Jake Peffer Watches

  2024. PG-13. 100 mins. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun I Saw The TV Glow is the perfect example of a movie that has so much potential to be great but doesn't stick the landing in its execution. Director/Writer Jane Schoenbrun has an interesting vision for the story at hand and there are some great themes spread out throughout the movie. However, all the interesting ideas never feel like they are fleshed out enough and when the movie comes to an extremely abrupt ending, it all just feels like it led up to nothing worthwhile. This is a movie about finding your true self and being who you really are inside, but all that gets lost in a muddled story that loses itself by the end. There are glimpses of a truly great movie here. Everything is beautifully shot, and the cinematography is top notch. The score presents a great backdrop for scenes and does help draw you into certain moments that are supposed to be tense. Certain scenes do stand out because of the way they are shot and crafted, a...

  2024. R. 115 mins. Directed by Richard Linklater Director Richard Linklater has once again crafted another stellar movie. The script, written by Linklater and Powell, is top notch and really works from start to finish. There are numerous scenes throughout with some great dialogue and the script is extremely witty, especially with the character of Gary Johnson. Linklater does a great job at building the character of Gary and letting the audience get to know him. Seeing a montage of Gary posin g as a hit man for different clients and putting on different disguises and accents is one of the best parts of the movie. Glen Powell knocks his performance out of the park. This is a perfect starring vehicle for him, and he performs expertly throughout. Adria Arjona gives a fantastic performance as well and her chemistry with Powell is a highlight of the movie. Add in some side characters played well by Austin Amelio, Retta and Sanjay Rao and this is one well rounded cast. The biggest flaw ...

  2024. PG-13. 97 mins. Directed by Jerry Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld made one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sitcoms of all time. He has now also made one of the worst Netflix original movies. In his directorial debut, Seinfeld fumbles the ball and squanders an amazing cast with a below average comedy that never feels like it knows what it wants to be. How a movie can contain this much talent and essentially not execute on any level is nothing short of amazing. The movie follows Bob Cabana (Jerry Seinfeld) as he tells the story of how he helped create the Pop Tart for Kellogg's. This is a somewhat interesting concept for a comedy. Watching two rival companies go toe to toe and try to one up each other to make a new breakfast snack could make some funny moments. Unfortunately, that is the biggest problem with Unfrosted, it just isn't very funny. With a cast littered with so many great comedians, former SNL cast members and cameos from other talented actors there is absolutel...

  2024. PG. 94 mins. Directed by Mike Mitchell & Stephanie Stine The Kung Fu Panda franchise has always felt like one of the more underrated series from the likes of Dreamworks. Always flying under the radar but still managing to be successful both financially and critically, the Kung Fu Panda movies have been fun and entertaining not just for kids but for adults as well. After an eight year hiatus the franchise returns with Part 4, making it one of only two franchises from Dreamworks to have four movies along with the Shrek series. Continuing where the previous movie left off, Po (Jack Black) has been tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. This means he has to find and train a new Dragon Warrior to take his place. While Po is searching for a new warrior to train a new threat emerges in the form of The Chameleon (Viola Davis), a sorceress who plans to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. With the help of Zhen (Awkw...

  2024 | PG-13 | 115 mins | Directed by Gil Kenan The latest entry in the Ghostbusters franchise is here. Frozen Empire takes the franchise back to the firehouse in New York City as we follow the Spengler clan taking part in their new roles as Ghostbusters. A mysterious artifact is brought out for the first time in almost 100 years, and it contains a new threat that could possibly cause a new ice age. With the help of some friends and the original Ghostbusters, our heroes will stop at nothing to take down this new evil. First and foremost, it is great to have this cast back together. Ghostbusters: Afterlife set up a great family dynamic and it continues here in Frozen Empire. Adding in the character of Gary (Paul Rudd) as more of stepdad this time around adds even more to the dynamic. The biggest highlight of the movie is the cast of characters. Everyone from the OG cast to the newer crew, all put in great performances, and they play off of one another quite well. From start to fin...

  2024. R. 113 mins. Directed by Peter Farrelly Three childhood best friends; Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) pull a prank on Halloween that doesn't go as planned. To get out of trouble they create an imaginary kid named Ricky Stanicky that takes the fall for their wrongdoings. Over the next twenty years, the boys use Ricky as a scapegoat anytime they do something wrong or want to get out of something. When their families want to invite Ricky to a party the guys must figure out whether to tell the truth or do something drastic. They end up going the drastic route by hiring an entertainer they met in Atlantic City named Rod (John Cena), who just so happens to also be a trained actor. Director Peter Farrelly has had a long history of making comedies. Some have been hilarious, like Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary, while others have missed the mark entirely, like The Heartbreak Kid and Dumber and Dumber To. Ricky Stanicky falls somew...

2024. R. 107 mins. Directed by Johan Renck Spaceman is the latest Netflix vehicle starring Adam Sandler. It is also another foray into the dramatic side of acting for the comedian. Whenever Sandler decides to stray away from his comfort zone, it usually means we're in for a good performance. Whether it's Punch Drunk-Love, Reign Over Me or Uncut Gems, when Sandler tries, he can put out a really great performance. In Spaceman, this is no different. We get another truly great performance from Adam Sandler. Unfortunately, it's a shame that the rest of the movie doesn't stack up the same way. Jakub (Adam Sandler) is halfway through his solo mission on the edge of the solar system. When he decided to go on this mission he also decided that he would be leaving his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan), who is also pregnant with their child. While soaring through space Jakub continually thinks about the state of his marriage as he and Lenka were having their fair share of problems when h...