MOVIE REVIEW: DEADPOOL 2

Wisecracking mercenary Deadpool joins forces with three mutants -- Bedlam, Shatterstar and Domino -- to protect a boy from the all-powerful Cable.

Director: David Leitch

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy

Release Date: May 18, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy 

R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material

Runtime: 1h 59min 

Review:

Deadpool 2 is the type of sequel that improves on the original while never losing the spirit of the first film.  The meta humor is bad and stronger than the first go around even if a handful of jokes fall flat, particularly in the first act.  Once it gets going though, the film has an undeniable energy and pace.  David Leitch does fine work, picking up seamlessly from Tim Miller works in the first film, directing the sequel.  It’s never a particularly showy film but some of the set pieces are incredibly impressive and funny at the same time.  Ryan Reynolds, of course, makes the whole thing go without him and his charisma this ship wouldn’t sail.  Reynolds and Deadpool are so intertwined it hard to tell where one starts and one ends.  He’s clearly having the time of his life in these films and we get to enjoy the fruits of his labors.  

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Bad Samaritan

Dearest Blog: Today it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the thriller Bad Samaritan.

 

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

 

A petty thief gets more than he bargained for when he breaks into the house of a deranged millionaire.

 

Well, dear reader(s), there's no sugar-coating it: Bad Samaritan might be the worst movie I've ever seen. I actively hated it from the first scene, and I'm pretty sure I haven't checked the time as much since my friends and I made the poorly-informed decision to see Swimfan a decade and a half ago. While the movie manages to maintain a fair bit of suspense--resulting in a decent jump scare or two--it doesn't have much else going for it. David Tennant is terrific as a full-on sleazeball, the kind of d-bag who wears sunglasses in the rain, even when he’s not trying to conceal his identity. While it's true he probably hasn't been this menacing since Secret Smile, it's hard to be terrified when everything else about the film is so ridiculous. Robert Sheehan also manages to be better than the material, and, if we're being honest (shallow, but honest) I'll admit that a couple hours of his beautiful face was enough to keep me from walking out, though I was sorely tempted at times. That's where the good news ends. Bad Samaritan has the most god-awful dialogue in recent memory (remember, The Hurricane Heist qualifies as recent memory), wholly predictable twists, and a weirdly-melodramatic score that kinda dwarfs the rest of it. I think the filmmakers were aiming for disturbing, but what they got instead was gross, even though the movie isn't really graphic by today's standards. If you'd have told me I could be this bored watching one of my all-time favorite actors, I'd have called you a liar, but I'd have been mistaken. Sadly mistaken.

 

Bad Samaritan clocks in at 111 minutes and is rated R for "violence, language throughout, some drug use, and brief nudity."

 

Friends, I'll never be one to steer you away from the cinema, but if you're heading out to the movies this weekend, maybe spend your bucks on something other than Bad Samaritan. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bad Samaritan gets one.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: TULLY

Marlo, a mother of three, is gifted a night nanny by her brother. Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully.

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Ron Livingston

Release Date: May 4, 2018

Genres: Comedy, Drama 

Rated R for language and some sexuality/nudity

Runtime: 1h 36min 

Review:


Tully, the third collaboration between Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody, is an impressive thoughtful and raw look at motherhood.  Reitman and Cody have found their muse in Charlize Theron, the trio shined in the thoroughly unappreciated 2011 film Young Adult, who once again proves she’s one of the strongest actresses in film business.  Theron gained 50 pounds for the part to truly capture the character but it’s more than a physical transformation.  Theron has an ability to bring rawness to her character.  There’s a strong theme of melancholy throughout the film even as it moves from touching to outright funny.  Mackenzie Davis is more than capable of holding her own with Theron as the titular Tully.  Reitman and company carefully lead you down one path before the film takes an unexpected turn in the final act which totally changes the complexion of the film and story.  It’s a master stroke of direction and story telling that gives the film an emotional punch that it would have lacked if the story had played it safe.  Tully is a rare film that truly captures something real and relatable to most mothers, a real gift.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: AVENGERS INFINITY WAR

Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet -- the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt

Release Date: April 27, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and some crude references.

Runtime: 2h 29min
 

Avengers Infinity War is the culmination of a massive and unprecedented shared universe.  The biggest question is does this huge ensemble of A list actors work, the answer is mostly.  Infinity War is an intensely busy film that carries multiple story lines throughout the film.  Most directors would easily get lost but Anthony and Joe Russo have steadily been prepping for this moment.  They expertly juggle everything while avoiding most of the pitfalls that could easily pop up and don’t make it a chore to watch.  The film has a strong verve to it mainly due to the collection of characters which have such wonderful charisma.  The interplay between all these characters makes the whole thing chug along.  Familiarity helps since we’ve been exposed to these characters in the past, so even if a particular role is small in this film, we’re invested.  The actors and actresses are all on their game, so it’s fun to watch all these top level talents appear onscreen like some sort of cinematic red carpet.  The biggest surprise though is Thanos, the CGI super villain voiced by Josh Brolin, who has far more depth than expected.  It’s a strong cog to the entire film which delivers epic action and iconic moments.  There is only a tad bit of fatigue that starts to set in before the final act starts.  It’s not surprising with so much happening and the finale is a somber closer but it’s hard not to see the set up for the next installment.  So while the film delivers real deaths, some of them do seem like they’ll be reversed as soon as the next film starts.  

B+