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.

Masterful 'Us' Warrants Repeat Viewings

The knock on Us, the new horror masterpiece from Jordan Peele, is that it's not Get Out.  I think that is totally unfair to this film and a director's previous work should not enter into the equation of whether or not a current film is good or not.  I get it that people want another Get Out... because that film was such a brilliant and audience pleasing thriller.  And because of its success, and the fact that it was his first film, Jordan Peele will always be measured up to it.  Just as M. Night Shyamalan films will always be mentioned in the same sentence as The Sixth Sense, Peele films will always be mentioned with Get Out, fairly or not.  I just don't want that film's success to take away from his brilliant sophomore effort, Us.  This film fires on all cylinders from beginning to end, that I almost wish that this was his directorial debut.  It's that good.  People need to stop trying to measure it up to Get Out. Us stands firmly on its own two feet, and will easily be in my top 5 for 2019.

Us is much less concerned with being a straight forward film.  It's ending is open ended and not as uplifting as Get Out.  It's only after you peal back the layers,  that you see there's much much more to this one.  It leaves much up to interpretation and our imagination.   Little of this film's deeper meanings are spoon fed to us.  I'm sitting here writing this review with a couple different interpretations of this film open in different web windows.  They all make sense, and yet they are not definitive interpretations.  This one hits closest to home for me.  There's breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout this film, that you'll only pick up with repeated viewings.

Us tells the story of a family that goes on vacation only to be attacked by their identical (albeit more psychotic) doppelgangers.  These doppelgangers (known as the tethered) want to kill and replace their other halves.  It's a 21st century Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, but with Peele's signature blend of horror and comedy.  It'll keep you on the edge of your seat, and never lets you get settled. 

Kudos to the stellar cast for pulling off the double duty, both as protagonists and chilling antagonists.  Lupita Nyong'o leads the way with her Oscar-worthy performance (I can't get her doppelganger's whispery voice out of my ears!).  Winston Duke, Elizabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker all shine playing both sides of their characters' personalities.

Like I said, Us warrants repeated viewings.  I'm already counting down the time until I can watch it again.  It cements Jordan Peele as a master filmmaker, and proves that original ideas can still thrive in today's world of blockbusters, sequels and remakes.  3.8 stars out of 4.