NOW PLAYING REVIEWS: Doolittle, Bad Boys For Life

Week #3 (1/17-1/19/2020) for wide opening films at the theater and time for me to pick the wide opening movie of the week to recommend.

On one hand we’ve got talking animals and a children’s classic for soft reboot live action vs. the third movie in a buddy cop series starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence back together again. Neither film is earth shaking good, let me get that out of the way right now before picking …

#1 … goes to …

Bad Boys For Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not too much suspense, as the title graphic is a giveaway, but sometimes I play around and put up a different title graphic than the top wide release film of the week.

This film is simply more fun than Doolittle. It’s also a little better than the second film in the series, which, like the original, was also directed by Michael Bay. There wasn’t enough in the budget for all three to return for this film, so famous action frenzy director Bay was not chaired. The new directors are the team of Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. Don’t know who these people are, but they did a competent job for the franchise and made another entertaining Bad Boys film.

No, it’s nothing groundbreaking and you can watch my just left the theater review and read the starred review (just click the title) for more specific thoughts, but it is entertaining enough to take this week’s watched in the theater #1 crown. And, more importantly, it joins the list of recommended movies to watch.

This brings us to the other wide opening film this week:

Doolittle ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Honestly, I had mixed emotions going into this one. I’d seen the low star rating reviews and some very unflattering and negative headlines for reviews. Here is a video that explains my thoughts going into this film and similar films where the early critics have panned the film.

Now here is my actual review of the film after watching it.

This apprehension before viewing and then relief afterwards is similar to my feelings regarding Little Women, although that movie was worlds better than both of these (that was one of my top 5 favorite films of 2019).

I don’t make a habit of doing both on the way to theater videos to accompany the just left the theaters that have been done for every wide opening film (and a few that weren’t even wide screenings) since Lion King (2019) on October 5, 2019. The times I do shoot videos on the way to theaters are when there is something else noteworthy about the moviegoer experience prior to seeing the film.

In the case of Doolittle, it’s seeing numerous negative critic reviews. The audience reviews so far, however, at Rotten Tomatoes are more positive. This remains one of my early telling barometers for how likely I’ll be entertained by a movie. No offense to the critics pool, but they haven’t been as accurate a gauge to my movie tastes.

Again, neither of these films are rewatchable to me and my recommendation is selective, at best. Those who like the Bad Boys franchise will likely be interested in the new movie and animal lovers will at least be entertained by Doolittle.

Both are toward the bottom of the movies playing in theaters that I’d recommend seeing. Go see 1917 or Little Women if you haven’t seen those yet. Much, much, much better movies.

Want to see what else we recommend NOW PLAYING at the theater?

Here are other movies we’ve seen at the theater recently (maybe they are available in your area still) that are recommended. Any movie rated at least 3-stars is recommended. You should read any 3-star review (click the title), because sometimes we do qualify those recommendations, meaning we were entertained, but it doesn’t mean that the film was that good.

4-star movies are highly recommended and films we rate as 4 1/2 or 5 stars are must see.

1. 1917 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ 
2. Ford v Ferrari ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ScreenX
3. Little Women ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. Richard Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
5. Uncut Gems ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
6. Frozen II ⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Bad Boys For Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️
8. Bombshell ⭐️⭐️⭐️
9. Like A Boss ⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. Doolittle ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy movie watching!