MOVIE REVIEW: COMING 2 AMERICA

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York - where it all began.

Director: Craig Brewer

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, Teyana Taylor, Wesley Snipes, James Earl Jones

Release Date: December 18, 2020

Genre: Comedy

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language and drug content

Runtime: 1 h 50 min

Review:

Coming 2 America feels like many of recent unnecessary sequels to beloved classics in that it offers fun bits of nostalgia but never reaches the level of the original.  Craig Brewer’s film fits some familiar beats which will leave fans of the original happy but some maybe surprised to find that much of the film takes place in Zamunda and the story’s mainly focused on Jermaine Fowler’s character.  The story flips the script of the original by making the Folwer the outsider; it’s a decent if uninspired take.  Folwer is capable enough but he’s hardly on the same comedic talent level of Eddie Murphy or Arsenio Hall.  The latter do have plenty of chances to shine and they make great use of their screen time in revisiting their classic characters.  The supporting cast is filled with familiar faces with Wesley Snipes clearly having a ball playing General Izzi.  Ultimately, Coming 2 America is a fun little bit of comedic comfort food even if it’ll never touch the originals quality. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LION KING

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.


C+