Why is it that Hollywood is so fascinated with franchises? Could it be that through the decades of filmmaking, franchise films have generated so much revenue that they just can't resist the allure of staying on that gravy train-- you know, the goose that lays the golden egg? "Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation" is, of course, the next installment of the Mission Impossible franchise and I don't see this franchise ending any time soon, and this is basically number five behind "Mission: Impossible" '96, "Mission: Impossible II" 2000, "Mission: Impossible III" '06, and Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol" '11.
The IMF being forced to disband, compliments of CIA director, Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin), Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is out in the cold, and the team, Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) now face off against a network of highly skilled special agents called the Syndicate headed up by Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). These highly trained operatives are hellbent on creating a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Ethan gathers his team and joins forces with disavowed British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) who may or may not be a member of this rogue nation-- a sort of anti-IMF entity, as the group faces their most impossible mission yet.
Others to round out the cast are Simon McBurney as Atlee, Jingchu Zhang as Lauren, Tom Hollander as England's Prime Minister and Jens Hulten as Janik Vinter, henchman of Lane's.
This was directed with surprising accuracy and amazing grit by director, Christopher McQuarrie ("The Way of the Gun" 2000, "Jack Reacher" '12). I say surprisingly because considering the limited experience in features films, this guy was a natural--very comfortable in that director's chair. McQuarrie has far more writing experience, but has decided to work from a different angle and it suits him well. It was very well written by McQuarrie ("The Usual Suspects" '95, "The Way of the Gun" 2000, "Valkyrie" '08, "The Tourist" '10, "Jack Reacher" '12, "Jack the Giant Slayer" '13, "Edge of Tomorrow" '14), based on a story by McQuarrie and Drew Pearce, which is based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller. Certainly McQuarrie is in familiar waters with this film, but since he writes these types of films so well, it 's more than forgiving. I can appreciate an artist going 'out on a limb' creatively, but this film had the writer it truly needed--'if it ain't broke, why fix it' mentality. Considering this is the fifth installment of the franchise, it's probably the best one to date. It's fast-paced, riveting, has a minimal amount of pivotal characters to keep one focused, all written in a very entertaining way. Simon Pegg as Benji practically stole the show in this. And the visual effects predominantly created by Double Negative were absolutely seamless, and worked well with the plot at hand.
Presented in a Dolby Atmos format, this film has got to be seen on the big screen, because to see this on anything substandard to this format will lose so much in the translation. Besides, this is a great popcorn flick that one can revel in when you hit the multiplex.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 131mins.
Summer movie season is usually fraught with high adrenaline, big-budget, explosive types of films. We've seen several this summer already: "Jurassic World", "Terminator Genisys", "Ant-Man", Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Tomorrowland", and we haven't seen the end of these films, which is why we have in the offing "Pixels".
As kids in the 1980's, Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), Will Cooper (Kevin James), Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad) and Eddie "The Fire Blaster" Plant (Peter Dinkage) saved the world thousands of times--at 25 cents a game in the video arcades. Now, they're going to have to do it for real. In this story, when intergalactic aliens discover video feeds of classic arcade games and misinterpret it as a declaration of war, they retaliate and attack Earth using the video games as the models for their assaults. And now, U.S. President Cooper must call on his old-school arcade buddies to save the world from being destroyed by PAC-MAN, Donkey Kong, Centipede and Space Invaders. Joining them is Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), a specialist supplying the arcades with unique weapons to fight the aliens.
Others to round out the cast are Matt Lintz as Matty, Violet's son, Brian Cox as Admiral Porter, Sean Bean as Cpl. Hill (SAS officer), Jane Krakowski as First Lady Jane Cooper, Dan Aykroyd as 1982 Championship MC and Affion Crockett as Sgt. Dylan Cohan.
This was deftly done and rapid-paced in its staging by director Chris Columbus ("Adventures in Babysitting" '87, "Heartbreak Hotel" '88, "Home Alone" '90, "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" '92, "Mrs. Doubtfire" '93, "Stepmom" '98, "Bicentennial Man" '99, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" '01, "Rent" '05, "I Love You, Beth Cooper" '09, "Applebaum" (TV movie) '12). He works well with preposterous premises and characters, so when this project came his way, he was a natural. It was written by Tim Herlihy and Timothy Dowling based on a screen story by Herlihy which is based on a short film by Patrick Jean. As a fantastical storyline, this certainly has potential of an interesting plot, but the writing was haphazard in its delineation. Typically Sandler is involved with the writing process of his films, so they have a tendency to be mediocre at best, but with this film, he did not involve himself with the writing, which actually made it better. But, com'on, Sandler's production company, Happy Madison Productions was one of the producing companies as was he one of the producers, so one has to conclude that he influenced how this script was going to unfold. It definitely follows the same pattern as the films Sandler writes. As far as the visual effects are concerned, SPI (Sony Pictures Imageworks) and Digital Domain, who created the brunt of the visuals, were seamless, but one has to know this before you walk into the theater.
If you want to see a typical summer flick, with all the trimmings--craziness, high adrenaline, big-budget all in a nifty 3D format, this is the film for you. But if you're looking for more storyline, acting and writing, you might want to skip this, because you'll get lost in all the silliness. Break out the popcorn!
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 106mins.
Of all the sport films produced in Hollywood, and there have been aplenty made, it's interesting of the amount of boxing films that have come along, especially considering that this sport isn't one of the favorite sports of a lot of people compared to other sports. "Rocky" '76, "Raging Bull" '80, "The Boxer" '97,"The Hurricane" '99 and others prove that this is seemingly a popular sport to write about. So it should be no surprise to see "Southpaw" in our midst.
This tells the riveting story of Billy "The Great" Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal), reigning Junior Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World. Billy Hope seemingly has it all with an impressive career, a beautiful and loving wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams), an adorable daughter Leila (Oona Laurence) and a lavish lifestyle. When his wife gets tragically killed, his lifelong manager and friend Jordan Mains (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson) leaves him behind and Billy loses his daughter to Child Protective Services, Hope hits rock bottom and turns to an unlikely savior at a run-down local gym: Tick "Tuck" Wills (Forest Whitaker), a retired fighter and trainer to the city's toughest amateur boxers. With his future riding on Tick's guidance and tenacity, Billy enters the hardest battle of his life as he struggles with redemption and to win back the trust of those he loves.
Others to round out the cast are Skylan Brooks as Hoppy, Naomie Harris as Angela Rivera, agent from CPS, Victor Ortiz as Ramone, Beau Knapp as Jon Jon, Miguel Gomez as Miguel "Magic" Escobar, Dominic Colon as Mikey, Jose Caraballo as Eli Frost, Malcolm M. Hays as Gabe, Patsy Meck as Judge Kayle, Rita Ora as Maria Escobar and Aaron Quattrocchi as Keith ":Buzzsaw" Brady.
This was directed with power and a ton of grit by the incomparable Antoine Fuqua ("The Replacement Killers" '98, "Bait" 2000, "Training Day" '01, "Tears of the Sun" '03, "Lightning in a Bottle" (Documentary) '04, "King Arthur" '04, "Murder Book" (TV movie), '05, "Shooter" '07, "Brooklyn's Finest" '09, "Olympus Has Fallen" '13, "The Equalizer" '14, "Exit Strategy" (TV movie) '15). As aforementioned, grit is this director's middle name. One needs only to look at his resume to see this pattern and viola!, there it is. I feel if the storyline is extremely intense, grit is going to cause that story to stand out above the rest and Fuqua succeeds in this in spades. It is well written by Kurt Sutter (Different TV series). Considering this guy is a virtual newbie to theatrical films, this plot not only soared, but was easily able to hold your attention for its entire 123 minute running time. It looks to be that writer Richard Wenk ("16 Blocks" '06, "The Mechanic" '11, "The Expendables 2" '12, "The Equalizer" '14) consulted with Sutter on the writing of this, so assuredly that aspect aided Sutter in this screenplay. But even with the help, Sutter still had to put this script together and for a writer with the limited experience in features films as Sutter has, this is still quite the feat. I haven't seen seasoned writers write as well as this.
Anyway, if you like intensity, grit and fine acting (Gyllenhaal could be looking at an Oscar nod), this film will keep you on that proverbial edge of your seat. This has grit, love, fear, redemption and humility as you see this torn down man transform in subtle, but in most effective ways.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 123mins.
Romantic comedies are, by and large, ordinary, predictable and usually not very funny, whereas most romantic dramas are certainly more original, more thought out and a little more real. So, if one had to choose between the two different romantic types of film, the dramatic side would be your better bet. Case in point with "Paper Towns"-- a romantic drama that is thought-provoking, clever, entertaining and even bittersweet, which makes it more real.
This is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin Jacobsen (Nat Wolff) and his enigmatic neighbor Margo Spiegelman (Cara Delevingne), who loved mysteries, so much she became one. After taking Quentin on an all-night adventure through their hometown Orlando, Margo suddenly disappears-- leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends, Ben (Austin Abrams), Radar (Justice Smith) and Lacey (Halston Sage) on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship-- and true love.
Others to round out the cast are Jaz Sinclair as Angela, Radar's girlfriend, Cara Buono as Mrs. Jacobsen, Quentin's mom, Meg Crosbie as Ruthie, Margo's younger sister, Griffin Freeman as Jase, Margo's ex-boyfriend, Caitlin Carver as Becca, RJ Shearer as Chuck, Susan Macke Miller as Mrs. Spiegelman, Margo's mom, Tom Hillman as Mr. Spiegelman, Margo's dad, Josiah Cerio as Young Quentin and Hannah Alligood as Young Margo.
Remarkably, this was crafted with subtlety by relative newcomer Jake Schreier ("Robot & Frank" '12). Seasoned directors do not typically direct with such delineation as this guy. These characters were rich with their approach as well as with the pacing. It was written by two writers whom have been down this road before. In other words, this film had that quirkiness, bittersweetness and subtlety as with their other productions. The two writers in question are Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ("(500) Days of Summer" '09, "The Pink Panther 2" '09, "The Spectacular Now" '13, "The Fault in Our Stars" '14). Wow! What a resume. As with their other films soaring as they did, this too, did the same. This had their names written all over the screenplay. Even though there is a good deal in which to give out kudos, there were a few places that appeared to look as though the actors were wondering what to do next. It was subtle, but noticeable. This could have to do with the directing, however it appeared to be an issue with the writing. Hey, these guys are great writers--I love their work, but maybe this was just an off day. Not sure. I will still see anything they write, because good writers in Hollywood is a rare breed. No Joke! This was based on the book by John Green and basically referred to Paper Towns as not real places, but places put on maps created to protect against copyright infringement, and this was exactly the way Margo was.
Hey, when a film can capture one's attention without having A-list actors, from minute one to last, that speaks volumes in my book. If you liked "The Fault in Our Stars" last year, you will love this. The two leads in this were amazing with a ton of chemistry, even though they were completely opposite. What a great way to spend a quiet day at the multiplex. Enjoy.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 109mins.
When I think I can trust a romantic comedy to give me some substance in plot, into the film it soon let's me down in spades. It's not that rom-coms don't have potential to obtain strong, sustaining scripts with incredibly funny storylines, but seemingly they are executed with shallow, predictable plots that one could practically mouth the words to. So why did I give "Trainwreck" a chance? Perhaps because I thought with the likes of Tilda Swinton in it and even Bill Hader being there, it might, just might be a bit different.
Since she was a little girl, it's been drilled into Amy's head by her irresponsible dad, Gordon (Colin Quinn) that monogamy isn't realistic. Now a magazine writer, Amy (Amy Schumer) lives by that credo-- enjoying what she feels is an uninhibited life free from stifling, boring romantic commitment-- but in actuality, she's in a deep rut. When she finds herself starting to fall for the subject of the new article she's writing, a charming and successful sports doctor named Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), Amy starts to wonder if other grown-ups, including this guy who really seems to like her, might be on to something. Even her younger sister, Kim (Brie Larson) tries to push her into the direction of a committed relationship, because Amy's plight is that obvious. But when she works for a fluffy, shallow magazine and the people she works with such as Nikki (Vanessa Bayer) and her boss, Dianna (Tilda Swinton) are so shallow and non-committing themselves, her rut becomes that much more noticeable.
Others to round out the cast are John Cena as Steven, one of Amy's boyfriends, Randall Park as Bryson, Ezra Miller as Donald, the magazine's intern, Jon Glaser as Schultz, Dave Attell as Noam, Mike Birbiglia as Tom, Kim's husband, Evan Brinkman as Allister, Tom's son, LeBron James as Himself, Dan Soder as Dumpster Guy and Norman Lloyd as Norman.
This was adequately directed by Judd Apatow ("North Hollywood" (TV movie) '01, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" '05, "Knocked Up" '07, "Funny People" '09, "This is 40" '12). There really isn't anything memorable about how these actors related to one another, but executed properly by Apatow. Besides this being a rom-com, I get the attempt by writer, Amy Schumer (several TV series work) to give us somewhat of a unique story here: a very screwed up single woman hired to interview a sports doctor when she knows nothing about sports and this doctor turns out to be a nice, regular guy, but this is where the uniqueness starts and ends. For one thing, this film did not have to have a 125 minute running time to get how messed up this young woman is--this was hammered for too long and took up way too much time and effort, which made this story drag far too much. Secondly,the last half hour of this is the best part, but is this where the end justifies the means? In other words, does the great ending justify the anguish of what one would have to go through to get to that end. I think not. Swinton as Amy's shallow, callous boss and Hader's nice, real type guy character were probably the highlights here. Schumer has raw talent as a screenwriter, but I can't help but think that maybe she should stick to TV a bit longer to hone the skill that's probably buried somewhere in her.
This was an admiral attempt at a promising rom-com storyline, but at the end of the day, it just needed more polish and less silliness to make us all laugh more. Because when we can laugh more, it makes our day to day lives that much more bearable. What can I say, but the title of the film says it all.
Out of 4 Stars: 1.5 Rated: R 125mins.
I have spoken often about franchise films, but when it comes to the most 'franchised' fictional character in film history, it has got to be Sherlock Holmes. We've have seen many incarnations of this character in our past: "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" '84, "Young Sherlock Holmes" '85, "Sherlock" '02, "Sherlock Holmes" '09, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" '11 and a plethora of others too numerous to list. So, what have we not seen when it comes to this most famous detective? An aging, retired life of him, of course, in the form of "Mr. Holmes".
This is a new twist on the world's most notorious detective. 1947. An aging Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellan) returns from a journey to Japan, where, in search of a rare plant with powerful restorative properties, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now, in his remote seaside farmhouse in a Sussex village, Holmes faces the end of his days tending to his bees, with only the company of his housekeeper, Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her young son, Roger (Milo Parker). Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits the circumstances of the unsolved case that forced him into retirement, and searches for answers to the mysteries of life and love... before it's too late.
Others to round out the cast are Hiroyuki Sanada as Tamiki Umezaki, Hattie Morahan as Ann Kelmot, Patrick Kennedy as Thomas Kelmot, Ann's husband, Roger Allam as Dr. Barrie, Phil Davis as Inspector Gilbert, Frances del la Tour as Madame Schirmer, Charles Maddox as Oswald, Takako Akashi as Maya Umezaki, Tamiki's wife and John Sessions as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's brother.
This was superbly and sublimely directed by the incomparable Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters" '98, "Kinsey" '04, "Dreamgirls" '06, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 1" '11, "Tilda" (TV movie) '11, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2" '12, "The Fifth Estate" '13). His staging and pacing in this, especially by McKellan and Linney was perfection; of course when one has two actors as these pros are, how could any director go wrong? It was solidly written by Jeffrey Hatcher based on the novel, "A Slight Trick of the Mind" by Mitch Cullin which is based on characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Mind you, Hatcher doesn't have a ton of experience under his belt, but with the TV and a couple of solid theatrical films completed, this guy has paid his dues. There were a couple of slow areas, and a couple of places of choppiness, but all in all, he exceled well with this particular storyline of the aged Holmes, and with this he will undoubtedly receive more work his way. As stated above, what can I say about both McKellan and Linney, except that their performances were first rate. McKellan certainly may be looking at a nod come Oscar time. The nuances of this aged, sickly, retired detective, showing signs of forgetfulness, but at times sharp as a tack was not only real, but was convincingly portrayed by McKellan. I was in awe of his performance.
Considering this is a English period film, those of you who revel with these types of films, will be in film heaven. If the storyline seems a bit slow, the acting will more than compensate as you watch this. Good direction and excellent acting is given here for those who enjoy the study of filmmaking.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG 104mins.
Break out the popcorn, because the summer flicks are rollin'. Films during the summer are specifically designed for that 18-24 year-old single male demographic which is to turn many of the season's flicks into high adrenaline, high explosive, big budget fare with gunfire and a few babes thrown in for good measure. Why cater to this demographic at this time you ask? Hey, these guys are out of school and are bored so let's woo them in the multiplexes with the aforementioned types of films which these guys will love and Hollywood will make a ton of money off of. To add to that ever flowing list of films these guys will love is the anticipated "Ant-Man".
The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man". Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threat, namely Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym, Lang and Pym's daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with Scott's buddies, Luis (Michael Pena), Kurt (David Dastmalchian) and Dave (Tip T.I. Harris) must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Others to round out the cast are Bobby Cannavale as Jim Paxton, Judy Greer as Maggie Lang, Scott's ex-wife, Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie Lang, Scott's daughter, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Wood Harris as Gale, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, John Slattery as Howard Stark, Martin Donovan as Mitchell Carson and Garrett Morris as Cab Driver.
As I said above, these types of films are what we come to the multiplex to see considering the time of year at hand. This was truly effectively directed by Peyton Reed ("The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" (TV movie) '95, "The Love Bug" (TV movie) '97, "Bring It On" 2000, "Bad Haircut" (TV movie) '01, "Down With Love" '03, "The Break-Up" '06, "Yes Man" '08, "Gregory Brothers" (TV movie) '11, "To My Future Assistant" (TV movie) '13). Even though this guy is certainly used to directing to a commercially minded audience, a good deal of his experience has not been like this production. This was directed effortlessly, or appeared so, that he will certainly tackle the next installment as will get more work in general. It was written by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and Paul Rudd based on a story by Wright and Cornish which is based on Marvel's comic book by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. OK, a lot of hands went into this script which, normally is a film's no-no, but somehow these guys were able to actually pull this off. No, this is, by no means, perfect, however it gave the audience the background that was needed to resonate with this guy who gets pushed in the proverbial corner and has to come out helping out Pym, because, otherwise there's too much at stake here. This was quite the roller coaster ride if for no other reason than because of the visual effects predominantly supplied by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and Double Negative. They were, as you would expect, seamless.
If you have been waiting to see this, go see it. Rudd's deadpan dry humor really fits this character, and Douglas' Pym is precisely as one would expect given the character. It's got to be seen on the large for obvious reasons, so with the grandiose of the production along with the nifty 3D format, you'll be breaking out popcorn. Can you say "Ant-Man 2" anyone?
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 117mins.
Sci-fi and fantasy genres combined in films can and are intriguing, especially when they are presented in a way that, obviously not possible, but within the explanation, it can still sound plausible. In the case of "Self/less", we are offered a consciousness of one person to be transferred into another. In 1979, we saw this concept in "Heaven Can Wait", and interesting comedy whereas a football player was taken too early, so since his body was cremated, he had to go back into some other dead body. It's not overly original, but can be effective.
In this provocative psychological science fiction thriller, an extremely wealthy business magnate, Damian (Ben Kingsley) dying of cancer, undergoes a radical medical transformative procedure that transforms his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man (Ryan Reynolds). But all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body's origin and the secret organization led up by Dr. Albright (Matthew Goode), that will kill anyone in its way to protect its cause. Will young Damian be able to rectify in his mind the owning of this new body considering in what way it came his way? And will he be successful in exposing this secret organizations motives of how they obtain its bodies?
Others to round out the cast are Natalie Martinez as Madeline, Victor Garber as Martin, Derek Luke as Anton, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen as Anna, Melora Hardin as Judy, Michelle Dockery as Claire, Sam Page as Carl, Brendan McCarthy as Anton 2, Thomas Francis Murphy as Dr. Jensen, Sandra Ellis Lafferty as Phyllis Jensen, Emily Tremaine as Mallory, Griff Furst as EMT #1 and Cedric Palmisano as EMT #2.
This was directed with grit and adrenaline by Tarsem Singh ("The Cell" 2000, "The Fall" '06, "Immortals", '11, "Mirror Mirror" '12). He was amazingly able to achieve the same characteristics of similar personas when it came to the Kingsley and Reynolds roles, even though these are two entirely different individuals. It was effectively written by David Pastor and Alex Pastor ("Carriers" '09, "The Last Days" '13, "Out of the Dark" '14). Although there were a couple of places in script that were a bit confusing, especially nearing the end of the film, this storyline still was able to draw you into its clutches and keep you there, especially when the reason comes to fruition of how young Damian was to achieve his new body. Humankind seizes to amaze me, because even if this concept was plausible, I could see the corporate world jumping on this to make a ton of money no matter the lack of ethics or scruples. These writers really were able to showcase how corrupt the corporate world can be and is at times.
If you like a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat, all the while enjoying solid performances by Kingsley and Reynolds in particular, with an intriguing storyline and an underlying message to learn from, this is the film for you.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 117mins.
The summer has been a roller coaster ride when it comes to, what I like to call, summer fare films. I'm not sure why, considering it IS summer, but perhaps Hollywood is just trying to play all fields and attempting to please everyone. We've seen big-budget fare--"Jurassic World" and "Terminator Genisys", also small independent films--"Me, Earl and the Dying Girl", comedies--"Spy" and "Ted 2", even inspirational films--"Faith of Our Fathers", so it should not be of any surprise that we now have "Minions" in our midst.
The story of the Minions (voiced by Pierre Coffin) begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters--from a T. Rex to Napoleon--the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he--alongside teen-age rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob--ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that, through the Nelson family, Walter (Michael Keaton), Madge (Allison Janney), Tina (Katy Mixon) and Walter Jr. (Michael Beattie), ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock) and her husband, Herb (Jon Hamm). This is 1968, so Scarlet is the world's first supervillianess ever. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 60's New York City, ending in modern London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind... from annihilation.
Others to round out the cast are Steve Coogan as Professor Flux, Jennifer Saunders as The Queen, Geoffrey Rush as Narrator, Steve Carell as Young Gru and Dave Rosenbaum as Fabrice.
This was directed with wit and clarity by Pierre Coffin (""Despicable Me" '10, "Despicable Me 2" '13) and Kyle Balda ("The Lorax" (story) '12 as co-dir.) plus many shorts. Coffin certainly is the one here with more of the directing experience, but considering both actually have limited experience as opposed to other directors, this filmed shined. These characters had just the right emotion just at the most strategic places to make this soar. it was written by Brian Lynch ("Big Helium Dog" '99, "Hop" '11, "Puss in Boots" (story) '11). Really, other than a couple of very small places on a lack of continuity in script, this storyline simply soared. And with only one writer to pen this, definitely showcases his ability to handle a project all on his own. With only three films to his writing credits, Lynch WILL assuredly receive more work, and I can't wait to see his next one. What is amazing is that these Minions do not speak--at least not English, and yet their expressions and physicality moved us so much where it was funny, heartfelt and uproarious without a declarable word spoken by them--this is certainly the mark of a honed writer. As for the animation by Illumination Mac Guff ("The Lorax" '12, "Despicable Me 2" '13, "Puppy" '13), what can I say, but that it was seamlessly created and executed with style and finesse.
This is a film that has to seen by one and all--great story, visuals, animation, a nifty 3D format and Bullock as Scarlet was simply a hoot! This film scored on so many levels. But, as in franchise land, who knows, as long as this makes a ton of money, another Minions could come our way, and we won't be the worst for it.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 91mins.
What with all the films out there that are fraught with violence, sex, big-budget explosiveness, high adrenaline, many laced with a ton of four-letter words, it is refreshing to see an inspirational film that, not only tells a great story and has a meaningful message, but also has a tendency to keep us 'in check' in a humbling way. So for this offing, I give you "Faith of Our Fathers".
With the Vietnam War raging in 1969, two young fathers report for duty. A man of great faith, Steven George (Sean McGowan) and a doubtful cynic, Eddie Adams (Scott Whyte). A quarter century later in 1997, their sons, John Paul George and Wayne Adams (Kevin Downes and David A.R. White), meet as strangers. Guided by handwritten letters from their fathers from the battlefield, they embark on an unforgettable journey to The Wall--the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Along the way, in spite of the two son's inability to connect, they end up discovering the devastation of war cannot break the love a father has for his son. It all culminates later when Mansfield (Stephen Baldwin), the two father's sergeant in the war, meets both sons to 'clinch the deal' in these two seeing how important relationships really are.
Others to round out the cast are Candace Cameron Bure as Cynthia, John's fiancé, Rebecca St. James as Annie, Ryan Doom as Pvt. Shears, Chriss Anglin as Arresting Officer, David O'Donnell as Cowboy Ted, Peggy Lord Chilton as Julia, Michael Daley as Pvt. Goldstein, Brian F. Durkin as Rocky, Billoah Greene as Vietnam Soldier, Alex Huynh as NVA Captain.
This was delineated well by director Carey Scott ("Hidden Secrets" '06) plus a ton of acting. Considering he has only one other film to his directing credit, this guy knew how much emotion he was to get his actors to exude to get the importance of the message across. I'm sure he'll receive more work. It was credibly written by Harold Uhl, Kevin Downes and David A.R. White based on a story by Scott. Other than the script cranking up a bit slow, it finally redeemed itself and once it got going, it was a non-stop 'road trip/buddy movie' to beat none. Interesting connection here in that between the two fathers, as mentioned before, one had great faith and the other did not, and between the two sons, the same scenario occurs. So through their reading of their father's letters, they start to connect, albeit slowly, but this starts happening in sometimes over-the-top ways or by subtle means. And the connection here is as we connect with our fathers, it will get us to that place of connecting with God. The storyline can and does get a bit sentimental, but as the plot develops, this becomes apparently forgiving, because if we just put ourselves in the place of one of these fathers or sons, we can and probably would become as sentimental.
In the midst of all the summer hoopla with guns, bombs, sex, high adrenaline and violence in our multiplexes, it is reassuring that Hollywood hasn't forgotten about those out there that want to see something they can learn from all in a nifty story to sit back and get into.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 105mins.
It's summer, and it's time for franchiseland! You know, the place where one film, back in the day, makes a truck load of money, and seemingly every other year a new installment of the franchise is born in hopes that it will make even more money than its predecessor. The list of different franchises is actually too long to mention, but suffice it to say that this form of filmmaking isn't going anywhere as long as they keep that gravy train rolling. Toot! Toot! When I saw my first poster of "Terminator Genisys", I figured that this franchise had finally died, since that the last installment was longer ago than most wait. But, no, they had to make yet another one.
When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance in 2029, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, including Cop/T-1000 (Byung-hun Lee) and an unexpected new mission: to reset the future by launching a massive final offensive against Skynet (makers of the machines) in Los Angeles. First of all, can they achieve such an undertaking, and secondly, will it even do any good toward the end that they are planning to achieve?
Others to round out the cast are J.K. Simmons as O'Brien, Dayo Okeniyi as Danny Dyson, Matthew Smith as Alex, Courtney B. Vance as Miles Dyson, Michael Gladis as Lt. Matias and Sandrine Holt as Detective Cheung.
Can you believe this franchise has been around around since 1984 with the original "Terminator"? Then there was "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" '91, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" '03 and "Terminator Salvation" '09. This particular installment was directed effectively by Alan Taylor ("Palookaville" '95, "Kill the Poor" '03, "1%" (TV Movie) '08, "The Wonderful Maladys" (TV Movie) '10, "Thor: The Dark World" '13) plus a ton of episodic TV. This one certainly had that same feel as James Cameron's original in 1984, and feels like these characters were so familiar even though all the roles were played by different actors, with, of course, the exception of Schwarzenegger. It was written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier based on characters created by Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd. This is basically where the problem is with this. Even though these guys have a fair amount of writing experience, especially Kalogridis, this script simply had areas that seem to meander a bit too much and once they delved into the concept of a fractured timeline, the story got a bit convoluted in places. Certainly when one is taking an idea of time travel, the time paradoxes can run amok, but when you double that with a fractured timeline--a skewed past, if you will, it just can get even more bogged down. The ending was finally made clear, however the journey in getting there was exhausting. Does the end justify the means? In this case, I'd say not. Of course, the visual effects predominantly by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Double Negative and MPC (Moving Picture Company) were seamless, but that's obvious before entering the theater.
And for all you Terminator freaks out there, if you really get into this installment, but you don't want the fun to end, who knows, T6 could be right around the corner. If you see this, you gotta see it on the big screen, or it will lose everything on a DVD or Netflix with it looming large and in a nifty 3D format. Break out the popcorn!
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 126mins.
While I concluded that "Magic Mike" was nothing more than a skin flick disguised as a commercial film before I saw the film, I had to conclude that, with all objectivity, it was much deeper than I would have ever realized, considering we're talking about "Magic Mike". So, even after watching the trailer of "Magic Mike XXL", I felt that if the original film had grit and a deeper message to convey, I determined this installment would be the same. Wow! Was I proved wrong.
Three years after Mike Lane aka Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game to start his own furniture design business, he and the remaining Kings of Tampa, Ken (Matt Bomer), Richie (Joe Manganiello), Tarzan (Kevin Nash) and Tito (Adam Rodriguez), first considering to throw in the towel, ultimately decide to hit the road in a food catering truck owned by Tobias (Gabriel Iglesias), and head to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow-out performance
On the road to their final show, with whistle stops in Jacksonville and Savannah, they renew old acquaintances namely Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith) and meet new friends namely Nancy Davidson (Andie MacDowell) and her daughter, Zoe (Amber Heard). Mike and the guys end up learning some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.
Others to round out the cast are Elizabeth Banks as Paris, Donald Glover as Andre, Michael Strahan as Augustus, Carrie Ann Hunt as Megan Davidson, Nancy's other daughter, Mary Kraft as Jessica and Lindsey Moser as Mini Mart Cashier.
As I was viewing this film, I soon came to the conclusion that this film had no intention of showing any kind of message that we can learn from at all, unlike its predecessor. I suppose that writer, Reid Carolin ("Earth Made of Glass" (Documentary) '10, "Magic Mike" '12) felt that his message in the original was all that was needed, so in this installment, the assumption was to pull out all the stops and just show us what these guys do best and that is in their dancing while showing us their well-built bodies, and that's it, because this is about all we get in this. The plot was unoriginal and old as dirt, and its predictability was evident. It was directed by Gregory Jacobs ("Criminal" '04, "Wind Chill" '07), and even though it was adequate in its staging and pacing, it certainly wasn't anything memorable. What was memorable was the dancing, specifically by Tatum and the overall choreography by Alison Faulk. The one scene with Tatum and Strahan was pure genius in its synchronized choreography. This is where this film exceled. So if one is expecting to see any substantial storyline in this, you will be let down. This is basically a skin flick version of American Idol on the road.
If you're looking for any substance in plot, overlook the fact that there is none, however if all you want out of this is incredible dancing and choreography, this film will fit the bill. I'm not quite sure why another "Magic Mike" was made unless it was to just make more money, but if this is the reason, assuming this makes money, I'm sure we'll see a "Magic Mike XXXL" in our not too distant future. Good or bad idea--you be the judge.
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: R 115mins.
Why is it that Hollywood is so fascinated with franchises? Could it be that through the decades of filmmaking, franchise films have generated so much revenue that they just can't resist the allure of staying on that gravy train-- you know, the goose that lays the golden egg? "Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation" is, of course, the next installment of the Mission Impossible franchise and I don't see this franchise ending any time soon, and this is basically number five behind "Mission: Impossible" '96, "Mission: Impossible II" 2000, "Mission: Impossible III" '06, and Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol" '11.
