Love Hurts (what to expect)
Scorecard, Back to the Jurassic
If you’ve been on the fence about signing up for AMC Stubs A-List, let this be the message from the universe to do it now. Instead of a three-movie a week limit, you can now see four movies a week. We aren’t sure who can actually pull that off in a week, but we are excited to try. ðŸ¤
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Love Hurts
Watchlist Worthy: The dinosaurs are back…again.
New Pod Drop: Oscar Nominations w/ NMD, Eric, & JP
This week’s movie - Love Hurts
Letterboxd Description:
You can’t break up with your past.
A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.
Best Watched With
Your TV remote in one hand and a coke in the other.
End credit thoughts
Jonathan Eusebio is swinging for the fences in his directorial debut. Ke Huy Quan is the lead, who has been a hot commodity since his return to the big screen in Everything Thing Everywhere All At Once (2022). Marshawn "Beastmode" Lynch is a hell of a good time, no matter the context. We even get a reunion between Mikey (Sean Astin) and Data (Ke Huy Quan) for the first time since The Goonies in 1985. Unfortunately, this movie about running from the past is more of an outfield fly than a home run.
It's not hard to enjoy yourself watching the good guy kick ass in the name of doing the right thing. When the action wasn't ultra corny and full of gimmicks, it was entertaining. But it feels like this movie doesn’t know what kind of movie it wants to be: a rom-com with some action and cool stunts or an action-comedy with some romance storylines.
The movie plays to Quan's strengths by using his innocent charm and charisma to convince us he can be Marvin Gable Realtor superstar, in tandem with his fighting chops, to make his assassin past life believable. The ripped douchebag villain from Never Back Down (2008), Cam Gigandet, is back as a villain doing douchebag things. We loved seeing the credits read Marshawn "Beastmode" Lynch and seeing him go Beastmode on the screen. Put him in more movies.
The story quickly became convoluted as they kept adding more backstories, flashbacks, and subplots, doing so through a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. When people weren't trying to kill each other, the dialogue felt like the characters were in a writers' room pitching an idea for a movie.
Seeing Astin and Quan reunite—Goonies Never Say Die—was heartwarming. However, this forty-year-awaited reunion wasn't enough for the movie to deliver a solid theater experience. Love Hurts will be better watched at home when it's available on streaming.
Watch the trailer here
Jurassic World Rebirth by Gareth Edwards
When I heard there was another Jurassic movie, not only was I underwhelmed, I was slightly annoyed. Maybe it’s because I’m over Chris Pratt, but in my opinion, the last few movies tarnished a beloved franchise.
When my father-in-law (hi, Glenn!) sent me the trailer, I reluctantly watched it. Well, color me converted because this looks like a hell of a good time. I’ll watch Mahershala Ali in anything, and ScarJo going Black Widow on Spinosaurus is peak cinema.
-NMD
Letterboxd Description:
A new era is born.
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, covert operations expert Zora Bennett is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
Also Directed by Gareth Edwards:
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
The Creator (2023)
2025 Oscar Nominations w/ New Mexico Drew, Eric, & Josh #050
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
New Mexico Drew is back on the pod!! Him, Eric, and Josh engage in discussion about the 2025 Oscar nominations. They cover a variety of categories, discussing snubs, predictions, and the merits of notable films and performances, including 'A Complete Unknown', 'Dune: Part Two', and 'Sing Sing'. The conversation also touches on the ethical considerations of using AI in film production, particularly in relation to Adrian Brody's performance in 'The Brutalist'.
As the hosts debate their favorites and defend their choices, they provide a comprehensive analysis of the year's standout movies and performances, making this episode a must-listen.
Tune in next week for | Captain America: Brave New World
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