MOVIE REVIEW: SAUSAGE PARTY

A misplaced sausage (voice of Seth Rogen) and his food friends embark on an existential adventure through the aisles of a massive supermarket in this raunchy animated comedy. While they are initially excited by the prospect of a Fourth of July sale, the perishable pals are soon horrified when they learn the full truth about what happens after they are purchased.

Director: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon

Cast: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, Michael Cera

Release Date: Aug 12, 2016

Rated R for pervasive Language, Drug Use and Strong Crude Sexual Content

Runtime: 1 hr. 29 min.

Genres: Animated, Comedy

Review:

Sausage Party is every bit as raunchy and politically incorrect coming from the minds of  Seth Rogen, Johan Hill, and Evan Goldberg.  If not for the sheer amount of F bombs and sex jokes this would fit right in with any Pixar movie.  The basis of the plot is very similar to some of the Toy Story films taken to the extreme with a focus on sex while skewering organized religion and various other topics along the way.  It’s pretty easy to get lost in all the raunchy fun but the script does a great job of satirizing a lot of big themes.  Even with it’s headier themes mixed into the plot the film accomplices it’s primary goal of being laugh out loud funny for the better part of it’s runtime.  The trek through the grocery store is a cornucopia of set pieces which are incredibly impressive and fun all leading up to a final scene that will either make you laugh uncontrollably or shake your head in disbelief.   

A

MOVIE REVIEW: SUICIDE SQUAD

Director David Ayer (Fury) takes the helm for this Warner Bros. production adapted from the DC Comics series about a group of super-villains who are given a shot at redemption by embarking on a heroic mission that will most likely mean the death of them all. ~ Rovi

Director: David Ayer 

Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Cara Delevingne, Jay Hernandez, Jai Courtney 

Release Date: Aug 05, 2016

Rated PG-13 Disturbing Behavior, Action Throughout, Language, Sequences of Violence and 

Suggestive Content 

Runtime: 2 hr. 10 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

Suicide Squad isn’t a perfect film and there are plenty of hints of the turmoil and studio tinkering abound but, almost in spite of itself, it’s still a fun film.  David Ayer really tries to deliver a comic book film that will make fans happy and he succeeds on various levels.  The film’s strength is its collection of characters and actors.  The film spends the most time with Will Smith’s Deadshot and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn with both delivering excellent performances that really drive the film.  Viola Davis is pretty much pitch perfect as Amanda Waller, the government agent who puts the squad together.  As a longtime fan, I did appreciate the amount of effort put into the characterization of some of these characters even if some do end up on the periphery, Killer Croc and Katana fare the worst.  The chemistry of cast is pretty strong through out with a few surprises like Jai Courtney Captain Boomerang and a nice bit of emotional depth from Jay Hernandez.  The biggest issue the film has is the film’s overall plot and primary villain.  It’s pretty straightforward and follows the tropes we’ve seen plenty of times in superhero film with the villain coming off as under written.  The Joker, Jared Leto’s take is more crazed gangster than Ledger’s anarchic take, would have probably served as a better foil for the team.  Still, even with it’s issues Suicide Squad is an enjoyable comic book film that’s got plenty of characters that you’ll want to revisit.  

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Suicide Squad

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for DC Comics' latest effort, Suicide Squad. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 

The US government recruits some of the world's worst criminals for a special mission. My dear reader(s), I'm gonna be upfront with ya: I'm a DC girl through and through, but my eagerness for Suicide Squad was mostly hinged on a bit of bonus Batman between headline gigs. 

 

I am pleased to report that the movie is worth a lot more than that. Suicide Squad kicks off with an epic intro, and you can tell right away it's something different from the norm. I think the last time I was this impressed with how well a movie's appearance captured its very essence was Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. 

 

This comic book movie just LOOKS like a comic book, and it's fantastic! Introductions run somewhat long, but that's justifiable given that most of these characters aren't comic A-listers with whom the general public already will be familiar. The acting is overall quite solid, and not just "for a comic book movie." Singling out those who made the biggest impression (good and bad): Cara Delevingne as June Moone/Enchantress: The mousy June/evil Enchantress is a dual role with extremes that exceed the talent and skill of model Delevingne; throw in some weird CGI with her movements, plus those distracting eyebrows, and she is almost unwatchable. 

 

Margot Robbie as Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn: Robbie's turn as Harley is truly disturbing, yet she looks so amazing you wouldn't turn her down even knowing she's utterly bananas. 

 

As Frank Valente once said, "Psycho chicks are the best!" Will Smith as Floyd Lawton/Deadshot: One of the more likeable actors working today, Smith brings all of his considerable appeal to his character, turning in a tough, funny, and sympathetic performance. 

 

As great actors do, Smith becomes the clear "star" of this ensemble picture, without needing to be heralded as such. 

 

Jay Hernandez as Chato Santana/Diablo: Having turned over a new leaf in prison, Diablo is reluctant to use his terrible power, even for good. Hernandez is heartbreaking, and his is my favorite work in the movie. 

 

Finally... Jared Leto as the Joker. I love, love, LOVE this take on the Joker, and I want more of it like yesterday. 

Leto is insane and terrifying, everything this character should be. Suicide Squad seems a bit jumpy, a feeling exacerbated by the inclusion of almost too many good tunes in too-quick sucession. 

 

Occasionally it plays more like a series of cool music videos than a coherent whole, which also leads to spots where it stalls in progression, if not in action. 

 

It doesn't lag or lose your attention, but it does sometimes feel like everything that's going on still isn't getting it from point A to point B. The CGI is mostly great, and, as mentioned, it looks fantastic. There's a certain element to this movie that's more deeply unsettling than your average comic book picture, and I genuinely think an R rating would have been more appropriate and would have better served the material. 

 

Suicide Squad clocks in at 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content, and language." Suicide Squad is a rollicking good time, loaded with action, humor, and great characters. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Suicide Squad gets seven and a half. 

 

Fangirl points: Joel Kinnaman! Oh, and...Batman! Batman! Batman! Until next time... 

 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: JASON BOURNE

Matt Damon reprises his role as the titular former CIA agent with a hazy past. Jason Bourne is the fifth installment in the action franchise, and the third to be directed by Paul Greengrass. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Paul Greengrass 

Cast: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel, Alicia Vikander

Release Date: Jul 29, 2016

Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of violence and action, and brief strong language. 

Runtime: 2 hr. 3 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller  

Review:

Jason Bourne marks the welcome return of Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass to the Bourne franchise.  The results are mostly good with only a few hiccups here and there, mostly script wise.  Matt Damon easily slips back into Bourne’s skin with solid results.  Damon has always given Bourne a tortured quality which is rare in the spy genre and one of the things that makes the franchise so interesting.  There are plenty of new faces in this entry with one lone returning cast member being cast off after setting the plot in motion.  Tommy Lee Jones, at his most scowly, serves as the big bad this go around and he’s serviceable even though his character is slightly underwritten.  Vincent Cassel suffers a similar fate the assassin on Bourne’s trail throughout the film which is a shame because it’s a waste of a fine actor.  Alicia Vikander, who you can tell is serious because her hair is pinned up throughout, does the best she can with the character she’s given.  A late act turn is fairly interesting but would have made for a more interesting plot line had it been explored throughout the movie.  The biggest issue with Jason Bourne isn’t that it’s a bad movie, far from it, its that it feels very familiar, following familiar beats we’ve followed through most Bourne films.  Still, Greengrass delivers some fantastic sequences especially the logistically impressive Greek riot sequence and collateral damage excess of the final act’s Vegas sequence.  The hand to hand fight to top off the film is probably one of the brutal fights I’ve seen in recent memory.  Jason Bourne adds up to a solid film even though it’ll leave you wishing there was a bit more innovation.     

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Jason Bourne

Dearest Blog: Yesterday I took a pass on the company picnic (Outdoors? In July? Are they kidding?) to head up to Marquee Cinemas and catch up with Jason Bourne. 

Spoiler level here will be mostly mild, nothing plot-specific, but I do offer an opinion at the end that some might consider slightly spoilerish. If you're worried, read after you've seen it, please! 

Jason Bourne is back with a vengeance, looking for answers and on the run for his life. 

Ahhhhhhh...dear Reader(s)...remember the good not-so-old days when Jeremy Renner appeared poised to take the reins of both the Bourne and Mission Impossible franchises? 

Fast forward a few years, a pair of Hollywood A-Listers decide to hang onto their cash cows, and Renner is again relegated to being the Avengers' Katniss Everdeen. (But at least he got a backstory, am I right??) 

There's nothing wrong with Matt Damon, of course, but you may count me among the silent minority that would have enjoyed this picture a lot more with Renner at the fore. 

Jason Bourne kicks off with a chase scene that outlasts even that one from Jupiter Ascending that put me to sleep three times and was still rolling when I woke up. I mean, this thing GOES ON. The sequence includes some pivotal moments, but it also highlights one of the movie's key weaknesses right out of the gate: too much filler. 

Jason Bourne has more running than a Ten-era Doctor Who episode and enough vehicular carnage for a Transformers movie; had filmmakers exercised even a bit of restraint, they'd have had a far better end product. Much of the action is filmed in up-close-and-personal fashion. 

The fight scenes are brutal and well executed, but the wiggly camera work is enough to trigger a seizure. It's a passable tactic when used wisely, but, here, again, there's just too much of it. Damon is appropriately grim in the lead, his sour expression a constant reminder of the Very Serious Situation at hand. 

Oscar winner Alicia Vikander is a disaster, bringing all the dimension of a paper doll to her important role, while struggling mightily to hang onto the same accent for any two consecutive scenes. The rest of the supporting cast is unremarkable, but fine for what's asked of them. 

The story is no more or less convoluted than any other installment in the series, sure to leave questions if (like me) you've mostly forgotten the earlier films, but not so deep that any fan of action flicks couldn't enjoy it even if he'd never seen a Bourne movie before. 

Finally, as if Jason Bourne weren't enough of a jumble, three-quarters of it feels very much like an ending, but the last act does a complete about-face and clearly sets the stage for more. Jason Bourne clocks in at an excessive 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of violence and action, and brief strong language." 

Boasting action a-plenty and a solid cast that deserves better, Jason Bourne is, unfortunately, a bit of a snooze. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Jason Bourne gets four. 

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