MOVIE REVIEW: BUMBLEBEE

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee the Autobot seeks refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. Charlie, on the brink of turning 18 years old and trying to find her place in the world, soon discovers the battle-scarred and broken Bumblebee. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns that this is no ordinary yellow Volkswagen.

Director: Travis Knight

Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, Jason Drucker, Pamela Adlon,  Dylan O'Brien

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action violence

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Runtime: 1h 53min

Review:

The Transformers movie series was in need of jump start since The Last Knight was easily the worst of the Michael Bay’s run.  Travis Knight takes the helm for this prequel/reboot and he does so with gusto.  Knight clearly knows the 80s cartoon and finally delivers the kind of Transformers film that we fans have been asking for all along.  Knight and his team redesign the Transformers removing a lot of the more insect like look of the Bay era with designs that look much closer to the original cartoon design.  It’s a simple change but one that makes longtime hearts feel all warm and fuzzy.  There is quite a bit of nostalgia mining going on but in doing so Knight never loses focus of what really matters, the actual characters.  Bumblebee is front and center with Hailee Steinfeld making for a likable lead.  At its base it’s a simpler story, one that isn’t overly busy which is a welcome change of pace from the hectic Bayhem we’ve come to expect from these films.  The story shares a lot with The Iron Giant which is a good thing.  The villains of the pieces are slightly underwhelming since they’re fairly non descript and unmemorable.  It’s a shame since they cast Angela Bassett and Justin Theroux.  Still, this film is just what the franchise needed in order to make fans happy, hopefully it’s a sign of better films to come.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

Director: John McPhail

Cast: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Marli Siu, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins

Release Date: November 30, 2018

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror

Rated R for zombie violence and gore, language, and some sexual material

Runtime: 1h 37 min

Review:

Anna and the Apocalypse is a fun and audacious genre mash up that nearly hits it out of the park.  John McPail’s film has a fun energy to it even though it takes a little while to get moving.  Once it hit’s its stride creative songs and well choreographed dance sequences provide some of the film’s best moments.  It helps that Ella Hunt is instantly likable as the lead.  Her and her best friend, played charmingly by Malcolm Cumming, provide the film with a healthy bit of heart.  The film and its songs do get noticeably darker and more melancholy as the film moves into the final reel which makes for a strange tonal shift.  It would have served the film if it’d had embraced it’s zaniness a bit more. Still, it’s an impressive film that will probably end up being lumped together with other British imports like Shaun of the Dead or Attach the Block with it being a launching point for its star.      

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Green Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for recent Golden Globe Best Picture nominee (and National Board of Review winner) Green Book.

 

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

 

In the early 1960s, a white bouncer from the Bronx accepts a job as driver/security for a brilliant black pianist embarking on a tour of the deep south.

 

Dear reader(s), this review will be sorta short (for me, anyway), because all I can really do is embellish on the sentiment: GO SEE THIS MOVIE NOW.

 

Green Book addresses the very serious subject of racism with humor and heart. The larger theme is obvious, but--without smashing anyone over the head--the movie also smartly tackles those little ways people convince themselves they aren't part of the problem. If it is ungracious to expect accolades, well, Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali should be extremely ungracious right about now. Terrific performances all 'round, led by two of the year's best. Though it exceeds two hours and it's hardly action packed, Green Book engages fully, earning every minute of its runtime. I laughed far more than I expected to, and I'm not sure I'll ever stop crying.

 

Green Book clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence, and suggestive material."

 

A timely reminder of how far we've come and why even a small slip backwards is unacceptable, Green Book is warm and funny enough that people might get the message without even realizing it. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Green Book gets nine.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: WIDOWS

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows -- Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle -- have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson

Release Date: November 16, 2018

Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual content/nudity

Runtime: 2h 9 min

Review:

Steve McQueen’s Widows is a densely packed heist thriller.  Beautifully shot and thoroughly engaging, the film is never boring.  McQueen packs so much into his film that it might be necessary to give it multiple viewings.  He touches a multitude of topics from gender and racial politics all while unfurling a well crafted heist film.  The film moves at a methodical pace, never rushing from one scene to the next.  Instead it allows you to enjoy and appreciate the series of fine performances on display.  Viola Davis leads the film with her steady hand which makes you feel every bit of determination commingled with grief.  Elizabeth Debicki is just as impressive playing an abused trophy wife who is left picking up the pieces to her life after her husband’s death.  Michelle Rodriguez delivers as strong a performance as she can turn in but it’s hard not to notice the difference in talent level between her and her cast mates.  Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall make for a fascinating father and son duo and they deliver one of the film’s most impactful moments.  Brian Tyree Henry and Daniel Kaluuya are both just as interesting with limited screen time.  Widows is quiet at the level of Michael Mann’s Heat but its pretty close.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Creed II & Robin Hood 2018

Dearest Blog: The busy holiday weekend having left no time for the cinema (!!), yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a Monday-afternoon screening of Creed II and Robin Hood 2018.

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

First up: Creed II.

Apollo Creed's son looks to write a new ending to the Creed/Drago story.

The second Creed installment is another solid film that maybe follows the Rocky formula just a little too closely. I didn't love it less for playing out exactly as I expected, but getting there did seem a bit more tedious than last time.

Creed II's chief positive is its strong leads. Michael B. Jordan is brilliant in a title role that provides a perfect showcase for his talent. Sylvester Stallone wears Rocky Balboa like a comfortable old sweater, and his turn as the aging champ is once again sincere and a little bit heartbreaking. Creed II lays on the nostalgia, with heavy references and flashbacks to the tragic, three-decades-past match between the elder Creed and the elder Drago. There are the requisite training montages and brutal, well-choreographed boxing matches, with plenty of Agonizing Over Big Decisions for flexing those acting muscles. The movie doesn't hold many surprises, and--at two hours plus--it certainly could have used a trim, but none of that keeps it from being a great bit of feel-good holiday fare.

Creed II clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality."

If Creed II is guilty of sticking too close to a formula, well, at least it's a good one.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Creed II gets seven and a half.

Next on yesterday's agenda: Robin Hood 2018.

A new take on an old legend.

Dear reader(s), I'ma be straight with ya: Like the Three Musketeers, Robin Hood is a story that, no matter how often or how badly you tell it, I'm going to fall for it every time. Every. Damn. Time. I am delighted to report that the streak continues with Robin Hood 2018.

Now...that is not to say this movie is not idiotic, because--oh!--it most certainly is. Rather, it is so willfully idiotic that, sans unrealistic expectations, you can't help but enjoy it, so...let's get started with why.

How about Taron Edgerton? Edgerton is a solid actor and a magnetic leading man, an outstanding fit for the action-hero mold. He's young, he's great, and he's only going to get better. Punching well below his weight class, Ben Mendelsohn chews the scenery with relish. Jamie Foxx is mostly over the top as well, though he does get one terrific speech to remind you he's got an Oscar. Fellow Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, on the other hand, is sadly wasted. Action sequences are ridiculous, exciting, and well placed. The film doesn't slow down often, but it never feels like one endless fight either. Joseph Trapanese's score had me from note one. Like last year's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the most recent BBC television version of Robin Hood (not-so-affectionately dubbed "Robin Hoodie" by critics), Robin Hood 2018 makes no pretense of authenticity, instead it's all perky bosoms and perfect dental work. Accents are all over the place, inappropriately modern touches are everywhere (midriff top, anyone?), some of the dialogue is so pitiful it actually hurts to listen to it, annnnnnnd...none of that is a complaint. For two hours, I didn’t stop smiling.

Robin Hood 2018 runs 116 minutes and is rated PG13 for, "extended sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive references."

Robin Hood 2018 is striking out at the box office, but it's a home run for me!

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Robin Hood 2018 gets eight.

Fangirl points: Let's hear it for Jamie Dornan speaking with his real Irish accent! *swoon*

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: CREED 2

In 1985, Russian boxer Ivan Drago killed former U.S. champion Apollo Creed in a tragic match that stunned the world. Against the wishes of trainer Rocky Balboa, Apollo's son Adonis Johnson accepts a challenge from Drago's son -- another dangerous fighter. Under guidance from Rocky, Adonis trains for the showdown of his life -- a date with destiny that soon becomes his obsession. Now, Johnson and Balboa must confront their shared legacy as the past comes back to haunt each man.

Director: Steven Caple Jr.

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad

Release Date: November 21, 2018

Genres: Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality

Runtime: 2h 10 min

Review:

Creed 2 is a well acted and directed sequel that delivers what people expect from the Rocky films even though there’s a strict adherence to the tired and true tropes and beats.  Steven Caple Jr. does solid work stepping in for Ryan Coogler who brought the franchise back to life.  Caple Jr. gives his film enough artful touches to give it a distinctive feel which makes some of the more predictable moments easier to sit through.  The biggest thing this sequel has going for it is its cast lead by the incredibly charismatic Michael B. Jordan.  Jordan’s profile has risen quiet a bit since the first film came out and it’s well earned.  He feels much more comfortable in the roles and explores other aspects of the character’s psyche.  Tessa Thompson is just as comfortable this go around which leaves us with an incredibly watchable on screen couple.  The heart and soul of these films is still Sylvester Stallone this remains true here even though his role is limited.  Bringing back one of Rocky’s most iconic adversaries could have been a major misstep but luckily it’s handled nicely.  It’s an interesting turn that expands on what was, and still is, a cartoonish type of character.  Some of the Drago story threads still come off as a bit silly but the story really does an impressive job of adding some interesting depth to Drago.  Creed 2 isn’t quiet as impressive as Creed but it more than holds its own in the Rocky ring.

B