A Look Back At "The Mummy" Movies

There have been a ton of movies that have featured mummies over the years. And in that slew of films between the 1932 Boris Karloff classic and the 2017 Tom Cruise one (that no one except for me seemed to like), exists a trilogy of films starring Brendan Fraser. Now, none of these were big critical hits but, the first two were mostly well-received by audiences.

The last of the Brendan Fraser 'Mummy' films came out back in 2008 and because it's been ten years since that series ended, I thought it would be a good time to look back and see if the movies hold up. Also, I'm going to keep this limited to the just the 'Mummy' films, so the 'Scorpion King' spinoff movies will not be included.

What works: Although after rewatching all of these I think it would be hard to argue in favor of any one of the three films being a legitimately great piece of cinema, it's hard to deny that they are a fun bunch of adventure flicks. Brendan Fraser is solid as the likable jerk Rick O'Connell, there is a nice balance of action and comedy, and the supporting cast is (mostly) good. Also, I like the musical score in all of the films, particularly the main themes from the 'The Mummy' and 'The Mummy Returns'.

What doesn't: The CGI effects in these films are really bad. Some will argue that the films came out in 1999, 2001, and 2008 respectively so they don't look great compared to today's standards. However, as someone who saw all of these when they were first released in theaters, a lot of the effects were subpar even for the time. Additionally, each of the three films carries a runtime of about 2hrs and they all feel a bit too long. Like most trilogies, there is one movie that is clearly the weakest of the bunch, and the runt of this litter is 'Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'. It doesn't involve an Egyptian mummy, most of the jokes fall flat, and they weren't able to convince Rachael Weisz to come back, so they just recast Evelyn.

Overall, despite some problems, I still think this is a fun trilogy of films. Are they going to go down in history as all-time classics? No, but if you haven't seen then in a while then they are worth revisiting.


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If you enjoyed this there is, I did another 'Look Back' at the Hellboy films (you can check that out by clicking HERE). 

Marvel Cinematic Universe Rankings *Updated*

Back in October of 2016 I ranked the Marvel Cinematic Universe films worst-to-first based on a variety of factors; story, villain, initial viewing and rewatchability etc. But most importantly, the list is simply about how much I enjoyed one film over another. Since then, many movies have been added to the MCU with each one building on and often changing the impact of previous films. So, I've updated the rankings which is something I'll be doing after each new installment.

#23 The Incredible Hulk (2008)
-This one, for me, is the most forgettable of the MCU films (Marvel even replaced Norton with Mark Ruffalo and no one cared). Edward Norton and the rest of the cast are solid but, the film doesn’t hold up as well as some of the others and the movie just isn't much fun overall. 

#22 Black Panther (2018) 
-This one was a bit of a letdown for me. Pacing was an issue but, most of all I was just bored by this film. Also, this movie has some pretty terrible CGI moments.

#21 Iron Man 3 (2013)
-This one is a bit of a mixed-bag. Initially I didn’t care for it, probably because I had such high expectations going in, but over time and a few repeat viewings I’ve found a good number of things I really like in the movie.

#20 Thor: The Dark World (2013)
-This sequel to 2011’s ‘Thor’ is a solid movie that just suffers from, what is likely, the MCU's most forgettable villain. We do get to see more of Asgard in this one, which is a plus. I rank this one a little higher than most people probably do, because I do think it's well made and I enjoy it.

#19 Iron Man 2 (2010)
-This movie isn't bad, Robert Downey Jr. is great, Justin Hammer (played by Sam Rockwell) is one of my favorite MCU characters, and it's actually the film I've seen the most on this list, but at times it feels like more of a setup for future MCU films than an Iron Man one. On the plus side, War Machine and Black Widow are fun additions.

#18 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
-While it is a really fun action packed movie, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.  I liked the larger roster of Avengers, but I didn't find Ultron all that menacing and I think the character was wasted in a one-off story. Who knows, maybe Ultron will return in the future.

#17 Thor (2011)
-The film doesn't start off having the most compelling Marvel hero and it isn't the most action-packed of the bunch, but it's a solid entry and Chris Hemsworth is another example of great casting by the folks at Marvel. It's been fun to see the MCU version of the character grow from kind of obscure to a fan favorite over the years.

#16 Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
-I personally think this is a solid follow-up to 2015's Ant-Man. After a little time and a few repeat viewings I might put it ahead of the original but for now it's going to sit at the #16 slot.

#15 Captain Marvel (2019)
-I was really excited for this one because Captain Marvel has had a few good story runs in the pages of Marvel Comics over the past few years and, while I liked the movie, I didn't love it. I had fun in the theater watching it but, The Guardians movies and Thor: Ragnarok have presented such a fun and vibrant feel to the MCU's cosmic stories, and this movie's scenes in space felt a bit dull and generic to me.

#14 Doctor Strange (2016)
-This one isn't just entertaining but it's also visually captivating. Doctor Strange was never one of my favorite Marvel Comics characters, but that didn't hurt my movie going experience and I thought Benedict Cumberbatch was solid a Stephen Strange.

#13 Ant-Man (2015)
-I was kind of surprised by how much I enjoyed this one when I first saw it. It’s a really fun movie. There is the one big MCU tie-in when Ant-Man comes across Falcon, but like ‘Iron Man’ the movie is able to stand on its own without relying too heavily on the rest of the MCU.

# 12 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- It's the culmination of 10 years worth of Marvel movies and, while that makes it a satisfying experience for MCU fans, it doesn't really stand on it's own as a film. There is a good chance that it moves up or down significantly on the list as subsequent films build on the events of this one.

#11 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
-There are a lot things I loved about it and a few things I didn't, but overall it's really entertaining. I would've liked to rank it higher, but there just wasn't enough to put it ahead of the others.

#10 Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
-Overall, this is a really good Spider-Man movie. I didn't like it as much as Spider-Man: Homecoming (at least after just one veiwing) but, I had fun with this one. There is some fun action, a few good laughs, and some great character moments.

#9 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
-Just because it’s #9 doesn’t make it a bad movie. The characters are likeable, and the story is interesting. The biggest flaw is that Ronan the Accuser is an underwhelming villain that felt like nothing more than a place holder until a future Guardians film.

#8 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
-The film is packed full of fan-service and fun moments. The narrative, pacing, and structure aren't the strongest of the bunch and the 3 hour runtime does affect it's rewatchability but, I still really enjoyed it.

#7 Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
-It was time for Marvel to do something different with Thor and the Hulk, and in this action-comedy I think they knocked it out of park. This is easily my favorite of the 'Thor' films, I found it to be an absolute joy and it holds up to repeat viewings which is not something I say about several of these films.

#6 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
-I like the first 'Guardians of the Galaxy' film but it does have it's flaws and, while this one isn't perfect either, I did really enjoy it. It's a fun, very funny film with the characters you love from the first one, plus it has Kurt Russell. I definitely recommend it

#5 Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
-I probably like this one more than most people. I think it's a really fun and well done movie, especially since origin stories so often end up being a little boring.

#4 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
-Spider-Man's first solo film in the MCU was exactly what I hoped it would be. A fun, action packed film with a Peter Parker who actually looks like a high school student. The Sam Rami trilogy was pretty good overall. The Amazing Spider-Man films had their moments. This is the Spider-Man I think most of us wanted all along.

#3 The Avengers (2012)
-There was nothing quite like seeing Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all fighting alongside one another for the first time on the big screen. When the heroes are standing in a circle, battle-ready, and the Avengers theme kicks in... it's still one of the coolest MCU moments and resulted in the biggest cheer I have ever heard in a cinema.

#2 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
-This almost made the #1 spot. It’s an action packed thriller, and one of the all-time best comic book movies. Simply a great addition to the MCU.

#1 Iron Man (2008) 
-The film that started it all still holds up as my favorite. The plot isn't overly complicated, you can enjoy it for exactly what it is without the need to see any of the other films beforehand, and Robert Downey Jr. is excellent as Tony Stark. I still remember walking out of the theater thinking "Man, I hope they make another one of these..." I could've never imagined at the time that the MCU would become this big.

How do you rank the MCU films?

Leave it in the comments below.

I post reviews of new and classic films all the time, so check back regularly or follow me on Twitter @jfrey87 for links to new content.

The Sessions

This 2012 movie about a poet, paralyzed by polio who hires a sex surrogate is a mixed-bag to say the least. It did well with critics overall and currently holds a 93% score on 'Rotten Tomatoes', and while there are some things I liked about the film, there is just as much to criticize.

The basic plot centers around Mark O'Brien (played by John Hawkes) who is paralyzed from the neck down and decides one day that he wants to lose his virginity. So, after discussing this with a priest (played by William H. Macy) Mark hires a sex surrogate named Cheryl (played by Helen Hunt). As this journey into discovering sex continues both Mark and Cheryl start to develop strong feelings for one another. Mark regularly gives progress updates to his priest/friend after every session, and Cheryl starts to feel conflicted as the lines begin to blur between work and love.

The film does have a few things going for it; It's well shot, the cast is pretty good, and it's definitely not a story I felt like I've seen a hundred times. However, it's a bit slow and feels a lot longer than it's 95 minute runtime. The romance felt contrived, and it's probably one of the most bland movies I've seen in quite a while.

Overall, while obviously aiming to register emotional with the audience, this one just didn't work for me. It's not horrible, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it... I mean, unless you really want to see Helen Hunt naked.

I give this one a 1.5 out of 5

The Miracle Season

The Miracle Season is a 2018 film based on the true story of an Iowa volleyball team that overcomes tragedy to win the state championship. This film shamelessly goes hard for the heartstrings, but missed the mark for me completely. However, I ended up fighting back laughter during several scenes.

The story is fairly straightforward: Caroline "Line" Found is the heart of her high school volleyball team (and I guess her whole home town), but one night she gets into an auto accident and dies. Her friends/teammates are unsure if they can even play out the season without their star player, but they use Caroline's zest for life as inspiration. Against all odds, and lead by Caroline's best friend, the team comes together to win it all. It's a nice story, but It's trying a bit too hard to be a tear-jerker and it doesn't work. The cast is ok but acting is a bit over the top at times, and though I appreciate the effort in trying to make volleyball cinematic, it's not a great sports movie.

Overall, this probably should've been a Hallmark channel movie rather than a feature film. I don't want to rip on the movie too hard, because it is a true story about a girl dying but I also can't recommend this one.

I give it a 1.5 out of 5.

Love & Mercy

Released in 2014 Love & Mercy is a film about musician and the co-founder of The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson. Biopics about musicians and the music industry have always been hit or miss for me, but I found this one to be entertaining.

In terms of plot, there are a lot of the story beats you'd expect in a movie like this: the ups and downs, the pressure of fame, infighting among the group, etc. However, the added aspects of struggling with both mental illness and a manipulative therapist (played by Paul Giamatti) provide extra layers to the story. With a runtime right around 2-hours, the film never really seems to drag. A lot of that is because it's structured in such a way that it's regularly shifting between a young Brian Wilson (played by Paul Dano) and a middle-aged Wilson (played by John Cusack). The parts with Dano focus more on dynamic between Wilson and the rest of The Beach Boys, whereas the Cusack scenes are about Wilson forming a romantic relationship with Melinda Ledbetter (played by Elizabeth Banks) and the therapist that wants to control him.

Overall, I give this one a soft-recommend. All of the performances are solid, and it's a well-paced film, but it's probably not one that everyone will get into.

I give it a 3 out of 5.

10 Burt Reynolds Movies Everyone Should See

With Burt Reynolds' latest film (The Last Movie Star) now out, it seemed like a good time to add another entry to this ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series. Previous entries have included Sean Connery, Alfred Hitchcock, Tom Hanks, and James Stewart Just to name a few. (You can check those by clicking Here)  Like the rest of the series, this isn't a "Top 10" but rather more of an overall a look at a person's career.

#10 Breaking In (1989)

There were a few films that I debated on putting at the #10 spot, but this film about an expert safe-cracker and a two-bit crook teaming up to pull a few heists ultimately won out. It's not an all-time great movie, but it's a lot of fun.

#9 Boogie Nights (1997)

Boogie Nights isn't my favorite film on this list, but it's well directed, has a pretty good cast, and is one of Reynold's most critically acclaimed performances so it deserves a place a spot.

#8 The Last Movie Star (2018)

I actually had a different film in this spot originally but, after seeing The Last Movie Star I had to include it on the list. I wrote a more in-depth review (which you can check out by clicking HERE) but, the main reason it made it on to this list is that I think it's one of Burt's best acting performances.

#7 City Heat (1984)

If you like Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, and mobster movies then this is one you'll definetly want to check out. While not the best film either one of the leads has been in, I think it's enjoyable and worthwhile.

#6 Deliverance (1972)

This film about a group of friends that take a canoe trip that goes horribly wrong is not a movie I would describe as a 'fun' watch, but it's still arguably the best overall film that Burt has been in.

#5 The End (1978)

One of several films on this list that teamed up Burt Reynolds win Dom DeLuise, this one is a really underrated comedy about a man who has convinced himself that he wants to commit suicide but is too afraid to go through with it.

#4 All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Burt voices the animated character Charlie Barkin, a con-artist German Shepard, in this Don Bluth film. It's a solid animated feature and is certainly a unique entry on the Burt Reynolds filmography.

#3 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)

Burt Reynolds joins Dolly Parton in this musical about, as the title would suggest, a whorehouse in Texas. Although this adaptation of a stage production received mixed reviews from critics, it is actually one of my favorites on this list.

#2 The Cannonball Run (1981)

Burt Reynolds may not have always chosen the best films but he usually chose fun ones. Cannonball Run is one of the all-time just for fun films, with a great cast of crazy characters all competing in a cross-country auto race.

#1 Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

This one is a bit of an obvious choice as it's definitely the film Burt is best known for, and for good reason. Smokey and the Bandit was a big hit at the box-office and has become something of an American classic.



Honorable Mentions: The Longest Yard(1974), Stick (1985), Mystery Alaska (1999), Gator (1976), White Lightning (1973), Fuzz, (1972), Semi-Tough (1977), 100 Rifles (1969)

The Last Movie Star (2018)

The Last Movie Star is a film is about an former Hollywood star coming to terms with the fact that his best days are behind him and reflecting on the mistakes he's made over the years. Although the film is a work of fiction, parts of it are semi-autobiographical, and there are even scenes with Burt interacting with his younger self.

Overall the plot is pretty simple: An aging movie star named Vic Edwards (played by Reynolds) is invited to attend a weekend-long film festival in Nashville and he is told he will be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award. After talking it over with an old friend of his (played by Chevy Chase) he decides to attend. However, when Vic arrives in Nashville he soon learns that the festival isn't the glitz and glamour, red carpet event he thought it was going to be. Instead, the "Film Festival" is a being put on by a small group of fans and takes place at a bar. After a rough first night in Nashville Vic decides to ask a girl named Lil (played by Ariel Winter), who has been tasked with driving him around town for the weekend, to take him to Knoxville where he grew up. So they go. Vic visits various important places from his youth, and all along the way offers up words of wisdom to Lil who herself is at a crossroads in her own life.

I don't know how this film is going to land with general audiences, but I enjoyed it. Is it the best film that's going to hit theaters this year? Probably not, but it feels like a very personal film and Reynolds gives a genuinely touching performance. I recommend checking it out.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

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