Here we go! By popular request, I'm back on the blog and reviewing movies! My movie-watching was a bit slow to start the year - I was in PhD school after all - but picked up once I got home and had free time and free movies once again.
Previous 2016 Reviews:
Unscripted Ratings:
4/4 - Buy a ticket, poster, & DVD.
3.5/4 - Buy a ticket.
3/4 - Buy a matinee ticket.
2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
1/4 - Consider as last resort.
0/4 - Avoid at all costs.
The Legend of Tarzan: Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård), having acclimated to life in London with Jane (Margot Robbie), is lured back to his former home in the jungle by the treacherous Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz). Also starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Tarzan films are staples of the movie industry. Based on a 1912 novel & sequels by Edgar Rice Burroughs, there have been over 200 Tarzan movies since 1918's silent film, Tarzan of the Apes. With so much ground already covered, director David Yates (the last four Harry Potter films) had little choice but to try to go bigger than previous iterations. The grand scale keeps the film interesting, if a little cheesy, with the actors similarly being serviceable, if somewhat lackluster in their performances. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
Like The Purge and The Purge: Anarchy before it, this third film in the series has trailers that are more provoking than the film ends up being, hinting at uniquely deranged ideas that are never truly realized in the movie. Election Year lacks subtlety in almost every aspect, from striking colors and visuals (that I rather enjoyed) to overstated themes and drawn-out violence. The Purge series is getting better with each installment, but with such a low starting point, Election Year's elevation of the franchise still isn't quite worth it. The Final Word: 1/4 - Consider as a last resort.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: Hoping to make a good impression, hard-partying brothers (Zac Efron, Adam Devine) place an online ad to find perfect dates, but the "nice girls" (Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza) turn out to be more out-of-control than the boys.
Not exactly beloved by critics or audiences, Mike and Dave is about as mediocre as you'd expect. It fits squarely enough in the lewd-partying comedy category, and delivers jokes on pretty much all the topics you'd expect in all the places you'd anticipate. The film works just fine, and it will make you laugh at times, but it takes close to zero risks and introduces almost nothing new to the genre. Ultimately, Mike and Dave is a decent way to pass the time, but only if you don't mind forgetting most of it within a few days. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
The Secret Life of Pets: The quiet life of a terrier named Max (Louis C.K.) is upended when his owner takes in a stray named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). Also starring Kevin Hart.
Not exactly beloved by critics or audiences, Mike and Dave is about as mediocre as you'd expect. It fits squarely enough in the lewd-partying comedy category, and delivers jokes on pretty much all the topics you'd expect in all the places you'd anticipate. The film works just fine, and it will make you laugh at times, but it takes close to zero risks and introduces almost nothing new to the genre. Ultimately, Mike and Dave is a decent way to pass the time, but only if you don't mind forgetting most of it within a few days. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
I don't think Pets will go down as an animated classic, however I do think that it is more engaging and effective than a lot of kid's films to be released. The plot is simple enough to follow, but quick-footed enough to keep audiences from getting bored. The movie is both frenetic and silly, both witty and funny, both wild and tame. Pets doesn't offer a whole lot of depth to mine for a review (hence so many adjectives in this paragraph), but it's worth a watch, especially if you have little ones.
The Final Word: 3/4 - Buy a matinee ticket.
July 13
The Infiltrator: A U.S. Customs official (Bryan Cranston), with his partner (John Leguizamo), uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug-lord Pablo Escobar.
A nice guy who is willing to resort to darker means to reach well-intentioned ends sounds like Cranston's character early on in Breaking Bad (spoiler alert: he ends up becoming not so nice!), but in The Infiltrator Cranston's character faces this dilemma on the other side of the law. The razor-thin margin for error in undercover law enforcement is explored in other films of course, but especially effectively here, due in large part to the inherent interest in such an infamous investigation and the acting prowess of Cranston and Diane Kruger as his partner. It can be a bit plodding in its conventional execution, but is nevertheless entertaining. The Final Word: 3/4 - Buy a matinee ticket.
July 15
A nice guy who is willing to resort to darker means to reach well-intentioned ends sounds like Cranston's character early on in Breaking Bad (spoiler alert: he ends up becoming not so nice!), but in The Infiltrator Cranston's character faces this dilemma on the other side of the law. The razor-thin margin for error in undercover law enforcement is explored in other films of course, but especially effectively here, due in large part to the inherent interest in such an infamous investigation and the acting prowess of Cranston and Diane Kruger as his partner. It can be a bit plodding in its conventional execution, but is nevertheless entertaining. The Final Word: 3/4 - Buy a matinee ticket.
Ghostbusters: A group of paranormal enthusiasts (Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, & Leslie Jones) band together to stop an otherworldly threat.
In a frantic search to not seem sexist (in light of some truly deplorable backlash since the film's announcement of its all-female cast), critics stumbled over themselves to quickly praise the very not-good Ghostbusters remake. The plot is uninventive, the humor unfunny, and the film downright stupid at times. There are redeeming characteristics, however, as the roles are perfectly cast and McKinnon is especially fun to watch. It's just too bad that you exit the theater wishing these very talented women had been given a better script and better direction from the usually reliable Paul Feig (Bridesmaids). The Final Word: 1/4 - Consider as a last resort.
July 22
In a frantic search to not seem sexist (in light of some truly deplorable backlash since the film's announcement of its all-female cast), critics stumbled over themselves to quickly praise the very not-good Ghostbusters remake. The plot is uninventive, the humor unfunny, and the film downright stupid at times. There are redeeming characteristics, however, as the roles are perfectly cast and McKinnon is especially fun to watch. It's just too bad that you exit the theater wishing these very talented women had been given a better script and better direction from the usually reliable Paul Feig (Bridesmaids). The Final Word: 1/4 - Consider as a last resort.
Lights Out: A sister (Teresa Palmer) and brother face a threat that only appears in the dark, and has an aggressive attachment to their mother (Maria Bello).
At one time or another, each of us has been afraid of - or at least uneasy about - the dark. Lights Out exploits this innate anxiety to both unsettle and scare. It is a straightforward plot device that is effective in its simplicity, though the film's tropes don't exactly break any new ground and the origins of the nefarious entity don't make much sense (I understood the explanation offered, but it just seemed so unlikely). Besides some cliches, actual character and relationship development make Lights Out an adaptation that effectively expands the even simpler premise of rising director David F. Sandberg's 2013 short-film of the same name (which you can watch here on YouTube). The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
Star Trek Beyond: The USS Enterprise crew (Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban) explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a ruthless new enemy (Idris Elba) who holds a genocidal grudge against the Federation.
At one time or another, each of us has been afraid of - or at least uneasy about - the dark. Lights Out exploits this innate anxiety to both unsettle and scare. It is a straightforward plot device that is effective in its simplicity, though the film's tropes don't exactly break any new ground and the origins of the nefarious entity don't make much sense (I understood the explanation offered, but it just seemed so unlikely). Besides some cliches, actual character and relationship development make Lights Out an adaptation that effectively expands the even simpler premise of rising director David F. Sandberg's 2013 short-film of the same name (which you can watch here on YouTube). The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
The third film in the rebooted Star Trek film franchise didn't seem to get much attention this summer, which is the a shame, because Beyond continues a strong run of fun, cleverness, and spectacle for the series. We are quickly reminded how easily a scientific-exploration crew can get drawn into conflict in the final frontier as the movie accelerates us quickly into drama and moves speedily along until the end. With J.J. Abrams departed for a different galaxy far, far away, the franchise doesn't seem to lose a beat under the direction of Justin Lin (four of the Fast & Furious films) and at times even launches the series upward and forward, never forgetting its multi-layered characters or the exuberant awesomeness of adventures in space. The Final Word: 3/4 - Buy a matinee ticket.
Bad Moms: When three overworked and under-appreciated moms (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn) are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom and fun.
The very best thing Bad Moms has going for it is its impeccably cast group of leading ladies. Kunis is an efficient lead, giving her character both the strength to defy stereotypical mom norms and vulnerability to emotionally question what is right for her family. Bell and Hahn are perfect foils for one another, Bell as the meek mom unused to claiming independence, Hahn as the crude mom critical of domestic responsibilities. Their contrasts provide lots of opportunities for both surprising humor and compelling commentary (the "hoodie" illustration is an unsubtle comedy gem). Narratively the film is a bit thin, and it goes much too soft in the end (surprise, surprise, there's an inspiring speech), but Bad Moms is still a solid way to spend a couple hours. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
Cafe Society: A young Bronx native (Jesse Eisenberg) moves to 1930s Hollywood, where he falls in love with the secretary (Kristen Stewart) of his powerful talent-agent uncle (Steve Carell), and is swept up in the vibrant world of high-society life.
The very best thing Bad Moms has going for it is its impeccably cast group of leading ladies. Kunis is an efficient lead, giving her character both the strength to defy stereotypical mom norms and vulnerability to emotionally question what is right for her family. Bell and Hahn are perfect foils for one another, Bell as the meek mom unused to claiming independence, Hahn as the crude mom critical of domestic responsibilities. Their contrasts provide lots of opportunities for both surprising humor and compelling commentary (the "hoodie" illustration is an unsubtle comedy gem). Narratively the film is a bit thin, and it goes much too soft in the end (surprise, surprise, there's an inspiring speech), but Bad Moms is still a solid way to spend a couple hours. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
There is a certain vapidness to the dialogue in writer-director Woody Allen's (Midnight in Paris, Annie Hall) films, but in its amiable wit, and at its spitfire pace, the dialogue can also elevate itself to reveal a depth of character beyond the wordsmith fluff. We see much of that in Cafe Society, a film about people who have superficial conversations that are layered with deeper considerations about life and love. That meaning may have been too vaporous in the film, however, as wisps of it throughout are just barely enough to pull us through some of the movie's more pedestrian scenes. In the end, its difficult to nail down how much is actually going on in Cafe Society, but it is endearingly affable at the least, and never quite too-clever for its own good (though it comes close), which makes it worthy of a viewing when you find the time. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
I have never been particularly high on the Bourne trilogy, as a series that is relatively repetitive in each iteration (comedic evidence here). In the latest entry in the franchise, Bourne again, and again, and again runs from the surveillance of government employees who gather in a room full of computers, fights another spy, and tries to uncover secrets held by an old white man, this time played by Tommy Lee Jones. Even the anticipated "revelation" isn't all that interesting, and feels underdeveloped, which is odd for a movie that certainly had the time, since almost nothing of significance happens at any other point in the film (I kid you not, Bourne himself has only 25 lines of dialogue in the whole movie). Look, the fights are as cool as they always are, as is the customary car-chase, but Jason Bourne adds almost nothing to a series that didn't have much to begin with. The Final Word: 1/4 - Consider as a last resort.
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