MOVIE REVIEW: MARY POPPINS RETURNS

Now an adult with three children, bank teller Michael Banks learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he can pay back a loan. His only hope is to find a missing certificate that shows proof of valuable shares that his father left him years earlier. Just as all seems lost, Michael and his sister receive the surprise of a lifetime when Mary Poppins -- the beloved nanny from their childhood -- arrives to save the day and take the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled adventure.

Director: Rob Marshall

Cast: Emily Blunt, Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep

Release Date: December 19, 2018

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action

Runtime: 2h 10 min

Review:

I feel obliged to mention that I’ve never actually watched the original Mary Poppins start to finish.  I’m well aware of it by reputation and honestly I’m more familiar with The Simpson’s parody of it than the actual movie.  As such, I head into this reboot with the ability to take Rob Marshall’s sequel mostly on its own merits.  Keeping with the transparency theme, I’ll state that I’ve been a big fan of Marshall’s work since Chicago and Mary Poppins Returns only further confirms my admiration.  Marshall can stage a song and dance sequence like few others can and here he’s in top form delivering some wonderfully fizzy and enjoyable sequences that will leave a smile on your face.  The film moves at a steady pace, rarely lingering too long much less on the barebone’s plot.  It keeps moving on Marshall’s energy and its stars incredible charm and screen presence.  Emily Blunt is everything you could ask for as she takes over the reins from Julie Andrews.  It’s a role that seems tailor made for her and she plays it with palpable energy and vigor.  Manuel Miranda is a bit of an outlier, no so much that he’s bad but he just feels slightly miscast even though he does add some spice into some of songs.  Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer are mostly left by the wayside in thankless supporting roles.  It help that three child actors who spend the most time on screen with Blunt prove to be more capable of carrying their own.  It’s a treat to watch and the film as a whole is about as charming and delightful they come.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN

In 1979 young Donna, Tanya and Rosie graduate from Oxford University -- leaving Donna free to embark on a series of adventures throughout Europe. On her journeys, she makes the acquaintances of Harry, Bill and Sam -- the latter whom she falls in love with, but he's also the man who breaks her heart. In the present day, Donna's pregnant daughter, Sophie, dreams of renovating a taverna while reuniting with her mother's old friends and boyfriends on the Greek island of Kalokairi.

Director: OI Parker

Cast: Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Dominic Cooper, Cher, Meryl Streep

Release Date: July 20, 2018

Genres: Comedy, Musical

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive material

Runtime: 1h 54min

Review:

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a surprisingly strong sequel to the fizzy original.  Getting the bad out of the way, the film feels the loss of it’s A List cast from the original, the majority of them appear but with limited screen time.  Lily James carries the majority of film as the young Donna and she’s more than capable.  I do wonder if they asked Grace Gummer, one of Streep’s daughters, to play the role since she bears such a striking resemblance to her when she was younger.  Still Lily James pulls off an impressive performance, capturing most of Streep’s mannerisms from the original film.  The rest of the younger cast is equally as effective portraying their older, legendary counterparts.  The song selections here aren’t as strong as the original film which is understandable since the original used nearly all the greatest hits.  Still they are catchy enough to keep any ABBA fan smiling.  The strangest thing about Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is how reflective and heartfelt the film is.  It’s far more emotional than you’d expect from a sequel to a light fizzy original.  Meryl Streep appears in what is an extended cameo but her appearance packs an emotional punch and really brings the film full circle.   

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Paddington 2 & Den of Thieves

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a pair of heist movies: Paddington 2 and Den of Thieves. (Find another review that makes *that* connection if you can!)

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

First on my agenda: Paddington 2.

When dear Paddington is wrongly jailed for robbery, it's up to the Browns to find the real thief.

Paddington was a lovely surprise, a "children's" movie that turned out to be so much more. If there's any surprise to the greatness of Paddington 2, it's only that it's even better than the first.

Like its predecessor, much of Paddington 2's charm can be credited to its phenomenal cast. Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, and Brendan Gleeson are in top form, and Hugh Grant is an absolute delight as the film's narcissistic villain. The plot of Paddington 2 doesn't hold many twists, but it doesn't need them; its execution is so sweet and funny that predictability is easily forgiven. The movie is beautifully filmed, with a special nod to the animated pop-up book sequences, a true delight from start to finish. Stay tuned for a great musical number at the end!

Paddington 2 runs 104 minutes and is rated PG for "some action and mild rude humor."

In an increasingly ugly world, I'm grateful for the joyful beauty of Paddington.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Paddington 2 gets all nine. (Yes, I'm throwing down a nine in January. 2018, you've got your work cut out for you.)

Fangirl points: Joanna Lumley! Ben Whishaw! Peter Capaldi! Ben Miller! Richard Ayoade!

Next on the docket: Den of Thieves.

LA's top cops face off with a legendary heist crew. Many shootings and f-words ensue.

Dear reader(s), my anticipation for Den of Thieves could not have been higher, and I want you to know from the bottom of my heart: I LOVE THIS MOVIE. It may not be the cleverest or the best from any technical standpoint, but, damn, it's everything I'd hoped it would be.

Den of Thieves wastes no time getting started with a fast and loud robbery and chase. From there, it quiets down surprisingly often, lending some time to backstory and...wait for it...planning. Like actual thinking. Yes, Den of Thieves is smarter than I expected. Understand the Smart Bar had been set very, VERY low, but still...I liked that it threw me a little curve, and in more ways than just Gerard Butler pondering his life choices. Den of Thieves weaves a tense tale, as the crafty robbers and no-rules cops attempt to out-fox each other. The bad-good guys are headed up by Butler, and his usual meathead act is quite perfect here. The bad-bad guys have Pablo Schreiber and O'Shea Jackson, Jr. turning in very nice performances with--dare I suggest it?--a fair bit of depth. Den of Thieves runs a hair too long and might have been better served by trimming some unnecessary subplot, but the movie takes a few turns I didn't expect and saves its best surprises for the finale.

Den of Thieves clocks in at 140 minutes and is rated R for "violence, language, and some sexuality/nudity."

Plopped squarely in the middle of all the pretentiousness of Awards Season, Den of Thieves is a sweary, testosterone-soaked action picture that is exactly what it means to be.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Den of Thieves gets eight.

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of Brooklyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Awards Season means sacrifices. 

 

Anyone who suffered through Boyhood can tell you that. Thus, yesterday I found myself at the icky cinema where my feet stick to the floor and the toilets never work to catch Brooklyn before Star Wars chases it out of town for good.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, probably nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers if you've seen any, which I haven't.

 

A young Irish girl seeks opportunity in 1950s Brooklyn.

 

A list of the sort of films I most despise would look something like this:

 

1.) Movies about women;

 

2.) Movies for women;

 

3.) Movies by women;

 

4.) Movies about romance;

5.) Movies where nothing blows up.

 

Brooklyn is most of those things, but, somehow, I liked it anyway.

 

Brooklyn manages to tell its love story sans the manufactured angst that dumbs down most romances to a Nicholas Sparks level. 

 

The movie is an effective reminder of a time when going away meant *really* being apart from everyone and everything you knew and loved...no Facebook or Skype for keeping up with the folks back home. The heartache is palpable, as is the joy at finding that special someone that turns a new place into "home." 

 

Sincere, engaging performances by Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen, and fantastic supporting turns by Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent, make it easy to see why this little love story is considered one of the year's best pictures.

 

Brooklyn clocks in at 111 minutes and is rated PG13 for "a scene of sexuality and brief strong language." 

 

A romance that could make me forget I hate romances, Brooklyn is a wonder to behold. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Brooklyn gets seven and a half.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: BRAVE

BRAVE



An impetuous princess discovers that her reckless choice has put both her family and her father's kingdom in peril in this animated adventure from Pixar films. As a toddler, Merida (voice of Kelly MacDonald) saw her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), do battle with one of the fiercest animals in the kingdom -- a horribly scarred hulk of a bear named Mordu. Though Fergus lost his leg defending his family, Merida and her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), managed to escape the beast before it vanished back into the forest. Years later, Merida has grown up to become not just a skilled archer, but also a beautiful princess who inspires a competition among the eligible bachelors in the land. But Merida has little interest in getting married, and the harder her mother pushes the issue, the more fiercely she resists it. When the tournament for her hand gets under way and a deep divide opens between mother and daughter, Merida makes a wish that threatens the future of both her family and the entire kingdom. Now, with only a brief window of time to set things right, Merida must summon the courage to atone for her mistake and prevent a past tragedy from destroying any hope for a peaceful future. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Brenda Chapman

Cast: Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd

Release Date: Jun 22, 2012

Rated PG for Some Scary Action and Rude Humor

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Comedy

Review:

The rousing first act of Brave enchants the way you’d imagine a Pixar created film should. We are given a fully realized Scottish landscape that’s beautifully rendered, even more impressive in 3D, which is populated by wonderfully conceived character designs. It’s feast for the eyes and there a strong sense of self the moment Merida’s uncontrollable fiery red hair hits the screen. Kelly MacDonald, a favorite of mine from Broadwalk Empire, gives Merida the perfect blend of strength, drive and impetuous energy. Emma Thompson and MacDonald have good chemistry together in their mother daughter roles with Billy Connolly bringing a good sense of fun to the king. MacDonald’s work remains the driving force throughout the film but sadly the film falters by taking a far too conventional and safe route. It’s not a bad story by any measure but it’s not the type of cutting edge fare we’ve come to expect from Pixar. It’s enjoyable and once we hit the crux of plot, we all know how the plot will play out. It follows course fairly carefully rarely stepping to far into the deep end of some of the themes presented. As is the film works well but you can’t help but wonder if it wasn’t a bit of a missed opportunity for Pixar to make a truly different princess for the Disney stable.

B