Minions & Monsters

When "Minions" was released back in 2015, who really knew of the popularity it would've become? Think about it: characters that don't speak English, or any language come to think of it, is created to be humorous with a definite premise, and succeed. It sounds preposterous, but this is why this franchise has succeeded. 

This is the rambunctious, ridiculous and totally true story of how the Minions (voiced by Pierre Coffin) conquered Hollywood in the 1920s, became movie stars, lost everything, and unleashed monsters onto the world and they banded together to try and save the planet from the mayhem they had just created through a mischievous green monster, Goomi (voiced by Trey Parker) in order to obtain monsters for their film. The studio doesn't know what to do with them, namely a director, Max (voiced by Christoph Waltz), so as things start to go awry, the Minions attempt to stop it, but not with much success.

 Others to round out the cast are Allison Janney as tour guide Olivia, Jesse Eisenberg as Dort, Zoey Deutch as Debbie, Jeff Bridges as Frank and Elwood, Bobby Moynihan as Phillips, Phil LaMarr as Howard and George Lucas as himself. 

This was whimsically directed by Pierre Coffin ("Despicable Me" '10, "Despicable Me 2" '13, "Minions" '15, "Despicable Me 3" '17) plus TV and shorts. Clearly this filmmaker knows his craft when it comes to animation, however, it would be interesting to see what he could do with a live-action project. He has solely worked with Illumination Studios since they produced both Minions and Despicable, so surely he is comfortable with them. This was interestingly written by Pierre Coffin (TV, shorts and a video) and Brian Lynch (Big Helium Dog" '99, "Hop" '11, "Puss in Boots" (story) '11, "Minions" '15, "The Secret Life of Pets" '16, "The Secret Life of Pets 2" '19, "Minions: The Rise of Gru" (story) '22) plus videos and a short. Interesting that Pierre received top billing here, but since he directed and played the voices of most of the Minions, it shouldn't be a total surprise. Clearly Lynch is the talented writer here--just watch "The Secret Life of Pets" and you'll see what I mean, and he probably should've written this solely, but, again, it's Coffin's baby. Because of its short running time--an hour and a half, there was clearly more plot than the running time could hold. So, with that, the story became a bit confusing. Is it a wash? No, of course not, there were many funny areas that made up for a lot. It was cute, funny and something kids will love, however it did get a bit bogged down with too much plot. Of course, Illumination Studios that created the animation along with many others films was a delight

Again, this is a great summer flick that families with kids will undoubtedly enjoy, but if you're looking for a tight script, this may not totally fill the bill. The animation by Illumination is exquisite and if you like an up close and personal feel, it is presented in IMAX and 3D. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: PG                                           90mins.

             

Young Washington

In this summer film season, I cannot think of any other film to review, if one is looking for patriotism, that that of "Young Washington", especially this being July 4th. This, being a film to celebrate the 250th birthday of this great country, is one that will be or should be seen in schools to showcase the beginnings of the United States of America so as not to forget where we came from.

The year is 1755. Before he was the father of a Nation, he was a soldier fighting to survive. A single misstep thrusts young George Washington (William Franklyn Miller) into the center of a global conflict, testing his honor, loyalty and courage. As alliances crumble and the frontier erupts into war, he must confront not only his enemies but the man he's becoming. So, with his fellows soldiers including Christopher Gist (Leo Hanna), Joseph Jumonville (Clement Toyon), Tucker Bowman (Nicholas Antoniou) and others, he forges ahead with brute force and determination to see our country not fail. This is the untold story of Young Washington.

Others to round out the cast are Mia Rodgers as Sally Cary, John Foss as Lawrence Washington, George's brother, Kelsey Grammer as Lord Fairfax, Andy Serkis as General Braddock, Ben Kingsley as Robert Dinwiddie, Michael Benz as Thomas Gage, Jonno Davies as James McKay, Will Joseph as Young George, Ryan Begay as Half-King Tanacharison and Montana Hodgkinson as Chief Red Hawk.

This was directed with grit, integrity and insightfulness by Jon Erwin ("The Cross and the Towers" '06, "Alumni" (TV movie) '09, "October Baby" '11, "Fully Alive" '12, "Mom's Night Out" (as The Erwin Brothers) '14, "Woodlawn" '15, "Steve McQueen: American Icon" ((co-directed) '17, "I Can Only Imagine" '18, "I Still Believe" '20, "American Underdog" (as The Erwin Brothers) '21, "The Jesus Music" '21, "Jesus Revolution" '23) plus TV, videos and a music video. This was brilliantly well structured, sequenced and staged with perfection. Of course, with this filmmaker having the extensive resume that he has, Erwin was able to delineate the different aspects of this soldier in his earlier years. It was equally penned well by writers Jon Erwin, Tom Provost and Diederik Hoogstraten. This was well thought out and was definitely concise. Obviously Erwin has the lion's share of the experience here, however the other writers certainly were strategic with their respective input. The writing simply kept me riveted and some aspects of the film I either didn't remember or really did not know. 

One thing that England didn't understand back in the mid 1700s was that they were servants of the people, not the other way around--sound familiar today? This is a country for the people, by the people--not the government. This country can learn from this film, lest we lose our freedoms one by one. This film should be shown in schools including colleges, and recommend this highly!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: PG-13                                      121mins.

Lucky Strike

When "The Outpost" was released back in 2020 which starred Scott Eastwood and was directed by Rod Lurie as this film, "Lucky Strike" was also directed by Lurie and starred Eastwood, I thought this would be a movie worthy to see since "The Outpost" was gripping, and I was surely correct. 

Inspired by true events, "Lucky Strike" tells the story of one soldier, Col. John Castle (Scott Eastwood) trapped behind enemy lines during the last major German offensive during WWII, what will become known as The Battle of the Bulge. Armed only with his Motorola SCR-300 radio, a new technology only battle-ready near the end of the war, he must use his wits and spy craft to thwart the advancing Nazi Panzer army and find his way home. 

Others to round out the cast are Colin Hanks as Col. Neale, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Rose Caldwell, Taylor John Smith as Sgt. Bellingham, Kwane Patterson as Maren, Jonathan Yunger as Cash, Scott Alda Coffey as Averil, Jariko Denman as Top, Jake Lowe as Murphy, Alexandra Vale as Rebecca Castle, Alfie Stewart as Miller and Atanas Srebrev as Gen. Lauer. 

This was incredibly well directed with grit, suspense and pathos by Rod Davis Lurie ("Deterrence" '99, "The Contender" 2000, "The Last Castle" '01, "Resurrecting the Champ" '07, "I'm Paige Wilson" (TV movie) '07, "Speechless" (TV movie) '08, "Nothing But the Truth" '08, "Straw Dogs" '11, "The Surgeon General" (TV movie) '13, "Killing Reagan" (TV movie) '16, "Monsters of God" (TV movie) '17, "The Outpost" '20, "The Senior" '23) plus TV and shorts. Even though this filmmaker delves into many different subject matter, his comfort zone is obviously drama (whether intense or light). His sequencing is effective as is his staging. It was cleverly written by Rod Davis Lurie ("Deterrence" '99, "The Contender" 2000, "Capital City" (TV movie) '04, "I'm Paige Wilson"  (TV movie) '07, "Nothing But the Truth" '08, "Straw Dogs" '11, "Monsters of God" (TV movie) '17) plus TV and shorts, and Marc Frydman ("Black Butterfly" '17, "Last Seen Alive" '22). This, like other films, starts as a flashback with John Castle taking a soldier's mom, Rose Caldwell back to that time during The Battle of the Bulge and all that occurred between him and others and what was a grueling story. Obviously you knew Castle survives, hence he's telling the story, but this film wasn't about whether Castle makes it alive as much as how did he survive? This was written with pathos and passion, and the film was cohesive and concise in its conveyance. These writers will surely receive more work. 

If you are a war aficionado, or more to the point, a WWII history buff, this will hit a home run. We are becoming a society of forgetting our history, and films as these only reemphasize the importance of never forgetting our history lest we repeat it, as in the realm of wars, famines, diseases, etc. For this, the film is worthy of viewing, and the performance by Eastwood and direction by Lurie was exemplary.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: R                                          103mins.

Supergirl

With "Masters of the Universe" in the rear view mirror and with Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" releasing in July, we are in the midst of the summer film season, especially with this film as a follow up of "Superman" a year ago aptly titled "Supergirl", afterall, this is the season for sequels, prequels, reboots, remakes, franchises, etc.

When an unexpected and ruthless adversary, Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl, (Milly Alcock) reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion, Ruthye (Eve Ridley) on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice. With the assistance of an unlikely lethal bounty hunter, Lobo (Jason Momoa), these heroes fight and gun their way to extract the vengeance they need to in order to right a horrible wrong. 

Others to round out the cast are David Krumholtz as Zor-El, Kara's father, Paul Hunter as Wormhole bus driver, Emily Beecham Alura Zor-El, Kara's mother, David Corenswet as Superman, Keeley Forsyth as the Healer and Diarmaid Murtagh as Drom Baxton.

This was effortlessly directed with grit, humor and intensity by Craig Gillespie ("Mr. Woodcock" '07, "Lars and the Real Girl" '07, "Fright Night" '11, "Trooper" (TV movie) '13, "Million Dollar Arm" '14, "The Finest Hours" '16, "I, Tonya" '17, "Cruella" '21, "Dumb Money" '23) plus TV, shorts, videos and music videos. I have great respect for this director since he is, what I call, a chameleon--he will take any project as long as he feels it suits his idea of art and entertaining, and this film is no exception. His staging and pacing are solid and his ability to work well with a huge filming crew is amazing. It is effectively written by Ana Nogueira ("We Win" (short) '18). After viewing this film, I wondered if the writer had any extensive experience, and now I realize she doesn't.  But, considering her lack of feature film work, this was definitely better that I realized. It was choppy because of some inconsistencies in script, mostly in the first part of the film, but after about half the film, it progressively became meatier and more cohesive in its story. This wasn't a wash, but this writer clearly needs more work which she will get through one film, "Teen Titans" in pre production, and two others afterward. One of the films is an untitled DC Studios film which she is writing at this point. It looks as though DC is grooming her and hopefully their bets on her will profit. Of course, the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were seamless, but that's to be expected before entering the theater. And the stunts by Rob Inch were superb!

Certainly if you're into 'comic book films', this will be a perfect fit, but if not, this might be something to pass. The visuals, stunts, and some of the characters, specifically Jason Momoa as Lobo were great. And Crypto, the dog was wonderful, and we know now how Crypto came about after seeing him in "Superman" '25. It is in an IMAX format if you do like a huge effect.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                       Rated: PG-13                                       108mins.

The Death of Robin Hood

One of the most portrayed and known forms of old English folklore has been that of Robin Hood. There has been produced a plethora of books, stories, films, TV and even plays about this pivotal English character. Whereas the other translations have always been the good Robin Hood steals from the rich and gives it to the poor, has been rewritten as Hood being murderous in this next story of the titular character in "The Death of Rood Hood".

This is a revisionist thriller starring Hugh Jackman as an aged, weary and grim murderous Robin Hood who, after being gravely wounded after a battle that he assumed he wouldn't survive, takes refuge in a priory and is nursed back to health by Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer). The film deconstructs the legend, portraying Robin as a violent outlaw seeking redemption as he confronts his past deeds, with the priory community challenging his brutal identity. It's a dark, slow-burn take on the myth, inspired by the 17th-century ballad Robin Hood's Death.

Others to round out the cast are Bill Skarsgard as Edward, Katie Breen as Marharet, Noah Jupe as Arthur, Jade Croot as Wainwright, Richie Wilson as Godwyn senior, Murray Bartlett as the Leper and Alfie Lawless as Hendrie. 

This was directed with such intensity, suspense and grit by Michael Sarnoski ("Pig" '21, "A Quiet Place: Day One" '24) plus TV and shorts. This was set in the year 1247 Ireland and if this was any indication of how life was back then, it must have been grueling on a good day. This filmmaker gave his audience the feeling of this time and place like it was a living hell on earth, through his sequencing, and his use of the angel shots taken by cinematographer Pat Scola asc. The darkness of the photography added to that foreboding approach. He doesn't have a ton of feature film experience, but will undoubtedly receive more work. It was also effectively written by Michael Sarnoski (" Pig" '21, "A Quiet Place: Day One" '24) plus TV and shorts. Where Sarnoski excelled with the directing, the writing needed a bit more polish. First of all, there were a few places of inconsistencies and secondly, it was a bit long-in-the-tooth. For a film that spanned a two-hour running time, it actually could've been cut about ten minutes less and not lose any impact this film was striving to convey. Was this a wash? Certainly not. Not to spoil the ending, however this does end bittersweetly which was penned with such pathos and compassion.

Surely, if you like the Robin Hood legend, this will be intriguing since it flips the reputation of Hood upside down. The acting by both Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer were powerful and gripping and their chemistry was believable and strong. Just a little warning--this is rated R for a reason since the violence is a bit excessive.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: R                                         122mins.

Toy Story 5

When "Toy Story" was released back in 1995, being Pixar Animation Studios' first feature film and the first animated film computer generated, who knew it would become the franchise it has become? For years, Pixar's record for making well written and produced films was unprecedented financially and for quality until a few years ago when they started going woke and was evident in their films. So, because of the public out cry, they soon realized that to continue with profiting, they dropped the wokism and we now have "Toy Story 5".

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 5", and this time it's Toy meets Tech. Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilipad (Greta Lee), a brand new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie (Scarlett Spears). Will playtime ever be the same? The gang needs help, so with the assistance of Smarty Pants (Conan O'Brien), Snappy (Shelby Rabara), and others, it's a calculated adventure to sway Bonnie back to playing with toys as opposed to staring at a computer screen. 

Others to round out the cast are Mykal-Michelle Harris as Blaze, Lori Alan as Bonnie's mom, Jay Hernandez as Bonnie's dad, Bonnie Hunt as Dolly, Tony Hale as Forky, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Ernie Hudson as Combat Carl, Craig Robinson as Atlas, Jeff Bergman as Mr. Potato Head, Blake Clark as Slinky Dog, Annie Potts as Bo Peep and Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom. 

This was brilliantly directed with heart and grit by veteran to Pixar Andrew Stanton ("A Bug's Life" (co-director) '98, "Finding Nemo" '03, "WALL-E" '08, "John Carter" '12, "Finding Dory" '16, "In the Blink of an Eye" '26) plus TV and shorts. During the short time that Pixar lost its bearings during their woke period, Pixar attempted to have different directors and writers for their projects, with Pete Docter, Stanton, Lee Ulnkrich and others to produce , but that obviously failed. These guys aren't producers, they're artists, So, here we are with Stanton back and also co-wrote this as well. The public knows what they like, and with this, it will surely profit. The sequencing, pacing and staging were consummate.It was also co-directed by McKenna Harris who has done some other work of Pixar's, and definitely had pivotal input for this. It was equally written well by Andrew Stanton ("Toy Story" '95, "A Bug's Life" '98, "Toy Story 2" '99, "Monsters, Inc." '01, "Finding Nemo" '03, "WALL-E" '08, "Toy Story 3" '10, "John Carter" '12, "Finding Dory" '16, "Toy Story 4" '19) plus TV, shorts, videos and video games, and McKenna Harris (2 shorts), based on a story by Andrew Stanton. This was an ingenious progression in that one of the issues kids are having today is their addiction to technology at an even earlier age than even five years ago. So, it's a battle between the toys and computers to fight for kids' attention. Brilliant! And Stanton pulls it off effortlessly as with his other scripts. Certainly Harris has pivotal input here, by it's undoubtedly Stanton, having the lion's share of the experience here, who's showcasing what he does best at Pixar. The continuity and cohesiveness were remarkable, and he definitely knows what people like, and he also carries a great message with his stories--not only can kids go back to their toys, but in the process, toys and tech can actually work together. 

If you like the other 'Toy Story' flicks, you'll love this! It has warmth, heart, adventure, humor, and grit all rolled up in a well delineated story that will have you cheering by film's end. If you like a different version than standard, it's also presented in a 3D and IMAX format as well. I've said it before and I'll say it again: how do those guys at Pixar do it?

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                                 Rated: PG                                          102mins.

The Breadwinner

When I was viewing my first trailer of "The Breadwinner", after about 20 seconds, I was thinking of the film, "Mr. Mom" 1983 with Michel Keaton and Teri Garr. Now, while the reason of mom going back into the workforce differs, the fact that the dad is totally incompetent is both films rings true. Certainly if you liked "Mr. Mom", you'll like this.

Starring comedian Nate Bargatze as salesman Nate Wilcox and Mandy Moore as his wife, Katie. To Nate and their three children, Gracie (Stella Grace Fitzgerald), Hadley (Birdie Borria) and  Sam (Charlotte Ann Tucker), Katie is the ultimate mom--she manages their comically chaotic household with equal parts efficiency and love, and everything runs perfectly. But when Katie's household invention leads to a once-in-a-lifetime deal on Shark Tank and takes her on a prolonged business trip, Nate has to figure out how to keep the house from (literally) falling apart. He and his kids soon learn that while he may not do it like mom, he can figure out how to do it his way. Welcome to the dad era. 

Others to round out the cast are Colin Jost as Conor Ashford, Zach Cherry as Dan, Nate's boss, Martin Herlihy as Peter, Kumail Nanjiani as Peyton, Will Forte as Keegan, Brett Cullen as Walter Wilcox, Nate's dad, Kate Berlant as Angela Ashford and Lori Grenier as herself from Shark Tank.

This was effectively directed with humor and compassion by Eric Appel ("Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" '22, "Die Hart" '23) plus TV, TV movies, shorts and videos. This fillmmaker may not have an extensive array of feature films to his credits, but his extensive list of TV, shorts and videos has certainly served him well. His ability to stage and pace is amazing and the sequencing in this is dissected well. It is penned well by Nate Bargatze (TV) and Dan Lagana ("Right Hand Guy" (TV movie) '16, "The Babysitter: Killer Queen" '20, "Christmas with the Campbells" '22, "Musica" '24) plus TV. While "Mr. Mom" was written in a way that the jokes were funny and heartfelt, this film seemed to convey the jokes in a somewhat forced way, along with the fact that some of these jokes were as humorous as with "Mr.Mom". Even though Bargatze has a fair amount of TV experience, being a standup comic isn't quite the same as leading the cast in a film. Was it a wash? Of course not. It had a number of funny moments, especially when they were on the show Shark Tank. Obviously these sharks were given lines so as to basically play themselves, so it was like a parody of themselves and that was quite funny. I'm not sure if John Hughes, writer of "Mr. Mon" would've approved of this film, but this was a nice attempt of a classic film. 

As aforementioned, if you like "Mr.Mom", you will certainly find this appealing. It would've been more effective to have someone similar to Michael Keaton in it, but Nate Bargatze definitely gave it the best he could. All in all, it was a nice way to spend an hour and three-quarters just to have a funny laugh, and we could all use that right about now. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                           Rated: PG                                       109mins.