Predator: Badlands and Sinners

Two movies with the unexpected (because I don't watch trailers?)

Predator: Badlands

This predator movie follows a young predator on his first hunt, and somehow makes the ugly alien a very likable and funny guy in the process! While the effects are good and the story is ok, the plot seems to intentionally find every trope from previous Predator and Alien movies, with a dash of Star Wars for the fun nostalgia factor I guess? This definitely isn't a masterpiece but its a pretty decent action flick that is an easy watch. Sure, you need to read subtitles to understand the protagonist but he's not a very wordy guy so its all good. Thumbs up!

Sinners

Twin gangsters (played by Michael B. Jordan) try start up a juke joint for their hometown community of blacks, using money they stole from mobsters to buy up property from the K-K-Klansmen. To this end they also rope in their cousin who is a real good musician, so good that he can summon forth spirits from the past and future but this attracts bloodthirsty and equally musical vampires to the opening night. Does that not sound like the craziest summary ever? It does feel like it takes a super long time to setup the characters which isn't great, and when the action bits finally get around they are over far too quickly. It's billed as a horror, but its actually just boring at the start and tripping balls crazy towards the end. Not recommended.