Wayne's World 2

Wayne's World 2

NBC Films etc.

December 10, 1993

Comedy

DVD
C

I gave this half an hour, rooting for it to get better.  But there's too much recycled plot and humor, some of the latter punch-down at that.  My review of the original is here, https://reviewingeverymovieiown.blogspot.com/2015/02/waynes-world.html.  Stephen Surjik directed this one.

Shrek

Shrek

DreamWorks

May 18, 2001

Animation, Children's, Comedy, Fantasy

DVD
C-

I enjoyed this at the time, although not a lot, but it didn't really grab me now, maybe because this approach is no longer as fresh as it was then.  This is very loosely based on the William Steig picture book, and co-directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson.

So I Married an Axe Murderer

So I Married an Axe Murderer

TriStar

July 30, 1993

Comedy, Horror?

DVD
B

I saw and, to my surprise, liked this movie over twenty years ago, when it was still relatively new.  Now the '90sness adds to its charm, especially that soundtrack!  And it's set in San Francisco, and I used to live in the South Bay, so there's a certain nostalgia to that.  And then there are the cameos, including Steven Wright as a prop-plane pilot!  So I can forgive the unevenness and plot holes and just enjoy all that, and the still funny and still sweet moments.  Not a great movie, maybe even at the time, but still delightful.

Thomas Schlamme directed.  Note that the third and final disc of this "Laugh Out Loud" collection didn't load, but at least I got to watch this again.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody
20th Century Fox
23 October 2018
Historical Drama, Musical
DVD
C+

I rarely go to the movie theater these days, but I did for this movie, and came home feeling let down.  Not since Julie & Julia (2009) have I seen a movie made of two unequal halves.  In this case, we have the fun, interesting saga of how Queen made their music, and on the other we have a dreary cautionary tale about Freddie Mercury's love life, complete with a dishonest, manipulative boyfriend who could give Jude Law as Bosie a run for his money in Wilde (1997), although at least Bosie was handsome and charming.  As in Wilde, the poor loyal, cheated-on girlfriend/wife gets more sympathy and screentime than any of the men Mercury is involved with, professionally or romantically.  I would still marginally recommend this biopic for the music and for the band interacting, but I would've fast-forwarded today if I didn't want to give an honest grade.  (Just like I watched J & J on DVD by skipping scenes but will sit through the "Julie" parts if I end up reviewing it.)

Although Rami Malek got all the accolades and the Oscar, my favorite was actually Gwilym Lee as Brian May, funny and yet sincere.  And of course Tom Hollander was good, as he almost always is, here as Jim "Miami" Beach, their soft-spoken manager.  Mike Myers, who of course gave us a memorable rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in Wayne's World, plays the producer who doesn't get what's great about the song.  Bryan Singer directed.