Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins returns to the Banks' family after a twenty year absence. It is now the 1930's and she once again must help Jane and Michael, along with Michaels' three children to find their way.

I read in the New York Times that "for those looking for nostalgia they will love the new sequel, for those looking for another Oscar winner, they will find a spoonful of artificial sweetener."  I couldn't agree more.

Emily Blunt is fantastic - absolutely brilliant.  The script however is just a scene by scene rewrite.  It's a homonym really...you know, it sounds the same but is spelled different. Also the songs are cute but totally forgettable. No one is walking out of the theatre with the music stuck in their head, pining for the soundtrack, and to be honest when the screenplay is almost a carbon copy, one can't help but wonder, why they didn't use the original music and just change the lyrics.

**1/2 Rentable - but worth seeing on the big screen 

Rated PG (for thematic elements) 

Bumblebee

A prequel and reboot of the Michael Bay Transformers movies.

It isn't amazing but it is a fun prequel and full of nostalgia, as it is set in the 80's. By far the best film in the Transformers series, probably because Michael Bay didn't direct it, only produced it.

**1/2 Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for language and violence) 

Aquaman

One of the DC comics lesser known heroes makes his way into the newest Justice League origin flick.

I know nothing about Aquaman other than he wears a yellow and green outfit and talks to fish while riding a giant seahorse - at least that is all I remember from the cartoons when I was little. That being said, I went into this movie with an open mind ready to be introduced to the underwater hero.

Ahem.

So this wasn't my favorite. It was like Avatar meets Jurassic Park with some Star Wars mixed in and a dash of Thor with a mediocre plot and a poorly defined timeline. DC has managed to abandon the "dark" theme and set design, embracing their colorful comic roots but that also led to a corny and predictable script on all accounts and once more, the storyline and itinerary seems to be improbable even for a comic book.

The costumes and special effects are pretty amazing and the transition to the classic comic book regalia is pretty cool (although I did like the modern motif in Justice League) it just doesn't all come together and the timetable of this and Justice League is weak if not confusing. As an origin story it was a huge let down and didn't even come close to Wonder Woman, which is the only DC movie that actually holds its own and can be classed amongst the Marvel films.

It is spectacular eye candy - I will give them that. 💋

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for violence and language) 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

A bizarre twist to the Spider-Man series, this animated episode combines all versions of the comic books into one. Clever comedy and amazing graphics add up to probably the best Spider-Man movie made thus far - no matter how random.

*** Must See for Spider-Man and Marvel zealots

Rated PG (for violence, language and mild crude humor) 

Ralph Breaks the Internet

It's a cute sequel that has a few brilliant moments wrapped in a mediocre storyline. Make sure to stay to the very end of the credits.

*** Must See for Disney People

Rated PG (for violence and mild language) 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Not nearly as quaint or clever as it's predecessor which stood on it's own, not just as a prequel to the Harry Potter series. This new addition although interesting is very long and feels much more like another Harry Potter episode rather than part of the magical world before Potter.

**1/2 Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for violence, thematic elements and mild language)

Bohemian Rhapsody

A fantastic bio-pic that portrays the man behind Freddie Mercury and how Queen came to be.


**** Oscar Worthy

Rated PG-13 (for language, drug content and suggestive and thematic material)

Venom

Not your typical Marvel movie and from what I understand nothing like the comic book - nevertheless really fun and entertaining!

Produced by Sony and Columbia (in association with Marvel Entertainment) it is different and NOT Disney... remember that going in and know that Tom Hardy is pretty amazing to watch.





*** Must See

Rated PG-13 (for strong language, violence and gore)

Christopher Robin

Made me cry. 💗

*** Must See

Rated PG (for some thematic moments) 

Crazy Rich Asians

Rachel Chu accompanies her boyfriend, Nick, to his best friends wedding, in Singapore. Once there she discovers that Nicks' family is grotesquely wealthy and that he is considered the nations' most eligible bachelor. Thrust into the spotlight and out of her comfort zone Rachel must prove herself to his objecting family.

Very much a simple Cinderella story with a cultural twist. Cute and funny but has several plot holes that are hard to overlook.

** 1/2 Rentable
Rated PG-13 (for sexual innuendo and language)

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Arms dealer known as John Lark and a group of terrorists deemed the Apostles plan to use three plutonium cores for simultaneous nuclear attacks throughout the world. Ethan Hunt and IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker and find themselves in a race against time to prevent nuclear fallout.

Lots of fun - and loads of amazing eye candy! Admittedly the original Mission: Impossible (1996) is still my favorite, but I would say out of the five sequels this one takes the number two spot easily. The movie is well paced and doesn't feel slow which is surprising considering its 147 minute running time. Exciting, adrenaline filled, Henry Cavill, action packed with self-effacing comedy - what more could you want?

*** Must See for the IMF fans

Rated PG-13 (for violence and language) 

Hearts Beat Loud

A father and his daughter spend her last summer before college writing songs and jamming while dealing with the reality that their lives are changing for good.

This was a slow, quiet and sappy sweet film. It has a stellar cast and the performances are great, however there is something missing that makes it difficult to get behind this coming of age movie that ultimately felt like a long music video and a platform to showcase the music written by Keegan DeWitt, Kiersey Clemons and Nick Offerman.

**1/2 Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content, drug reference and language) 

Ant-Man and The Wasp

Scott Lang is finishing up his two year sentence of being on house arrest, with just days to go; he is once again approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with hopes he will be able help them on an urgent mission.

Extremely amusing, very clever and in spite of itself, laugh out loud funny. Excellent summer entertainment.

As with all Marvel flicks stay until all credits are finished.

*** Must See

Rated PG-13 (for language, some crude humor and violence) 

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

A documentary that presents the philosophy and drive behind Fred Rogers and his childrens' program Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.

For those that grew up watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, this is very poignant and nostalgic view of the man behind the puppets.

Charming and often sad as it takes viewers on a journey displaying how much the world has changed and how often Rogers and his work was criticized and misunderstood.

Bittersweet and enchanting you will leave the theatre singing songs from your childhood and in awe of the man that welcomed you into his world both real and make-believe.

**** Oscar Worthy

Rated PG-13 (for thematic elements and language)

TAG

Five friends have competed in a game of tag during the month of May for 30 plus years. This year the game coincides with the wedding of the only player to have never been "it" before, heightening the states and upping the competition like never before. Game on...

I was delightfully shocked as to how much I enjoyed this movie. It was funny, actually had a storyline, and even with all the shenanigans was tolerably believable.

Nothing to run out and see but a fun afternoon at the movies.

**1/2 Rentable

Rated R (for crude humor and language)

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Technically the fifth in the Jurassic series, albeit the second of the revamped World editions... here we go.

Indulge me whilst I recap...

The year 1993 gave us the movie Jurassic Park, now while many people didn't think it was amazing, I thought it was a very clever adaptation of the book, which was fabulous in its own right. That being said, the advancement in CGI that was brought about by the crew at Industrial Light and Magic was absolutely spectacular - it revolutionized the movie industry and changed so much about how we view special effects today.  Loved this movie.

1997: The Lost World: Jurassic Park, also adapted from the book.  A book that I absolutely LOVED. It was so much fun to read! It was so frightening and so exciting - I remember thinking there is so much amazing material here, when they make this movie it is going to be stupendous... yeah not even close.  This is personally my biggest disappointment in movie history, nothing else has been this big of a let down... maybe the Star Wars Prequels (but I will give those a slight pass as they weren't based on books that had previously told me the story that then imploded on screen. They botched those on their own, the only preconceived story was that of my imagination.) The book The Lost World was so well written, SO well written - the story was there all they had to do was adapt it to the screen, but no. And as such it is my go-to all time comparison of being let down by a movie - particularly a sequel. "Was it bad?" "Yes, but not Lost World bad" are common references in Dibbdom movie banter. Despised this movie.

2001: Jurassic Park III - only saw this once and if memory serves it was not amazing but compared to its immediate predecessor it was a fun time at the theatre that made far more sense. Forgettable but it didn't offend me.

2015: Jurassic World - It was a remake of the first movie, plain and simple. Two children visit a relative that is in charge of the Dinosaur theme park. Due to the greed and inept folks at InGen, the park suffers a break down and the dinosaurs wreak havoc on the park visitors...sounds familiar right? So I said it before and I will say it again, (believe me I get the irony) it is the best of all the sequels even if it is a shiny remake. It pays just enough homage to the original film that you can almost overlook that there are actual scene by scene reproductions - again just slightly more technically enhanced. Bigger, scarier and more teeth. It wasn't the original but it was good summer fun.

Which brings us to 2018: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Well kids it was aptly named. This movie has fallen so far from the theme of the original books...it was horrid. So shameful. There are so many plot holes let alone the lack of logic. So many things just didn't make sense - dinosaurs in basements, risking lives for make shift blood transfusions, the human race residing to live in a "jurassic world" etc, etc.  ... its just so dumb, so disappointing and so bad...

But not Lost World bad.

*5/8 (maybe **) Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for gore, violence and language) 

Incredibles 2

The Incredibles are back - but the world isn't ready for superheroes again, in fact they are illegal. In order to booster up some public support Elastigirl is selected as the new poster child for supers. This leaves Mr. Incredible to be Mr. Mom.

What can I say?  It's Pixar and it's cute, predictable but cute.  It's not as creative as the original but it is fun.

*** Must See

Rated PG (for mild language and violence) 

Ocean's 8

Debbie Ocean has been plotting a grandiose heist for five years, eight months, and twelve days. Now all she needs are the players.

This was actually a really fun reboot of the Oceans' movies. It's not quite on par with Steven Soderberghs' 2001 version of Ocean's Eleven, it is pretty close however and far superior to any of the sequels it spawned.

Very clever and not just a simple remake, it actually has its' own plot. That being said, be prepared that it's not quite as funny as Soderberghs' Ocean's Eleven and that has to do with the fact that the female characters in 8 are sadly not as well developed as the guys are in Eleven, nor does it have the edgy pacing.  Nevertheless, it does have a lot of fabulous fashion, spectacular jewelry and is overall very well done and well worth the watch.

*** Must See

Rated PG-13 (for language, drug use, and some suggestive material) 

Action Point

The land occupied by a makeshift theme park is sought after by a local real estate agent. In order to try and keep the park running the owner keeps adding more and more extreme "attractions."

This was pretty weak. Not only did it not live up to its predecessor "Bad Grandpa" it also wasn't up to par with the "Jackass" movies if that is even possible?

* Not-a-Chance

Rated R (for language, graphic sexual content, nudity, and sheer stupidity) 

Overboard

A remake of the 1987 movie Overboard, starring Goldie Hawn and Kirk Russell.

This remake falls pitifully short of its predecessor. In spite of its attempt to make it fresh with the gender twist it never comes close. In fact most of the dialogue is taken verbatim from the original script. The comedy falls flat, and the two leads are annoying and never have any believable chemistry which is part of what made the original so much fun.

* Not-a-Chance

Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content) 

Life of the Party

A forty-something womans' life is turned upside down when her husband unexpectedly demands a divorce. In an attempt to reboot her life she goes back to college to finish up her senior year...along side her daughter.

Surprisingly tame for a Melissa McCarthy comedy, albeit totally forgettable. It has a couple of laugh out loud moments, good timing, and decent pacing. That being said, nothing spectacular here.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content) 

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the back story to the reluctant hero Han Solo.

Such a disappointment! I was so looking forward to this installment of the Star Wars spin offs as I absolutely LOVED Rogue One – it ranks number two on my list, second only to The Empire Strikes Back, and beating out Star Wars: A New Hope.  So I was expecting this film to deliver the same kind of wallop. Sadly it was somewhat of a letdown.  Let me explain why:

Han Solo is first and foremost a self-proclaimed scoundrel.  He is a smuggler that unwillingly gets involved in a rebellion that he cares nothing about.  He is selfish, arrogant and only loves money.  So the prospect of seeing what he was up to before he is introduced to Luke Skywalker and company is exciting.  In Star Wars: A New Hope (the original and unadulterated version) our introduction to who Captain Solo is and what kind of persona and character our heroes have just put their trust in, takes place in the cantina, first he isn’t intimidated or threatened by the presence of Storm Troopers, and second, Han kills Greedo, the bounty hunter without hesitation or apology (for anything other than the mess).  This is our guy – the outlaw.

In Solo,  the time line that is set up leaves much to be desired as there is not a fulfilling character arch that successfully takes our would-be-hero from a "Peter Panesque Aladdin" to the "Outlaw".  It is reminiscent of the pitiful arch of Anakin Skywalker – did anyone ever once believe that the whiny kid on screen became Darth Vader??  It’s kind of the same thing here. I never bought that this guy became the murdering, selfish, arrogant, money loving scoundrel we all know. Not to put too fine of a point on this, but without this arch, Hans’ return to save Luke from Darth Vader at the end of Star Wars: A New Hope isn’t redemption and then becomes somewhat predictable and trite robbing us of what it originally was intended to be – emancipation.  

The key relationships, specifically Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian are also jarring, they all meet for the first time in this story– again considering the time line, this episode seems to takes place succinctly right before Star Wars: A New Hope, which is odd considering that Han informs us in The Empire Strikes Back that “We go way back, Lando and me.”  Leading us to believe they have a much more lengthy and in depth history.  Also it seems that the two most recent Star Wars installments have had a hard time navigating the humor, vernacular and vocabulary that most of us have come to accept existed a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (as corny and on the nose as it may be) and cross the line into a more Marvelesque type of world.  Even if it gets a laugh, it takes the audience out of the force field – pun intended – that allows us to be a part of this world.

Overall I was totally underwhelmed.

** ½  It’s Star Wars, you know you’re going to go see it.

Rated PG-13 (for violence and mild language)

Book Club

Four life-long friends gather once a month to catch up and discuss their recent read. When it is Vivians' turn to pick a new book, she attempts to shake things up by selecting, Fifty Shades of Grey.  As the friends read the book they start to examine their own lives and begin making some bold new life choices.

Nothing spectacular here other than the cast. The story is weak, full of holes and drably predictable. That being said, there was something semi-sweet to the whole production. Perhaps it was the 70-80 year old women playing 65 year olds (Mary Steenburgen is the only one that actually is 65)...who knows? Nevertheless it wasn't horrible, it wasn't good either - not uncomfortable enough to be rated NC-50...but it was close.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content) 

Deadpool 2

The foul-mouthed mutant mercenary returns, this time to battle the time traveling cyborg, Cable.

Deadpool 2 certainly doesn't take itself seriously or any other movie for that matter as it makes fun of itself and most pop culture, specifically the comic book genre, as it bounces along its gratuitously vehement way.

Gruesomely vulgar, atrocious language, ferociously crude, and excessive violence all adds up to wickedly funny.

**1/2 Don't take the Kids!

Rated R (for language, violence, gore, and callous sexual content)

I Feel Pretty

An insecure and self-conscious woman dreams of being beautiful, when she hits her head in a random spin cycle accident she thinks she has become the most beautiful woman in the world and this changes everything...

Meh. I am not an Amy Schumer fan and although this is a much tamer version of her, this is still a simple, albeit slightly tweaked, remake of Shallow Hal and not nearly as funny... and that's saying a lot.

The character arc is basically non-existent as we watch the sympathetic protagonist blink and become overly confident and arrogant. It speeds through a mediocre plot that screams "beauty is on the inside", while melodramatically pointing out that no one really cares about your insides.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content, partial nudity, and language)  

Avengers: Infinity War

Thanos is on a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, relics with inconceivable power, and use them to wreak havoc and destruction on all existing life.

No spoilers here - just some commentary that this exciting and fun episode does a great job selectively reintroducing all of our favorite characters, heroes and villains alike, into this massive culmination. That being said, take note that this has a very long and complicated storyline with several subplots that might overwhelm and/or exhaust those who are not die hard fans.  Keep in mind this is eighteen (18) - yes eighteen movies worth of build up and an enormous ensemble cast, so the epic amount of information that is squished onto the screen can be jarring. Even with its exuberant pace the film still runs 149 minutes and has some lengthy fight scenes that could have been curtailed. Nevertheless it is what a comic book movie should be...entertaining. Oh and as always stay for the after credit epilogue.

*** Must See for the zealots 

Rated PG-13 (for language and violence) 

Blockers

Three parents accidentally intercept text messages from their respective daughters about a sex pact, promising to lose their virginity on prom night, the parents then set out on a chaotic and haphazard night in an attempt to keep their daughters virgins.

So dumb. Don't do it. Just. No.





* Not-a Chance

Rated R (for language, sexual content, nudity, and crude and suggestive material)

A Quiet Place

A family struggles to survive in their new world, where making noise is a death sentence.

This was such a fun and exciting thriller.  Very well acted with AMAZING sound design. Full of edge of your seat jumps and jitters. Don't let the lack of dialogue deter a screening of this creative I am Legend meets Alien adventure.

*** 1/2 MUST SEE

Rated PG-13 (for violence and gore) 

A Wrinkle in Time

Based on the novel written by Madeleine L'Engle, published in 1962, the first in the Time Quintet series.

An extremely watered down version of the book, that spends more time on special effects and costumes than the story or character development.

I read this book when I was in elementary school and absolutely loved it - the cinematic version was an acute let down compared to my childhood imagination.

** Rentable

Rated PG (for mild peril) 

Thoroughbreds

Two privileged teenage girls, Amanda and Lily, reconnect and develop an unlikely friendship after years of growing apart.

This is a very interesting commentary on what society has labeled as emotionally troubled.  Amanda, feels nothing and her brutal honesty and fake emotions has made it difficult for her to fit in. Lily, is smart and popular but lies to everyone to assimilate. Who is more troubled?

Very interesting with an ending that will leave you thinking about it for days to come.

*** Must See

Rated R (for language) 

Molly's Game

Based on the book written by Molly Bloom herself, this is a quick witted, fun and mind blowing tale of a hopeful Olympic-class skier who ran the most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested by the FBI.

Fabulously written - Aaron Sorkin was robbed at the Oscars.  Full of high energy the story never slows or becomes redundant or predictable - wonderfully cast and amazingly acted.

*** 1/2 - Must See

Rated R (for language and some violence)  

Red Sparrow

A Russian ballerina is injured and left without a source of income to provide for herself or her ill mother. Her uncle, a high ranking government official, steps in and offers to provide a way to maintain her apartment along with the medical attention her mother requires, she must become a sparrow.

This was an rousing, albeit very predictable espionage thriller.  Jennifer Lawrence is always fun to watch and makes no exception here. The story however, is easily foreseen and because of that it feels quite a bit longer than its' two hour and twenty-two minute running time.

** 1/2 Rentable

Rated R (for strong violence, torture, sexual content, language and some graphic nudity) 

Lady Bird

A young woman struggles balancing her relationship with her family, particularly her mother with the wonder that is adolescence, her senior year of high school.

A quirky coming of age movie that ushers in the era of the millennial. Set in 2002, post 9-11 and pre-smart phone it is somewhat of a love/hate roller coaster ride with the main character. She is from a family that is financially struggling yet she is seemingly just as entitled to all that is beyond what her parents have to offer.

Fun indy-type film that has been nominated for multiple Oscars this year.

*** Must see for the Oscar crowd

Rated R (for language and sexual content)

Game Night

An extremely competitive couple and their group of friends join together regularly to compete in trivia, charades, and other board games - when their game night is unknowingly hijacked by some criminals it's winner takes all.

A very clever and funny concept that falls short of its potential. Several plot holes and implausible coincidences that make the story weak and predictable.

There are some very humorous moments but overall it's forgettable.

** Rentable

Rated R (for language, sexual references and some violence) 

Fifty Shades Freed

The third and final installment of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.

So I didn’t read these books, I did however see all three movies and based on the movies alone I can only assume that the only reason to read said books were for the gratuitously detailed sexcapades. The “story” is so poorly presented on screen; one can only imagine there wasn’t much of one on the page to begin with.  It is so pathetically predictable, trite, banal, clichéd, prosaic, rushed, and overall thrown together – it is like watching a soap opera – and I feel somewhat guilty insinuating that soap operas are this bad. 

*½  – Not-a-Chance (the soundtracks to all three movies however are fantastic)

Rated R (for violence, language, nudity and of course sex – lots and lots of sadistic sex)

Black Panther

The King of Wakanda has been killed - his son T'Challa returns to the isolated African nation to take the throne.

Again the Marvel Universe has presented me with yet another comic book hero that I am oblivious to and clueless to said storyline...Well done.

The characters are original, unique and very fun. The film itself runs slightly long at two hours and fifteen minutes, but is engaging enough that it is forgivable. Mindful of it's racial and politically charged themes it is neither heavy-handed nor compulsory.  Enjoyable and distinctive addition to the Avengers line up.

*** Must See for Comic Book Enthusiasts

Rated PG-13 (for prolonged violence and language)

The Shape of Water

A mute woman, working as a janitor at a government facility, forms an unlikely relationship with the latest top secret discovery.

This is a very dark and twisted adaptation of Hans Christian Andersens' The Little Mermaid. Set in Baltimore, during the 1950's cold war era, the production design is immaculate. The special effects are well done and the characters are intriguing. Nevertheless, the tale itself, is a far cry from Guillermo del Toros' Oscar award winning Pan's Labyrinth (2006) and at times the romantic element is slightly uncomfortable to watch.

** Rentable

Rated R (for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence and language) 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

After her daughters' rape and murder has gone unsolved for months, an enraged woman, puts up three billboards outside of her small town questioning the honor and integrity of the local police, specifically Chief William Wiloughby.

This is a rough and gritty film about how hate projects itself from generation to generation, from class to class, and from race to race. It's infectious, like a disease, and clings onto those that are so angry and often selfish that they can't see beyond themselves.

Extremely well acted, not sure if it is best picture material but expect to hear a lot of buzz come Oscar time.


*** See it before March 4th (Oscar Sunday)

Rated R (for language and violence)

I, Tonya

This biopic chronicles the rise and eventual fall of Olympic ice skater Tonya Harding.

It is a harsh dark comedy that unwinds the complicated web of what led up to the "incident" that made Tonya's name a punch line.

Brilliantly acted, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are both heroic and horrifying in their portrayal of young Harding and her mother.

Slow in spots but worth the watch.

*** Must See

Rated R (for language, violence, sex and nudity)

Pitch Perfect 3

The Bella's are back, again. This time each of them are facing the sad disappointments of adulthood and life after their never ending college party, they decide to go out with a bang and have one last performance tour with the USO.

Hopefully the last sequel of this dying story, as this went out without the bang. Stupid and forgettable.

* 1/2 Rent it if you're bored.

Rated PG-13 (for crude humor and language) 

The Greatest Showman

Based on the imagination of P.T. Barnum, this original musical tells the story of a spectacle that became a sensation.

The music is fantastic, the story has many holes and is extremely "Disneyfied" as history tells us that Barnum was not at all benevolent or kind. So take the historical element with a grain of salt.

The movie itself is filmed like a play rather than a moving picture - which again creates holes in the storyline and can also be a tad claustrophobic. That being said the music and performances alone are spectacular and worth the ticket.

**1/2 - Rentable - but worth seeing on the big screen

Rated PG (for mild language and violence)

Victoria & Abdul

Based on a recently discovered true story, this is a bittersweet tale of an implausible and what was considered by most to be a scandalous friendship between a Queen and a servant.

Brilliantly acted, fabulous, albeit underdeveloped, story that is both heartwarming and horrifying assuming it is all historically correct.

Slow at times but worth the watch.

*** Must See

Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)