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...

MOVIE REVIEW: STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

Entrenched in the racial tumult of Los Angeles in the mid-1980's, a group of aspiring rappers banded together to revolutionize the global consumption of hip-hop and popular culture. NWA was born out of racial frustration and the disadvantaged economics of their South Central neighborhood. F. Gary Gray directs this biopic about the rise to stardom for the act that earned the moniker of "The World's Most Dangerous Group", featuring Ice Cube's son O'Shea Jackson Jr. playing the role of his father, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, and Jason Mitchell as the late Eazy-E. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: F. Gary Gray

Cast: Corey Antonio Hawkins, O'shea Jackson, Jr., Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown, Jr.

Release Date: Aug 14, 2015

Rated: R Language Throughout, Drug Use, Strong Sexuality/Nudity and Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 27 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton is a thoroughly engaging if imperfect musical biopic.  It hits all the standard notes for this type of film with some of the moments coming off as manufactured or inauthentic.  It’s not a massive flaw but noticeable.  Thankfully an impressive ensemble cast carries the film with strong performances throughout with O’Shea Jackson Jr. making the biggest mark for his uncanny impression of his father.  Paul Giamatti is saddled with the role of the shady business manager and manages to give the role a bit more depth than expected.  The story itself might be familiar to some and totally foreign to others.  Either way it’s an interesting story that’ll keep you engaged as we watch the rise of gangster rap and its evolution.  The problem the film faces is that there are so many storylines that it does occasionally feel unfocused.  In the final act, Gary doesn’t quite seem to know where to end the story as we proceed through a travelogue of the 90’s.  It would have benefited from some trimming to make it a more efficient film.  That being said Straight Outta Compton is a strong film that feels terribly timely as well.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Straight Outta Compton

Dearest Blog: This weekend my cinema has again left me spoiled for choice, with three brand spanking new releases for my viewing pleasure. Unlike last weekend, I had reason to believe seeing this week's offerings might actually BE a pleasure.

Since it's two-and-a-half bleeding hours long, Straight Outta Compton did not play nice as part of a double- or triple-bill, and I had to make a special trip to see it. I'm pleased to report it was well worth the effort.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers, or, you know, real life.
Rap group N.W.A. busts out of its rough California neighborhood and becomes a music industry game-changer.

Dear Reader(s), it would be fair to say that, as a music fan, I was not quick to come to the rap table. When N.W.A. hit the streets in 1986, I was so far up Styx' and R.E.O. Speedwagon's butts I would never have given N.W.A. the time of day. I mention that only to prove that my affection for this movie is not borne of sentiment; it really, really is a fantastic movie. (And, curiously, both Styx and R.E.O. Speedwagon are briefly referenced, so...yay!)

Straight Outta Compton is long. Entirely TOO long, if we're being honest, but it's so good it almost gets away with it. Everything about the movie feels natural, from dialogue to delivery to scene cuts and angles. The three principals have fairly limited experience, but their terrific performances make them look like old pros, and the supporting cast is also solid from top to bottom. The picture's mood flows easily from tense to funny to flat-out brutal and back, but it never misses a beat or feels awkward.

Whatever level of fame, success, or wealth, N.W.A. has achieved, the violent lifestyle has followed, but I would refute anyone who calls this story a glorification of that lifestyle. On the contrary, the movie--and the music--are a reflection of the artists' circumstances, and, while N.W.A. has had a great deal of success, they've paid a heavy toll as well. There's no denying the impact N.W.A. and their revolutionary sound have had on millions of people worldwide, and this version of their story is both moving and extremely entertaining.

Straight Outta Compton runs 147 minutes (are you even kidding me??) and is rated R for "language throughout, strong sexuality/nudity, violence, and drug use."

Pretty much every musical act that gets famous has a similar story: the humble beginnings, shady dealings, infighting, the corrupting influence of money and fame, and--if they're lucky--a chance at redemption.

A good or not-so-good movie is in the telling, and Straight Outta Compton tells the hell out of the N.W.A. story.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Straight Outta Compton gets eight and three quarters. (I desperately want to award the full nine, but I just can't justify that runtime!)

Until next time...