Weapons

Weapons was incredible. In the realm of Hereditary and Midsommar good, the gold standards for modern A-tier horror. While Sinners is more entertaining, Weapons is more of a horror film. Scary, thrilling, well-written, well-structured, and very funny. The acting is also incredible, as expected from Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, but Amy Madigan at Aunt Gladys is horrifically compelling. Austin Abrams is also incredible in his small role, his chapter felt very Breaking Bad to me in a great way. The mystery behind this movie was very clever and unraveling it to the finale was really satisfying. I really loved the ending, which can be so often disappointing in this genre. E and I missed Barbarian, and while that’s not as critically panned as Weapons, I’m really excited to watch that now, and will be particularly keen on all future Zach Cregger films.

-Z

I’m glad I went into this movie mostly blind - it was shockingly good and creepy! It went far beyond the expectations the trailer set up for me. Excellent (and again, creepy) child acting. Aunt Gladys was a horrific character in the best way. The style and structure were unique, but the ending felt a little off for me. I don’t even really like kids and I couldn’t stop thinking about those poor kids! Would recommend to any horror fans - perfect for the upcoming spooky season!

-E

Right now, I think this is tied with Sinners for the movie of the year. It had it all from scares to laughs, and everything in between. Most people who took the time to watch this film were there due to their love for Barbarian. I on the other hand was skeptical due to my average review of Barbarian. This movie hit all the right notes I think. My only issue with it is that the comedy to horror mix got a little too muddled, but overall that is a tough gripe. I would be fine just watching James chapter again, but I would recommend the whole thing!

-J

Z 8.75
E 8.5
J 9.25

ZEJ 8.83

Superman (1978)

After watching the newest version of Superman, I had to give this a watch. There is something so comforting and great when you watch an old film like this. It reminds me of when I watched the first Planet of the Apes. The colors, the acting, the stunts, and the special effects are just perfect. I am sure that boosts my rating some, but I think it is a cinematic must watch. A great look into ‘the’ superhero movie that starts a long road to where we are now! If you enjoy the fanfare of an old film with some cultural relevance, how aren’t you starting it right now?

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 8.5

~ZEJ 8.5

Fantastic Mr. Fox

This review is long due. I watched this before going to The Phonecian Scheme. It wasn’t that long ago that I had seen no Wes Anderson films, and I think that I have found the top of the mountain. This was an animated masterpiece along with fantastic (no pun intended) voice acting and a fun Wes-type story. If you like Wes at all, you need to see it!

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 9.5

~ZEJ 9.5

Pretty Woman

My girlfriend isn’t the biggest movie watcher, so we have to pick and choose what we want to watch together. We had a night with nothing to do and we stumbled upon the fact neither of us had seen this classic. It is one I never watched because I thought I knew what it was about. Big mistake, HUGE. It is pretty predictable, but it definitely is a movie that has cemented its spot in classics, and I will say it is well earned.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 8.0

~ZEJ 8.0

Freaky Friday

I don’t know if I ever actually saw Freaky Friday start to finish in a single watch, but remembered many of the scenes from it being on TV in the mid-2000s, and E’s right, it holds up really well. It’s definitely a 2003 time capsule, but the acting from Curtis and Lohan and the excellent dialogue make it ageless. “Take Me Away” is a certified banger and their performance of it absolutely cements the climax of this movie as a cultural cinematic cornerstone.

-Z

One of the most formative movies of my pre-teen years - I have watched this countless times, to the point where I was surprised at how much of the dialogue I still knew by heart. I also knew every single song because I had the soundtrack on CD and listened to it on repeat. All that to say, my review is definitely biased, but I feel pretty strongly that this movie holds up today. Lindsay Lohan’s acting here is quite impressive, and Jamie Lee Curtis is such a legend - the ending scene where she plays the guitar offstage still gives me goosebumps!

-E

Lindsay Lohan is back, so let's see where she started. I think this is the most obvious rewatch this summer for anyone who is going to see Freakier Friday, which obviously the ZEJ team will. I know Z and E liked it a lot, but I didn’t think it held up as well. It was a fun watch, but I definitely think it is a product of its time. Really was a watch to prepare for Freakier Friday, but a great blast from the past none the less.

-J

Z 8.0
E 8.5
J 7.5

ZEJ 8.0

Happy Gilmore 2

Jord kept his 7/10 rating short because he couldn’t justify it. It doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Happy Gilmore 2 is so bad that it nearly taints the legacy of the original and had we not just watched the original it would make me question how well it held up. I can assure you the original holds up, but I seriously have no idea how such a legacy movie can have such a poor sequel. It’s really weird too, because the first half of this movie is just below average bad like 6/10 but the last 45 minutes is worst stuff you’ve ever seen put on screen bad 3/10 stuff, thus the 4.5/10 overall from me. They milked every single cameo and callback they could to very little benefit. Don’t waste your time on this, especially if you’re an OG Happy Gilmore fan.

-Z

Yikes - this was a letdown. A lot of the movie felt forced - both in the cameos and callbacks - and the ending just spiraled off the rails into a downright bad movie. Watch the original and skip this one, folks.

-E

I will keep this short because I know Z and E will be mad about this number. If you know what you are getting into it is a fun film. The call backs are nostalgic and I did enjoy getting to see Happy in a movie again. Overall though, in a movie sense, they have no confidence in the audience and did the opposite of catering to the fans, but catered to the actors. Overall, it can be fun but it is not a great film by any means!

-J

Z 4.5
E 5.5
J 7.0

ZEJ 5.67

Y Tu Mamá También

Yes, Y Tu Mamá También, was a movie that my high school Spanish class watched. How that’s the case, I’ll never know, as there’s multiple inappropriate scenes just in the first ten minutes, though E and Jord have some understandable skepticism as to whether I can be trusted on this matter. It was fun to revisit this twenty years later, and especially to be reminded how distorted memories can be. Because we were all immature teens, we laughed a lot at this movie, but rewatching it now, it really isn’t very funny. What it really is - a movie that masquerades as a male fantasy coming of age story but is actually a quite profound queer love tale. Alfonso Cuaron, who would go on to win Best Director twice, was clearly cooking with this, and it’s sort of amazing to look back and see that he went from Y Tu Mamá También to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. His last movie, Roma, which was incredible, was in 2018, and we desperately need him to return to the silver screen!

-Z

The lore of this movie within the ZEJ team is truly something else, and Z and I finally made time for a watch. I went into this expecting a laugh-out-loud comedy, based on Zach’s questionable teenage memory, so was initially really disappointed that it is purely a drama. Giving it more thought, I still don’t love this movie, but I can appreciate what it is going for a bit more.

-E

Rumor has it that this was shown in one of our high school spanish classes, and I can’t believe it. I gave it a watch after hearing that along with it being potentially ‘the sexiest movie ever.’ It definitely is sexy, but I don’t know about the claim that it was watched in a high school classroom. Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. Beyond the obvious themes that are in your face, there are many levels to this film. Immediately after I looked up the director's filmography and added a bunch to my watchlist. If you can watch a foreign film and enjoy them, this is a must watch film!

-J on 8/11/25

Z 8.5
E 7.5
J 9.0

~ZEJ 9.0

Happy Gilmore

As with Naked Gun, low brow humor absolutely hits when done right and Happy Gilmore is done right. Had to give it a refresh going into the sequel and so glad we did because as E says, it holds up. The reviews don’t have me too hopeful for the sequel, but then again the reviews for the original were pretty bad so we’ll see.

-Z

The humor in this movie holds up surprisingly well! I’m not always a huge Adam Sandler fan, but this performance feels quite sincere. Knowing a lot more about golf now than the first time I saw this also added to the experience for sure.

-E

Z 8.25
E 7.75
J n/a

~ZEJ 8.0

Together

Together was really weird, because I really was entertained it, but they so chickened out on the very premise that it leaves you severely disappointed. Literally every body horror moment is in the trailer, and that is really difficult just to fathom. Big fan of Alison Brie and Dave Franco, and while they were entertaining, something just didn’t quite work with them together here. If you’re a fan of horror, you might enjoy it but I would definitely temper your expectations.

-Z

The concept of this was great, and it built suspense pretty well, but it just didn’t fully come together. I kept waiting for an ending that would pull it all back on the rails, but the ending was even more disappointing than the rest. I think we needed a bit more backstory for the horror elements to really work here. The Substance has set a pretty high bar for body horror expectations, which this did not meet either.

-E

This is a sad 7.75. I was pumped for this going in. I remember seeing the trailer for the first time and knew this was a must see for me. My first issue is Dave Franco and Alison Brie sadly (and amazingly) did not seem to click in the film. My second issue usually doesn’t happen, but the cool idea had nothing behind it. I liked how it looked and was hooked for the entirety of the movie, but I ended with a confused face wanting more from the film. Give it a watch, especially if you are nervous it is too gross, it fell into my 3rd and final issue, it did not go nearly far enough with visuals.

-J

Z 7.0
E 7.0
J 7.75

ZEJ 7.25

The Naked Gun

So happy the Naked Gun has returned to us, and its spirit faithfully adapted to 2025. While Liam Neeson doesn’t have the same charm as Leslie Nielson, I’m just happy this movie exists and was released in theaters. The humor didn’t quite strike the balance that original did of low brow but clever, forgoing the clever at times, but there were some very funny bits and it’s safe to say the ZEJ team all had fun with it. This is heartily recommended a ZEJ 7.5/10 can come.

-Z

Not nearly as funny as the original, but still a very fun watch! The “dumb” aspects of the humor here are perhaps a little too dumb at times. Glad to see a continuation of this story in a movie that feels quite different from everything else at the theater!

-E

Surprising to some, this is just not my kind of humor. In the grand scheme of things though, I cannot be more thankful that a movie like this exists in 2025. Maybe we can get back to movies coming out to be funny and a place to go laugh. It has been a long time since a movie like this came out in theaters. I also have laughed a lot more thinking back on it. Maybe another watch could raise my rating, but overall it's a fun laugh and should be seen if you like dumb humor! Liam and Pamela play the parts exactly the way they needed to!

-J

Z 7.75
E 7.25
J 7.5

ZEJ 7.5

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

As E says, this movie makes me laugh in a way that few do. There’s low brow humor and then there’s low brow humor that is incredibly clever, and the Naked Gun (1988) has that in spades. Leslie Nielsen in particular sells this movie for me too, as he’s fits the bill of mid-century detective so perfectly that for him to lampoon it is genius. I’m actually on realizing now writing this review that it was a 6 episode TV show originally, so I’m definitely going to have to check that out. Excited for the new one to out!

-Z

My memory of first watching this was shortly after Z and I got married, and I remember thinking that was the hardest I had ever seen him laugh at a movie. A rewatch 11+ years later still left Zach laughing unbelievably hard (and then somehow falling asleep for the last 20 minutes?). There are SO MANY hilarious bits in this movie - the boat scene with OJ Simpson and the runaway car scene prove to me that “dumb” humor can work very very well when in the right hands. A classic!

-E

Z 8.5
E 8.0
J n/a

~ZEJ 8.25

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

There is a lot of good things happening in the Fantastic Four: First Steps. Between Thunderbolts, Superman, and this, superhero fans are eating good this summer. Fantastic Four is the worst of those three movies, though, and as Jord and E mention, it’s that so much got stuffed into this two hour movie that some Things got neglected. There is shockingly little downtime spent with the Human Torch or the Thing, and even Invisible Woman or Mr. Fantastic to a degree that it feels like we barely get to know them, and the Thing’s case, his capabilities are barely depicted. That said, the larger story here is fun, and I think they nailed the casting. It’s kind of a rare treat that this story doesn’t directly have larger MCU implications, since it’s in a separate universe, but since we know the Fantastic Four will be in Avengers: Doomsday, it will be interesting to see if the characters can get further developed in a movie that will have a million characters. Galactus and Silver Surfer are awesome in all their screen time, and they did a good job of making Galactus feel like a real threat. If Marvel’s not back, they’re definitely cooking. Let ‘em.

-Z

I definitely enjoyed the vibe of this movie more than Superman, but, all things considered, they were similar enough in quality to earn the same score. This was very fun! I loved the retro futuristic world they built and the chance to meet some characters I was only ever familiar with through playing Marvel Snap. There were times where it felt like maybe this movie had been edited down too much - we really don’t get to know The Thing or Human Torch much as characters, which felt a little off here. I’m excited to see these characters return though!

-E

“I'm not sacrificing my son for this planet, but I won't sacrifice this planet for my son.” -Sue Storm

Marvel is back? Depending on who you talk to, you may get different answers. I do think it is moving in the right direction with this and Thunderbolts, but this was my 3rd favorite superhero film this year after Thunderbolts and Superman. I had a hard time at first putting my finger on what the issue was for me, but I think I landed on it. It seemed very choppy and despite having a lot to say, I feel like it said nothing. We didn't get to spend enough time with any of the characters, despite me loving the entire cast. The world was great also along with some visuals that finally looked good! Overall it is a good film, but it was just that: good.

-J

Z 8.25
E 8.0
J 7.5

ZEJ 7.92

Eddington

Between Beau is Afraid and Eddington, I’m afraid Ari Aster may have lost the plot. Hereditary and Midsommar are definitive masterpieces of the horror genre, and while Eddington is its own kind of horror movie, its not for the reason you want. Eddington is somewhat about the two extremes of the COVID pandemic, and while that may age better a decade from now, transporting us back to that felt way too soon and too raw. As E says, there may have been a good movie in here somewhere but torturing your audience for 145 minutes to little avail is more than disappointing. Some really weird cameo choices from A+ tier actors, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler, but who play such tiny inconsequential characters that even that in and of itself felt like a waste of casting. Definitely skip this one unless you have masochistic tendencies.

-Z

When I grade my students’ papers, I bounce back and forth to their thesis statement after each paragraph or so to check in and see if we’re still following the central claim. This movie felt like a paper that veered from the thesis statement in about five different ways. I think if Ari Aster had really leaned into the satire more heavily, and cut the run time down by about an hour, this could have been a funny, insightful social commentary, but, at least in our theater, no one was laughing. It did leave me thinking, but I’m still not quite sure what the takeaway should be.

-E

"How did we get here? And even worse, is it worth it? At the cost of being at war with your neighbors." -Joe Cross

Eddington is a polarizing film, not just for critics, but for me personally. It holds a great deal of promise and has some really cool aspects. The problem is it is wrapped into an extremely confusing approach. The more I think about this film, the more my appreciation for it grows. However, I was sadly expecting a film fighting for an 8 or 9, not a 6 battling for a 7. My biggest criticism is how long it is, which is the biggest reason for many casual filmgoers to not go and see this. While I know Ari Aster could care less about people not following his films, I believe it should have at least some consideration. Overall, the third act delivered strong action, and the first act established a solid foundation, but the hour and a half in the middle was quite the struggle to get through. Most of you won't see this film, and it pains me to say but I don’t think it's a must see.

-J

Z 6.25
E 6.25
J 6.75

ZEJ 6.44

Superman (2025)

Post-watch discussion of the new Superman was Jord and I loved it, and E did not, so I was expecting a higher score from Jord and a lower score from E. Interesting to see they both landed in the same spot. I for one, loved our new Superman. For those of you that don’t know, James Gunn has been given the reigns of DC Comics, and given his track record, that’s been a widely praised move, but there’s still been a lot of doubt as DC’s own track record is quite the opposite of Gunn’s. Gunn decided to reboot the DC universe entirely, and make Superman the first film in that reboot, which of course sets the tone for the entire universe, and in my opinion, he absolutely nailed it. Not only is Superman a great film in its own right, but Gunn fundamentally understands the character of Superman in a way that Zac Snyder never did. Superman is not a dark, brooding, hopeless character, he’s an aww-shucks Kansas farmer who sees the best in everyone, and saves everyone. He’s optimistic, and inspires hope, and this film completely delivers on that in a way Snyder’s Superman never did. David Corenswet also was a perfect casting in that he embodies this concept perfectly, and has a much more innocent puppy-dog vibe that other Supermans have struggled with, in my opinion. Because of this, he also portrays the best version of Clark Kent that I’ve seen. Mind you, this is all coming from someone who has always hated the character of Superman, for being too overpowered, but I can’t deny that seeing him in his full glory on the big screen is a treat, and I cheer on the success of James Gunn’s new DC. That said, my favorite part of this film is Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor portrayal. Lex Luthor’s schemes are just so deviously fun and insane, that you can’t help but get swept up in what he’s cooking, and I absolutely loved that manic energy of his plotting. Nicholas Hoult is a national treasure in my opinion, and completely understood the assignment here. The new Superman is a must watch if you’re into comics, superheroes, or good movies.

-Z

This was a good Superman movie, I just don’t think I’m the audience for this style of superhero movie - sorry! Example: while it seemed like everyone else in our group loved the Lex Luther character, watching a crazy man continuously leading his followers to ecstatically cheer for the harm of a person who is doing undeniable good feels so…insane, it really takes me out of the story. The characters all feel cranked up to level 10 instead of people who might actually exist in our world. But I’m in the minority, I get it. I am excited for where James Gunn goes next, and there is unquestionably a lot of promise here. Very cool visuals, a creative take on the character and story, it still gets a recommendation from me for anyone asking.

-E

“My point is I question everything and everyone. You trust everyone and think everyone you've ever met is, like... beautiful.” - Lois Lane

“Maybe that's the real punk rock.” - Superman

An exciting time for the superhero world as James Gunn takes over the DC universe! To be honest, Superman isn't one of my favorite superheroes, so I was initially very indifferent. However, as the release approached, my excitement did grow. The best part is that James Gunn remained true to himself. Sadly, this did cause a slight issue in my opinion. I felt there was a bit too much "Guardians of the Galaxy" influence, which occasionally made it feel a bit too familiar or "played out." Additionally, while I loved the casting of both Superman and Lois, they seemed surprisingly absent for significant portions. Despite this, James pushed the Gunn (pun intended) in many excellent ways. I'm genuinely excited for the future of DC, even more than the MCU (pending Fantastic Four). Overall, this is a fresh take on Superman that you absolutely need to see.

-J

Z 8.5
E 8.0
J 8.0

ZEJ 8.17

Tron: Legacy

After all Jord’s hype, I was expecting insane visuals and a tailormade soundtrack, and Tron: Legacy delivered on one of those things. The visuals are insane. To the level that it’s worth watching even if the movie was terrible, which it’s not. The plot is certainly a rehash of the first movie, and some of the original charm isn’t there, but it’s good enough to really settle in and immerse youself in the universe that’s displayed. The soundtrack; however, I found to be a real letdown. I’ve heard this described as a 2 hour Daft Punk music video, but save a couple of undeniable bangers, the vast majority of Daft Punk’s soundtrack is run-of-the-mill orchestra, which is not only disappointing coming from Daft Punk, but completely does not fit the vibe of the universe. I mean, it’s almost unforgiveable. Anyway, that aside, this is a fun movie, and better than the reviews in my opinion.

-Z

Overall, I enjoyed the first Tron more than this second installment, but wow, did this one look better on the screen. The story here feels like a more Disney-fied version of the original Tron, which felt a little cheap at times. And despite Jord’s insistence otherwise, Z & I were not blown away by the soundtrack. But I am really intrigued by the Tron universe! This was a very fun movie and has me excited for where the visuals will take us in the next one.

-E

The Tron Ares trailer got me thinking: is Tron Legacy worth watching? The answer is now yes, and will always be yes. Why this movie has the reviews that it does truly confuses me. I thought the movie rocked, along with its soundtrack! This is a movie that was made for Z, and I hope he likes it as much as I think he will. Now, it isn’t a perfect movie, but it can be the perfect movie for different situations. It has a great soundtrack, a fun plot, and an awesome universe. It does fall into a few Disney "corny" issues, but other than that, I think it is a must-watch and I'm excited for Ares!

-J

Z 7.75
E 7.75
J 8.5

ZEJ 8.0

Tron

I had never seen either Tron movies, but Jord keeps hyping up Tron: Legacy, so we thought we’d start with the OG, and I’m so glad we did. While the 1982 graphics are a bit jarring at first, the digital world that’s shown is really unique and weirdly captivating. Jeff Bridges is always a vibe, but his care-free hippy attitude really makes this otherwise totally serious universe sing in a way it otherwise wouldn’t. I was fully awake for this movie, and can confirm it’s a delightful fever dream. The dialogue and acting holds up amazingly as well. Worth a watch if you’ve never seen it and a re-watch if you have.

-Z

The fact that I was incredibly tired while watching this may have amped up the fever-dream vibes, but wow, this was not what I expected! The animated visuals are very dated, but certainly don’t ruin the movie - they actually give it this creepy, nostalgic feel that I think works here, but still took me out of the movie a bit. The writing felt surprisingly pretty solid for a movie from over 40 years ago. The main reason we watched this was in anticipation of the upcoming Tron: Ares, and I’m glad we went back to the original source here!

-E

Z 8.0
E 7.75
J n/a

~ZEJ 7.88

F1

F1 was a tough movie for me to rate. On the one hand, the racing sequences are INCREDIBLE. And coupled with the fact that the ZEJ team made the correct decision of seeing it in MX4D, those sequences felt like a top tier Disney World ride. On the other hand, the story, dialogue, and acting was poor. This is the worst Brad Pitt performance I’ve seen, and that’s coming from a Brad Pitt superfan. Javier Bardem was a little off in this too, though, so I blame directing/editing more than anything. Clearly Joseph Kosinski (shoutout to a Marshalltown, Iowa native!) can properly deliver on action, having seen Only the Brave and Top Gun: Maverick from his filmography, but this felt like maybe it was a bit rushed. If you can still find a showtime with this in DBOX or MX4D, I do recommend it, but otherwise this is probably just for the racing and action fans out there.

-Z

MX4D was the way to go for F1! I found the racing scenes INCREDIBLY fun and well done, making up for some of the lackluster writing and plot. While I agree with Z’s take that Brad Pitt was not quite at the top of his acting game here, he is still a must-watch actor for me - he just continues to make you enthusiastically trust in his unconventional schemes and plans! I’m also quite interested in the world of F1 now - as someone who knew nothing about it going into this movie, I think they did a great job giving us a (seemingly) realistic look at it.

-E

Can the racing scenes alone make a movie elite? Probably not, but they can make a mediocre story into a memorable movie. Z, E, and myself saw this film in 4D which also may have skewed the rating a bit, but objectively the racing scenes were incredible. The story was something to be desired, and definitely expected a bit more out of Brad Pitt, but it was not as bad as Z is most likely going to say. A really fun film that I think fits perfectly into the ‘Summer Blockbuster’ category that I think we have been missing for awhile. Now I am all into F1 and making my way through Drive to Survive. Find some time and watch this one!

-J

Z 7.25
E 8.25
J 8.0

ZEJ 7.83

28 Years Later

Danny Boyle doesn’t miss! At 68 years of age, the man is still pioneering cinema; and he managed to do it again on the revisit of his and Alex Garland’s zombie universe. While the quick flash cut style of the original is difficult to watch now, it was absolutely the style of the time and Boyle managed to mimic the energy of that style in a new way with 28 Years Later. What that does to the action sequences is certainly not my preference, but it is certainly unique and gives the whole movie this kind of fever dream quality, which is certainly the intention. The pacing is all over the place; certainly, and a movie like this has a ceiling, but it was super fun. The ending is also quite strange unless you’re aware that a sequel is set to this is set to release in January, as Alex Garland wrote this and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple as a pairing, and they were filmed back to back. Nia Dacosta, director of the Marvels directed the Bone Temple, though, and her disappointing run of the Marvels does give me pause. Nevertheless, 28 Years Later is well worth the watch, even if you’ve never seen the original two, as I would say they’re not strictly required.

-Z

I’m starting to think that this franchise, or maybe zombie movies in general are just not for me. I totally appreciate the effort to pay homage to the style of the originals, and I can't deny that this is a quality film, but to me, that style feels very dated for a 2025 release. Several areas here felt weirdly paced - there was a sense of rushing through, not really allowing the emotional weight of events to settle, but maybe that can be attributed to the reality of this world for the child who is our main focus. The world they are setting up here is undoubtedly interesting and I definitely want to learn more, but the fear of the zombies just doesn’t draw me in like other horror elements.

-E

I mean, this is what I wanted it to be. Looking online, reviews are all over the place, but I think this was the best of the trilogy so far, and I loved every second of it. I know the style isn't everyone's favorite, but I love that it was a great callback to the originals. I also just think the world-building was incredible; it's a toss-up between this, The Creator, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes for my favorite worlds built in recent memory. Now, it's not perfect, sadly; there are some dialogue and pacing issues, in my opinion. Still, I bought into the story. I think it's believable where it went, and we got to see some exciting and brutal infected action. The ending confused me until Z informed me of the next one coming out, and it may be my most anticipated film now. Something about this really struck a chord, and if you can deal with gore, violence, and nudity, you need to get in and see this film!

-J

Z 8.5
E 8.0
J 9.0

ZEJ 8.5

28 Weeks Later

28 Days Later was worse than I remembered it, and 28 Weeks Later better, but there are some major plot issues in this one that really pull you out of the movie. It just was not clever in the way the original was at all. In my opnion, it’s not worth a watch unless you’re wanting to see the new one and missed this, and even then, a 5-minute recap is probably fine.

-Z

There were definitely some plot holes that plagued this, but I can still appreciate the energy and fun of the story - the intensity of it really did draw me in! After seeing all three of the films in this series as I’m writing this, I can say this one does the least in terms of advancing the world building of this universe, which would put it in third place for me.

-E

Z 7.0
E 7.5
J n/a

~ZEJ 7.25

The Phoenician Scheme

The Phoenician Scheme is definitely being slept on. It’s delightful and comforting, in only a way Wes Anderson can do. What holds it back from the heights of Grand Budapest Hotel; however, is the scattered humor. There’s much more laughter to be found in Grand Budapest Hotel, and that strikes a better balance for the dialogue than the Phoenician Scheme. Interestingly, it currently has worse critical reviews than Asteroid City, but higher audience reviews, and most importantly, a higher ZEJ ratings. I definitely think the characters in the Phoenician Scheme are far more interesting than Asteroid City, but perhaps critics are suckers for the ridiculous amount of cameos there. Alas, I heartily recommend you watch it.

-Z

It’s hard not to compare this with Asteroid City, which I believe I enjoyed more than the rest of the ZEJ team, and I’m thinking that might be the same case here. I love the vibe of Wes Anderson films, especially the style of dense, dry, overly formal dialogue which I find impressively humorous. Not quite as funny as it maybe could have been, but an overall fun experience with excellent visuals.

-E

"Have a hand grenade." -Zsa-zsa Korda

It's hard to believe that a little over a year ago I had never seen a Wes Anderson film. Now I've seen five, and I really enjoy them. They always move fast and they're always beautiful, but I think this one falls in the middle. It's not Grand Budapest or Fantastic Mr. Fox, but it is better than Asteroid City, in my opinion. The biggest issue is that despite it being really enjoyable, there's no flair. We've seen this act before, and I think that's the biggest thing holding it back. I really enjoyed Michael Cera and thought it was acted well by all, but sadly, it was a bit drawn out. We all find comfort in the norm, and if that's what you're looking for, then this is perfect, or if you haven't seen a Wes Anderson before, you will love it. As what I think you can call a fan, it is sadly just a little played out. Overall, still an 8, and it should be seen by all!

-J

Z 8.25
E 8.25
J 8.0

ZEJ 8.17