Aquaman Is The Most Insane Superhero Movie Of All-Time... And It Almost Works.

Make no mistake about it... Aquaman, as a superhero, is pretty lame.  He's the king of the sea and his superhero is, wait for it, that he can talk to fish.  Needless to say, the bar was set pretty low going into the cinematic debut of Arthur Curry's alter-ego.  On top of that, the fact that the future of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is basically hanging by a thread made this an almost no-lose situation for director James Wan (of Fast& Furious fame).  It seemed like he had absolute creative control in this one.  From concept, to creation, to editing, it seemed like Warner Bros. handed over the reigns completely.  The result is a laudable mess of a movie that almost worked.  It's filled with insane CGI sequences, laughable costumes, and a script full of gobbledegook dialogue that is almost saved by Jason Momoa's charm.  It's like everyone was in on the joke, but still had a passion for it.

Aquaman has a loose connection to the previous DCEU films.  There's a brief mention of the events in Justice League, but that's about it.  It serves as a re-branding of sorts for the DCEU.  We are shown Arthur Curry's origins as the son of a fisherman and a queen from the underwater world of Atlantis (played by Nicole Kidman in a performance that could easily be called "just woke up from an ambien nap.").  Fast forward 30 years, and Arthur Curry is a reluctant hero.  He doesn't want to take up his birth right as the rightful king of Atlantis... even though Atlantis is descending into chaos by the rule of his half-brother (Patrick Wilson in a camp movie hall of fame performance) and his attempt to declare war on the surface.  Enter Amber Heard (in full "Ariel from The Little Mermaid" costume) as Mera.  She convinces him to help her on a globetrotting quest to locate the trident of the original king of Atlantis.  This trident will grant its owner the power to rule the seas.

Other than that brief description of the plot, I can't really go much further, as the term "plot" is used very lightly.  There's clans of fish people, crab people, and Dolph Lundgren (yes, that Dolph Lundgren) as a king of a clan of water-dwellers.  The scenes on earth look like they're more computer generated than the scenes under water, and there's about 3-4 too many villains working at the same time.  The final battle is a cacophony of CGI fish, people, crabs and monsters that might be the most insane battle sequence I've ever witnessed.

The movie is almost saved by its star, Jason Momoa.  He's not the best actor in the world, and yet he was arguably the best part of Justice League.  Given room to shine, he wears this character like a glove.  It's like he rolled out of bed and jumped straight on set (and I mean that in a good way).  He has an every man's charm about him that you can't help but get behind.  I'd be interested to see where he takes this character (assuming the DCEU doesn't completely reboot again). 

I'm giving Aquaman 1.9 stars out of 4.  It's a completely bonkers romp of a superhero movie that you'll have a decent time watching. 

Is Die Hard A Christmas Movie? Plus, My Top 10 Christmas Movies Of All-Time

"Now I have a machine gun... ho... ho... ho..." With his epic delivery, the late great Alan Rickman gave one of the great performances by a character in a movie that takes place during Christmas of all-time. But... is Die Hard actually a Christmas movie?  I've recently entered into a debate after seeing a non-scientific poll, which claims that roughly 62% of Americans do NOT consider Die Hard to be a Christmas movie.  I've waffled on this question myself.  Is a movie that just happens to take place during Christmas an actual Christmas movie?  Or is it just a coincidental occurrence?

Sure, there are movies that are considered Christmas classics that have little mention of the holiday, but have the spirit of the season in its heart.  I'm looking at you It's A Wonderful Life.  There are also movies that happen to feature Christmas, but have little or nothing to do with the Holiday.  Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Eyes Wide Shut, Batman Returns, and yes, Die Hard 2 come to mind when thinking about this category.  The fact that they feature Christmas elements or have bits of Christmas sprinkled throughout them do not necessarily make them Christmas movies.

This leads me to the big debate.  Is Die Hard an actual Christmas movie?  It definitely is one of if not THE greatest action movie of all-time, but I'm not so sure.  There's been a push lately to put this film into the list of Christmas classics.  I've even considered it one in the past.  However, I feel like a Christmas movie should follow these criteria.  It should take place during the Christmas season (which Die Hard does).  It should feature the holiday as a central to its plot (Die Hard uses the holiday party as a plot device to get people inside a building).  Finally, if you remove Christmas, does the movie fall apart?  I think this is what separates Die Hard from being a true Christmas movie.  If you remove Christmas from Die Hard, it basically stays the same.

Final verdict:  Close, but no cigar.  I think that while Christmas is featured heavily, it's not a movie that's actually about the season.  It's a classic movie that features Christmas, but not a Christmas classic.

Speaking of Christmas classics... here's my top 10 Christmas movies.  I'm only including full-length movies, so The Christmas Toy, Muppets Family Christmas, and A Charlie Brown Christmas miss the cut.

Honorable mentions that just miss the cut:
A Christmas Carol (2009) - I really enjoyed Robert Zemeckis' and Jim Carrey's motion captured take on the Charles Dickens classic.  However, not enough to push it into the top ten.

The Holiday - Nancy Meyers is the queen of comfort and her tale of two women swapping places during the holiday season was a cheesy, but enjoyable holiday tale.

The Family Stone - Probably the saddest (and most melodramatic) film on my list.  This ensemble tale of a family getting together (warts and all) at Christmas always warms my heart.

Miracle On 34th Street  - I know, I know.  This one is a classic.  However, it wasn't in heavy rotation in my household growing up.

The Muppets Christmas Carol - Of all the takes on the Dickens' classic, this one is definitely the zaniest.  The Muppets tell the Scrooge tale as only they can.  Which is to say with a lot of heart and humor.  While Jim Henson died during pre-production, his signature is all over this film.


10) The Santa Clause - Tim Allen inherits the role of Santa Claus after Santa falls off his roof.  While the two sequels became more cartoonish, the original is a heartwarming family tale about how we should never lose our youthful innocence.

9) Bad Santa - The film that proves you can be raunchy and still show the true meaning of Christmas.  Billy Bob Thorton's drunk, womanizing Santa meets an outkast of a child and learns how to be a decent guy.  Think of it as the Grinch, but if the Grinch had a woman screaming "F-Me Santa" in it.

8) A Christmas Story - True story... I only recently watched this movie straight through for the first time a couple years ago.  Sure, I've seen bits and pieces during its annual 24-hour marathon, but I never sat and watched it from start to finish.  Man, was I missing out!  A great little quirky Christmas movie.  You'll shoot your eye out if you miss this one...

7) Love, Actually - Perhaps the best ensemble Christmas movie ever made.  A film that will move you and make you laugh at the same time.  There's been a backlash growing to this film recently, but I can't explain it.  I'm a sucker for this one.

6) Scrooged - My favorite take on the Dickens classic.  Nobody but Bill Murray could have pulled this one off.  He portrays a modern take on the Scrooge character as a television mogul who has forgotten where he came from.

5) Elf - I love every second of this one.  It was the film that broke Will Ferrell into mainstream movies after his career at SNL ended.  He plays Buddy The Elf, a human who thinks he's an elf.  He portrays the character with equal parts caring and naivete.  It's a staple at Christmas time.

4) It's A Wonderful Life - This one was a hard one for me.  Basically, the last third of the movie is the only part about Christmas, but it's central to the film.  It's the classic that tells us that the spirit of giving joy and selflessness is what makes us wonderful... not material possessions.

3) Home Alone - The movie I would watch every year to start the Christmas season off right.  It's equal parts zany romp and caring family movie that shows us what's important at Christmas time... family.  I'll never grow tired of this one.

2) The Nightmare Before Christmas - Equal parts Halloween and Christmas movie that comes straight from the twisted mind of Tim Burton.  I've seen it a million times and I love it equally each time.  I introduced my kids to this one, and they were both hooked.  A family tradition continues.

1)  National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - Not only the best Christmas movie, but also the best Vacation movie.  I watch this one every year and I laugh just as hard.  There are so many quotable lines ("Shitter was full!") and moments that it's hard to pinpoint one as my favorite.  If I had to pick one, it would be the opening moments where the Griswold family get their tree.  Clark's road rage incident with the tractor trailer gets me every time.

I hope you enjoyed my list.  Where do you fall on the Die Hard debate?  Christmas movie or no?

Creed II Has The Heart Of A Champion

I was going to title this "Creed II Has The Eye Of The Tiger," but I feel like that wouldn't be giving this movie enough credit for standing on its own.  Sure, there's plenty of Rocky's DNA sprinkled throughout this film (including Sylvester Stallone's wonderful, and possible last-ever, performance as Rocky Balboa), but Creed II franchise can be enjoyed on its own.

This is the eighth film in the Rocky Universe (man, I long for the days when we can stop referring to film franchises as "Universes," but I digress), and it's never been stronger.  Whereas the latter Rocky films felt like cartoon versions of themselves (though, not including the franchise re-defining Rocky Balboa, which brought these films back to reality and essentially wiped Rocky V from the record books.), the Creed films feel lived in.  The re-focus on character and not excess has been a welcome breath of fresh air.  These films work because you feel like you've known the characters for decades.  Sure, we've known Balboa for over 40 years, but Adonis Creed (played with a champion's swagger by the incredible Michael B. Jordan), and company approach their characters with a realism not seen since Rocky II.

Speaking of characters... While Creed II owes a lot of its DNA to the over-the-top but thoroughly re-watchable Rocky IV,  these characters strip away the 80s glitz and glamour, and are presented in a much more modern realistic way.  Jordan's Creed, though now a champion in his own right, still can't escape the legacy of his deceased father, and his infamous in-ring death.  He's a world champion that still questions his worth and place in society.  Viktor Drago is seen as a way back to success and prestige for his once powerful father, Ivan (played with steel grit by a never better Dolph Lundgren).  Rocky Balboa still wears the physical and mental scars from his first encounter with the elder Drago (there's a scene where these two characters meet for the first time in three decades that gave me memories of the famous scene in Heat where Pacino and DeNiro share a cup of coffee).

Needless to say, the fight that everyone wants is Creed/Drago part 2, only with the children of Ivan and Apollo fighting this time instead.  The journey up to and including their bout is a character study in how we try to live up to, (and in some cases escape from) our parents shadows.  What does it mean to be our own person?  What role does our upbringing play in our lives as adults?  And do old wounds ever fully heal?  It's these questions and more that made this film such a delight to sit through.  And, who am I kidding, I'm always going to get goosebumps when the training montage begins. 

I couldn't get enough of Creed II.  Kudos to everyone involved.  If this is truly Stallone's last time lacing up his Rocky gloves, then it's a fitting conclusion to a legendary character.  It's now Creed's boxing world and we're all living in it.  3.5 stars out of 4.  My one critique isn't really a critique of the film.  Jordan is in such good shape that I felt guilty shoveling handfuls of movie popcorn in my mouth watching him.  I need to hit the gym...

Fantastic Beasts 2 Is Strictly For The Potter-Heads

I've been a big fan of the Harry Potter series (both book and film versions) since I saw the original film in the early 2000s.  Author J.K. Rowling created one of the most original and entertaining series of all-time and I've been a rabid fan for almost two decades (man, do I feel old).  I was both excited and sad when the final film version came out, as it was the culmination of a fantastic series of movies.  But, like anything in Hollywood, there's always money to be made in a successful intellectual property.  Instead of rebooting the series (fingers crossed that it never happens), Rowling (now the screenwriter) decided to expand the Potter-verse (now dubbed the Wizarding World) with the Fantastic Beasts series.  The original film introduced us to a new series of characters for us to enjoy.  I thought that it perfectly breathed life into the Wizarding World while being able to stand on its own two feet.  Newt Scamander (played with neurotic precision by Eddie Redmayne) traveled to 1920s New York City and wound up getting swept up in the original battle between Wizards and Muggles (or non-majs as they were called in America).  There was a pre-Voldemort evil wizard on the loose, and the surprise twist reveal that Johnny Depp was actually Grindelwald set up an exciting foundation for a sequel.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald takes place three months after the events of the first film with Grindelwald (not shockingly) escaping from custody.  A young Dumbledore (played by Jude Law) calls upon Newt to go on a secret mission to catch Grindelwald before he can declare war on the non magic world.  This film, like all sequels, goes bigger.  More characters.  More locations.  And more stories to follow.  The returns are a film that is better than its 40% Rotten Tomatoes score, but also one that's strictly for the devotees of the Wizarding World.  There's a lot of lore that's introduced here with our characters getting more of their back stories revealed.  Some of it works (like Newt's time at Hogwarts) and some of it gets lost in translation.  There's a familial bloodline story that made my sister and I scratch our heads.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, albeit slightly overstuffed, sequel.  The main cast of characters all do a great job of reprising their roles.  Controversial casting of Johnny Depp aside, he did a great job as portraying the villainous Grindelwald.  I look forward to seeing where he takes the character in future films (this is the second of a planned five-part series).  Some of the newer characters feel half-baked (most notably Zoe Kravitz's Leta Lestrange), and others are thrown in there as unnecessary callbacks to the original films (cough cough Nicolas Flamel), or canon-ruining (Professor McGonagall appears in this film... apparently 8 years before she was supposedly born according to the books).

My main issue with this series of films is that the Beasts almost seem like the most unnecessary part.  Yeah, they're cute and provide a sense of amusement and comic-relief, but they seem like almost afterthoughts to the larger story in this film.  I'd liken them to the Ewoks or Porgs in the Star Wars franchise.  Cute, fun, but largely unnecessary.

I'm giving Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald 2.5 out of 4 stars.  It was an entertaining film, but seemed to serve as a launching pad for more movies.  It was a "chess board" film, meaning that they're using it to move the pieces into position for future moves, instead of focusing on the current moves.  If you're a fan of the Wizarding World, definitely check it out.  If not, you can skip it.

2017 Turkey Trot Recap Video

Sadly, I won't be participating in the 2018 Turkey Trot race.  I'll be up in Massachusetts at my 20-year high school reunion.  Here's a little recap of last year's race to enjoy.

Thanks, as always to my sister Stephanie for running with me.  This video also features a special guest appearance from my sister-in-law, Tory... She "had not time to train" and yet she managed to kick my butt in the race... slacker.

The Totally Bonkers 'Mandy' Is The Nicolas Cage Movie To End All Nicolas Cage Movies.

I imagine the pitch for Mandy, the gonzo new Nicolas Cage movie, went something like this... Studio Exec, "It's the 'Not The Bees' scene from The Wicker Man, but like.. for an entire movie."  That being said, I mean that in the best way possible.  Nicolas Cage, afterall, is an Oscar winning actor.  However, in the past decade or so, he's become something of a punchline.  His direct to DVD catalog is beginning to rival the likes of Steven Segal and Van Damme.  The once juicy (and well-acted) roles have gone the way of cheese as Cage delivers more and more crap to our doorsteps.

There have been flashes of past brilliance in recent years, most noticeably in his Bad Lieutenant sequel and his Oscar nominated performance in Adaptation.  Mandy, while not quite Oscar caliber, reminds us that Cage can deliver the goods when called upon.  This movie serves up the right amount of "wink wink" cheese with a side dish of real anguish.  Cage's performance is mostly a silent one, but I'm fairly certain that there aren't many actors on the planet who could have pulled this performance off.  It sure is a sight to behold.

Mandy starts off in an almost David Lynchian dreamlike state.  The first third of the movie drones on with tones and colors that could have come straight out of a Twin Peaks outtake.  We follow Cage and his girlfriend as they meet a cult who movies into town and threatens their peace and tranquility.  Soon after they set their sights on Mandy (the titular character), she is brutally killed in front of Cage.  This isn't really a spoiler since it serves as the tipping point in this revenge story.  Soon enough, Cage makes his way back to his "old life."  We don't really get an explanation to what that life was, but it's clear that he is some sort of reformed hit man.

The final two thirds of this film is equal parts Tarantino style bloodbath and B-movie shlockfest.  Cage's character tries to exact punishment in the most brutal ways possible.  Cage has minimal dialogue in this portion of the film, but he makes maximum work of the lines he gets to deliver.  You'll never hear "you ruined my shirt" in the same way again after seeing this one.

Mandy is an absolute B-movie delight.  Check it out if you can stomach the gruesome violence.  If you're a Cage fan, it's a must-see!

First Man Is A Powerful Reminder Of What Humanity Can Accomplish

It's been a dark week in the United States... Pittsburgh, my adopted hometown, in particular.  The tragic shooting here has left us all with a horrible reminder of the worst in humanity.  And, for many of us, the rhetoric coming out of the oval office seems like a race to the bottom in many ways.  It was nice to go into a movie tonight and be reminded that we as a country can achieve greatness if we so choose.  First Man, shockingly the first true biopic about Neil Armstrong, shoots for greatness.  Directed with surgeon's focus by Damian Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash), and acted with a quiet but gritty focus by Ryan Gosling, First Man is a shining star in a world that needs one.

Gosling leads First Man's stellar cast.

What was most interesting to me about this film is that while the moon landing was one of the most memorable moments of all-time, I hardly knew anything about the man who took mankind's greatest leap.  Armstrong is portrayed as a man haunted by the loss of his daughter and space compatriots who uses that pain to keep pushing forward.  Gosling is remarkable in this role.  It was interesting to see just how much of a loner that Armstrong was.  He kept everyone, including his wife (portrayed with steel resolve by The Crown's Claire Foye) and kids, at an arm's length.  Even his fellow astronauts couldn't get a true read on him.  There's a moment towards the end of the film, where you finally see Armstrong let go of the inner pain that haunts him throughout it.  This moment could very easily have veered into cheesy territory, but it's done in such a way that had my eyes welling up.

Speaking of direction, a lot of this film's success is due to the tight direction of Damian Chazelle.  He truly takes a step forward with this film.  From start to finish, this film is presented in a restrained manner.  We are presented with the story in a way that rightly steers clear of hero worship, while showcasing just how great these people were.  Chazelle presents the story in a "warts and all" manner, showing the sacrifice and human toll of walking on the moon.  He also does a lot with the camera, editing, and sound design to show just how harrowing space travel is.  This is not a movie that's heavy on musical score.  Instead, Chazelle let's the shaking of the camera and sound of the launch tell the story.  It reminded me a lot of my favorite movie from last year, Dunkirk, in this way.  The claustrophobia of such a big moment made it so much more intimate for the audience that I found myself white knuckling my chair at many moments this year.

First Man is a top rate movie.  It showcases the best of humanity at a time when many of us need that reminder.  I'm giving it 3.8 out of 4 stars.  It'll certainly make my top 10 of the year and should be a major player during awards season.

A Star Is Born is going to win best picture.

I've never seen any of the approximately 345 previous versions of A Star Is Born, so this review won't try to make any comparisons.  I'll judge this film on its own merits.  I can confidently predict that A Star Is Born will win this year's Best Picture.  It's an incredible character study with strong performances throughout.  The music is infectious and the Bradley Cooper's directing is strong.  While it's not currently my favorite movie of the year (That would be the incredible Annihilation), it'll be at the top of my year-end list. 

A Star Is Born is the fictional tale of an aging, drunken musician (Cooper in a breakout performance) who stumbles upon a no-name musician during a trip to a drag bar (the exceptional Lady Gaga).  He then takes her on the road with him and romance and heartbreak ensue on her rise to stardom.  This movie had a lot of chances to fall into a cliche trap, but Cooper's direction and the performances keep it from doing so.  For starters, the actors chose to sing live instead of to a pre-taped performance.  This gives each musical scene a sense of realism that may have been lost.  Cooper more than holds his own with the exceptional Gaga, which was something I didn't think he had in him.  The bond between these two characters was real and sincere.  Both their characters are given equal time to develop, so their choices have weight and meaning behind them.  I don't really want to spoil anything for those of you who aren't familiar with the story, but the film takes some dark turns along the way, and they hit so hard because of the time we as an audience are given to bond with them.

Cooper and Gaga have exceptional on-screen chemistry.

I was skeptical that Cooper and Gaga would be able to pull off such an excellent film, and boy was I wrong.  However, they aren't the only actors who shined in in A Star Is Born.  I can easily see Sam Elliott's brother/father figure character getting some awards' season recognition, and Andrew "Dice" Clay delivered a humorous yet relate-able performance as Gaga's father.

I'm giving A Star Is Born 3.75 out of 4 stars.  I predict it will be a major player come Oscar time.  It may not be the best film of the year, but I predict it will win Best Picture.

Watching Purple Rain for the first time in the shadow of the #MeToo movement

I've long been a fan of Prince's music, but for some reason or another, I've never gotten around to watching his 1984 breakout film Purple Rain.  I finally got around to it the other night when it made its way to the top of my Netflix DVD list (yes, I still use that service).  Making my way through this film, I couldn't help draw direct parallels to today's current climate... especially the Me Too movement.  While Purple Rain has some exhilarating musical performances and serves as a showcase for the then 23-year old Prince, it is rife with sexism and misogyny, which hasn't helped it age particularly well.  I realize that it's a product of its time, but its flaws are just so glaring that I had a hard time getting past them.

Purple Rain serves as a quasi-autobiography for Prince.  He plays "The Kid," the lead singer of The Revolution (Prince's real life band) who is striving to make it big in the Minneapolis music scene.  He plays at the First Avenue club, which is owned by Morris Day and his band "The Time."  This film definitely blends fantasy and reality in that it mixes real life artists with fictional characters.  Shortly into the film, we're introduced to Appollonia (played by Appollonia), as the muse to both The Kid and Morris Day. 

The major issue with this film is its portrayal of women (especially Appollonia).  They serve as objects to control by both Prince and Morris Day.  In an early scene, Prince's character plays a trick on Appollonia by convincing her to jump naked into a lake.  She's said maybe two words to him at this point.  Morris Day frequently refers to women as "Bitches" and seems to treat them as object.  His goal is to put together an all-girl group, but his only request is that they be "hot."  Their performance (in nothing but lingerie) of the laughable song "Sex Shooter" is her characters only real shining moment.  She is a victim of physical abuse at the hands of Prince's character.  The film poorly tries to make a connection between that abuse and the abuse that Prince's mother's character receives at the hands of her husband.  The reason this falls flat is that the violence comes out of nowhere, and it's never resolved.  There's a forced happy ending between The Kid and Appollonia, where it appears that nothing ever went wrong.  And this leads me to...

Purple Rain felt like a giant #MeToo foreshadow.  Watching it after the Kavanaugh hearings, I couldn't help but scream out "This is why victims don't come forward!"  It's ingrained in our society.  It's always "their fault," and the abusers always seem to be given the benefit of the doubt.  The Kid's music outshone the fact that he was a physical and mental abuser.  Just as Judge Kavanaugh's ability and record as a judge is more important than any potential abuse committed in his past.  While Purple Rain has many moments that shine, it feels like a relic of the past... though a past that is still rearing its ugly head.

Fahrenheit 11/9 Is An Impassioned Call To Action - And Michael Moore's Most Effective Film In Years

The biggest enemy in Fahrenheit 11/9, Michael Moore's latest film, isn't Donald Trump... But rather apathy.  Sure, the headlines from this film are that it's "Michael Moore's Trump Movie," and the 45th president plays a big role throughout the film.  However, he is presented as the result of a larger evil, and not the cause of it.  Moore states that we are at a tipping point in the world, and the rot and decay that has been building up in our political system is already boiling over.  Are we ready to stop it, or will our apathy destroy us?

Michael Moore has been making films for three decades now, fighting injustices as he sees fit.  He is a talented filmmaker, but even he doesn't escape Scott-free in this one. You see, we're all to blame 45... Including Moore.  There are call backs to each of his films in this one.  He questions whether he has used his considerable public effectively enough.  He questions the entire democratic process and shows how apathy has settled in throughout the voting base.  He calls the 100 million registered voters who didn't vote in the last election the most powerful political party in America. 

This film is by no means an attempt to try and sway Trump voters.  They have already been lost.  Fahrenheit 11/9 is a call to action for people who have been disenfranchised... and for the people on the left who felt betrayed by their own party to overthrow that machine.  Moore goes after the democratic establishment who he (and many) feels helped cheat Bernie Sanders out of a fair shot at office.  He goes after President Obama for staging a political stunt in Flint, Michigan.  He effectively draws the parallels between Trumpism and Nazism.  He excoriates Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder for poisoning the people of Flint in the name of profits.  Sure, there are occasional moments of Michael Moore showmanship (he sprays "Flint Water" on the lawn of Rick Snyder), but he is much more subdued in this film.  Moore uncovers the rot in our country with a surgeon's precision, while at the same showcasing the people making real difference in this country.  He shows how the effective West Virginia teachers strike was the result of people fighting for what they believe in.  He introduces us to roots activists that are taking the future of this country into their own hands.  Most importantly, Moore says that there is no more time to sit on the sidelines.  It's time for action.  The future of the country is now.

This is a cinematic gut punch, for sure, but I couldn't help but feel encouraged.  I'm already seeing the positives to come out of the 2016 election.  People I know who have never held elected office before are now holding positions in state and local government.  The Women's March (which I attended with my family) and the March For Our Lives were landmark events that show that the fight for real positive change is still out there.

Fahrenheit 11/9 is like taking your medicine.  It may taste nasty, but it's good for you.  It's someone telling you bad news about you that you know to be true, but  you've tried to make justifications for.  I'm giving it 3.75 stars out of 4.  It's an effective call to action and a small sliver of hope in an otherwise dark time.

Ocean's 8 And The Downside Of Hollywood's Obsession With Existing Intellectual Property.

Off the bat, I want to make clear that there's a good movie inside Ocean's 8... it's just too bad that they decided it was necessary to tie it into the Ocean's Universe.  I think that had this movie been made as an original heist movie, I'd probably view it more favorably.  Unfortunately, Ocean's 8 doesn't work for me because it felt like a bad cosplay of the original (remake) of Ocean's 11.  And that's unfortunate, because this cast deserved better than what they were given to work with.

From the very first moment of this film, Ocean's 8 feels like a poor woman's copy of Ocean's 11.  Sandra Bullock plays Debbie Ocean, the also incarcerated sister of George Clooney's Danny Ocean.  We meet her on her last day of a 5 year prison sentence, where she uses her cunning and skill to convince the parole board that she's a changed woman (hmmmm, where have we seen this before???).  Not so shortly after getting out, Ocean is immediately back to her old ways.  Sandra Bullock gives it her all.  There's a sequence of scenes very early in this movie that are an absolute delight, where we see Bullock's character con her way into a stay at the Plaza hotel in NYC.  From there, she immediately hatches a scheme to rob the Met Gala and puts together a team of criminals to pull of the heist of the century (again, nothing new to see here).  The rest of the film just feels like a copy of Ocean's 11 with a few tweaks to update the story and location.

In my opinion, there are three reasons why this film failed.  The first (and biggest) is that these characters are never really developed.  We get a brief introduction to each character, but they all left me wanting more.  Each character has a personality, but these personalities aren't different enough to distinguish them from the other characters.  Ocean's 11 wisely took its time to give each character a distinct personality that when put together in a team setting could shine as an individual and contribute to the team as a whole.  I kept forgetting what each character was supposed to do in Ocean's 8.  I wanted to see more of Mindy Kaling's jewel thief.  Cate Blanchett was basically doing an impression of Brad Pitt's Ocean's character.  Sarah Paulson was given an interesting backstory of a criminal gone suburban that needed a few more callbacks to be fully realized.  Anne Hathaway, while great as a vapid actress, makes an almost unbelievable turn in this one that ruins her character.  I could go on and on through each character and come up with the same conclusion.  It's like they took the first draft of the script and went with it.

Speaking of script, the second reason why this film failed was because of it.  This film was hampered by forcing it into the Ocean's Universe.  Major plot points were just copy and pasted into this film.  Bullock's character wanted to get revenge on the person who put her in jail.  In fact, there was an almost word for word remake of the scene were Brad Pitt's character confronts Clooney's character over his motivations in this one.  There's also a visit from an original cast member that completely ruins the vibe of this film for me.  These actors and characters deserved more than what was written on the page for them.

My final reason for the failure of Ocean's 8 is that while the idea of a heist of the Met Gala was a cool idea, the stakes never really felt that high.  Ocean's 11 was so great because there were many moments throughout the heist where you thought the characters were doomed.  Every time there was a moment like this in Ocean's 8, there was a quick and easy fix waiting around the corner to fix it.  Even the big reveal fell flat because there was never a moment were you felt like the gang was truly in over their heads.

Overall, Ocean's 8 was a bad start to the continuation of the Ocean's franchise.  If they do make a sequel (and it's a big if), I hope they take the time to flesh the characters out and up the stakes to something a little more perilous.  I'm still convinced that the film was hurt by tying it into existing intellectual property rather than making an original, female-led, heist film.  The creators of this one played it too safe, and if we've learned anything from heist movies, playing it safe is never very much fun.

The Fantastic 'Hereditary' Is A Slow Burn Of A Thriller That's Worth The Wait

Tonight, I finally had the chance to view the incredible new thriller, Hereditary.  I didn't have the opportunity to see it in the theater, but I was intrigued by the terrifying trailer and the incredible reviews.  It was billed as "The most terrifying movie since The Exorcist," but I found that to be a little misleading.  It has its terrifying moments, but it's much more than a typical thriller.  Hereditary takes its time to simmer, but once it reaches its third act, it's totally worth the wait.  The pacing of this film is on purpose.  Director, Ari Aster, lets the story build, and the tension boil until it explodes into a truly terrifying and ultimately satisfying finale.

Another reason that I was interested in this film is the divide between its critical and fan response.  It has almost universal critical praise, but audiences were turned away by it.  I think that in a summer dominated by a more typical horror movie, A Quiet Place, (a movie that I also really enjoyed), Hereditary chose to be different.  I think that the marketing of this film is partially to blame for its poor audience response.  Audiences went in expecting The Exorcist and were treated to something more akin to The Shining (another film with an early poor audience response).  It's more of a thinking character study than an outright horror picture... and I loved that about it.

I don't want to ruin the plot by giving away spoilers, but essentially it's a study of a family dealing with the loss of a loved one, that also has some supernatural elements to it.  I really enjoyed this character study, in part because the actors were all exceptional. Toni Collette shines as the mother trying to keep her family (and sanity) together as things around her unravel.  She gives such an honest and haunting performance that you never know whether she's actually seeing what she's seeing.  Gabrielle Byrne also gives an understated performance as a husband who is clearly in love with his wife, but also begins to expect that she's lost her mind.  Finally, newcomer Milly Shapiro gives a Shining-esque performance as the daughter of the family who may or may not have a form of evil inside her. 

I really enjoyed Hereditary.  It dared to be more than a typical thriller and I believe its stature will only grow over the years into the horror classic that I believe it to be.  Stick around for the incredible third act. 

BlacKkKlansman is an indictment of the past and present of America... and Spike Lee's best movie in years.

I've always been a big fan of Spike Lee.  Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing, and He Got Game were some of the seminal films of my youth that made me appreciate how directors can use their unique voices to tell impassioned stories.  His films always felt alive and lived in.  His characters were raw and always seemed like real people.  His movies felt and looked like they could very easily have been fly on the wall style documentaries.  But a funny thing happened to Spike Lee... he lost a step.  After his biggest commercial hit of his career, Inside Man, Spike Lee's films seemed to show up with a whimper and not a bang like they used to.  I've largely avoided them recently.  Critics reviled them and audiences largely stayed away.  However, Hollywood loves a comeback story and I'm really happy to state that BlacKkKlansman is the comeback we've been waiting for.  It's the perfect film that both looks back and takes note of where we are as a society.  BlacKkKlansman is THE movie of the Trump era.  It excoriates the past, while at the same time tying it into our political culture.

Klansman is the "based on a true story" of Ron Stallworth, an African American cop who successfully infiltrated the KKK in the late 70s.  He spoke with them on the phone and his partner showed up to the meetings to deal with the Klan in person.  The two sides of Stallworth in this movie are played impressively by John David Washington (Denzel Washington's son in a breakout role) and Adam Driver.  They work brilliantly together to expose this terrorist group, and their story is put together with great energy.  For the first time in awhile, Lee seemed like he was having fun making a film.

Make no mistake, this is not a subtle movie.  Spike Lee takes great delight in tearing down the Klan, and portraying them as bumbling doofuses.  In particular, David Duke (not so subtly shown chanting "America First") is shown as the complete ignoramus that he is, and you could almost feel Lee's energy bursting through during these scenes.

What I really enjoyed most about this film was that while it played out like an action comedy, it took great measures to show how much damage this line of thinking has done to the country.  The film directly mentions two films that have done more to glorify the Confederate South... Gone With The Wind and The Birth Of A Nation.  Images from these films are inter cut with a Klan monologue at the very open of the film shows just how much of an impact that they had on the modern Klan.  Lee takes great strides to connect the dots between these films and our current president's MAGA agenda (there's even a MAGA line thrown in there for fun).  Lee ends the film with a heartbreaking nod to the tragedy in Charlottesville.

The most powerful moment of the film was a scene showing the initiation ceremony of the Klan that was inter cut with a monologue from Hollywood legend Harry Belafonte.  His character speaks to an horrific incident of the Klan's history that shows the real life impact of the hate group.  It was a truly somber scene that has stayed with me since I saw the film.

I'm giving BlacKkKlansman 3.9 stars out of 4.  It's a must see and should hopefully be a major player come awards season.

Mission: Impossible is a more consistently entertaining franchise than 007

There have been 6 total Mission: Impossible movies since the original came out in 1996, and I would argue that 5 of them have been great to excellent.  With the exception of the wildly disappointing second installment, these films have set the gold standard for the spy genre.  Yes, even more so than James Bond or Jason Bourne.  For my money (no thanks to MoviePass blacking out all showings of M:I 6), these films top all others in terms of quality and entertainment.  If you compare the best 5 Bond movies and all 5 Bourne movies, The Mission: Impossible stories are tighter, the stunts more extreme, and the entertainment more rewarding.  Mission: Impossible Fallout is no different.  It may be the most exciting M:I movie yet, and after 22 years, this franchise shows no signs of slowing down.

Fallout is a direct sequel to 2015's Rogue Nation, and picks up a few years after the events of that movie.  Ethan Hunt and company (minus Jeremy Renner for some reason) are tasked with picking up the pieces after the downfall of the Syndicate.  Now known as the Apostles, this group of faceless terrorists wants to steal plutonium and finish the Syndicate's work by exploding three nuclear bombs, simultaneously.  It's up to Ethan Hunt and the IMF to stop them before it's too late.  This film doesn't disappoint in any level.  Queue the best theme song in the game... here's 6 reasons why I loved Fallout.

1)  At 56 years young, Tom Cruise proves he's still the king of the action movie hill.  Much has been written about Cruise performing his own stunts for these movies.  His stunts have become iconic.  From the CIA break-in in the first movie, to hanging off the highest building in the world in Ghost Protocol, to breaking in to a plane mid-air in Rogue Nation, Cruise pushes the limits like no one else.  Fallout is no different.  Two scenes really stood out to me.  The first was a motorcycle chase through Paris that would leave Jason Bourne jealous.  And the second is the climactic helicopter chase scene that you have to see to believe.  Cruise actually learned how to fly a helicopter to add to the drama of this chase.  They may have to shoot Cruise into space in the next one to top himself.  Speaking of stunts...

2) The stunts don't take away from the story.  Lost in all of the hullabaloo is the fact that Fallout had a kick ass story that was fun to watch.  It tied together previous films nicely and set up the series for future espionage.  Fallout was probably the closest to the first M:I film in terms of espionage, and I felt like that was a welcome surprise from the more recent action oriented films.  Speaking of espionage...

3) There isn't a more fun movie moment than the M:I mask reveal.  There were so many twists and turns in this one, that just when I thought I had it figured out, they switched it again and again.  I like that after 6 movies, I can still be surprised.  There was a twist early in the film that I won't ruin, but it had me chuckling out loud.  Kudos to the entire team for keeping it fresh and exciting.  Speaking of teams...

4)  The IMF (Impossible Missions Force) team is fantastic!  From Cruise, to Ving Rhames, to Simon Pegg and down the line, there's not a team in movies that works better than the IMF.  They all compliment each other really well.  The newest addition to the team, played by Henry Cavill (Superman himself), was a welcome character to this series.  Speaking of Cavill...

5)  The mustache that ruined the DC Cinematic Universe is displayed in all its glory.  This didn't actually add anything to the film, it's just nice to see Cavill without a weird CGI face that was so distracting in Justice League.  And finally...

6)  Mission: Impossible is a series that knows what it is.  The M:I movies blend the right amount of seriousness while at the same time being completely self-aware.  Just when you think these movies are taking themselves too seriously, there will be a wink or nod to the audience to keep the mood light.  The best part of these moments is that they never take away from the story.  At times, the Bond movies are guilty of being too cheeky in their humor.  I never got that sense in these Mission: Impossible movies.

I'm giving Fallout 3.8 stars out of 4.  It's not the best film in the series, but it's damn close.  It's the most exciting action movie of the summer and a definite must-see.

Ant-Man And The Wasp is a fun escapist movie... even though nothing really happens in it.

Ant-Man And The Wasp is in a weird position in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  It is being released after Avengers: Infinity War and yet it takes place before the events of that monumental film.  It's a largely self-contained story that seems to be unrelated to the larger events of the MCU.  Yes, there are references to Scott Lang's (the always enjoyable Paul Rudd) role in previous MCU films, but this one shies clear of any references to Thanos and his powerful glove.

This film shows what happened to Scott Lang after he got out of jail at the end of Captain America: Civil War.  He's on house arrest for his role in the battle in that battle royale.  He's trying to go legit once again by starting a security firm.  Michael Pena steals every scene he's in as the CEO of the company.  Stay alert for any time his character has to tell a story.  The only problem is that he can't leave his house... which also tells you why he wasn't fighting alongside his fellow Avengers during Infinity War.   Yes, it's a lame excuse, but I'm OK with it since that movie was overstuffed with superheroes.

Ant-Man And The Wasp focuses on the effort to get Hank Pym's wife (played by Michelle Pheiffer) back from the quantum realm.  There's a lot of scientific jargon thrown into this movie to make it feels like it's smarter than it actually is.  What I love about this is that Scott Lang acts like you and I would during any of these over-scientific lingo scenes.  He's basically just as confused as anyone would be.  His best line that reflects his confusion is "do you guys just put the word quantum in front of everything?"  It's the great comedic timing by Paul Rudd that makes these scenes work.  Evangeline Lilly is also effective as The Wasp in this film.  She's equal parts badass and super genius, and a refreshing addition to the MCU.  Though, her over-affection for Scott Lang seems a little over the top.

In addition to getting back the original Wasp back from the quantum realm, our heroes have to stop The Ghost, a mysterious phasing character who nips at their heels the entire movie.  She's a decent yet forgettable villain that gets a little wasted here.  The true star of this film is the comedy.  There's no doubt these characters have impeccable timing with one another and that's what makes this film so much fun to watch.  I feel that it'll be largely relegated to a forgotten entry to the MCU, and that's OK.  Not every film needs to have the impact of a Black Panther or Infinity War.  Sometimes, you just need a good laugh.

I'm giving Ant-Man And The Wasp 2.75 stars out of 4.  It's a fun yet forgettable romp that doesn't really add much to the MCU.  Stay tuned for a mid-credit and post-credit scenes.  The mid-credit scene ties this film into the events of Infinity War in an interesting way.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom doesn't have an original bone in its Dino sized body

I'm not so sure why it's so hard to make a good sequel to the original Jurassic Park (which is now 25 years old!).  They sure have tried over the years.  The Lost World came close... until it decided to have a T-Rex run amok through San Diego during its third act.  Jurassic Park III (the first without Spielberg at the helm) looked like it ran out of money at the one hour mark and decided to abruptly end the film.  The failure of JPIII looked like it spelled end for the Jurassic franchise... but then along came Jurassic World, which set the box office on fire a few years ago.  It was an OK film, but I felt it was largely overrated.  It felt like a remake of the original film, only with a working amusement park and better CGI.  There were some good moments in that film.  It was a joy to see how John Hammond's (the creator of Jurassic Park in the original film) vision eventually came to life.  However, there were a lot of parts that I felt just didn't work... namely, the militarization of the dinosaurs.  It didn't add anything to the film.  It only served to introduce us to the villains behind the curtains.  Sadly, this is what they decided to focus the entirety of the new film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, on.  Fallen Kingdom essentially boils down to a slasher film with dinosaurs replacing a Mike Myers type killer... throw in some morally repugnant capitalists and you have the makings of a lackluster sequel (again).

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom picks up a few years after the events of the previous film.  The dinosaurs are still running loose on the island, but the big twist is that the once dormant volcano on Isla Sonar is about to explode.  There's a debate going on about whether or not humans owe it to these creatures to save them from re-extinction.  Bryce Dallas Howard's character is heading up a humanitarian effort that is trying to lobby members of Congress to allocate resources to go in and save the dinosaurs from extinction... to no avail.  Enter the Lockwood estate.  He (played by James Cromwell with a barely there British accent) was the co-creator of Jurassic Park along with John Hammond.  Lockwood is on his dying bed and feels a sense of guilt over his creation.  He enlists Howard's character to go to the island and save eleven species of dinosaurs in order to send them to a proper sanctuary.  The only problem is that Blue (the super-smart raptor from the last film) is one of them, and those evil military types want to use her to develop a super weapon.  This is where the film quickly goes off the rails.  They get Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to go along because he helped raise Blue.  And it's not long before they're all double crossed.  The island portion of this film lasts maybe 20 minutes.  We learn that the man in charge of the Lockwood estate is secretly developing weaponized dinosaurs and wants to sell these dinos off to a who's who of foreign bad guys.

The rest of the film takes place inside the Lockwood estate where the auction doesn't go as planned.  Scariness ensues (along with one too many Pratt one-liners), and the film sputters to a close.  The director (can't remember his name) tries to insert some morality lessons about the down side to genetic engineering and our roles in the world, but these lessons feel forced.  We get a cameo or two from Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm character, but that too felt unnecessary.

I'm giving Fallen Kingdom 1.75 stars out of 4.  It's essentially a remake of the third act of The Lost World (i.e. the bad act) mixed with a slasher film.  There were a couple cool moments, but it felt like a giant cash grab.  I didn't buy the plot in this one and it was severely lacking in cool moments that made you say "wow."  There was a moment that will make you choke up a little bit as they're leaving the island, but I won't ruin it for you.  I've never bought Bryce Dallas Howard as an actor in these films.  She lacks the range of emotions necessary for a role like this.  Chris Pratt also does nothing for me.  He lacks the comedic timing of his other big ticket roles (namely Guardians of the Galaxy), and he's a little too cheesy when he tries to get serious.

If you want a purely mindless action romp (and with the world the way it is, you probably will want an escape), Fallen Kingdom is serviceable, but as an attempted great JP sequel, but falls short once again.

The Incredibles 2 is a good superhero movie... but a less than incredible sequel.

The Incredibles holds a special place in my heart.  It opened during my first year of living in New York City (14 years ago!), and my sister and I stumbled upon a screening of it in the basement of the Virgin Megastore (RIP).  There just happened to be a Loews theater in there and nobody really knew about it.  We saw it opening weekend with about 5 other people, and it was love at first sight.  The Incredibles is my favorite Pixar movie and one of the best superhero movies ever made.  It was entertaining as hell, while at the same time, a subversive look at the "traditional" American family and our obsession with traditional gender norms.  The Incredibles 2 is more of the same... and that's my biggest issue with it.  I hate to use the word "problem" because it's a wholly exciting film with amazing action sequences with my favorite Super family.  However, it's not much more than a continuation of the first movie with the roles reversed.

The Incredibles 2 picks up right where the first one left off.  The Underminer (voiced by John Ratzengberger, keeping his Pixar streak alive) has taken over the city.  After 14 years, we finally get to see what happened next.  And what happens next is that society still views supers as a problem... with one exception.  The rich and philanthropic Deavor siblings (Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener) want to bring the supers back.  They lead a PR campaign to gain public favor and want Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) as the face of their campaign.  Mr. Incredible is hurt that they don't want him, but after a funny bit about a cost benefit analysis telling him that he's too much of a financial risk, he goes home to play Mr. Mom (no relation to one of my favorite Michael Keaton movies).  Elastigirl gets to have all the super fun, and Mr. Incredible goes nuts watching the kids.  Herein lies my issue with the film.  It basically takes the plot of the first film and flips it over.  I expected more and what I got were some "parenting is hard, amirite?" jokes featuring Mr. Incredible.  I kind of felt like we've seen it all before... only the first one had more to say about societal norms, and in a better way. 

That's not to say that this is a bad film.  It isn't!  In fact, it's pretty damn entertaining.  But, like most sequels, it struggles when it tries to say something new.  It's weird to me that the once powerful Pixar has basically become a sequel factory, while Disney's other animation house is churning out original hits like Zootopia, Wreck-It-Ralph, and Big Hero 6.  Pixar's had a few quality original films in the last 5-10 years (like the brilliant Inside Out), but seems to favor sequels and profits over originality.  Hell, there's a FOURTH Toy Story on the horizon even though the third one perfectly ended the series.

I'm giving the second Incredibles 2.75 stars out of 4.  It's a hell of an action movie... just not an Incredible sequel.  Kids will love it, and I'm sure I'll grow to love it more.  But for right now, I'm wishing there was more to The Incredibles 2 than just action.

Ron Howard Deserves A Lot Of Credit For Making Solo Into A Serviceable Star Wars Story

For the second week in a row, I'm reviewing a movie with horrible pre-release buzz.  In this case, Solo: A Star Wars Story, received almost toxic levels of bad buzz.  They fired the directors 3/4 of the way through production.  The lead actor was so bad that they had to bring in an acting coach to help him.  Initial screenings called the film "unwatchable."  And the list went on and on and on.  Disney had to bring in veteran director Ron Howard to help salvage something from this almost certain wreck.  I'm happy to report that he did a great job and that Solo is a completely serviceable entry into the Star Wars universe.

As we learn during the initial title cards of the movie, Solo takes place during a lawless time.  Ruthless crime lords rule the territories and enlist homeless youngsters to steal and salvage valuable elements for them.  This is where we first meet a young Han, an outlaw with dreams of becoming a pilot and escaping his miserable life with his love interest, Qi-Ra (played by Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke).  We don't get to dig too much into this part of Han's life before he's escaping to join the empire.  From there, the story quickly jumps three years to Han's involvement (and abandonment) of the Empire.  Han doesn't want to play by anyone's rules, including the Empire, which gets him throw to "The Monster."  But this monster turns out to be everyone's favorite intergalactic fuzzball, Chewbacca.  There is a really cute and fun scene of their first encounter, and this is where the film shines.  Ron Howard said he only took this job because he felt it was a love story between Solo and Chewbacca... Best buds until the end.  Solo does a great job at showcasing how this bond was formed and blossomed.

From this moment, Han joins up with a band of thieves (played by the always reliable Woody Harrelson and Westworld's Thandie Newton), and the film essentially boils down to a series of robbery jobs.  Each sequence is pretty entertaining summer popcorn blockbuster fun.  We meet Lando Calrissian (in a scene-stealing performance by Donald Glover), and his robot liberation obsessed droid, L3.  Each of these characters bring life into this film, where it was lacking.  We learn how Han comes into ownership of the Millenium Falcon.  The film culminates in the infamous Kessel run that was first talked about in Episode IV.  I found myself full engaged throughout each action sequence, but the movie sputters a little bit to a close.  After having a few hours to think about it, I can fully see the film's flaws.  However, in the moment, I was fully entertained.  Solo is not the best Star Wars story in the world, but it's a capable summer popcorn flick that will have you smiling.  And, really, that's all we could hope for.

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of Alden Ehrenreich in the titular role.  He does a really good Harrison Ford impersonation, but lacks some of Ford's natural charisma.  I fully expected that he would weigh down the movie, but he does a decent job.  I was disappointed in a few of the characters, most notably Clarke's Qi-Ra.  Her motivations are never quite clear, and the film seems to set her up for something bigger in a potential sequel.  I  felt like they could have done more with her character, especially if they never visit this world again.  Another wasted character is Thandi Newton's character.  She shines, but in a limited role.  I think she could have contributed more to this film

I'm giving this Star Wars Story 2.75 stars out of 4.  It was an enjoyable popcorn flick, but not much more.  Glover steals the show as Lando, and I hope the rumors of his stand alone film come to fruition.  This film is a more traditional Star Wars film, so if you hated the Last Jedi, you'll probably like this film's return to form.  I can't speak highly of the job Ron Howard did putting this thing together.  Sure, there are parts that don't quite make sense, but in the end, there is a story that flows nicely throughout this one.

Bad pre-release buzz be damned, Deadpool 2 might just be the best comedy sequel of all-time.

Test audiences hated it!  The jokes aren't funny!  All the creative talent left with the original director!  Deadpool 2 is going to bomb at the box office!  These were just some of the pre-release worries surrounding Deadpool 2.  Maybe they lowered my expectations a little bit, but hot damn were they wrong!  Deadpool 2 is a hell of a lot of fun and I enjoyed it more than the original.  It's the rare comedy sequel that improves upon the original.  Granted, I thought the original was slightly overrated, but still, this one was better in most ways... except one.  I'll get into that in a little bit.

Deadpool 2 picks up right where the original left off.  Deadpool (aka Wade Wilson) has gone global.  He's cracking wise and kicking ass all over the world.  And at home, he's settling into married life.  That is, until a kill that got away comes back to bite him and (spoiler) kills his wife.  Deadpool goes into a funk and this is the only real part where I thought the movie struggled.  It took its sweet time trying to humanize Wade Wilson to the point of slowing down the movie.  I get why they did it, but I felt it took its sweet ass time getting there.  He's forced to seek refuge (and friendship) with the X-Men... in particular Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus (there's a funny bit addressing where the other X-Men are that I won't ruin).  Not long after joining their ranks as a trainee, do we meet a troubled mutant youth... who brings the time traveling Cable to this world.  Cable (played gruffly by, who else, Josh Brolin), is from the future and is hell bent on killing this mutant kid before he can inflict damage on the future.  Deadpool, always a loner, is forced to create a team to take down Cable.  The best of the bunch is Domino (whose superpower is luck... something that plays out hysterically).

This is the moment that the movie really picks up steam.  Giving Deadpool characters to riff off of makes up for the poor attempt at humanizing Wade Wilson.  He's quick-witted and really lives up to his "Merc With A Mouth" billing.  I won't ruin it, but their attempt at jumping into battle is probably the highlight of the movie.

Deadpool 2 thrives because it gives its title character more to do than spew one-liners.  Whereas the original was probably a little too self-reflexive for its own good, DP2 doesn't get buried under the pressure of living up to an "out of nowhere" hit.  There's enough of a plot and enough characters to keep this film from getting too stale.  I'm not sure if you'll like this one if you were a critic of the original, but its better than it has any right to be.  There are a lot of pop culture references, but they never feel like they're drowning the script.  Usually, they're a witty one-liner to help lighten the mood.

I think my only squabble with this one is that it takes a little too much time trying to pull at your heart strings in the first act.  I found that I was taken out of the comedy any time that Deadpool took off the mask.  However, by the time the movie kicks into gear in the second act, all is forgiven.  Ryan Reynolds plays this role as if it's a part of him.  He's so passionate about the character, and so good at being Deadpool that you forgive the boring parts.  He has a way of pulling you back into the movie with his sheer will and charm.

If I had to pick another thing to quibble with, it would be that Josh Brolin doesn't really bring much to the character of Cable (a personal favorite of mine) that it's hard to imagine they couldn't have found somebody better.  I get the allure of getting a big name to play the character, but he's already Thanos in The Avengers (something that gets called out in the film), so I'm not sure it shouldn't have gone to someone else.  Maybe I'm just feeling the Brolin overload (he also stars in the Sicario sequel this summer).  He struggled at times with his comedic lines.

Other than that, I'd highly recommend Deadpool 2.  3 out of 4 stars.  There are 2 mid-credit scenes that are absolutely hilarious.  Don't stay until the end as there are no post-credit scenes.

Avengers: Infinity War Lives Up To The Hype

 "I'd like to talk to you about The Avengers initiative."  With one simple phrase, the face of Hollywood entertainment changed forever.  It launched the most intricate, well-thought out, series of interconnected films in cinematic history.  The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has become the gold standard that all other franchises try (and fail) to live up to.  A decade (and 16 films) later, it all boils down to this.  The fate of the universe is at stake, so assemble your group of Avengers and head to your local theater... you're in for a hell of a ride.

The MCU is coming to the end of its third phase.  Phase 1 was the set up.  Phase 2 was the expansion.  And Phase 3 has been spiraling towards this moment.  The moment our favorite heroes (well, except for 2... no spoilers, though!) team up to face the Mad Titan, Thanos, as he attempts to destroy half of the universe.  I'm not going to spoil any plot points or give any hints at who may or may not be with us after this film, but I will discuss why this film works.

Contrary to other cinematic universes (looking at you DC), the MCU took its time.  It developed characters and stories with the intention of creating a sense of familiarity with the movie going audience.  Every time there was a team up, the MCU didn't waste time developing pre-developed characters.  Instead, it took the time to develop any new characters who may appear.  For instance, in the first Avengers film, it was the Hawkeye show.  In Age Of Ultron, we get to know the Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver.  Since we had already met the main Avengers, they could do their thing in these team up films without needing to waste time on showcasing another side of their characters.  The same holds true for Infinity War.  Its Thanos' movie.  As the mayhem rapidly expands, we are treated to bits and pieces of what makes the Mad Titan tick.  I really liked that this film took the time to develop its villain... almost to the point of making us sympathize with him.  Contrary to the generic CGI villains of the DC universe (some of whom I can't even remember the names of), this film unravels the layers and intentions of Thanos before our eyes.  It creates a fully realized character over the course of two and a half hours.

Going in, I was worried that Infinity War would crumble under the weight of its many, many characters.  However, I'm pleased to report that it never felt like any character was being neglected.  Each Avenger was given time to shine as the many moving pieces seamlessly moved around the puzzle board.  This film moves at a break neck pace, but the Russo Brothers do their best to direct each scene so that nothing feels too quick or forced.

The final battle also didn't feel too fast or forced.  It wasn't filled with eight gazillion Michael Bay like edits.  I was quietly refreshed that it took its time to develop top notch action and adventure.

I don't want to ruin or spoil anything more.  Needless to say, there are shocking deaths and surprise returns.  Get out and see it!

I'm giving it 3.5 stars out of 4.  I had a couple bones to pick with it.  Namely, The Scarlet Witch just dropping her Russian accent without explanation.  Thanos' goon squad are a little underdeveloped for my tastes, but I understand why they did that.  There's only so much room to work with, and Thanos was definitely the most important.  It also feels like only part of a larger movie, but it definitely has a stopping point.  We will see the continuation of this story in next year's Avengers conclusion.  I can't wait!

There's one scene after the credits that sets up further adventures of Earth's mightiest heroes.

Super Troopers 2 is a worthy successor to its cult comedy brother

I'm fully on record as hating most comedy sequels.  In fact, there's only a handful of them that I'd qualify as decent.  Most, like Anchorman 2 or Zoolander 2, are made about a couple years too late, and just re-hash the original to diminishing returns.  I think I went in to Super Troopers 2 with pretty low expectations.  I'm happy to report that I laughed way more than I thought I would, and Super Trooper 2 was a decent follow-up to the original film.

Like most people, I missed the original Super Troopers' theatrical run.  It came and went with little to no fanfare during its brief, forgettable run.  I caught it on home video when I rented it randomly at my local Blockbuster Video (remember those?).  I laughed my ass off that night, and it's been in regular rotation ever since.  It was infinitely quotable (littering and..., meow, liter of cola, etc.) , and its stature only grew over the years.  However, for some reason, it never spawned a sequel... until now.  After one of the more memorable crowd funding campaigns, we're here.

I'll skip the plot of Super Troopers 2 (essentially the same as the first, only set in Canada), and get right to what I liked about it... namely the cast.  Broken Lizard hasn't changed their style of humor much in the past 16 years, but they have a chemistry with one another that makes me laugh again and again.  I guess my comedy tastes haven't changed much either since I graduated college.  I found myself laughing out loud more than I care to admit.  The guys are still goofing on each other throughout this film, and it was just what I needed.  Kevin Heffernan's Farva is still the butt of the joke, but he plays a douchebag better than most comedians.  All the gags you enjoyed in the first one are all present here, but they don't feel like cheap knockoffs.  They appear, but are never distracting.  The Broken Lizard gang genuinely feel like cherish these characters and it shows in this film.  They had to beg and borrow to get this one made, and they made sure to do it right.

I'm giving this one 2.5 stars out of 4.  There's not much in the way of plot, and this film basically boils down to a series of skits strung together.  However, it's a joy to be back in their world.  If you're a fan of the first one, definitely see it right meow!  If not, I'd probably skip it.

A Quiet Place Is A Must See Film

 For those complaining that Hollywood is nothing but a sequel/remake/reboot machine, the new film A Quiet Place is here to cure your retread blues.  Directed by John Krasinski (Jim from TV's The Office), it tells the story of a family struggling to fend off an alien invasion that has wiped out most of the world's population.  At least that's what I can glean from the subtle clues sprinkled throughout the background of the movie.  Like any good "end of the world" monster movie, the origins of these beasts are not explained.  You see snippets of newspaper clippings on walls.  And, since this film is mostly silent, you're not given any unnecessary voiceover work to explain things as you go along for the ride.  The only thing we know is that these monsters will kill you if they hear you.  The family at the center of this film goes to extraordinary lengths to keep quiet.  Oh, and did I mention that Emily Blunt's character is pregnant?  This creates a nice sense of upcoming doom throughout the first two acts.

Speaking of rides, this film is one hell of a scary-yet-fun adventure.  I was surprised that John Krasinski directed this, since he's best known for his comedic chops.  However, he delivers on both fronts on this film.  He strongly plays a father struggling to keep his family together without veering into cliches.  He also does a hell of a job directing this film.  It comes in at a brisk 90 minutes, and not once did it feel like the pacing was off, or that there were many unnecessary scenes in it.  Yes, there are a few horror blunders by the cast (knocking things over to create noise, for example), but they are mostly forgiven as necessary moments to bring in the baddies.  Without spoiling anything, I will say that the very ending is a little too "Hollywood" for my tastes, but the journey to that moment is totally worth it.

A Quiet Place is a very well-done original piece of horror.   It's well-acted, shot, and directed.  I see big things for Krasinski in the future.  I'm giving it 3 out of 4 stars.  Go see it!

Ready Player One Is Pure Nostalgic Fun

As Mugatu in Zoolander would say... "The 80's are so hot right now."  From the runaway success of Stranger Things to the recent return of sitcom titan Roseanne, the decade of Ronald Reagan is very much in demand.  So it's almost appropriate that 1980's titan, Steven Spielberg, is directing the film adaption of Ready Player One.  He delivered some of the biggest hits of that decade, and for better or worse, created the blockbuster genre.

Ready Player One tells the story of 2040's America, where the major world currency is the virtual reality universe called The Oasis.  The Oasis is a place where anything can happen (as is told to the audience through our protagonist Wade Watts), and imagination is key.  If you can think it, you can do it.  It's the only place where people can escape from their crappy lives and dire living situations.  The creator of The Oasis (played by recent Spielberg muse, Mark Rylance) has died, but before he died he created a contest that would give full ownership of The Oasis to the winner.  Three keys were hidden deep within The Oasis and can only be unlocked by completing the tasks attached to them.  These keys were so hard to find that most people have given up trying to find them.  A small group of Gunters (short for Easter egg hunters) continue the search along with the evil IOI corporation, who seek to monetize The Oasis.  The group of Gunters are led by Parzival (The avatar name of the lead character), and have essentially formed a resistance group to fight against the IOI corporation.

This film strips away a lot of the social commentary from the book and gets the audience straight into the chase, and the results are a thrilling albeit slightly flawed film.  There are some genuinely exciting sequences (the street race in particular) with incredible visual effects.  Spielberg does his best to film an unfilmable book, resulting in a piece of pure popcorn movie fun.  He had to switch some things from the book, but the sequences he changed totally work (there's a sequence involving a horror classic that is hands down the best part of the entire movie.).  Ready Player One was pure escapist fun, and I had a great time sitting through it.

That being said, I feel like there was a better movie buried in there.  The horror movie sequence gave us a glimpse of its great potential.  There was also a tacked on ending that tried to make a statement about disconnecting from our electronic devices that felt forced.  Had Spielberg tried to establish that earlier, it would have been a more effective ending.  In a movie about people escaping their daily lives and living vicariously through their digital avatars, I couldn't help but think that Spielberg was playing a role in his direction.  This film felt like a Michael Bay film with better characters and direction.  Some of the sequences were so frenetic that I had a hard time focusing on what was on screen.  The third act, like a lot of modern action films, dragged a bit. 

I'm giving Ready Player One 2.75 stars out of 4.  It's a good movie that had the potential of being great.  I'd recommend it to anyone hoping to escape to the movies for 2+ hours.

On a final note, there's a lot of pop culture Easter eggs sprinkled throughout.  Some are obvious (Jurassic Park & King Kong), but others (Robocop, Street Fighter and countless others) appear in a blink and you'll miss it sense.  I spent the first quarter of the movie trying to find them all, and I found it distracting to the story.  I'd recommend just focusing on the story and letting the Easter Eggs happen naturally.  I also wonder if younger audiences will get half of these pop culture references since the 80s happened 30+ years ago.  The 80's are so hot right now, so your guess is as good as mine.