Alien: Covenant

In a community where franchise films reign king, Hollywood should just go ahead and rename itself Franchisewood. In the last decade alone, there have been more franchises either continue or are created that it's become difficult for original films to even squeeze in their time. Between the "Twilight Saga", "Divergent", overhauling "Planet of the Apes", "Harry Potter" to name a small number, we have "Alien: Covenant" to add to that never ending "Alien" franchise.

In this sci-fi horror film, which serves as both a sequel to 2012's "Prometheus" and a prequel to the larger "Alien" franchise, a colony spaceship called the Covenant is forced to make an emergency landing on a seemingly idyllic world. Unfortunately, the crew comprised of Walter (Michael Fassbender), Oram (Billy Crudup), Daniels (Katherine Waterston), Tennessee (Danny McBride), Lope (Demian Bichir) and others soon realize that this paradise contains a terrifying threat: the extraterrestrial predator known as the "xenomoph". Soon after landing and the crew is attacked by these predators, they come across help in the shape of a android computer, David (Fassbender) who is able to divert them into safety so they can start planning how they will be able to escape the horrid planet, but this is obviously easier said than done.

Others to round out the cast are Carmen Ejogo as Karine, Jussie Smollett as Ricks, Callie Hernandez as Upworth, Amy Seimetz as Faris, Nathaniel Dean as Hallett, Alexander England as Ankor, Benjamin Rigby as Ledward and Lorelei King as Voice of "Mother".

This was brilliantly directed by seasoned pro Ridley Scott ("Alien" '79, "Blade Runner" '82, "Thelma & Louise" '91, "Gladiator" 2000, "Black Hawk Down" '01, "American Gangster" '07, "Prometheus" '12, "The Martian" '15) plus many more. This consummate pro is surely a chameleon in that one cannot pigeon-hole him. His resume is as diverse as one could possibly be which makes him not only indispensable but talented as well. The sheer subtleties he was able to extract out of his actors was pure genius. It was creatively written by John Logan and Dante Harper based on a story by Jack Paglen and Michael Green which is based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. Even though Logan has the lion's share of experience, Harper still had important input. The connection between this and "Prometheus" was strategically orchestrated, so it will be interesting to see how the next installment of this trilogy will pan out. The 3rd has already been announced. Although I wasn't as keen on the story of "Prometheus", though fairly written well, this was much more tight and cohesive. It was a bit slow in some areas where it didn't need to be, however not enough to take away from the storyline. The visual effects predominantly designed by MPC (Moving Picture Company) were stunning and, unlike a lot of other big-budget films, actually added to this story.

Certainly if you're an "Alien" afictionato, you will be in franchise heaven, but even if you're not, it is still well executed in its direction, writing and acting. Also the ensemble cast was solid as it seemed real. Definitely one for the large screen also in an IMAX format as well.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: R                                 122mins.

Snatched

Comedies today have fallen prey to banal, toilet-humor, pratfall vehicles that are basically made to pacify those out there that want a cheap fix humorously. Certainly comedies can be physical and can be fluff and still be written and acted with finesse and respect. There have been so many comedies produced in the last 10-15 years that match the aforementioned description that the list would be endless, however "Snatched", albeit not an academy award quality film, was certainly funny with appreciative timing from its lead stars.

 

After her boyfriend, Michael (Randall Park) dumps her on the eve of their exotic vacation to Ecuador, impetuous dreamer Emily Mittleton (Amy Schumer) persuades her ultra-cautious mother, Linda (Goldie Hawn) to travel with her to paradise, especially after everyone else turned Emily down when asked to go with her. Polar opposites, Emily and Linda realize that working their differences as mother and daughter-- in unpredictable, hilarious fashion-- is the only way to escape the wildly outrageous jungle adventure they have fallen into. Through Emily's brother, Jeffrey (Ike Barinholtz), a U.S. government official Morgan Russell (Bashir Saladuddin), and two fellow American tourists, Ruth (Wanda Sykes) and Barb (Joan Cusack), can all these well-intentioned individuals save this mother and daughter before the abductors do them in?

 

Others to round out the cast are Tom Bateman as James, Oscar Jaenada as Morgado, Christopher Meloni as Roger Simmons, Pedro Haro as Maco and Raven Goodwin as Lew.

 

This was directed with note worthy timing by Jonathan Levine ("All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" '06, "The Wackness" '08, "50/50" '11, "Warm Bodies" '13, "The Night Before" '15) plus TV and shorts. Of course, Hawn has amazing comic timing and given better roles, Schumer could prove to us of her timing as well. Each of Levine's films seem to get stronger as he progresses, so I'll be interested in seeing what he has in store for us next. It was written by Katie Dippold ("The Heat" '13, "Ghostbusters" '16) plus TV. As with Dippold's other films, this film was certainly written better than I expected, not that it was executed well, but as compared to the other banal comedies out there today, this was a breath of fresh air. "The Heat" was mostly funny with great chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, and "Ghostbusters, although had some problems, held its own without leaning on the original at all, in fact it was better than the original. I went to see this because of Hawn. Her timing and delivery is priceless. And although this wasn't one of her best efforts, it certainly was a joy to see her in another comedy indeed. Her best films, in my opinion, are "Private Benjamin" and "Death Becomes Her". These were the pinnacle of her career. Dippold definitely has a future in Hollywood, if for no other reason than to write better physical, fratfall comedies than what we normally are subjected to. Certainly with more experience, Dippold will improve and maybe, just maybe, a good new comedy writer will be born. Her next film "The Heat 2" has been announced, so we'll see.

 

As comedies go, this was a film that is more funny than not, but if you like Hawn's comedic timing, this should fit the bill. But if you don't want to venture out to the multiplex, this would be a good flick to Netflix and have a great time at home.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                Rated: R                                   90mins.

 

The Wall

With tensions fling globally, i.e. militarily, financially, pestilence, famine, etc., it undoubtedly  has effected so many people including the Hollywood community. Military films, of late, have been prevalent considering the world's turmoil. We've seen them: "Stop-Loss", "Hurt Locker", "Jarhead", "Zero Dark Thirty", "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" to mention a handful. Now we have "The Wall" to add to that seemingly never ending list.

 

This is a deadly psychological thriller that follows two badly wounded U.S. soldiers, Shane Matthews (John Cena) and Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who are pinned down by a lethal enemy sniper, Juba (Laith Nakli). As their assailant taunts them over the radio, the duo try to scramble to safety with only a crumbling stone wall for a cover. Their fight becomes as much a battle of will and wits as it is of lethally accurate marksmanship which makes it the quintessential 'cat and mouse' game. Will either side crack under the physical and/or manipulative aspects of what's being said to one another?

 

This was amazingly well directed by seasoned director Doug Liman ("Getting In" '94, "Swingers" '96, "Go" '99, "The Bourne Identity" '02, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" '05, "Jumper" '08, "Fair Game" '10, "Edge of Tomorrow" '14) plus shorts and TV. Although this film has only three actors total in it, it's amazing how Liman was able to get his actors to emit that particular level of realism to their respective roles. Even the sniper, whom isn't seen on screen at all, gave a riveting performance of this shrewd and manipulative soldier just by listening to him. If you like his particular brand of directing, "American Made" is complete and should be released this year. He also has several films in pre-production as well as being announced. Obviously this filmmaker is an extremely busy guy. This was solidly written by relative newcomer Dwain Worrell ("Walking the Dead" '10, "Operator" '15) plus TV. Considering the limited experience, Worrell will definitely receive future work. Most films with this few of characters have an extremely difficult time holding an audience's attention, but this kept me riveted. Other than a couple of places where it could've been a bit more cohesive, this screenplay soared.

 

Obviously this only having a 90 minute running time, this cut right to the chase, but I believe this was purposed to get the audience reeled into the plot and characters quick so as to make the intensity valid. Whether you like war films or not, this is as much a psychological film as it is a physical war drama, so there's something for many different people.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: R                                     90mins.

 

 

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Medieval themed films are typically portrayed in similar ways replete with castles and their moats, axes, suits of armor, damsels in distress and possibly a fire-breathing dragon. They might have slightly different storylines, but visually similar in design...until now. Once Guy Ritchie was put behind the camera, "King Arthur: Legend of the Stone" became a whole new Medieval film that will impress.

 

Robbed of his royal lineage as a child when his uncle usurped the throne by killing his brother, Uther (Eric Dana), the king, Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) returns to the kingdom once ruled by his father and draws the legendary sword Excalibur from the stone whereas scores of men prior were not able to do so. Through Merlin's assistant, The Mage (Astrid Berges- Frisbey), he must learn to harness the sword's power in order to lead a rebellion with Bedivere (Djimon Hounsou), Bill (Aidan Gillen) and George (Tom Wu) at his side against the tyrannical Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur's uncle,  and reclaim his birthright. It's a fight to the finish where Arthur must right this horrid wrong.

 

Others to round out the cast are Freddie Fox as Rubio, Craig McGinlay as Percival, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Wet Stick, Neil Maskell as Back Lack, Annabelle Wallis as Maggie, Geoff Bell as Mischief John, Poppy Delevingne as Igraine, Millie Brady as Catia, Nicola Wren as Lucy, Will Coban as Brother Blackleg and Bleu Landau as Blue.

 

Of all the prolific directors out there today that are the most distinct, it would be that of Guy Ritchie ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" '98, "Snatch" 2000, "Swept Away" '02, "Revolver" '05, "Suspect" (TV movie) '07, "RocknRolla" '08, "Sherlock Holmes" '09, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" '11, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." '15) plus videos, shorts and TV. His distinct style of presenting his films is evident: slickly photographed, rapid filming and motion capturing, along with background music that is hipper than its time period. These ingredients are the trademarks of a Ritchie film. If you're a Ritchie fan, not to worry, "Aladdin" is in pre-production and "Sherlock 3" has been announced, however is rumored. It is cleverly written by Joby Harold, Ritchie and Lionel Wigram based on a story by David Dobkin and Harold. The way that these writers went back and forth with the story and was completely connected, was brilliant is its execution. Other than a couple of very small slow areas, this plot soared. It could've had approximately 5 minutes shaved off the running time wouldn't have hurt the script at all. Ritchie certainly carried the lion's share of the experience, but they all had important input on this project. Charlie Hunnam, although has acted in several films, doesn't have a household name yet, but given more roles as with this as Arthur, he will obtain a more recognizable name indeed. The visual effects predominantly by MPC (Moving Picture Company), Method Studios, Framestore and Scanline VFX were seamless and definitely added to this production.

 

If you're a Ritchie fan, you will be in film heaven. This is the quintessential Ritchie film that we've all come to love and expect from his movies. This has got to be seen on the large screen otherwise it will lose so much on a small screen. It has action, adventure, drama and explosiveness all in a 2D and 3D format.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                               Rated: PG-13                               127mins.

 

Colossal

Films typically have a certain genre attached to them, however sometimes they may possess different genres incorporated in one production. Such as they may be a comedy/ drama, or an action film with a western backdrop, but what if you are offered a film that has action, comedy, drama and sci-fi attached to it? This is what you get in viewing "Colossal".

 

Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is an out-of-work girl who, after getting kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend, Tim (Dan Stevens), is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown. When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, South Korea, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this far-off phenomenon.  She eventually is able to convince her old friend, Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) and newfound friends, Joel (Austin Stowell) and Garth (Tim Blake Nelson) that she is, in fact, digitally connected with this creature. As events begin to spin out of control, Gloria must determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the face of the world.

 

Others to round out the cast are Hannah Cheramy as Young Gloria, Nathan Ellison as Young Oscar, Sarah Surh as Mother, Haeun Hannah Cho as Little Girl and Christine Lee as Seoul Waitress.

 

This was written and directed with grit, quirkiness and whimsy by Nacho Vigalondo ("Timecrimes" '07, "Extraterrestrial" '11, "Open Windows" '14, "V/H/S Viral" (segment- "Parallel Monsters") '14) plus TV and a ton of shorts. The staging and pacing was spot on and you could feel the anxiety of Hathaway's Gloria intensely which definitely reflects the direction. Vigalondo's writing was quirky as it was entertaining. This was a bit of a challenge for this writer in that he had to combine a creature reigning havoc in Seoul and this woman going through a difficult time in her life. There were mishaps with this script, such as fully connecting her life challenges, Oscar's mood swings, and this creature stomping around and make total sense of it. If one follows intently, you will get the concept, as long as you pay close attention. The script meandered a bit and there were a couple of slow areas, but considering the complexity of plot, this filmmaker actually soared.

 

This film certainly isn't designed for the mass audience appeal, and with the quirkiness and complexity of the story, it's truly takes an open mind when watching this. The cast was effective in their respective roles and the dry humor is welcome, but the flow of the film definitely needs a little more polish.

 

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

 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Well folks, it's the kickoff for the summer movie season, and what a better film to kick it off with than that of "Guardians of he Galaxy Vol. 2". Most franchise film entities are often fair as each film is released, but this film, being the second installment of the franchise, simply soared and was as least as entertaining, if not more so, than its predecessor.

 

Set to the backdrop of 'Awesome Mixtape #2', Marvel's story continues the team's adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage. Old foes become new allies, and fan-favorite characters from classic comics will come to our heroes' aid as the Marvel universe continues to expand.

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and his fellow Guardians including Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drak (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), are hired by a powerful alien race, the Sovereign lead by Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), to protect their precious batteries from invaders. When it is discovered that Rocket has stolen the items they were sent to guard, the Sovereign dispatch their armada to search for vengeance. As the Guardians attempt to escape, the mystery of Peter's parentage is then revealed.

 

Others to round out the cast are Michael Rooker as Yondu, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Kurt Russell as Ego, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord, Chris Sullivan as Taserface, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Tommy Flanagan as Tullk and Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill.

 

This was intensely directed by James Gunn ("Slither" '06, "Super" '10, "Movie 43" (segment "Beezel") '13, "Guardians of the Galaxy" '14) plus TV and shorts. The rapid pacing coupled with the vivid cinematography by Henry Braham, bsc, made this soar. You could feel the electricity of the different characters in each and every scene and this is talented directing. It was also brilliantly written by Gunn ("Tomeo and Juliet" '96, "The Specials" 2000, "Thir13en Ghosts" (uncredited) '01, "Scooby-Doo" '02, "Dawn of the Dead" '04, "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" '14, "Slither" '06, "Super" '10, "Movie 43" (segment "Beezel") '13, "Guardians of the Galaxy" '14, "The Belko Experiment" '16) plus TV and shorts based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. As opposed to so many of the films out there that are based on comic books, this film addressed every question I would have had about what was going on, even though there was so much going on plot wise. It was written in a taught, concise and well thought out way. Not only did you learn more about Peter's background, but Rocket and Gamora as well which makes the character development richer and deeper. As with the original, the ensemble cast was incredible--Pratt's Peter which his very dry humor and Cooper's Rocket that was so over-the-top, they was uproarious.  If you like this franchise, not to worry--"Guardians of the Galaxy 3" has already been announced. Ya think! With all the seamless visual effects in this, I only wished I had seen this in IMAX which it was presented in. It was also presented in 3D and 4DX formats as well.

 

Whether you like this franchise or not, there is something for everyone in this--adventure, high adrenaline, humor and tons of action. This is the quintessential summer and popcorn flick that will have you waiting with bated breath for the third installment. THIS FILM ROCKS!

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: PG-13                              135mins.

 

How to Be a Latin Lover

As with "Instructions Not Included" back in 2013, "How to Be a Latin Lover" is yet another film with a similar feel to it. The huge difference is that Eugenio Derbez, co-wrote, co-produced and directed 'Instructions' whereas in this film he did not and we, the audience, are the worst for it.

 

In this riches to rags comedy, an aging gigolo, Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) is kicked to the curb by his 80-year-old millionaire wife or lover, Peggy (Renee Taylor) after 25 years of being together for a younger guy, car salesman (Michael Cera). Maximo receives counsel from his buddy and fellow gigolo (Rob Lowe), but after chatting with him, he is then forced to move in with his estranged sister, Sara (Salma Hayek) and her young son, Maximo's nephew, Hugo (Raphael Alejandro). Anxious to return to the lap of luxury, he attempts to reignite his powers as a Latin Lover and win over the recently widowed grandmother, Celeste (Raquel Welch) of his nephew's school crush, Arden (McKenna Grace).

 

Others to round out the cast are Kristen Bell as Cindy, Rob Corddry as Quincy, Celeste's driver, Rob Riggle and Rob Huebel as Nick, both whom Maximo owes money to, Linda Lavin as Millicent and Vadhir Derbez as 22 Year Old Maximo.

 

This was remarkably well directed by virtual newbie to feature films, Ken Marino (tons of TV). He was able to maneuver his actors to get them to emit this right amount of emotion and staging to make this film as realistic as it conveyed. All the TV served this filmmaker well, and I'm sure we'll see his name attached to the director's credit in more feature films to come. It was written by Jon Zack ("Out Cold" '01, "The Perfect Score" '04) plus TV, and Chris Spain. Considering the lack of experience of both writers (Spain has no other experience), it was a miracle this was written as well as it was. As with director, Marino, these guys need to cut their teeth on more TV before they are truly ready for feature films. The film started out well, then it moved fairly slow and considering the slowness, went on too long. Then nearing the end, something had to happen to make a good ending work, so then the film picked up and had a creative ending, but it didn't get there subtly and where it looked effortless. If only Derbez was attached to the creative side of this, I believe it would've gone in a completely different direction.

 

If you like Eugenio Derbez's work, you will surely enjoy this. Liking comedies as I do, at least this was written in way that didn't include banal writing, four-letter-words, sex, drugs and the shock factor. In fact, with all the banal toilet humor films out there, it sort of makes this comedy look tame as compared. We should have more of these comedies, just a bit more polished in writing.

 

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