Barbershop: The Next Cut

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     Barbershop: The Next Cut is the third Barbershop movie in the franchise. It's important to keep in mind that this movie is not something that's going to win an Oscar. There are people that rated this bad because they are treating it as something other than what it is. These are the same people who loved the movie Step Brothers or Superbad. It's not that this movie is bad, it's that it has a mostly black cast, which makes it more relatable to black people. This doesn't mean it isn't a movie for everyone, though. Everyone and anyone can follow the storyline and the jokes. It follows the formula of the first Barbershop movie, but it is way funnier.

     Calvin still gets frustrated at the way certain things are going in his life and his frustrations lead him to making a big decision that affects the lives of the people he works with. He decides not to tell his co-workers, but one of them knows the truth and rats Calvin out in front of the whole Barbershop. Eddie, the old barber, gives Calvin some advice. Then, Calvin apologizes and changes his mind. It's the same formula from the first film, so why see it? First off, a lot of movies follow generic story lines, but that doesn't mean they're bad. Second, there's more to this story than that. Finally, as I mentioned above this movie is very funny.

     The barbershop is now a barbershop and a hair salon, Calvin's son is older and making bad decisions, Common is filling in for Michael Ealy as his own brand new character, who married Eve's character, Terri. Some people make quick cameos, but still have a central or funny part that adds to the story. There's a nerdy chick, an awkward guy, a loose woman, an honorable man and so on. They have a variety of characters that bring in their perspective to things and it's fun to see.

     They mentioned that no matter what happens in the movie, there will be something funny said or done to lighten the mood. It's something that happens in the black community, so I understood the reason for this. They have the main cast from the first two movies and a few new additions. The only problems with this movie is that some moments either wrap up quickly or don't realistically happen. It doesn't take away from the movie, though. I think they did it to not make the movie more grim than it had to be and that they didn't want to make it too long.

     The movie touches on real world issues, the way some men and women act today, how things have changed over time, etc. No matter what happens in this movie, you will be laughing from start to finish. If you don't want to see The Jungle Book or have already seen it, check out Barbershop: The Next Cut. Don't forget to watch the end scene that rolls with the credits!

     

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Credit: comicbook.com

     This is a movie that almost everyone has been waiting for. You finally get to see a movie with Batman and Superman. There is a problem, though. For Hollywood, the more people you add to the story, the harder it becomes to tell everyone's side. If you haven't seen this movie, you will go see it. It doesn't matter how many bad reviews it gets because it's the story you've been waiting for. Every character in this movie has been perfectly cast, but the story is not a strong one. You will see a lot of back and forth, dream sequences and parts that just flat out make no sense, whatsoever. However, you will and should go see this movie.

     The standout star of this movie is Wonder Woman. She is getting a solo movie directed and written by women, so when you see her in this movie, you will want to see her in her own film. She doesn't stand out very strong as Diana Prince, but when she enters as Wonder Woman, she can handle things better than the men can. You also get the best Batman you can. The script wouldn't make you think so, but the mannerisms and movements of the grizzled, older Batman are all here. This is not the Batman you are used to, though. There is a much more grim Batman in this movie. This Batman does stand out and is expected to also have a solo movie.

     Superman is what Superman always is. He is the guy that does what's right, even when people are against him. Lois Lane is actually a bit bothersome in this movie. She always gets herself in trouble for the sake of letting people know that she is a journalist and not just a woman. She is constantly a damsel in distress, in harm's way and/or making bad decisions. Superman loves and saves her regardless because she gives him his bit of normalcy and keeps him on his toes as Superman.

     People hated Lex Luthor in this movie, but it was a great version of him because he was actually a spoiled nuisance in his younger years. He'll come across as annoying in the movie, but he is kind of meant to be that way. The other villain in this movie is Doomsday. He'll look just like Doomsday, which is cool, but he'll seem like a quick throwaway character. The problem with this movie is that there is so much stuff that had to be established, that it actually hurt the script. They had to establish Batman and Superman's fight, why Wonder Woman was there, Lex Luthor and Doomsday's origins, the Justice League and how they will form and so on.

     This movie hypes you up to all of the other movies coming. It's almost as if it forgot to hype up it's own story. Batman and Superman's fight is trivial and the way it was solved was even worse. However, the actual physical fight is pretty cool. The action and fight scenes are good, Jeremy Irons is the best Alfred I have ever seen and Laurence Fishburne makes a great Perry White. There are some scenes that are completely unnecessary and it kind of feels like there is a movie or two missing before this one. You will either like it or hate it, but it will leave you wanting more. More being Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Batman and Justice League 1 and 2 as long as they're not written like this movie. Rating: 6/10