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...

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+