MOVIE REVIEW: COMING 2 AMERICA

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York - where it all began.

Director: Craig Brewer

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, Teyana Taylor, Wesley Snipes, James Earl Jones

Release Date: December 18, 2020

Genre: Comedy

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language and drug content

Runtime: 1 h 50 min

Review:

Coming 2 America feels like many of recent unnecessary sequels to beloved classics in that it offers fun bits of nostalgia but never reaches the level of the original.  Craig Brewer’s film fits some familiar beats which will leave fans of the original happy but some maybe surprised to find that much of the film takes place in Zamunda and the story’s mainly focused on Jermaine Fowler’s character.  The story flips the script of the original by making the Folwer the outsider; it’s a decent if uninspired take.  Folwer is capable enough but he’s hardly on the same comedic talent level of Eddie Murphy or Arsenio Hall.  The latter do have plenty of chances to shine and they make great use of their screen time in revisiting their classic characters.  The supporting cast is filled with familiar faces with Wesley Snipes clearly having a ball playing General Izzi.  Ultimately, Coming 2 America is a fun little bit of comedic comfort food even if it’ll never touch the originals quality. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: CHAOS WALKING

 

In Prentisstown, Todd has been brought up to believe that the Spackle released a germ that killed all the women and unleashed Noise on the remaining men. After discovering a patch of silence out in the swamp, his surrogate parents immediately tell him that he has to run, leaving him with only a map of New World, a message, and many unanswered questions. He soon discovers the source of the silence: a girl, named Viola.

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland, Mads Mikkelsen, Demián Bichir, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Jonas, David Oyelowo

Release Date: March 5, 2021

Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi 

Rated PG-13 for violence and language 

Runtime: 1 h 49 min

Review:

Chaos Walking is a prime example of an enjoyable film that still feels like a missed opportunity.  Doug Liman's troubled production, originally filmed in 2017 and pushed back multiple times, is a visually appealing hybrid of a couple of genres.  There's the standard dystopian base mixed with a western, paired with some lovely pacific northwestern vistas which gives the film a distinctive look.  Linman tries his best to keep you from noticing the clichés that make up the skeleton of the plot while using some impressive effects to visualizes the film's primary conceit, the noise.  The "thoughts" are visualized as personalized auras or projections occasionally which keeps the proceedings from lagging even in slower moments.  The cast does the best they can with the script which seems interested in larger themes like sexual politics and zealotry but never delves into any of them with any serious depth.  Daisy Ridley's female character is the kicking off point of the entire story but her character feels painfully underwritten, as such she's relegating to reacting to situations and not much else.  Tom Holland's character fares better mainly due to his general boyish likeability which works so well for as Spiderman.  Holland's interactions with Ridley are the lifeblood of the film and makes markedly more watchable than it deserves to be.  Sadly, there is a bevy of a excellent actors who are short changed by the script.  Mads Mikkelsen can play passive aggressive villainy in his sleep but the film doesn't really give him much to do outside of looking at people menacingly.  Faring even worse are Demián Bichir, Cynthia Erivo, & David Oyelowo whose character seem much more nuanced and interesting than the script allows them to be.  Ultimately, Chaos Walking is a forgettable miss that could have been so much more.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: TOM AND JERRY

 

A legendary rivalry reemerges when Jerry moves into New York City's finest hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century, forcing the desperate event planner to hire Tom to get rid of him. As mayhem ensues, the escalating cat-and-mouse battle soon threatens to destroy her career, the wedding, and possibly the hotel itself.

Director: Tim Story

Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña, Colin Jost, Rob Delaney, and Ken Jeong, Nicky Jam, Bobby Cannavale,  Lil Rel Howery, William Hanna, Mel Blanc, June Foray, Frank Welker

Release Date: February 26, 2021

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Rated PG for cartoon violence, rude humor and brief language

Runtime: 1 h 41 min

Review:

Tom and Jerry is very much a throwback on multiple levels.  The titular pair are some of the most iconic characters in the history of animation with this being the second outing on the big screen.  It’s not the mess that the 1992 film but still scattershot and uneven for its runtime.  The live action hybrid works fairly well even though there are multiple times that you can tell the cast is reacting to air or placeholders.  Its still a very impressive feat on a technical level and the animations looks wonderfully fluid.  It’s hard to watch this without getting some Who Framed Roger Rabbit vibes in spots with a more family friendly approach.  The story and direction are harmlessly broad for the most part but there are bits of edge, some of which works well while others fall flat.  Tom and Jerry mostly stay true to their classic iterations which is a win for people who remember the classic shorts.  The human cast is solid if bland with Chloë Grace Moretz carrying the larger portion of the film, Moretz is a talented actress but her delivery here feels a little wooden and uninspired.  Her character never really connects as a fully formed entity but just a vessel to move the story along.  Michael Peña likewise doesn’t feel as naturalistic as he usually does which leads me to be believe that there might be a disconnect between the live actors and their animated counter parts.  As such, we are left with an overlong film that works in spots but lulls in others.  Tim Story’s film would have benefited from trimming but overall it’s a solid mindless family film that’ll keep most kids entertained. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: NOMADLAND

 

A woman embarks on a journey through the American West after losing everything during the recession.

Director: Chloé Zhao

Cast: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie, Bob Wells

Release Date: February 19, 2021

Genre: Drama

Rated R for some full nudity.

Runtime: 1 h 48 min

Review:

Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland is a dreamlike portrait of grief and self realization.  Her film is methodically paced travelogue through the country through the eyes of a forgotten population.  At the center of the entire film is Frances McDormand who delivers an understated multilayered performance that anchors the film.  McDormand’s ability to channel an authentic everywoman is on par with Tom Hanks.  It’s a talent that fits this role perfectly and she delivers one of the most authentic and grounded performances of her career.  She emotes an immense amount of emotional information with gestures or looks with the script keeping dialogue at a minimum.  The supporting cast is a mixture of non actors and familiar character actors like David Strathairn.  Strathairn is equally understated as the love interest in the thickest story thread in the film.  McDormand’s work with non actors Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells feels improvised giving portions of the film an almost documentary feel.  The story introspective journey is deeply personal but universal at the same time which gives the film its emotional impact.

A

Cindy Prascik's Review of Judas and the Black Messiah

 

My dear reader(s), the long Presidents' Day weekend provided me an opportunity to catch up with what's sure to be one of 2021's best and most important movies: Judas and the Black Messiah.

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

The FBI pressgangs a small-time criminal into infiltrating the Black Panthers.

Judas and the Black Messiah is an explosive story propelled by powerhouse performances. LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya will garner the bulk of the glory - and rightly so - but in truth the whole cast is magnificent. Viewers may well know the outcome of this tale due to its being based on actual events, but the movie does an excellent job of sustaining tension and never feels less than edge-of-your-seat. The curse of ongiong racial injustice makes Judas and the Black Messiah a difficult watch, but a necessary one.

Judas and the Black Messiah clocks in at 126 minutes and is rated R for "violence and pervasive language."

Judas and the Black Messiah sets a high bar for films in 2021. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Judas and the Black Messiah gets eight.

Judas and the Black Messiah is now playing in cinemas and streaming on HBO Max.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: MUSIC

Zu is newly sober when she receives news that she is to become the sole guardian of her half-sister named Music, a young girl on the autism spectrum. The film explores two of Sia's favourite themes finding your voice and creating family.

Director: Sia

Cast: Kate Hudson, Maddie Ziegler, Leslie Odom Jr., Héctor Elizondo, Ben Schwartz, Beto Calvillo

Release Date: February 10, 2021

Genre: Drama, Musical

Rated PG-13 for thematic content, drug material, brief violence and strong language

Runtime: 1 h 47 min

Review:

Sia’s directorial debut has garnered a massive amount of press before its release mainly for all the wrong reasons.  Sia’s intentions and heart seem to be in the right place but the finished product falls into a strange hybrid of a visual album and an autistic melodrama.  The musical numbers are very much on brand with Sia’s previous works and performances.  They are candy colored fantasy’s that pop right off the screen with booming vocals that’s sure to please fans of the singer.  The drama portion is anchored by strong performances from Kate Hudson and Leslie Odom Jr. who elevate the script which feels like a relic from the past.  It unapologetically pulls on every heartstring possible which makes film’s like 1985’s Mask or 1976’s The Boy in the Bubble seem subtle by comparison.  Maddie Ziegler casting as the titular Music has caused the biggest uproar since she’s a neurotypical actress playing an autistic character.  The issue is ultimately a bigger issue that needs to be addressed but in terms of this film, Ziegler’s performance is decidedly broad and overstated.  Music is ultimately the type of vanity project that’s probably suffered from being created in a bubble which resulted in tunnel vision to its detriment.

C