GeekGirlPower

So this movie was recommended to me right after I finished Unstoppable (which is a pretty good movie). I don't know why, but I gave it a try. After enduring a two minute set of ads, the movie started with a few minutes of premise and then the action just went full force... like a camera is focused on the back of the bad samurai and the entire movie looks very much like a video game. I can't help but think they were trying to imitate the look of Sifu or games like that. All the while the continuous action was going on, I couldn't help but think... couldn't the bad guys just go behind the bad samurai instead of all lining up in a semi circle around his front? It felt, in most instances, like everyone was just taking their turn striking at the bad samurai when two people striking at the same time would've been more effective. I've done sword work in my martial arts classes and the pretend fighting was very similar. I suppose there's some sort of honor in waiting your turn and striking in a duel style, but really... all you need to do is gang up on the person, one in the front and one in the back and there's just no defense. Even a well placed arrow would've done the trick because samurai were supposed to be mostly archers. Of course, the movie wouldn't be half as entertaining if it just ended like that in a few minutes :) The movie is like a catalog of sword techniques... this is what you do if you were attacked this way. One thing that's not talked about is how much beating can a katana actually take. I really don't think it can take all that punishment from the crazy number of attackers. It would be dull by the 50th attacker and probably sooner. There is a funny moment in which, I think he pauses after killing the first set of people and he takes a swig of water and either counts his kills in his head or maybe counts his fingers on his hand. Oh, and it's not all swordplay, so that's cool. Some reviewers made me believe that this was just all fighting and nothing else, but there are breaks where there's more story to complete the original premise. What this movie seems to do is follow the actions of the bad samurai from start to finish. I'm not even sure he's bad for much of the film (no spoilers on this). There are no cut scenes like other movies where the story takes you from scene to scene. This is one big scene and it really does feel like one big take... like all the actors are doing some form of highly skilled method acting. From that perspective, it's actually awesome. But... not once does he go to the bathroom! These are my random thoughts as they go through my head while watching this. I was originally going to give it a 5, but I think, after careful consideration, it deserves a 6, but no more. It's just not realistic and the cartoon blood is not satisfying to watch. I will say, though, that the ending is very satisfying.

I know I've seen a movie like this before, but I forget the name of the movie. I'm going to try to write this as spoiler-free as possible. The thought of someone (in this case, the mother) hiding a secret like that is deplorable... and it's even worse than that! Sarah Paulson has played this role so well, it's made me despise her character. Absolutely despise her. This movie hits home for me in so many ways as someone in my life did something very similar to my children, not with drugs but with the school's guidance counselor, trying to find something wrong with my sons so she wouldn't have to do any work educating them at home. She came up with all sorts of fake mental/psychological issues they had (and the school was in on it, too) so the school could get money for having X number of "disabled children" in their school. I didn't have the tools to fight back with my first child, but my time in law school after that enabled me to prevent my second child from suffering from the same fate. There is this thing called "Munchausen By Proxy" (MSP) that parents can use to prevent their kids from being falsely diagnosed by a crooked system that wants more of their kids to be considered disabled just so they can get money from the government. I encourage everyone to fight back by just using the phrase, "I hope you and the school are not committing MSP on my child as I personally don't see anything wrong with my child." That statement immediately made my school's counselors back off from a false diagnosis. If I help save one person and their children from what I had to go through with my first child, I will be happy.

If you check your brain at the door and are not an uptight soul, you can enjoy this film. There are many funny moments throughout and it's really cool to see your favorite actors act silly for just a moment. Yes, it's not a perfect movie like others have pointed out, but it has its moments and is worth a watch.

I love the cast. It's good to see Scarlett Johansson do a comedy. I LOVE Kate McKinnon. She's really good. Zoe Kravitz just oozes sexuality every time the camera is on her. No wonder why they chose her to play Catwoman on The Batman! I like Jillian Bell and Illana Glazer as well. I had no idea that Zoe was something-something until I saw this movie. I love that!