primary-canon gender twist installment in the franchise, and the passing of beloved key people, I wondered if it would be possible for Ghostbusters to make a real theatrical comeback. Then I saw the teasers for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and I swear I got chills.  

There was the OG Ecto-1 sitting in a field. I had to know more. 

 

Then, as time went on and I learned that this new movie was helmed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air, Tully), son of late and great Ivan Reitman (1946-2022) who brought us the original. Further, Dan Aykroyd (Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return, Get On Up, Hotel Paranormal) was on the writing team. I had faith that this new installment was going to be more grounded in the legacy of the movies we all love from yesteryear. 

I wasn’t disappointed. 

My only worry, really, was how they were going to handle the passing of Harold Ramis (1944-2014), who played the iconic Dr. Egon Spengler. His character was so central to making the team work - he was their tech guy and the straight-laced no-nonsense heart of the ensemble. The sequel that we had all hoped for over the years seemed out of reach after both Ramis and Reitman were lost. 

 

Well, I can tell you that you can put those worries aside. Ghostbusters: Afterlife handled this tastefully with great respect to both, and with the surviving family’s blessing. Their spirits were alive and well within this continuation of the original story. This was a heartfelt tribute to them as well as a torch-passing.

I cried. So much crying. 

Without dwelling further on the past, let’s get on to discussing more of this actual movie. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was the perfect vehicle to bring these stories forward into a new era. It built from the existing story and seamlessly incorporated a new generation into the fold with Spengler’s estranged family. Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and especially Mckenna Grace were well cast in those roles. Grace and her character’s buddy Podcast, played by Logan Kim, were my favorites. 

 

In fact, the cast was fairly stacked with talented up-and-comers such as Celeste O'Connor (Freaky, The In Between, A Good Person) as well as well-known veterans like Paul Rudd. Let me tell you - if I had ever had to do summer school, I would have hoped a teacher as cool as Rudd’s character would have been running it. I digress…

It’s hard for me to really sing the praises of the story or get into much detail because I don’t want to spoil anything. There were so many moments where I gasped with recognition and glee as a new piece to the puzzle was put into place. 

There were callbacks to the original movies while at the same time, there were new and updated experiences for modern audiences to appreciate. 

 

 

The effects were as good as expected, if not better; and the location was utilized well. It was strange not seeing the backdrop of the big city - but there was a point. 

To sum up - if you love the Ghostbusters franchise, definitely give Ghostbusters: Afterlife a chance. Just keep some tissues handy. For those who haven’t partaken of this particular storyline before - don’t worry, there’s some recap built-in with this narrative so you won’t be lost. Further, my message is: don’t let alternate reality lampoons turn you off of this IP as a whole. I’ve already watched Ghostbusters: Afterlife several times - and I can see myself watching it again easily while I am impatiently awaiting the next installment. 

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 63%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 94%

Metascore – 45%

Metacritic User Score –7.7 /10

IMDB Score – 7.1/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

P.S. - There are mid and post-credits scenes. 

 

Movie Trailer: