Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and
takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival.
Scar, Mufasa's brother -- and former heir to the throne -- has plans of his
own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and
drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. Now, with help from a curious
pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what
is rightfully his. Director: Jon Favreau Cast: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel
Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé
Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones Release Date: July 18, 2019 Animation, Adventure, Drama Rated PG for sequences of violence and
peril, and some thematic elements | Runtime: 1 h 58 min Review: First and foremost, I have to admit that
I’ve never seen the original Lion King.
It’s a film that’s become so ingrained in the cultural zeitgeist that it
almost doesn’t feel necessary. None the
less, I understand it’s a much beloved property that many people have
incredible affection for so it makes watching this remake a strange
experience. The film itself is a
technical marvel, all the animals are beautifully realized throughout. The film’s voice cast is a who’s who of big
stars who all do serviceable work in their particular roles with nobody really
standing out. A handful of the legendary
songs reappear with some strong staging but all of it feels strangely hollow. Unfortunately the whole thing feels rather
soulless much like most of Disney’s ongoing money making scheme of remaking all
their animated classics. Jon Favreau’s
film isn’t a terrible film by any stretch but it’s strangely uninspired. Some of that might come from the fact that by
making the film photo realistic the animals lack any sort of real expressive
features, something that’s much easier in an animated feature. As such it feels like you are watching one of
those old 90s Homeward Bound films with much better production values.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a trip back in time with Han Solo.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or that our leading man hasn't spoiled in an interview. (Non plot-related!)
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a cheeky kid from the wrong side of the universal tracks sets out for something better.
Dear reader(s), I must warn you that Memorial Day puts me in an odd frame of mind, so my experience with Solo: A Star Wars story will have been colored by that, as, undoubtedly, will this review. Please excuse if it's all a bit scattered.
I liked this movie. I didn't love it--I might have loved it on a different day--but I did like it a great deal. It's a perfectly fun outing that would be accepted as such if only it weren't part of this legendary franchise. BUT...it's a Star Wars movie, so the Internet has to beat the hell out of it because that's what the Internet does. Don't listen to the Internet, kids.
Alden Ehrenreich is terrific, and the world owes him an apology for the bashing he took upon being cast in this iconic role. I know it can be hard for die-hard fans to accept a new face on a favorite character, but all timeless characters ultimately are likely to be portrayed by someone who isn't the actor we grew up with, and we're just going to have to get over it. Ehrenreich has charisma to spare, and fills Harrison Ford's boots quite admirably. For whatever it's worth, I also think he has just the right status to take on a role like this; he's done enough that people will have an idea what he can do (if they've been paying attention), but he isn't saddled with a past role or career that would have brought too much baggage with it. Emilia Clarke further cements her genre legacy, joining yet another franchise that guarantees her a convention living even if she never scores another acting role. As expected, though, the real scene-stealer is Donald Glover as a young Lando Calrissian. Glover is deservedly the current "it" performer across pretty much all media, and I think I speak for the majority when I say, if someone wants to make a Lando Calrissian movie with Glover, we are down with that.
A handful of negatives: Solo is too long by a good 20-30 minutes, most of which easily could have been rectified by trimming the inter-galactic chase scenes. It's like Fast & Furious in space, and, while those scenes are consequential, they seldom need to be as long as they are in ANY movie, out in space or here on good ol' planet Earth. The picture comes out of the gate running, but the first act still seems painfully dull. It also tries too hard to present any Han Solo-related incident that's been referenced in any Star Wars movie, ever. New characters seem insistent on becoming memorable, but most of them are just very, very annoying. (Oh, that damnable droid!) Finally, a fair bit of Solo--maybe more than half--is so dark it's nearly impossible to see what's going on, likely a by-product of seeing a 3D production in 2D. Of course it's the ticket-buyer's choice to skip the 3D, but if a film is showing in 2D, it should be of an acceptable quality to be seen in 2D.
Now for the good news: As mentioned, Solo's cast is mostly terrific; it would have been very hard to go too wrong with this group. In addition to Ehrenreich, Glover, and Clarke, Solo boasts the talents of Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, and Paul Bettany, in a wicked turn that's almost enough to make a person forgive his annoying Vision. (*Almost.*) Both sound and visual effects are nicely done, and John Powell's score is sufficiently epic for this iconic origins tale. (If I had to pick someone to pick up John Williams' baton, it would certainly be Powell.) Once Solo gets rolling, it's great fun and moves along at a good clip, and it's easy to invest in these fresh-faced youngsters who will become the characters we know and love so well. Ehrenreich revealed in an interview that he is signed for three films, and it's not difficult for me to believe that Solo could be the launching pad for something very, very good.
Solo: A Star Wars Story clocks in at 135 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of sci-fi action and violence."
If there's backlash against Solo, I wish it were directed at the cash-grabbing Disney machine, rather than at the folks who worked long and hard on this bit of fun summer escapism.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Solo gets seven and a half.
This Memorial Day weekend, I post in memory of my friend Chris, who was killed in Iraq in 2004, and with gratitude to those who gave all for something that meant more to them than themselves.
Young Han Solo finds adventure when he joins a gang of galactic smugglers, including a 196-year-old Wookie named Chewbacca. Indebted to the gangster Dryden Vos, the crew devises a daring plan to travel to the mining planet Kessel to steal a batch of valuable coaxium. In need of a fast ship, Solo meets Lando Calrissian, the suave owner of the perfect vessel for the dangerous mission -- the Millennium Falcon.
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Paul Bettany
Release Date: May 25, 2018
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence Runtime: 2h 15min Review:
Solo: A Star Ware Story went through some much publicized behind the scenes drama. Directors were fired, Phil Lord and Chris Miller were let go and replaced by Ron Howard, and a large chunk of the film was reshot. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story went through some similar trials and tribulations but that film ended up being a pleasant surprise. Solo though ends up feeling decidedly safe but still solid. Ultimately, the entire film feels like fan service. After a rather thrilling heist on a train, it feels as if Ron Howard is checking off a list of Disney approved sequences that he needs to emulate with a fresh coat of paint. Howard, to his credit, delivers a serviceable film that's as enjoyable as it is as non nondescript. You can feel Howard trying to provide some iconic or memorable shots but none of them land the way you'd like them to. It's hard to figure out why this film doesn't land the way it should but it's definitely not Alden Ehrenreich's fault. Ehrenreich had the daunting task of taking over a legendary role and after a bit of an adjustment period he delivers solid work. Ehrenreich captures the swagger and charisma of Ford's Solo, for the most part. Ford's work was so singular that'd it'd be impossible to duplicate it but Ehrenreich delivers an impressive performance. The supporting cast is made up of familiar faces and you'd think they'd make a lasting impression but sadly they don't. Stilted dialogue and undercooked supporting characters leave you wanting for more. Emilia Clarke and Woody Harrelson are solid but their characters never pop the way you'd hope they would. Donald Glover leaves a bigger impression as a younger Lando Calrissian. Glover captures Billy Dee Williams tenor and smooth charm effortlessly, making him the most interesting thing on screen throughout the film. You kind of wonder if this film would have worked better as buddy comedy with Ehrenreich's Solo and Glover's Calrissian as the central point. As is, Solo is solid but incredibly safe entry into Star Wars cannon. B-
Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker (Tom
Holland) returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of
mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as
Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted
by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood
superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture
emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Michael
Keaton, Robert Downey, Jr., Donald Glover
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some
language and brief suggestive comments
Release Date: Jul 07, 2017
Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
Spider-Man: Homecoming was going to have an
uphill battle being the 3rd
iteration of the character in so many years.Thankfully Tom Holland is a great fit for the role, really taking the
character back into the high school world in earnest.Holland has a great gee whiz charisma that fits the film and
this take on the character.The story
itself is a solid coming of age tale that feels familiar without becoming
burdensome.It’s a fun story which makes
good use of Robert Downey Jr. in the mentor role which seems like a logical fit
being Marvel’s first hero.Michael
Keaton makes for a solid villain, a rarity in the Marvel movies, with his
motivations making more sense than your usual bad guy.Keaton uses his low key intensity to great
effect here even though the film could have used some focus in terms of
conflict.At times it almost feels like
Keaton’s villain is secondary to other plot lines in the film.It’s a shame because it’s a decent character
that could have made a larger impact if the film had allowed him to.A few quibbles aside, Spider-Man: Homecoming
is a fun film that avoids the entire “origins” trope by basically sidestepping
it entirely and doing it’s own thing.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you haven't learned already from trailers and clips.
Young Peter Parker works his way through high-school angst, frustration with his mentor, and part-time hero-ing.
Well, dear reader(s), I am fond of saying I always keep an open enough mind for something to surprise me. Usually that's a positive, but this weekend, unfortunately, the opposite is true.
I adore Spider-Man. He's my third-favorite superhero, behind The Tick and Batman, if anyone wondered...okay, probably not. Thanks to solid trailers, good word on the street, and an entertaining appearance in Captain America: Civil War, I had high hopes for Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it hurts me deeply to declare it a disappointment. Still, the movie has a fair few positives, so I hope to focus mostly on those, beginning, as I usually do, with the cast. Tom Holland is a great Peter Parker, perfectly embodying that challenging age when young adults are certain they're capable of more than the grownups think. It helps that Holland, barely old enough to drink, is within (web) shooting distance of our high-school hero's age. While both effectively play younger onscreen, and both, for my money, were terrific Spideys, Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield were in their mid- to late-20s when they put on the tights, so at some point they were bound to feel a bit removed from those difficult-but-exciting teen years. The supporting cast is filled with awesomeness in the forms of Marisa Tomei, Donald Glover, Tyne Daly, and the now-obligatory appearance by Robert Downey, Jr., but it's Michael Keaton, as the film's chief baddie, who really steals the show with what might be the best performance in any Marvel movie, ever. Keaton's can't-look-away work is worth the price of admission all on its own. (For the record, on the subject of RDJ, Homecoming never feels like Iron Man 3.5, as the trailers sometimes promised/threatened.) Spider-Man: Homecoming features some really great CGI as well as some inexplicably wonky CGI. There are times when you'd believe Spidey was actually swinging through the sky above you, other times when he might as well be a Colorforms that someone's moving across the board by hand. (Does anyone remember Colorforms? Do I need to change that analogy?) Some of the worst of it comes at the expense of the climactic Staten Island Ferry scene hinted at in the trailers, which can't help but leave a bad taste. Also on the subject of visuals, even brighter scenes are a bit dark, leaving dark scenes too muddy to see much of anything. A bit of darkness is an understood side effect of seeing 3D product in 2D, but if a movie is showing in both formats, then filmmakers and cinemas really need to figure that out. Marvel's forced cheekiness is getting old as well; they're like that Facebook friend who's constantly posting the same duck-face selfie and expecting a hundred likes; it's just not as cute as it thinks it is, and the Stan Lee cameos are ho-hum, at best, these days. Ultimately, though, if you're wondering what makes this movie so disappointing, the answer is simple: It's boring. Homecoming is only slightly overlong (a 15-20 minute trim would have done it a great service), but it seems to go on forever without getting anywhere. The first half is insufferable, and the second act cruises towards its finale without ever gaining much momentum. Big action pieces are dropped between funny or heartfelt exchanges among Peter, his classmates, Aunt May* (*hottie version), and Tony Stark, but it's all too familiar and forgettable. There's a mid-credits scene that's worth your sticking around, but the final post-credits stinger is a waste of time that, again, isn't nearly as cute as it thinks it is.
Spider-Man: Homecoming runs an interminable 133 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi action violence, some language, and brief suggestive comments.”
If you're a fan of the genre who plans to see Spider-Man: Homecoming regardless, big-screen is definitely the way to go for this effects-driven extravaganza. If you're just looking to go to the movies this week, go see Baby Driver instead. (If you've already seen it, see it again.) Of a possible nine Weasleys, Spider-Man: Homecoming gets five.
Fangirl points: Mostly musical this time, with soundtrack appearances by the Ramones, The English Beat, and A Flock of Seagulls, as well as the classic Spider-Man theme.
