MOVIE REVIEW: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that pushes them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.

Director:  Peyton Reed

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Kathryn Newton, David Dastmalchian, William Jackson Harper, Katy O'Brian, Bill Murray

Release Date: February 17, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for violence/action, and language

Runtime: 2h 5m

Review:

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania gets credit for delivering one of the tripper entries into the Marvel monolith.  Peyton Reed waste little time throwing the audience into the Quantum Realm and peppering the screen with all variety of sci-fi weirdness and oddities.  It’s a visual cornucopia that just assaults the senses from all sides as the cast ventures through the worlds.  There's nearly enough there to make you ignore the fact that the event which kicks off the entire plot is even more contrived than Spider-Man: No Way Home starting point.  It shouldn't come as that much of a surprise since this is the film that kicks off the newest phase of Marvel's ongoing opus.  Specifically, this film serves as an introduction to the new big bad that will be the serve as the primary villain over the next few years.  In that regard, they have been blessed with Jonathan Majors and his impressive acting talents.  Once Majors appears onscreen, he dominates the film with an impressively nuanced turn that bodes well for future appearances.  Up to that point the cast had delivered a surprisingly choppy collection of performances which is disappointing considering the assembled talent.  Rudd is his usual dependable self, giving the impression that he could play this role in his sleep by this point.  Rudd and Evangeline Lilly still don't have much onscreen chemistry which keeps their story line from really carrying the sort of weight you'd expect by the third film.  Kathryn Newton joins the cast as their now grown daughter and brings a spark of youthful energy even if her character veers close to annoying is spots.  Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Douglas sadly seem to be going through the motions even though Pfeiffer gets a decent size of the plot.  Both are never outright bad but you get the sense they aren't giving it their all.  There's a tonal imbalance throughout the whole film which shifts from quippy goofiness to drop dead serious sometime in the occurring in the same scene.  There are points were you start to feel that Majors deserved to be in a better more serious film which would have taken advantage of performance.  As is, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania does its job in setting up the future, especially with two rather important post credit scenes, and doing it in an enjoyable but ultimately forgettable film.  

B-

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of The First Purge, Won't You Be My Neighbor, Ant-Man and the Wasp

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for what I feared would be a triple-dose of mediocrity. 

 

Though the barre was set low, I'm pleased to report all three entries were more enjoyable than anticipated.

 

My opener: The First Purge.

 

Tracing the origins of America's most infamous holiday.

 

Dear reader(s), while I make every effort not to read reviews before seeing a movie, it's impossible to avoid headlines and friends' comments entirely. What I'd read going into The First Purge didn't give me much hope, but since the things I like about the Purge movies aren't necessarily the things most folks look for, I suspected I might enjoy it nonetheless. I was correct.

 

The First Purge is the most basic of origins stories. Paper-doll characters play out a social morality tale that is so heavy-handed as to be almost laughable. The cast is unremarkable, neither as bad as the material nor good enough to elevate it. You'll spend a good deal of time wondering what on Earth ever made Marisa Tomei sign on for this. BUT...those aren't the things that make the Purge series great. Though they're in shorter supply than in the previous two installments, The First Purge boasts striking visuals, scenes and individual shots that are gorgeous despite being violent and terrifying. There are some solid jump scares, and a minimalist score by Kevin Lax perfectly underscores the deadly night's tension. The film feels long for it's brief runtime, and it misses Frank Grillo, but it was definitely a better time than I expected.

 

The First Purge runs 98 minutes and is rated R for "strong, disturbing violence throughout, pervasive language, some sexuality, and drug use."

 

It may well be the poster child for Movies Nobody Asked For, but, for my money, The First Purge isn't nearly as bad as you've heard. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, the First Purge gets five.

 

Next on the docket, the Mr. Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor.

 

A fond look back at the world's best neighbor.

 

Won't You Be My Neighbor scratches the surface of the Fred Rogers story, from his humble beginnings at WQED in Pittsburgh, to national stardom, to becoming the voice to which a nation turned for advice and solace in challenging times. The film is fortunate its subject didn't need much finesse to make compelling viewing, but it's unfortunate filmmakers never dug very deep or asked many difficult questions. Interviews with family, friends, and colleagues uniformly paint a picture of a big-hearted man whose chief concern was always the well-being of children. Anyone who veers ever-so-slightly from such recollection quickly has his path righted in the interest of a tear-jerker that reminds us we're all perfect as we are, and, whatever the question, the answer is always kindness. It's a sad testament to our current state of affairs that, through 2018's eyes, Rogers' sincerity sometimes comes across a little creepy, and that his message of love and acceptance feels almost subversive.

 

Won't You Be My Neighbor runs a quick 94 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and language."

 

Won't You Be My Neighbor isn't an especially well-done documentary, but it's a nice tribute to a man who was a huge part of many childhoods, and whose kindness and tolerance are much missed in today's increasingly mean world. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Won't You Be My Neighbor gets six. Oh...and bring the tissues.

 

Fangirl points: the Banana Splits, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Rappers Delight (I'm not kidding) all make appearances in this movie.

 

Finally, the other side of yesterday's "unnecessary sequels" bookends, Ant-Man and the Wasp.

 

Pursued by both sides of the law, Scott Lang, Hope van Dyne, and Hank Pym form an uneasy alliance.

 

Okay, Marvel, maybe it gets a little dicey trying to meet big-screen expectations with your least-impressive super-hero, but I'm here to tell you, if the question is, "How do we fix this?" the answer is NEVER, "More Evangeline Lilly." Never, ever. Just ask the folks who made The Hobbit, m-kay?

If the first Ant-Man was a movie nobody really asked for, this sequel isn't any more necessary for having a co-headliner. However, there are some positives, so here goes. Paul Rudd is an extremely engaging lead. He's a natural at comedy and sympathetic when things turn more serious. Walton Goggins makes an able foil, and I found myself wishing for some interaction between him and the movie’s other most-watchable actor, Bobby Cannavale. (Kinda-spoiler alert: Cannavale's Paxton being the most minor of minor characters, that doesn't really happen.) It's always great to see David Dastmalchian, too. Ant-Man and the Wasp is well and properly funny; like Thor: Ragnarok, it's as much straight-up comedy as super-hero movie, and the humor never seems awkward or ill-timed. 

 

There are some nifty effects, though the 3D is rather pointless. The picture's biggest problem, outside of a hero that doesn't seem very super, is that the stakes seem comparatively low by Marvel standards. Every Marvel movie is able to stand on its own to a degree, but so closely on the heels of Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp seems a little pointless. There are two stingers: a mid-credits scene that is material to the interconnected MCU, and a post-credits scene that's just for fun.

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp clocks in at 118 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some sci-fi action violence."

Ant-Man and the Wasp is another fun but disposable entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ant-Man and the Wasp gets five and a half.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP

Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy.

Director: Peyton Reed

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park, Michelle 
Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas

Release Date: June 8, 2018

Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime

Rated PG-13 for language, drug use, and some suggestive content

Runtime: 1h 50min

Review:

Ant-man and The Wasp is an interesting pallet cleanser after Avengers Infinity War.  Its scale is markedly smaller which should come as no surprise since it’d be hard to top the scale of Infinity War.  As such, Peyton Reed delivers a fun film that’s fun but ultimately feels inconsequential.  It’s a strange juxtaposition simply because it’s an enjoyable film that’s carried by the cast’s endless charisma but it doesn’t really add up to much.  Paul Rudd does his dead pan Paul Rudd deal which is always fun but the film’s really boosted by Evangeline Lilly taking a more active role in this entry.  Lilly and her perpetually rosy cheeks give the film a nice boost of energy with her character fitting right in with Rudd’s Ant-man.  Michael Peña and Walton Goggins are both solid in supporting roles, each providing real highlights during the film.  Sadly, Michelle Pfeiffer appearance is more of a cameo than anything else.  I’d have enjoyed a bit more of her and Michael Douglas as opposed having her character essentially serve as the film’s Mcguffin.  Still, Peyton Reed directs a fun little film that’s has some inventive action sequences and laughs to boot.  It’s not one of the best Marvel films but it’s a solid entry.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Marvel's Ant-Man

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the cinema to tick off another item on the "Superhero Movies I Have to Get Through Before They'll Give Me Another Batman" list. On the docket: Marvel's Ant-Man.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

An ex-con looking for a new path finds good things really do come in small packages.

(Sooooooooooo...anybody else get a li'l misty every time that Star Wars trailer runs? Just me, then?)

Somehow Ant-Man never seemed to generate the kind of excitement Marvel's gotta be pretty used to by now. Sure, there's a built-in audience that's always going to be wound up about a genre picture, but to me Ant-Man just doesn't sell itself to the random box-office walkup like Captain America or Thor.

My own anticipation was far greater when it was flying under the "Written & Directed by Edgar Wright" flag, but I'm pleased to report Ant-Man is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, and much of it still feels quite "Wright," if you'll pardon the terrible pun. (Wright retains writing and producing credits.)

As fits the Marvel brand, Ant-Man is mostly light, and often wanders into flat-out hilarious territory.

It's got a lot more going for it than you might think, but the humor is, by far, its best attribute. The movie's got some sweet effects, too, though I did grow a little tired of the big bugs/tiny person sequences. (We get it, he's an ANT man!) Ant-Man mostly moves along at a good clip and is smart enough not to wear out its welcome, but it occasionally it tries too hard to explain itself, and I could feel the crowd around me getting restless at times.

Some of the Avengers references started to feel a little bit Agents-of-S.H.I.E.L.D. desperate, too: "Guys, this might not be as good as our other stuff..better throw in an Iron Man joke so people remember that's us too!" If you're a Paul Rudd fan--and I can't imagine there's anyone who isn't--you'll be delighted at how perfectly he fits into Ant-Man's tiny boots.

I was a little nervous, but I needn't have worried; Rudd is ideally suited to the character and the movie. The supporting cast is pretty terrific from top to bottom, too, though I'm still not sold on Evangeline Lilly. If pressed to say my favorite part of the film, it'd have to be the trio of Michael Pena, Tip "T.I." Harris, and David Dastmalchian (or, as I call him, "that crazy guy from The Dark Knight who did the Wendy's commercial"), who provide laugh-out-loud moments every time they're onscreen.

Ant-Man clocks in at 117 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi action violence."

I think the lone other patron who waited out the credits with me put it best when he said, "Well...I liked that better than Age of Ultron!"

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ant-Man gets eight.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: ANTMAN

The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Director: Peyton Reed 

Cast: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Matt Gerald, Corey Stoll

Release Date: Jul 17, 2015 RealD 3D

Runtime: 1 hr. 55 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Family

Review:

I have no issue saying that I expect the worse when I heard Antman was announced to the docket of Marvel films being made.  First of all, the concept is one of those ridiculous conceits that probably play better on the page than in real life.  Secondly, there’s all the behind the scenes drama with Edgar Wright leaving the project and Peyton Reed coming and having to rewrite part of the script with Paul Rudd.  It just seemed ready made for a disaster, so was it?  No, it’s a fun movie that’s hilarious in parts and enjoyable throughout.  The sillier part of the concept is pulled off with impressive ease and Paul Rudd fits the role perfectly.   A solid supporting cast, anchored by a very engaged Michael Douglas, makes for an all around good time.  It’s the type of Marvel film you come to expect and it doesn’t throw any major curveballs.  There are a few Marvel universe bits thrown in and it’s not as shoehorned as they’ve been in other film.  Minor issues like Evangeline Lilly’s wig and Corey Stoll mustache twirling villainy, I still half expected his toupee from The Strain to pop up, are digestible.  Antman is a solid entry to the ever expanding universe and worth seeing for impressive action set pieces and a surprisingly sharp script, be sure to stick around for the two stingers at the end.

B  

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

Peter Jackson takes cues from the appendices of The Lord of the Rings to expand New Line Cinema's Hobbit adaptation with this third film completing the epic tale of Bilbo Baggins, as played by Martin Freeman. The story opens to find the vengeful dragon Smaug (voice of Benedict Cumberbatch) decimating the peaceful hamlet of Laketown as Bilbo, Thorin (Richard Armitage) and the rest of the dwarves lay claim to the Lonely Mountain. But their celebration is short-lived as Thorin grows obsessed with finding the Arkenstone. Meanwhile, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Saruman (Christopher Lee) battle the Nazgul in an attempt to free Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and get some unexpected help from eccentric wizard Radagast (Sylvester McCoy). Unfortunately for all involved the struggle has only just begun, because as armies of dwarves, elves, orcs, humans and goblins converge at the base of the Lonely Mountain, the fight for the future of Middle Earth begins. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Peter Jackson 

Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom

Release Date: Dec 17, 2014

Rated PG-13 for Intense Fantasy Action, Frightening Images and Intense Fantasy Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 24 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

The final entry in The Hobbit trilogy finally pays off all the set up from the sometimes laborious previous entries.  Jackson has proven time and again that he’s a master of marvelous mayhem on an epic scale. After wrapping up the storyline from the 2^nd film, which should have be the previous entries finale, the film moves judiciously through some plot points setting up the final battle(s).  This film is the leanest of all of Jackson’s Tolkien films with a steady sense of momentum throughout.  Once the film’s battle sequences begin, they don’t stop for nearly an hour and a half.  It’s a dizzying run through every sort of battle you’ve ever seen.  The finale set in the ice and snow is the most impressive of the entire film which also packs the biggest emotional punch.  The actors have all settled into their roles by this point and each delivers strong performances with Luke Evans and Martin Freeman being the biggest standouts.  Evangeline Lilly gets a rather large chuck of screen time which is baffling since the character is not in the books and she’s saddled with a clichéd love story.  Unlike the other trilogy capper, this one doesn’t wear on too much but that’s not to say it doesn’t overstay its welcome.  Battle fatigue, even when they wonderfully crafted, starts to set in after a while.  At the very least it’s not filled with endless false endings like Return of the King, instead we get a nice send off with an aged Bilbo taking us back to the start of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Dearest Blog, if ya ever want to test your mettle at the cinema, try sitting through the same three-hour movie twice in 12 hours. Yesterday I did just that with The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Spoiler level here will be mild-ish, nothing you wouldn't know or have guessed from the trailers. Also, I took some notes on the second go-round, but from the darkened theatre to the light of day I can't read them all, so...DKGHSKYIEKSHELDKEIX might be exactly what I think of this film!

The company of Thorin Oakenshield continues its quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor from the great dragon Smaug.

My first remark following the midnight screening of Smaug was that I hated it almost as much as I loved it. That wasn't really fair, as the only thing I really hated about it was that I couldn't love it with the unbridled enthusiasm I've always had for the franchise.

I'm the type of gal who likes to get her bad news out of the way first, so here goes.

Clocking in at a mammoth two hours and 41 minutes, Desolation of Smaug is too damn long. Jackson was pushing his luck stretching this little book into two normal-sized movies, and three three-hour movies is just plain stupid. Theatrical cuts of the original LOTR trilogy pressed three hours each (with director's cuts craning towards four), but I wouldn't have changed a thing. Smaug, like An Unexpected Journey before it, is the worst example of Hollywood forgetting how to edit. There are numerous, repetitive action and fight sequences that, if they'd each been trimmed by only a few minutes, could have brought this in at a much more manageable two-fifteen or so.

There's some inexcusably bad CGI, particularly in fight scenes involving Elves.

While most of the actors turn in fine performances in large and small roles, Lee Pace is cringe-worthy. Evangeline Lilly is also kinda awful, but I wasn't sure whether to blame her or the character. The only other thing in which I've ever seen Evangeline Lilly is Real Steel, and she was out-acted by the robot...but, in fairness, so was just about everyone else. Anyway, on that note...

Let's talk about Tauriel. Peter Jackson is noted for fiddling with his source material, to the point it's almost a punch line, but if I don't love his changes they generally don't bother me too much, either; unfortunately, the way this insipid woman is shoehorned into the story is obvious and jarring. Bad enough they added an unnecessary character, but, really, this warrior, this general in the guard, instantly becomes a blushing, eyelash-batting idiot when addressed by a person she might half-fancy?? In the grand scheme of an almost-three-hour film, it's a tiny thing, but I'll be damned if it didn't almost ruin it for me.

In happier news, I still love Middle Earth, and, for the most part, Peter Jackson's vision of it.

Pace and Lilly aside, there's some great acting underneath all the wigs and prosthetic noses. Particularly moving are Richard Armitage and Ken Stott, as Thorin and Balin, when the company first lays eyes on Erebor. If it's taken you 'til now to notice how good Martin Freeman is, well, you can't pretend you don't notice anymore. James Nesbitt, the hidden gem among this company, is under-used but still has some good moments. Of course I would be remiss if I didn't make special mention two of my favorite people, Luke Evans and Aidan Turner, sharing a screen for the first (and hopefully not the last) time. Evans is featured as Bard, and, now that he's getting better films, you can see what I've been telling you all along: the guy is good! Though Turner is mostly exploited for his obscenely-good looks, he has a bit more individual screen time in Smaug, which does my little black heart good.

In the runup to this movie, fans' chief concern seemed to be that the dragon not disappoint, and I am pleased to say that Smaug is magnificent. This dragon is stunning to see and chilling to hear (thanks to some terrific voice work by Benedict Cumberbatch), the undoubted highlight of the film. The movie's 3D is mostly immaterial, but it's worth the upcharge to have this glorious beast right up in your face. However else this movie pleases or disappoints, casual and die-hard fans alike are bound to be awed by Smaug.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug runs 161 minutes and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images."

In the long run, I'm sure I will grow to love Desolation of Smaug as an important part of something that truly matters to me. After all, The Two Towers remains the weakest link of the original series, but a strong finish to this trilogy will similarly erase the negativity I'm now feeling. Still, for the moment, I'm not sure this is going to need that spot I've been saving in my year-end top ten.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug gets seven.

Until next time...



'Member, kids...I saw him first! ;-)

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), his mighty band of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), and wise wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) embark on a crusade to reclaim Erebor from the vicious dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) in this sweeping fantasy adventure that picks up where the events of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey left off. Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) once again directs from a screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly.

Release Date: Dec 13, 2013 RealD 3D

Rated PG-13: Frightening Images and Fantasy Action Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a well made film through and through. It’s wonderfully shot and acted with a fanciful story that’s engaging with characters that we’ve come to know and root for. There are massive action set pieces like the barrel escape which is a visual feast which is just as fun as it’s thrilling. All this makes for an excellent film except for the most glaring issue at play, it’s unnecessarily bloated. It’s someth I was worried about since the film was already stretched from 2 movies into 3 and here it shows. The much talked about addition, Tauriel, feels about as tacked on as possible throughout. Her character and Evangeline Lilly’s performance aren’t terrible but they are rather pointless. There are plenty of scenes that feel stretched out throughout as if Jackson has a running bet that he’ll never make Middle Earth film that’s under 2 and half hours. The cast is all solid with the new additions and returning players from LOTR series slipping easily into their roles again. The supporting dwarfs are still a tad undeveloped; fleshing them out probably would have been a better way to use the screen time. Smaug is masterful CGI creation which really needs to be seen in IMAX 3D to fully appreciate. Benedict Cumberbatch’s voice work is stellar as expected even if I kept getting random flashback to the forgotten Dennis Quaid movie Dragonheart. When Smaug finally shows up he does pick up the pace a bit but by that point your butt numbness makes you wish there wasn’t another 40 minutes to go. Since this is the middle chapter of the series there’s not resolution to look forward to either so it leaves you hanging for the next 3 hour opus which will hit theaters next year and I’ll be there again.

B-