MOVIE REVIEW: ARGYLLE

 

Reclusive author Elly Conway writes best-selling espionage novels about a secret agent named Argylle who's on a mission to unravel a global spy syndicate. However, when the plots of her books start to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, the line between fiction and reality begin to blur.

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson

Release Date: February 2, 2024 

Genre: Action, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong violence and action and some strong language.

Runtime: 2h 19m

Review:

Argylle, the latest spy riff from Matthew Vaughn, is overstuffed to the point of exhaustion as it hurls a seemingly endless barrage of twists at the screen which would make even M. Night Shyamalan blush.  Initially, Vaughn's film has a breezy feel as it plays with a fun premises.  The early action sequences that pepper in bits of Henry Cavill doing his best Bond impression is energetic and engaging.  Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell have some fun chemistry with both making the best of their likeable onscreen charm.  Howard is appropriately nebbish early on as insanity plays out around her.  Rockwell seems to be having a blast playing the superspy guiding her and it all works fairly well in the film's opening act.  Bryan Cranston hams it up as the film's central villain but much like the movie's plot, his performance gets progressively more exaggerated and outsized especially as the first reveal which alone would have been a fun thread to chase.  Instead, that initial reveal is barely given anytime to breathe before another U Turn takes in another silly direction follow by another and another.  There are a few fun action sequences interspersed between it all, but those slower moments are noticeably slow especially as the film gets more aggressively silly, highlighted by a colorful bullet filled dance and skating sequence which makes it clear that it’s all intentionally stupid.  In a weird way, Vaughn and his cast end up delivering a modern day Naked Gun film which would have been fun if it weren't so incredibly overstuffed.  

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MARVELS

 

Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. However, unintended consequences see her shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with two other superheroes to form the Marvels.

Director: Nia DaCosta

Cast: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Samuel L. Jackson

Release Date: November 10, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG-13 for action/violence and brief language

Runtime: 1h 45m

The Marvels manages to shake up the standard formula by leaning into its weirdness which ends up making it fun if rather light comic book fun similar to another franchise tangent, Thor: Ragnarok.  Nia DaCosta delivers an energic and efficient entry into the long running franchise that smartly keeps the focus on the tangible chemistry between the three leads.  Sure the overall story is fairly basic by comic book standards with a central villain that barely registers as one dimensional.  The stakes are what you would expect with these kind of films but in this film it almost seems besides the point and we are given a steady stream of kinetic, body swapping action sequences that are cleverly staged and always fun.  DaCosta moves her film at pleasantly breezy pace which is a welcome change of pace after a series of overly serious and bloated chapters that have populated the Marvel release schedule over the last few years.  As a result, Brie Larson comes off far more comfortable and relaxed here than she did in the original film.  Larson is given a bit more rope with the character and she embraces it especially in some of the film's wackier sequences such as a planet whose populace communicates through song.  These sort of left turns provide a steady bit of organic comedy that works better than last year's more ham fisted Thor: Love and Thunder.  Larson benefits from having Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani join her this go around with their interplay and relationships serving as the lifeblood of the film.  Parris and Vallani bring their small screen characters to the big screen with relative ease but Vallani's youthful charisma shines through the entire film.  The three of them together keep the film moving even as it moves to a fairly predictable end as they try and stop Zawe Ashton's villain.  Ashton fares the worst of the primary group as we are given the slightest sliver of information about her character's motivations which leave her with little to do outside of stare and scream maniacally and little else.  The story and characters are tied to a variety of separate, preestablished mythology, mostly from Marvel TV shows, but its surprisingly not weighed down by the script making the most of exposition dumps to catch the uninitiated up to speed.  The Marvels might not be the most impactful entry in the MCU but it is one of the easiest to enjoy in recent memory.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PROTEGE

 

Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody, Anna is the world's most skilled contract killer. However, when Moody is brutally killed, she vows revenge for the man who taught her everything she knows. As Anna becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer, their confrontation turns deadly, and the loose ends of a life spent killing weave themselves ever tighter.

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Malahide, David Rintoul, Ori Pfeffer, Ray Fearon, Caroline Loncq, Robert Patrick

Rated R for strong and bloody violence, language, some sexual references and brief nudity

Release Date: August 20, 2021

Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller

Runtime: 1h 49min

Review:

The Protégé plays like a hybrid between Mr. & Mrs. Smith and La Femme Nikita.  The latter fits perfectly for the film's star, Maggie Q, who led the underseen and underappreciated  2010 series Nikita.  Needless to say, she's perfectly in her comfort zone here.  Martin Campbell brings his directorial clout having helmed two well regarded Bond films.  Together they should make for a match in heaven but a hackneyed muddled script hampers what should have been a slam dunk.  Thankfully the action sequences well staged and engaging with Q doing the majority of her own stunts.  In addition to being incredibly adept at the physicality needed for the role but she's equally capable as an actress.  She has the ability to go from stone cold stoic to vulnerable with an impressive subtly.  Samuel L. Jackson, who plays her adoptive father, is more subdued than his recent turn in The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard instead he seems to be channeling Jules from Pulp Fiction which is a nice change of pace.  Michael Keaton makes the biggest impression in a supporting roles as he works the sort of wry world weary charm and intensity that worked so well for him in Burton's Batman.  Keaton and Q make for a strange May December pairing since they don't share any tangible romantic chemistry.  Even though their relationship isn't believable both performers are able to make each of their interactions the high points of the film.  So why doesn't the whole thing work better as a cohesive whole?  The script doesn't do any favors for the cast and director as they try their hardest to overcome the inherent limitations in terms of story and dialogue.  Thankfully, The Protégé is able to overcome this and still deliver a fun spy thriller even if its not as good as it could have been.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HITMAN'S WIFE'S BODYGUARD

 

The world's most lethal odd couple -- bodyguard Michael Bryce and hit man Darius Kincaid -- are back for another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius's even more volatile wife. Soon, all three are in over their heads when a madman's sinister plot threatens to leave Europe in total chaos.

Director: Patrick Hughes

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Richard E. Grant, Frank Grillo, Tom Hopper, Antonio Banderas, Morgan Freeman

Release Date: June 16, 2021

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime

Rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language, and some sexual content

Runtime: 1h 39min

Review:

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard never really breaks any new ground on the genre and it's script feels hackneyed and lazy but its still manages to provide some good mindless R rated fun.  Patrick Hughes directs his film with a made for standard cable feel to it even with the A list talent.  The action is fast and energetic set in attractive European locales but it all feels disposable like they could have been lifted from a dozen other films.  Thankfully, he's edited this film down to a lean hour and half so it's kinetic energy doesn't become exhausting like the first film.  Ultimately what save this film is the what made the first film work the chemistry of the cast.  Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are once again set to ten for the duration of the film as curse words and bullets fly.  Salma Hayek gets a much larger role here and it's to the film's benefit since she can play just as rough and loose as her two counter parts.  Antonio Banderas is just as a fun sporting a fabulous blonde wig while doing his best mock James Bond Villain.  It's all decidedly goofy and silly but you get the feeling the cast knows exactly what kind of film they are making, Frank Grillo's over the top Boston accent should be a dead giveaway, and they have fun with it.  The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard isn't going to be topping a lot of people top ten films of the year but it's goofy enough for an enjoyable bit of mindless fun.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW

Working in the shadow of his father, Detective Ezekiel "Zeke" Banks and his rookie partner take charge of an investigation into grisly murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city's gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer's morbid game.

Director: Darren Lynn Bousman

Cast: Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols, Samuel L. Jackson, Ali Johnson, Zoie Palmer

Release Date: May 14, 2021

Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery 

Rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, pervasive language, some sexual references and brief drug use

Runtime: 1h 33min

Review:

The Saw franchise, now 9 films in with this most recent entry, has always been a low rent Se7en knock off.  It was gorier but the first few films were mildly clever but they fell into more extreme and nonsensical plots something that happens to most horror franchises that are long in the tooth.  Spiral: From The Book of Saw is a soft reboot of the series which explores some interesting concepts but doesn't really explore them, leaving the whole thing feel predictable and half baked.  Darren Lynn Bousman, who is well versed in the Saw universe, returns behind that camera and delivers grungy look that feels like it borrow from Se7en and Predator 2, it's kinetic and sweaty in spurts.  The film's biggest asset is Chris Rock and  Samuel L. Jackson who inject some life into the lackadaisical by screaming most of their lines, early on in the film it almost feels like some of Rock's stand up was ported into the script.  At the very least they both keep the proceedings interesting while you move from one inventive and gruesome trap to another.  The biggest issue is that the central mystery isn't all that difficult to figure out, the film telegraphs it very early on.  As a result, everything feels perfunctory and predictable not to mention that Max Minghella is wasted for the majority of the film.  The films' biggest fault is that the story could have taken a more interesting thematic turn but it never delves into it with any serious effort.  It's a shame that Spiral ends up being another a non descript gorehound sequel instead of the promised reinvigoration of the series.  

C

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Spider-Man: Far from Home

Yesterday I took an (involuntary) break from back-to-back Rocketman screenings to check in with my friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

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

To no one's surprise, Peter Parker's plan to participate in a school trip like any normal teen goes awry.

Like almost all Marvel product, Spider-Man: Far from Home trades heavily on the capital of its star's charisma and real-life personality. Tom Holland is an absolute jackpot in this regard, having proved as charming off-screen as on, and--while Andrew Garfield remains my perfect Spidey--the more age-appropriate Holland carries a big franchise film with the ease of someone far more experienced. His supporting cast is fleshed out this time with the always-wonderful Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as recurring turns by Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Samuel L. Jackson, and Coby Smoulders. The movie's got flaws, but not a single member of this cast is among them.

Far from Home represents a sort-of torch-passing, following the events of Avengers: Endgame. The film features spectacular disaster and creature effects, yet somehow Spidey himself looks weirdly CGI-ed even when it's probably a live actor or stunt person performing. The movie is never boring, precisely, but it's too long before it even gets out of its first hour. There's a big "twist" that manages to serve its purpose while probably not being much of a surprise to most fans. Some great action sequences, an engaging cast, and spot-on humor make Far from Home a fun movie, but, ultimately, it's nothing special.

Spider-Man: Far from Home clocks in at an excessive 129 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi action violence, some language, and brief suggestive comments."

Far from Home is another fun-but-unremarkable outing from Marvel that you'll forget before the next fun-but-unremarkable outing from Marvel. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Spider-Man: Far from Home gets seven.

Fangirl points: My best boyfriend Jake (obvs.)! Martin Starr! The Ramones!

MOVIE REVIEW: SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.

Director: Jon Watts

Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J. B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal

Release Date: July 2, 2019

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments

Runtime: 2 h 9 min

Review:

Spider-Man: Far from Home has the simple task of tidying up the events of Avengers: Endgame while also moving forward Spider-Man character’s story.  It’s a hefty task and the film’s only partially able to pull it off, even though it’s at the cost of other elements.  Jon Watts’ film is a light and breezy affair with nary an air of heft or weight to it. They’re never any moments where you wonder if the hero is in any real danger, which is a common occurrence is these single character films but here it feels even more obvious.  That’s not say to there isn’t plenty of superhero action to go around along with some impressively staged sequences, particularly in the third act.  Tom Holland is still excellent as Parker/Spider-Man but while he gives more angst teen drama this entry, it feels more inorganic and stilted than it did in Homecoming.  Zendaya is relegated to a more standard love interest role than she did before and no amount of snark can hide it.  Jake Gyllenhaal is an interesting addition to the film but he’s a retconned villain from Spider-man villain who could just wear a sign around his neck stating “Don’t Trust Me” during the first half.  His reveal is interesting and it’s hard not to see the screenwriters taking swipes at a certain someone in the current political zeitgeist with the villain’s primary motivation.  It’s an interesting take and something that would have been more interesting if it’d been explored more but as is it’s a solid film.  Ultimately, it does close out this “phase” of the Marvel universe but does so in a workman like function.  That being said there are 2 post credit sequences that actually have bearing on the film you’ve finished watching so it’s worth staying all the way through the credits in this one.   

B

MOVIE REVIEW: CAPTAIN MARVEL

Captain Marvel is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

  

Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg,  Jude Law

  

Release Date: March 8, 2019

  

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

  

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language

  

Runtime: 2h 4 min

  

Review:

Captain Marvel is a solid if bland origin story.  That's not to say that there isn't fun to be had but the plot does telegraph some of the biggest reveals.  At the center of the film is Brie Larson who is typically a strong performer.  Here though, she's mostly wooden and she never really gives her character much personality.  As such, the titular character and star isn't all that interesting for the majority of the film.  Thankfully the supporting characters give the film a lot more life.  Sam Jackson finally gets his proper due in the MCU by giving us a look at Nick Fury as a young SHEILD agent.  The film is at its best when it pairs Larson and Jackson in a sort of buddy comedy, which really gives the film some life.  The real surprise though is a Ben Mendelsohn who brings a lot more to the table than you'd expect.  His character looks like a standard baddie but there's much more depth at play than at first glance.  Throw in a scene stealing cat and you get film that's better in it's final act than it was in the previous two portions.  The soundtrack is bound to make certain people nostalgic even if it plays like a copy of "Now that's what I call Music 90s."  Ultimately the film does a workman like job of checking all the boxes on a origin film but with a clever feminist twist even if it's not a natural or organic as say Wonder Woman.

B- 

MOVIE REVIEW: INCREDIBLES 2

Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back in “Incredibles 2” – but this time Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voice of Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transistion for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible.

Director: Brad Bird

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson, Huck Milner, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Jonathan Banks

Release Date: June 15, 2018

Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure

Rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language

Runtime: 1h 58min

Review:

Incredibles 2 delivers a crowd pleasing following up to the 2004 original.  The original film is a classic on many levels so there was an incredibly high standard left to meet.  Additionally, in the 14 years since the first film came out there’s been a massive change in the movie landscape with superhero films ruling the box office.  So the biggest question is whether or not a sequel would be as relevant or impact full as the first film.  Writer/Director Brad Bird pulls off the monumental task with relative ease.  Bird delivers a visually striking film that keeps the stylish visuals from the first and expands on it.  The film picks up right after the first film ends and moves easily into the plots of the sequel which is filled with dense topics like marriage equality and gender politics.  It’s script runs a fine balance of generally digestible joy and deeper themes while never becoming a bore.  The voice cast from the original film all slip back into their roles without missing a step.  Newcomers Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener mesh well with the cast even if their characters are slightly under served which is one of the films few missteps.  Still, Incredibles 2 pulls off the rare feat where the sequel is a worthy follow up to a classic.  

A

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Tag & Incredibles 2

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a promising double-bill of Tag and Incredibles 2.

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

First on my agenda, Tag.

A group of friends continues a game of tag from their high-school days three decades (and counting) into their adult lives.

While Tag's story is "inspired by actual events" rather than "based on a true story," it seems a great deal of it skates hilariously (or alarmingly) close to the truth. Based on a a group of friends from Spokane, Washington, who really have been playing the same game of tag for over 30 years, some of the picture's most outlandish tags are the ones that really happened.

Tag is a comedy, but it's more amusing than laugh-out-loud hilarious. The likable cast includes Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, and Jon Hamm, yet I found the characters--at best--bland, and--at worst--pretty lousy people, which made it hard to enjoy their exploits. In fact, as I exited the theater, the first thing I did was jump online to check the IMDB/Rotten Tomatoes scores to see if the movie had left anyone else as flat as it had left me. (At this writing, it's got a 7.1 on IMDB and 56% on RT, so I guess it has.) The story is fascinating, and a few cool tunes pop up, but with such a terrific cast it's hard to think it shouldn't be better than it is.

Tag clocks in at 100 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, crude sexual content, drug use, and brief nudity."

It's good for a few summer afternoon laughs and an eyeful of Jeremy Renner, but otherwise Tag is most definitely not "it." 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Tag gets five and a half.

Next up: the long-awaited sequel Incredibles 2.

In an effort to have the superhero ban lifted, Elastigirl is tapped for some high-profile missions while Mr. Incredible keeps the home fires burning.

Incredibles 2 is a sequel that is well worth the 14-year wait. The characters haven't aged onscreen, but they've aged very well in popular culture, with the stay-at-home-dad angle being a nice touch for 2018. The film's action sequences are exciting and well-choreographed, with nary a one dragging on too long. (Are you paying attention, Avengers?) Incredibles 2 features bright, crisp animation, top-notch voice talent, charming characters, and clever laughs. There's an awful little short called "Bao" that runs before the movie, so, unless you really love the pre-show or you want to grab a favorite seat, give yourself an extra five minutes to get to the theater.

Incredibles 2 runs 118 minutes and is rated PG for "action sequences and some brief, mild language." 

Be advised there is one scene featuring a strobe-light effect that may adversely affect some viewers.

Incredibles 2 is a fantastic family film that (at least on first viewing) seems even better than the original. Only time will tell if it ages as well. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Incredibles 2 gets nine.

Cindy Prascik's The Hitman’s Bodyguard & Logan Lucky

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the promising pair of The Hitman's Bodyguard and Logan Lucky.

 

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

 

First up: The Hitman's Bodyguard.

 

When a former assassin's testimony is needed at the International Criminal Court, it's up to a disgraced personal security expert to get him there safely.

 

The Hitman's Bodyguard is exactly as advertised, a thrilling and wildly funny action-comedy. Co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson have as much chemistry as the best buddy-comedy pairs, easily playing off one another in hilarious fashion. Gary Oldman digs his cartoonish bad-guy schtick out of storage for a broad, accented turn reminiscent of his mid-90s meat and potatoes. He's not really in the movie as much as I'd have liked, but, as always, he puts his screen time to good use. Action is almost non-stop, though the story beneath never feels underdone. Pretty European locales and a multi-cultural cast give the film a nice international flavor. Only the final chase scene seems to drag on just a bit too long; otherwise, the movie is a perfect balance of well-crafted action and foul-mouthed comedy.

 

The Hitman's Bodyguard clocks in at 118 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout."

 

The Hitman's Bodyguard is a rollicking end-of-summer blast. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Hitman's Bodyguard gets eight.

 

Fangirl points: GARY! (Duh.)

 

Next on the docket: Logan Lucky.

 

A pair of small-town brothers attempts to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

Dear reader(s), I'll consider it more a warning than a spoiler to tell you one thing about Logan Lucky that you probably didn't guess from the trailer: It's not really a comedy. It's amusing at times, and the overall tone certainly isn't heavy, but it is not the laugh-riot promised by the trailer.

 

Logan Lucky IS a clever, well-acted yarn about a down-on-his-luck West Virginia boy (Channing Tatum) who conscripts his brother (Adam Driver) into a wild plot to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway. The brothers enlist an "in-car-cer-rated" felon (Daniel Craig, playing delightfully against type) to assist with the scheme, which obviously doesn't go entirely as planned, or there'd be no movie. The terrific cast is rounded out by Katie Holmes, Riley Keough, Seth McFarlane, Katherine Waterston, Dwight Yoakam, and Sebastian Stan in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it turn. When Logan Lucky is funny, it's really funny, but unfortunately you've already seen most of what's really funny in the trailer. The twists and turns along our would-be robbers' path are well-plotted and certainly not boring, but the movie is so unlike its advertising that the whole can't help feeling kinda dull.

 

Logan Lucky runs 119 minutes and is rated PG13 for "language and some crude comments."

 

Logan Lucky is a smartly-crafted heist picture whose impact is sadly diminished by misleading advertising. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Logan Lucky gets six.

 

Fangirl points: Sebastian Stan! 

 

Also, however much it may have been intended to make fun of us, a roomful of people singing Country Roads will always put a teardrop in my eye.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: KONG: SKULL ISLAND

A secret government organization mounts an expedition to Skull Island, an uncharted territory in the Pacific. Led by an explorer (John Goodman) and a lieutenant colonel (Samuel L. Jackson), the group recruit a disillusioned soldier (Tom Hiddleston) and a photojournalist (Brie Larson) to investigate the island's peculiar seismic activity. But once there, they discover that Skull Island is home to a gigantic ape called King Kong, and find themselves caught up in an ongoing war between the beast and the area's indigenous predators. Jordan Vogt-Roberts directed this reboot of the classic monster franchise. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson, John Ortiz.

Release Date: Mar 10, 2017    

Rated PG-13 for Intense Sci-Fi Violence/Action and Brief Strong Language    

Runtime: 1 hr. 58 min.    

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy    

Review:

Kong: Skull Island is a bit of a throwback in multiple ways.  Bringing back the cinematic beast with a 90’s style blockbuster bombast provides some good fun even if the film’s human characters suffer.  Kong and his fellow island beast all look great and are appropriately menacing during the huge set pieces that make up the better part of the film.  The action itself is well directed and fun with the helicopter sequence being the biggest standout.  There are a few drawbacks that keep the film from being great.  First off, there are way too many characters in the film with none of them really getting any sort of depth.  There’s a bevy recognizable faces on display but the director Jordan Vogt-Roberts doesn’t seem all that interested in using them for anything other than eye candy.  As a result, strong actors like Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman and Sam Jackson (channeling Ahab vs. Kong via Apocalypse Now) are short changed by the script which leaves them spinning their wheels.  John C. Reilly is fairly great as the downed WW2 pilot.  He brings a ton of energy and fun to the film as soon as he hits the screen in the third act helping keep the momentum going for the finale.  Kong: Skull Island implies a much larger monsterverse at play, which cough cough includes Godzilla, so future entries can improve on some of the faults in this entry. 

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Kong: Skull Island

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday I took a trip through uncharted territory (well...Marquee Cinemas) to Kong: Skull Island.

 

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

 

A team of scientists and its military escort investigate a mysterious island in the Pacific.

 

Ladies and gentlemen: the third month of 2017 has presented us with what might end up being its best summer-style blockbuster.

 

The success of any movie featuring a character as iconic and oft-portrayed as Kong depends a great deal on how well it handles its icon. I am more than a little pleased to report that Skull Island's Kong is every bit as majestic and intimidating as he should be. See this movie in 3D on the biggest screen you can find; you'll deliver yourself straight into the jaws of the great gorilla himself. The other creature effects are pretty terrific, but, when it's down to nuts and bolts, Kong is definitely king. Skull Island's human cast--including Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly--is an impressively-decorated lot, elevating the outlandish premise and predictable dialogue. Skull Island boasts awesome locations and sets, terrifying battles, and fantastic disaster effects. It's funny when it wants to be, pointed when it needs to be, and thrilling from beginning to end. A rousing score by Henry Jackman, peppered with some great 70s tunes, perfectly underscores the movie's tone, and a fun post-credits scene makes sitting through 15 minutes of compositors' names worthwhile.

 

Kong: Skull Island clocks in at an even 120 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language."

 

Kong: Skull Island is a terrific popcorn feature, about as much fun as two hours at the cinema could be. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Kong: Skull Island gets eight.

 

Fangirl points: Toby Kebbell! Shea Whigham! (A man who improves any project fortunate enough to have him.) Also, for the record, Hiddles has never looked hotter!

 

Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HATEFUL EIGHT

The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth and his fugitive Daisy Domergue, race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren, a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix, a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob, who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray, the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage, and Confederate General Sanford Smithers . As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

Director: Quentin Tarantino    

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir.

Release Date: Dec 25, 2015    

Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence, Some Graphic Nudity, Language and Violent Sexual Content.    

Runtime: 2 hr. 47 min.    

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller    

Review:

The Hateful Eight will probably end up being one of Quentin Tarantino’s most divisive films of his careers.  Personally I found plenty to love here as he pulls from Sergio Leone with a healthy dose of Agatha Christie but it’s a slow burn sort of film.  It’s easy to see why many people could be turned off.  The film plays out like a cinematic stage play with a heavy focus on dialogue and characters.  As always Tarantino brings out the best in his actors, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Walton Goggins benefit the most here, even while they’re playing some fairly despicable characters.  Each character is a fascinating twisted sort that populates most of Tarantino’s films but with an old west slant.  Watching him sets them up in a twist version of Twelve Angry Men with a healthier dose of blood and carnage especially in the final act.  The final act does sort take a different tone as things get more extreme and violent which might turn off some people but it’s just Tarantino  being Tarantino, grindhouse will always be in his blood.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Hateful Eight

 

 

Dearest Blog: If the truth of Awards Season is sacrifice, the truth of the holiday season seems to be haste. Hurry here, hurry there, never enough time to fit everything in. Thus, at the ungodly (movie) hour of 9:30 this morning, I found myself at "not my" cinema for a screening of Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. 

 

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

 

Dear Reader(s), every December, I visit New York City. Every December, without fail, someone in my group gets 9:00 a.m. Rockettes tickets, so we have to set out at stupid o'clock to see they get to Radio City bright and early for all those peppermint-stick costumes and high kicks. 

 

A person can reasonably be expected to handle just so much of certain things at that hour of the day; the enforced chipperness of the Rockettes is one of those things, and Quentin Tarantino is most certainly another. I have never, ever understood 9:00 a.m. Rockettes tickets. 

 

I am neither a fan nor not-a-fan of Quentin Tarantino. I know what I'm always getting in a Tarantino flick: gratuitous violence and scenarios that shock for the sake of it. 

 

Sometimes that's just stray garbage scattered about a great picture, sometimes the entire movie belongs in the dumpster. 

 

Unfortunately for The Hateful Eight, it appears to be trash day. This muddled mess does nothing to earn or justify its over-three-hour runtime. 

 

Uniformly despicable characters prattle on endlessly, only a fraction of their willfully repulsive dialogue necessary to provide backstory or propel the film forward. The graphic, incessant brutality is no less abhorrent for being expected. 

 

The Hateful Eight has a handful of terrific moments, mostly courtesy of Walton Goggins, as well as a wonderful score and top-notch sound editing, but, generally speaking, this one's a dud. The Hateful Eight runs 167 minutes and is rated R for "strong, bloody violence, a scene of violent sexual content, language, and some graphic nudity." 

 

A bloated exercise in ego, The Hateful Eight neither enlightens nor entertains; it only bores and disgusts. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Hateful Eight gets two. 

 

Until next time, I wish a happy New Year to anyone and everyone who ever takes a moment to read my ramblings. 

 

May 2016 be peaceful, healthy, and prosperous for you all. See you at the pictures! 

 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons' comic series is adapted for the big screen in this Matthew Vaughn-directed action thriller. The story centers on a secret agent who recruits a juvenile delinquent into a top-secret spy organization. Together, they battle a tech genius with diabolical ambitions. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Matthew Vaughn     

Cast: Colin Firth, Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Mark Hamill.

Release Date: Feb 13, 2015     

Rated R for Sequences of Strong Violence, Language and Some Sexual Content.    

Runtime: 2 hr. 9 min.    

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy    

Review:

Kingsman: The Secret Service is the type of spy spoof that people always told me Austin Powers was supposed to be.  For whatever reason the Powers movies just never worked for me as a spoof but that’s neither here nor there.  Kingsman is a fun filled ride through all the spy tropes we’re familiar with done in the most gleefully and violent manner possible. Fans of Matthew Vaughn’s Kick Ass will find plenty to like here since its cut from the same cloth while laying down some groundwork for a possible franchise.  There are hints of its comic origins here and there as the film uses colorful ways to kill people ending with a “firework” display that plays out like David Cronenberg’s acid trip.  The action is top notch throughout and Colin Firth is shockingly at ease as an action star, showcased in an insane church sequence.  Taron Egerton delivers a star making performance as Eggsy while Sam Jackson and his lisp makes for a fun villain whose aided by a memorable hence woman.  There are a few issues here and there, the film could have been cut a tad and the much talked about joke at the end falls terribly flat even though I was expecting it.  They’re hardly fatal flaws but hopefully something that will get cleared up by the time the sequel hits.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Kingsman: The Secret Service

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the cinema for a picture totally worth braving the elements: Kingsman: The Secret Service.

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

A young man headed down the wrong path is recruited as an international super-secret agent.

Dear reader(s), to say I was eagerly anticipating Kingsman: The Secret Service would be the grossest of understatements. In fact, I bought tickets, sight unseen, to watch it back to back, a feat previously achieved only by movies featuring a certain caped crusader. I am pleased to report the film does not disappoint.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is a comic-book movie for grownups. It's fun and funny and crass at times, but it's got a mature feel that has more to do with adult themes than with the film's f-word fueled R rating.

Kingsman features end-to-end action, including brilliantly-choreographed fight scenes, some terrific stunt driving, and even a bit of gymnastics, but it's never in a hurry just to jump from fight to fight, chase to chase; there's a STORY here.

The clever inclusion of just the right tunes in just the right places--tunes most of us likely never would have thought to put in said places--is the best I've seen outside an Edgar Wright picture. Colin Firth is a debonair gentleman spy; in fact, he makes it hard to imagine anyone else ever could have inhabited the film's leading role. Relative newcomer Taron Edgerton seems bound for superstardom if this turn as a smart, cocky ne'er-do-well turned secret agent is any indication.

The supporting cast is uniformly stellar, and, if I had one teensy complaint about this near-perfect movie, it's that I sure would have liked to see more Jack Davenport.

Kingsman: The Secret Service clocks in at 129 minutes and is rated R for "sequences of strong violence, language, and some sexual content."

As a wise friend predicted, of a possible nine Weasleys, Kingsman: The Secret Service gets all nine.

It's a  smart, funny, self-aware spy thriller that proves pushing the envelope has legitimate value and doesn't have to be just to shock.

Until next time...

50 Shades of Who Cares...this is how to be smokin' hot in a suit and tie!

MOVIE REVIEW: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER,

Steve Rogers continues his journey as the super-powered American soldier who's grasping to find his place in a modern world after being frozen in ice since WWII with this Marvel Studios sequel. Chris Evans returns to star, with Community director/producers Joe and Anthony Russo helming. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo 

Cast: Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson

Release Date: Apr 04, 2014

Rated: PG-13 for Gunplay, Action throughout and Intense Sequences of Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 8 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is one of Marvel’s best scripted stories thus far.  That’s not to say it doesn’t have some issues but it’s a solid attempt at trying to dig a bit deeper into some complex issues with a complicated villain.  It’s rather blunt if earnest about it’s intentions.  If this all makes it sound rather dour well it is at time occasionally turning into a plodding and somewhat joyless experience that could have been trimmed by a good 15 to 20 minutes.  Personally, I might have been more impressed if I hadn’t seen a similar story line in a certain DC animated series I was fond of but I digress.  The film, when it hits its mark, delivers some excellent action set pieces and superhero action.  Evans does his best to bring some deeper layers to the Captain and he pulls it off for the most part.  Scarlett Johansson has a larger part which doesn’t require her to runaround in her catsuit and the film’s better for it as she displays some solid chemistry with Evans.  Newcomers Anthony Mackie and Robert Redford bring varying degrees of excitement to the proceedings.  Mackie is obviously having a blast throughout while Redford’s name brings some gravitas to the whole thing but he seemed as disinterested as can be.  Sebastian Stan’s Winter Solider is in the movie title but his screen time is surprisingly small in the grand scheme of things.  It’s a game changing film that does kind of blows up a lot of the establishment from the Marvel universe so it’ll be interesting to see where they from here, hopefully they’ll remember bring a bit more fun.  

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Dearest Blog, yesterday I chose an afternoon at the cinema over an afternoon at the office. In the common tongue, I believe that's what's known as a "gimmie." On the docket, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

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

Captain America finds himself at odds with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s thinking, and facing a surprising and dangerous adversary.

Well, dear Blog, first I should admit I'm not quite so much on the Marvel bandwagon as most of the world. They make good superhero movies, and I like good superhero movies, but they don't make anything that sets my world on fire like that last Batman trilogy did. A matter of personal taste, I know, but worth mentioning in the interest of full and fair disclosure.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier has many positives, so we'll start with those. It's a layered story that manages to hold your attention without becoming muddled and over-complicated. The action sequences are solid, and the CGI tricks look pretty authentic. The movie is filled with familiar names and faces, and it's as comfortable as hanging with a group of old friends when they name-check other characters from the Marvel universe. Chris Evans again serves the Captain well. If he's neither as charismatic as Robert Downey, Jr. nor as interesting as Mark Ruffalo, he IS the very picture of the all-American hero, perfect for this role. For my money, though, the actor who's really worth seeing here is Sebastian Stan. I've been a fan since his work on the short-lived NBC series Kings, and am positively delighted about his jump to the big-screen blockbuster. (I'd have been more delighted with more screen time, but since I watched Black Swan for about two minutes of him, I guess I'll live.)

On the negative side: Had the action sequences been trimmed just a bit, the movie would have been sharper and better paced; as it is, it does seem to drag a bit at times. Of more concern was the reaction in my pretty-crowded cinema, almost a total flatline. No spontaneous oohs and ahhs, almost no bursts of laughter at the comic bits, no chatter or applause at the end. For a movie that's been so well received, I found that very curious, especially as the crowd seemed mostly comprised of fanboys and kids.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier runs 136 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of violence, gunplay, and action throughout."

Some folks are saying The Winter Soldier is even better than Marvel's Avengers, seemingly the current benchmark for a great superhero movie. For my money, they're about the same: fun times that perfectly fit the lighthearted summer-blockbuster mold.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Captain America: The Winter Soldier gets seven and a half.

Until next time...

 

 

Any room for me up in there?