The future of mankind hangs in the balance as humans and dinosaurs coexist following the destruction of Isla Nublar.
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, BD Wong, Omar Sy, Isabella Sermon, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, Campbell Scott, Scott Haze, Dichen Lachman
Release Date: June 9, 2022
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action, some violence and language
Runtime: 2h 26m
Review:
Jurassic World: Dominion, supposedly the final entry in the franchise, is a bloated, tired exercise in soulless blockbuster filmmaking. Colin Trevorrow's film is shockingly inert even as it traverses multiple continents before its first action set piece begins. Those sequences, even those that borrow familiar beats from previous films, are the high points as Trevorrow really digs into 50s era monster B movies. Swarms of oversized locusts and a tunnel chase with well timed scares provide the few bits of fresh energy in terms of action. Even the regurgitated bits are fun in a comfort food sort of way but the film's script is shockingly lazy. The overall plot combines the new trilogy and legacy character together by sheer coincidence as opposed to something grander. Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill are the main draw here, returning to their legendary roles with mixed results. They do their best to channel the energy of the original but with a decidedly weaker script. Goldblum natural energy leaves him faring the best with the least amount of screen time. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard aren't asked to do much other than look steely or terrified depending on the situation. Newcomers to the series, Mamoudou Athie and DeWanda Wise are both intriguing performers that make for welcome additions to the series but each character is so terribly underwritten that they serve as little more than plot devices. Campbell Scott serves as the primary tech villain in this entry but making him look like Apple CEO Tim Cook doesn't really make for the most menacing adversary. Jurassic World: Dominion is a paint by the numbers entry that fails to wrap up the series in a satisfying way as it fails to recapture the magic that made the original so special.
In the years after the Civil War, Jo March lives in New York and makes her living as a writer, while her sister Amy studies painting in Paris. Amy has a chance encounter with Theodore, a childhood crush who proposed to Jo but was ultimately rejected. Their oldest sibling, Meg, is married to a schoolteacher, while shy sister Beth develops a devastating illness that brings the family back together. Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper, Meryl Streep Release Date: December 25, 2019 Genres: Drama, Romance Rated PG for thematic elements and brief smoking. Runtime: 2h 15 min Review: It's impossible to not walk away from Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Woman feeling uplifted. Sure it's a story that's been told multiple times before but Gerwig's take feels fresh and timely. Some alterations to the story make it feel more modern and the film overall is better for it. She shuffles up the chronology of the novel which makes the familiar story much more interesting and engaging. Gerwig is blessed with a stellar cast which makes the whole thing incredibly watchable. Her muse, Saoirse Ronan, couldn't be better suited to play the head strong Jo. It's easy to forget that she's only 25 since she's so naturalistic and engaging as an actress. Florence Pugh is just as strong in this film even pulling off the incredible feat of of making Amy less annoying and interesting. Emma Watson and Eliza Scanlen round out the other tow sisters with their performances being solid but more subdued. Ultimately it's Ronan's film and she carries it with great ease even though we already know the majority of the story beats. The story does start to drag a bit near the end of it's run time and it's easy to see where 15 or 20 minutes could have been shaved off. Regardless, Gerwig's film is a fine example of how to bring something new to a well worn story but keeping it's spirit at the same time.
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes. Director: Noah Baumbach Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Azhy Robertson, Julie Hagerty, Merritt Wever, Wallace Shawn Release Date: December 13, 2019 Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance Rated R for language throughout and sexual references. Runtime: 2h 17min Review:
Noah Baumbach’s Marriage story is as subtle as it is familiar. You’d be hard pressed to ignore echos from films like 1979’s Kramer vs Kramer which starred Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep or even 1989’s The War of the Roses with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Perhaps every generation needs one or two films that captures the slow-moving disintegration of a love story perhaps to act as a counterweight to the endless Rom-Coms that Hollywood churns out. Baumbach’s film does a fine job of capturing what those singular films have in the past by capturing the ordinary and mundane that can lead to larger life events. We never see the marriage in its heyday and it’s probably for the best that its only referred to but never explicitly shown, capturing how those fiery moment have faded into the mundane. At the film’s center are two performances that keep your attention even through the quieter moments which pepper the film. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson keep it watchable and engaging throughout. I’ll readily admit that I’ve never understood Driver’s appeal, in my opinion he’s been playing version of the same character since he first hit the screen, but it’s hard to ignore his measured but realistic performance. The film paints his character in a slightly more sympathetic light which makes him easier to like since the film tends to follow him more than Johansson. Scarlett Johansson is just as strong even if her character is a bit more distant from the center of the film. Still both are likable for the better part of the film even as things start to get more and more pointed leading to an explosive confrontation which is realistic in its gloves off emotional brutality. If this makes the film sound like a decidedly dour affair, it’s not. In fact, the film is an ebb and flow in emotions with moments of levity coming as readily as the sadder moments. The supporting actors all have fun moments with Laura Dern channeling her Big Little Lies character. Alan Alda and Ray Liotta both have smaller roles, but each leave a lasting impression and make you wish they’d been on screen just a tad more. As a whole, Marriage Story is a bitter sweet tale about what happens once the romantic comedy moments end
With the weekend fully occupied by my annual New York City trip, today I took advantage of my "recovery day" today to check out Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
A divorce seen from all points of view.
Marriage Story is the sort of movie I expect to loathe. No explosions. No gunfights. No Jason Statham. Why even bother making that movie, am I right?? This one, though? I liked it. It's good. It's clever. It's deep. I mean, still no Statham, but, well, you can't have everything, I guess.
Marriage Story dives deep into the divorce of an actor (Scarlett Johansson) and a director (Adam Driver), poking at the story from all sides. Determined to split amicably, the two are pulled in different directions by extraneous forces, as they navigate the challenging terrain of their separation and its effects not only on themselves, but also on their young child. Johansson and Driver are brilliant, and--while he may not have Taron Egerton's Oscar, either--this is probably the closest anyone's gotten to Egerton's fantastic work in Rocketman all year long. Authentic, devastating performances by both leads. The supporting players are no slouches themselves, with Wallace Shawn, Alan Alda, Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, and Julie Hagerty among the notables fleshing out this layered tale. Marriage Story is inescapably sad, but also funny at times. It realistically portrays how a person might hate and love someone at the same time. It is a complex, well-crafted story whose only real flaw is that the painful subject matter makes its excessive length cumbersome. It also confirms my theory that most trouble starts with having Laura Dern around, so there's that.
Marriage Story clocks in at 136 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout and sexual references."
Marriage Story is a heartbreaking, hopeful work of art, and I recommend it with some surprise but no hesitation.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Marriage Story gets eight.
Luke Skywalker's peaceful and solitary existence
gets upended when he encounters Rey, a young woman who shows strong signs of
the Force. Her desire to learn the ways of the Jedi forces Luke to make a
decision that changes their lives forever. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren and General Hux
lead the First Order in an all-out assault against Leia and the Resistance for
supremacy of the galaxy.
Director:
Rian Johnson
Release Date: Dec 15, 2017
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam
Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern
Rated PG-13 (for sequences of
sci-fi action and violence)
Runtime: 2 hr. 32 min.
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Review:
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is an
enjoyable entry into the long running series.It has some moments that feel iconic but as a whole it never really
captures a consistent feel that some of the better Star War films like The
Empire Strikes Back and Rogue One.Rian
Johnson delivers a solid entry that doesn’t deliver a bevy of familiar beats
like The Force Awakens did three years ago.Instead we get some interesting story choices that don’t necessarily hit
as well as they should have.I do give Johnson
credit for trying something different instead of playing it safe but none of
the choices really make for any sort of memorable moments.Instead we get 3 disparate storylines that
run concurrently but never seem naturally cohesive.Separating the 3 new leads robs the story of
letting these new generation characters form any sort of ongoing
chemistry.Daisy Ridley is just as
energetic and magnetic as she was in The Force Awakens.Ridley and Mark Hamill share solid chemistry
together with Hamill adding impressive range and depth to Luke Skywalker.Oscar Issac is given more screentime, to the
films benefit, this go around and Issac takes full advantage.He brings a strong sense of bravado and charm
to the role which feels like a new generation’s Han Solo.John Boyega is still a little broad for my
taste, it’s not his fault.The character
is written very broadly much to Boyega’s detriment because he’s a solid actor
but he isn’t given much to do here until the final act.Carrie Fisher delivers her final bow on film
and it’s very much a fitting swan song even if her character is taken off the
board for a large chunk of the film.My
biggest issue is still Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren whose character is nothing more
than a whiny emo man baby.There are a
few choice bits written into his character which posits some interesting ideas
about legend and legacy but it not enough for me to get past the fact that’s
the character is eerily similar to Anakin Skywalker in the prequel
trilogy.The film does boast some
impressive set pieces sprinkled throughout even though you can’t help but think
it all could have been trimmed down by a good 45 minutes.One subplot in particular feels like it could
have been excised entirely while finding something slightly more interesting
than a casino planet or the worlds slowest space chase.Star Wars: The Last Jedi is at the very least
better than The Force Awakens in that if finds its own path.It’s not the perfect entry some have made it
out to be but it’s an enjoyable entry.
Dearest Blog: 'Tis the season where I never work a five-day week, so yesterday I took advantage of a Friday away from the office to beat the (worst) crowds to The Last Jedi and Ferdinand.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers, BUT...as people are uber-sensitive about Star Wars I'm gonna say spare us all the stress and just don't read this until you've seen the movie. I might have a thought that hints at an idea that will utterly destroy your experience or something.
Normally I write in the order I see, but as a courtesy I'm going to drop Ferdinand first so parents who are wondering, "Should I take my kid to this?" don't have to wade through 2,000 words on why I've been in love with Luke Skywalker since I was ten before getting their answer.
A gentle bull called Ferdinand has to save himself and his friends from the bullfighter's ring and the Burger King.
Ferdinand is a cute, mostly benign kids' movie. I hesitate to call it a family movie because, really, there's not much here to entertain anyone over the age of ten...or most people over the age of ten, I guess, because I liked it well enough. Ferdinand's art and animation are merely decent, and the predictable story--while enjoyable--is certainly not on par with its most recent animated competition, the extraordinary Coco. A lively score from the brilliant John Powell works especially well with the film's brighter and more colorful bits. Wrestler John Cena isn't overtaxed in the lead, and, oddly, my screening seemed mostly filled with Cena fans, just one little kid among them. There's not much to say about the supporting crew other than Kate McKinnon is marginally less annoying than she was in Ghostbusters, and the animated David Tennant has WAY more lines than the animated David Tennant did in How to Train Your Dragon. To me some of Ferdinand's themes seem a little harsh for smaller kids. The film is pretty clear on what happens to the bulls, whether or not they make it to the ring, so if you still hope to feed your kids that Hamburger Helper on a busy night, maybe take a pass on this one. I don't have children and always assume kids of any age know more than I'd guess, but I also thought the language was somewhat crass for very young audiences, so, again, skip it if your kids aren't already at an age where everything "sucks."
Ferdinand runs 106 minutes and is rated PG for "rude humor, action, and some thematic elements."
Ferdinand is a passable kids' movie that offers little for the rest of the family...but I liked it.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ferdinand gets five.
Fangirl points: David Tennant! Raul Esparza!
Okay, now onward to Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
With hope all but lost, the Resistance seeks a new hope. Erm...hang on.......
When a property is as iconic as Star Wars, it's more important than usual to offer a disclaimer on where these opinions come from, because I feel like most opinions on such things come from more than whether or not the movie itself is any good. So...I was ten when the first Star Wars came out. If memory serves, it was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. I fell in love with Luke Skywalker and have been in love with Luke Skywalker ever since. Thus, even though The Force Awakens is pretty universally well loved (and I, myself, loved much of it), it was also a bitter disappointment to me due to the lack of Luke. You can keep your Han. You can keep your Leia. For me it's all about Luke.
As advertised, The Last Jedi features a fair bit of Luke. Surly, difficult, fed up, conflicted, heroic Luke. Mark Hamill turns in an epic performance worthy of an epic installment in an epic series. Luke Skywalker, you remain my hero. The rest of the cast is great and terrible and a little bit in between. Kudos to John Boyega (who needs more to do) and Oscar Isaac, who engage with honesty and charisma. Of course Carrie Fisher is amazing, though her every appearance is a kick-in-the-gut reminder of what we've lost. Domhnall Gleeson's General Hux is a moustache-twirl away from a cartoon, but for my money is a more entertaining and menacing baddie than Kylo Ren, who always feels more like a kid sulking in his room with a comic book than a genuine threat to the galaxy. Much of that may have to do with Adam Driver, who is ineffective at portraying the conflict within this tormented character. Despite her closet full of awards, Laura Dern is about as exciting as a paper doll, and I'm only grateful her screen time is limited enough that it didn't ruin more of the movie for me. Annnnnnnd...Daisy Ridley is somewhere in between all that. Rey is so critical--both to Star Wars in particular and movies in general--sometimes I feel like the actor just doesn't do the character justice.
The Last Jedi starts fast out of the gate, but suffers great lags across its bloated runtime. In addition to my usual complaints (really, there are only so many moves that are interesting and necessary in any fight or chase scene), there are a couple places where the picture drops asides that seem extraneous and could have been eliminated with no real damage to the end result. The effects and CGI look pretty great, and much of the film is simply stunning, visually. The action is exciting and often takes unexpected turns, and there's a good bit of humor that mostly hits the mark without feeling forced. It goes without saying that John Williams' score is once again the very definition of iconic. The Last Jedi does a fine job of giving new players their due, while never seeming to shaft the old favorites, then tying both together in such a way that fans can probably envision this series going on forever, passing the baton from one generation of rebels to the next.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi clocks in at a massive 152 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of sci-fi action and violence."
The Last Jedi has won over critics, while leaving the fandom bitterly divided. I found a lot to love about it, but was left without the euphoria I expected when the end credits rolled. As always, though, I beg you, dear reader(s), not to let the Internet make up your mind about this movie. Get on out to the theater and see it for yourself.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Star Wars: The Last Jedi gets eight and a half, which includes one (1) bonus Weasley for having an actual Weasley in the cast.
Fangirl points: You guys...ADRIAN FREAKING EDMONDSON is in this movie!
Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master stars Joaquin Phoenix as a psychologically damaged war veteran who finds himself working for Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a charismatic figure building his own religion. As the alcoholic, self-destructive former soldier becomes more deeply involved with the leader of this cult-like organization, his natural instincts keep him from embracing his new position as strongly as others in the group would hope. The Master screened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons
Release Date: Sep 14, 2012
Rated R for Graphic Nudity, Sexual Content and Language
Runtime: 2 hr. 16 min.
Genres: Drama
Review:
The Master is an appropriate title for the new Paul Thomas Anderson. His place as the second coming of Stanley Kubrick fully realized with this visually powerful and intense film. Anderson directs his film with such a pronounced definitiveness that I’d be hard pressed to find a flaw. Anderson’s ability to get the most out of his actors is readily evident. Joaquin Phoenix gives a seminal performance which may prove to be a high point in his career. Phoenix utterly dissolves into the character from the start. It’s impossible to tear your eyes away from his ferocious mental disturbed man. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is equally impressive as the charismatic and subtly fiery cult leader. Their scenes together are some of the film’s best each showcasing their impressive talents all at once. Amy Adams is strong in a supporting role, showing off a steely intensity that makes her almost as frightening as the male leads. The actors and Anderson have created a classic film, which should be all over the place on the Oscars list, that requires your attention from the start, it offers very little in the way of clear answers. The Master is the type of film that requires repeat viewing which is a cinematic treat for any film fan.
