MOVIE REVIEW: WONKA

 

Armed with nothing but a hatful of dreams, young chocolatier Willy Wonka manages to change the world, one delectable bite at a time.

Director: Paul King

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Tom Davis, Olivia Colman,  Hugh Grant

Release Date: December 15, 2023

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical

Rated PG for some violence, mild language and thematic elements.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Paul King's Willy Wonka prequel, Wonka, is an utterly charming film that brings a wonderful sense of whimsy and wonder that's hard to deny.  King's musical confection is a wonderful assault on the senses with a series of well staged albeit old fashion, song and dance numbers.  Its a visual feast for the eyes and ears that's like a lovely elixir that guaranteed to put people in a good mood.  King's film is light and airy with a palatable sense of infectious optimism that fits perfectly with a younger Wonka who hasn't become the more cynical and scarier version of himself from the Gene Wilder classic.  Timothée Chalamet is perfectly suited for this version of the character with his boyish looks and general charm.  He mimics some of the mannerisms and movements of Wilder's take but plays him with more wide eyed optimism and naiveite.  Its works well for this film and story even though some looking for bits of the character slightly sinister side will be left wanting.  The supporting cast delivers equally strong work with fun turns from Olivia Colman and an impressive film debut from Calah Lane.  Paterson Joseph, one of the handful of Peep Show alums, chews up every bit of the scenery as the film's villainous chocolatier.  Likewise, Hugh Grant is clearly having a ball playing a CGI Oompa-Loompa so much so that you wish he'd be given a slightly larger role.  It all makes for an undeniably fun film which fit more with the beloved original than the Tim Burton remake which is sure to please plenty of fans.

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A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MIGRATION

 

A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

Director: Benjamin Renner

Cast:  Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell, Carol Kane, Caspar Jennings, Tresi Gazal, Danny DeVito

Release Date: December 22, 2023

Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Rated PG for action/peril and mild rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 31m

Migration, Illumination's newest animated offering, might not be the studio most memorable film but it does deliver a light, family friendly adventure which is easy for children and adults to enjoy.  Benjamin Renner's film is energetically fun, throwing splashy visuals and gags at the screen in quick succession which keeps the film from hitting too many dead spots.  A series of well constructed sequences offer up a fun bit of variety from dingy swamps populated by decrepit herons to a colorfully manic fly through Manhattan keeps the story moving along at a steady almost frenetic pace.  The colorful character designs provide the film with a visual pop that makes the entire film easy on the eyes.  Paired with excellent performances from the film's voice cast makes the film a fizzy sort of family adventure which is sure to appeal to multiple age groups.  Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks make for a fun pair as the central parents with both being given enough time to shine.  They share fun exchanges throughout while also establishing a believably loving relationship as they face their fears together.  Caspar Jennings and Tresi Gazal also turn in fun roles as the pairs children with Gazal stealing scenes with perfectly timed line readings.  Danny DeVito rounds out the central family, an older gruff but loving uncle.  Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key provide the voices for supporting characters with each bringing their own brand of humor to their roles.  The film and overall story suffers slightly from its central villain, a trendy chef who becomes obsessed with the mallard family.  His character doesn't register much outside of his outsized, tattooed body but in terms of actual characterization there's little to none there.  As is, Migration sits a level under Despicable Me or Sing films leaving it a fun but disposable bit of family entertainment.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE

 

With help from Princess Peach, Mario gets ready to square off against the all-powerful Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world.

Director: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen

Release Date: April 5, 2023

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for action and mild violence.

Runtime: 1h 32m

Review:

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a more than capable family film that plays it safe with the brand as it delivers a light, colorful experience.  Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic clearly have an affection for the property, something readily apparent as they deliver a game to film experience that checks all sorts of nostalgic boxes along the way.  The story is simplistic to a fault as it moves from one set piece to another as it recreates various bits of game play in what amounts to a cinematic retrospective.  Those familiar with Horvath and Jelenic previous movie, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, which lovingly skewered a variety of DC's comic properties won't find that sort of edge here.  There's a definite sense that Nintendo didn't want anything but the glossiest version of their IP on display and for the most part the duo obliges even though slivers of their sensibilities shine through exemplified by an insane, fatalistic blue Luma.  Outside of that its safe and corporate approved which probably keeps the film from being a better overall film.  As is, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a solid adaptation of the video game that sure to please younger kids and deliver enough nostalgia make to older fans happy.

C+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Marvel's Eternals & Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

 

My dear reader(s): This weekend I was able to catch up with a couple titles I'd very much been looking forward to, Marvel's Eternals and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Spoiler level here will be mild, just a small, non-plot-specific comment on HT4.

First up: Marvel's Eternals.

D-List Marvel heroes attempt to save the world whilst navigating their own personal soap operas.

'Kayyyyyyy...first I want to say I didn't hate Eternals as much as many seemed to, and I didn't think it was any worse than most Marvel content. There were a few specific things I liked, and more that I didn't like, and for whatever that is worth to you, my dear reader(s), here they are.

The pros:

Richard Madden. I've been taking a pass on a good many comic book movies these days, but there was no chance I was missing a movie with Richard Madden. With Richard Madden in tights, no less. Happy days!

An interesting and diverse cast. Perhaps the most diverse of any costumed hero flick to date. We love to see it.

(Spoiler) turning up in the mid-credits scene. If you're online at all, ever, you probably know, but I won't divulge it here. Suffice to say I squealed even though I knew it was coming.

A couple truly unexpected (at least by me) developments. Mostly Eternals doesn't reinvent the wheel, but there were a few times I thought, whoa, did not see *that* coming!

The potential for some of these characters to get very interesting, assumimg they get some space in a less-crowded future film. The possibility is there. We'll see what they do with it.

The cons:

Eternals is too long, easily by 30 minutes, maybe more. Way too much filler. BUT...

...it also fails to explain most characters fully enough for non-comic readers. No one here is Captain America; the casual viewer could do with an abridged history and explanation of powers for these folks.

Most of the dialogue is awkwardly written and badly delivered, and the story is messy and borrows too much from other genre pictures.

Some of the effects are inexpicably sketchy for such a big-budget effort, and, finally...

...despite their potential, *this* movie didn't make me interested enough in any of these characters to care if I ever see them again. (I'm interested enough in a couple of the actors to care a lot, but that's another matter altogether.)

Marvel's Eternals clocks in at 156 minutes and is rated PG13 for "fantasy violence and action, some language, and brief sexuality."

Eternals is another forgettable bit of fun from Marvel, but it suffers for its bloated runtime, lack of familiar heroes, and failure to flesh out new faces. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Marvel's Eternals gets four and a half.

Marvel's Eternals is now streaming on Disney+.

Next on my weekend agenda: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Van Helsing's Monsterfication Ray turns humans to monsters and monsters to humans.

The fourth installment in the Hotel Transylvania series caused me to utter perhaps the strangest words that have ever come out of my mouth: "I hope this is still good without Adam Sandler!" Drac here is voiced by one Brian Hull. I'm not a fan of Sandler and I'm not 100% sure I'd have noticed the difference if I hadn't known beforehand, but - armed with the knowledge - something definitely felt off with the new Drac. That being said, the HT movies are among my favorites, and I enjoyed this installment quite a bit.

Many faves from the previous films have returned here: Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, David Spade, Molly Shannon, Selena Gomez, and Andy Samberg, to name a few. What initially seemed like a limited spooky premise has been parlayed into movies that tell pretty different stories. This one is good fun with a nice message about valuing people for who they are, not who you want them to be. The animation is cute and colorful, if nothing groundbreaking. Transformania plays like a finale, and if it is, it's a good one. If they choose to make more, well...I'll be first in line, despite the fact that this Drac (spoiler alert) really doesn't say, "Blah blah blah." Not even once. *sadface*

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania runs 98 minutes and is rated PG for "some action and rude humor, including cartoon nudity." (Seriously, I didn't make that up.)

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is a dopey good time for the whole family. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania gets seven.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: PROM

 

Down-on-their-luck Broadway stars shake up a small Indiana town as they rally behind a teen who wants to go to the prom with her girlfriend.

Director: Ryan Murphy

Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Chamberlin, Mary Kay Place, Kerry Washington, Jo Ellen Pellman

Release Date: December 4, 2020

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some suggestive/sexual references and language

Runtime: 2h 10min

Review:

Ryan Murphy’s Prom is an over the top musical cornucopia of schmaltz and positive message that’s easy to digest.  Those looking for any deep meaning should probably look elsewhere because this film is all glitz and jazz hands.  Character development is sparse with each character representing more of a type than a fully formed person.  The real trick is that Murphy keeps you engaged with each of these characters throughout each musical number.  The cast, which is made up of A listers, helps mainly because they are all clearly having a great time and it shines through in their performances.  Streep, Kidman and Corden all seem very much in their wheel house belting out Broadway style musical numbers so that shouldn’t come as much a surprise.  Somehow Jo Ellen Pellman finds a way to have her moment even with all the luminaries sharing the same proverbial stage. It’s an impressive understated performance that is sure to draw the attention of more than a few casting directors.  The film itself feels a little like a more musical riff on Footloose with a generally upbeat feel which works for the current situation.  It’s overlong, Netflix seems terribly uninterested in reigning in their talent, and overstuffed but it’s the best kind of comfort food for anybody who loves musicals.  

B-

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Dolemite is My Name &The Two Popes

Yesterday I closed out my movie year with two Netflix originals: Dolemite is My Name and the Two Popes.

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

First up: Dolemite is My Name.

Rudy Ray Moore, a struggling comedian, finds success with a coarse alter-ego.

Dolemite is My Name represents a comeback of sorts for Eddie Murphy, and he carries the movie with ease. I'm a big fan of Eddie Murphy, and that makes me very, very happy. (He can't have that Golden Globe, though. It's Taron's.) As for the film itself, well, that didn't make me quite so happy. Moore is a hard guy to root for. Much like The Room's Tommy Wiseau, he's a person who is determined to succeed at something he isn't very good at, and--through sheer audacity and a bit of enabling--he actually makes it. Personally, I find the Dolemite persona about as funny as a root canal. Maybe my problem is cultural or even generational (I also don't think George Carlin is very funny), but it's exacerbated by the fact that Moore essentially stole the Dolemite schtck from others in his personal orbit, people who never gained (at least as far as the movie shows) from his eventual success. Dolemite's supporting cast is nearly as great as Murphy, with Tituss Burgess, Keegan-Michael Key, and another of my personal favorites, Craig Robinson, all turning in nice performances. Wesley Snipes and Snoop Dogg are also enjoyable in smaller roles. Dolemite is My Name is actually quite funny in places (outside the Dolemite routines), though it's also a little slow or a little long or maybe a little of both; it just doesn't *quite* earn its runtime. It is also relentlessly (but expectedly) vulgar, so if boobs and f-bombs bother you, maybe take a pass on this one.

Dolemite is My Name runs 117 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language, crude sexual content, and graphic nudity."

Dolemite is My Name is a win for Eddie Murphy and a big loss for everything else. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Dolemite is My Name gets four.

Next on my agenda: The Two Popes.

Popes Benedict and Francis try to find common ground for the good of the Catholic Church.

Well, dear reader(s), if Dolemite is My Name is a film I didn't quite get, you may rest assured that, having spent the past 33 years working for His Holiness, this one's definitely in my wheelhouse.

Most everyone knows that the Catholic Church is facing challenging times, and that its problems are largely of its own making. This behind-the-scenes look at two very different men, both of whom want only the best for the institution (and the deity) they serve, is a thoughtful exercise. Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins turn in two of the year's finest performances as Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, respectively. Their magnificent work is infused with quiet power, carrying the deliberately-paced film effortlessly. While the Two Popes is undoubtedly more "inspired by" than "based on" actual events, its insights and political machinations are fascinating, as well as its sometimes shockingly frank mentions of the clergy sexual abuse scandal. The movie also offers some timely messages, both overtly and less so, with the importance of forgiveness and of finding common ground winding their way throughout. Though I am not a believer myself, I found the Two Popes an uplifting and hopeful film for the faithful...and maybe for the rest of us too.

The Two Popes clocks in at 125 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic content and some disturbing, violent images."

The Two Popes is one of the year's best surprises, a terrific film carried by two extraordinary performances.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Two Popes gets eight.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

Performer Rudy Ray Moore develops an outrageous character named Dolemite, who becomes an underground sensation and star of a kung-fu, anti-establisment film that could make or break Moore.

Director: Craig Brewer

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Wesley Snipes

Release Date: October 25, 2019 

Genre  Biography, Comedy, Drama

Rating: R for some sexuality, full nudity and brief language

Runtime: 1 h 58 min

Review:
Craig Brewer’s Dolemite Is My Name is a fun film that could have been easily forgettable if it weren’t for his central star.  Sure, the true story of Rudy Ray Moore is a fascinating anecdote from Hollywood’s past but without Eddie Murphy’s un-containable energy and charisma it wouldn’t be nearly as watchable.  Murphy’s performance is like a throwback to his classic performances not like his slew of rinse and repeat family comedies he churned out for the better part of late 90's and 2000’s.  The film reminds you why Murphy was such a singular star in those classic films like Coming to America, Trading Spaces and even Bowfinger to a certain extent.  He’s such a magnetic performer that you can’t help but enjoy this bawdy biopic.  The story itself feels familiar but Murphy keeps you interested in this underdog tale.  His supporting cast is made up a who’s who of African American actors and comedians with each making the film better than it deserves to be with Da'Vine Joy Randolph & Wesley Snipes leaving lasting impressions.  Ultimately Dolemite Is My Name is the type of film that’s better than it deserves to be because of inspired casting.


B+

MOVIE REVIEW: TOY STORY 4

Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody's slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they're worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.Director: Dexter Fletcher

Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves

Release Date: June 20, 2019

Biography, Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Rated G

Runtime: 1 h 40 min

Review:

Toy Story 3 really felt like a proper and fitting send off for the venerable franchise while leaving fans an emotional wreck.  This fourth entry had some work to do to explain its reason for existing besides an obvious money grab.  Thankful this fourth entry is a fitting epilogue to the franchise that ties up storylines while maintaining the high level of layered storytelling that’s always been a calling card of the franchise.  The story isn’t going to level your emotions the way part 3 did but it’s still got a solid bit of bite in spots particularly in the final frames.  Thematically it’s got some heady issues at play, particularly finding your personal worth and self actualization which is hefty stuff for a kid’s movie.  That’s not to say kids won’t enjoy it because they will, it’s probably one of the most vibrantly animated entries in the series.  The setting like the antique shop and carnival are visual cornucopias of colors and details that you’re liable to need a few views to see everything they put in.  The cast delivers across the board like they always do even though some of the characters are regulated to the 2^nd or 3^rd tier.  The new additions of Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele make that easier to deal with but I would have liked a bit more of a spotlight on some of the established characters. Tom Hanks’ Woody is the primary focus here with most of the story serving his character arch.  Adding Annie Pott’s Bo Peep back into the mix as a strong self realized female character makes for an interesting dynamic that really adds to the overall impact of the story.  If this truly is the end of the series, it’s a fitting bittersweet send off. 


A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PREDATOR

From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home. The universe's most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biologist can prevent the end of the human race.

Director: Shane Black

Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, Sterling K. Brown

Release Date: September 14, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Horror

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, and crude sexual references

Runtime: 1h 47min

Review:

The Predators is an odd film that can never figure out what it ultimately wants to be.  Shane Black directs this 6^th screen appearance of the Predator and gives it a strange infusion of comedy.  The violent space hunters face off vs. a ragtag group of misfits who have a quip for every occasion.  The comedy is enjoyable but it feels out of place in the Predator franchise with long sequences veering incredibly close to self parody.  The actors are all fine even though some seems to be hamming it up, like Sterling K. Brown, while others are playing it straight like Boyd Holbrook. It makes for a choppy tone which makes the film just feel off.  It’s a shame because the film has potential particularly if they’d focused on the band of misfits.  The characters are all interesting enough but the film just doesn’t spend much time with them.  Instead we get Oliva Munn who just doesn’t fit in the film; it’s particularly glaring since the film also has Yvonne Strahovski but decides to use her in a throwaway role.  The Predator isn’t the return to form most fans were hoping and with the level of talent assembled you’d be remiss to think if it’s even possible at this point.

C