A couple still grieving the death of their
daughter take in children from a local orphanage, but the family are soon
terrorized by a demented doll known as Annabelle. Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda
Otto, Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, and Lulu Wilson star in this horror
sequel from director David F. Sandberg (David F. Sandberg). ~ Jack Rodgers,
Rovi
Director: David F. Sandberg
Cast: Lulu Wilson, Grace Fulton, Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto
Release Date: Aug 11, 2017
Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Rated R for horror violence and terror
Review:
Annabelle: Creation is a better film than it
deserves to be.Horror clichés run amok
in a script that seem more interested in moving from set up to set up than
telling a coherent story.Director David
F. Sandberg doesn’t seem to know the meaning of efficiency as his movie is a
bloated overlong hodgepodge of things we’ve seen before.Again, it’s a decent horror film, there are
far worse films in the genre that’s for sure, but it’s slightly frustrating
because it feels like there is a better film in there somewhere.The decision to cast Anthony LaPaglia & Miranda Otto seemed like it’d
give the film a bit of credibility but the script moves them to the sidelines
and barely uses them at all.What we’re
left with is an ensemble film with kid actors who do the best they can but it’s
never terribly interesting or engaging.Annabelle: Creation is the very definition of a wait for cable type of
film.
A police raid in Detroit in 1967 results in one of the largest RACE riots in United States history. The story is centered around the Algiers
Motel incident, which occurred in Detroit, Michigan on July 25, 1967, during the racially charged 12th Street Riot. It involves the death of three black men and
the brutal beatings of nine other people: seven black men and two white women.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Cast: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Anthony
Mackie, John Krasinski, Jack Reynor, Jason Mitchell, Hanna Murray
Release Date: Aug 42017
Genres: Crime, Drama, History
Rated R for strong violence and pervasive
language
Review:
Detroit is a tense, uncomfortable and incredibly timely
film.Kathryn Bigelow’s style of
filmmaking is perfectly suited for the story being told.Bigelow’s immersive style leaves like a fly
on the wall during the entire ordeal.It’s an intense film that’s anchored by a strong ensemble cast.John Boyega and Will Poulter really shine
throughout the film, with some of the films best moments are watching their
character’s process and think through situations.Poulter though is the real surprise here
since he’s been mostly a comedic actor.Poulter provides the character an unsettling detachment and coldness
that’s deeply unsettling.The film loses
a little steam after it moves on to the aftermath with the court proceedings
and post event stories.I was personally
more interested in what happened to John Boyega’s character but the film chose
a different direction.It’s a small
issue on an otherwise strong film that really shines a light on a dark portion
of American history.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Detroit and The Dark Tower.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or the news.
First on the docket, Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit.
During the Detroit Rebellion of 1967, a handful of city cops terrorize young people staying at the Algiers Hotel.
Dear reader(s), you know when I call a movie "must-see," it's usually gonna be some big, dumb actioner with a current obsession not *quite* getting enough screen time for my liking. Evidence: that latest Transformers movie that everybody hates? Yeah, that'll be skirting my Top Ten come year's end. However, here I must break with tradition to suggest emphatically that everyone get out and see Detroit. It is a very, very important movie and a timely reminder of what happens when we allow some people to be treated as less than others.
Detroit opens with a clever sequence that brings viewers who might not be familiar with this event up to speed, and from there it's a slow burn into chaos. The movie is never in a hurry to get where it's going, yet there are millions of things happening all at once. Point of view is personal rather than general, with dialogue so natural as to seem unscripted. I'm no fan of Bigelow's jiggly camera work, but I couldn't look away from the terrifying events playing out onscreen. There is no sugar-coating, there are no cookie-cutter characters, and the performances are uniformly extraordinary. Of special note, as usual, is John Boyega in a smart, sympathetic turn. The violence and torment are up close and personal, at times nearly impossible to watch. The movie builds to its unsettling climax with such tension you might not even realize you're holding your breath. This is no fun summer flick; it's challenging and exhausting. (For the record, I ran straight to the ladies' room and threw up when it ended, and it's had me in tears more than a few times since.) Detroit is smart enough not to leave it to viewers to distinguish between "based on a true story" and "inspired by actual events;" it freely acknowledges that its account relies on the recollections of people who were under not-a-little duress during these events. No fun summer movie, Detroit will stay on your mind long after you exit the theatre.
Detroit clocks in at 143 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence and pervasive language."
A headline I saw earlier this morning said, "Detroit is going to hurt, but it's worth it," and that's about the best way to sum up this brilliant but difficult movie.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Detroit gets eight.
Fangirl points: Not to take away from the seriousness of this picture, but I can't imagine a more beautiful human than Anthony Mackie exists anywhere in the universe. *le sigh*
Next on my agenda was the first big-screen shot at Stephen King's Dark Tower series.
The Last Gunslinger hopes to stop the Man in Black from toppling the Dark Tower, which protects the world from evil...or something like that. (I'm pretty close, right?)
Not having read this book series from Stephen King, and having heard nothing good about this adaptation prior to seeing it, I was prepared to state that--while I understood it might not meet the expectations of book fans--the movie is perfectly passable entertainment for the rest of us.
Sadly, after nearly nodding off twice in just an hour and a half, I had to rethink that opening.
The Dark Tower is just a bad movie, and that's without even being able to speak to its failings by comparison to the books. It feels like, at some point very early in its making, all the Stephen King forces in the universe decided to focus their positive energy on the remake of It and deserted this entirely. (I guess the good news is my pretty busy cinema seemed to soil its collective drawers at the It trailer that preceded Dark Tower, so King may be redeemed rather quickly.) The Dark Tower's characters are so broadly drawn you'll only care what happens to any of them if you have a vested interest in the actor(s). Shallow storytelling provides very few answers, but leaves lots of question marks, for anyone unfamiliar with the source material. Clearly this was meant to set up a franchise, but if it's to do so with any success it'll need serious retooling. Man in Black Matthew McConaughey is as bland as ever (can't spell "McConaughey" without "ugh!") as a paper-doll baddie who's about as menacing as my little Cockapoo. Idris Elba is smokin'--and I mean SMOKIN'--hot as the Gunslinger, but the role is so poorly fleshed out it scarcely taxes his ability or charisma. Effects are pedestrian at best, and the action (such as it is) is accented by a comically-melodramatic score.
The Dark Tower runs the slowest 95 minutes ev-ah and is rated PG13 for "thematic material, including sequences of gun violence and action."
I truly had hoped to buck the trend and declare the Dark Tower passable entertainment for a summer afternoon, but, sadly, it can't meet even that low bar. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Dark Tower gets two.
Fangirl points: OMG you guys...Idris Elba! (Teeny-weeny spoiler alert: When a boy says to the Gunslinger, "I dreamt about you!" I'm pretty sure I said out loud to the screen, "Me too!")
Oscar® winner Charlize Theron explodes into
summer in Atomic Blonde, a breakneck action-thriller that follows MI6’s most
lethal assassin through a ticking time bomb of a city simmering with revolution
and double-crossing hives of traitors. The crown jewel of Her Majesty’s Secret
Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is equal parts
spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay
alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless
dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief
David Percival (James McAvoy) to navigate her way through the deadliest game of
spies.
Director: David Leitch
Cast: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John
Goodman, Sofia Boutella, Til Schweiger
Release Date: Jul 28, 2017
Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller
Rated R for for sequences of strong
violence, language throughout, and some sexuality/nudity
Review:
Atomic Blonde is a stylish spy thriller
that’s a great vehicle for a kick ass Charlize Theron.That’s really the main attraction here,
watching Charlize Theron repeatedly beat up anyone and everyone in a variety of
fashions.The film’s action sequences
are impressive works of art that really highlight the director’s
strengths.The two major sequences, one
involving a rope and lots of police and the finale which is one of the most
brutal fight sequences in a long time, are when the film hits its peak.The plot though is a slight weakness, the spy
plot is pretty basic, missing microfilm, and there aren’t nearly as many twist
and turns as you’d expect.Still it’s
got enough style blended with a strong 80s soundtrack to make it memorable.
Dearest Blog: Thanks to a half-day closing at the office, I was able to avoid the weekend rush and catch a Friday-afternoon screening of Atomic Blonde.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
Against a backdrop of the tumultuous days leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall, agents from several nations race to claim a stolen piece of valuable intelligence.
Regular reader(s) will have heard me say time and again that I haven't much interest in movies about women, but apparently my interest can be piqued when said women are beating the ever-lovin' crap out of everyone. Take note, Hollywood.
If we're being honest, Atomic Blonde is mostly a bunch of wild action sequences strung together with a thin of bit spy-thriller thread. The plot is compelling, with a few great twists, but it can't steal the spotlight from the movie's fight and chase scenes. It is a testament to how great the action is that you won't mind that a bit. It's a testament to the rest that the movie still has a few surprises up its sleeve.
The lovely Charlize Theron is...well...lovely, ceaselessly making fashion statements while knocking people's lights out. (Note to self: Anyone dressed too nicely is probably a spy.) Theron is mesmerizing, carrying the movie as effortlessly as her character puts down the bad guys. James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman, and Toby Jones round out an excellent supporting cast. Atomic Blonde features terrific graffiti-style graphics on the titles and credits, some beautiful scenery, and the best fight choreography I've seen in many a day. Full marks for all of the above, but if I told you any of that was the movie's high point, I'd be lying. No, the best thing about Atomic Blond is its wonderful soundtrack, featuring a couple-dozen of the 80s best nuggets, including the original German versions of two of my favorites: Peter Schilling's Major Tom (Coming Home) and Nena's 99 Luftballons. As most of the film's brutality is set to music, a final face-off is all the more effective for being backed by nothing but the sound of punches landing and people getting the wind knocked out of them.
Atomic Blonde clocks in at 115 minutes and is rated R for "sequences of strong violence, language throughout, and some sexuality/nudity."
These days people talk a lot about the importance of representation in film. I'm not sure anyone will be calling Atomic Blonde an "important representation for girls," but if, like me, you're a girl who would rather jump off a cliff than sit through Wild or its ilk again, it's certainly a step in the right direction.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Atomic Blonde gets eight.
Dearest Blog: This week I had the opportunity to enjoy two classics in tandem: Magical musical Singin' in the Rain at Wheeling's majestic Capitol Theatre.
First, let's talk a bit about the venue. The historic Capitol Theatre opened for business in 1928, and is perhaps best known as the former host of Jamboree USA, a live, weekly country music broadcast enjoyed by fans near and far. It is currently the proud home of the best little orchestra in the nation, the Wheeling Symphony, and presents an annual Broadway series, as well as occasional country and rock concerts. In the late 2000s, the theatre underwent extensive renovations to improve the seats, bathroom facilities, and lounge areas, upgrading it to the area's most comfortable, as well as its most beautiful, venue.
This summer, the Capitol is offering a summer movie series of old and new favorites on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Admission is only $5 for adults and $3 for children. Concessions are more reasonably priced than your average cinema, and, in addition to the usual popcorn and soda, the menu features pizza, hot dogs, and--for the Thursday-night shows--cocktails. Now it's a party, right?! Movies are general admission, and there's not a bad seat in the house. Close up, further back, center or side, you'll see and hear just fine.
Thursday night, we visited the Capitol to revisit another classic, Singin' in the Rain.
A handsome movie star (Gene Kelly) finds true love against a backdrop of Hollywood's first talking pictures.
Ladies and gentlemen, there's a reason why people are still interested in a movie like Singin' in the Rain six and a half decades after its original theatrical run: It is simply timeless. Gene Kelly is a legendary talent: actor, dancer, singer, director. Hollywood has never known a more charismatic leading man, not before and not since, and here--a movie star playing a movie star--he's at his most magnetic. Nineteen-year-old Debbie Reynolds is fun and feisty as his leading lady, but the movie's real scene-stealer is Donald O'Connor, with his timely wisecracks and extraordinary dance moves.
The plot moves at a crisp pace, with well-placed musical numbers and a healthy dose of humor. Its love story may seem a bit saccharine by today's standards, but Singin' in the Rain's ageless choreography, lively tunes, spectacular costumes, and engaging performances will never go out of style. It's a perfect fit for a glorious venue like the beautiful Capitol Theatre.
Singin' in the Rain runs 103 minutes. It pre-dates the MPAA's current ratings system, but, unless you're that dude from Footloose who thinks dancing is evil, I can't imagine any sane person would find anything objectionable about it.
Singin' in the Rain is a timeless classic for all generations. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Singin' in the Rain gets nine.
Thanks to all involved with bringing the Summer Movie Series to the Capitol! Get out and see some of these upcoming favorites:
Mary Poppins - Sunday, July 30 - 3:30 p.m.
The Blues Brothers - Thursday, August 10 - 7:30 p.m.
The Little Mermaid - Sunday, August 13 - 3:30 p.m.
Caddyshack - Thursday, August 24 - 7:30 p.m.
The Wizard of Oz - Sunday, August 27 - 3:30 p.m.
The Big Lebowski - Thursday, September 7 - 7:30 p.m.
