Thoughts on 2018 Movies: Part 2

I meant to do this post like two months ago, but I forgot. So here we are. Today I'm review the other half of the movies I wanted to see from 2018. Let's dive right in.

Wreck-It Ralph Breaks the Internet

Original Thoughts: I was interested to see how this sequel would work out. How could you top the original excellence of the first one?

After Viewing: It certainly wasn't as good as the first one, but it was better than I thought it was going to be. I loved what they did with the internet (much better than the Emoji Movie). It also made me cry a bit, so I always respect movies that can do that, since I rarely cry during them.

Mary Poppins Returns

Original Thoughts: I love Mary Poppins, and this one looked pretty magical. Also, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emily Blunt star, so how can you go wrong?

After Viewing: It was great. It had the heart and magic of the original, but slightly updated for a modern audience. I love the 2-D animation sequence and all the child actors were great. I really loved it.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Original Thoughts: I hoped it would be good, but it was hard to tell from the trailers. Dual timelines can be tricky. I was looking forward to all the new music, because Mamma Mia has given me a great love for Abba music.

After Viewing: It could have been better. The young versions of Donna's boyfriends didn't look a lot like them (or match the way they looked in the first movie). The plot was a bit weak. Overall, fun, but slightly lacking.

The Darkest Minds

Original Thoughts: YA books have a mixed record for screen adaptations. Sometimes they work, sometimes they fall flat. I wasn't sure which this one would become, but I was interested to see it.

After Viewing: I was quiet surprised by how much I liked it. It was a pretty good adaptation of the book and I liked all the actors they chose. The plot was good and it was very engaging. Unfortunately, I don't think it was popular enough to get a sequel, because I would watch that.

The Grinch

Original Thoughts: Another one I wasn't sure of. Benedict Cumberpatch is a definite draw, but could it really stand up to all the other Grinch movies out there?

After Viewing: It certainly wasn't as funny as the Jim Carrey version. (Or as terrifying.) But it had its own appeal. Honestly, this was the tamest Grinch I've ever seen. It was pretty cute.

Mortal Engines

Original Thoughts: I liked the book a lot, which I hoped would become a good movie. Especially since Peter Jackson was working on it. He's great at creating amazing cinematic worlds.

After Viewing: I liked it. It fell prey to the thing where they make the person with a deformity too pretty, and they removed some of the subplots and gave some of the big characters of the book about five minutes of screen time. But other than that, it was great. The special effects were good and it had good actors.

Aquaman

Original Thoughts: DC movies, as we all know, are rather hit or miss. This one could have been either.

After Viewing: Turns out, it was a win. Jason Momoa was what really made it shine to me. He brought a unique flavor to his character that I adored. I also liked Mera way more than I thought I would. Even if she felt like a knock off of Black Widow.

First Man

Original Thoughts: It had great actors lined up and an interesting story to work with. Other than that, I didn't have a lot of ideas of what to expect from this movie.

After Viewing: Not my favorite movie of all time. My family liked it, but it was a little too slow for me. Not to say the story, acting, and visual effects weren't great. Because they were. It just wasn't my type of film.

Robin Hood

Original Thoughts: It looked weird. More like a dystopian movie than a Robin Hood flick. But I was willing to watch it because I love Robin Hood movies.

After Viewing: I actually liked it, way more than I ever thought I would. In fact, I've already seen it twice. Taron Edgerton made a great Robin Hood. In spite of its flaws, such as using bow and arrows like assault riffles, some weak characters, and strange worldbuilding, it was pretty enjoyable. They must have done something right.

Have you seen any of these movies? What was a movie you liked even though you thought you wouldn't? Tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

Thoughts on 2018 Movies: Part 1

The Problem with DC Movies