MOVIE REVIEW: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE

 

Ethan Hunt and the IMF team must track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than the mission -- not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Esai Morales, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny

Release Date: July 12, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some language and suggestive material.

Runtime: 2h 43m

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One delivers another sprawling action epic that shows the series is still firing on all cylinders.  Christopher McQuarrie's film is massive in every sense of the word with another set of incredibly impressive action set pieces from an insane Italy set car chase, my personal favorite of the film, to a thrilling train sequence in the film's latter stages.  Those sequences each deliver a mix of humor and thrills as they unfurl onscreen with each bringing enough variety to keep the whole thing from becoming monotonous.  They are huge sequences but McQuarrie smartly lets them breath and never loses sight of the characters while everything is going on.  Tom Cruise can play Hunt in his sleep by this point but he still carries the film with the steely determination and confidence he's brought to the role since day one. Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg once again join him as members of his team with solid supporting turns that give their interactions ring true as a team that's worked together for years.  Rebecca Ferguson returns as well but isn't given all that much to do as she pops in and out of the story.  Hayley Atwell joins the series as she brings her playful but self assured energy to her role which works really well for her role. Atwell and Cruise share fun chemistry together especially during the car chase sequence but the romantic angle feels a tad forced as the film rolls on.  Esai Morales and Pom Klementieff serve as the primary antagonist for this entry.  Morales is solid but his character never feels as dangerous or intimidating as he should be.  Pom Klementieff on the other hand does a lot with screen time as a mysterious female assassin who would have benefited from a bit more fleshing out.  Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis have a running sublot as a pair of agents chasing down Ethan for The Community who have some fun moments but we never get any explanations for Whigham's laser focus on Hunt.  The overall plot is surprisingly timely especially considering it was written a few years back which works in the film's favor.  While it works as a singular entry there's plenty of unresolved threads left for the second film by the time this one wraps up. On its own, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One delivers nearly all the goods for a big screen blockbuster adventure with huge action and character moments which makes the film a breezy experience, a testament to the overall  quality of the film since its nearly three hours long.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT

Ethan Hunt and the IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. Arms dealer John Lark and a group of terrorists known as the Apostles plan to use three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. When the weapons go missing, Ethan and his crew find themselves in a desperate race against time to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. 

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett

Release Date: July 27, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive material

Runtime: 2h 27min

Review:

Mission Impossible – Fallout is truly a fantastic piece of filmmaking.  Christopher McQuarrie raises the bar even more than he did in the last entry by delivering action set pieces that are beautifully designed and filmed.  Everything about the film is big from its set pieces to its stakes.  The plot is a twisty yet simple story that has our heroes chasing down plutonium.  I wished that the film did a better job of holding its secrets a bit closer to the vest.  Some the twists are fairly obvious but it doesn’t hurt the overall enjoyment of the film as a whole.  At the center of the entire thing is Tom Cruise.  Cruise is a seemingly ageless daredevil who just wants to believe he’s literally some sort of superhero.  Returning cast members Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson aka sexy British Michelle Monaghan all turn in strong supporting turns with each getting their time to shine.  Henry Cavill makes for a solid foil to Cruise but I would have like a bit more subtleness and depth to his character.  Sean Harris returns as the villain from the previous film who is incorporated into the plot that references previous iterations, something refreshing which ultimately make the film more engaging.

A

Cindy Prascik's Review of Mission Impossible: Fallout

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Mission Impossible: Fallout.

 

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

 

The past comes after Ethan Hunt and his team with a vengeance.

 

Mission Impossible: Fallout has been called the best film in its lengthy franchise, and that's probably a fair, if arguable, assessment. Ridiculously high stakes and and insane stunts make the Fast & Furious movies look like gritty realism by comparison. Fight and chase scenes are expertly choreographed and never dull or repetitive, even if they go on a bit. Tom Cruise--who, as Facebook has pointed out multiple times this week, is older in this MI installment than Wilford Brimley was in Cocoon (!!)--is in top action-hero form, performing his own stunts whenever the insurance allows and carrying the franchise on his back as if he has no other option. The cast is fleshed out with the usual array of familiar and (generally) likable faces: Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Henry Cavill's moustache, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, and Simon Pegg, who is always best thing about any film lucky enough to have him. The brilliant Sean Harris also makes a welcome return as baddie Solomon Lane. Now I shall (reluctantly) mention just a few negatives: While MI: Fallout has a LOT of moving parts, the twists aren't all that clever. They're enjoyable and satisfying, but I made a game of guessing "surprises" before they happened, and I didn't miss the mark even once. There are too many impossibly lucky turns among the chase scenes (a little of that goes a long way), and some "thinking out loud" dialogue that is too silly even for a movie as over-the-top as this. Henry Cavill's wooden delivery, while perfect for a goody-two-shoes like Clark Kent, is jarringly bad for a character that should be at least a little hard to figure out. Finally, even though it doesn't lag, Fallout would have been well served by at least a small trim of its excessive runtime. Not one of those things makes MI: Fallout less than a great movie, but, in the interest of full and fair disclosure, these are what I see as its flaws. Also, since several people have asked, no, you won't be lost if you haven't seen the previous installment (or any previous installments) in the series. The film explains itself more than well enough for even the most casual fan to keep up.

 

Mission Impossible: Fallout clocks in at a whopping 147 minutes and is rated PG13 for "violence and intense sequences of action, and for brief strong language."

 

Easily the most exciting offering of the season, Mission Impossible: Fallout is that rare commodity: a fun summer blockbuster that's also a genuinely fantastic movie. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Mission Impossible: Fallout gets eight.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: READY PLAYER ONE

From filmmaker Steven Spielberg comes the science fiction action adventure “Ready Player One,” based on Ernest Cline’s bestseller of the same name, which has become a worldwide phenomenon. The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger. Spielberg directed the film from a screenplay by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline. 

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance

Release Date: March 29, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action violence, bloody images, some suggestive material, partial nudity and language

Runtime: 2h 20min

Review:

Ready Player One is an interesting bit of cinematic alchemy where 80s pop culture becomes pop culture in a fun if hollow fable.  Steven Spielberg’s film is a rapid fire collection of gamer and 80’s references that hit you so quickly and consistently that’s it’s easy to get overwhelmed.  The plot isn’t much more than an updated take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the characters aren’t terribly dense but it’s all fairly fun and energetic.  Spielberg does some solid world building in and out of the Oasis with both having a certain charm.  That being said it’s easy to be left with a ton more questions once you start thinking about the worlds being presented.  Tye Sheridan leads the film ably even if he rates closer on the bland side than anything.  Olivia Cooke is equally capable but provides a bit more spark than Sheridan.  Lena Waithe and T.J. Miller are solid supporting players that provide some of the films highlights even if we never see Miller in the flesh.  Mark Rylance is a tad over the top as the socially awkward creator but he does parse out some humanity and heart of him none the less.   Ready Player One is a love letter to multiple things and it delivers some truly engaging and frenetic set pieces, one in particular I won’t ruin, but it does fall a little bit in love with itself especially towards the end which starts to drag just a tad before it ends with one Spielberg’s more candy coated finales. 

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Ready Player One

Dearest Blog: Thanks to the long holiday weekend, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for an early screening of Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One.

 

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

 

The deceased creator of a virtual reality world called "The Oasis" leaves his followers a challenge: Find the hidden Easter egg, rule the Oasis, and win the fortune that goes with it.

 

From my first encounter with a Ready Player One trailer, I had a feeling something was off, a feeling that carried all the way through the finished product. The movie is not without its positives, but they're far too few to make it less than a torturous couple hours.

 

Ready Player One kicks off with the god-awfulest song in history, Van Halen's Jump, so it doesn't give a person much hope right...well...right from the jump. The main cast of youngsters ranges from a little wooden to pretty awful, so grownups Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, and even the extraordinary Ben Mendelsohn can't do much to help. The movie's production design is impressive, but scenes inside the Oasis are curiously less so than those in the real world. In fact, the Oasis--a place where people can be anyone or anything they choose--is actually a little creepy and dark, not at all fanciful, and the film's hundreds of pop-culture references wear thin in their ubiquitousness. I had hoped for a great 80s soundtrack, and there are some terrific songs, but they're so muted and cropped as to be nearly invisible. Sadly, Ready Player One did nothing to exceed my middling expectations.

 

Ready Player One clocks in at 140 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of sci-fi action violence, bloody images, some suggestive material, partial nudity, and language."

 

A few years back, Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro did a movie called Grudge Match, about a pair of aging boxers coaxed out of retirement for one final match. It wasn't on anyone's awards shortlist, but, if you were of a certain age, plenty of it was pretty damn funny. When a teenage friend mentioned she didn't enjoy it, I told her it probably wasn't "for" her. I'm not a gamer, and there are no other versions of me running around in any VR worlds, so it's entirely possible that Ready Player One just isn't "for" me, BUT...a really great movie is somehow for everyone, regardless of their investment, and this isn't that, either. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ready Player One gets three.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: STAR TREK BEYOND

Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise encounter an alien warrior race when marooned on a distant planet after the destruction of their spaceship in this thrilling sequel directed by Fast & Furious director Justin Lin. ~ Violet LeVoit, Rovi

Director: Justin Lin

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho

Release Date: Jul 22, 2016

Rated PG-13 Sequences of Sci-Fi Action and Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Star Trek Beyond feels like an extended episode of the non existent rebooted series and not a particularly good one.  That’s not to say it isn’t a fun film because it’s an enjoyable lightweight romp which comes and goes with little of consequence really happening.  Justin Lin’s direction is action heavy as expected with lots of big set pieces which are fun and well choreographed.  The biggest asset of the rebooted series has always been the cast and the best thing Beyond does is it gives each of them their time to shine.  Clearly most of the actors have settled into their roles.  Karl Urban has always been a personal favorite of mine as McCoy and here he’s given a much larger role which is to the film’s benefit.  Pine and Quinto are solid as Kirk and Spock with their personal story lines feeling well thought out and meaningful.  Sadly, the overall story is fairly weak even though there’s some nice fan service written into the script, an NX class ship! yelled those few Enterprise fans, but ultimately it’s a waste of Idris Elba as the villain.  Elba is a fine actor wasted underneath a ton of make up and a thinly written character which is really a massive shame.  As is Star Trek Beyond is a mindlessly fun film but one that isn’t terribly deep or meaningful like some of the Trek films in the past.

C

Cindy Prascik's Review of Star Trek Beyond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Today it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Star Trek Beyond. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. Midway through a five-year mission to deep space, the Enterprise crew is called upon to save the world(s) from a ruthless enemy. While I'm a casual fan of Star Trek in general, I'm positively rabid over the current film franchise, which boasts my favorite cast of any series and movies that I'll happily watch over and over and over again. I am pleased to report that Beyond does not miss a step on the path of excellence set by the first two movies. 

 

First we have the ensemble, for my money, Hollywood's very finest. Every person is ideally suited to his or her role, and consistently turns in sincere, entertaining performances. The more comical tone of the current installment fits co-writer Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, and Karl Urban to a "T," and the picture is not short on laugh-out-loud moments. The sad losses of Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin since the previous film cast a bit of a pall over the experience, but that is in no way the movie's fault. Bring the tissues, though. You're gonna need them at least once. Franchise newcomers Sofia Boutella and Idris Elba are both fantastic. 

 

Michael Giacchino's lovely score is the perfect accompaniment to moments both large and small. Nice-looking sets underscore some great big effects, and the Enterprise's first appearance is, as always, a chill-inducing moment. Under director Justin Lin's hand, we get a more action-oriented movie this time out (insert Fast & Furious joke here), so the film does feel a bit more like a plain old action-comedy than any great step forward for the Trek universe, but thanks to an edge-of-your-seat story, genuine, well-written dialogue, and the cast's terrific chemistry, you're never less than fully immersed. 

 

A few small quibbles: the movie's a little too heavy on the jiggly camera work, some scenes are impossibly dark (a by-product of seeing a 3D picture in 2D?), and whatever they were thinking when they cast Idris Elba as a character who doesn't look like Idris Elba, well, it was clearly misguided. Star Trek Beyond clocks in at 120 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of sci-fi action and violence." A big, fun summer blockbuster that also delivers a great message about the importance of love and friendship, Star Trek Beyond has a lot to love for Trek die-hards, casual fans, and even folks without so much as a passing familiarity with the franchise. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Star Trek Beyond gets eight and a half. 

 

Fangirl points: Idris Elba. Did I mention Idris Elba? Because...yeah...Idris Elba. 

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ROGUE NATION

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his teammates reunite for this pulse-pounding sequel, in which they attempt to take down a secret international organization known as the Syndicate--highly skilled ex-IMF agents who are intent on bringing down their former outfit. Christopher McQuarrie directs this new entry in the Mission Impossible franchise, with Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin, and Simon Pegg co-staring. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Christopher McQuarrie 

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin.

Release Date: Jul 31, 2015

Rated PG-13 Sequences of Action & Violence and Brief Partial Nudity

Runtime: 2 hr. 11 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Family

Review:

Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation is probably the best action film of the summer.  It’s one of the most well round action films in recent memory.  Christopher McQuarrie ably directs set piece after set piece each larger and more extravagant than the last.  It’s quite a feat when the big set piece that’s been playing on all the trailers is just the start of the film.  At its center is Tom Cruise.  I constantly have to remind myself that Cruise is 53 years old because he’s just so impressive in his action films.  Say what you will about his personal life but the man makes for a perfect movie star in everyway imaginable.  He’s at his best here hitting all the right beats and even throwing in some comedic bits here and there.  The supporting cast is strong if under utilized.  Rebecca Ferguson makes for a surprisingly believable agent.  She’s able to go toe to toe with Cruise in the action department and her and Cruise have a solid rapport together.  Simon Pegg and Cruise have great chemistry together with Pegg nailing the comic relief portion of the film.  .  Jeremy Renner gets the short end of the stick though as he’s sidelined for the better part of the film.  Renner has a substantial role but it’s really just lots of standing around looking at screens or talking to people on the phone.  His action sequences are zero in this entry.  Ving Rhames is pretty much in the same boat but to a lesser extent.  The plot is a tad convoluted but never really that important to the proceedings since they made Sean Harris looks about as nefarious as humanly possible with the only thing missing being a shot of him punching kittens.  The film is a lot of fun all around but it could have been trimmed by a good ten or fifteen minutes at the very least.

A-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Dearest Blog: Thanks to an early dismissal yesterday, I was able to get out to see Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation on opening day.

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

After the IMF is disbanded and its agents forced to report to the CIA, Ethan Hunt's crew has to go off-book to battle the evil Syndicate.

There are two things regular reader(s) already know I'm going to say about Mission: Impossible - Rouge Nation. Number one: it's a great movie you should go see right away, then go see it again and again. Number two: NOT ENOUGH JEREMY RENNER! There, that's that out of the way.

Rogue Nation kicks off with a spectacular action sequence that perfectly sets the tone for an edge-of-your-seat couple hours. Crazy stunts galore and great fight choreography are exciting to watch and keep the movie moving at a good pace. The plot is well-crafted, and beautiful locations compliment the story nicely. Tom Cruise is the very definition of A-List, a star who carries the movie without ever seeming to steal screen time from the rest of a pretty decent ensemble. Cruise again performed many of his own stunts, including that crazy plane thing you've undoubtedly seen in all the trailers and ads by now.

Not just the action hero, not just the handsome leading man, Cruise is also a pretty funny guy, though most comic-relief duties rightfully fall to the brilliant Simon Pegg. Now that it's clear Ethan Hunt isn't going anywhere, it seems the filmmakers aren't quite sure what to do with William Brant, so--though Jeremy Renner probably doesn't have any less screen time than the other supporting cast--he doesn't seem to have much to do. (Renner is in a similar, unfortunate situation with the Bourne franchise.) It's fair to say no movie was ever worse for having Sean Harris or Tom Hollander, either. If I had one teensy complaint about Rogue Nation, it's the usual: it would have been pretty simple to trim this to a two-hour runtime, and the movie would have been sharper and more enjoyable for it.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation runs 131 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity."

A straight-up awesome blockbuster and easily the best movie of the summer, of a possible nine Weasleys, Mission: Impossible - Rouge Nation gets eight and a half.

(And you can bet that'd be nine if it only had more Renner!)

Until next time...

Dear Filmmakers: It is VERY important that you find more screentime for Jeremy Renner. Please and thank you.

Cindy Prascik’s Reviews of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones / The World's End

Dearest Blog, this weekend's cinema offerings were a hodge-podge of dread and great anticipation, respectively, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and The World's End.

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

First up was another in Hollywood's seemingly-endless stream of teen supernatural thrillers, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.

When her mother goes missing, a young girl discovers she has the blood of a Shadowhunter, that is a secret league of demon-hunting warriors.

Oh, Aidan Turner, the things I do for you. Not the things I would do for you--which are many, varied, and profane--but the things I do do for you, such as paying good money to watch this.

It is my understanding that the Mortal Instruments series was initially based on Harry Potter fanfiction, as the inexplicably popular 50 Shades of Gray series is based on Twilight fanfic. Note to Hollywood: please stop making movies based on fanfiction. You're embarrassing yourself.

City of Bones is derivative and shallow, but the bigger problem is the same one that has plagued recent seasons of True Blood and Once Upon a Time, that is, it introduces such a jumble of characters that often the story it really wants to tell is nowhere in sight. These secret Shadowhunters and their demon enemies, while far from original, could have been interesting enough, but by the time you mix in vampires and werewolves and time travel and a little daddy-angst to boot, what you're left with is a pretty big mess. Much of the dialogue is cringe-worthy, and parts of the film were so awful I threw my hands over my face in dismay. The flip side of that is, other than being far too long, the movie honestly isn't boring, and there are some bits that are really pretty good. Most stabs at humor hit the mark, although there were also several times my cinema was cracking up over stuff that clearly was not meant to be funny.

Lily Collins and her mighty eyebrows do a passable job in the lead. Her male counterparts, Jamie Campbell Bower and Robert Sheehan, are the movie's highlights, both quite engaging. As is the norm these days, all my favorites are relegated to "somebody's mom"- and "somebody's dad"-type roles. The fetching Mr. Turner has less to do than I'd have liked, but more to do than I expected, so we'll call it a draw. Playing the otherworldly is old hat to Turner by now, so of course he does a fine job of it. It's nice to see Lena Heady, Jared Harris, Kevin Durand, and CCH Pounder in smaller roles, but the real scene-stealer is Jonathan Rhys Myers in his usual over-the-top fashion.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones runs 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of fantasy violence and action, and some suggestive content."

The good news is it's not as bad as I expected. The bad news is it's still pretty bad.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones gets four and a half.

Next up was the genius Edgar Wright's latest offering, The World's End.

A group of once-inseparable friends reunites to complete a legendary pub crawl. When they return to their hometown, they discover things are not quite as they remember.

Dear Blog, it is well known that I worship at the altar of Wright/Pegg/Frost. It would be fair to say, along with The Hobbit, The World's End is my most-anticipated film of the year. I am pleased to report my enthusiasm has been well placed.

This story of five friends, who have drifted apart in the two decades since they left school, is sincere and likely feels familiar to most adults on my side of 40. Sympathetic performances from Nick Frost and Eddie Marsan are the dramatic highlights, while Simon Pegg gets to be the funnyman this time around. Favorites Paddy Considine and Martin Freeman are also terrific. On the sci-fi side, the idea isn't necessarily anything new, but it's well executed with some pretty cool effects. Both sides of the plot--the situation among these five friends, and the fantastic happenings in their old hometown--are interesting from start to finish; the story never misses a step. Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg deserve full marks for writing a film that goes in so many directions, yet never feels like it's lost its way. All the pieces fit perfectly.

The World's End clocks in at a perfectly-paced 109 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language, including sexual references."

The World's End defies categorization. It's comedy, it's sci-fi, and it's genuinely moving drama, all at the same time.

It is also (*trumpet fanfare*) the first film of 2013 to earn a perfect nine of a possible nine Weasleys. And, damn, This Corrosion sounds fine in surround sound!!

Until next time...




Admit it, he could make you do worse things than sit through a lousy movie...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE WORLD’S END

Five lifelong friends reunite to complete a historic pub crawl from their youth, and find that reaching the fabled World's End tavern will be no simple undertaking while they also fight for the future of all mankind. Twenty years ago, Gary King (Simon Pegg) and his pals embarked on the ultimate drinking marathon. Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, and Rosamund Pike co-star in the final chapter of Edgar Wright's "Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy," which began with 2004's Shaun of the Dead and continued in 2007's Hot Fuzz. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Edgar Wright

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan

Release Date: Aug 23, 2013

Rated R for sexual References and Pervasive Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

The final entry in the Cornetto Trilogy is the zany over the top homage, this time riffing on classic sci-fi films, we’d come to expect after Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. What’s unexpected and refreshing is the reflective occasionally poignant moments Edgar Wright gives us to chew on. Wright and Pegg wrote the script and it’d have been easy for them to take a easier path down the Golden Mile. Instead they opt for some solid reflection on middle age and trying to recapture those moments from our youth. Of course this is all interwoven between a town full Stepford Wives / Body Snatchers “not robots.” Even though there’s a tangible beating heart at its center, the crew delivers the kind of laughs we’d come to expect. Simon Pegg is allowed to bust loose after playing the straight man in the 2 other films. Pegg, looking intentionally haggard and sporting shoe polish black hair, does a wonderful job of portraying the self centered loser trying desperately to recapture his youth. He has a manic hopped up energy throughout but there’s a tangible sadness behind everything. Nick Frost handles the complicated relationship with Pegg’s character very well. It’s not what we’ve from these two in the other 2 films since it’s a much more complicated dynamic. Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman and Eddie Marsan all have solid but limited roles. Freeman in particular isn’t given a ton to do which is a shame considering the increasingly frenetic pace of the film. The pace grows more erratic and frenzied as the film heads into the final act. Along the way, Wright gives us some of the most enjoyable fight sequences I’ve seen. Each one is wonderfully choreographed and hilarious. The seams do start to fray a bit during the final minutes which drag on a tad bit too long. It felt like the group got a case of Lord of the Rings syndrome and just didn’t want it to end. Honestly, can you blame them?

A-

[Trailer] The World’s End

The trailer for The World’s End is out and I personally can’t wait to see the end of The Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy.

I personally love the first 2 films with a giddy abandon, not to mention Spaced created by the same team. Needless to say I’ve been looking forward to this trailer and while it doesn’t give away much it does give you a glimpse at what we’ll be in store for, synopsis below;

Five lifelong friends reunite to complete a historic pub crawl from their youth, and find that reaching the fabled World's End tavern will be no simple undertaking while they also fight for the future of all mankind. Twenty years ago, Gary King (Simon Pegg) and his pals embarked on the ultimate drinking marathon. But the beer got the best of them, and they failed to drink their final pint at The World's End pub. Now, as die-hard rebel Gary approaches middle age, he summons his old friends back to their hometown for another round. With each pint down, Gary and the gang take another step toward reconciling the past. Meanwhile, just when it starts to look like their goal is in sight, the stammering pals realizes that a much larger struggle is currently taking place, and that the future is looking particularly grim -- not only for them, but for the entire human race as well. Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, and Rosamund Pike co-star in the final chapter of Edgar Wright's "Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy," which began with 2004's Shaun of the Dead and continued in 2007's Hot Fuzz. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

MOVIE REVIEW: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL

IN THEATERS

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL



Academy Award-winning director Brad Bird (Ratatouille) makes his live-action feature directorial debut with the fourth installment of the massively successful Mission Impossible series. The Kremlin has been bombed, and the blame has fallen on the IMF. As a result, the president initiates Ghost Protocol, and accuses Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team of placing the bomb in an attempt to incite a global nuclear war. Now, in order to clear the IMF of terrorism charges, Ethan assembles a new team to uncover the truth by using every high-tech trick in the book. But this time they're on their own, and should they be caught, the entire world could be plunged into a nightmare from which there is no waking up. Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, and Simon Pegg co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Brad Bird

Cast: Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Michael Nyqvist

Release Date: Dec 21, 2011

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence

Genres: Action/Adventure

Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.

Review:

The Mission Impossible franchise has been a study in variety with each film bringing a different cinematic flavor. Ghost Protocol is simply fun from start to finish. Brad Bird, who also had directed The Incredibles & The Iron Giant, has tapped into that sweet spot for action films. Simplistic and bombastic, Bird delivers an adrenaline filled series of huge action set pieces that would serve as a climaxes in most films. Each is well planned and plotted, always keeping the audience in a white knuckled stance. The cast seems to be having just as much fun as the audience. Tom Cruise is about as relaxed as I’ve seen him in a long time. Cruise provides a steady cool and is always believable as super agent Ethan Hunt, a character that’s really defined his action career. Jeremy Renner is equally at ease in his role, he’s being prepped to take over the franchise from Cruise, and the two share a fun sense of chemistry on screen. Paula Patton is adequately sexy and powerful, while Simon Pegg shines as one the best comic relief role seen in a long time. Michael Nyqvist is appropriately sinister as the villain not that he’s asked to do much in the first place. There’s a small subplot involving a Russian cop that feels like it could have been excised and streamlined the run time but it’s a minor quibble. As a whole, Ghost Protocol is probably one of the best action films in recent memory but those that have seen Bird’s animated film shouldn’t be surprised.

A

[Trailer] MISSION IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL

The Mission Impossible series got a bit of boost after a stronger 3rd entry, the less that’s said about the over stylized super slow-mo second film the better. This fourth entry feels more like the original Brian De Palma film.

Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg are joined by series new comers Josh Hollaway and Jeremy Renner who’s rumored to be prepped to take over the franchise from Cruise.

This first teaser trailer looks like good old fashion spy fun with Brad Bird at the helm, I always felt he gave The Incredibles a very 70’s era Bond feel, I’m kind of optimistic.

[Trailer] THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN

I’ll admit that I’ve got very limited knowledge of the books this is based on. That being said with the star power behind the film (Steven Spielberg & Peter Jackson) it’s kind of hard to dismiss it.

Motion capture, Avatar aside, has been kind of hit or miss but this seems to keep with the art style of the books giving it a more stylized look than say Beowulf, A Christmas Carol or The Polar Express.

Regardless it looks like an interesting endeavor even if this teaser doesn’t really show much.

TV SHOW REVIEW: SPACED THE COMPLETE SERIES [DVD]

Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner rent a flat pretending to be a couple. There, they meet Marsha, the alcoholic landlady; Brian, the disturbed and troubled painter downstairs; Mike, Tim's war-crazy best friend; Twist, a fashion designer and Daisy's best friend; and Colin the dog. What follows is the group's crazy and comical adventures.

Starring: Jessica Hynes, Simon Pegg, Julia Deakin, Nick Frost

Director: Edgar Wright

REVIEW:

Being a late a party can typically be a terrible thing but on occasions if you are late you still showed up and had a good time. Having heard of Spaced through reputation over the years had left me longing to see it but after they released it on DVD, I figured I’d wait for a high definition Blu-ray release. Sadly, that release never came and doesn’t seem to be on the horizons so I went ahead and picked up the DVD set. First off, I’m a huge fan of Pegg, Frost & Wright so this was required viewing, it was never a matter of if I’d like it but how much. So after finishing the series in short order recently I’m left kicking myself wondering why it took me so long. Any 30 something nerd slacker needs to watch this series. Besides its general comedic greatness it served as something so much more, a time capsule of me in my mid to late 20. So much of the show rings so true that it’s almost scary. That in of itself is enough for me to love the series as a whole. Add to that seeing the genesis of Wright, Pegg & Frost’s collaboration is just film nerd nirvana. Honestly, it’s almost scary at how good everything works from the start and its always fun to see the evolution continued over the 2 films they did together and what was sorely missing from Pegg & Frost’s Paul. The rest of the cast is all stellar with Jessica Hynes & Julia Deakin leaving the biggest impression on me. The series as a whole is short sweet and outside of a few references, Star Wars Episode 1 and a PS1, it’s kind of timeless as well. The minute the sadness washed off from having finished the last episode I had a need to watch it all again, ala Extras, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Seinfeld & Arrested Development.

A
[DUH!]