Old-school cops Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett team
up to take down the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel. Newly created elite team AMMO of the Miami police department along with Mike and Marcus go up
against the ruthless Armando Armas.
Director: Bilall Fallah, Adil El Arbi
Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig,
Charles Melton, Paola Núñez, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, Joe Pantoliano
Release Date: October 18, 2019
Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, sexual
references and brief drug use
Runtime: 2h 3min
Review:
It’s understandable to wonder if the Bad Boys franchise really needed a
third entry. MichaelBay’s film’s played
like forerunners to series like the Fast and Furious franchise in terms of
excess, fun and logical silliness. The 2nd
film in particular saw MichaelBay really exploring
his excesses for better or worst but at the very least it felt like Mike Lowery
and Marcus Burnett’s story was finished.
Needless to say this film has very little reason for existing outside of
a money grab. There’s really very little
reason for this film to be any good but it defies expectations and really
delivers a fun ride that’s in keeping with MichaelBay’s style. Directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi are
clearly fans of Bay, he even makes a quick cameo, so you get shots and
sequences which feel very much pulled from his bag of tricks. It’s glossy and illogical but the film’s
story is fun enough that you really don’t care all that much. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence ease back into
their characters with incredible ease even after a 17 year layoff. Their interplay has always been the best part
of this series and it’s no different here.
The story takes into account their advancing age which make the story
meatier than it deserves to be and you even get some real stakes for the
characters. The crew of the AMMO group
adds a solid mix of new characters which really keep the film pumping along even
if the film starts to wear a bit in spots.
A few well placed edits would have made this entry really strong
addition to the action genre. That being
said its worlds better than it deserves to be.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday I (or, more specifically, the driver) braved inclement weather to get to Marquee Cinemas for the promising double-bill of Rogue One and Collateral Beauty.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
First up: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Episode 3.5: The Rebel Alliance risks everything in hopes of finding the key to destroying the Death Star.
Rogue One is basically the story you don't (or didn't) know that lays the foundation for the one you do.
Familiar elements provide a nice touch, but the movie makes every effort to stand on its own. It's a little slow getting started, but, ultimately, it's solid enough to recommend to even those who have never seen a Star Wars movie before. That being said:
The first act of Rogue One could have been better paced.
The movie spends a good deal of time laying groundwork that really isn't all that complicated; then, as if that weren't enough, it wastes even more time flashing back to stuff that happened only 20 minutes before. It's awkward and frustrating. Warming up to our heroine, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), is no easy task; she's not even half-likeable until she meets up with Rebel pilot Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). (Disclaimer: Opinion may be based entirely on the fact that I don't like Jones or her weird teeth.)
Once the picture gets moving, there's plenty of action to go 'round, and it becomes much easier to get invested in the characters...perhaps because they're just better characters. The movie really finds its heart when Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), Baze Malbus (Wen Jiang), and Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) turn up, and, unlike Jyn, it's very easy to root for them. Ahmed, in particular, is terrific and does scared and conflicted about as well as anyone. Rogue One has a fair bit of humor, some that hits the mark and some that's just too silly for the situation.
Michael Giacchino provides a rousing score, though, ultimately, it's those hints of John Williams' original music that really feel like home. Large sections of the picture are too dark to see what's going on, and the runtime is a little excessive (which could have been remedied easily if only that first half had been better plotted), but, for my money, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a fun outing that's even better than The Force Awakens.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action."
Rogue One is another worthy installment in one of the greatest movie sagas of all time. Do see it on the big screen while you can.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Rogue One gets seven and a half.
Fangirl points: Ben Mendelsohn! Mads Mikkelson! Jimmy Smits! *swoon*
Next up: Collateral Beauty.
After the loss of his young daughter, a grieving man begins writing theraputic letters to Love, Time, and Death. Much to his surprise, Love, Time, and Death offer the favor of a personal reply.
When I went to buy my ticket for Collateral Beauty, I accidentally asked for Collateral Damage, which anyone who knows anything about me will TOTALLY understand. Collateral Beauty isn't really my thing, but the trailer promised some Oscar-worthy performances, and, since none of the really good awards contenders--La La Land, Manchester By The Sea, Nocturnal Animals--have played here (I'll hopefully add a "yet" to the end of that bit), it became my default option for a weekend so deep into Awards Season I couldn't afford to take a pass.
Collateral Beauty has two chief strikes against it: First, it is a criminal waste of everything that normally makes Will Smith such a compelling lead. Smith is more than capable of tackling this sort of drama, but he's got an inherent charm that's suffocated by this lifeless character.
Even when he gets really angry, it's a flatline. Secondly, everyone outside of Smith is just SO. DAMN. EARNEST. A little of that goes a long way, and so much makes these individuals seem insincere, like one-dimensional paper dolls. Helen Mirren is always a delight, and, if there's something that's almost as cool as Helen Mirren with an RPG in RED, it's Helen Mirren as Death, even if that's not *quite* what the trailer leads you to believe.
The remainder of the cast is more than solid, but they're drowning in broadly-drawn characters that are about as subtle as a dollar-store greeting card. Collateral Beauty's finale is unspeakably hokey, but, if you didn't guess from the trailers that hokey was on the menu, you probably weren't paying attention.
Ultimately, Collateral Beauty fails to tick any of the boxes that make a quality motion picture, but it's got a warm-and-fuzzy holiday vibe and, to be honest, I liked it better than it probably deserves. (But Collateral Damage is still way better.)
Collateral Beauty runs a very reasonable 97 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and brief strong language."
The awards contender that wasn't, Collateral Beauty will still satisfy any cravings for sentimental holiday fare.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Collateral Beauty gets four and a half.
Fangirl points: My beautiful New York City! Naomie Harris (even if her accent is all over the place)!
Director David Ayer (Fury) takes the helm for this Warner Bros. production
adapted from the DC Comics series about a group of super-villains who are given
a shot at redemption by embarking on a heroic mission that will most likely
mean the death of them all. ~ Rovi
Director: David Ayer
Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai
Courtney, Cara Delevingne, Jay Hernandez, Jai Courtney
Release Date: Aug
05, 2016
Rated PG-13 Disturbing Behavior, Action Throughout, Language,
Sequences of Violence and
Suggestive Content
Runtime: 2 hr. 10 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure
Review:
Suicide Squad isn’t a perfect film and there are plenty
of hints of the turmoil and studio tinkering abound but, almost in spite of
itself, it’s still a fun film.David
Ayer really tries to deliver a comic book film that will make fans happy and he
succeeds on various levels.The film’s
strength is its collection of characters and actors.The film spends the most time with Will
Smith’s Deadshot and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn with both delivering
excellent performances that really drive the film.Viola Davis
is pretty much pitch perfect as Amanda Waller, the government agent who puts
the squad together.As a longtime fan, I
did appreciate the amount of effort put into the characterization of some of
these characters even if some do end up on the periphery, Killer Croc and
Katana fare the worst.The chemistry of
cast is pretty strong through out with a few surprises like Jai Courtney
Captain Boomerang and a nice bit of emotional depth from Jay Hernandez.The biggest issue the film has is the film’s
overall plot and primary villain.It’s
pretty straightforward and follows the tropes we’ve seen plenty of times in
superhero film with the villain coming off as under written.The Joker, Jared Leto’s take is more crazed
gangster than Ledger’s anarchic take, would have probably served as a better
foil for the team.Still, even with it’s
issues Suicide Squad is an enjoyable comic book film that’s got plenty of
characters that you’ll want to revisit.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for DC Comics' latest effort, Suicide Squad.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
The US government recruits some of the world's worst criminals for a special mission.
My dear reader(s), I'm gonna be upfront with ya: I'm a DC girl through and through, but my eagerness for Suicide Squad was mostly hinged on a bit of bonus Batman between headline gigs.
I am pleased to report that the movie is worth a lot more than that.
Suicide Squad kicks off with an epic intro, and you can tell right away it's something different from the norm. I think the last time I was this impressed with how well a movie's appearance captured its very essence was Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
This comic book movie just LOOKS like a comic book, and it's fantastic! Introductions run somewhat long, but that's justifiable given that most of these characters aren't comic A-listers with whom the general public already will be familiar. The acting is overall quite solid, and not just "for a comic book movie." Singling out those who made the biggest impression (good and bad):
Cara Delevingne as June Moone/Enchantress: The mousy June/evil Enchantress is a dual role with extremes that exceed the talent and skill of model Delevingne; throw in some weird CGI with her movements, plus those distracting eyebrows, and she is almost unwatchable.
Margot Robbie as Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn: Robbie's turn as Harley is truly disturbing, yet she looks so amazing you wouldn't turn her down even knowing she's utterly bananas.
As Frank Valente once said, "Psycho chicks are the best!"
Will Smith as Floyd Lawton/Deadshot: One of the more likeable actors working today, Smith brings all of his considerable appeal to his character, turning in a tough, funny, and sympathetic performance.
As great actors do, Smith becomes the clear "star" of this ensemble picture, without needing to be heralded as such.
Jay Hernandez as Chato Santana/Diablo: Having turned over a new leaf in prison, Diablo is reluctant to use his terrible power, even for good. Hernandez is heartbreaking, and his is my favorite work in the movie.
Finally...
Jared Leto as the Joker. I love, love, LOVE this take on the Joker, and I want more of it like yesterday.
Leto is insane and terrifying, everything this character should be.
Suicide Squad seems a bit jumpy, a feeling exacerbated by the inclusion of almost too many good tunes in too-quick sucession.
Occasionally it plays more like a series of cool music videos than a coherent whole, which also leads to spots where it stalls in progression, if not in action.
It doesn't lag or lose your attention, but it does sometimes feel like everything that's going on still isn't getting it from point A to point B. The CGI is mostly great, and, as mentioned, it looks fantastic. There's a certain element to this movie that's more deeply unsettling than your average comic book picture, and I genuinely think an R rating would have been more appropriate and would have better served the material.
Suicide Squad clocks in at 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content, and language."
Suicide Squad is a rollicking good time, loaded with action, humor, and great characters.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Suicide Squad gets seven and a half.
Fangirl points: Joel Kinnaman! Oh, and...Batman! Batman! Batman!
Until next time...
Dearest Blog: A point I've previously belabored: Awards Season necessitates sacrifice, and, thus, yesterday I found myself drowning in a triple-bill of critical darlings at Marquee Cinemas, rather than enjoying the second Star Wars viewing I'd have preferred.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or, I guess, from real life, as all three of these films are based (at least loosely) on actual people and events.
First on my agenda: Concussion.
After uncovering the disturbing results of repeated head trauma among former players, a medical examiner faces off with the National Football League.
Dear reader(s), I gotta be straight with ya: I don't like football.
There, I said it. In a place where the sun rises and sets on the Pittsburgh Steelers, where many fans would sacrifice a virgin, cut off a limb, or bop their neighbors on the head with a hammer for that seventh Super Bowl ring, I couldn't possibly care less. Thus, I figured Concussion for the lemon in yesterday's lineup. I figured wrong.
Will Smith is extraordinary as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the Allegheny County coroner who first discovered the potential link between the game's violence and former players' mental and physical troubles. As enthusiastic for new knowledge as he is horrified by his findings and determined to prevent further damage, Smith is sincere, believable, and fierce. A non-believer myself, I found it oddly comforting that Omalu is portrayed as both a man of science and a man of faith, two things that seem almost mutually exclusive in today's world.
Concussion's supporting cast is solid, and the story is fascinating and well executed, as Omalu and a few allies butt heads (see what I did there?) with a juggernaut reluctant to acknowledge a very serious potential black mark on its image.
Concussion clocks in at 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material including some disturbing images, and language."
Concussion is a well-written, well-acted film that will have no trouble holding your attention from start to finish, even if you don't know the difference between a quarterback and a cornerback.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Concussion gets eight.
Next up: Joy.
A young divorcee hopes to improve her complicated life with a new invention.
Joy is essentially a showcase for Jennifer Lawrence, who is fantastic in the title role, yet the constantly-exaggerated circumstances leave her looking a bit like a female Forrest Gump. The supporting cast includes notables like Robert DeNiro, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and Edgar Ramirez, but their characters are little more than paper dolls, every move entirely predictable.
Bradley Cooper turns up for a cup of coffee, only because, of late, it seems director David O. Russell doesn't want to make a movie without him, a sad waste of his talent and charm. The story's a jumble that always seems to be moving, yet never gets anywhere, making the movie feel longer than it is. All in all, Joy is much more interested in showing off its star than it is in being a great movie.
Joy runs 124 minutes and is rated PG13 for "brief strong language."
It's nothing special, but Joy is still an enjoyable watch.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Joy gets six and a half.
And the final item on yesterday's docket: The Big Short.
A handful of financial fringe operators predict (and attempt to cash in on) the big bust of 2008.
The Big Short is a hard film to pin down. It's funny, but it shouldn't be. These guys the film would have you rooting for? They're in the market to rip someone off just as much as the ones you're rooting against.
The terrific cast has already nailed down some awards love, but nobody turns in a game-changing performance. Smart, funny dialogue gets lost in a sea of gratuitous swearing. (Deadwood fan here, so I'm not timid about bad words, but they're not always the right fit.) The story is frenetic, yet the movie seems slow and long.
The narrative setup is interesting, I love the way the film marks time, and, though the characters are comical, The Big Short eventually brings home the gravity of a disaster that destroyed millions of lives.
The Big Short runs an excessive 130 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language and some sexuality/nudity."
A comic take on a story that's anything but funny, The Big Short is depressing and entertaining at the same time.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Big Short gets seven.
Until next time...may the Force be strong enough to scare off unwanted holiday visitors, so I can squeeze in another Star Wars screening before going back to work!
Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the pictures for Will Smith's
latest, Focus.
After a couple weeks' weather-enforced cinema break, I'd
probably have dragged out for a rom-com starring Gwyneth Paltrow and
Tyler Perry (*shudder*), but luckily this seemed more promising. (PS: I
get royalties when somebody makes that rom-com!)
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
Life is a series of scores for a couple con artists, until they cross a dangerous mark.
Getting
the bad news out of the way first, the chiefest and greatest flaw of
Focus is that it just HAS to be smarter than it is. If we, as viewers,
are to buy these two as the world's greatest con artists, then we, as
viewers, must be as victims...we can't ever guess what they've got up
their sleeves.
Unfortunately, the exact opposite is true...it took me
longer to figure out No Good Deed! That's not to say the plot isn't
interesting--it's good fun--but if you're waiting for that "A-ha!" moment...well...you're gonna leave the theatre still waiting. For a
relatively short movie, it also seems to take very long getting
anywhere. I checked the time about an hour in and couldn't believe it
wasn't further along.
On the plus side, the movie IS smart enough to
lean heavily on the appeal of its two leads, and Will Smith and Margot
Robbie have to be among Hollywood's most likeable. Smith, in particular,
is just impossibly appealing for me; I root for him no matter what.
This is the sort of role that allows Robbie to run around in all manner
of clingy cocktail dress and skimpy swimsuit, and I doubt anyone's got
any complaints with that, either. Among the supporting cast, Adrian
Martinez plays for laughs, while Gerald McRaney blusters his way
through. The movie is thoroughly enjoyable, if never fully engaging.
Focus clocks in at 104 minutes, and is rated R for "language, some sexual content, and brief violence."
It's nothing special, but Focus is a perfectly passable afternoon of entertainment.
Men in Black is probably one of my favorite summer films. I can remember watching in the theater multiple times, something I rarely do. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith comedic chemistry was perfect and the sci-fi comedy took itself just serious enough.
The sequel was an example of excess as it just doubled everything with a grating effect, not to mention some of the most obvious marketing ploys in the history of film.
The trailer for the 3rd film gives me hope that we might see a return to the fun of the first….
