MOVIE REVIEW: THE CROODS: A NEW AGE

 

Searching for a safer habitat, the prehistoric Crood family discovers an idyllic, walled-in paradise that meets all of its needs. Unfortunately, they must also learn to live with the Bettermans -- a family that's a couple of steps above the Croods on the evolutionary ladder. As tensions between the new neighbors start to rise, a new threat soon propels both clans on an epic adventure that forces them to embrace their differences, draw strength from one another, and survive together.

Director: Joel Crawford

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, Cloris Leachman, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, Kelly Marie Tran

Release Date: November 25, 2020

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Rated PG for peril, action and rude humor.

Runtime: 1 h 35 min

Review:

The Croods: A New Age which randomly appears 7 years after the original is more unfocused than the first film but still a fun family film.  The story in this sequel is more straightforward but it allows Joel Crawford to move the story into weird and surprisingly psychedelic areas.  Crawford moves the story along a steady pace getting into the story fairly quickly introducing the new characters/cast.  The returning cast easily gets back into their characters and have great chemistry with newcomers Peter Dinklage and Leslie Mann.  Dinklage and Mann play great foils to the Croods as the hipster Bettermans who are slightly more evolved.  Dinklage and Cage in particular seem to be having a ball throughout the film with it all climaxing with a great Punch Monkey finale.  Stone, Keener, Leachman, Mann & Tran also get their time to shine with a strong girl power story thread that has them all saving the day.  Its message is sweet but it’s not anything revelatory like some of the prestige Pixar films.  This sequel isn’t as consistent as the original but it’s still a lot of fun in parts but be warned some sequences might be a bit too intense or scary for very small children. 

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

 

My dear reader(s): 2020 being devoid of joy as it has, one can forgive Netflix for jumping the gun a bit on the Christmas cheer. Last weekend I checked out their original holiday offering, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailer.

After the world's most magical inventor is betrayed by his protege, it's up to his equally magical granddaughter to help him get back his mojo.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a joyful delight from start to finish. Academy Award winner Forest Whittaker leads a noteworthy cast that includes Phylicia Rashad, Hugh Bonneville, Anika Noni Rose, and Ricky Martin. As the story's big baddie, Keegan-Michael Key steals the show, and the movie is notably more entertaining when he's onscreen than when he's not. It drags *just* enough in the middle to suggest a trim of its two-plus hours might have been in order, but that's a small quibble with what's otherwise a lively adventure filled with catchy tunes, brilliant costumes, lovely animation, and funky choreography. 

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey runs 122 minutes and is rated PG for "some thematic elements and peril."

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is an entertaining, uplifting bit of holiday fare that's sure to become a Christmas classic. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Jingle Jangle gets seven and a half.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is now streaming on Netflix.

Wishing a happy and safe Thanksgiving to those dear reader(s) who are celebrating!

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of Jungleland

 

My dear reader(s): Much to my delight, this weekend's home viewing options included a new Charlie Hunnam movie, Jungleland. 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

Having landed in debt to some very dangerous people, a boxer and his trainer-brother are forced to transport a young woman cross-country. 

Jungleland is an oft-told tale that doesn't really have much new or interesting to recommend it. The story is predictably miserable and moves at a snail's pace, and characters have about as much depth as paper dolls. Bland performances from the noteworthy cast, led by Hunnam and Unbreakable's Jack O'Connell, might be blamed as much on pedestrian writing as on the actors themselves. It's a grim movie about unpleasant people with barely a single redeemimg quality among them. 

Jungleland runs 90 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language, some sexual content, violence, and nudity." 

Jungleland is a depressing exercise that's disappointing on every level. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Jungleland gets three. 

Jungleland is currently available for digital rental ($9.99) or purchase ($14.99 SD/HD or $16.99 UHD). 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: FREAKY

 

A mystical, ancient dagger causes a notorious serial killer to magically switch bodies with a 17-year-old girl.

Director: Christopher Landon

Cast: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Katie Finneran, Celeste O'Connor, and Alan Ruck.

Release Date: November 13, 2020

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller 

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence, sexual content, and language throughout

Runtime: 1 h 41min

Review:

Christopher Landon obviously loves horror movies it was obvious in his 2017 debut Happy Death Day and even more so in his newest film Freaky.  Horror aficionados will find plenty of little Easter Eggs scattered throughout the film.  The film itself is a fairly hilarious riff on the Freaky Friday trope with Vince Vaughn delivering one of his best performances in recent memories.  Vaughn is thoroughly committed to the role and his comedic timing makes him the best thing on screen throughout the film.  Watching him channel a teenage girl in his massive frame is just comedic gold especially as the situations get more and more absurd.  Kathryn Netwon isn't asked to do much outside of holding a steely gaze and look menacingly at her victims.  She does have a few moments were she lets loose a bit but them moments are few and far between.  It's mostly Vaughn's showcase but that doesn't mean that supporting players like Celeste O'Connor and Misha Osherovich don't get their time to shine with the latter leaving a memorable impression.  Those looking for real scares might be a little let down since there are a handful of jump scares and gore aplenty but you'd be hard pressed to ever call it scary.  Freaky leans much more on the comedy side and it works well as a farcical horror comedy where you can leave your brain at the door.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Fisherman's Friends

 

My dear reader(s): The week being absent any interesting new releases at the cinema, I picked the bones of my streaming services and turned up a 2019 nugget called Fisherman's Friends, which appears to be at least reasonably new to Netflix. 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or by following actual events on which the film is based. 

A group of English fishermen finds its way to unlikely pop stardom. 

Fisherman's Friends features a solid cast led by James Purefoy, Daniel Mays, and Tuppence Middleton. The comedy's a bit forced, and the film's predictability takes any real tension off the table, but Fisherman's Friends boasts lovely scenery, some terrific folk songs, and a uniquely British charm. It's no edge-of-your-seat movie, but it's the perfect antidote for the tensions of the week just passed. 

Fisherman's Friends clocks in at 112 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some strong language and suggestive references." 

If you're looking for some cinematic comfort food this weekend, Fisherman's Friends is the perfect menu option. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Fisherman's Friends gets six and a half. 

Fisherman's Friends is now streaming on Netflix. 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: LET HIM GO

 

Following the loss of their son, a retired sheriff and his wife leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas.

Director: Thomas Bezucha

Cast: Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Lesley Manville, Will Brittain, Jeffrey Donovan, Kayli Carter, Booboo Stewart

Release Date: November 6, 2020

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for violence

Runtime: 1 h 54 min

Review:

Let Him Go is meditative western that’s really heavily on it’s cast since it’s story and plot are decidedly light.  Thomas Bezucha slow burn of a film is an interesting mix of idolized nostalgia and crime drama.  Bezucha takes his time letting us get to know the main couple before moving the film’s plot forward in earnest.  Kevin Costner & Diane Lane make for a believable and good looking pair of grandparents.  They both add far more subtle and nuance to their characters than what’s in the actual script.  Through their talents they give us a relationship that feel real and lived in, making it the cornerstone of the entire film.  Lesley Manville’s villainous Blanche is a much showier role and she’s excellent in limited screen time.  The film would have been wise to give us a tad more depth or history to her character and the Weboy clan as a whole.  As is, they’re thinly drawn evil ciphers whose sole purpose is to terrorize the protagonist.  The lack of depth wouldn’t be such an issue if you couldn’t spot story threads in the early part of the film that are presented and ultimately abandoned.  Ultimately, the performances alone make this a rewarding watch even with its pedestrian pacing and thin characters. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: COME PLAY

 

Parents fight to save their son when a mysterious creature uses his electronic devices to break into our world.

Director: Jacob Chase

Cast: Gillian Jacobs, John Gallagher Jr., Azhy Robertson and Winslow Fegley

Release Date: October 30, 2020

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery 

Rated PG-13 for terror, frightening images and some language

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Jacob Chase's debut is a serviceable horror film that works better if you'd never been exposed to movies it emulates like The Babadook or The Ring.  If you have seen those film it's effectiveness is dulled a bit because it never finds it's own footing.  The disappointing part is that there's a sliver of an interesting idea to play with which would make for an interesting take on the creation of a monster.  Sadly, it never explores or expands the mythology as they only give it a passing mention before moving on.  The main story thread plays out in a fairly predictable manner anchored by some strong performances with Azhy Robertson leaving a strong impression.  Gillian Jacobs though feels miscasted as the frazzled mother with the role's requirements feeling like it's outside of her wheelhouse.  Ultimately, there are enough quality set ups and shots to make for a passable, albeit sanitized, horror film that could announce a new directorial voice in the genre.  

C