EVAN ALMIGHTY (Theatrical Release USA 2007)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì

Evan Almighty—spinoff from Jim Carrey’s Bruce Almighty—continues to use Morgan Freeman as God while examining how diametrically opposed family prayers can work when otherworldly forces are at work. The story concept is good, the comedy is there, and Director Tom Shadyac shows great promise for comedy movies. It’s a good family share film.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Newly elected Congressman Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) has an appointment with God Almighty.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Tom Shadyak for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Ilona Herzberg, Matt Luber, and Dave Phillips for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: God (Morgan Freeman), Joan Baxter (Lauren Graham), Dylan Baxter (Johnny Simmons), Jordan Baxter (Graham Phillips), Ryan Baxter (Jimmy Bennett), Congressman Long (John Goodman), Rita (Wanda Sykes), and Marty (John Michael Higgins).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. There’s enough comedy to make it a watch for the whole family.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 (Released to Theaters USA 2023)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3—not the best of the three films—gets boring and uninteresting toward the middle and end. When it ends, the audience may feel, "That's finally over." This film is what it is. Film Poster Courtesy of IMDb Storyline After her fathers dies, Toula wants to contact her father's friends in Greece to give them her father's journal of his American experiences.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Nia Vardalos for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, and Rita Wilson for making the film possible. Cast includes Joey Fatone, Gia Carides, Lainie Kazan, Elena Kampouris, Andrea Martin, John Corbett, and Louis Mandylor. 

Should You Buy This ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

 Maybe. It is what it is. It tells an okay to suitable story. The movie catches interest in its early stages but fails to keep that in the latter scenes. If a fourth film is planned, it will need to improve significantly over this one to earn its time and money expenditure from an audience. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (Released to Theaters USA 2016)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì  My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2—while not as much of a splash as the first film, it is a good watch for fans of this movie series—sends a good recommendation for the 2023 release of the third movie in the series. There are a few suggestive dialogue scenes in the movie, but presented in a realistic 'female talk' before the wedding. This film is, overall, a great watch, creative and fun. Good work for all involved in production.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline Kostas "Gus" Portokalos finds that his marriage certificate is not valid. When he tells his wife and shows the certificate, she laughs and then the fun begins as she requires a 'real' marriage the second time around.  Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Kirk Jones for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Gary Goetzman,  Tom Hanks,  and Rita Wilson for making the film possible. Cast includes Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, and Michael Constantine. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. Fans of the first film will like this movie just as well. It's fresh, creative, and fun to watch. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers