by Maggie Rogers

Recently, I have found myself at the movie theater on a couple of occasions. With Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and the many other streaming services available today, there aren’t many reasons to go to the theater other than to get out of the house. With the overpriced movie tickets and snacks, you can practically hear your wallet weep when the idea of seeing a movie pops up. Along with that, there haven’t been many groundbreaking movies this year to actually motivate me to go. However, despite these facts, I have still seen a few different movies in theaters and at home recently that I’d love to review.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (PG-13)

I’m not going to lie, a lot of the Marvel content that has been released in 2022 has not been holding my interest very much. I hate to say it, but I genuinely considered not buying the tickets for Wakanda Forever because my Marvel experience has been so disappointing recently. However, I am very glad I decided to see it on the big screen. Wakanda Forever turned out to be a beautifully put together movie. Although it was slow at parts, the plot was overall interesting, and I was very pleased with the new antagonist in the series. It actually feels like a villain who could last a few movies. Although it was a little long, it had likable characters, entertaining dialogue, and truly incredible action and fight scenes. This movie is not one to miss, especially for those who have enjoyed Marvel movies in the past. 8.5/10

The Menu (R)

I decided to see this movie at the very last minute, and went into the theater with essentially zero knowledge of the movie except that it was a horror movie about a restaurant. This movie was…unpredictable, to say the least. The amount of twists and turns that took place made it interesting to watch. I can say with complete sincerity that the ending was like nothing I’d ever seen before. It was truly unique. The best way to describe this movie is a cross between a cooking show and a suspense movie. I wouldn’t call it horror, because it really wasn’t that scary, but there were some violent scenes and gore, so if that makes you uneasy I’d steer clear of this. Overall, The Menu was enjoyable for a one time watch. However, once you know the ending it’s really not worth your time to watch it again. 7/10

Violent Night (R)

Seeing this movie was also a last minute decision. I feel like this film was similar to The Menu in a lot of ways, but also very different. Once you know the ending, rewatching the movie will be anticlimactic. However, the rewatchability doesn’t change the fact that this was a pretty entertaining movie. Honestly, it’s like if a bank robbery and a really violent Home Alone movie had a baby. They categorized this movie perfectly as a holiday/action/comedy movie. This movie had me laughing out loud in the theater, and also turning away because of the amount of gore. Again, if blood isn’t your thing, do NOT see this movie. Overall, they did a really nice job. It was funny, with a lot of action and gore, and still put you in the Christmas spirit. 8/10

The Noel Diary (PG)

When it comes to movies, I’m not really the biggest fan of romance. Books, absolutely. Movies, not so much. So, I went into this movie knowing it wasn’t to my taste. I was really only watching it because I like the author of the book it was based on. It takes place around Christmas time, and follows a popular book author as he helps a woman find her birth mother. I’m not going to give you more of the plot than that, although there isn’t much more to spoil. Honestly, I really wanted to like this movie, but it felt a bit slow. Even for a holiday movie, which is more about atmosphere than action, it felt like nothing happened. I also didn’t find the characters likable. I feel like it’s the type of movie you’d put on in the background of a holiday party or while you’re cleaning. I’m genuinely surprised that it has lasted in the Netflix top ten movies for so long. 6.5/10