Boo 2! A Madea Halloween

There are many comedies out there, however when it come to Tyler Perry, he practically owns his own genre with his brand of comedy. Some of his work falls in the drama genre, some is a combo of both drama/comedy as I like to call dramedy, but "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween" is virtually a whacky comedy which he does so well.

 

Madea (Perry), Bam (Cassi Davis) and Hattie (Patrice Lovely) , after eavesdropping on Madea's niece, Tiffany (Diamond White) about going to a teen party on Halloween unbeknownst to Tiffany's dad, Brian (Perry) end up following her to Lake Derrick, a campground where the party is happening, to bring her home. However chaos soon ensues when the trio end up running into real ghouls who are slowly picking off the teens one by one. What is Madea to do? Run for her life along with Bam, Hattie and Joe (Perry), Madea's brother.

 

Others to round out the cast are Yousef Erakat as Jonathan, Lexy Panterra as Leah, Andre Hall as Quinton, Brock O'Hurn as Horse, Taja V. Simpson as Debrah, Tiffany's mom, Tito Ortiz as Victor, Mike Tornabene as Dino and Hannah Stocking as Anna.

 

This was written and directed by the very funny Tyler Perry ("Diary of a Mad Black Woman" '02, "Madea's Family Reunion" '06, "Daddy's Little Girls" '07, "Why Did I Get Married?" '07, "Meet the Browns" '08, "Madea's Big Happy Family" '11, "Good Deeds" '12, "A Madea Christmas" '13, "Boo! A Madea Halloween" '16) plus others and TV. This is obviously the sequel to "Boo! A Madea Halloween" and since the writing could have been more polished in that film, this was simply a tired follow up to its predecessor. As with its predecessor, this was a clumsy script with poor staging and tired jokes. The original to this was much funnier even though it still needed work, this was practically the same as its original--just take out the fraternity and put in campground. Don't get me wrong, this had some funny moments, especially at the beginning. Perry still portrayed Madea as the icon that we wish we could be--saying what is on her mind in whatever way, under whatever situation and not care if she's politically correct. This is probably the funniest character trait Madea has and is why she is so loved by her fans.

 

If you're a Madea fan, you will like this regardless of the writing or stiff pacing, but if you're not, if one really feels they need to see this, rent it or Netflix it. Although it had funny moments, they just were not enough of them to compensate for a choppy, hackneyed script that, in my opinion, should have been written better considering the writer. Bad day at the laptop? Not sure.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 1.5                                Rated: PG-13                                   101mins.

 

Thor: Ragnarok

As we are entering the end of the year movie season, Marvel Studios has got to get, at least, one film released since summer wasn't enough time to barrage us with their summer flicks. And what a better one to release than that of "Thor: Ragnarok". What is amazing is that considering this is the third installment of this franchise, it is probably the best one.

 

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok-- the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization--at the hands of an all powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest hosted by a tyrannical Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger--The Incredible Hulk (Mark Rufallo).

 

Others to round out the cast are Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Karl Urban as Skurge, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange, Taika Waititi as Korg, Rachel House as Topaz, Clancy Brown as Surtur, Taranobu Asano as Hogun and Ray Stevenson as Volstagg.

 

This was directed by accomplished Taika Waititi ("Eagle vs Shark" '07, "Boy" '10, "What We Do in the Shadows" '14, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" '16) plus shorts and TV. What's interesting is the fact that this filmmaker is a very eclectic director hence his resume which is admirable. And this installment of the Thor franchise is probably the best directed. The characters came alive right off the page of the script much more than the other two installments. It was equally cleverly written by Eric Pearson (shorts and TV), Craig Kyle (videos and TV) and Christopher L. Yost ("Thor: The Dark World" '13, "Max Steel" '16) plus TV and video games, based on the comics by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. Considering that Yost is the only one here that has any feature film experience, I am amazed that this script was as taught and cohesive as it was. This one definitely contained more humor than its predecessors which truly helped it. In fact, the humor in this was very much similar to that of "Guardians of the Galaxy". I am extremely curious of what these guys will do next considering how well written this was. And, of course, the visual effects predominantly created by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Double Negative, Digital Domain and Framestore were absolutely seamless.

 

Other than the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise, this has to be a second favorite franchise based on a comic book mostly for the humor which gives it more of a human element to it. And you can see this in a plethora of ways: IMAX, 3D or 4DX. This is the quintessential escape film. Hit the multiplex and enjoy this gem!

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                               Rated: PG-13                                130mins.

 

Thank You for Your Service

As the old adage goes: "there are 8 million stories in the naked city, and everybody has their story". Truly, films based on real stories and people are hot today since there are so many being produced--again, truth is stranger than fiction, so when "Thank You for Your Service" came along, we, as an audience, almost expect the film to be based on a true story as opposed to fiction.

 

A group of U.S. soldiers, including Sgt. Adam Schumann (Miles Teller), Billy Waller (Joe Cole), Solo (Beulah Koale), Emory (Scott Haze) and SFC James Doster (Brad Beyer) return home after serving in Iraq, but their attempts at reintegrating into civilian life are complicated by their traumatic memories of war and pressure from military brass to remain stoic as an example to others. However, with their repeated nightmares and lapses of routine memory ensuing, the wife of Schumann, Saskia (Haley Bennett), girlfriend of Solo, Alea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and wife of Doster, Amanda (Amy Schumer) are at their wits ends of what to do with these guys. Even the VA is inept and overwhelmed to know, in detail, of what and how to help these soldiers.

 

Others to round out the cast are Patrick Brown as Staff Sergeant White, Omar J. Dorsey as Dante, Phil Armijo as Specialist Page, Dennis L.A. White as Jay, Han Soto as Army Doctor and Hunter Burke as Jake Schumann.

 

This was directed by a new director debuting his first film in the director's chair, Jason Hall. He also wrote this and others including "Spread" '09, "Paranoia" '13 and "American Sniper" '14, so being a writer has given him the ability to know a thing or two about directing--he obviously has worked with several directors before. He's a virtual natural to directing and will undoubtedly receive more work. His script was well thought out, especially with focusing on the personal aspects of these soldiers in how they are basically incapable of transitioning into life from their severe traumatic experiences in Iraq. Hall's willingness to incorporate the intense frustration from the wives/girlfriend was equally integral, and this writer conveyed this in spades. Seeing only the war experiences of these soldiers, although is important, isn't all there is to it, for when these guys come home, we as the audience, need to see how devastating it is for guys to even try to survive their families, society and the system--in order to receive benefits. Other than a couple of places of jumpiness in script, this storyline will keep you riveted and sober. We've seen these types of films before: "Jarhead" '05, "Stop-Loss" '08, "Hurt Locker" '08 and even the recent "Only the Brave", but this film had that different twist in how these soldiers were just trying to survive the best they knew how. The ensemble cast was chosen carefully and was powerful in their respective roles, especially Teller. He is a fine actor and has proven himself with other films, but he really shined in this.

 

If you're one who like war based films, especially based on a true story, this is the film for you. But even if you're not, this film speaks to all who watch it, in that it shows us a side of war that is all too often not brought up in conversation. And when a topic is not addressed, we, as humans, have a tendency to sweep it under the carpet.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: R                                 109mins.

 

Suburbicon

With all the formulaic, commercial films out there that Hollywood has a plethora to offer, it is so refreshing to come across a quirky, different, odd film not only to entertain, but also enjoy the talented people behind the film. As with the case of "Suburbicon", not only is this an odd film, but the very name reeks quirky.

 

Suburbicon is a peaceful, idyllic suburban community with affordable homes and manicured lawns... the perfect place to raise a family, and in the summer of 1959, The Lodge family, Gardner (Matt Damon), Rose (Julianne Moore), Gardner's wife, Maggie (Julianne Moore), Rose's twin sister, Nicky (Noah Jupe) is doing just that. But the tranquil surface masks a disturbing reality as husband and father Gardner Lodge must navigate the town's dark underbelly of betrayal, deceit, prejudice and violence. This is a tale of very flawed people making very bad choices. This is Suburbicon.

 

Others to round out the cast are David Isaac as Roger, Gary Basaraba as Uncle Mitch, Glenn Fleshler as Ira Sloan, Alex Hassell as Louis, Tony Espinosa as Andy Mayers, Karimah Westbrook as Mrs. Mayers, Leith M. Burke as Mr. Mayers, Richard Kind as John Sears, Jack Conly as Hightower and Nancy Daly as Linda, Gardner's secretary.

 

This  was directed by the incomparable George Clooney ("Good Night, and Good Luck" '05, "Leatherheads" '08, "The Ides of March" '11, "The Monuments Men" '14) plus TV. Even though this filmmaker doesn't have a ton of directing experience, what he has helmed is amazing quality. Being an actor, he is an actor's director where he has the ability to make these characters come to life as with his past films as well. He delineates what needs ro be conveyed in each and every scene and does so with finesse and aplomb. It was creatively written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen ("Raising Arizona" '87, "Fargo" '96, "The Big Lebowski" '98, "Intolerable Cruelty" '03, "No Country for Old Men" '07, "Burn After Reading" '08, "A Serious Man" '09, "Bridge of Spies" '15, "Hail Caesar!" '16) plus others and shorts, and George Clooney and Grant Heslov ("Good Night, and Good Luck" '05, "The Ides of March" '11, "The Monuments Men" '14). If I were to akin this film to another one, it would probably be "Fargo" '96, since both are about the greed, deceitfulness, and self-centeredness of its different characters. Couple that with being incredibly over-the-top, and these films are similar, however this is where the similarity ends, because the premise is certainly very different in how the script is carried out. Both films are written by the Coen Brothers which makes them quirky, and this adjective is the trademark of these brothers. Other than a couple of places of slowness in plot, this storyline soared. As this story unfolds, one cannot believe the situations of these characters could get any worse until you watch the next scene. And along with the Coen Brothers, both Clooney and Heslov are accomplished writers themselves. Surely a lot of writers, however with this talent, a film can get away with it since the film had a well thought out story.

 

If quirky and odd is a combination you can appreciate in a film, this is the film for you. But even if you are a commercial freak, the acting, directing and writing should be enough to satisfy the most hardcore of formulaic films. This is touted as a drama, but since it is so odd, one can see the comedic moments in it just as with "Fargo". Grab the popcorn and enjoy.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                               Rated: R                                  105mins.

 

Only the Brave

I continually root for films simply based in fiction which is why films were created in the first place, but after seeing "Geostorm" a mere four days ago, I opted to see "Only the Brave"-- a film based on a true story and I got a cohesive and well thought out script as well as a visual feast  Makes one want to give up on fiction based films--just kidding!

 

All men are created equal...then, a few become firefighters. This film, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is a heroic story of one unit of local firefighters including but not limited to Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin), leader of the unit, Brendan McDonough (Miles Teller), Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale), Christopher MacKenzie (Taylor Kitsch), Travis Turbyfill (Geoff Stults), Andrew Ashcraft (Alex Russell), Scott Norris (Thad Luckinbill) and Wade Parker (Ben Hardy), that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it--they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.

 

Others to round out the cast are Jeff Bridges as Duane Steinbrink, Jennifer Connolly as Amanda Marsh, Eric's wife, Scott Haze as Clayton Whitted, Jake Picking as Anthony Rose, Scott Foxx as Travis Carter, Dylan Kenin as Robert Caldwell, Ryan Busch as Dustin DeFord, Kenneth Miller as Sean Misner, Ryan Jason Cook as William Warneke, Brandon Bunch as Garret Zuppiger, Michael McNulty as Kevin Woyjeck, Nicholas Jenks as John Percin Jr. and Sam Quinn as Grant McKee.

 

This was directed by a relative newcomer to feature films, Joseph Kosinski ("TRON: Legacy" '10, "Oblivion" '13) plus a short, "The Dig" '17. Even though there is a number of years between projects, he is remarkably limited in experience. However what he lacks in experience, he makes up with quality. This director will be able to expand his horizons given that "Top Gun: Maverick" is in the pre-production process. It was cohesively well written by Ken Nolan ("Black Hawk Down" '01, "Transformers: The Last Knight" '17) plus TV and Eric Warren Singer ("The International" '09, "American Hustle" '13) plus TV, which is based on the GQ article, "No Exit" by Sean Flynn. As with Kosinski, neither of these writers have a ton of experience, but what they have created has been exemplary. Nolan continues to be a busy writer with "Transformers 7", "Transformers 8" and "Luna Park" all being announced, whereas Singer's "Top Gun: Maverick" is in pre-production. These guys have gotten and will continue to receive work, because their technique is extremely thorough and tight. Each one of the men of this firefighting unit had their own personality which was well delineated and came across in a very real way--like normal guys. And what can I say about ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) who designed the visual effects? When they design, they simply make the effects effortless as with this film.

 

This film seems similar to "Backdraft" '91 in that they both were about a camaraderie between the firefighters--a brotherhood if you will, but, of course, the plots were quite different which made them unique in their own way. "Only the Brave" is a sobering film that it holds family and community to heart, so when its audience sees this will learn something from it. At the same time, it has an entertaining factor to it so as to have something for everyone. And it's in a great IMAX format as well.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: PG-13                                       133mins.

 

Geostorm

If there was a time that disaster films reigned, it was probably the decade of the 1970's. Just about every year, a disaster film was released. Since then, this genre has resurged at different times, such as "The Day After Tomorrow", "Twister", "San Andreas", "The Impossible" and even "Titanic". If you take all these films and combine them into one film, you will have "Geostorm".

When catastrophic climate change endangers Earth's very survival, world governments unite and create the Dutch Boy Program: a world wide net of satellites, surrounding the planet, that are armed with geoengineering technologies designed to stave off natural disasters. After successfully protecting the planet for three years, something is starting to go wrong. Two estranged brothers, Jake Lawson (Gerard Butler) and Max Lawson (Jim Sturgess) are tasked with solving the program's malfunction before a world wide Geostorm can engulf the planet. Jake actually designed and implemented the satellite system, however his brother, Max was also instrumental in assisting Jake. So with fighting the clock, Jake has a team including Ute Fassbinder (Alexandra Maria Lara), Al Hernandez (Eugenio Derbez), Duncan Taylor (Robert Sheehan) and Ray Dussette (Amr Waked) to help him in solving this potentially cataclysmic situation.

Others to round out the cast are Abbie Cornish as Sarah Wilson, Daniel Wu as Cheng Long, Ed Harris as Leonard Dekkom, Andy Garcia as President Andrew Palma, Adepero Oduye as Eni Adisa, Richard Schiff as Senator Cross, Mare Winningham as Dr. Cassandra Jennings, Zazie Beetz as Dana and Talitha Bateman as Hannah Lawson, Jake's daughter.

This was directed by a seasoned writer who's directorial debut is with this film, Dean Devlin ("Brain Trust" (TV movie) '11) plus TV. Considering this is his first feature film in the director's chair, this was effectively executed. These actors were effective in there respective roles and this is all about the directing. Certainly Devlin has worked with some talented directors since he is a seasoned writer in this genre, so it should not be too surprising that he would be the director he's turned out to be. His next project, "Bad Samaritan" is in post production as we speak. This was predictably written by Devlin ("Universal Soldier" '92, "Stargate" '94, "Independence Day" '96, "Godzilla" '98, "Independence Day--Resurgence" '16) plus others and TV and Paul Guyot (TV). This was adequately written, however it is extremely predictable. With Devlin writing similar screenplays in his other films, predictability reigns king: a brooding lead actor at odds with another, an horrific event that's tied to the lead actor. They try to warn but to no avail, so when the chips are really down, they are wooed in to solve the problem. Sound familiar? To give this film credit, there is an odd political subplot that holds your attention to a degree. So since Devlin has the lion's share of the experience--Guyot has no feature film experience--Devlin has to carry the brunt of the responsibility to produce a decent script. And with this we get a storyline that is so similar as we've seen in other 'disaster' films.

This film wasn't actually made for an incredible script or fine acting as much as it was for the seamless visual effects produced. When one watches a disaster flick, it's all about the excapism factor so one can watch something to take them away from their problems for a couple of hours while munching on their popcorn. And with this being presented in an IMAX format, it makes that escape even more entertaining.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                      109mins.

American Made

Hollywood's fascination with films based on true stories continues and is virtually never ending. Anymore, Hollywood slips in fictional stories once in a while within all the films based on true stories or events. And more to the point, there have been several films about drugs and arms: "Traffic" 2000, "Lord of War" '05, "Kill the Messenger" '14 and now we have tossed to us "American Made".

Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) was just an ordinary commercial pilot who worked for TWA before he was recruited by one, Monty 'Schafer' (Domhnall Gleeson) of the CIA in 1978. Seal's work in South America eventually caught the eye of the Medellin Cartel, associated with Pablo Escobar (Mauricio Mejia), who needed a man with his skill set. Barry subsequently became a drug trafficker, gun smuggler and money launderer, soon acquiring the title, "The gringo that always delivers". The 1980's clandestine operation would later be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair, and this all comes crashing down after a new administraton has moved into the white house.

Others to round out the cast are Sarah Wright as Lucy Seal, Barry's wife, Jesse Plemons as Sheriff Downing, Caleb Landry Jones as JB, Lucy's brother, Jayma Mays as Diana Sibota, Lola Kirke as Judy Downing, Alejandro Edda as Jorge Ochoa, Benito Martinez as James Rangel, E. Roger Mitchell as Agent Craig McCall, Jed Rees as Louis Finkle, Fredy Yate Escobar as Carlos Ledher and Robert Farrio as Oliver North.

This was directed by the incomparable of action movies 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, "The Wall" '17) plus TV. The way this filmmaker incorporates his actors, cinematographers and editors within his projects so as to reach his target audience with that level of ultimate action is phenomenal, as with this film as well. This is one busy guy with "Chaos Walking" being filmed for a 2019 release, "Live Die Repeat and Repeat" and "Attica" both in pre-production and "Luna Park" being announced. There is no stopping this director. It was written by relative newcomer Gary Spinelli ("Stash House" '12). Considering this writer is new to feature films, this was exemplary screenwriting. With all that was going on with Cruise's character, Barry, this plot could've been easily convoluted and confusing, but Spinelli simply stayed to following out the time sequences as planned so it didn't meander. Although there were a couple of places of slowness--this could've been cut a good five minutes, it still was compelling and showcased this writer as someone to contend with. He has worked with Liman again with "Chaos Walking" which he wrote and is being filmed.

Even though this is certainly a vehicle we've seen Cruise in more than once, he is still able to woo us to the multiplex as with others characters he has played. This, like a lot of his other projects, is a great popcorn film. It would be nice to see Cruise sink his teeth into more meatier roles like in "Born on the Fourth of July" or "Magnolia", but maybe we'll see.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: R                                     114mins.