There are comedies and there are comedies. They come in all different packages, whether it be powder dry, whacky, physical, action or inane or silly comedies. If I would have to label "Keanu" in any of these categories, I would have to call it an action comedy. The action part of it only improved it, otherwise it probably would've fallen into the inane or silly category, not that there wasn't some silliness in it.
Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) and Rell (Jordan Peele) are two cousins who live in the city but are far from streetwise. Rell becomes attached to an adorable kitten which he calls Keanu, while dealing with a painful breakup. But when he returns home one night with Clarence, he is devastated to learn that his house had been burglarized and his feline friend was missing. In order to find and bring back Keanu, the nerdy duo must plot a plan to impersonate ruthless killers so as to infiltrate a violent street gang headed up by Cheddar (Method Man) and includes Hi-C (Tiffany Hadish), Trunk (Darrell Britt-Gibson), Bud (Jason Mitchell) and Stitches (Jamar Malachi Neighbors). Clarence and Rell eventually get in way over their heads the harder they try to fit into the gang as 'one of them', so retrieving Keanu becomes more and more impossible.
Others to round out the cast are Luis Guzman as Bacon, Will Forte as Hulka, Nia Long as Hannah, Clarence's wife and Rob Huebel as Spencer, a friend of Hannah's.
This was adequately directed by Peter Atencio ("The Rig" '10) plus a good deal of TV and shorts. I believe there is potential in this filmmaker given him more work--he's certainly been cutting his directing chops on enough TV. He's still a bit jerky and too stagy, but as the old adage goes, "practice makes perfect". It was written by Jordan Peele and Alex Rubens. After seeing too many comedies where the lead actor also is involved with the writing, I'm concluding that they should really stick to acting and let the writers do their job. Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and others should all act in their films and not write. This film as with other comedies written by actors are simply not funny. The premise may be intriguing, but the execution is sloppy, contrived, depending on more 4-letter words, sexual innuendos, and frat falls. There were some scenes in this that looked like the actors were wondering what to say next. Jordan Peele need's to clearly stick to acting. Both he and Keegan-Michael Key were funny and had great chemistry, but with a better contrived script, these two would've come across even funnier.
If one is looking for an extremely funny script, keep looking, because this isn't the one that will fit the bill. It has funny moments, but the key word here is moment. The one that actually steals the show is Keanu. He is so adorable just plain cute to look at.
Out of 4 Stars: 1.5 Rated: R 98mins.
The vast majority of films based on true stories typically carry a dramatic flair, especially any that may cover an historical political figure. So when "Elvis & Nixon" came along, seeing that it was a comedy, albeit a dry comedy, but a comedy nonetheless, I had to see it in order to understand that yes, something in history can be humorous.
On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock 'n Roll, Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey). This chronicles the untold true story forever immortalized in the most requested iconic photograph in the National Archives.
The meeting, coordinated by lifelong friend and personal assistant, Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer) and White House Advisor, Bud Krogh (Colin Hanks), is one that almost didn't happen, but with a little motivation between both parties, it did happen. During the meeting many things were discussed including Elvis' request to offer his services as an undercover agent in the war on drugs. We learn several things about each of these iconic figures in the course of their conversation whereas they seemingly had more in common than one might think before watching this film.
Others to round out the cast are Johnny Knoxville as Sonny, friend of Elvis', Evan Peters as Chapin, Sky Ferreira as Charlotte, Tracy Letts as John Finlator, head of the DEA, Tate Donovan as Haldeman, Ashley Benson as Margaret, Ticket Agent, Ahna O'Reilly as Mary Anne Peterson, Kamal Angelo Bolden as Mac and Ian Koch as Donald.
This was directed quite well by Liza Johnson ("Fernweh--The Opposite of Homesick" 2000, "Return" '11, "Hateship Loveship" '13). Certainly this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of work under her belt, however the work she's done is quirky in nature and definitely in the independent world. I believe this production actually needed someone in that director's chair who knows how to bring out the subtle nuances one would be looking for given this project, and Johnson did this in spades. It was refreshingly written well by Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal and Cary Elwes. What I found astounding was that two out of the three writers here have never written a screenplay--Hanala Sagal is the only one who has, and this was written better than some seasoned screenwriters out there. This wasn't without some pitfalls-- some choppiness, a little slow in places, but considering the lack of experience in the writing field here, I feel this story gave a lot more than one would expect. What can I say about the two actors? Michael Shannon ("Revolutionary Road", "99 Homes", "Midnight Special") was superb as Elvis and Kevin Spacey ("American Beauty", "The Usual Suspects", "K-PAX") was brilliant as Nixon. These two brought out the obvious and the subtleties of their respective characters.
If you like true stories, and more to the point, a true story rich in character development, this is definitely the film for you. Their meeting wasn't as 'earth-shattering' as was the portrayals by these two fine actors--this is more why you're in the theater. But there are other sides to these two men that one hasn't read historically that might peak one's interest while viewing this. film.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 86mins.
When I see films that surround the very notion of a character having to blend into a foreign culture and running into walls, I could sure empathize with these individuals. It's amazingly effortless to live in one's comfort zone when one is in their own environment, but put them 5,000 miles from where they typically reside and their world is turned upside down. Case in point with "A Hologram for the King" in which a losing salesman is sent to a far away place-- Saudi Arabia of all places to pitch a great idea amidst being a stranger in a strange land.
Cultures collide when an American businessman, Alan Clay (Tom Hanks) is sent to Saudi Arabia to close what he hopes will be the deal of a lifetime. Baffled by local customs and stymied by an opaque bureaucracy, he eventually finds his footing with the help of his wise- cracking driver, Yousef (Alexander Black). As he attempts to reach Karim Al-Amad (Khalid Laith) to consult with, to enable him to set up his presentation for the king, he constantly runs into many 'walls' in this process. As his stress continues to grow, a lipoma-- a fatty cyst, grows on his back, so much so that he is forced into seeking medical treatment. He ends up seeing a Saudi doctor, Zahara (Sarita Choudhury) and after a few appointments, starts to have feelings for her. Soon after, Alan feels his life unraveling if something doesn't start to happen to improve the situation at hand.
Others to round out the cast are Sidse Babett Knudsen as Hanne, Tracey Fairaway as Kit, Alan's daughter, Tom Skerritt as Ron, Alan's father, Ben Whishaw as Dave, Eric Meyers as Eric Randall, Alan's boss, Amira El Sayed as Maha, David Menkin as Brad, Christy Meyer as Cayley, Megan Maczko as Rachel and Jane Perry as Ruby.
This was interestingly directed by Tom Tykwer ("Winter Sleepers" '97, "Run Lola Run" '98, "The Princess and the Warrior" 2000, "Heaven" '02, "The International" '09, "Soul Boy" '10, "3" '10, "Cloud Atlas" '12). I say interestingly because his very resume dictates some films of a quirky nature which exudes an interesting storyline. His characters are typically rich in persona and are dry in nature. Tykwer also writes this story based on the novel by Dave Eggers and his characters are finely delineated. Even if you might not appreciate all Tykwer's stories, one has to respect the originality of the different premises. There were a couple of slow places in this, but not really enough to distract from the story at hand. Both Hanks and Black had an interesting chemistry which worked well, which was the mainstay of this story. Alan habitually woke up late, so he always had to have Yousef drive him to the convention hall, so they were able to bond well during this hour trip one way. What can I say about Hanks? This actor works his magic in every role he conveys which makes it a joy to just sit back and watch him do what he does best--his performance in this is mostly the reason you are viewing this.
The acting and directing in this is enough to see this, but throw in the interesting locales and you've got a nice film with an interesting premise in which to convey to us. With all the big-budget films out there and more coming soon with the summer season right around the corner, it's nice to see a small independent film that's both creative and entertaining.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 97mins.
More and more we have been fascinated with fantasy type films, so Hollywood keeps rafting them out in droves. Whether the fantasy film is based on a comic book, on has a medieval or fairy tale setting, these films are a great way to escape for a couple of hours. When "Snow White and the Huntsman" arrived in 2012, it attracted more moviegoers than was expected, so Hollywood had to continue this with releasing "The Huntsman: Winter's War".
This spin-off of "Snow White and the Huntsman" acts as both prequel and sequel to the original film, detailing the adventures of Eric the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) as he gets caught up in the rivalry between wicked queen sisters Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and Freya (Emily Blunt). During his quest, Eric is also endangered by his feelings for fellow warrior Sara (Jessica Chastain), since ice queen Freya has decreed that love is forbidden in her kingdom. Meanwhile, their mission?: to keep the mirror from getting in the hands of Ravenna which would then allow her to reign over all which would be the end of their respective kingdoms as they knew them.
Others to round out the cast are Nick Frost as Nion, Rob Brydon as Gryff, Sheridan Smith as Mrs. Bromwyn, Alexandra Roach as Doreena, Sope Dirisu as Tull, Sam Claflin as William and Sam Hazeldine as Leifr.
This was effectively directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan ("Carrot vs. Ninja" (short) '11). I think what helped this filmmaker pull off the direction of this was the fact that he was the Second Unit Director on the original film which gave him an upper hand of familiarity when it came to this--knowing the cast, the nuances of each character and the like. Assuming a third installment is produced, Troyan should excel even more with that production. It was written with much fluidity by Evan Spiliotopoulos and Craig Mazin which was based on characters created by Evan Daugherty. Whereas Spiliotopoulos has more experience with dramatic fictional characters, Mazin has the comedic experience that was needed to pull off the comic reliefs which there were a number of. I believe that this script excelled due to this duo of work, otherwise it probably would've been bogged down with choppiness and a lack of cohesiveness. Usually films of this genre aren't written very well, but with these two penning it, they found a combination of drama and comedy that worked well with this storyline. Certainly where this film also excelled was that of the costume design brilliantly designed by Colleen Atwood ("Snow White and the Huntsman") and the visual effects predominantly created by Double Negative and Digital Domain.
Certainly if you enjoyed the original film, you'll like this one even better in my opinion. The fact that the writers took us back to how the Huntsman became the Huntsman pre Snow White and the fact that Ravenna had a weaker sister was intriguing as it was entertaining. And isn't this what we like about going to the movies?
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 114mins.
Have I mentioned before that Hollywood has a fascination with espionage films? I thought so. I suppose what makes "Criminal" a bit different than the rest of its counterparts is the implausible premise in which this production is based. I don't mean this in a negative way, but to emphasize this is not your typical spy flick we've all come to love.
Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) is a CIA agent on a mission in Germany tracking down a shadowy hacker, Jan Stroop aka "The Dutchman" (Michael Pitt). When he gets mysteriously ambushed, tortured and killed, an experimental procedure invented by Dr. Franks (Tommy Lee Jones) and headed up by CIA agent Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman) is used to transfer his memories into a dangerous ex-convict Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner). When he wakes up with the CIA agent's memories, his mission is to find The Dutchman and eliminate him before the hacker launches ICBM's and starts World War III. But complications soon arise and the mission turns personal.
Others to round out the cast are Jordi Molla as Xavier Heimdahl, Gal Gadot as Jill Pope, Bill's wife, Amaury Nolasco as Esteban Ruiza, Alice Eve as Marta Lynch, Antje Traue as Elsa Mueller, Scott Adkins as Pete Greensleeves and Lara Decaro as Emma Pope, Bill and Jill's daughter.
This was intensely directed by Ariel Vromen ("Rx" '05, "Danika" '06, "The Iceman" '12). While this filmmaker doesn't have a ton of experience in that director's chair, he was able to pace and stage his actors with just the right amount of emotion, especially that of Costner-- someone coming from an extremely volatile world to slowly obtaining these memories of a guy with a family, and a guy who cared about others, while this convict has no remorse, no empathy, no feelings. Costner pulled this off well, and this has so much to do with the direction. It was effectively written by writing team, Douglas Cook and David Weisberg. These guys do have a fair amount of experience, however in writing this, it took an unreasonably long time to find itself, but then once it got going it simply soared. We won't see how these guys, as a team, will do next time around considering this was Douglas Cook's last film since he has paced away. There were a few areas of inconsistencies and slowness, but once it built up to that crucial part of the script, it showcased itself well. What actually saved this film was the performance by Costner. This guy must have gone through a reinvention of himself, because he has chosen many good meaty roles of recent past which has showcased his true potential. Another actor that has gone through a similar transformation is that of Matthew McConaughey. He too, went from making a string of stinkers to demanding more roles that can and has showcased what he can do. Sometimes actors need to reassess, and in the case of Costner, I think he's done just that. Kudos to him!
If you're in love with espionage films, surely you'll be right at home with this one. But with this having that needed implausible twist in transplanting memories from a deceased man to that of a living one in order to catch a potential terrorist, this makes it that much more fun. Yes, there's some choppiness and some slowness to this, but it does keep your attention to wonder what will happen next.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 113mins.
We've seen many films with many incarnations throughout the years-- Peter Pan, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, The Three Musketeers and others, but as we see these different incarnations play out, too many of them simply fall short the more the filmmakers continue to attempt to convince us otherwise. "The Jungle Book", first was a classic, then the animated '67 version, then the '94 version, all improved with each film they produced including this latest incarnation in the offing.
In this reimagining of the classic collection of stories by Rudyard Kipling, this film uses visually stunning CGI to create the community of animals surrounding Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a 'man-cub' adopted by a pack of wolves headed up by Akela (Giancarlo Esposito). The appearance of a villainous tiger named Shere Khan (Idris Elba) forces Mowgli's guardian, the panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), to shepherd the child to safety in the 'man village'. Along the way, the boy meets an affable, lazy bear named Baloo (Bill Murray), as well as a snake with hypnotic powers, Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) and an orangutan, King Louie (Christopher Walken) who wants to harness the power of fire or as the animal kingdom calls it 'red flower'. This story has Mowgli taking a journey of self-discovery and with many lessons to learn.
Others to round out the cast are Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha, Garry Shandling as Ikki and Brighton Rose as Gray.
This film was brilliantly directed by Jon Favreau ("Smog" (TV movie) '99, "Made" '01, "Elf" '03, "Zathura: A Space adventure" '05, "Iron Man" '08, "Iron Man 2" '10, "Cowboys & Aliens" '11, "Chef" '14). This version keeps all the action, adventure, emotional upheaval as with the over versions which kept it true to the stories. It was equally well written by Justin Marks based on the classic books by Rudyard Kipling. This has got to be the best written of all the other Jungle Book films in that this kept one's attention by blending all the action, adventure and self-discovery all rolled up with just the perfect amount of emotion to make it real, however not maudlin. This writer doesn't have a ton of experience, but he soon will since he's slated to write "Jungle Book 2" and "Top Gun 2" which have been announced. This will even allow him to be an even better writer if that's possible. I am a stickler when it comes to writing in films, but I have to say that this guy has quite the future in Hollywood. Favreau has been slated to direct "Jungle Book 2" as well. All's I can see is that this film was as incredibly well crafted as it was beautiful to look at, especially when the visual effects were predominantly created by Weta Digital, MPC (Moving Picture Company) and Digital Domain all with Robert Legato, asc as Visual Effects Supervisor.
The transformation from animated to live action was the best of any other film that has made the same transition.This film based on the beloved classic is a film to be seen by one and all, and if you are thinking of viewing this, please see it on the large screen preferably in a 3D format, otherwise it will lose every bit of impact on a TV screen. Kudos to all associated with this film, and I can't wait the next installment.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 105mins.
All comedies are not created equal. This is my new mantra. It's strange that when one watches a drama, one will probably get a similar response out of the film, however when one watches a comedy, the difference in two different comedies can be as diverse as apples and oranges. Such as "Hello, My Name Is Doris" is a totally different film than that of this new offing, "The Boss", even though both are comedies.
Hugely successful businesswoman Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) is a self-absorbed, greedy, seemingly non-redeemable individual who is convicted of insider trading and is sentenced to 4 months in prison. After being released, she is forced to move in with her long- suffering employee, Claire (Kristen Bell) who was her personal assistant. Darnell tries to earn redemption and revamp her public image by helping Claire's daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) and the rest of her friends in their quest to sell homemade brownies. Of, course, Michelle is not only wanting to help these girls, but in the process, it's a way to get back at her business rival, Renault (Peter Dinklage) in a no-holds-barred comedy of unbelievable proportions.
Others to round out the cast are Tyler Labine as Mike Beals, a co-worker/friend of Claire's, Kathy Bates as Ida Marquette, Cecily Strong as Dana Dandridge, Claire's boss, Kristen Schaal as Scout Leader Sandy, Annie Mumolo as Helen, Eva Peterson as Crystal and Mary Sohn as Jan Keller.
This was directed by actor Ben Falcone who also directed McCarthy in "Tammy" '14. Being McCarthy's spouse certainly makes it convenient for both individuals, so at the end of the day, they can go home together instead of being separate, especially when shooting can be out of state. He's a relative newbie in the directing chair, but since he is also an actor, this can be a huge assistance when directing. His "Life of the Party" is in pre-production and will be released in '17. It was written by Falcone, Steve Mallory and McCarthy. Again, McCarthy and Falcone will team up as they also did with "Tammy" with the writing of "Life of the Party"
in '17. It's certainly a family affair where they have all the comfort of bouncing their respective ideas off one another. Seriously, the premise of this was much better than the execution thereof. The jokes seemed forced some of the time and even though we know that Michelle must learn her lesson in going from being totally selfish to realizing there is more to life than being rich, McCarthy seems to play a similar character in this and her other films--take one name out and insert another name and viola! This was an admirable attempt in a real redemptive individual with all the dysfunction and pitfalls, but the transformation could've been a bit smoother. Trust me, I see definite potential of comic genius in McCarthy, but I'd love to see her in meatier roles that can really showcase what kind of comedienne she actually is. Her best performances are probably "Bridesmaids" '11 and "St. Vincent" '14, the latter being a role we've not seen by her--toned down. Last year's "Spy" was close at seeing the comic genius I was striving to see, but I'm still waiting.
Certainly if you like McCarthy's comedies, you'll obviously love this vehicle, but if you're like me and are waiting to see that comic genius we all know this comedienne processes, then I'm afraid we have a bit longer to wait.
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: R 99mins.
People handle grieving in many faceted ways, whereas it becomes a process all must go through when a loved one passes away. Hollywood has produced many films centering around this very premise, so when "Demolition" came along, it could be just another in the line of one grieving the loss of another. However,once you watch this film, it puts grieving at an altogether different level.
Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife, Julia (Heather Lind) in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law, Phil (Chris Cooper), to pull it all together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company, turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis' letters catch the attention of customer representative Karen (Naomi Watts), and amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew. What possibly could Davis have to do to get him through this particular grieving process?
Others to round out the cast are C.J. Wilson as Carl, Karen's boyfriend, Polly Draper as Margot, Davis' mother-in-law, Malachy Cleary as Davis' dad, Debra Monk as Davis' mom, Wass Stevens as Jimmy, Blaire Brooks as Amy, Ben Cole as Steven and Brendan Dooling as Todd.
This was intensely directed by Jean-Marc Vallee ("Liste noire" '95, "Los Locos" '97, "C.R.A.Z.Y." '05, "The Young Victoria" '09, "Café de Flore" '11, "Dallas Buyers Club" '13, "Wild" '14) plus TV. As with some other directors I've mentioned in other reviews, this filmmaker certainly has a very eclectic resume which I can certainly respect. While I can understand why other directors stick to what they do best, it is incredibly brave and gutsy to see other directors, as with this one, go out on that proverbial limb, especially when it turns out to be a success. The subtleness of the character of Davis transformed so slowly, but so effectively that it was amazing to see. Of course when an actor as consummate as Gyllenhaal is, no wonder Davis was able to show that slow transformation. It was written by Bryan Sipe ("A Million Miles" '01, "Alpha Mail" '07, "The Choice" '16) plus a short. This writer, considering there isn't a ton of experience under his belt, wrote an interesting script. He certainly has evolved with each screenplay he's created, not that this is Academy Award caliber, but I would be very interested to see what he writes in the future. This has a bit of choppiness in it, but all in all, he created a nice tight script that is certainly not like any other film dealing with the grieving process as this is.
This is a very good mixture of drama and comedy, albeit the comedy is subtle. Because when something like grieving is involved, some comedy relief is imperative for its audience to get through an otherwise grim process. It's not a film that was produced for a mass audience appeal, however if watching someone collapse and slowly rebuild their life back due to a loved one's death, this is the film for you.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 101mins.
'What if' films are intriguing because they have a tendency to allow the audience to think about what they would do given a similar situation. In other words, what if I did this, would that decision cause that to happen? Or, what would the ramifications be if my decision was this? Fill in the 'this'. These questions are riddled through "Eye in the Sky", where the intensity mounts layer upon layer.
This story stars Helen Mirren as Col. Katherine Powell, a UK-based military officer in command of a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya. Through remote surveillance and on-the-ground intel, Powell discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing and the mission escalates from "capture" to "kill". But as American pilot Lt. Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is about to engage, a nine-year-old girl, Alia Mo'Allim (Aisha Takow) enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute, reaching the highest levels of US and British government, including Lt. Gen. Frank Benson (Alan Rickman), English Prime Minister Brian Woodale (Jeremy Northam), British Lt. Governor George Matherson (Richard McCabe) and British Advisor Angela Northman (Monica Dolan), over moral, political and personal implications of modern warfare.
Others to round out the cast are Barkhad Abdi as Jama Farah, a ground undercover co-op, Iain Glen as James Willett, Phoebe Fox as Carrie Gershon, Faisa Hassan as Fatima Mo'Allim, Alia's mother, Armaan Haggio as Musa Mo'Allim, Alia's father and Gavin Hood as Lt. Col. Ed Walsh.
This was intensely directed by Gavin Hood ("A Reasonable Man" '99, "In Desert and Wilderness" '01, "Tsotsi" '05, "Rendition" '07, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" '09, "Tough Trade" (TV movie) '10, "Ender's Game" '13) plus TV. Certainly what helps this director is the fact that he also acts, hence this film, however this concept is not a new one. Other directors such as Woody Allen, Sydney Pollack, Barry Levinson and Angelina Jolie have all walked in those actors shoes. This doesn't always conclude the definition of a talented director--look at Steven Spielberg, he basically cannot act, but is a consummate director. This is Hood's territory, so this wasn't much of a stretch for him. Where this soars is with the writing by Guy Hibbert. What is amazing is that this writer only has one other feature film to his experience -- all the others are made for TV films which there are a plethora of. Obviously he 'cut his teeth' well with TV for him to pull off such a nail-biting, intense screenplay. This script reminds me of the similar scene from "American Sniper" '14, whereas this sniper was faced with what he was going to do, with very little time, to make his decision which could cause relentless ramifications. This film had you, the audience, going back and forth in what had to happen given the time, circumstances, and individuals involved. Alan Rickman, whom gives his last performance before his untimely death, plays off his character teetering between what must occur in these decisions, and is extremely convincing of his role.
This film opens up Pandoras's box in that if this decision is followed through, this awful consequence will happen, however if they choose another decision, another ramification could occur. What IS the best decision, and they have limited time in which to make up their minds. Welcome to a white-knuckle ride.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 102mins.
Christian-based films and inspirational films are not only being made more plentiful, but are making money much more in the process. Why? It has to be the fact that living in this world is becoming increasingly taxing and difficult at best. When 2014's "God's Not Dead" was released, who knew it would become the box office success it became? So, the same people got together to recreate a message-packed sequel appropriately titled "God's Not Dead 2".
A high school history teacher, Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart) gets caught up in a high-profile legal case when a student, Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia) asks her a specific question regarding Jesus Christ. Controversial because the question was asked in a public school scenario. Grace is subsequently suspended by Principal Kinney (Robin Givens) pending investigation. Because she refuses to apologize and recant her beliefs, through her court-appointed attorney, Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalfe) she faces strong opposition from brash attorney Peter Kane (Ray Wise). Brooke's parents, Richard and Catherine Thawley (Carey Scott and Maria Canals-Barrera) respectively, are bringing this to trial because they feel Wesley pushed her beliefs on their daughter, hence hiring Kane. Is this an infringement on others' beliefs or is this a serious commentary when religious freedom is compromised?
Others to round out the cast are David A.R. White as Pastor Dave, Ernie Hudson as Judge Robert Stennis, Paul Kwo as Martin Yip, Pat Boone as Walter Wesley, Benjamin A. Onyango as Pastor Jude and Fred Dalton Thompson as Senior Pastor.
This was effectively directed by Harold Gronk ("Jerusalem Countdown" '11, "The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure" '12, "God is Not Dead" '13, "God's Not Dead" '14, "Pirates Code: The Adventures of Mickey Matson" '14). Certainly this film is familiar ground for this filmmaker, so when this sequel was even being mulled over to produce, it was just a knee-jerk reaction to hire this guy to helm that director's chair. This definitely helped because the emotional feel of the characters were extremely similar which is what one would want--makes it more real. It was incredibly well thought out in storyline by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon. Again these guys wrote its predecessor, so when viewing this film, assuming one saw the original, one would have that feeling of already knowing these characters. Even the new characters in this were well delineated to get that message across which was paramount in the creation of its premise. There are other smaller subplots in this that intertwine effortlessly which add to the story instead of detract from it as with so many other films. Whether one believes or not, the way this story is written, one can truly understand either side, but at the end of the day, which side is going to be the most compelling? There are scriptural references, there are physical, fact-based evidences or references--something for all to lean on.
Was this classroom scenario simply blown out of proportion or are certain religious beliefs being tolerated or not? Certainly, if one religion is not tolerated, all must be ignored. Our Constitution promises a country of freedom of religion, so when and if we start losing those freedoms, this is certainly the beginning of the end. Nuff said.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG 121mins.
There are comedies and there are comedies. They come in all different packages, whether it be powder dry, whacky, physical, action or inane or silly comedies. If I would have to label "Keanu" in any of these categories, I would have to call it an action comedy. The action part of it only improved it, otherwise it probably would've fallen into the inane or silly category, not that there wasn't some silliness in it.
