Maskerpiece Theatre: Review

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Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Coco - Review

Dia de los Muertos is a tradition enjoyed by many in the latin culture. It allows those among the living to remember those who have passed on. It also carries a hope that the spirits of the ancestors might visit the living to see their family still remembers them (which may provide some level of comfort for them in the afterlife). Also (for the living) it provides additional time to mourn the loss of family, grieve and possibly laugh and smile as stories are told recounting the cherished moments of time once spent together. So, does “Coco” deliver on the customs and traditions of this culturally important holiday or should we send this film off into the movie afterlife to only be forgotten? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

The design of this story is vibrant. It’s a colorful journey that explores the land of the living as well as the land of the dead. The two worlds don’t look identical either which makes for a pleasant visual experience at the movies. Normal life is a bit subdued with more plain tones, like tans, browns, etc. The afterlife is bright reds, greens, orange and more. The worlds are easily identifiable to us as viewers which made the overall presentation of this film enjoyable.

The story (in typical Pixar fashion) does pull, or attempts to pull, at your heart strings. The overall message seemed to revolve around family. We must love and cherish the family we have and the family we had. We must be understanding and supportive of each other while also still seeking out the blessings of our loved ones if we are to follow our hearts into unfamiliar avenues. The driving message of this film revolves around family and it does so quite well.

The movie doesn’t conclude as strongly as it begins unfortunately. It’s a boy who wants to be a musician but his family forbids it due to his great great grandfather leaving the family for life as an artist. So, instead of music, his family makes shoes. So the boy sets out on a journey to “seize his moment” and become the guitar player and singer that his great great grandfather was. And the whole movie revolves around him trying to be a musician, and his family saying no. Even after he finds his way into the land of the dead, his dead family doesn’t want him to have a life in music. For more than a single reason, he needs their blessing to follow his passion. By the end of the film we discover that his family is not who he thought they were and shoes are not the only means in which they’ll now be making money. However, the story of family, pursuing your dreams and honoring the dead suddenly takes a back seat to karma. The ending pivots and takes the movie in a completely different direction. The ending shows us that all will be made right in the end, and even death is not great finale. However, death after death is possibly the very end? This was the emotional part of the film that punched most of the people in the movie right in the feels. I was too busy thinking about where this story was going and how we got to this shift in story.

“Coco” is in theaters now! I’m gonna recommend a big screen viewing for this film. While the ending felt separate from the story of a boy wanting to be a musician and needing his families blessing, everything leading up to that moment is great fun and worth while. In all, by the time the credits rolled, it felt like this story wanted to tell more than it was able to and because of that I left the theater slightly perplexed on what story specifically they wanted to tell. However, the musical numbers and the score are entertaining and there are some heartfelt moments sprinkled throughout. I enjoyed a few hearty laughs as well. Also, definitely keep your eyes on the visual design of Miguel as he travels through the land of the dead and becomes more translucent. The attention paid to his transformation was impressive and the team responsible for his transformation deserves a high five. Check this film out (maybe even in 3D)!

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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

"Daddy's Home 2" - Review

The boys are back in town and they’re full of holiday cheer. Christmas is fast approaching and the dads, step dads and grandads are all coming together to make this Christmas one to be remembered. So, does “Daddy’s Home 2” deliver a festive and humorous Christmas tale or is this film being put on the naughty list? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

It’s been two years since “Daddy’s Home” and while the story leads us to believe there’s been some improvements or changes to the relationships between dad/step dad, it didn’t come across on screen. Dusty came across as someone who needs anger management because he seemed to be repressing anger instead of dealing with the issues. Brad felt more confident but only until an actual issue arises in which case he reverts back to who he was in the first film. So, in all, the two leads didn’t do much to show that any time had passed between stories. However, for the majority of the film they did get along better than the original.

The introduction of new characters wasn’t great either but I believe the writers weren’t focusing on the introduction of the grand fathers as much as they were trusting that we’d get to know their personalities as the movie unfolds. On a positive note, the on screen chemistry between Mel Gibson and John Lithgow was a delight. In fact, as I watched the story I wanted to see a spin off film of just those two. They are polar opposites in personality type and it worked when they were on screen together. We also get to see that by the end of the film, a spin off story might be possible. I’d be fine with a short feature of 30 minutes or less before “Daddy’s Home 3” if that gets made.

“Daddy’s Home 2” is in theaters now! This film has so much Christmas in it that if you want a comedic look at dude parenting in the modern world this might be a fun holiday movie to see in a room full of strangers. There’s plenty of Christmas movie tropes as well. Walking through forests for the perfect tree, Christmas light decorating gone wrong, and even a Christmas musical number at the end that talks about the meaning of… going to the movies at Christmas? Yup. That happens. A short Public Service Announcement about the importance of movie watching at Christmas. That aside, I had more than enough laughs and I was reminded of the importance of not allowing just anyone to adjust the thermostat. Check it out!

Monday, December 4, 2017

"A Bad Mom's Christmas" - Review

It’s been one year since we last spent time with three mothers who are trying to balance their schedule, their kids schedule and everything else involved in being a modern day mom. The Christmas season is in full swing for these ladies and their families when one surprise after another occurs ushering in new challenges and obstacles leading up to Christmas. So, does “A Bad Mom’s Christmas” deliver on the merriment and ho ho ho’ing we’d expect as a sequel or is this film getting coals in its stocking? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

This story over delivers on Christmas. In fact, there’s so much Christmas in this movie I’m surprised it was released as early as it was. This film might have enjoyed more positive feedback had they released it after Thanksgiving or the first weekend in December when there won’t be much competition, if any, for new movies. However, a more appropriate release date won’t do much for a drab, predictable and overly decedent film about Christmas gone off the rails. The biggest issue I had were the moments where the ladies are unhinged. The entire scene at the Mall where they’re getting drunk and partying felt so out of place in this movie. However, the bar scene where they’re watching male strippers dressed as Santa compete in a “dance off” felt appropriate for the characters involved. So, the wild and zany moments the girls have to relieve the stress of being a modern mom did and did not work. In short, the writing wasn’t great for this film. It’s unbalanced and predictable. I knew when a joke was being set up and what the punch line would be. I did enjoy a few laughs but the majority of this film left me with eye fatigue from one eye roll after another.

The characters also felt more like caricatures. The leading ladies all represent a personality type and their mothers over exaggerate the personalities. If Amy, Kiki and Carla are the personification of stereotypes of modern moms, then Ruth, Isis and Sandy are the hyper exaggerated versions of their daughters. In all, the screen time is split between characters that felt authentic and cartoonish versions of the idea of what personality types might behave like. This was a mixed bag of enjoyable on screen interactions and noticeably terrible on screen chemistry.

“A Bad Mom’s Christmas” is in theaters now. If you’re a drinker, female and need a girls night out this might be the film for you. Perhaps you hop into the group chat you have with your girlfriends and suggest dinner, drinks, this movie and then more drinks. It’s not a completely abysmal film because it did elicit some sniffles and tears from the girls that sat around me. Some of the points and themes of motherhood struck home with the ladies in the movie and for that I won’t completely disregard this film. It knew its demographic and was able to land a few key moments that paid off emotionally for the females around me. When I saw “Bad Mom’s” I was the only single guy in my showing. “A Bad Mom’s Christmas” I was the only dude in the theater. Gentlemen, you have been warned about this film. Enjoy the movie, ladies!

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

"Thor: Ragnarok" Movie Review

Ragnarok is the end of all things. It’s death. It’s destruction. It’s the finale. Now add Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, Odin, Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Grand Master, Surtur the Fire Demon and Hela the Goddess of Death with an abundance of humor and we get “Thor Ragnarok.” Does this third film in the “Thor” franchise live up to the Marvel brand name or should we send this film off to Valhalla? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

First, Taika Waititi directing this film was a special touch for the Marvel stable of films. Being known for his dry and sometimes literal comedy we most certainly were treated to many comedic moments from start to finish. I knew walking in to the theater that we’d be getting more comedy than we’re familiar with. Considering the films that came before have all been sprinkled with comedic moments this particular story went above and beyond the status quo. The entire story is peppered with Taika’s familiar style of comedy and I couldn’t have been happier. That being said, there were a few moments where I thought the jokes could’ve been pulled and, just like in “Doctor Strange”, we could’ve let the tension crescendo instead of grow, laugh, grow again. In “Doctor Strange” we get a dramatic build up towards the end only to be ruined by the cloak of levitation wiping his face. In “Thor Ragnarok” we get Bruce Banner accepting the fact he needs to become the Hulk in order to save countless lives. Instead of Bruce having a smooth transition from human to Hulk, we get a quick slap stick style joke that we could’ve done without. Also, When Thor is explaining to Valkyrie what heroes do, he didn’t need to be struck in the head with the bouncing ball. Overall, I was mostly pleased with how the majority of jokes landed.

The story was quick paced. This was one aspect of the film that caught me off guard, in a good way. The movie sets out to cover a lot of ground. First, where has Thor been since “Captain America Civil War” and where has Hulk been since “Avengers: Age of Ultron”? Also, what’s been happening with Loki and Odin? The amount of backstory this movie decided to cover was impressive and I’m glad they did. The story could’ve easily skipped over details but instead we get some back story and it makes sense. Thor has been out looking for infinity stones and while away realizes that something is amiss because the 9 realms are falling into chaos… which shouldn’t be happening because Odin should be keeping things in check. So we get back to Asgard to discover that Thor has defeated Surtur preventing Ragnarok and during that battle he’s made aware Loki is disguised as Odin. From there the story jumps forward and we’re off and running for this particular film. The brief moment we get to see Doctor Strange was fun however almost unnecessary. This very limited cameo did show us that the good Doctor has definitely been getting stronger and more skilled in magic but other than that, sadly, almost not necessary. The entire reason for that cameo is to tell Thor that Odin has chosen seclusion while he waits out his last few days.

The big reveal in this film is the continuing saga of secrets that Odin has kept from those closest to him. Here we are told that Hela, the goddess of death, is actually Thor and Loki’s older sister and rightful heir to the throne of Asgard. There has been no mention of a sister up to this film so that was a pretty big reveal. Her character was also deliciously evil and determined for all the right reasons. She was not simply the goddess of death. She was the rightful heir come to take her place on the throne and exact revenge for being locked away by her father after helping him take control of the 9 realms. She had incredible motivation for her actions which made her role and motivation captivating. Cate Blanchett is in the Top 5 villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and if you disagree I wonder about your taste in story and film.

The trilogy does end by showing that at the end of the day, brotherhood matters. In all, these films are about the relationship between Thor and Loki. That is the heart of these stories. For better or worse, these two are brothers and that makes for great story telling. Kenneth Branagh did a fantastic job in the first Thor film establishing an almost Shakespearean relationship in the house of Odin. This movie continues that theme and does well on how it builds upon it as we move towards “Avengers: Infinity War.” The short speech Odin gives his two sons in this movie is the heart of a father who sees his sons for what they are, what they can still become and what they can still achieve together. It’s this relationship that ultimately saves the day in this movie as well. We find out Odin’s plan and why he chose isolation and why he’s accepted Ragnarok as a reasonable solution. He knows that his death will unleash his daughter who, for the most part, is unstoppable. The only means of destroying her is to destroy Asgard and the only means of accomplishing that is to unleash Ragnarok. Absolutely brilliant storytelling even if it’s subtle in its delivery.

“Thor Ragnarok” is in theaters now! I thoroughly enjoyed this film and my time spent in the theater. It is not my favorite of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it’s definitely not my least favorite. This film takes you on a colorful, adrenaline fueled, science fiction adventure, full of laughs (some from adult/crude humor) with the continued theme on the importance of brotherhood. We get to see Thor accept the burden of leadership and become the ruler he was destined to become but in an unconventional way. Finally, Jeff Goldblum as “The Grandmaster” has to be experienced on the big screen in surround sound while he sings “It’s my birthday!” I hope we get to see him and Benicio Del Toro on screen together. This movie has two end credit sequences. So, you’ll want to stay for those. “Thor Ragnarok” is in your local movie theaters right now. Check this film out!

Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
Email: maskedblogster@gmail.com
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Pinterest: /abnormalpodcast/maskerpiece-theatre/
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iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/maskerpiece-theatre/id647535985?mt=2
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Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can support our show and Abnormal Entertainment on our Support Us page.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

My "Suburbicon" Movie Review.

George Clooney, the Coen Brothers, Julianne Moore and Matt Damon all working together had my curiosity peaked. The level of talent on all fronts had me both optimistic and cautious. From the trailer, it appears that a small town is about to get more than it bargains for. So, did “Suburbicon” deliver on a story of a small town in disarray or can we bypass this film? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

This movie did not know which story it wanted to tell. It almost felt like George Clooney and the Coen Brothers sat down one evening and watched a bunch of movies where multiple stories occur at the same time and coalesce in the third act of the story. Movies like, “Love Actually”, “Four Rooms”, “Sin City” and/or “He’s Just Not That Into You.” Then after watching films like these, they all agreed they wanted to make something similar. And truth be told, they tried. The trailers are misleading because the impression is that Matt Damon’s character is driving the narative and that’s only partially true. We get a lot from Julianne Moore, and Noah Jupe, that is not really indicted at in the trailers. We also have a separate storyline dealing with the new black neighbors in the story that felt more metaphorical, than anything else. There was a lot that occurred in this movie and unfortunately because of that the overall delivery suffers.

The acting in this film is at the level we would expect from the caliber of actors on screen. The stories, if separated into smaller films, also were well written but they were not as developed as they could have been if more attention were given to each one. The overall story of Matt Damon’s character felt almost like a Greek tragedy where most everyone dies by the end of the film. However, again, the story needed work and this was a surprise for me considering the Coen brothers are credited as the writers of the movie. By the end of the film we see that the innocent survive except they don’t. The uncle, played by Gary Basaraba, was a fairly decent guy who has an entire scene discussing right and wrong with a priest. He also comes to rescue his nephew and while in this act of heroism is killed. So, we can’t pinpoint exactly why the people are dying. Except that we can, for the most part, because bad people doing bad things are the cause of death. If you’re getting confused than my review is relaying the level of confusion I had watching the story unfold on the big screen.

Overall, this felt like a film that wanted to explore why bad things happen to bad people. At the same time, it felt like a metaphorical social commentary on white people blaming non-whites for their problems. It also felt like the innocent will survive to see another day. It also felt like the message could be that everyone in your life can die but that’s ok as long as your neighbor is cool with playing catch once in awhile. There’s so much in this movie and I wasn’t sure what I watched when I walked out of the theater.

“Suburbicon” is in theaters now. If you enjoy dark, artsy, crime drama’s that look at life through several lenses than this film is perfect for you. If not, I recommend you save your hard earned dollars. This film is a great example of how too many stories can become a convoluted mess, even if each story is adequately written. I wasn’t disappointed in the movie but I was confused and because of that I will recommend you stay home and binge watch “Stranger Things” season 2 or go see “The Foreigner.” There’s plenty of entertaining options that will be more substantial than time spent watching this complicated and baffling story.

Sunday, October 29, 2017

"Geostorm" Movie Review

Storms have ravaged country after country to the point that humanities very existence was at stake. The nations of the world come together to build a series of satellites to control Mother Nature and extend our time on planet Earth. So, does “Geostorm” live up to the wild weather in the trailers or is this story a wash? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

The trailers did paint an accurate portrayal of this film. What we saw was exactly what we got, plus a tiny bit more. The story is predictable and the dialogue feels like what we’d find in a made for TV movie. Also, the acting was decent and thankfully I did not suffer a single eye roll once in the theater. The movie met the expectation I had for it as I sat in my seat taking in all the special effect goodness this film had to offer.

The one area that was a bit goofy was the main villain. In the trailer, we are told that someone is using the satellite to create storms that are destroying cities around the world. This is true. However, the reveal of the villain felt like the ending of a “Scooby Doo” cartoon. I was waiting for Ed Harris to say, “…and I would’ve gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those meddling brothers!” When the President and team catch Harris’s character we also get the infamous villain speech where he justifies his villainous actions which did make me laugh out loud in the theater. It wasn’t a humorous moment, per se, but I found that trope comical in this setting and it did get a chuckle.

Overall, the movie delivered on exactly what I had hoped. It was a decently written, goofy, “who dun-it”, special effects adventure. This film won’t be winning any awards and I don’t believe it was intended to. I think everyone who made this film knew exactly what they were making and had a good time doing it.

“Geostorm” is in theaters now! If you want to enjoy a movie that won’t make you think but will give you lots of crazy weather special effects, I recommend a big screen viewing (before noon). Pay the matinee ticket price and save yourself some cash. This was a fun time at the movies and it didn’t require a lot from the audience. I won’t recommend you pay full price. If you and your significant other, or your bff’s, want to enjoy some coffee and cinema this will get the job done and will give you something to talk and laugh about afterwards. Check it out!

Saturday, October 14, 2017

"Blade Runner 2049" - Review

The year is 1982 and “Blade Runner” (a science fiction film) arrives in theaters that for the next 35 years will be considered one of the best science fiction films of all time. The year is now 2017 and the follow up film arrives in theaters and some, not all, had the highest of expectations. So, does “Blade Runner 2049” deliver on the quality of its predecessor or is this a replicant that needs to be put down? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

I was not one of the people who had a special place in their hearts reserved for this film. I didn’t see the first film until this year when I purchased “Blade Runner” on BLU-Ray at my local used book store. That story celebrates everything that was the 1980’s and science fiction. Seeing it for the first time in 2017 I couldn’t help but see the movie as a period piece stuck forever in 1982. The story by itself is well written and constructed however the movie as a whole is 1982 at its very most 1982’ish. So walking into the theater to see this sequel I didn’t have the same expectation as many who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of this story.

The movie starts by acknowledging the fact that Replicants are a thing that’s not hidden in society which caught me off guard. I was pleased they jumped right into that because it allowed the story to progress forward into new territory not really analyzed in the first movie. I will say the story does feel a bit long in that we get to see a lot of emotion and epiphanies on screen. These moments are not brief and that makes the story drag at points which was unfortunate. However, as long as the movie felt it looked incredible. The colors, the lighting and use of shadows, the make up and the action all were spectacular. I was completely mesmerized by the cinemotography and I wouldn’t not be surprised if this film gets nominated for an Acadamy Award for Cinemotography. Rumors confirmed, folks. This is one of the best looking films I’ve seen all year.

The story deals with a philosophical examination regarding what it means to be alive and to be human. The story resolves itself like a crime noir/detective story. It’s methodical in its delivery however the pacing is slower than I felt necessary. We get multiple view points or arguments that look at what society is, what it could be, power struggles to maintain the status quo and the opposite. In all, this movie explores the question, “What does it mean to be alive?” As I just wrote, this revelation takes time to be revealed. It’s not until we find out that a replicant had a “natural” born child that the overall plot of the film is realized. It’s at this moment the opposing view points are pushed to the fore front and we are seated amidst a debate that also has some great action and science fiction visual flare. This debate, unfortunately, is not very captivating and because of that will be lost, I feel. The film rests mainly on the visual astheatic and actors performances. It falls short on an engaging story that should be both at the same time thought provoking and exciting. The potential for this film is much greater than the final product.

“Blade Runner 2049” is in theaters now. I definitely recommend you see this on the big screen. This movie looks spectacular and I truly believe it will be nominated for best Cinematography. The overall look warrants a big screen viewing but I will caution you against paying more than matinee prices for the time spent in the theater. It’s slower paced and does drag at times but it looks incredible while doing that. Check this film out!

Friday, October 13, 2017

"Battle of the Sexes" Review

There are certain studios that find their way by making smaller budget, almost indie, films with talented, well known, actors. In this particular case, Fox Searchlight Studios decided to tell the real life story of Tennis greats Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. It was a spectacle for everyone who saw it live. So, does “Battle of the Sexes” serve us a champions story or does it double fault its way in and out theaters. Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

First, we can look at the cast for this film as diverse, in that, many of the faces I don’t recall seeing on screen together. Outside of that, I wasn’t overly wowed by any of the performances because I received the caliber of talent that I expected to receive from each actor. In general, I thought the acting in this film was the high point. Plus, it was nice to see Natalie Morales in the film because I enjoyed the performance she gave in the hit TV show “Parks and Rec.” Also, Sarah Silverman plays a great older jewish woman who has a smoking addiction and enjoys managing women’s tennis players.

The overall story I wasn’t familiar with despite its notoriety. All I knew was a dude and a lady were competing in a tennis match and the whole world was tuning in to watch. So, when I walked into the theater I was pretty open minded regarding the story that was about to be told. Curiously, the story wasn’t the story advertised. It was, in fact, only a small portion of the actual movie. The actual story revolves around Billie Jean King (played by Emma Stone) and her determination to be a pioneer for women’s rights, her love affair with her hair dresser, the divorce of her marriage and her eventual victory over the chauvinist Bobby Riggs (played by Steve Carell). I felt mislead once the credits started rolling because I was under the impression that I would be getting a sports movie. Instead, I was given a lesbian love affair with a strong feminist message that had sports peppered throughout until the very end of the film in which we see the famed event unfold. It felt like the final tennis match was just a metaphor for the entire pro feminist message in the film which makes the title “battle of the sexes” misleading, in my opinion. More appropriately, the title I feel should have been, “The Billie Jean King Story.” The film as a whole had more to do with her life than tennis (even though her life was tennis).

“Battle of the Sexes” is in theaters now! If you don’t mind two women making out on screen then you won’t be offended by this film. It’s a very well acted piece however you do need to keep in mind that it’s not about tennis. Tennis is the resolving plot point that, again, felt more like a metaphor than a resolution/conclusion. This is the Billie Jean King story and if you’re interested in her life, the struggles she went through and her love of tennis, I think you’ll appreciate that story. It does feel like a Hallmark or Lifetime film at points and it’s based on a true story that you might enjoy it during matinee prices.

Saturday, October 7, 2017

American Made - Review

Tom Cruise movies will continue to peak my interest until he has a string of bad films in a row. Now, you put Cruise in a movie that is based on a true story about a drug and gun runner who worked for the US Government AND Cartels and you definitely have my attention. So, was “American Made” a captivating look at real life events during the 1970’s and 80’s or did this film fail to deliver? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

I wasn’t familiar with the real life story behind the film. In fact, I had no idea what I was getting into when I walked into the theater except that which I saw in the previews. So I went into the movie with a pretty open mind since I didn’t have any real expectation for this story. Even still, I found the overall movie bland. The moments that could have been stressful weren’t and the humor didn’t land as well as I believe the director wanted. The visual style was also confusing because the entire movie had a vintage filter on it to make it look like aged footage but then they used playback footage as well. So, we get the story, plus a look back at the story, at the same time and both look aged but differently aged. I didn’t care for the visual style used to tell the story. It was obnoxious in my opinion.

The characters were also bland. I’ll probably use that adjective a few more times in this review because that’s how this entire thing felt. Domhnall Gleeson plays a CIA operative and even his performance was mediocre, and again, bland. I can’t say that any particular performance was memorable. In fact, if this movie didn’t have Tom Cruise I’m not sure it would make the money it’s made so far. This is a very forgettable film and that’s unfortunate because of the talent involved.

Overall, the message of the film felt like it was trying to tell the story of how Big Government is bad and uses the character Cruise plays to drive that point home. I didn’t care enough about his character to concern myself with the fact that the different government agencies involved in all the black ops dealings were still successful even though at the end of the film his character is shot in the head because of how the US Government betrays him. Gleeson’s character is promoted and we see how this whole movie was the beginning of what eventually became the “Iran Contra” scandal. So, we go through the whole film only to realize that the point (or message) of the story could be to not trust your government because you could end up dead? I’m not sure. I thought I was watching a movie based on a true story but then the very end felt like a passive aggressive public service announcement for how terrible and untrustworthy the government is. Plus, the end doesn’t make sense. Part of the film we’re watching playback video recordings of him talking about his dealings with the government agencies (CIA, DEA, FBI), so, why does it stop just because he gets shot in the head? He’s not watching his videos. Someone else is and the videos have already been recorded. The end scene of his made no sense to me. He’s already recorded his message about how America is great before he was shot. So the recording wouldn’t stop because he’s shot in the head, because he recorded it before he died. Odd.

“American Made” is in theaters now. You can skip this movie. It’s boring. It’s bland. It doesn’t really go anywhere that isn’t predictable and the characters are not memorable at all. I’m not even sure this is worth a Redbox viewing. If it pops up on your TV one Sunday afternoon and you’re too lazy to change the channel than ok, go ahead and watch it. Otherwise you can skip it because chances are you won’t remember much of it after it concludes. I will say this about the movie in closing, it’s better than Tom’s last film, “The Mummy.”

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Kingsman: The Golden Circle - Review

The news broke that Matthew Vaughn was coming back to write and direct the “Kingsman” sequel and that made movie fans everywhere happy. The first story had a fresh visual style to spy/action films with entertaining characters (both hero and villain) and it made enough money that another film only seemed logical. Did “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” live up to the magic of the first film or should we give this franchise its burn notice? Let’s dive and take a look in this review.

The important characters in this film were limited however there was no shortage of supporting characters. In fact, the majority of this film felt like an equal distribution of screen between most all of the actors. Also, the two main heroes, Eggsy and Merlin stay who they were in the first one without much, if any, development. We knew them in the last film and that’s who they are in this one. In general, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The James Bond franchise has been giving us the same character for over 50 years. Each new actor who has played Bond has given us just a little bit more each time but theres nothing dynamic with regard to character development for Bond. He’s Bond. He drinks Martini’s, kills bad guys and has sex with the hottest women on the planet. So, to not really explore who Eggsy and Merlin are isn’t terribly tragic. That being said, killing Merlin at the end of the film while he sang a John Denver song was a decision I didn’t agree with. I would’ve understood it had Eggsy survived and everyone else, including Harry, died and Eggsy had to go at it alone creating a brand new agency for Kingsman. That I would’ve understood. However, leaving Harry and Eggsy alive felt like they just rehashed the first storyline but changed main characters at the end. Harry dies and Merlin survives in the first one and then Merlin dies but Harry survives in the sequel. This felt lazy to me and I didn’t care much for it.

The villain, Poppy, in this film was a cartoon caricature. The idea behind her character was intriguing but not enough to keep my attention. It’s surprising how much I didn’t care for her character when I’m a fan of Julianne Moore’s acting. Her basic motivation was to create a drug empire and have it legalized by holding the world hostage until they comply. In order to achieve this, she has a chemical(s) in her drugs that quickly kill its users and only she has the cure. She felt like a villain from Saturday morning cartoons I grew up watching in the 80s in all honesty. It was over the top and unbelievable.

The violence was just as ridiculous as the original which was definitely a highlight for me personally. I enjoy the unbelievably wild fights and style of gun play this franchise uses. It’s definitely one of the things I look forward to the most when I watch these movies. I don’t need it to look believable I just want it to be fun and both films nailed that. However, I wasn’t a fan of the blatant “Sweeney Todd” rip off, twice, in the story. Two men walk into the restaurant to meet Poppy and she has one of the men thrown into a meat grinder to be made into raw ground meat. She then proceeds to use the man meat to make a burger, cook it and then serve it to the surviving guy who just watched everything unfold. Two mean are ground up in this film and I just sat in the theater scratching my head because all I could think of was the “meat pies” from “Sweeney Todd.” This, again, showed me lazy story telling and I was not impressed.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is in theaters now! I’m not gonna recommend people see this movie in theaters. It’s not great but it’s entertaining. Plus, hearing Elton John swear like a sailor is a lot of fun. If you want to see this in theaters I’d recommend a matinee showing before noon so the price of admission is more affordable. If you can wait for Redbox or Netflix that is probably your best option. Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges aren’t really in the film at all but this is the second film Tatum is in this year that highlights John Denver tunes. So if “Take Me Home Country Road” is your jam, then you’ll enjoy some of the soundtrack.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Home Again - Review

Single mothers already have a lot on their plates when it comes to raising their kids and providing financially for them. Now, add the city of Los Angeles, turning 40, an emotionally manipulative ex-husband, a supportive and loving mother and three charming young filmmakers from New York and we’ve got a story. So, was “Home Again” the feel good comedy it appeared to be or will we need to divorce ourselves away from this film? Let’s dive and take a look in this review.

The overall movie examines life through the eyes of the main character Alice (played by Reese Witherspoon). We meet her on her 40th birthday and we get a glimpse into her life, as she perceives it. There are moments that depart from that as she is not in all the scenes and I’m happy to report the supporting cast of characters are each delightful on screen. This felt similar to films like, “Music and Lyrics,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” It’s light hearted, humorous, sincere and character driven in how it tells its story.

Some of the moments in this film felt very real however it tends to shy away from really digging into the issues they present on screen. We get a lot of surface level dialogue about relationships, family, friendship and achieving goals. Typically, we could say that’s a negative but not in this particular instance. The writing and the actors deliver genuine moments that, while they feel thin, still feel true.

The character struggle that Alice goes through resonated with the (primarily older) female audience I was surround by. In fact, I found myself seated in the midst of women providing real time commentary on the behaviors and actions of the men in the movie as well as Alice’s reaction. This was not a quiet moviegoing experience as the theater, almost in chorus, had an opinion about the men on screen. So, because the film seemed to elicit real emotional responses from the female viewership I enjoyed the film all the more.

“Home Again” is in theaters now! I will recommend you get out and see this film on the big screen. As I mentioned, it doesn’t dig deeply into the characters but as I discovered from the audience response, it did well enough to communicate realism that would evoke true responses from my fellow movie watchers. I laughed and I also could relate to some of the characters in the film at different points in the story which is more than I thought I would get walking into the theater. It’s a heartfelt story that looks at family, friends and being human in todays modern society. Check it out!

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