MOVIE REVIEW: AMERICAN MADE

Barry Seal, a TWA pilot, is recruited by the CIA to provide reconnaissance on the burgeoning communist threat in Central America and soon finds himself in charge of one of the biggest covert CIA operations in the history of the United States. The operation spawns the birth of the Medellin cartel and almost brings down the Reagan White House.

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Tom Cruise, Sarah Wright, Domhnall Gleeson, Jayma Mays, Jesse Plemons

Release Date: Sept 29, 2017

Genres: Action, Adventure

Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity

Review:

American Made, the second collaboration between Doug Linman and Tom Cruise, is a fun fast paced quasi docudramedy.  Linman delivers a fizzy if somewhat light hearted take on Barry Seal’s crazy story.  Tom Cruise is front and center throughout and he’s clearly having a great time in the role.  Sporting a barely convincing southern accent, Cruise is still great.  He’s the driving force of the movie throughout, so your enjoyment of the film will depend on how much you like Cruise.  Personally, I think it’s one of best performances in a good while.  The character is incredibly compromised and not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, so it’s a bit of a change of pace for Cruise and it works well for him and the film.  The supporting cast is a bit under developed and I would have liked to know a bit more about Domhnall Gleeson’s shady CIA character but it’s not a massive misstep.  A tad bit of trimming towards the end would have helped but as is it’s a strong showcase for Cruise and Liman.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE

The battle for NINJAGO City calls to action young Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, also secret ninja warriors. Led by Master Wu, as wise-cracking as he is wise, they must defeat the evil warlord Garmadon, who also happens to be Lloyd's dad. Pitting father against son, the epic showdown tests these fierce but undisciplined modern-day ninjas as they learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash the inner power of Spinjitzu.

Director: Charlie Bean, Bob Logan, Paul Fisher

Cast: Jackie Chan, Dave Franco, Michael Peña, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Justin Theroux, Kumail Nanjiani

Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor

Genres: Animation, Family, Comedy

Review:

The LEGO Ninjago Movie is a fine addition to the blossoming franchise even if the sheen is starting to wear off just a tad.  The movie is full of all the pop culture references and self aware humor we’ve seen in previous installments.  The best thing this film has going is Jackie Chan.  Jackie Chan shows up in the opening and closing but supplies the film with its heart Master Wu.  Justin Theroux is a lot of fun as the villain even if he’s just doing a Will Arnett impression throughout.  Theroux and Dave Franco have fun chemistry in the second half of the film.  The main issue with the film is that the plot and overall story seems hacked together.  The story lacks any sort of real flow even though there are still lots of like here.  That probably speaks to the general fun in the franchise, where even a lesser entry still delivers.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Flatliners & American Made

 

 

Dearest Blog: Today it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Flatliners and American Made.

 

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

 

First on the docket: Flatliners.

 

A group of med students experiments with death.

 

The original Flatliners is a disturbing exercise that leaves an unsettled hangover long after the picture ends. Its perfect cast, gloomy atmosphere, and graveyard humor make it a classic I never mind revisiting. The new Flatliners is a sloppy collection of paper-doll characters, cringe-worthy dialogue, and jump scares...and, oh, James Norton...you deserve so much better! While the remake's premise is basically the same as the original's, it's hard to muster any interest in this unsympathetic group of newcomers. Jump scares are plentiful but far too easy to anticipate, and the "flatline" experiences look a lot like low-rent haunted attractions. Because things weren't going poorly enough, filmmakers also shoehorned in a couple ill-conceived sexual interludes. Lacking any of the original's humor, Flatliners seems to drag despite clocking in well under two hours, building to one of the more eye-rolling endings in recent memory. Among the few positives, James Norton and Diego Luna are both more than watchable, and a couple callbacks to 1990's Flatliners offer a welcome bit of nostalgia. I've heard some folks say this remake wasn't "necessary," but a thing doesn't have to be necessary to be fun, entertaining, or even worthwhile. Sadly, 2017's Flatliners is none of that, either.

 

Flatliners runs 110 minutes and is rated R for "violence and terror, sexual content, language, thematic material, and some drug references."

 

While I'm not normally opposed to films being remade--even films I love dearly--I kinda wish they'd left this one alone. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Flatliners gets two.

 

Next on my agenda, American Made.

 

An airline pilot is pressed into some shady dealings by the CIA.

 

American Made sells like an action-comedy in its trailers, so viewers might be excused for forgetting its story is serious as a heart attack and likely to end badly for anyone it makes you care about. The picture is a Tom Cruise vehicle through and through, and Cruise carries it with his usual ease. If you're having a hard time forgiving him for The Mummy, maybe this is a better reminder of how masterful he is in even sub-par projects. The suddenly-ubiquitous Domhnall Gleeson is also brilliant as the CIA mentor who drags Cruise's character into all the hot water. Now...for the hard part. I can't say I didn't like American Made, and I can't say I did. It's action packed, yet somehow I was bored. The supporting cast isn't standout like Cruise and Gleeson, but there are plenty of fine performances to go around. It could have used a small trim, but it's not really all that long. While the tale is no doubt embellished for the big screen, the film remains a sobering reminder of what's considered "acceptable" when you're doing it for the "good guys" (and as long as nobody finds out). And, yes, it *is* quite funny at times. So...where, exactly, does American Made go wrong? I honestly can't say, I can only say that it does, and thus is nowhere near the thrill-ride you'd expect from its trailer.

American Made clocks in at 115 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout and some sexuality/nudity." (Anybody else find it weird that a film about a cartel doesn't get a certification for drug content?)

 

American Made is a passable way to spend a couple hours, easily digested and easily forgotten. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, American Made gets five.* (*Includes one bonus Weasley for having an actual Weasley in the cast.)

 

Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” introduced the world to Kingsman - an independent, international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion, whose ultimate goal is to keep the world safe. In “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” our heroes face a new challenge. When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, dating back to the day they were both founded. In a new adventure that tests their agents’ strength and wits to the limit, these two elite secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, in order to save the world, something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy…

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Edward Holcroft, Mark Strong

Release Date: Sept 29, 2017

Genres: Action Adventure

Rated R for sequences of strong violence, drug content, language throughout and some 
sexual material

Review:

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a solid if flawed follow up to the surprise hit.  Matthew Vaughn delivers more of what made the first film so much fun but the follow up seems to lacks a bit of spark that made the original work so well.  That’s not to say it’s not an entertaining film, because in spurts it’s a lot of fun, but it just feels overstuffed.  The film is helped by a strong cast with some welcome additions but you can’t help but think that Vaughn could have made better use of the talent on hand.  Jeff Bridges and Channing Tatum roles are pretty much glorified cameos with Halle Berry and Pedro Pascal having the beefier roles.  Julianne Moore is fun as the villain even if her character is slightly underdeveloped.  She’s good fun but doesn’t approach the level of Sam Jackson’s lisping villain from the first film.  Kingsman: The Golden Circle has a lot to offer for fans of the original but unfortunately it leaves you wishing it’d been trimmed and streamlined a bit before its release.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a peek at Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

Spoiler level here will be mild, limited to a couple non-plot-related things you won't have seen in the trailers.

Their headquarters destroyed and their resources gone, the Kingsman (Kingsmen?) ally with their American cousins.

Kingsman: The Secret Service was my number-one movie of 2015. As it seems I'm saying a lot this year...even a great sequel to a great movie is without that element of surprise that makes the original seem so special, but that reality in no way diminished my expectations for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. I'm pleased to report the movie exceeded all of them.

There's a lot to discuss here, but I feel duty bound to start with Taron Edgerton. Still minus the status that would give him top billing in a movie of which he's clearly the star, he IS a star, perfectly hitting every note of the many sides of Eggsy. I love this kid. The Golden Circle's supporting players are a who's who of mega-stars and awards darlings, including returning favorites Colin Firth and Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore (clearly having the time of her life as the picture's number-one baddie), and, yes, Sir Elton John in what's sure to be one of the most talked-about appearances of the movie year. This film is right up my alley in every way, and such a tremendous cast can't help but elevate it beyond what it might have been otherwise. 

The Golden Circle hits the ground running with a wacky chase through the streets of London, and, for over two hours, it never lets up. The action is spectacularly choreographed and never gets old despite being almost non-stop. Humor is consistent and organic, never shoehorned in just for the sake of it. Oh, and on that topic, remember that bit you hated at the end of the first Kingsman? (Well, I'm assuming you hated it, it seems everyone did.) The sequel actually makes that right, so obviously that Matthew Vaughn himself might well have prefaced the moment with, "Hey guys, this is how that was SUPPOSED to work." I have heard a couple people say The Golden Circle is too much fun, but I can't imagine what anyone means by that. This sequel is so much fun that everything should aspire to its heights!

Kingsman: The Golden Circle clocks in at 141 minutes and is rated R for "sequences of strong violence, drug content, language throughout, and some sexual material."

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a clever, fast-paced, well-acted good time, an absolute can't-miss on the big screen. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Kingsman: The Golden Circle gets nine.

Fangirl points (buckle in, there are a lot of them!): Keith Allen! Emily Watson! Bruce Greenwood! 

OMG that weird mashup/cover of Cameo's Word Up! How about John Denver's resurgence in 2017 cinema?? And...Mark Strong, you can come sing Country Roads with us here in West Virginia any ol' day!

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: MOTHER!

A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. From filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream), mother! stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer in this riveting psychological thriller about love, devotion and sacrifice.'.

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer

Release Date: Sept 15, 2017

Genres: Drama, Horror

Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, some sexuality, nudity and language

Review:

Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is sure to be a divisive film especially anybody who goes in expecting a straight up horror film.  It’s anything but a straight up horror film.  Aronofsky’s film is pretentious arthouse fodder that doesn’t tell a straight forward story.  If anything it’s an extended allegory, about climate change or the creative process depending on your point of view, which works more often than not once you wrap your mind around what’s going on.  It’s a visually impressive film that leads you down the rabbit holes subtly at first until it pulls the rug out from under your feet.  Jennifer Lawrence is front and center throughout and she does a fine job in the role even if it’s not her best work.  It’s not really her fault though as the film seems a bit restrictive due to its nature.  Bardem suffers a similar fate but they both give the film a strong energy that centers it’s.  Mother! is a self important piece that’s undeniably pretentious but that’s not to say it’s an impressive cinematic feat. 

B+