MOVIE REVIEW: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2

Legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is once again called out of retirement, this time by a former colleague (Riccardo Scamarcio) who wants him to repay a debt by killing an Italian crime lord (Claudia Gerini). But when the attempted assassination goes awry, Wick finds himself hunted by an international cabal of killers, and his only hope for survival might be a shadowy figure known as the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). Director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Derek Kolstad return for this sequel to their 2014 cult action hit. Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo, Common, Lance Reddick, and Bridget Moynahan co-star. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Chad Stahelski

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Common, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan, Laurence Fishburne

Release Date: Feb 10, 2017

Rated R for Strong Violence Throughout, Some Language and Brief Nudity

Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

John Wick: Chapter 2 does everything a sequel should do by upping the action and expanding the world from the first film.  Chad Stahelski seems to have a firm understanding of what worked from the first film.  As such, we are treated to a virtual ballet of bullets during some impressively choreographed sequences.  The story opens up the network of hitmen and support system which is fun even though it’s ludicrous anyway you cut it.  Still, it’s a fun bit of world building that gives the story a neat frame work which introduces us to a wide variety of characters.  Keanu Reeves does his best work during the action sequences which is hardly a surprise.  Reeves has never been an acting powerhouse so it’s the film benefit that he’s got limited requirements as Wick.  The supporting players like Ian McShane, Common and Laurence Fishburne give the film a bit more body than it probably deserves.  The biggest stretch for the film is Ruby Rose who never really fits in.  It might have something to do with the fact that she looks more like a female Justin Bieber than any sort of menacing badass.  It’s not a major drawback because there are so many people trying to kill John Wick, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle especially since nearly 90% of the population of New York is trained hitmen.  At certain points, the film does begin to suffer from attrition simply because there’s so much going on in the final act.  John Wick: Chapter 2 sets up the 3^rd entry nicely which should make for a fun capper to the series.  

B

MOVIE REVIEW: GET OUT

A young African-American photographer (Daniel Kaluuya) is nervous at the thought of meeting his white girlfriend's parents (Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford) for the first time during a trip to the latter's country estate. However, his anxiety soon turns into outright terror when he discovers that the family's seemingly idyllic community is hiding a sinister conspiracy, one that involves the disappearance of several black people in the area. Jordan Peele, one half of the comedic duo Jordan Peele, makes his directorial debut with this horror thriller. Allison Williams, LaKeith Stanfield, and Caleb Landry Jones co-star. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Jordan Peele

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, LaKeith Stanfield, 

Allison Williams

Release Date: Feb 24, 2017

Rated R for Language, Bloody Images, Sexual References and Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Get Out is a fine debut for Jordan Peele even if it isn’t a landmark horror benchmark some have made it out to be.  Get Out plays more like a comedic satire of classic horror movie tropes with a racial slant.  As it plays out, it’s clear that Jordan Peele is a fan of classic films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Stepford Wives.  On the downside there are few surprises for anyone who’s watched any of these films, resulting in a few jump scares but very little in the way of tension.  Thankfully, there’s a fair amount of laughs as the increasingly uncomfortable weekend unfurls for our protagonist.  Daniel Kaluuya is solid as the lead even if he isn’t given much to do outside of act uncomfortable and mildly terrified.  Allison Williams, and her dead eyes, is perfect for what the role calls for, which is very little.  Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener are given fun roles, which they clearly relish, but there is practically mustache twirling unsettling from the get go.  As a result, there is a very little surprise about where any of these characters end up.  LaKeith Stanfield is given the best role in the film as Chris friend who spends the majority of the film telling him there’s something seriously off about the situation.  It’s a credit to Jordan Peele’s talent that he can make you overlook these short coming and deliver an enjoyable film.  Get Out isn’t a hallmark in horror filmmaking, the majority of hardcore horror buffs may walk out disappointed, but it’s a solid debut.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: FIST FIGHT

On the last day before summer vacation at a rough-and-tumble high school, mild-mannered teacher Andy Campbell (Charlie Day) accidentally causes his fearsome colleague Ron Strickland (Ice Cube) to be fired. When Strickland then challenges him to a fist fight after school, Campbell must find a way to avoid a vicious beating. Tracy Morgan, Jillian Bell, Christina Hendricks, Dean Norris, and Dennis Haysbert co-star in this comedy directed by Richie Keen. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

 Director: Richie Keen

Cast: Ice Cube, Charlie Day, Tracy Morgan, Jillian Bell, Dean Norris

Release Date: Feb 17, 2017

Rated R for language Throughout, Drug Material and Sexual Content/Nudity

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Comedy

Fist Fight is a silly comedy that moves at a frantic pace the moment it starts.  Boasting an excellent comedic cast led by Charlie Day, it’s a mindless comedy that never takes itself overly seriously.  Charlie Day is put front and center and fans of his style of manic comedy will find plenty to like.  Richie Keen does a serviceable job of directing the comedy even though there are plenty of missed opportunities.  The most glaring issue is that the film doesn’t take full advantage of its cast with excellent actors like Christina Hendricks and Dean Norris showing up in glorified cameos more than actual roles.  Both roles feel like they could have been expanded a bit to flesh out the nightmare facility.  Luckily Keen keeps Ice Cube relegated to playing a scowling hothead, leaving the comedy to the pros.  It’s a good choice that pays off in the end, leaving the audience with a perfectly zany R rated comedy.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Great Wall

 

 

Dearest Blog: Today it was off to Marquee Cinemas for oddball blockbuster The Great Wall. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

A pair of mercenaries is conscripted into battle to save a Chinese city from hordes of terrifying creatures.

 

Dear reader(s): Thanks to a painful trailer, my best hope for The Great Wall was that it would be hilariously bad and not just bad. I am pleased to report that, while it's not winning any awards anytime soon, The Great Wall IS actually a pretty enjoyable way to pass a couple hours.

 

Liberally seasoned from the cliche jar, the Great Wall is deeply, deeply idiotic. Jarringly modern phrasing and Matt Damon's weirdly stilted diction are no help with the clunky script. The most pointed attempts at humor often miss the mark, but a light tone works strongly in the movie's favor. The Great Wall boasts some lovely scenery, spectacular costumes, excellent precision battle choreography, and solid creature effects. I didn't see the movie in 3D, but there are a few dizzying scenes that I expect would make it worth the upcharge and glasses headache. Wall-to-wall (see what I did there?) action never comes at the story's expense, and is perfectly accompanied by Ramin Djawadi's rousing score.

 

The Great Wall clocks in at 103 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of fantasy action violence."

 

The story and the acting are nothing to write home about, but The Great Wall is a fun outing that's more than worth seeing on the big screen for it's extraordinary production values. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Great Wall gets five.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

Batman (voice of Will Arnett) defends Gotham City from criminals and supervillains while bonding with a young orphan (Michael Cera) he accidentally adopted -- who, of course, eventually becomes his sidekick Robin. This spin-off of The Lego Movie also features the voices of Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, Zach Galifianakis as the Joker, and Ralph Fiennes as Batman's loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth. Directed by Chris McKay (Robot Chicken). ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director Chris McKay

Cast: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes

Release Date: Feb 10, 2017

Rated PG for Rude Humor and Some Action

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Comedy

The Lego Batman Movie is a worthy follow up to The Lego Movie.  It’s not as thoroughly enjoyable as The Lego Movie but it hits more often than it misses.  Will Arnett returns as the blocky caped crusader and he’s clearly having a ball.  Michael Cera costars as the overly eager to please Robin.  They both play off each other very well along with Rosario Dawson and Ralph Fiennes who round out the hero side of things.  Zach Galifianakis is just as much fun as the Lego Joker.  The plot itself is more simplistic than The Lego Movie but it’s filled with enough jokes and bat references to keep most adults laughing for the better part of the films running time.  Its visual flare and cast are enough to overlook most of its minor flaws.  

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of John Wick: Chapter 2 & The Lego Batman Movie

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a highly-anticipated pair of pictures: John Wick: Chapter 2 and the Lego Batman Movie.

 

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

 

Ladies and gentlemen, dear reader(s), what follows is the historic, first-ever, perfect-nine-Weasley double-bill! Steel yourselves!

 

First on yesterday's agenda: John Wick: Chapter 2.

 

John Wick is dragged out of retirement when an old marker is called in.

 

The first John Wick was a pleasant surprise. With very little buzz and a not-quite-A-list lead, it turned out far better than the generic actioner promised by the trailers. Following up such unexpected success almost unfailingly leads to disaster, but I am pleased to report John Wick: Chapter 2 actually breaks the mold and improves upon the original.

 

Beginning with the obvious: Keanu Reeves has found the role for which he was born. Sure, the guy has all the acting chops of "Shepherd #3" in your local elementary-school Christmas pageant, but he's given us a few iconic leads over his long career, and John Wick seems destined to become one of his best remembered. Reeves works even the film's corniest lines to perfection and still manages to be the perfect stoic killing machine. A solid supporting cast includes Ian McShane, Common, Laurence Fishburne, and the suddenly-ubiquitous Ruby Rose. John Wick: Chapter 2 boasts epic fight choreography, a dark humor that always hits its mark, and stellar production design. A shootout in a hall of mirrors is a real standout, along the lines of the original's red room scene. The extraordinary body count undoubtedly renders a picture like this not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're able to set aside genre bias, you'll have to admit John Wick: Chapter 2 is one hell of a great movie.

 

John Wick: Chapter 2 clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence throughout, some language, and brief nudity."

 

John Wick: Chapter 2 is a strikingly filmed, beautifully executed movie that's well served by its self-awareness. I pondered long and hard, looking for a reason to dock it even a half-Weasley, and I couldn't find one. Of a possible nine Weasleys, John Wick: Chapter 2 gets nine.

 

Fangirl points: My beloved Ian McShane! Peter Serafinowicz!

 

Next on the docket, The Lego Batman Movie.

 

The Bat goes brick.

 

The Lego Batman Movie has all the sharp colors, cool artwork, and constant motion that are hallmarks of most good animation these days, but considering it a kids' movie does it a great disservice; it is straight-up comedy gold, and I mean hilarious. I can't remember the last time I heard a cinema crowd laugh as hard or as much. The movie lovingly makes fun of the Bat-verse, from Will Arnett's sulking, self-centered Bruce Wayne to hilarious callbacks to various film faceoffs with his arch-nemesis the Joker. If Gotham's Clown Prince isn't your favorite baddie, never fear, the Lego Batman Movie not only features many of Batman's classic enemies, but cameos by villains from the furthest reaches of fiction. A rockin' score by Lorne Balfe occasionally echoes past Batman themes, underlining the movie's nods to Bat-history, while standing firmly on its own Lego feet.

 

The Lego Batman Movie runs 104 minutes and is rated PG for "rude humor and some action."

 

The Lego Batman Movie is everything a moviegoer could want, be he die-hard Batfan or casual walkup. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Lego Batman Movie gets nine.

 

Fangirl points: "Iron Man sucks!"

 

Until next time...