MOVIE REVIEW: AQUAMAN

Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, the city of Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people -- and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Aquaman, Orm's half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from royal counselor Vulko, Aquaman must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and embrace his destiny as protector of the deep.

Director: James Wan

Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman

Release Date: December 14, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language

Runtime: 2h 23 min

Review:

Aquaman is one of those properties that could have gone off the rails fairly easily much like Marvel’s Thor.  The best thing DC did was nail the casting much like they did with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.  Jason Momoa has great screen presence and he never takes himself overly serious.  He’s had a trial run with him making an impressive debut in Justice League and he proves that he’s more than capable of carrying his own film here.  The combination of James Wan and Jason Momoa make for an incredibly fun film which has a massive scope but it never loses its focus even as it becomes more and more ridiculous.  Wan does a healthy bit of world building delivering some incredibly impressive visual set pieces and action sequences.  After a bit of a slow start the film revs up and never let’s down, its energy is palpable through out even at nearly two in half hours.  The supporting cast rounds out the film with Amber Heard leaving the biggest impression with Nichole Kidman coming in a strong second.  It’s a testament to how well crafted the film is that you can overlook a few missteps like a bland villain, Black Manta would have worked better as the primary baddie, and some formulaic story beats.  Even so Aquaman is a superhero film that’s sure to please nearly everyone especially long suffering DC fans.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: SPIDERMAN INTO THE SPIDERVERSE

Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.

Director: Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., Rodney Rothman

Cast: Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna 

Lauren Velez, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, Liev Schreiber

Rated PG for frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild 

language

Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure

Runtime: 1h 57min

Review:

Spiderman into the Spiderverse is one of those animated films that is instantly striking due to it’s visual style and energy.  The visual style is so striking that it takes a little while to adjust to it in action.  Once you settle into it it’s a cornucopia of visual delights.  The character designs and lush backgrounds make for a beautifully vivid film.  Thankfully the story is just as strong as the visual.  The story is a fun superhero tome filled with great messages for kids and adults alike.  The voice cast all fit their characters perfectly with Shameik Moore and Jake Johnson sharing great chemistry.  Hailee Steinfeld as a SpiderGwen has spinoff written all over it but it’s not nearly as fun as John Mulany as Spider Ham and Nicholas Cage as Spiderman Noir.  Ultimately, Spiderman into the Spiderverse is a fun film which offers a fresh version of animation which makes it pop.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MULE

Broke, alone and facing foreclosure on his business, Earl Stone takes a job as a drug courier for a Mexican cartel. His immediate success leads to easy money and a larger shipment that soon draws the attention of hard-charging DEA agent Colin Bates. When Earl's past mistakes start to weigh heavily on his conscience, he must decide whether to right those wrongs before law enforcement and cartel thugs catch up to him.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest, Andy García

Release Date: December 14, 2018

Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Rated R for language throughout and brief sexuality/nudity

Runtime: 1h 56 min

Review:

The Mule is surprisingly funny, occasionally reflective entry into Clint Eastwood’s resume.  Eastwood’s film is impressive for its measured approach at making an unlikable character incredibly likeable.  Eastwood can be credited for this since he’s the star and director.  His performance is heavy on grandpa-ism which makes Earl Stone easy to like.  There are a few odd moments in the film where you get the feeling that Eastwood is trying to say something about race but he never really commits to that thread.  As a self reflective film, you get the sense that this subject matter hits close to home for him.  So much so that he beats you over the head with the “family is what matters” message.  Still the film offers a bevy of strong performances from Eastwood and his supporting cast even if the story itself is a bit simplistic.  

B-

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...