Yesterday

Hollywood, as most of us, has an incredible fascination with time travel or alternate realities if you will, and with this we gravitate to films like these. So when I saw my first trailer of "Yesterday", I just had to see this since the storyline looked too intriguing to pass up. And besides, Danny Boyle directed the film which definitely wooed me into the theater.

 

Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend and manager, Ellie (Lily James). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious 12 second global blackout, Jack awakens to discover, through conversation, that The Beatles have never existed...and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed. You see, as Jack starts singing one of the Beatles songs, "Yesterday", everyone wonders where he got the inspiration to write such a beautiful song. He tells them that the Beatles wrote it and they respond, who? And when he starts singing other Beatles' songs, everything simply starts snowballing. So with this new fame, he is subsequently offered a record deal in Los Angeles by manager Debra Hammer (Kate McKinnon). Ellie has to stay in England because of her teaching job, so Jack takes his buddy, Rocky (Joel Fry) with him to L.A. to help him out. How is Jack going to justify his desire for fame when he is using music that has been created even though in this new reality the music never existed?

 

Others to round out the cast are Ed Sheeran as Ed Sheeran, Alexander Arnold as Gavin, Harry Mitchell as Nick, Meera Syal as Sheila Malik, Jack's mom, Sanjeev Bhaskar as Jed Malik, Jack's dad, Sophia Di Martino as Carol, Vincent Franklin as Brian, Ellise Chappell as Lucy and Michael Kiwanuka as Michael Kiwanuka.

 

This was whimsically directed by seasoned, consummate Danny Boyle ("Scout" (TV movie) '87, "Shallow Grave" '94, "Trainspotting" '96, "A Life Less Ordinary" '97, "The Beach" 2000, "28 Days Later..."'02, "Sunshine" '07, "Slumdog Millionaire" '08, "127 Hours" '10, "Frankenstein" '11, "Trance" '13, "Steve Jobs" '15, "T2 Trainspotting" '17) plus others, TV and shorts. As with his other films, Boyle has the innate ability to pace and stage his films with delineated precision. The characters in his films come alive because how he gets his actors to emit the emotions needed to make the story sing. I always look forward to a film he directs, because he is so distinct in his style. He chooses his projects very carefully, as he and other directors should do. There are some similarities between this and his "Slumdog Millionaire" in that both center around young Indian guys and both are striving to succeed in a world where people aren't accommodating them. It was solidly written by seasoned writer, Richard Curtis ("The Tall Guy" '89, "Bernard and the Genie" (TV movie) '91, "Four Weddings and a Funeral" '94, "Bean" '97, "Notting Hill" '99, "Bridget Jones's Diary" '01, "Love Actually" '03, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" '04, "Private Radio" '09, "War Horse" '11, "About Time" '13, "Trash" '14, "Red Nose Day" (TV movie) '16, "Mama Mia! Here We Go Again"  (story) '18) plus TV and shorts, based on a story by Jack Barth and Curtis. By his very resume, this writer is a common staple writer of English screenplays--mostly comedic, but not entirely. Since Boyle has also directed many English based films as well, it was inevitable that these two filmmakers would be working together. Without spoiling any of the plot, there are a couple of places that weren't explained enough, where if explained would satisfy the moviegoer a bit more, however did this cause a riff in the script or the enjoyment of the story? Not at all. Curtis is a very talented screenwriter who knows how to write a tight, cohesive, well thought-out story and this film is no exception. As far as the alternate reality, if I had to akin this to any other film, it probably would be "Back to the Future II" about Marty McFly going into a warped alternate reality of Hill Valley and what it became due to changes in the past. If you like this writer's style, his "The Little Mermaid" has been announced. If I had to choose the strong performance in this, it would be Himesh Patel as Jack. His performance was captivating as it was entertaining.

 

If you like whimsical, funny films with an alternate reality bent to it, you'll revel with this one. If you liked "Slumdog Millionaire", you'll love this. And hey, you even get to hear a lot of Beatles music which a definite plus. A great film from a great director and solid writer.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: PG-13                                     116mins.

 

Shaft

Franchises are truly a staple film source for many Hollywood films, especially now more than ever. It's a quick way for film companies to cash in on a source that has already been created. Make them, market them and viola! instant hit...hopefully. "Shaft is a film that has been around since 1971 and has spawned many installments: "Shaft" '71, '73, 2000 and others. So now we have another in the offing called, you guessed it, "Shaft".

 

Shaft is the next chapter in the film franchise featuring the coolest private eye on any New York City block. JJ, aka John Shaft Jr. (Jessie T. Usher), may be an FBI cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend, Karim's (Avan Jogia) untimely death, he needs an education only his dad can provide. Absent throughout JJ's youth, the legendary locked-and-loaded John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) agrees to help his progeny navigate Harlem's heroin-infested underbelly lead up by drug lord Gordito Carrera (Isaach De Bankole). And while JJ's own FBI analyst badge may clash with his dad's trademark leather coat with his old-school style, there's no denying family, especially when John Shaft Sr. (Richard Roundtree) comes to the aid of his son and grandson. Besides, Shaft's got an agenda of his own, and a score to settle that's professional and personal.

 

Others to round out the cast are Regina Hall as Maya Babanikos, Shaft's ex-wife and JJ's mom, Alexandra Shipp as Sasha Arias, Matt Lauria as Maj. Gary 'Cutty' Cutworth, Titus Welliver as Special Agent Vietti, JJ's boss, Cliff 'Method Man' Smith as Freddy P. and Luna Lauren Velez as Bennie Rodriguez.

 

This was intensely as it was wittily directed by Tim Story ("Barbershop" '02, "Taxi" '04, "Fantastic Four" '05, "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer" '07, "Think Like a Man" '12, "Ride Along" '14, "Think Like a Man Too" '14, "Ride Along 2" '16, "What Goes Around Comes Around" (TV movie) '16) plus other films, TV and documentaries. Unlike some other directors, this filmmaker isn't afraid to helm most any type of film: comedy, big-budget, smaller film and documentaries. Anyone that can pull this off gains a tremendous amount of respect in my book. The characters came alive in this incarnation of this franchise mostly due to Story's direction--his actors' emitted the correct emotions at just the right time. He has more projects in the works at this time. It was cleverly written by Kenya Barris ("The Start Up" (TV movie) '13, "Barbershop: The Next Cut" '16, "Girls Trip" '17, "Libby and Malcolm" (TV movie) '17) plus TV and Alex Barnow (TV), based on the character John Shaft from the novel by Ernest Tidyman. This is probably one of the most effective installments of the franchise I have seen. The fact that both of these writers--Barris having the lion's share of experience, have a ton of TV experience has only served them in the writing of this. It was slickly written with a tight, cohesive script, and providing three generation Shafts was a brilliant approach which gave it that more of a humorous side, storyline wise. Other than a couple of small inconsistencies, this screenplay was spot on. And as far as using Roundtree (the original Shaft), it was a stroke of genius. As with the director, these writers have others projects in the works as well. I went to go see this film with great trepidation, and I left the multiplex totally blown away.

 

This film has it all: action, humor, adventure, intensity, and all intertwined well so it gives its audience a sure-fire, adrenaline ridden storyline. This film is the reason why we go to the theater in the summer. Grab the popcorn and have fun!

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                   Rated: R                                        111mins.

 

Anna

As we continue in the summer film season, we are besieged with more and more action, adventure, animated films and the like. If you like huge grandiose productions, you're in the right season. Action films are a common staple for Hollywood and has been for decades, so when summer breaks out, they jump on the band wagon and release a plethora of these films. We have seen "Dark Phoenix" and "Men in Black: International" just recently, so now we have "Anna" to get our 'action' fix appeased.

 

Beneath Anna Poliatova's (Sasha Luss) striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of the world's most feared government assassins. An electrifying thrill ride unfolding with propulsive energy, startling twists, and breathtaking action, this story introduces Sasha Luss in the title role.

As this story unfolds, it ultimately pits Anna against the Russian KGB lead up by Olga (Helen Mirren) and a co-operative Alex (Luke Evans), when a US CIA agent Lenny Miller (Cillian Murphy) coerces her to work for them so as to obtain the freedom she so desperately desires, since the KGB promised her nothing. As Anna goes into double-agent mode, will she find that elusive freedom ultimately, or are the stakes simply too high?

 

Others to round out the cast are Lera Abova as Maud, Sasha Petrov as Piotr, Nikita Pavlenko as Vlad, Anna Krippa as Nika, Aleksey Maslodudov as Jimmy, Eric Godon as Vassiliev and Ivan Franek as Mossan.

 

This was directed by the veteran French filmmaker, Luc Besson ("Subway" '85, "The Big Blue" '88, "La Femme Nikita" '90, "The Fifth Element" '97, "Angel-A" '05, "The Lady" '11, "The Family" '13, "Lucy" '14, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" '17) plus others, video shorts and documentaries. This filmmaker has more writing to his credit than directing, but his experience in directing is certainly substantial. As with his other films, he has an innate ability to extract the correct amount of emotion, whether it being over-the-top or dry and deadpan to a realistic degree. This makes him constantly in demand. He is working on several films at this time to prove it. It was also written by Besson (""Taxi" '98, "Taxi 2" 2000, "Kiss of the Dragon" '01, "Wasabi" '01, "The Transporter" '02, "Taxi" (earlier screenplay) '04, "District B13" '04, "Transporter 2" '05, "Bandidas" '06, "Taken" '08, "Colombiana" '11, "Taken 2" '12, "The Family" '13, "Brick Mansions" '14, "Lucy" '14, "Taken 3" '14, "American Renegades" '17) plus others and TV. Where Besson is a talented director, writing is definitely where his expertise lies. He can, and has, taken an otherwise common plot idea and has the ability to make the script a tight and slick screenplay, and he's executed this time and again. Twists and turns are a common staple for Besson in his script--this being no exception, however, with this storyline, there were too many twists coupled with going back and forth in plot and a timeframe, that it was a bit difficult to follow. The first quarter of the film moved too slow, however when the plot started getting interesting, the film definitely became saved. It really became interesting when Anna was trying to appease both sides so as not to ruin her chances of freedom. Besson is definitely talented in creating an interesting yarn, and he is busy with other projects to peak our interests.

 

If a slick and tight screenplay serves you, you'll revel, especially if you're a Luc Besson fan. This isn't his best effort, but, like I mentioned prior, once this story becames a bit more involved, the film picked up and soared.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                  Rated: R                                       119mins.

 

Toy Story 4

When Pixar Animation Studios started making feature films back in 1995, which started with "Toy Story", I'm not sure if they ever realized the phenomenon they created. Everything they've created has turned to financial gold, which is deserved. Every film they have produced is not only executed well, but is funny, heartwarming and typically has an amazing message, and "Toy Story 4" is no exception.

 

Woody (Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of a kid, whether that's Andy or Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). So when Bonnie's beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (Tony Hale), declares himself as "trash", and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang, including Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Slinky Dog (Blake Clark) and Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), on her family's road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (Annie Potts). After years of being on her own, Bo's adventurous spirit lands her in an amusement park along with her new friends including Giggle McDimples (Ally Maki), Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) and others. As Bonnie et al, arrive at the amusement park, all come together in order to save Woody and Forky from shear peril.

 

Others to round out the cast are Christina Hendricks as Gabby Gabby, Keegan-Michael Key as Ducky, Jordan Peele as Bunny, Jay Hernandez as Bonnie's dad, Lori Alan as Bonnie's mom, Bonnie Hunt as Dolly, Kristen Schaal as Trixie and Emily Davis as Billy/Goat/Gruff.

 

This was directed by a virtual newcomer to the director's chair, Josh Cooley (Video shorts). Certainly this filmmaker is no stranger to the Pixar studio--he has paid his dues in creating story ideas (this being one), and with the animation department as well. He definitely paid attention to other talented directors within the Pixar umbrella, since this guy knew exactly how to get his actors to extract certain emotions without their characters coming across as being maudlin and sentimental. It's a tightrope that any director has to walk, and his director did it with expertise. He will get more directing work from Pixar and maybe other production companies. It was brilliantly written by Andrew Stanton ("Toy Story" '95, "A Bug's Life" '98, "Toy Story 2" '99, "Monster's Inc." '01, "Finding Nemo" '03, "WALL-E" '08, "Toy Story 3" '10, "John Carter" '12, "Finding Dory" '16) plus TV, shorts and video games and Stephany Folsom (TV), based on an original story by John Lasseter, Stanton, Cooley, Valerie LaPointe, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, Martin Hynes and Folsom. Clearly Stanton had the lion's share of the writing in this, however I'm sure Folsom was able to implement some key elements. Stanton is one of the original writers of the Pixar chorale, and clearly has an ability to create screenplays that are cohesive, tight and well thought out. His resume speaks volumes and after seeing this film, his name was written all over this storyline. Pixar has this innate ability to market to a vast audience--young, old, male, female, any nationality or race, and not only does that clinch Pixar in making tons of money, but these films--this one's included, also reaches an equally vast audience in which to send a worthwhile message for us all. I know I've mentioned this with every review I've done on a Pixar film, but how do these guys at Pixar do it? How do they perennially create these films with such expertise--great writing, directing, amazing characters, storylines, funny and heartwarming scripts time and again? Randy Newman even performed the song, "I Can't Let You" in the film. Could it garner a possible best song come Oscar time?

 

This film, as with all the other "Toy Story" films are incredibly fresh, original, funny and heartwarming. Even though there's a plethora of humor here, you might need some Kleenex when watching this, since the heartwarming sections definitely hit emotional strings. You can either see this in standard form, a digital 3D version or in a nifty IMAX format. This film ROCKS! See it and enjoy! 

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: G                                         100mins.

 

Late Night

In a world where we are besieged with remakes, reboots, sequels, prequels, franchises and continuing sagas, it is so nice--and rare--to see an original film to come along, especially it being a comedy. I have to say, "Late Night" is probably one of the best films so far this summer, and one of the best comedies I've seen in a while.

 

Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) is a pioneer and legendary host on the late-night talk-show circuit. When she's accused of being a "woman who hates women", she puts affirmative action on the to-do list, and--presto!--Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling) is hired as the one woman in Katherine's all-male writers' room. But Molly might be too little too late, as the formidable Katherine also faces the reality of low ratings and a network that wants to replace her, specifically by network executive, Caroline Morton (Amy Ryan). Wanting to prove she's not merely a diversity hire who's disrupting the comfort of the 'brotherhood' which includes Charlie (Hugh Dancy), Tom (Reid Scott), Brad (Denis O'Hare), Burditt (Max Casella) and others, Molly is determined to help Katherine revitalize her show and career--and possibly effect even bigger change at the same time.

 

Others to round out the cast are John Lithgow as Walter Lovell, husband of Katherine, Paul Walter Hauser as Mancuso, a writer, John Early as Reynolds, another writer, Ike Barinholtz as Daniel Tennant, a stand-up comic and Luke Slattery as Hayes.

 

Even though this director has been directing for a number of years, she has a vast amount of TV to her credit. Nisha Ganatra ("Chutney Popcorn" '99, "Fast Food High" '03, "Cosmopolitan" (TV movie) '03, "Cake" '05, "The Hunters" (TV movie) '13, "Pete's Christmas" (TV movie) '13) plus tons of TV and shorts, has honed her talent as a very delineating director out there. Her characters come across as real people even though this is a comedy, which sometimes can house characters that are a bit over-the-top. Even though she is a female director--a position that traditionally accompanies males--I can't help but think that she isn't better than her male counterpart, but rather came across as a direct equal, whether she is a female or male. It was wittingly and cleverly written by virtual newcomer to feature films, Mindy Kaling ("Mindy and Brenda" (TV movie) '06) plus an ample amount of TV. Other than a couple of very small places of inconsistencies, this storyline and script simply soared. It was a tight, well thought-out screenplay coupling this young, green writer (Kaling) with her personal and professional life with pathos and realness. If I was to akin this with any other film, it would be that of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" '02--not the storyline, but that this film was written and starred the same person as did the other film-- Nia Vardalos writing and starring in that film, plus they both are young newer writers to feature films. This was a smart, slickly written story about the pitfalls and politics of behind the scenes of talk shows whether night or daytime. If Kaling ever decided to leave acting, she could write full time easily and we, the audience would be better for it.

 

If a smart, slick comedy is something you are into, this film is definitely for you. It certainly beats the so-called comedies that are inane, banal and takes its audience by the juggler to shock them into laughing--which isn't funny. This is fresh and original which should woo any filmgoer that's tired of reboots, sequels and franchises.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                        102mins.

 

 

 

Men in Black: International

Even though the X-Men franchise has lasted for 20 years, the Men in Black franchise has lasted for 22 years. Assuredly, there was a gap whereas this franchise didn't produce a film from 2012 to 2019, but it has lasted a while. This is a total satire about how to manage misbehaving aliens in a world where the normal citizen can't know they're even here, hence the Men in Black organization. So we now have been offered "Men in Black: International" with a wole new storyline and cast to sink our teeth into.

 

The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

This story shows us how one of the agents will enter the organization by going back to her past as she witnesses an alien, and when Molly (Tessa Thompson) grows up, she is, and has been, totally obsessed with being part of this organization. She aces the FBI Academy and convinces her superiors that she wants to work for the special organization that addresses the alien aspect. So, they send her to Agent O (Emma Thompson), the head of Men in Black (NYC), and she whisks her to Men in Black (London), where she will be precepted by Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) in order to combat a possible mole within the organization. Molly becomes Agent M and she is introduced to the boss of London's office, Agent High T (Liam Neeson), and through alien plants out there, these agents search out to find this mole and, in the process, reach to save the world from annihilation.

 

Others to round out the cast are Kumail Nanjiani as the voice of Pawny, Rebecca Ferguson as Riza, Rafe Spall as Agent C, Kayvan Novak as Vungas, Spencer Wilding as Luca Brasi, Marcy Harriell as Molly's Mom, Inny Clemons as Molly's Dad, Laurent Bourgeois as Alien Twin, Larry Bourgeois as Alien Twin, Aaron Serotsky as Men in Black #1 and Mandeiya Flory as Young Molly.

 

This was cleverly directed by seasoned veteran F. Gary Gray ("Friday" '95, "Set It Off" '96, "The Negotiator" '98, "A Man Apart" '03, "The Italian Job" '03, "Be Cool" '05, "Law Abiding Citizen" '09, "Straight Outta Compton" '15, "The Fate of the Furious" '17) plus TV, video shorts and videos. Other than centering on adventure/crime type films, Gray's films are about as diverse as the titles themselves. He definitely knows how to extract the emotions that are needed out of his actors to show his audiences how real these characters are, and this film is no exception. Sure, this is pure fantasy, but it being adventurous, the characters can still have a realness about them that is crucial for the audience. He's a perennial director which I never tire of his expertise. It was written by Matt Holloway and Art Marcum ("Shadow of Fear" '04, "Iron Man" '08, "Punisher: War Zone" '08, "Transformers: The Last Knight" '17), based on the Malibu comic by Lowell Cunningham. With a premise as this has, the sky is actually the limit. Assuming the writing is effective, the storylines can go on forever. However, with this script, it definitely needed more polish--they seem to have a problem connecting the connection of these two agents getting to know one another and the meat of the script of what they are dealing with in order the save the world. Truly this was difficult to write considering that, not only were they creating a different story, but attempting to work in an entirely new cast to boot. This definitely was entertaining--the chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson was awesome as was Emma Thompson with that hilarious dry English wit. It makes me wonder why Columbia Pictures didn't commission Ed Solomon, who wrote the original "Men in Black" in 1997 to write this one. Could be that he was too busy at the time, not sure, but the screenplay could've been tighter and more cohesive if Solomon was wooed into writing it. Considering how popular sequels are anymore, another installment will undoubtedly be produced. Maybe they can get Solomon to write that one. The visual effects predominantly designed by MPC (Moving Picture Company), SPI (Sony Pictures Imageworks), Double Negative and Method Studios were amazingly seamless and definitely has improved since the last installment.

 

If you haven't see a film in 4DX, I recommend it highly--it adds wind, sprits of water and seats that move and rock that is cued by the film that is like a ride in and of itself. I saw this film in 4DX and had about as much fun as the film itself. It's also in a giant IMAX format as well. This is why we go to see films in the summer time.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                      Rated: PG-13                                     114mins.

 

Dark Phoenix

More and more Hollywood is getting to be just like the corporate world, replete with shareholders, profit margins and net and gross earnings. Franchises are all part of this process, hence why there are so many of them. The X-Men franchise is probably one of the oldest franchises in Hollywood today--this has been around for almost 20 years starting in 2000. So now we are offered "Dark Phoenix" which I hear should close the franchise, however if there's a handsome profit, who knows?

 

This is the story of one of the X-Men's most beloved characters, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), as she evolves into the iconic DARK PHOENIX. During a life-threatening rescue mission in space, Jean is hit by a cosmic force that transforms her into one of the most powerful mutants of all. Wrestling with this increasingly unstable power as well as her own personal demons, Jean spirals out of control, tearing the X-Men family, including Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fasbender), Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult), Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan), Ororo Munroe (Alexandra Shipp) and others apart and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our planet.

The film is the most intense and emotional X-Men movie ever made. It is the culmination of 20 years of X-Men movies, as the family of mutants that we've come to know and love must face their most devastating enemy yet--one of their own.

 

Others to round out the cast are Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, Jessica Chastain as Vuk, Scott Shepherd as Scott Grey, Jean's father, Ato Essandoh as Jones, Brian d'Arcy James as USA President, Halston Sage as Dazzler and Lamar Johnson as Match.

 

Considering that Simon Kinberg has written a number of the X-Men films, it should be no surprise that his direction of this would be intense and effective. His directing experience has centered on TV, but this was staged and paced well by him. I've always felt that any director or writer would be served well by honing their skills on a good deal of TV, and this filmmaker proved this concept. It will be interesting to see how he handles his "355" which is in pre-production. It was also effectively written by Kinberg ("The Legacy" (TV movie) '02, "xXx: State of the Union" '05, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" '05, "X-Men: The Last Stand" '06, "Jumper" '08, "Sherlock Holmes" '09, "This Means War" '12, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" '14, "Fantastic Four" '15, "X-Men: Apocalypse" '16) plus TV and a TV short. Without coming across with being bias, for a franchise that was interesting back in the day, has become tired and seemingly ordinary. This film jumped around too much and some of the scenes were having a difficult time connecting. Although I felt the same about "xXx: State of the Union", there have been other films out of this franchise that have been memorable-- "Logan" comes to mind as do others, but I feel this franchise needs to come to an end. It has had a good run, and ending it doesn't mean it failed--nothing lasts forever, whether it be good or not so good. Certainly if this makes a good deal of money, 20th Century Fox will continue it. Cha-ching!--again the corporate world mindset. There were good moments in this--it wasn't a wash, but maybe its time to hang the reigns up. If you like his writing, his "Killer's Game" is in pre-production. Certainly, the visual effects predominantly designed by MPC (Motion Picture Company) were seamless and intriguing.

 

What ever happened to the film industry being an art form? Some films are artistically done, but so many of them sacrifice creativity for dollars and cents. Anymore, its reboots, remakes, sequels, prequels, franchises and the like that permeate the multiplex. Rare do we see original and fresh. I yearn to see the film industry go back to that. If you do see this, see it on the large screen--it does come in a nifty IMAX version, because any other format will make this look cheap.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: PG-13                                        114mins

 

 

 

The Secret Life of Pets 2

Three of the genres that the summer film season holds is the of the big-budget, high adrenaline, visual effects packed films, horror films and the animated films. These are for the teenage, young adult and kids out there no longer in school. There are other films, however this is the brunt of them. When "The Secret Life of Pets" was released in 2016, it was amazingly well thought out and very funny film. It profited so much that Illumination Animation Studios had to produce "The Secret Life of Pets 2" as a very clever, funny follow up to an already film franchise ready to please its audiences.

 

This story is, like the original film of 2016, about the lives our pets lead once the owner leaves for work or school. What do these animals do? This gives us another scenario at the hijinks of these pets who are friends.

Max (Patton Oswalt) faces some major changes after his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) gets married and now has a child. On a family trip to the countryside, Max and Duke (Eric Stonestreet) meets a farm dog named Rooster (Harrison Ford) and both he and Max attempt to overcome Max's fears. Meanwhile, Gidget (Jenny Slate) tries to rescue Max's favorite toy from a cat-packed apartment, and Snowball (Kevin Hart) and Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) sets on a mission to free a white tiger named Hu from a circus run by a tyrannical owner, Sergei (Nick Kroll)

 

Others to round out the cast are Lake Bell as Chloe, Dana Carvey as Pops, Bobby Moynihan as Mel, Hannibal Buress as Buddy and Pete Holmes as Chuck, Katie's husband.

 

This was wittily directed by seasoned veteran, Chris Renaud ("Despicable Me" '10, "The Lorax" '12, "Despicable Me 2" '13, "The Secret Life of Pets" '16) plus video shorts and co-drector Jonathan del Val (animation dept.). Obviously, Renaud has the directing experience here, however, with the animation dept. experience Val comes from, he will probably graduate into that elusive director's chair given more experience. Surely Val had important input with this, but Renaud is the consummate pro that is truly a filmmaker that knows how to get his actors to emit the characterizations as they did, especially since their faces aren't in front of the camera. It was equally written cleverly and deftly by Brian Lynch ("Big Helium Dog" '99, "Hop" '11, "Puss in Boots" (story) '11, "Minions" '15, "The Secret Life of Pets" '16) based on characters created by Lynch. As with the original film, this is just as witty, well-thought out and extremely funny. Usually, sequels aren't as well thought out or executed as well as its predecessor, but since this was written by the same writer, I figured it would be a shoe-in, and I was correct. At first, between the three distinct storylines within the plot, I wondered if these were going to connect since they were all so different, but as the story continued to unfold, I was simply amazed how effortlessly they all connected and by films' end, it was all incredibly wrapped up. Saying this doesn't spoil the story--it has to end well, however how it gets there is funny and clever. The continuity and cohesiveness of this script is awesome. Others screenwriters could take lessons from this consummate writer. As far as the animation created by Illumination Mac Guff Animation Studios, it was seamless and simply amazed me.

 

One doesn't need to see the original to appreciate this or 'get it', but if you've never seen the first installment, it is a must see. As said prior, this is just as brilliantly put together as its predecessor, and with this, go see this and enjoy the fun escapism this provides. It's the quintessential summer fun flick. Enjoy this gem--I know I did!

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG                                         86mins.

 

Ma

As with most films of the horror genre, I'm not fond of them specifically for reasons of the creativity relying far too much on the shock factor, buckets of blood, predictability and usually poor writing. Certainly this genre has been receiving a much needed overhaul what with "Get Out" and "Us". So, to continue in that mold we are offered "Ma" where suspense is coupled with horror to hopefully kick start a tired genre.

 

Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie (Diana Silvers), a new teenager in town, to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own. She offers the kids, including Haley (McKaley Miller), Andy (Corey Fogelmanis), Chaz (Gianni Paolo) and Darrell (Dante Brown), the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her house. But there are house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don't curse. Never go upstairs. And call her "Ma". But as Ma's hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma's place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on Earth.

 

Others to round out the cast are Juliette Lewis as Erica, Maggie's mom, Luke Evans as Ben, Andy's dad, Tanyell Waivers as Genie, Allison Janney as Dr. Brooks, Dominic Burgess as Stu, Heather Marie Pate as Ashley, Missi Pyle as Mercedes and Tate Taylor as Officer Grainger.

 

It was directed by a filmmaker that's not uncomfortable to venture out of his comfort zone, Tate Taylor ("Pretty Ugly People" '08, "The Help" '11, "Get on Up' '14, "The Girl on the Train" '16) plus TV and a short. This director knows how to get his actors to extract the most effective emotions, and the fact that he has an extensive acting background gives him that ability a little easier--he knows what actors go through so he can empathize. I can truly respect the chameleon-like attribute of this filmmaker. He takes chances and succeeds well. It will be interesting to see his next film, "Eve" which is in post-production, and his "George and Tammy" which is in pre-production. It was effectively written by Scotty Landes (tons of TV as far back as 2010). Other than Spencer's presence in this film, what makes this film a bit different from the typical horror film is that it builds the suspense, as opposed to going to the juggler of the audience almost immediately. Sue Ann comes across as just a lonely woman who just wants to make friends. Then, looking at this through Sue Ann's eyes, as others starts to disappoint her, she begins, subtlety, letting her obsessive-compulsiveness to bloom and soon, all hell breaks loose. There is a method to her madness which the audience will see as the film unfolds, but, of course, nothing justifies her ultimate psychosis.

This film certainly was written to convey this growing psychosis, however there were some inconsistencies and things that just didn't add up that concerned me. Was this just the character's psychosis or an error in storyline? Usually the problems that newer writers have is they need to hone there skill on more TV, but this writer has already gone down that road a lot, so I feel that if this guy could just get more scripts thrown his way, I believe this writer can become that artist he is. He has talent--he just needs more work. He does have his "Deadcon" which is in post-production, so it will be interesting to see if he does improve with that one. We'll see.

 

Surely, this will satisfy the staunchest of horror fans out there, especially with Octavia Spencer in the title role. She truly makes this film palatable at all--certainly memorable. Certainly, it does its job in keeping its audience on the edge of their seats, which is total escapism at its finest.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                        Rated: R                                     99mins.

 

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

As we continue into the summer film season, we are besieged with a plethora of big-budget films galore. Since Hollywood's main demographic, being the 18-24 year old single males being out of school, this is the perfect time to release these films. After all, these expensive films have to be paid for by the demographics in those theater seats--ca-ching! So now we have yet another installment of a very old franchise titled "Godzilla: King of the Monsters".

 

This new story chronicles the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch headed up by Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) as its members including Dr. Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler), Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown), Dr. Rick Stanton (Bradley Whitford), Sam Coleman (Thomas Middleditch) and others face off against a battery of god sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient superspecies, thought to be mere myths, rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance.

 

Others to round out the cast are Ziyi Zhang as Dr. Ilene Chen and Dr. Ling, Sally Hawkins as Dr. Vivienne Graham, Charles Dance as Jonah Alan, Aisha Hinds as Colonel Diane Foster, O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Chief Warrant Officer Barnes, David Strathairn as Admiral William Stenz and Anthony Ramos as Staff Sgt. Martinez.

 

This was directed by a filmmaker that has centered a good deal on the horror genre which is Michael Dougherty ("Trick 'r Treat" '07, "Krampus" '15) plus TV and shorts. Certainly big-budget films have been within his comfort zone considering his writing credits, but horror  seems to be something he's partial of. Considering the genres he's been involved with, he definitely understands the word intensity and knows how to extract that intensity and grit out of his actors and this film is no exception. His next films certainly keep him in that comfort zone with "Godzilla vs. Kong" expecting a 2020 release and "Trick 'r Treat 2" has been announced. It was noisily and intensely written also by Dougherty ("X2: X-Men United" '03, "Superman Returns" '06, "Trick 'r Treat" '07, "Krampus" '15) plus shorts, and Zach Shields ("Krampus" '15) plus shorts. As the Godzilla franchise films go, this was one of the better ones in that the premise seemed doable--in this Godzilla defends us, however it took way too long to get the meat of the plot--a bit too long-in-the-tooth. While the relationship within the family here was attempting to blossom, it simply couldn't because of the cacophony of noise being generated by the plethora of visual effects, not to mention that the storyline had a tendency to jump around too much. Dougherty, having the lion's share of the writing certainly is a seasoned writer, especially with this familiar genre, but what happened here? Bad day at the laptop? Not sure, but what could be the problem is that this genre has been done and redone time and again. As said prior, this is not a bad premise as compared to past installments, so the assumption has to be, why continue with a tired genre? How many Godzilla films have we endured? The list is endless: "Godzilla" '54, "Godzilla" '98, "Godzilla: Final Wars" '04, "Godzilla" '14, "Shin Godzilla" '16, "Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters" '17 to mention a handful. As I had mentioned prior, we will be offered yet another of the franchise next year, "Godzilla vs. Kong". If there was a franchise that either needs a total overhaul or to let die, it is this one. Maybe, just maybe, the one next year will be different. The visual effects predominantly created by MPC (Moving Picture Company), Double Negative and Method Studios were seamless, however had a tendency to overshadow the story.

 

Certainly if you're a Godzilla fan, you will be in that heaven, especially if loud and tons of visual effects are something you can get into, otherwise one might have a problem with this. But considering it is definitely to be seen on the large, if your plan is to see this, I would advise to see it on the big screen, lest it be lost on a 50 incher.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                   Rated: PG-13                                     132mins.