MOVIE REVIEW: THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT

 

Unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, actor Nick Cage accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan's birthday party. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when a CIA operative recruits Cage for an unusual mission. Taking on the role of a lifetime, he soon finds himself channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to save himself and his loved ones.

Director: Tom Gormican

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Neil Patrick Harris, Tiffany Haddish

Release Date: April 15, 2022 

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and violence.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a treasure trove of Nicolas Cage career Easter Eggs and meta humor, packaged in fun self aware film.  Tom Gormican's film has a light tongue in cheek vibe to it from the start.  He takes a hands off approach by simply moving along the plot with very few visual flourish to distract from the performances on display.  He knows that Nicolas Cage is the central attraction who is more than game poking fun at his persona and career.  There are plenty of references to a bevy of his film's with some references being more overt while more subtle are peppered throughout the film.  Cage playing an outsized version of himself might sound like a lot but he plays it with a measured hand, a de-aged imaginary version of a Wild At Heart era Cage lets him really let loose, for the better part of the film.  The real treat here though is his chemistry with Pedro Pascal who steals multiple scenes throughout the film. Pascal is incredibly versatile actor and with this role he shows off another side of himself by playing a nebbish Cage fanboy who might also be a huge arms dealer. The bromance that grows between Cage and Pascal's characters make up the backbone of the film with both clearly having a ball playing off each other.  The script occasionally veers into super meta territory, you might be left wondering if any of the events in the film actually happened by the end, while never fully embracing it with more inspired flourishes like Cage's imaginary Cage.  As is, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is the kind of film that's easy to enjoy due to its stars and meta concept.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Secret Life of Pets 2

Yesterday I preceded my day-long Rocketman festival with an early screening of the Secret Life of Pets 2.

This review will include some very specific spoilers that--as a pet mom and animal lover--I feel obligated to mention. However, I will put them at the end after the rating, with a warning, for anyone who wants to read to that point for a general overview.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 revisits our old friends from the first installment, sending them in mostly different directions, adding new friends and adversaries, and giving us a movie that feels a little disjointed.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 features three separate plotlines, two of which converge at film's end, and one that mostly stands on its own. It's not really a problem, but it does make the whole seem a bit jumbled. That aside, pieces of the movie are laugh-out-loud funny. If the dogs are broadly drawn, the cats are spot on. These writers, they're cat people! The art and animation are sharp and colorful, and a cheerful score is peppered with familiar tunes sure to appeal to young and old alike. Kevin Hart's voice work as the unhinged bunny Snowball is again the movie's highlight, and this time he's playing off a familiar costar, Tiffany Haddish, a new addition as Snowball's puppy pal, Daisy. This is a fun outing that doesn't overstay its welcome, making the movie’s shortcomings easy enough to forgive.

An aside: This was my first experience with a sensory-friendly movie screening, and I want to give props to my local theater, Marquee Cinemas, for offering this option. The film itself is unaltered, but the volume is lowered, the lights don't quite go all the way down, and there are subtitles on the screen. This screening also skipped the trailers. It was a good experience that seemed to go over well with its target audience, and it did my cold heart good to see kids who mightn't otherwise get to experience the cinema enjoy a movie.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 runs a quick 86 minutes and is rated PG for "some action and rude humor."

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is nothing special, but it's a fun enough summer outing to get folks by until Toy Story 4 hits screens in a couple weeks.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Secret Life of Pets 2 gets five.

Hereafter there be spoilers!

Fangirl Demerits (a first!):

I have never been a person who blames people's behavior on entertainment; on the contrary, I greatly value personal accountability. However, when it comes to anything targeting children, I do think we need to be careful what we put out there, and this movie does a few things that bothered me.

Near the beginning of the movie, there's a scene of a baby pulling on a dog's ears and tail. In the real world, this is how children get bitten and innocent animals get put down. Pets are not toys. This cannot be stressed enough, and it's no joke.

In one scene the little dog Gidget is using the dishwasher as a sauna. A silly enough gag, but how long until somebody's child puts a small dog in the dishwasher, much like kids were flushing fish down the toilet to “set them free” after seeing Finding Nemo? The movie loses nothing without that scene, so just don't do it.

Finally, in one plotline, the apartment-dwelling Max and Duke visit a relative on a farm, and are told, "Dogs sleep outside." Decent people don't make dogs sleep outside, and decent pet owners don't bring their dogs to places where they aren't welcome indoors. I docked this movie a full Weasley point for that one.

Until next time...

PS: Where's my Cats trailer??

PPS: Go see Rocketman, will ya?

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Cold Pursuit & The Lego Movie 2

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Cold Pursuit and the Lego Movie 2.

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

First up: Cold Pursuit. Liam Neeson gets revenge in the snow.

Action thrillers have become Liam Neeson's bread and butter. There's not much about Cold Pursuit that sets it apart from Taken or Run All Night or The Commuter, except it's quite funny, and I'm *almost* sure that's on purpose. Of course, in a film with this kind of body count, it's a grim humor, but...yeah, I'm reasonably certain it actually means to be funny. It's also super-cold, the kind of cold that makes you cold just looking at it, yet Liam Neeson is perpetually without his gloves. That was my big takeaway, so that probably tells you a good deal about the rest of it. Neeson is enjoyable but unremarkable in a role that, by now, he could play in his sleep. His supporting cast is as good as it needs to be, but a handful of Native American characters who turn up late and don't get enough screen time are the most interesting people in the movie. The action is solid and almost entirely unbelievable, and the picture is paced well enough that--despite playing out predictably--it's never slow or dull. If you aren't put off by literal mountains of snow, the scenery is a real feast for the eyes, too. Overall, if you can put aside the controversy currently surrounding its lead, Cold Pursuit is forgettable good fun.

Cold Pursuit clocks in at 118 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, drug material, and some language including sexual references."

If you want to watch Liam Neeson kill something besides his career this weekend, Cold Pursuit is the film for you.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Cold Pursuit gets six.

Fangirl points: Nathaniel Arcand! NexDearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Cold Pursuit and the Lego Movie 2. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. First up: Cold Pursuit. Liam Neeson gets revenge in the snow. Action thrillers have become Liam Neeson's bread and butter. There's not much about Cold Pursuit that sets it apart from Taken or Run All Night or The Commuter, except it's quite funny, and I'm *almost* sure that's on purpose. Of course, in a film with this kind of body count, it's a grim humor, but...yeah, I'm reasonably certain it actually means to be funny. It's also super-cold, the kind of cold that makes you cold just looking at it, yet Liam Neeson is perpetually without his gloves. That was my big takeaway, so that probably tells you a good deal about the rest of it. Neeson is enjoyable but unremarkable in a role that, by now, he could play in his sleep. His supporting cast is as good as it needs to be, but a handful of Native American characters who turn up late and don't get enough screen time are the most interesting people in the movie. The action is solid and almost entirely unbelievable, and the picture is paced well enough that--despite playing out predictably--it's never slow or dull. If you aren't put off by literal mountains of snow, the scenery is a real feast for the eyes, too. Overall, if you can put aside the controversy currently surrounding its lead, Cold Pursuit is forgettable good fun. Cold Pursuit clocks in at 118 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, drug material, and some language including sexual references." If you want to watch Liam Neeson kill something besides his career this weekend, Cold Pursuit is the film for you. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Cold Pursuit gets six. Fangirl points: Nathaniel Arcand! Next on yesterday's docket was the Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. Everything is no longer awesome in Legoland. Like its predecessor, the Lego Movie 2 is a genuine delight. Top-notch voice work fronts an upbeat, colorful movie with a sweet message. The film’s terrific sense of humor will appeal as much to adults as to kids, and a cheerful score peppered with bouncy original songs is sure to engage the young’uns, and, as one song threatens, end up stuck in your head. As before, the best bits revolve around Batman (offered without bias!), but, truly, there is not a weak link here. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part runs 106 minutes and is rated PG for "some rude humor." The Lego Movie 2 is another fun outing foe the entire family. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Lego Movie 2 gets 8. Until next time... PS: Where's my Cats trailer? in Legoland. Like its predecessor, the Lego Movie 2 is a genuine delight. Top-notch voice work fronts an upbeat, colorful movie with a sweet message. The film’s terrific sense of humor will appeal as much to adults as to kids, and a cheerful score peppered with bouncy original songs is sure to engage the young’uns, and, as one song threatens, end up stuck in your head. As before, the best bits revolve around Batman (offered without bias!), but, truly, there is not a weak link here.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part runs 106 minutes and is rated PG for "some rude humor."

The Lego Movie 2 is another fun outing foe the entire family.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Lego Movie 2 gets 8.

Until next time... PS: Where's my Cats trailer?

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART

The citizens of Bricksburg face a dangerous new threat when LEGO DUPLO invaders from outer space start to wreck everything in their path. The battle to defeat the enemy and restore harmony to the LEGO universe takes Emmet, Lucy, Batman and the rest of their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds that test their courage and creativity.

Director: Mike Mitchell

Cast: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Charlie Day, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman,Will Ferrell, Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz Maya Rudolph

Release Date: February 8, 2019

Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure 

Rated PG for some rude humor

Runtime: 1h 46 min

Review:

The Lego Movie 2 The Second Part has a lot to live up to since the original was such a breath of fresh air.  The original film was a candy colored concoction that was enjoyable for children but was just as enjoyable for adults since it was an incredibly meta story that offered layers of depth.  Throw in the fact that we've had two other Lego related film's released with diminishing returns.  Thankful the sequel is just as enjoyable and thoughtful as the original even if it doesn't quiet reach the heights of the original.  The story is fun and thoughtful at the same time which speaks to the effort put into making this the best film possible.  The returning cast are all great, clearly more comfortable with their roles even if we do miss Liam Neeson's Bad Cop since there's not really a memorable villain.  The addition of Tiffany Haddish and Stephanie Beatriz help ease that loss with solid characters even if they're slightly underused.  The film does decide to embrace song and dance sequences which are mostly effective even if it take a moment to settle into them.  When it all said and done, the film's message is even more pointed and effective than the first film.

B+