Avengers: Infinity War

Instead of the summer movie season starting the first week of May, Hollywood has decided to start it a bit early with the release of "Avengers: Infinity War". While this is not the first time a film based on a comic book has kicked off the summer season, this film is certainly one of the better efforts churned out by Marvel Studios.

 

As the Avengers, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A depot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has lead up to this moment-- the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.

 

Others to round out the cast are Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Paul Bettany as Vision, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Dave Bautista as Drak and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier.

 

This was excitedly directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo ("Pieces" '97, "Welcome to Collinwood" '02, You, Me and Dupree" '06, "Courtroom K" (TV movie) '08, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" '14, "Captain America: Civil War" '16) plus TV and shorts. It was truly smart to have the same filmmakers who have helmed previous Avenger films to direct this so as to keep the same feel of the character developments in tow. It was like watching all the Marvel films rolled up in the same film with the similar character developments. It you feel this was directed with such familiarity, these guys will be directing the next Avenger film. Yep, shocking as it is, this film leaves us with yet another film to be made. What a shock! It was creatively written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely based on the Marvel comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Even though the script was creative as it was, there were some aspects in this that really couldn't work such as anyone being in space could possibly survive and when there is a serious fight at night, why didn't it attract any attention from the residents of the city or by police officers or the like?. Hey, you have to have a story and this did have a story that was able to implement all of these different characters of these different franchises. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Weta Digital, Digital Domain, Framestore and Double Negative were as seamless as they were a much needed element to the storyline.

 

The best thing about this as with all the 'comic book' films is the element of escape. This is the quintessential popcorn film replete with adventure, action, explosiveness and adrenaline all rolled up in a story to allow us to go to a place where there are different eclectic people where we can escape and have fun. And isn't this why we go see films anyway?

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: PG-13                                    149mins.

 

The Miracle Season

Inspirational films have hit the multiplexes more in the last decade than Hollywood has produced in the last three decades. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I believe it's a backlash of societal problems gripping this culture. We've seen "Courageous", "Soul Surfer", "A Dolphin Tale", the recent "I Can Only Imagine" to mention a handful, but now we have "The Miracle Season" to add to that ever growing list.

 

Based on the inspiring true story of West High School girls' volleyball team, this centers on the loss of the school's star player and captain of the team, Caroline 'Line' Found (Danika Yarosh) due to a tragic Moped accident. Even though the rest of the players including her best friend, Brie (Tiera Skovbye), Kelley (Erin Moriarty), and Mack (Natalie Sharp) are so devastated over the loss of their captain and good friend, these remaining players must eventually band together under the guidance of their tough-love coach, Kathy Bresnahan (Helen Hunt) in hopes of winning the state championship.

 

Others to round out the cast are William Hurt as Ernie Found, Caroline's father, Rebecca Staab as Bethany, Burkeley Duffield as Kelley's boyfriend, Natalie Sharp as Mack, Jason Gray-Stanford as Scott Sanders, assistant coach, Lillian Fargey as Ellyn Found, Caroline's mother and Nesta Cooper as Lizzie Ackerman.

 

This was directed with heart by Sean McNamara ("Hollywood Chaos" '89, "The Legend of Galgameth" '96, "P.U.N.K.S." '99, "Race to Space" '01, "Raise Your Voice" '04, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer" '11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Spare Parts" '15, "Hoovey" '15, "Field of Lost Shoes" '15, "Love in Paradise" (TV movie) '16) and others, TV and videos. This filmmaker is certainly no stranger to the 'inspirational' realm what with "Soul Surfer" and "Spare Parts" under his belt, and his ability to mix emotion and drama without in being schmaltzy is amazingly done well. He is an incredibly busy guy with films in post production and being announced, and with this film it's no surprise. It was solidly written by David Aaron Cohen and Elissa Matsueda. These writers have a fair amount of experience between the two of them, and it shows is this cohesive, tight and well thought out script. The reactions of the players of their friends' death was honest, fresh and realistic, and Hunt's character, Kathy wasn't the typical, caring coach, rather she was a hurting individual with issues. Other than a couple of very small slow places in script, this storyline was spot on.

 

Certainly if you like inspirational films, you'll be in heaven, but if you aren't, you will like this story because it will make you stand up and cheer. Ever so often, these type of films are good for the soul, and in this day and age, we all could use a story like this to see that we are all much needed  to connect with each other.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: PG                                    100mins.

 

Blockers

Have I mentioned that comedy is my favorite genre? I love comedies because I love to laugh. When I saw my first trailer of "Blockers", I actually didn't think it would be an effectively well put together film, so I put it off for a week. Well, I thought I'd give it a try and my first impression was accurate.

 

When three parents, Lisa (Leslie Mann), Hunter (Ike Barinholtz) and Mitchell (John Cena) stumble upon their daughters' pact to lose their virginity at their prom, they decide to launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal. You see, both Lisa and Mitchell happen to hear Julie's (Kathryn Newton) computer as it was sending texts, so when they went to her room, they noticed that she had inadvertently left the computer open for all to see--namely her mom, Lisa. So, do these parents succeed in their plot to foil their daughters' night out with their respective boyfriends, or do the parents totally screw up their plan?

 

Others to round out the cast are Geraldine Viswanathan as Kala, Gideon Adlon as Sam, Miles Robbins as Connor, Graham Phillips as Austin, Jimmy Bellinger as Chad, Ramona Young as Angelica, Hannibal Buress as Frank and Colton Dunn as Rudy.

 

This was directed by newcomer to the director's chair, Kay Cannon. Her experience lies in the realm of writing. She was behind the penning of the "Pitch Perfect" films and has written much for TV. Considering the "Pitch Perfect" films were not expressly well written, maybe she should stay in the directing realm. This was certainly well directed considering she has never helmed a film or any TV shows. She nailed the desperation depicted by the parents spot on, so much so, that it seamed real. Where this film had trouble was with the writing as with most comedies of this type. It was written by Brian Kehoe ("Overachievers" '05) plus TV and a short, and Jim Kehoe ("Overachievers" '05, "Duress" '09) plus TV and a short. It constantly evades me of why so many comedies have to be laced with gratuitous sex, drugs and four-letter words as much as many of them do? This film actually had a potentially funny premise to work with, but with all the gratuitousness it had, it simply took away from what would've been a funny and entertaining flick. Although the beginning of the film was actually well thought out and progressed with amazing timing, it eventually wound up going down the toilet with a banal script loaded with gratuity of all sorts. Hollywood has a shortsightedness that simply amazes me--why don't they spend a little more money and get a seasoned writer or two that might be costly initially, but would end up giving them a much better return on their investment. It wasn't a total wash--both John Cena and Leslie Mann gave us some fairly funny lines and had a good presence, but this script needed polish.

 

If this type of 'comedy' is something you like or are used to, you certainly won't be surprised, however if a well written script is more to your liking, Netflix this if you must view it. It had some worthy actors in it. It's just a shame that they had to endure this vehicle.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2                                       Rated: R                                         102mins.

 

Beirut

I believe that Hollywood has such a fascination with espionage films, because they have a tendency to allow the audience to escape into a situation whereas they can put their problems into neutral and go to another place and time in order to continue with their lives after the end credits roll. To add to that ever growing list is that of "Beirut".

 

A U.S diplomat, Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) flees Lebanon in 1972 after a tragic incident at his home. Ten years later, he is called back to war-torn Beirut by CIA operatives, Sandy Crowder (Rosamund Pike), Donald Gaines (Dean Norris), Gary Ruzak (Shea Whigham) and Frank Whalen (Larry Pine). After being caught in the crossfires of civil war, the operatives must send Skiles back into service to save a colleague, Cal (Mark Pellegrino) from the group that is possibly responsible for his own family's death. Meanwhile, Crowder, who is also a field agent, is working under cover at the American Embassy in order to keep Skiles alive and ensuring that the mission is a success.

 

Others to round out the cast are Jonny Coyne as Bernard Teppler, Douglas Hodge as Sully, Leila Bekhti as Nadia, Kate Fleetwood as Alice, Alon Aboutboul as Roni Niv, and Idir Chender as Karim.

 

This was grittily directed by Brad Anderson ("Next Stop Wonderland" '98, "Session 9" '01, "The Machinist" '04, "Transsiberian" '08, "The Call" '13, "Stonehearst Asylum" '14, "Home"  (TV movie) '16) plus others and TV. This filmmaker definitely has the ability to put his actors in situations where the emotions they emit showcase their talents. Look at the films of his resume and you'll see this in spades. He has a ton of work either announced or in pre-production in the works indicating this guy is amazingly busy. It was written by seasoned, veteran Tony Gilroy ("Dolores Claiborne" '95, "Armageddon" '98, "The Bourne Identity" '02, "The Bourne Supremacy" '04, "The Bourne Ultimatum" '07, "Duplicity" '09, "The Bourne Legacy" '12, "The Great Wall" '16) plus others. This writer has proved himself time and again as a great political/espionage writer of so many amazing films, however this story jumped around a bit. Mind you, this was still a completely solid storyline, but this isn't the best screenplay I've seen this writer create--it's like he raised the bar too high against himself. What actually makes this is the performance by Hamm. He was incredibly real, riveting and absorbed in his character. It has some twists and turns which makes it worth the price of admission.

 

If political/espionage films are your liking, this movie will serve you well, but even if you're not, the performances and the true story in which this is based will be enough to fulfill your choice of going to the multiplex.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                 Rated: R                                     110mins.

 

Rampage

You know we are embarking upon the summer film season when we start seeing big-budget, explosive, high adrenaline movies being released at the multiplex. When I saw my first trailer of "Rampage", I thought it was going to be one of those cheesy, poorly made highly predictable films. Although it was a bit predictable, the action coupled with the heart of it more than made up for its predictability.

 

Primatologist Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) shares an unshakable bond with George, an extraordinarily intelligent silverback gorilla that's been in his care since birth. When a rogue experiment goes awry, it causes George, a wolf and a reptile to grow to a monstrous size. As the mutated beasts embark on a path of destruction, Okoye teams up with a discredited genetics engineer, Dr. Kate Cailwell (Naomie Harris), a military consultant, Harvey Russell (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the military to secure an antidote and prevent a global catastrophe, while also attempting to save George that was once Okoye's friend.

 

Others to round out the cast are Malin Ackerman as Claire Wyden, Jake Lacy as Brett Wyden, Joe Manganiello as Burke, Marley Shelton as Dr. Kerry Atkins, P.J. Byrne as Nelson, Demetrius Grosse as Colonel Blake, Jack Quaid as Connor, Breanne Hill as Amy, Matt Gerald as Zammit, Will Yun Lee as Agent Park, Urijah Faber as Garrick and Bruce Blackshear as Taylor.

 

This was directed with high energy by Brad Peyton ("Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" '10, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" '12, "San Andreas" '15, "Incarnate" '16) plus shorts and TV. This filmmaker is no stranger to action, big-budget films, hence his resume, and since he directed "San Andreas", he was a shoe-in to direct it having the same feel and the same star--Johnson. In fact, Peyton is slated to direct "San Andreas 2" which has been announced. It was intensely written by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse (who also wrote "San Andreas") Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel based on a story by Engle. Considering all these writers either have little to substantial experience on board before this, this script could have been a bit more polished. While it was gripping and definitely kept you on the edge of your seat, it jumped around too much where it kind of got bogged down. What truly makes this more than just another 'disaster flick' is that it has heart. Both Davis (Johnson) and George have a tremendous bond where when something happens to one of them, it tugs at your heartstring, making it an action film with heart. And what can I say about the visual effects? Obviously, knowing these effects, created by Weta Digital, Scanline and Hy*drau"lx,  would be good before one would walk into the theater, they actually enhanced this storyline.

 

Certainly this is the quintessential popcorn film replete with action, adrenaline and explosions to satisfy any action junkie out there. But where it has action, it also has heart to pull that emotional heartstring. So with this, all in an IMAX or 3D format, enjoy this pre summer extravaganza.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: PG-13                                    107mins.

 

Isle of Dogs

As with every summer film season, there are always a certain amount of animated flicks. Although this is still technically the dead zone, this is pre summer and with that we have "Isle of Dogs" in the offing, and it is a remarkable film.

 

In this stop-motion-animated film, an outbreak of canine flu in Japan leads all dogs to be quarantined on Trash Island per an executive decree by Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) of Megasaki City. A 12-year-old boy, Atari (Koyu Rankin) sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots (Liev Schreiber), and receives help from a pack of misfit canines including Chief (Bryan Cranston), Rex (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban) Boss (Bill Murray), Nutmeg (Scarlett Johansson) and Duke (Jeff Goldblum) who have also been exiled. Atari's quest inspires a group of dog lovers including Tracy Walker (Greta Gerwig) to expose a government conspiracy. This journey will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.

 

Others to round out the cast are Frances McDormand as Interpreter Nelson, Akira Ito as Professor Watanabe, Akira Takayama as Major-Domo, Harvey Keitel as Gondo and F. Murray Abraham as Jupiter.

 

This was quirkily and dryly written and directed by Wes Anderson ("Bottle Rocket" '96, "Rushmore" '98, "The Royal Tenenbaums" '01, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" '04, "The Darjeeling Limited" '07, "Fantastic Mr. Fox" '09, "Moonrise Kingdom" '12, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" '14) plus shorts. Every film this filmmaker has done definitely has his stamped trademark on it, hence the incredible powder-dry humor it's laced with. Some of the lines are so dry, that they don't seem funny which is why one must listen to the storyline instead of merely counting on what's being said. Although his projects are similar in style, the premises are as diverse as the characters. Anderson is certainly a filmmaker that takes some getting used to, but once you do, you will love his style and dry wit as he conveys his stories. What's interesting is that between his live and animated films, they are still similar in how they are conveyed, it catches by surprise. Being created in the stop-motion animation leans this movie in being more original than their counterparts, which, again keeps that similarity chugging along. Whether live or animated, Anderson's films have proven themselves time and again. The animation was truly stunning and could likely be nominated come Oscar time.

 

Between smart directing and a whimsical script, Anderson has definitely tapped into an audience that can love and respect his style of film. And with this kind of approval from his fans, he will continue to make films for quite sometime. If you like whimsy, you will love this, and even if you're more into the commercial fare, you can then respect the talents of this filmmaker.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                            Rated: PG-13                                   101mins.

 

Chappaquiddick

Films based on true stories have been quite common in the last three decades, but more so have been political films based in fact. One can go back to "Three Days of the Condor", "All the President's Men", "JFK", "Jackie", the most recent "The Post", and now we "Chappaquiddick" to grace our screens.

 

The scandal and mysterious events surrounding the tragic drowning of a young woman, as Ted Kennedy drove his car off the infamous bridge, are revealed in this story with Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy and Kate Mara as Mary Jo Kopechne. Not only did this event take the life of an aspiring political strategist and Kennedy insider, but it ultimately changed the course of presidential history forever. Even with family, cousin Joe Gargan (Ed Helms), Joan Kennedy (Andria Blackman) and political help from Paul Markham (Jim Gaffigan), they weren't enough to save Ted's present or future political situation.

Through true accounts documented in the inquest from the investigation in July of 1969, this film ultimately exposes the broad reach of political power, the influence of America's most celebrated family, and the vulnerability of Ted Kennedy, the youngest son, in the shadow of his family legacy.

 

Others to round out the cast are Olivia Thirlby as Rachel Schiff, Clancy Brown as Robert McNamara, Taylor Nichols as Ted Sorensen, Bruce Dern as Joe Kennedy and Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell as Senate Secretary.

 

This was intensely directed by John Curran ("Praise" '98, "We Don't Live Here Anymore" '04, "The Painted Veil" '06, "Stone" '10, "Tracks" '13) plus a short. Besides the staging an pacing, where this filmmaker exceled was in how he was able to get Clarke to emit the emotion of Kennedy as well as his movements. Even though Clarke is an accomplished actor, this was still talented directing. It was adequately written by Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan. Considering these writers have very little or no previous writing experience, this script was well told as it unfolded that infamous night in 1969. Sure, there was some jumping around in plot and, at times, it was difficult to differentiate where the flashback started or ended, but as the story got going, it certainly picked up the pace and was able to find this very important story. Truly these writers have an amazing amount of raw talent, and with this, I'm definitely curious to see what they can do with a future screenplay given the opportunity. Certainly another film is in their future. It's just a matter of time. Jason Clarke has proven himself in films time and again, however with this, his dialect was not quite as pronounced as I was expecting. It's not that I was expecting an over-the-top dialect--subtlety can be extremely accurate, but his dialect needed more emphasis. Maybe a different dialect coach could've been used. Ed Helms should do more drama, because this has got to be one of his better performances.

 

If you're a political junkie, you'll be in politics heaven, and even if you're not, this is still a great history lesson for those that never lived at this time. The direction and ensemble cast was riveting as it was accurate.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                    Rated: PG-13                                     107mins.

 

 

 

 

A Quiet Place

I'm not typically fond of the horror genre, but when I saw my  first trailer on "A Quiet Place", I thought the premise was not only original, but grippingly compelling. Horror flicks have their place, but what disturbs me about them is that they are generally written poorly in that they are all the same--slasher style with similar character development just about to make you yawn. You will not yawn with this one.

 

In this modern horror psychological thriller, a family of four, Lee Abbott (John Krasinski), Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt), and kids, Regan Abbott (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus Abbott (Noah Jupe) must navigate their lives in silence after mysterious deadly creatures that hunt by sound threaten their survival. If they hear you, they hunt you.

This is a story that thrusts a family into an apocalyptic situation where these creatures have all but exterminated the human species. What's left is a handful of people, this family being part of, that are running for their lives unless they are completely quiet. These hideous creatures are blind, but have a keen sense of hearing allowing them to hear the slightest of sounds. Can anyone, specifically this family, survive such a horrific situation considering the cards are stacked against them?

 

Others to round out the cast are Cade Woodward as Beau Abbott and Leon Russom as Man in the Woods.

 

This was eerily directed by John Krasinski ("Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" '09, "The Hollars" '16) plus TV. Krasinski being a working actor definitely gives him that leg up of knowing what to expect out of his actors. And being married to his co-star, Blunt gives him that much more ability. The psychological tension that Krasinski builds here causes his audience to be bonded to these characters and not just spectators. He will direct more, as he should. It was rivetingly written by Bryan Woods ("For Always" '04, "Her Summer" '04, "The Bride Wore Blood" '06, "Spread" (TV movie) '12, "Nightlight" '15) plus shorts, Scott Beck ("Lost/Found" '03, "University Heights" '04, "The Bride Wore Blood" '06, "Spread" (TV movie) '12, "Nightlight" '15) plus shorts and Krasinski ("Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" '09, "Promised Land" '12) Plus TV, based on a story by Woods and Beck. Believe it or not, if I were to akin this with another film, it would be "Alien" in that both have a minimal cast where each film delves into the different character developments and quirks. They both have to bring its audience practically into an interactive situation so the audience can care about these characters. Certainly the two films are original in their own rights, but I can't help but think of some similarities. This film is all about the build up of tension these writers convey to us and we buy into it hook, line, sinker. I'll tell you, the psychological aspects of this film are far scarier than what the creatures are able to do. Scott Farrar, asc as Visual Effects Supervisor for ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) creates amazing visuals that actually enhances this film more than detracts.

 

If you're in the mood to be scared to death, this film will do that. The acting, writing and directing is compelling as it is entertaining, and when one sees this, it will be remembered well past the roll of the credits. Other horror film writers need to take note of this and learn. This is 90 minutes of pure chilling tension that avid film goers will revel with.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: PG-13                                   90mins.

 

 

 

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness

As with Hollywood films, inspirational films can also have sequels. Certainly Hollywood has cornered the market on sequels, while Inspirational films have entered the sequel realm, but have a long way to go to reach the number of Hollywood sequels. With "God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness", this is a continuation of :God's Not Dead 2" '16. So while this sequel is hoping to make a profit as with all franchises, this certainly has a lot to say to ignite that void in us all.

A church destroyed. A congregation silenced. A relationship shattered. Yet even in life's darkest valleys, a small flame can light the way toward healing and hope. After a deadly fire rips through St. James Church, Pastor Dave Hill (David A.R. White) is devastated and Hadleigh University leaders including Hill's longtime friend, president Thomas Ellsworth (Ted McGinley) use the tragedy to push the congregation off campus, forcing the church to defend its rights and bringing together two estranged brothers Dave Hill and Pearce Hill (John Corbett) for a reunion that opens wounds and forces them to address the issues that pulled them apart. What starts as Pearce, a big-city lawyer coming to help Dave with legal problems, turns out a tense situation for both.

Others to round out the cast are Shane Harper as Josh Wheaton, Jennifer Taylor as Meg Harvey, Tatum O'Neal as Barbara Solomon, Gregory Alan Williams as Pastor Roland Dial, Mike C. Manning as Adam, Samantha Boscarino as Keaton, Shwayze as Mateo, Vaughn Collar as Ed Weis and Jennifer Cipolla as Sydney.

When the original "God's Not Dead" was released in 2014, it never expected to make the profit it did, hence the sequels. the movie-going audiences as were the producers of that film were surprised it was drawing in the money, but considering the brokenness of people out there, it should actually be no shock that it did so well. This was compassionately written and directed by Michael Mason. Interesting that the first two films of this franchise were directed by Harold Cronk and were written by the same writers. I'm not sure why the producers decided to change things up, but even though this was adequately written and directed, it still needed polish. Certainly, considering this film is the only project this filmmaker has to his credit, it was amazingly well done, however it isn't without flaws. It does have a tendency to jump around a bit, and the script does meander to a small degree, but these are minor and the message this story conveys still rings as true as its predecessors. The message is clear: it's about forgiveness, love and redemption centering on Jesus Christ being the healer, and with our society at such a crossroads and in a bevy of problems more than ever, these films should be made more often than they are.

As aforementioned, our society is in a true hurt locker: murder, control, divorce, mass shootings happening practically weekly and terrorism. And with our world being turned upside down, these films are needed more than ever. They have real stories representing real people all with a great message that all should see.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                          Rated: PG                                    106mins.