Alpha

The best:  Cinematography

The worst:  I dunno - historical accuracy?

Comments:  Let me start off by saying straight out - this movie was wonderful.  It was beautifully filmed and staged, and the plot is heartwarming and wholesome.

Keda is the son of the tribal chieftain on his first seasonal hunt.  Things don't go as planned; he is lost to the hunting party and left for dead.  And he meets an injured wolf and bonds with it.  Then they head home.  And things happen.

While that description is more or less correct, it fails to capture the heart that make this movie great.  It is touching and suspenseful and takes you on an emotional journey that is worth every penny and every moment of your time.

The acting is very good, the scenery is filmed with deft skill, the makeup and scenes are effective, and the music draws you in.  I don't know what else to ask for in a movie.  The movie is subtitled (the spoken language is a fictional proto-language), so be aware of that going in for younger children without reading proficiency.  There are scenes of intense peril and at least a couple of off-screen deaths.  That's the best I can do for negatives.

This movie is simple and wonderful.  When I saw it last week, the theater was about half full, and when the movie ended I watched to see how the audience took it.  Some people had visible tears, and some were smiling.  The rest were doing both.  Expect to do the same when you see this movie.

Rating:  9/10 - It's just good.

Mile 22

The best:  Action, especially the non-gun fighting

The worst:  The lack of details

Comments:  If you want a fast-paced action movie that doesn't bog you down with personal details or character development, do I have the movie for you!

It would be fair to say that Mile 22 is a run of the mill action movie stripped of the minutiae.  There are small forays into backstory and motive for the characters, but as limited as those are it may have been better to just not try.  One character is going through a divorce, one character had trouble relating to people and then his parents died, one character....actually....that may have been all the backstory.

The story is nothing new or exciting (get this person to safety 22 miles away through hostile territory), but it tries hard.  The lack of character storylines leaves far too much time for the action - while the scenes are great it feels like too much of a good thing and it grows a bit stale.  The big saving grace for the fighting is the presence of Iko Uwais as Li Noor.  If you are not familiar with Iko Uwais - he is an Indonesian actor with some serious action movie chops - he stars in what may be the best martial arts movies of all time (The Raid).  He got a credit in this movie as co-fight coordinator, and it shows in the quality of the fighting scenes.  He brings enough to the table to make these extended action sequences palatable.

Overall, Mile 22 feels almost like a bare-boned movie.  This is a mixed blessing, but not always a bad thing.  By stripping away most character development it makes this a hollow movie that makes it hard to care if one person dies or if another lives - they are empty shells without much emotional attachment.  But the action is good and enjoyable for the most part, and if all you want is 100 minutes of shooting and punching, you will not feel that you have wasted your time watching this movie.

Rating:  4/10 - but it could be enjoyable if you want a mindless fighting movie.

Crazy Rich Asians - the review

The best:  The whole thing?

The worst:  Cheating sub-plot.

Comments:  Crazy Rich Asians is a movie about somebody meeting their boyfriend's mother.  And about elite high society in Singapore.  And about fitting in.  And about love.  And so much more.

Rachel Chu is happily dating her boyfriend Nick Young in New York City.  She agrees to go to Singapore for the wedding of Nick's best friend and to also meet his family, of which she knows almost nothing.  In an absolutely delightful scene, the news that Nick is bringing Rachel spreads throughout the Singapore elite at lightning speed.

And from there things get crazy.

I do not want to break down what happens in this movie, because there is no chance I do it justice.  It is full of twists and turns.  Singapore is featured and it is simply amazing to look at.  The people are an insane mix, much like in any family but with lots more money.  Nick's mother does not approve of Rachel - which a story that happens for the rich and poor, and is the factor that drives the movie through it's latter half.

Constance Wu as Rachel Chu was fantastic.  She played the out of place American fantastically.  Relative newcomer Henry Golding stole the show for me as Nick Young.  I loved every single scene that had him in it.  Gemma Chan plays Astrid, a cousin of Nicks.  Her role fleshed out the movie by adding some seriousness and sanity.  And Michelle Yeoh is a welcome sight as Nick's mother Eleanor, who carries the burden of driving the conflict without coming across as an "evil mother" stereotype, which she does perfectly.

Oh, and if nothing else see this movie for Awkwafina as Goh Peik Lin.  She's hilarious and unexpected.

Every so often a movie just comes together.  Each piece sits in the perfect place, the narrative harmonizes to make a rich, deep story.  The characters interplay in a way that feels real, and the situations are crazy but somehow believable.  Scenes are creative and imaginative (like I mentioned above with the gossip spreading), and sets are beautifully put together.  Camerawork is exceptional.  Emotions are palpable and echo with the viewer, laughter is heard in the theater and many tears are visible when the lights come on.

This is one of those movies.  I loved everything about it.  It is a breath of fresh air into the stale rom-com landscape, one that I hope is learned from and repeated in future movies of that genre.  I adore this movie. 

Rating:  10/10 - I honestly would not change a single thing.

Christopher Robin - the review

Christopher Robin

The best:  Nostalgia

The worst:  The work "solution".  Ouch.

Comments:  Christopher Robin plays a familiar formula - take something that will hearken back to the childhood of adults with disposable cash, repackage it with a new yet friendly look, run commercials and trailers that focus heavily on the nostalgia, then sit back and rake in the cash (Currently at $91.7m domestically and $142.9m worldwide).  Disney's Christopher Robin sticks to this path doggedly without variance.

And I loved it.

Like many people my age, I grew up with Winnie the Pooh.  And then when my kids were born Winnie the Pooh saw a resurgence with new cartoons on the Disney Channel, so it was a familiar sight on my TV for many years.  It was cute, it was wholesome, it was touching, and it was always good for a smile.  The characters all represented a piece of the viewer - Pooh showing our childlike innocence, Piglet as our anxiety, Tigger as our exuberance, Owl bringing what little wisdom we had, Eeyore was our down days, Kanga covered those pieces we all carry of our mothers, and Roo was the simple child inside.  But one day we all grew up, then our children did as well.

And that's where this movie steps in.  Christopher Robin had to go to boarding school.  He had to step in as the "man of the house" when his father passed away.  And then (in the only scene that may be less-friendly for very young viewers) he had to fight in a war.

He had to grow up too.

His life continues.  A wife and child.  A job and the accompanying stress.  An irritating neighbor.  Bills and responsibilities.  And they all add up to a breaking point which is where Winnie the Pooh re-enters his life in a very adorable scene.  The rest of the movie is about recapturing the best of our childhood that we too often leave behind. It is intended to hit you right in the feels, and it does not miss the mark.

The movie heavily takes advantage of Ewan McGregor's energy and particular acting style.  Unfortunately Hayley Atwell is mostly wasted in a forgettable role of Christopher Robin's frustrated wife.  But the only actors that matter are the Hundred Acre Woods crew.  They look like classic stuffed animals and the voice acting for the most part echos closely to the originals.

The movie is not without flaws.  It is formulaic and predictable.  There is a problem at Christopher's work that is somewhat central to the plot and the resolution is painful, even if it is loosely based on some real life situations.  But this show was not trying to create a perfect movie, it was trying to make you feel a certain way.  And in this, it is wholly successful.

See this movie.  Allow yourself to let go and revel in the nostalgia.  You will not regret it.

Rating:  9/10 - A fantastic time, and something to enjoy with the whole family.

Kin

The best:  The last 15 minutes

The worst:  Plot focus

Comments:  Kin (released 8/31/18) is a movie that has two obstacles to overcome.  It doesn't know what type of movie it is and it relies on the last 15 minutes to carry everything.  Ultimately, I believe it was successful hurdling one of those two issues and ends up being a fun two hours.

I imagine that if you have an issue with this movie, it will be based around the lack of a cohesive focus to the plot.  At different times it tries to be a sci-fi movie, a family drama, a heist movie, a chase movie, a chase movie again but in a different way, a revenge movie, a redemption movie, a road trip movie, an action movie, and a buddy movie.  Any good movie will be some of those elements, but they will develop and focus the pieces that it takes.   You can take a heist movie theme and combine it into a buddy movie and end up with Ocean's Eleven or you can mix them differently and end up with Entrapment - the mix matters!  This movie can't decide what it wants to be and ends up bouncing between themes in a way that felt unsatisfying.  Ostensibly this is a sci-fi movie at its core yet sci-fi is present in only sporadic scenes.  And much more attention is paid to subplots that the movie could have lived without.

And then we get to the last 15 minutes.  Action and sci-fi take over and a huge surprise twist opens up a larger story (that we will probably never see).  It is exciting and fun and tries to both clean up some dangling subplots while tying some of the loose plot threads together.  It was a fun ending that left me happy enough.

As usual for a review that I write I have not read any reviews or looked at Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes.  But I imagine there will be mixed reviews because the viewer has to decide if the payoff in the closing sequence was worth the uneven storytelling it took to get there.  For me it was, I imagine for many others it will not be.

Rating:  5.5/10 - Worked for me, but left much to be desired.

Movie Quick Hits - August 2018

I have been a busy busy boy.  This month I purchased the AMC A-List, which permits up to 3 movies a week for about 20 bucks a month.  So I have been checking off a bunch of late summer movies, and here are my quick hit thoughts!

The Best

Christopher Robin

The best:  Nostalgia

The worst:  The work "solution".  Ouch.

Comments:  This movie was too good for a short comment.  I shall write a full review.

Rating:  See the review!

Crazy Rich Asians

The best:  The whole thing?

The worst:  Cheating sub-plot.

Comments:  No way to do it justice without a full review.

Rating:  See the review!

Not a Waste of Time

BlackkKlansman

The best:  Great plot

The worst:  Biased storytelling

Comments:  First of all - this movie shocked the heck out of me.  I did not expect this to be much, but it was honestly a great movie.  If the two movies above had been slightly less incredible, then BlackkKlansman would have been up there.  True(ish) story, with some really incredible acting from Adam Driver and John David Washington that brings the movie to a whole new level.  Special mention to Topher Grace as David Duke - it's very surreal to watch that.

Rating:  8/10 - Shy of great, but at the top of the pack

Ant-Man and the Wasp

The best:  The humor

The worst:  Clumsy exposition

Comments:  Looking at the worldwide gross of this movie, you probably don't need my comments.  But it's exactly what it was sold as - the lighthearted funny cousin of the more serious Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Paul Rudd is amazing, Michael Pena steals the show again.  Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is kinda wasted and used mostly for set up.  But the movie is a fun and enjoyable "summer movie".

Rating:  7/10, because I'm a sucker for the comic book movies

Mission Impossible:  Fallout

The best:  Twist and turns

The worst:  Going a bit overboard on the helicopter chase.

Comments:  It's trip number six with Ethan Hunt and the crew.  Luther and Benji are in fine form.  This movie actually impressed me, as it was a return to the mean after Rogue Nation; which I did not like.  Another summer movie that checks all the boxes:  new bad guy, great action scenes, a vehicle chase or four, surprise twists, and a clean resolution.  But Tom Cruise is very good (and, of course, he has a scene while sprinting) and the cast plays off each other very well.  Henry Cavill was an interesting addition, and the interplay between his ominously-named Agent Walker and Ethan Hunt carried a good portion of the movie.

Rating:  6/10 - Better than average, but nothing special

The Darkest Minds

The best:  Amandla Stenberg

The worst:  Script and direction holes

Comments:  Yes, I am in the minority for enjoying this movie.  Yes, the movie is derivative and a retread.  Yes, the movie craps all over the source material.  I don't care.  I liked it.  It (over)played the right emotional notes for me at the time, and I'm good with that.

It's not great, it's barely good.  But it was enjoyable.  And some days that's more than enough for me.  Amandla Stenberg was very good, and the dystopian world depicted was interesting.  

Rating:  5/10 - It's either going to work for you or it's not

Ouch

The Happytime Murders

The best:  You'll laugh.  And sometimes feel bad for laughing.

The worst:  So much.  The "love" scene is the office stands out.

Comments:  Nothing new here, except the puppets.  In all fairness to the movie, at no point did they hide what kind of movie they were.  Of course, that didn't stop about 4 parents from bringing young children to the showing I was at (really, really, really bad call).  It's raunchy, it's over the top.  It tries so hard to give a real plot, and comes somewhat close at times.  But ultimately this movie is a failure - not because it's off-color or in poor taste, but because it doesn't go far enough.  We've seen everything in this movie before, albeit without the puppets.  But if you are going to go for a movie in this genre, you have to find something original.  You could have replaced the puppets with South Park characters and I'm not sure I would have noticed.

Rating:  2/10 - Just......no.

The Equalizer 2

The best:  Fighting in a hurricane.

The worst:  It's everything wrong with a sequel that has no new ideas.

Comments:  This was my big disappointment.  It wasn't the worst movie I saw (congrats, Happytime Murders), but it left me feeling the most let down as I left the theater.  Part of that is how much I enjoyed the first movie.  The rest is because this movie didn't feel like it was trying.  It was just going through the motions of the first movie.  It updates the plot from protecting somebody to revenge, and the show was poorer for it.  This movie had almost no high points and was just....flat.

Rating:  3/10 - Just go see the first movie again.

Fall TV 2015

 New TV Shows are starting.  They are STARTING, people! If you are lost, and need some Primetime direction - I'm here to help.  Here is my take on the new fall offerings and if there is enough there for my household audience of 1 to tune in.

MONDAY

Life in Pieces - There is one reason to like this show: the cast.  James Brolin, Betsy Brandt, Colin Hanks, Dianne Wiest and my Newsroom crush, Thomas Sadoski.  I'm not really sure about the rest of it.  I did chuckle at the previews and I'm all for the zaniness of big family life.  Most critics say Modern Family already IS this show AND does it better.  I say Modern Family sprinkled with a dash (and just a dash) of Parenthood makes it all the more likeable.  I'm going to try it out.  DVR the premiere.

Supergirl - I am a bit curious about the first female superhero to hit primetime since Lynda Carter dazzled us with her gold lasso 40 years ago. I don't watch The Arrow or The Flash, the creators of which - created this.  So, my curiosity was only piqued.  My curiosity turned to general interest with Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal, Kitty Walker - will her character name end in y?!?).  And then, just because I LOVE him, general interest turns to genuine intrigue with Jeremy Jordan.  I liked Melissa Benoist on  Glee, I'm not sold on her as Supergirl.  DVR the premiere.


Blindspot - Marketing is calling this one a thriller.  Is it really?  Woman left naked in a bag in Times Square, her body newly covered in tattoos and having supposedly been dosed with an amnesia inducing drug - definitely has some mystery elements.    The tattoos help solve mysteries.  This whole premise seems like Prison Break 2.0, and Wentworths Miller's tatted body was so much more appealing to me.  I do believe there is a place for this one with the masses and many, many may may like it.  It has a lot of buzz, but I'm going to skip it.

Minority Report - If you saw the Tom Cruise movie from years ago of
the same name about a police unit in the future that stops crimes before they happen, then  maybe you will like TV version, or not.  I did see the movie and didn't hate it, but the convoluted nature of this world is too much for me and I can't imagine how it will work for TV.  The words "genetically mutated psychics" make this an automatic NO for me.   But, Steven Spielberg did produce the movie, so there is a sci-fi appeal in there somewhere.  I'm going to avoid it.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - In this show there is singing.  Not like pop culture hits on Glee singing, but like musical, break into song and dance-large production numbers-original song singing.    The premise of a successful Manhattan woman dropping everything and moving across country to West Covina, CA to pursue an old childhood crush puts the Crazy in the title. While in reverse directionally,  Felicity did something similar (okay, the exact same thing) and I really loved how that played out.    After watching the trailer  and not being able to look away from its combination of awesomeness and trainwreckishness - I'm watching it.  I'm DVRing the whole series.  Its weird and it might not last long.  But, I love the broadway community and it feels broadway.  Rachel Bloom, the creator/star, IS broadway.  What is broadway doing on TV?  Can it work?  Maybe not, but I'm going down with the crazy ship!  DVR the series.

TUESDAY

The Muppets - Why are there so many shows without Muppets?  Muppets make everything better!  I can't wait for this one.  I found this summers 'news' that Ms. Piggy and Kermit had broken up and the accompanying statement delightfully entertaining.  A-list guest stars will abound as everyone loves these fuzzy friends.  If I could only watch one new show, this would be it!  The lovers, the dreamers and me (and ABC!).  DVR the series.




Grandfathered - John Stamos..with a baby.  Let me repeat...John Stamos with a BABY!  Does that sound appealing?  Yes, it sounds appealing, but, alas, it is not.  I want to like this show, I think John Stamos should always be with babies, but I don't.  I like Paget Brewster, but not in this.  I have watched every clip available and every review I could find.  Its just not a good show.  Some might be blinded by trying to decide who is cuter John Stamos OR the baby, and they will likely enjoy this.  But, as much as I want to, I just can't.  Skipping it.



The Grinder - I initially didn't really have an interest in this one, but the previews are funny.  And the premise is funny and the location is funny and the cast is...well, funny.  Rob Lowe plays an actor who played a lawyer on a long running procedural called The Grinder. When it is over, he decides to move home to Boise, Idaho (Yup, Boise, Idaho) because he has decided he should be a real lawyer and join his brother and father at the family law firm.  Fred Savage plays the real attorney, younger brother, who is none too excited for his shiny brother to invade his world.  Rob Lowe and Fred Savage are so cute and enjoyable, and really this show looks so funny.  DVR the premiere.




Wicked City - ABC's answer to True Detective, this anthology series (each season will follow a different fictional case in LA) follows all the participants in the serial slashings of party goers in the early 1980s.  From the Killer to the the Detective to the reporter and the Paparazzi - everyone is chronicled.  Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass!), Erika Christensen (Julia Braverman!) and even Jeremy Sisto intrigue me, but not enough for me to want to enter the gritty crime world of the early 1980s.  Not for me.  Skip it. 




Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris - This one premiered last week and I watched.  I think NPH is a charming and natural host.  Clever and funny and musical and a magician, the idea of this variety show is SUCH a good one. The first one was incredibly frenetic.  NPH crammed so much in an hour - that my head was spinning.  Reese Witherspoon was enjoyable as the first celebrity announcer.  Nicole Scherzinger as his second in his command is a yuck.  Funny at times, not at others, it is disjointed all the time.  I still have hope for this craziness.  And it does make me smile just watching NPH's delight at doing the program at all.  I'm sticking it out to see if it works out the kinks.  DVR the series.

Chicago Med - If you watch Chicago Fire or Chicago PD - this one is for you.  I don't.  I have such blinders on and disinterest in this Dick Wolf franchise, that I could hardly read about it.  It appears to be standard Medical show fare.  Chicago ER and doctors handling cases from Fire and PD (I think).  Oliver Platt and S Epatha Merkerson are in it, which is a good thing.  But, I just can't make myself be interested in it at all.  Not for me. Skip it. 

Limitless - I loved the 2011 Bradley Cooper movie.  And he shows up to introduce the TV show to NZT, the pill that made Bradley Cooper the smartest man in the world in the movie.    I like Jake McDorman as the lead taking the pill.  I'm interested to see how they move the story to TV.  It looks good.  I would probably watch it no matter how it looked, as I just really liked the movie so much and it says something the Bradley Cooper is showing up to pass the torch (and Executive Produce).  DVR the premiere






Scream Queens - Ryan Murphy is at again.  Weird and buzzworthy, this show brings slasher movies and college sorority movies to the small screen all wrapped together in one.  Someone is killing people at Kappa Kappa Tau!  I have no doubt, Murphy and Co will bring the best out of the genres and parody it all with cleverness, humor and trashy perfection.  If this kind of stuff is for you, you will love it.  This kind of stuff - killing - slasher movies - sorority sisters -  is NOT for me.  If Lea Michele, Jamie Lee Curtis, Abigail Breslin and Emma Roberts can't pull me in, nothing can.  No Way.

WEDNESDAY

Code Black - As I have very little enthusiasm  for yet ANOTHER medical drama - as evidence by my lackluster interest in Chicago Med, this show started on my 'No Thanks' list before I even read a thing about it.  BUT....now if I could only watch 2 new shows....this would be number 2.  A 2014 documentary about LA Memorial Hospitals ER called Code Black was the inspiration for this fictional telling of the grittiness of an LA ER.  With Marcia Gay Harden and Luis Guzman at its center, this looks like the best of all the medical show worlds.  More medical than drama, I am beyond intrigued.  I am IN.  DVR the Series.

Rosewood - Set in Miami, this forensic pathology procedural is centered around Dr Beaumont Rosewood, Jr - who has a heart condition that could end his life at any moment.  As a result 'Rosie' as he is called is both an extreme optimist and risk taker.  Since he has nothing to lose, this medical examiner could be the first entertaining one since Quincy.  But, somehow, I'm not interested.  After watching previews and reading reviews, this series seems very ho-hum.  Plus, Miami has never been a draw for me on the small screen.  Skip It. 

THURSDAY

Heroes Reborn - I watched the first season of Heroes - before it got too crazy and I liked it.  And this series is supposed to be more of that first season of Heroes goodness - where different characters are finding out they have powers and figuring out what to do with them.  Plus, I LOVE Zachary Levi.  Love. Love. Love.  I'm not sure it will keep my attention as I'm not that into super heroes or fantasy and I couldn't stick it out with the first series.  But, its definitely worth a shot.  DVR the Premiere.

The Player - Wesley Snipes is The Player.  Super Rich gamblers bet on whether or not The Player, with help and intel from The Dealer can prevent a crime predicted by a super amazing algorithm.  That sounds convoluted.  That sounds like the network but something flashy and high concept together as vehicle for  to show up on TV.  It could be interesting.  I like Wesley Snipes.  But, I'm not that into gambling or TV Thrillers.  I'm out. (Shark Tank fans, see what I did there?I'm so very clever.)




Angel From Hell - Don't get me started on how much I dislike the print poster (yes, the one appearing next to this).  But, Jane Lynch is funny.  I find her acerbic deliveries delightful. That works for this show about a Guardian Angel - who seems to do more trouble than good and be more annoying than helpful.  Maggie Lawson is great.  And while, I wasn't all that jazzed about it to begin with, the show looks funny.   I'm just not sure how long it can STAY funny.  DVR the first few.  

FRIDAY

Dr Ken - Ken Jeong is funny.  I enjoyed him on Community and in the Hangover movies.  And, yes, he used to be a real doctor.  But, no I don't think trying to put Ken Jeong the funny guy with Ken Jeong the Doctor Guy together on sitcom TV is a good idea.  This idea is a real clunker.  And as much as I hate to say this,  when I see Dave Foley show up on network TV, it is not a good thing.  He IS the 90s for me.  His humor and delivery only seem to be funny to me in the 90s.  This show is on most lists for guess for the first cancellation of the season.  The Doctor is Out on this one.  

Truth Be Told - Having already gone through a last minute title change from People Are Talking (seriously is one actually better than the other?!), this show holds no appeal for me - save one: Mark-Paul Gosselaar.  He will always be Zach Morris to me.  He plays Mitch - who with his wife Tracy have neighbors/best friends that are of a different race  - so they can talk about all sorts of taboo topics - including racism.  Ugh.  Friday Night was made for Clunkers.  Skip it.

SUNDAY

Quantico - I had a real interest in this one.  For a minute.  In the premiere, a terrorist blows up Grand Central Station in NYC and FBI discovers that someone from their training facility, Quantico is behind it.  The prime suspect is Alex Parrish who goes on the run.  A thriller, a soap opera, a twisty goodness, all with a not awesome portrayal of a Mormon Quantico resident - which is off putting for me.  Its very well reviewed and recommended, but the more I read about it - the more soap opera-y it sounds, which should sound enticing to me.  But, I feel like my TGIT - Shondaland Thursdays fill my quota for this fare.  So, I'm not planning to try it out.  If I'm at someones house and its on TV and I happen to catch it and get sucked in - I'll probably be in for the long haul.  So, I'll be avoiding it, cause I don't need anymore of these.  I really don't.  Skip it. 

Blood & Oil - If Quantico is a current, twisty soapy drama, Blood & Oil is a flashback soapy - Dallas-esque un-necessary - Don Johnson is better than this - vehicle.  Everyone is flocking to fictional Rock Springs, North Dakota to make their fortune in oil.  The working class guy, the Baron, the family guy.  A small town is over run by big city life chasing oil.  A western and Soap.  Dallas, I'm telling ya - its Dallas.   But, the reviews say - that unlike that predecessor - its shows more than the upper class of excess - it shows the oil-field workers and middle class - all wrapped up in small town soapiness.  Nope. Nope. Nope.  

There you have it friends.  Happy TV Watching.  Enjoy my annual TV Grid and go find a good TV Premieres calendar.  www.tvline.com has a great one.