Maskerpiece Theatre: movie review

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Tuesday, January 16, 2018

"All the Money In the World" - Movie Review

The film was almost completed. The release date was approaching. Then, one of the main characters was cut from the film and recast in an unprecedented fashion! All of that characters scenes were reshot and the film was still released on time. So, was “All the Money In the World” able to deliver an engaging and captivating story or does this film better serve assisting those who need a natural sleep aide? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

First, director Ridley Scott did a fantastic job getting all the emotions from his actors. He didn’t just pull the best of a character from the main characters, but even the side characters who may have only been in a single scene. For example, there’s a scene where a teenage John Paul (Charlie Plummer) is eating at a police officers home and the wife of the Italian cop is delivering a powerful performance (in almost complete silence) letting us know that all is not as well as young John Paul seems to believe. It’s moments like this that are strewn throughout this movie that really elevate this film from adequate to incredible.

The only real issue I had with this film is the pacing. There were some moments that really move and then other moments that linger and crawl by. It’s because of this, the film feels much longer than it is. Towards the end of the film I was beginning to wonder how much longer the film was going to be and, to my surprise, when I saw the run time was just over 2 hours I was shocked. It felt like I was in the theater for almost 3 hours. So, had the pacing and tempo of the film been more consistent I think I would’ve enjoyed the overall film more.

The story is written well. We get a sense of the Getty family, everyone’s role in the family, and the patriarchs grand view of where he see’s his family going. He wants the Getty name to become an American dynasty and he takes good care to ensure that they will. And while he, J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), seems to be cold and calculated we get a strong sense that he is not merely this way but heavily invested in those who share his name and are of his bloodline, more than he lets on.

“All the Money In the World” is playing at your local theater now! I’m not gonna recommend a big screen viewing for this film. While I do encourage everyone to see this film once it’s available for streaming or rental, you won’t lose anything by seeing this in the comfort of your home. It’s a well acted film that drags on at times but overall delivers on a complex story about family and what it means to have all the money in the world. Check it out!

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Tuesday, January 2, 2018

"Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" movie review

In 1995 we were introduced to a board game that was a fully immersive experience for its players. The game didn’t suck its players into its world; however, a new reality in the players world was created that forced them to complete each stage of the game. So, does “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” live up to the original or is this game better left on the shelf? Lets dive in and take a look in this review.

The film begins by showing us how the game evolves from a board game to a video game. From there, the story is off and running. In fact, the story is actually written so well that, despite its impossible situations, it makes sense. I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to story-telling that takes place. Everything from characters in the game being unable to say or do anything contrary to their programming, to how the main characters revive after dying, to using their special abilities, to level challenges, it all worked for me. It felt like I was actually watching a video game come to life and because of that, I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would. Literally, the majority of the story is moving through video game levels without losing all 3 of there avatars lives. It was so much fun.

The characters were also so different from each other that the onscreen chemistry really played well. The teenage actors and the adult actors all bought something special to their role and while nobody really delivered a knock out Oscar worthy performance, they weren’t supposed to. This movie is action, adventure and comedy from almost beginning to end. And to the credit of the movie, each actor was enjoyable in their role.

“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” is in theaters now! I’m definitely recommending a big screen viewing of this film. I do want to warn parents with small children that there are some scenes with the villain that might be a bit scary. He controls all the animals and insects on the island the game takes place, and from time to time, he has insects and scorpions crawling in and our of his face. So, if you don’t want your kids to have nightmares, you may let them skip this one in theaters. If your kids saw “Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom” this probably won’t be a bother. If not, you have been warned. Otherwise, I hope you all enjoy this film on the big screen. I know I did and I’m looking forward to a second viewing. Check this movie out!

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)!

Friday, November 24, 2017

Justice League (spoiler) Review

It’s time to unite the seven or more accurately the 5 or 6 if we trust one hero won’t be dead the entire movie. At any rate, some of the biggest heroes that DC Comics and Warner Brothers has to offer are coming together on the big screen for the very first time. The production was troubled almost from the beginning as story after story appeared in the news signaling this long awaited film will be a disaster. So does “Justice League” offer up an entertaining story that will make fans of these characters happy or should these super friends have called in sick? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

The story is brief but written in such a way that, surprisingly, it offers the viewers a chance to think for themselves without being spoon fed every single detail. We get backstories on each of the heroes and we understand (at least I was able to) their motivation for joining together to stop the villain. We are shown brief moments of bonding between the heroes as they become familiar with each other. Also, each hero has a moment to showcase their special ability and what they bring to the team. Finally, we get back story on the villain, his henchmen (the Parademons), and his motivation for world conquest. Each of the main characters is given enough screen time separate from the team to show us who they are and the world they come from. It’s quick paced but it was enough to get the point across in my opinion. However, because of these facts, we don’t get much character development which is a mark against the film. It’s the necessary information only and it worked for me, surprisingly, even though I would’ve enjoyed a bit more on Cyborg & Flash.

The special effects and visual graphics in this movie are not great. They aren’t terrible either. Some moments, like Flash running so fast it looks slow motion, were done well I thought. The way Cyborgs body restructured itself depending on the situation or threat also looked believable. However, the end scene where the villain is defeated and a nuclear wasteland is suddenly transformed into a bizarre garden that looks like it was pulled from Tim Burton’s “Alice and Wonderland” movie was noticeably bad. Also, the big battle scene that takes place to describe who the villain is and why he’s on earth looked awful. However, in that scene we did get to see Amazons, Atlanteans, Humans, Greek Gods & a Green Lantern all fight together which was pretty nice for the comic fans like myself. The Green Lantern appearance was a great surprise and I loved that Easter egg. That alone though is not enough to save the film from the bad visual effects that are prevalent from almost beginning to end.

In all, this film felt like they envisioned 130% of the story and delivered 75-80% on screen. As I watched the plot unfold I felt like the writers had written back stories on back stories and then edited everything down to just a basic understanding of the overall concepts. I imagine the conversation sounding something along the lines of, “We have 5 hours of incredible story written down… here’s all of that in a tweet.” Ok, maybe that’s a gross exaggeration on my part but I do believe the story had so much more depth than what we get on screen. I’m curious to see the “Extended” edition once it’s available on BLU-Ray.

“Justice League” is in theaters now! I am going to recommend you see this on the big screen. It’s a quick paced, brief story, that delivers on the basic concept of bad guy fights good guys and loses. That is not to suggest the manner in which the villain is defeated is ordinary. One positive, if not my favorite, aspect of the movie was the clever method used by the writers to end this movie. After battling the Justice League (individually and collectively) it’s the bad guys own fear that sends him reeling back to his home planet surrounded by his minions who feed on fear. I loved the fact the good guys didn’t beat the larger and more powerful villain by sheer force & number. Instead, the villain beat himself. It was quite poetic. I definitely give credit for creative story telling and surprising us with an offbeat ending that definitely worked. Also, some of the humor in this movie really lands well. Go see this filmed stay for TWO post credit scenes!!

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Thursday, November 23, 2017

Murder On the Orient Express - Movie Review

The worlds greatest detective is about to enjoy a brief moment of rest aboard a train headed to London, or so he thinks. While on board a murder occurs and everyone is a suspect while Detective Hercule Poirot must solve the crime before it’s too late. Does “Murder on the Orient Express” deliver a thought provoking “whodunnit” mystery or does this story veer off on the wrong track? Let’s dive in and take a look in this SPOILER review.

This film asks a lot from the audience and gives little back in return. First, we’re asked to believe there’s a French version of Sherlock Holmes with a mustache that would’ve made Lemmy Kilmister jealous. Second, we’re asked to tolerate one bad foreign accent after another for almost 2 hours. Thirdly, we’re asked to give a Johnny Depp performance one more chance. Finally, we’re asked to care about a group of people we get to know almost nothing about until the third act of the film. It’s in the conclusion of the film we learn why everyone is important but by then it’s almost too late.

The overall story isn’t about a murder. It isn’t even about all the people in the movie. It’s actually about the detective and his method of solving crimes. This is a very important bit of information to have if you decide to watch this either at home or the theater. I will give credit to the fact they made this key element front and center at the very beginning of the film. I realized the story will revolve about Hercule Poirot and his ability to see things as they are and as they will become. This method of story telling was actually one of the highlights for me from beginning to end. It felt similar to the new “Sherlock Holmes” movies with Robert Downey Jr, however, this was more lighthearted.

Mostly, the talent in this film is all grade A talent, with the exception of Depp who is still struggling to find his voice in a role. Everyone plays their part well for the time they are on screen. As the film progresses we get a little bit more information about each character and their possible motivation for killing a man. However, we get to know so little about the people on the train it was difficult to invest any emotion or thought into them. It felt very surface level and thin and that was not what I was hoping for from this movie.

“Murder on the Orient Express” is in theaters now! There are so many other movies that are in theaters right now it’s difficult to recommend you spend your hard earned dollars or time on this particular story. I thought (at best) it’s an ok movie that doesn’t really go anywhere. However, the big reveal of everyone being guilty of murder was a surprise. Unfortunately, the moral of the movie felt like, if everyones guilty than nobody gets in the trouble. Poirot tells the murders that in order for him to stay silent about the crime they’ll need to kill him. They try but it was all a set up because he only wanted to see if they were capable of killing again, or if the murder they committed on the train was a one time deal. After he realizes they’re willing to try and kill again, he says goodbye and leaves the train at the next stop and let’s the murders get away. If you’re confused right now, I’m relaying the plot points of the movie accurately. Go see “Thor Ragnarok” instead of this movie.

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!

Friday, October 20, 2017

"Victoria and Abdul" Movie Review

The Queen of England appears to be nearing the end of her life when she’s presented with a ceremonial coin by a young man who sparks new life into her. The two develop a friendship that is unsettling to most of the staff, and her son, who accompany her in day to day routines and travels. So, does “Victoria and Abdul” show us that unlikely friendships can have a lasting positive impact or does tradition win the day? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review…

What appeared to be a dramatic look at life during the Victorian period was actually a comedic, touching and sometimes light hearted story about two very different people and how they developed a surprising friendship. The expectation for this film was centered around dramatic characters who told the story with passion and a sense of believability. This was exactly what I received from the actors and I also got a bit more from them as well. This film doesn’t just examine the unlikely friendship of Queen Victoria and Kareem Abdul (a clerk from India). It also looks at how exhausting, self serving, pedantic and judgmental people can be.

I was extremely happy with the level of talent this film had. The number of faces I recognized from other films that I enjoy certainly made this film more entertaining. To the credit of each actor, they all brought a special unique quality to this film as well, which rounded out the story and made it even more enjoyable. It was one entertaining performance after another and the writing and directing found a way to provide enough time for each voice to stand out and help drive the story both comedically and dramatically.

“Victoria and Abdul” is in theaters now! I will actually recommend you take some time to see this in theaters if you enjoy dramatic comedies based on real life events. I had a surprisingly good time in the theater because of how well written the piece was, the acting talent and how well placed the comedic moments were. It’s a serious story with intense real life characters but told somewhat light hearted and humorously told. I walked out of the theater smiling as I recalled the film and because of that I’d encourage you to spend some time and money at the theaters. Check this film 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.

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.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

"American Assassin" - Review

Terrorists attack a beach paradise while everyone is relaxing and enjoying their holiday. Many of the travelers don’t survive but one does and decides he’ll kill them all himself, for taking the life of his fiancee. So, does “American Assassin” live up to the action promised in the trailers or should we black bag this operation? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review…

The trailer does a great job of describing the film we’re about to watch. The plot is as simple as, guy loses fiancee to terrorists, guy wants revenge, guy gets revenge. This movie might have some of the most accurate trailers which was a positive. I walked into the theater with a certain expectation and that expectation was met, plus exceeded, slightly. The overall story is direct and to the point. We meet all the players in the film rather quickly and we get right into things. The writing doesn’t waste much time on building out characters because the team behind this story is trusting that we as an audience are smart enough to understand how an action movie works. So, yes, this movie follows the action movie tropes quite well. It makes no excuses for their blatant use of the cocky, arrogant lead who doesn’t play by the rules. The seasoned veteran who is head strong and unsure about the new guy but comes around eventually and more.

Overall, I thought the film was a popcorn devouring good time. The dialogue feels like people talking at each other, not with each other. It’s not conversational at all which I found troubling. However, it doesn’t detract from the story and it probably won’t draw your attention away from the action. The movie really embraces the fact it’s a fun end of summer action flick. It’s not surprising this was released in September as things are winding down from summer blockbusters and gearing up for Oscar movie season. When I walked out of the theater one of my first thoughts was, “This movie will crush on DVD and VOD.” I really see this film being celebrated around the office water coolers once it’s available for home streaming.

The majority of the time, this is a fist and feet action flick. That means, the action is believable because it’s gun fire, martial arts and boxing. There isn’t grand CGI action sequences like cars falling out of buildings, insane earthquakes toppling cities or tsunami’s giving downtowns a permanent bath. This is people getting kicked in the chest, punched in the face and critically shot, over and over. That being said, the ending felt incredibly out of place. The ending is nothing but a CGI chaos fest. The ending felt like it was ripped right out of a film from the early 2000’s. It’s an over-the-top CGI extravaganza. I couldn’t believe the spectacle. If I had to offer any critique to the story, rewrite the ending. It was absurd. Similar to the shock I had at the end of “Dark Knight Rises” when Batman sets an atomic bomb off in sky far from Gotham, I couldn’t believe what I witnessed in this film, only at the very end.

“American Assassin” is in theaters now! If you enjoy action flicks that will keep your eyes fixed on the screen while you shove handfuls of popcorn down your throat, this is a great movie for you. I had a fun time in the theater with this story. It didn’t pretend to be something it’s not and delivered on everything promised in the trailers. The story also sets up for a sequel and even if that doesn’t get green lit, this could very easily carry on as a graphic novel or video game franchise. I recommend you get out and see this film while it’s in theaters. Check it out!

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