It Chapter 2 Is A Let Down From Chapter 1

There's a running motif throughout It Chapter 2, in which a character who plays a writer doesn't know how to end a story.  I couldn't think of a more appropriate (albeit too self-aware) way to describe this movie.  It Chapter 2 was always going to struggle with its finish, the way the 1990s miniseries did and (I'm told) the book does.  I had high hopes that the phenomenal team behind the 2017 remake would be able to write the ship, but alas, they weren't.  It Chapter 2 is a mixed bag of scares and cheese that never quite finds itself.

It Chapter 2 picks up 27 years after the events of the first movie.  The creature that haunts Derry is back and at it again.  People are once again going missing and its up to the Loser's Club to fulfill their youthful promise and return to put away Pennywise The Clown once and for all.  As you can imagine, the gang is hesitant to return.  They eventually do return and we're treated to a bunch of up and down performances.  The "famous" actors (James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and the movie-stealing Bill Hader) are given the meatiest roles, while the other actors don't quite live up to the others on the top of the marquee.  The Losers' time away from Derry has caused them to forget the events of the past, so most of the first half of the movie is a catch-up of sorts, where the grown ups have to confront their past in order to gain the power to fight Pennywise.  The scares in these scenes, while formulaic, are some of the better moments of the movie.  Once these acts are completed, it's time for the final battle with the killer clown (portrayed, once again, by the fantastic Bill Skarsgard).

This is where the movie really struggles.  Most of the pre-release buzz about the movie dealt with the nearly three-hour run time.  I didn't notice it much during the first 2/3rds of the movie, but the "final" sequence (which in reality is about 20 "final" sequences) is where the movie drags.  I haven't read the book, but this movie apparently stuck fairly close to it.  I would have preferred a re-write that got Chapter 2 to a better, more succinct ending.

Another issue I had with this movie is the off and on CGI that filled some of the horror sequences.  There were breathtaking moments, for sure, but there were also a lot of "cheap" looking effects.  It took me out of the movie a decent amount of the time.  It's like they ran out of money for the special effects and just tried to patchwork certain scenes together.  The kids from the first movie appear a lot in this one in flashbacks and they used de-aging special effects on them to make them look like they did 2 years ago.  It was quite distracting, and something that I wish they had avoided.

I didn't hate Chapter 2, but I certainly felt it could have been better.  Skarsgard's Pennywise is in a league of its own, and the marquee actors (particularly Bill Hader) shine during large chunks of the film.  However, it wasn't enough to save Chapter 2 from its meandering ending that was at times too cheesy for its own good.

Hobbs & Shaw - This Movie Is Insane(ly) Fun

I continue to be amazed by the Fast & Furious franchise (Universe?), and that a movie about catching thieves who stole DVD players (remember those?) would spawn 7 direct sequels (with two more on the way) and its first spin-off in Hobbs & Shaw.  If you go back to the first few films, they definitely had a straight to DVD vibe about them.  They were nothing special and the producers could have easily ended the franchise after the forgettable Tokyo Drift. However, I'm glad they didn't, because we never would have been introduced to The Rock's best on-screen character, Luke Hobbs.  He was the Viagra that the F&F franchise needed and transformed the series from run-of-the-mill racing movies to James Bond in cars.  Sadly, like most great bands, these actors couldn't quite last.  The Rock and Vin Diesel essentially refused to be on set together in the 8th installment, and it doesn't look likely that they'll ever collaborate in a F&F film again.  Hey, if Axl & Slash can play in Guns N' Roses again, anything is possible.  Until that day, we'll probably get a slew of spin-offs to keep the characters active... and I'm OK with that.

Hobbs & Shaw is a movie that feels like an action film from a forgotten era.  It's a 90s-style thrill ride from start to finish, and a definite escape from real world madness.  To describe the plot of this film would probably be an insult to the word, "plot."  It essentially boils down to the following: Bad guy does bad guys stuff, and two former foes team up to stop him.

I've long been a fan of The Rock, the wrestler, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the actor.  He has a natural charisma that not many people have.  He's a larger than life screen presence, both in the ring and on the silver screen.  My one quibble with him is that he needs to learn to say "no" to every role thrown at him.  For every Fast & Furious success, there's a Rampage or Skyscraper (legitimately one of the worst movies I've ever seen) that tanks.  Just because someone offers you something, doesn't mean you have to take it.  I think he needs to be more selective with the roles he chooses going forward.

On the other hand, Jason Statham has more misses than hits.  He works best when he has someone to play off of, and Hobbs is the perfect Yin to Shaw's Yang.  They spend the entire movie trading insults and somehow it never got old. 

Another bright spot to come out of this is that Idris Elba gets to shine as the villain.  He's a genetically modified human (you read that correctly) hellbent on taking over the world.  Elba is delightfully devious and gets plenty of room to shine here.

The final act is bat shit crazy (in the best way possible) and you have to see it to believe it.  There's a fight with cars, helicopters and tribal Samoan weapons.  I can't really describe the madness since it makes my brain hurt, but you can kind of get my point. 

Hobbs & Shaw is an insanely good time at the movies.  Stay tuned for a couple surprise cameos and, I believe, five post-credit scenes. 

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Is The Least "Tarantino" Tarantino Movie - And That's A Good Thing!

Quentin Tarantino is, without a doubt, one of my favorite directors of all-time.  He's also a master of subverting expectations.  Think of Death Proof and the mid-movie twist, or how Kill Bill 2 was essentially a completely different movie than the first volume.  He's always keeping his audience guessing, and I love that about him.

I understand that he's a love it or leave it personality to most people, but I'm fully on board the "love it" train.  My one gripe about his filmography is that most, if not all, of his films can be considered homages to certain genres and film stars.  From war movies to kung-fu to westerns, his most recent films have been essentially "Tarantino does _____."  For the longest time (since Jackie Brown, really), I've wanted Quentin Tarantino to do an original, character driven story.  After watching his latest film, the sun-soaked and trippy, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, I can share that my hopes have been rewarded.  Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is Tarantino's least flashy, more grounded film in years.  It's a film that catches you in a dream and made me want to watch it again immediately.

Once Upon A Time is essentially a few days in the life of Rick Dalton (a never funnier Leonardo DiCaprio) and Cliff Booth (a movie-stealing Brad Pitt), who are a washed-up actor and his forgotten stunt man.  The movie isn't really "about" anything, but rather a series of vignettes that culminate with a fateful night in the annals of Hollywood history.  It's a sublime piece of historical fiction, but a welcomed surprise for a movie buff wannabe like myself.

Your love for this film will largely boil down to your ability to sit through large chunks of "inside baseball" dialogue and scenes about the inner-workings of late 60's Hollywood.  Of course, Tarantino does his best with dialogue and scene building to entice even the most hardcore Tarantino cynics.  Both Dalton and Booth are some of the more three-dimensional leading characters that Tarantino's put together on film.  Dalton's insecurities and realizations about becoming washed-up seem to mimic Tarantino's own brush with film mortality (he's on the ninth of a planned 10 film career).  DiCaprio plays him with such gusto and with little self-awareness as to how foolish he is that it might just be my favorite performance of his illustrious career.  And Pitt has never been cooler on-screen (and that's saying a lot!).

A lot of fuss has been made about the lack of dialogue for Margot Robbie's Sharon Tate, but I think it's been unfounded.  Robbie has the unique inability to completely set a mood with a smile, and her performance here is no different.  The shadow of the Manson family hovers over this entire movie, but it doesn't detract from anything.  They're creepy by being minimally invasive, and I think Tate's innocence is the perfect antibody for them.

I'm not saying Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a perfect film.  I'm not even quite sure where to rank it in Tarantino's filmography.  It's a film that requires repeated views to peel back all the layers.  It's definitely not for everyone and it's length (Tarantino's really struggled with length since the death of his longtime editor, Sally Menke) will surely turn people off.  In fact, I struggled with its pacing in the first act until I finally succumbed to its mood.  Just sit back and enjoy the ride, because it's a gorgeous one, and one that will only grow in stature as the years go by.  I'm not even ready to give it a star rating, but if someone offered me a ticket to go see it again today, I would jump on that offer in a minute.

Spider-Man: Far From Home - The Marvel Train Keeps On Rolling

**END GAME SPOILERS AHEAD**



I went into Spider-Man: Far From Home fully ready to write about Marvel fatigue, and how I couldn't possibly imagine the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) continuing after the death of multiple popular characters.  I, myself, was a little fatigued by the 3 hour epic that was End Game.  In fact, Far From Home was the first Marvel movie in a long time that I didn't see on opening night.  It's not that I'm done with the MCU, it's just that I needed a breather after End Game.  However, the machine doesn't stop and the train keeps on rolling... and I was totally and completely entertained by Far From Home, the perfect kick start to the next chapter in the MCU.

From the first scene, this movie serves as a mood setter.  Peter Parker's back from the dust, and back in school.  There's a hilarious scene to open the movie, where the in-school news program at Midtown Science pays tribute to the stars we lost in End Game.  It's perfectly "bad" in a high school television product kind of way.  I can't really do it justice by explaining it, so you'll just have to take my word for it.  Anyway, back to Peter Parker.  He's looking to relax after saving the world from Thanos, and he's looking forward to a much-deserved vacation.  He's hilariously planning on telling MJ (played with a millennial's charm by Zendaya) that he loves her during their upcoming trip to Europe.  The relationships between the teenagers in this film is a delight.  There's a sense of awkwardness to them in the best possible way.  However, Parker quickly realizes that his plan is not going to be a smooth one as the MCU (and Nick Fury) are not quite done needing Spider-Man's help.  He's Tony Stark's chosen replacement as the leader of the Avengers... and its something that Peter Parker struggles with.

Once the class gets to Europe, a mysterious space traveler named Mysterio appears (Jake Gyllenhal) and need's Spidey's help battling a series of Elementals (Essentially they're creatures made out of the four major elements).  I can't really explain Mysterio further than that since his character is shrouded in mystery (hey, that's in his name!), so I'll only say that Spidey will be tested like he's never been tested before, and his journey to Avengers' leader is a fun, action packed one.

Far From Home is a relentless charmer, and one that even the most skeptical MCU fans can't help but enjoy.  Tom Holland continues to be the best cinematic version of Spider-Man we've ever seen, and this one has me fully back on board the MCU train.  Stay tuned during and after the credits for two highly enjoyable sequences... one that features an old Spider-Man nemesis.  You won't be disappointed!

Toy Story 4 Doesn't Quite Reach The Series' High Water Mark - But It's Still An Absolute Delight

Wait... you were thinking that there wasn't any more life in the Toy Story franchise after the 3rd installment perfectly wrapped things up?  Well, think again.  Welcome to the age of ever-lasting franchises.  Buzz, Woody, and all our favorite toys are back in the 4th (and, I think, final) installment of the Toy Story franchise... and they're (almost) better than ever.

I, for one, didn't think that Pixar could pull this off.  I honestly thought that Toy Story 3 was the best movie of the year that it came out and that it legitimately deserved a chance at Best Picture.  It ultimately lost the the cute, but forgettable The King's Speech.  I dare you to find a more emotional moment in a feature film than Woody and Co. holding hands as they sank to their doom.  I don't often cry in movies, but I definitely choked up during this scene.  But the emotion wasn't done there.  (Spoiler Alert!!)  The passing of the toys from Andy to Bonnie at the end of that film perfectly ended their (Toy) story.

Fast forward 9 years.  Woody and the gang are settled in to their new lives as Bonnie's favorite toys.  However, something isn't quite right with Woody.  He's no longer the favorite and doesn't get picked to be played with.  He's stuck in the past and can't quite understand why he's not the #1 toy in Bonnie's life.  However, he's not the only one struggling.  Bonnie has to go to kindergarten, and she's unsure of this next milestone in her life.  Woody senses that she needs his help and stows away in her backpack on her first day of kindergarten. During her first day of kindergarten, Bonnie creates "Forky," her new favorite toy.  Yes, he's just a spork with feet, arms and a face, but it doesn't matter to Bonnie.  There's just one problem with Forky (voiced perfectly by Veep/Arrrested Development veteran Tony Hale)... he thinks he's trash, and wants to return to said trash can.  Woody, through trying to save Forky from self-harm, has found his new mission in life.  Obviously, the plan doesn't work out pefectly and, once again, our favorite toys are on the run and desperate to get back to Bonnie.  I don't want to ruin anything for you, but they end up at an antique store being hunted by nightmare-fuel inspired toys.  They meet new friends (most notably "Duke Caboom," voiced by MVP du jour Keanu Reeves), and must thwart their enemies to escape.

While this is all fun and games, and works perfectly well for kids, the Toy Story movies have always had a deeper meaning in them.  Toy Story 4 is no different.  It held a special meaning to me because it's essentially about growing older and saying good-bye to the past, while finding new meaning in your life.  As an almost 40-year-old, I found this message quite refreshing.  Toy Story 4 tells us to live life to your fullest.  You can honor and cherish your past, but it's important to find meaning and excitement in your present.  Woody's journey is emotional and heartwarming, and the ending will have you searching for your nearest box of tissues.

Toy Story 4 closes out the saga of Woody, Buzz & Company in a highly entertaining yet sweet and sincere way.  I'm kind of bummed that even this wonderful series has fallen victim to sequel fatigue.  It's the right kind of sequel and not an unnecessary cash grab (although my living room full of Toy Story toys begs to differ).  Maybe Avengers: End Game took all this summer's box office return out in its wake, but there does seem to be a real (and quite scary to moviegoers like me) downward trend at the box office.  I thought this movie would be a cure, but it appears to be another symptom of that trend.  Hopefully movie studios can right the ship, but with a full slate or sequels, remakes and reboots on the horizon, I'm not confident in their ability.

Avengers: End Game - Spoiler Free Review

We will never see a cinematic experience like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  Many will try to copy it or emulate its success, but the MCU has been the most-successful, best produced series of films of all-time.  It's truly a marvel (pun intended) to behold.  However, like Avengers: End Game, to understand the present, we must look to the past.

Back in 2008, the world was a different place.  We were nearing the end of the disastrous George W. Bush presidency, and while comic book movies were popular, they still weren't considered essential viewing.  That all changed with a simple phrase... "I am Iron Man."  Robert Downey Jr., then a brilliant but formerly troubled actor, took up the mantle of Tony Stark/Iron Man, and the world was never the same.  Little did we know, but the original Ironman movie would go on to change how we view, not only comic book movies, but the film business in general.

Flash forward 11 years and 22 films later (including a monumental Best Picture nomination for Black Panther), and we are at a landmark moment in American cinema.  Avengers: End Game is the culmination of everything that has come before it and a conclusion to the MCU as we know it.  Sure, others will come after it, but we will never experience something like this current form of the MCU again.  That's not a spoiler, but rather a declarative statement.  End game feels like an and and a beginning and everything in between.  It's a wonder of a film and one of the best large scale blockbusters I have ever seen.

It's going to be hard to make a substantive review of End Game without spoilers, since major plot points start forming right from the get go, but I'll try my best.  End Game starts 5-years after the snap heard round the universe.  Humanity is still reeling from being halved in an instant, and this includes the remaining Avengers.  They're a group without a purpose and it's taking their effect.  I like how this film deals with a supposedly invincible group suffering its first major loss.  It makes for interesting character growth.  They're still searching for Thanos and looking for a way to avenge (see what I did there?) their friends and families.  Unfortunately, any more than that and we're canon-balling our way into the spoiler zone.  I will say this.  Thor steals this movie.  His full-on turn into comedy continues here and it's truly a sight to behold. 

I'm giving End Game 3.99 stars out of 4.  It's one of the best superhero movies ever made and it is the perfect capper to this run of MCU films.  At 3-hours, it could rub some people as overstuffed, but I didn't mind it one bit.  It ties together old story lines and current ones.  Its largely self-aware, but not in a way that damages the story.  It's an absolute delight to see.  Bravo to the entirely MCU team and the Russo brothers for pulling this off.

I'll give you one spoiler, though.  There is NOT a post-credit scene, so if your butt is going numb after 3+ hours, feel free to head out during the credits.

'Shazam!' Shows DC Isn't Afraid To Have Fun

If you could have one super power, what would it be?  We've all asked it.  We've all thought about it.  And that's essentially what Shazam! boils down to.  Fulfilling a childhood dream.  It's light, bright and fun throughout... essentially the exact opposite of the first run of DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films.  It was an absolute delight to sit through.  It knows it's silly, and it totally embraces it.

Shazam! fixes the biggest issue that people have had with the DCEU films to date... namely, that they're too dark and brooding.  I don't think this film could have worked had it adapted a serious tone.  This film tells the story of an orphan who happens to stumble upon a secret wizard lair, only to inherit all the wizard's strengths and powers.  There's one catch.  He appears as an adult version of himself and wears a silly suit and cape.  Zachary Levi shines as the superhero version of Shazam.  He plays the character with a child's sense of wonder and naivete.  He has to learn all of his superpowers, so we are treated to multiple "training" sequences.  Each funnier than the last.  The only downside to the endless training montages is that they really cut into the run time of the movie.  As with most DCEU films, the main villain is underdeveloped and (in my opinion) doesn't get enough screen time.  The final fight doesn't feel like it has the weight behind it that it should.  The other, non-Shazam, members of the cast are mostly serviceable.  They fill their roles nicely, but aren't anything to write home about.  This is really Zachary Levi's movie and he does a great job with it.

My complaints about this film are minimal, since it's so much damn fun.  It's a breath of fresh air to the superhero genre the way Guardians Of The Galaxy was.  In a way, it feel like a PG-13 rated Deadpool.  It's very aware of its own silliness, however it's not as self-reflective as Deadpool.

I'm giving Shazam! 3.1 stars out of 4.  There's a couple post-credit scenes to stick around for that set up the next film.  It's a barrel of laughs in a world that needs them.  Definitely check this one out.