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Tabari McCoy

McCoy on Movies: Aladdin

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Aladdin live-action remake features a lot of Will Smith, but not much else

“You’ve got to stand back and let me guide this ship if you want ANY shot at a good box office number, buddy!” The genie (Will Smith) gives some advice to his new master (Mena Massoud) in a scene from director Guy Ritchie’s live-action take on ALADDIN. Credit: Courtesy of Disney Pictures. © 2019 Disney Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Nasim Pedrad, Numan Acar and Navid Negahban

DIRECTOR(S): Guy Ritchie 

THE BACK STORY: A live-action remake of the beloved 1992 animation feature film, Aladdin stars Mena Massoud in the title role of as a common street thief who falls in love with Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), the daughter of the Sultan of Agrabah (Navid Negahban). Jasmine, a woman with a heart of gold who greatly cares for the common people of the city, has to marry a prince – which of course makes Aladdin ineligible to win the heart of the lady he inadvertently meets in streets. 


What he doesn’t anticipate, however, is Jafar (Marwan Kenzari). The power hungry head consultant to the Sultan, Jafar convinces Aladdin to unwittingly help him out in a nefarious plot that will help him rise to power. But his plan doesn’t go as well, planned, leaving Aladdin in possession of a lamp that, once rubbed, unleashes a powerful Genie (Will Smith) that grants him three wishes that will forever change his life. 


But, as Aladdin is soon to find out, the old expression “Be careful what you wish for” is about to ring truer to him than it ever has before …

THE REVIEW: “The Fresh Prince of Agrabah …”It’s rare that you can sum up a movie in one sentence, but if you were looking to tell a friend what to make of the 2019 live action version of Aladdin – a made-for-TV quality movie which is essentially ALL about Will Smith save for the last 20 minutes – the previous one would be it. For Aladdin lacks any of the spirit of the animated original for the first of its 2 hours and change run time, feeling more like a watered down (from special effects to performances) money grab than attempt at making something substantial.

Smith fans will love or, depending on if they will find themselves saddened he and Nasim Pedrad – who is very entertaining as Princess Jasmine’s no. 1 handmaiden – are the only things fairly entertaining about the film, loathe – Aladdin as all of his natural charms come shining through. Well, they shine as much as they can in a film where the lead actor feels a bit, there’s no nice way to say it, presented in a fashion to make him acceptable to ALL audiences (the whitewashing controversy surrounding Scott was covered last year by media outlets). Then again, the entire production feels like some executive’s whole pitch was “Bigger! Louder! Will Smith!” and when someone said “What about gripping, nuanced performances with eye-popping visuals?” they were met with a stronger “WILL SMITH!” retort. Smith is the best and worst thing about the movie as you’ll either find him the most engaging thing about it or the most irritating when he becomes bigger than everything – literally and figuratively – around him.

Sadly, the live-action version of Aladdin just doesn’t feel special at all unless you are a die-hard Will Smith fan because the aforementioned effects which only seem to be saved for Smith’s musical numbers, the charisma (which is reserved for Smith and Pedrad) or how Kenzari’s turn as Jafar is as threatening as Massoud’s is underwhelming. Putting Smith in a cast with so many underwhelming performers almost turns the film into a live-action Shrek … With WAY too much focus on Donkey. Be it Massoud’s perfectly coiffed hair and Scott’s “I have a heart of gold; can’t anyone see how much I love everyone?!” routine, Aladdin just feels to be too much of too little to make you buy in as much as you need to enjoy it in full.

The animated version of a movie shouldn’t seem to have more heart and pep than the live-action version, but this – like last year’s “Let’s make another Grinch movie because …. Well … We can!” just feels unnecessary, loud, a bit boorish and save for three musical numbers, overdone to the point of it turning into a meal at Buca Di Beppo that’s intended to serve 3-4 …. But ends up being devoured by one. It’s still filling … But when it causes a stomach ache later, you might be inclined to think if you really needed to stuff yourself with it for the sake of having it available. You can tell everyone tried really hard to make a movie, but you can tell that they are trying – and that makes the ride on this carpet feel far less magical than director Guy Ritchie and company surely hoped it would be.

And that’s a shame – because Aladdin is likely to make you think where is poor Uncle Phil when you need him more than anything else.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: Poms

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Poms a safe Mother’s Day option for the Old Country Buffet audience

“All right ladies … Let’s get to the climatic inspiring dance number or we don’t have a movie!” Martha (Diane Keaton, center in the “M”) leads her fellow retirement community friends in a dance routine in a scene from POMS. Credit: Kyle Bono Kaplan © 2019 STX Financing, LLC. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Celia Weston and Rhea Perlman 


DIRECTOR(S): Zara Hayes
THE BACK STORY: Martha (Diane Keaton) is a woman coming to grips with her own mortality, which, given her health, makes sense. It’s also why after conducting an estate sale, she’s heading to a seemingly idyllic Sun Springs retirement community in Georgia to spend her final days in peace and quiet.


Then she meets her neighbor Sheryl (Jacki Weaver) and realizes that’s not going to happen.


Forging an unexpected friendship with Sheryl, Martha comes up with an idea – since she’s required to join or create one by her new community’s bylaws – to form a cheerleading club. This leads to Ruby (Carol Sutton), Olive (Pam Grier), Alice (Rhea Perlman), Phyllis (Patricia French), Evelyn (Ginny McCool) and Helen (Phyllis Somerville) joining their aspiring – or is that perspiring? – team, even if it is to the disdain of community activities leader Vicki (Celia Watson). And if Vicki has to pull out Chief Carl (Bruce McGill) to get her way, she will in a heartbeat. 


But after a video of Martha’s makeshift squad goes viral, they are faced with a choice: Give up on their dreams or prove that you’re never too old to show your spirit.
THE REVIEW: Poms isn’t a good movie, per se; it’s a sweet movie with a good heart and a few chuckles along the way. At 91 minutes, it’s short enough to sit through without feeling a strong urge to leave the theater, but it’s nothing you’re going to revel in. It’s nowhere near raunchy by any means to steer into ribald comedy territory, but it has enough anatomy related jokes that will be dirty enough for anyone who regularly dines at an Old Country Buffet or Cracker Barrel. Likewise, the movie’s pacing and story feels like a mix of a too tame for The Golden Girls but too hardcore for Lifetime or CBS, which, given all the sadness it shows in regards to getting older before attempting to salvage a genuinely uplifting, “nice” finale, Poms doesn’t seem to have a specific enough focus to make you feel the way you should.Then again, Poms isn’t really for anyone under the senior circuit – and that’s not a bad thing. It’s perfect palatable celluloid for daughters to take their mothers to or for seniors to enjoy as the characters (especially Weaver as the film’s resident sexpot/free spirit) are exactly like the members of your mom’s bridge or book club that may or may not exist. Poms isn’t trying to re-invent the wheel; it’s just putting a fresh batch of grease on the wheel to give it one last ride.

Weaver steals the show in Poms; Keaton is more or less the straight woman who serves to keep the movie moving forward. Her character mopes, suffers through bouts of vomiting and feels like she’s just a lady you feel sad for and sad to be around for the first half of the film; problem is, once things get going, you don’t care about her as much as you do how she will get the rest of her squad going as they are inherently more interesting … Even though your interest may never peak with a paint-by-numbers script saved only by the cast’s genuine enthusiasm for each other’s company. Alisha Boe and Charlie Tahan add some youthful exuberance to as Martha’s high school cheerleader rival turned coach and Sheryl’s awkward grandson add some much needed youthful exuberance (to the somewhat stale script, NOT the cast), but only in the way a grandparent is proud of them graduating high school.

And ultimately, that’s the main thing that hinders Poms: Instead of going for its full potential with a game-changing break from the routine, it gives you a safe one sure to please audiences who enjoy a nice, simple one they are used to. Poms will occasionally rub your funny bone, but you definitely won’t fall over laughing and will be able to get up and leave the theater easily once it’s done.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: The Intruder

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The Intruder a testament to bad movies that will stand the test of time due to their awfulness!

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good and Joseph Sikora

DIRECTOR(S): Deon Taylor
THE BACK STORY: Imagine being in love and finding your dream home? Well, that’s what’s happening for Annie (Meagan Good) and Scott Russell (Michael Ealy), which is why they can’t wait to move in once the home’s former owner Charlie Peck (Dennis Quaid) is out. Charlie has grown up in the home and as the story develops, it becomes clear that he doesn’t seem to really be ready to no longer be its owner and caretaker, let alone have anyone else fulfill those roles. 

Thus, as Annie and Scott are about to find out, a house is not a home when the previous owner isn’t ready for anyone else to take it over. 

THE REVIEW: Forty-seven minutes in. That’s when I began contemplating should I walk out of The Intruder or not. Which is a problem given that (a) That’s not the thought I’m sure the film’s cast and crew wanted anyone to have watching the movie and because (b) There’s at least another 50 minutes of the movie left from that point.Let me be brief: The Intruder is bad. Like, really bad. I could spend a long time picking apart all the things wrong The Intruder … And since the filmmakers felt compelled to make to put them all out there for the world to see, I might as well break it all down for the world to see as well in hopes they chose NOT to suffer the same fate I did.

In 2019, any man with any common sense is not going to spend time discussing Megan Good’s appearance as even saying that she is an attractive woman seems like a way to open yourself up to a host of criticism. However, watching The Intruder, her character’s sweet, seeing the good in everyone nature comes off as naïve to the point of being well, stupid or, to put it nicely, about as smart as the average non-ethnic teenager in an 80s horror movie. Is this progress that an African-American lead can come off as smart as a woman running in high heels or doing her best Bryce Dallas Howard impression? I don’t know; what I do know is that Good’s character feels like she was stolen from a bad Lifetime movie. I don’t mean the modern ones, I mean the ones that comedians used to make fun of before Lifetime got hip to its own foibles.

Ealy tries his best to come off as the somewhat smarter of the two – which one could argue makes Good’s character look even worse by comparison since her male counterpart is the one “smart” enough to see what’s happening” – but in doing so he comes off looking like exactly what his character fears: The man who can’t keep his lady safe. In an era where beards and tattoos reign supreme, Ealy’s character’s intellect actually comes off as his potential downfall. But that’s only because of the man who makes The Intruder a horribly bad-yet-so-bad-it’s-borderline-comedic-genius of a movie.

Quaid. Dennis Freakin’ Quaid.

There have been plenty of movies that actors have admitted they did for the most ludicrous of reasons. Michael Caine in Jaws 4. Morgan Freeman in London Has Fallen. And the less said about Nicolas Cage’s reported love of dinosaur bones. Hell, Cedric the Entertainer admitted to me in an interview I did for a revered-yet-now-deceased publication that he did the utter-debacle that is The Cleaner because he got to take his family on a nice vacation to Hawaii. While I await the interview where Quaid reveals why in the world he did THIS movie, his performance is so ridiculous that it deserves its own documentary or, at the very least, a mock ESPN 30 for 30.

As it comes to pass in The Intruder, Quaid’s character is given a reason for his bonkers behavior; given the events of the film, one can’t help but wonder if Quaid himself may be suffering from a similar fate for him to be involved with this utter debacle of a film. (Maybe this article could give some possible explanations?) But BOY OH BOY does Quaid go all in as Charlie Peck.

In one of the greatest over-the-top performances not seen since the aforementioned Cage’s turn in that nuclear waste of a remake of The Wicker Man, Quaid’s performance finds him twitching, shaking, clenching his fists … And doing the craziest sexual thing you may ever see him do in a film that could change how his fans see him forever. Let’s just say I’m sure this man approves of a scene that is sure to become a meme or .GIF if not both in the near future. I cannot – repeat, CANNOT – give you enough detail as to how insane Quaid’s performance is. If he’s not a Razzie nominee, he might deserve an Academy Award as he might be the best Marvel villain to never chase after Infinity Stones, Wakanda or try to stop a teenager from thwarting his plans to take over New York City. (You watch the movie and tell me you can’t help but think what Quaid might have done as Venom. Sorry Tom Hardy.)

Throw in a script that could NOT be more predictable with direction that could NOT foreshadow what’s going to happen more unless the director literally told you and The Intruder is the type of film you watch to go talk to the screen. The Intruder‘s best shot for success won’t come in theaters, however, at least not for a while – for director Deon Taylor may have created an experience that, much like Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, needs to be experienced with others to enjoy as you talk, laugh and make fun of it.

If this were an episode of House Hunters, it would definitely be the episode you wouldn’t want to miss. Unfortunately for Good, Ealy and Quaid, it’s supposed to be a thriller – which is why the fact this movie will intrude on audiences’ wallets this weekend is a travesty in and of itself.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

Marvel Studios Delivers Its Genre-Defining Masterpiece with Avengers: Endgame

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WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Dania Gurai and Josh Brolin … PLUS A BUNCH OF OTHERS (You want me to spoil it for you?!)


DIRECTOR(S): Anthony and Joe Russo
THE BACK STORY: The last time we saw them, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans),  Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson),  Col. Rhodes aka War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Dr. Bruce Banner aka the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) were dealing with the aftermath of being the last heroes standing after “the mad Titan” Thanos (Josh Brolin) found all six of the Infinity Stones and snapped his fingers, eliminating half of the life in the universe in the process. Now, our heroes have no clue what to do with themselves or how to fix the catastrophe.


Luckily for them, the retired Hawkeye a.k.a. Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) survived the snap, as did Nebula (Karen Gillan), Thanos formerly war-minded adopted daughter, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), who was stuck in The Quantum Realm. And once the pager from a former S.H.I.E.L.D. operative reaches Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), it looks like there may be hope to undo the damage Thanos has caused. It’s just going to require (1) a bunch of time travel, (2) a lot of extremely coordinated teamwork and (3) a wee bit of luck to make everything go right. 


But with the literal fate of the universe hanging in their avenging hands, they’re the best – and only – chance we have …

THE REVIEW: Imagine telling someone a decade ago “Yeah, I heard Marvel Comics is going to form a movie studio and then make 20+ movies that will all tie together with a huge finale featuring 3 hours of action and emotion the likes of which has never been seen on the silver screen.” Given where superhero movies were as a genre before – 2007 gave us Spider-Man 3 a.k.a. the bad one, Ghost Rider and Fantastic Four featuring yup, Chris Evans – you would have a better bet thinking the Cleveland Browns would become Super Bowl champions.Fast-forward to 2019 and Marvel has made money hand over muscular fist to the point that the closing film is set to break records left and right and the only question now remaining is – much like the Avengers own prospects battling the toughest enemy they’ve ever faced – can Endgame live up to its massive hype?

Yes. The answer is a resounding, action-packed, emotionally charged and fitting–ending to the first 10 years of Marvel Studios yes.

Sure, next month’s collaboration with Sony, Spider–Man: Far From Home, is the official ending to Marvel Studios’ Phase 3 plans according to studio head Kevin Feige, but Endgame sure feels like a finale in a lot of ways. With spoilers abound on the Internet as of Tuesday, April 23 (when this review was posted), it’s hard to talk about Endgame in detail without giving away too much.

Thus, here’s a checklist of Marvel-themed .GIFs that will give you information without giving you too much information.

Comedy on the level of Thor: Ragnarok that brings great levity at times?

Plot that feels convoluted but makes sense for the most part?

Fight scenes that will have your adrenaline pumping?

Is there a moment that feels like Destiny’s Child’s “Independent Women” should be playing during it to make it feel complete?

Moments that are pulled from the comics that feel natural enough to set up future cinematic adventures?

Worried about whether you’ll need tissues? Let’s just say I’d expect a lot of people to do this at some point during the movie …

With those non-spoiler spoilers out the way, here’s what I can say: Endgame ties together just about every Marvel movie where it feels like not only a conclusion, but a payoff for sticking with our heroes throughout this journey. We’ve watched them go from not knowing the powers they had or how to use them to maturing and growing with each conflict to now what may or may not be their final and greatest battle to date. The character arcs are executed to perfection, despite its run time, there never feels like any wasted moments and the climax is just about everything you could hope for … Unless you’re a D.C. Comics fan who still has hope Warner Bros. has ANYTHING ready to compete with this. Evans and Downey, Jr. doing the heaviest lifting in the film emotionally (with Hemsworth coming in as the third man quite well) with Renner and Ruffalo – much like their characters – exhibiting strong supporting player performances. To say more would be to ruin the experience, and given how much of an experience Endgame is, that would be a crime against (movie) nature itself.

Superheroes have come and gone over the years; what Endgame showcases, however, is that no matter how much their powers may make them cool or be the things many of us wish we had, its their human traits (yes, even in Rocket’s case) are what keep us watching. Infinity War is arguably the first superhero movie to end on a down note, but Marvel’s heroes have always shown reflected the best and worst parts of the human experience: The desire for power, the need for hope in the face of extreme adversity, the importance of family, you name it – Marvel has covered it and done so in quite spectacular fashion. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo have delivered a masterpiece of a movie, but since we all know comic book movies don’t win major awards, what we have to simply do is admire Marvel’s crowning achievement in all its glory and wait for baited breath to see what comes next.

Even when we’re down, Endgame proves that they are just a snap second from helping us all remember why movies like these give us hope for the future.

 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 


 

McCoy on Movies: Little

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“You expect ME to tell her she didn’t get the black-ish spin-off?! This is why she’s making a movie jump now!” April Williams (Issa Rae) has a very uncomfortable meeting with her now-13 again boss Jordan Sanders (Marsai Martin) in a scene from director Tina Gordon’s comedy LITTLE. Credit: © 2019 Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.



WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Marsai Martin, Issa Rae, Regina Hall, Luke James, Tone Bell, Thalia Tran, JD McCrary, Tucker Meek, Marley Taylor, Eva Carlton, Justin Hartley, Rachel Dratch and Mikey Day

DIRECTOR(S): Tina Gordon
THE BACK STORY: Brought to you by black-ish creator Kenya Barris (who serves as a producer on the film), Little stars as Regina Hall as Jordan Sanders, a 38 year-old successful CEO of her own technology company located in Atlanta. There’s just one thing about Jordan that seems to drive everyone around her crazy: Her insane work ethic and mean-spirited nature drive everyone – her employees, her neighbors, people at stores she frequents and especially her over-worked and highly under-appreciated assistant April Williams (Issa Rae) – crazy. But since Jordan learned at the age of 13 that people can be mean-spirited, she made a vow that when she became big, she would be the boss and bully everyone else before they could bully her.


Now, the tables have turned and Jordan has been mean to the wrong person, which is why she wakes up only to find herself facing her worst fear: Being 13 again.


Cursed to relive the worse age of her life when she was little, Jordan finds herself out of her element. Now, she is forced to rely on April to run her company, can’t spend any quality time with her “D-Boy” (Luke James), drink, drive … Or, after a Child Protective Services agent (Rachel Dratch) is called to her home where April is posing as her aunt, the one thing she hates more than anything else in the world: A return to her old middle school. But with a major pitch to video game upstart Connor (Mikey Day) that could make or break her company on the line, the last thing Jordan has time for is dealing with mean-spirited classmates like Jasmine (Eva Carlton). 

THE REVIEW: Sometimes, when you’ve got a special team in place, you get products that show what happens when you let their creativity bring new life to an old idea. And trust me, the idea behind Little is freakishly old for a movie hitting theaters nationwide this Friday. (If you couldn’t figure out that reference, you shouldn’t be reading this; you should be trying to become little yourself so you can find all the requisite viewing your childhood apparently lacked.) So, given the success Barris and company have had with black-ish and its subsequent spinoff grown-ish, it really should come as no surprise that Little is big-ish on laughs and heart.First off, while Rae delivers a great performance as a grown woman taking orders from a child half her size, it’s Martin’s performance as a grown adult in a child’s body that wins the movie. Martin is so good in her role there are times that while you don’t forget she actually is a child, you may be taken with just how excellent she is at mastering all of the adult things she nails in the film. Be it a woman feeling amorous, running a company or a young child dealing with the horrors of middle school, Martin hits every note like a Grammy Award winner for best new artist before realizing that they were once a successful indie artist that has just been given a shot on a major label. A bigger scope just showcases the talent they possess on a grander stage, which is exactly what Martin does in Little. She holds center court with adults in every scene when paired up with actors twice her literal size to the point the film never feels unbelievable; when acting around peers her own age she feels as out of place as someone who is supposed to be 38 would around today’s snarky social media savvy (try tweeting that three times fast!) teens.

Throw in a perfect balance of youthful exuberance by the film’s young cast to work alongside the adults – Hall, by the way, does her job well in her limited but largely crucial screen time – and Little delivers original laughs by putting a fresh coast of paint on the “fish out of water” scenario body switch movies have given of such a familiar formula. Little is so well done that its blackness never is a dominant trait of the film; sure, there are some “black girl magic” references and whatnot, but if you go into Little thinking its going to touch the same issues you’d find in a typical story arc of black-ish, you’ll either be highly disappointed or highly surprised. Little is just a good film that stars a large African-American cast, not a film with a lot of African-Americans that just happens to be good – that distinction. As African-Americans continue to prove there’s more to the black entertainment experience than just being pimps, thugs and slaves – they can be quirky, insecure (see what I did there, Issa Rae fans), have the same concerns as anyone else about work and life, etc. – Little delivers a big step forward in making sure that ideal isn’t forgotten by Hollywood anytime soon.

Thus, much like a middle school talent show that actually features more talent than you’d expect, Little delivers big entertainment value mature (and maturing) audiences will enjoy.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: Happy Death Day 2U

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Genre-bending Happy Death Day 2U proves there can be plenty of fun, romance in a serial killer thriller
By Tabari McCoy

“Wait a minute … Didn’t this happen the last time I starred in this movie?!” Tree (Jessica Rothe) experiences deja vú in a scene from HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U. Credit: Universal Pictures © 2019 Universal Studios.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Phi Vu, Suraj Sharma, Sarah Yarkin, Rachel Matthews, Ruby Modine, Steve Zissis, Rob Mello and Charles Aitken

DIRECTOR(S): Christopher Landon
THE BACK STORY: Did you happen to catch 2017’s Happy Death Day? If not, you might have missed what happened when young college student Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) got murdered on her birthday, only to wake up in the bed of fellow college student Carter (Israel Broussard) … Who was nice enough to try to bring her home before she got killed … And then go through the rest of her day, only to get murdered again. Then she found out who was her killer – SPOILER ALERT: It was her jealous roomie Lori (Ruby Modine) – and then she was able to break the loop and begin living her life again without the threat of a baby-masked assassin coming to kill her. 


Or so she thought.


For you see, Happy Death Day 2U begins with Ryan (Phi Vu) dying at the hands of a baby-faced killer. And then he wakes up in his garbage-filled car, only to get back to his room where he catches Tree and Carter about to … embrace. And once he starts describing what happened to him, Tree quickly realizes much to her horror what is happening: The loop has started all over again, only this time it’s affecting Ryan. Thus, you can imagine her shock, horror and anger when she discovers both loops were inadvertently created by Ryan and his fellow science students Samar (Suraj Sharma) and Dre (Sarah Yarkin) due to a time-altering device they’ve nicknamed “Sissy.” 


And that’s when things get REALLY weird – I’d say more, but it would ruin all the surprises. But if there’s one last thing Tree is looking for, it’s surprises; unfortunately for her, there are plenty of surprises on the way that is going to alter her reality in ways she never, ever envisioned in this dimension – or any others for that matter. 
THE REVIEW: Are you in search of a film this Valentine’s Day that (1) will make you laugh at the most unexpected, surreal scenario possible while (2) delivering a few cheap scares while still somehow (3) being self-deprecating to the point it might be one of the smarter films of its genre-bending ilk which in turn (4) makes it inexplicably entertaining and dare one suggest one of the most genuine-in-an-extremely-absurd-way romantic comedies in quite some time? If the answer to all of those winding enough to drive the average editor nuts questions is “yes,” look no further.For Happy Death Day 2U is a must-see that deserves praise not seen since Scream made people say the name “Skeet Ulrich” with reverence.

Boasting a keen sense of self-awareness and a wicked-funny yet strong performance by Rothe, Happy Death Day 2U does the thing that is extremely rare with movies rooted in a horror/thriller mold: Not only live up to the original, but surpass it. Whereas the original Happy Death Day felt like a silly-yet-enjoyable one-off, 2U provides a back story that expands its characters growth without losing any of its predecessor’s charm. Of course, that is due largely to Rothe’s ability to make her Groundhog Day-like existence consistently intriguing while making you root for her as her quest continues. It’s almost like writer/director Christopher Landon and the rest of the Blumhouse team (the production company responsible for hits like Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Get Out and the most recent Halloween remake/sequel/way to keep making money off that franchise) found out about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and said “How could we make a movie like that with a killer and keep all the humor?”

To her credit, Rothe does something rarely seen in horror-esque movies: Act. Like really, really act. She makes Tree equal parts crazy yet determined, hilarious yet not a caricature while at the same time using her skills to help make fun of and show reverence for the very genre that may make her a star. Playing well off of her co-stars Vu and Broussard, 2U is Rothe’s show the way the Golden State Warriors are Seth Curry’s team (at least, pre-Kevin Durant). And while the movie – which does have its fair share of “Ok, that’s corny even for this movie” moments and it is kinda easy to figure out who’s behind the mask if you pay a lick of attention – isn’t perfect, it’s got a great mix of comedy, thrills and irreverence to prove itself worthy of being a sequel.

In fact, given that it’s releasing just in time for Valentine’s Day, Happy Death Day 2U might just be the most romantic way to show your significant other you really love them … By watching a film breathe new life into a genre that can always use some.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: Glass

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M. Night Shyamalan delivers his twist on superheroes and villains with Glass

“Man … I think someone has paid ‘Dance, Dance Revolution’ a little bit TOO much …” Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) watches in awe as one of the many personalities of Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) dances with his newfound friend in a scene from the final (?) installment in M. Night Shyamalan’s heavy comic book-influenced thriller GLASS. Credit: Jessica Kourkounis/Universal Pictures © 2019 Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



KEY CAST MEMBERS: James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard and Adam David Thompson


DIRECTOR(S): M. Night Shyamalan 
THE BACK STORY: The culmination of the events of his previous films Unbreakable and Split, Glass stars Sarah Paulson as Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), a psychologist who has been brought in to a Philadelphia-area mental hospital. It is there where she is working to relieve three men of their delusions of being superheroes: Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), better known by his nicknames of “The Horde” in reference to his two dozen personalities ranging from 9 year-old Hedwig to stern British headmistress Patricia and “The Beast,” named for his deadliest, serial-killing personality. Only one woman, Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) has escaped The Beast and lived to tell about it … And now she is fixated on the him in potentially unhealthy ways. 


Next up is David Dunn, a.k.a. The Overseer, a green poncho-wearing seemingly unbreakable (sorry – couldn’t resist!) man who was the only survivor of a train accident 19 years ago. Now, with the aid of his son Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark), works as a vigilante around the City of Brotherly Love … As long as he doesn’t get wet. Last but certainly not least? Elijah Price, better known to law enforcement as first name Mister, last name Glass – a criminal mastermind with a very severe case of brittle bone disease that did not stop him from orchestrating the train accident that revealed David’s gift (or is that caused his delusion?) all those years ago. His mother (Charlayne Woodard) loves her son and just can’t seem to look past his murderous ways …


Now tasked with curing the men, Dr. Staple has her work cut out for her … Especially if their delusions of grandeur aren’t.
 
THE REVIEW: Much like his beloved comic books, M. Night Shyamalan’s movies are often the source of great debate about which ones are really good and which ones are just, well, awful. And after taking a much-deserved beating afters several hate-it-or-love-it features, the captain of the twist pulled a Dark Knight and redeemed himself with 2015’s quirky The Visit and then 2016’s Split, which featured one of the greatest (I know what I said!) performances in recent history by McAvoy as the Dissociative Identity Disorder-suffering Crumb. Then it was revealed (spoiler alert – you’ve had enough time) that the film was connected to the world Unbreakable created way back in 2000 and the hype that Glass would be his penultimate work became very real among his longstanding fans.Well, guess what? Glass – while not perfect – delivers a super (enough) payoff for all your years of patience.

Glass has story holes in it – I mean, how else to explain one of the character’s actions given that everything that happened to that character should likely make them act in the EXACT opposite way they do. Likewise, if you’ve been paying attention to Shyamalan for any significant period of time, you’ll likely figure out there is something amiss before it is revealed even if you don’t figure out everything.

Those two things notwithstanding, Glass benefits from its best elements well: Shyamlan’s true exploration of comic book dynamics (as opposed to pure good vs. evil fights) and the performances of McAvoy and Jackson. Seriously, Glass isn’t the type of film that will ever get someone nominated, but McAvoy really deserves some type of recognition for making his role work so well while Jackson really pulls off that whole “evil mastermind despite his limitations” character phenomenally well. Be happy Mr. Glass isn’t real, folks …

The last point is made because in this golden age of superheroes movies, Shyamalan’s film is much more of an intellectual comic book movie moreso than what audiences have come to expect from the Marvel Universe (and usually pray DC Comics/Warner Bros. can try to emulate with their various properties). Thus, if you really enjoyed Unbreakable and Split, you’ll likely like Glass. If you are expecting something like Aquaman or Avengers: Infinity War‘s big blowout action sequences, you’re in the wrong place. This is more Scream for the superhero movie … If instead of parodies and murder you just had Jamie Kennedy’s Randy character moving the story forward. This is more a tale of connected lives, destinies and of course, the unique ways people with extraordinary abilities in comic books function.

Given the glut of superhero movies these days, the fact Glass challenges you to explore them in a way rarely seen these days is quite a twist, indeed.

 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: If Beale Street Could Talk

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Cincinnati native KiKi Layne shines bright in writer/director
Barry Jenkins adaptation of If Beale Street Could Talk

“Girl, I love you … But you’re kind of killing my left shoulder right now …” Fonny (Stephan James) contemplates his next move while Tish (KiKi Layne) ponders their future in a scene from IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK. Credit: Tatum Mangus / Annapurna Pictures. © 2018 Annapurna Releasing, LLC. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:






KEY CAST MEMBERS: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Beach, Teyonah Parris, Finn Wittrock, Dave Franco, Emily Rios, Ed Skrein and Aujanue Ellis

 

DIRECTOR(S): Barry Jenkins
THE BACK STORY: Based on the novel of the same name by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk stars newcomer KiKi Layne as Tish, a 19 year-old New York resident (the opening title card explains why a movie set in NYC takes its title from a famous New Orleans locale) who is in love with Alfonso (Stephan James) – Fonny for short. The young lovers embrace each other completely having known each other for years, producing the sort of romance that young people have dreamed of for centuries.


But their relationship is not without its problems for certain.


There’s Fonny’s sisters (Ebony Obisidian and Dominique Thorne)  and mother (Aujanue Ellis) who doesn’t exactly approve of Tish or the situation she’s gotten Fonny into …. But if you think Tish’s mother (Regina King) or sister (Teyonah Parris) is going to just let them run down their family, however, you, like them, have another thing coming. At least Fonny’s dad (Michael Beach) and Tish’s father (Colman Domingo) get along. Fonny’s friend Daniel (Brian Tyree Henry) is having a rough go of things, too, following his release from prison.


But none of those problems are anything compared to what lies ahead when Fonny is accused of raping a woman (Emily Rios) by a police officer who may or may not have an axe to grind …
 
THE REVIEW: It’s romantic. It’s majestic. It’s infuriating. It’s depressing. It’s soulful. It’s upbeat. It’s melancholy. It’s heartbreaking. It’s artistic. It’s creative.  It’s hopeful. It’s frustrating. It’s raw and it’s unapologetic. In short, If Beale Street Could Talk is the African-American experience captured in two hours for the world to see.Certain movies strike cords with certain audiences more than others. For as many people loved Black Panther, the film showed the economic power that African-Americans have in catapulting what could have been just another superhero movie into an Academy Award contender. I mention this because while the critical acclaim for If Beale Street Could Talk is widespread (just Google it – ok, I did the work for you), it’s inherently bound to resonate with African-American audiences just a little bit more than others because of how dynamically it nails down various parts of what being black in America is like today as much as it did when its source material was first published in 1974.

There’s the fragile look of heartbreak and envy Henry gives as his character watches the interplay between Tish and Fonny and knowing he will likely never enjoy it … There’s the #metoo creepiness of watching Tish be subtly sexually assaulted by a white male customer under the guise of shopping … Beale Street delivers more nuanced facets of the struggles many African-Americans face in a country where they are often reminded they are and that there will always be some that view them second-class citizens. The police scenes are why I made the “infuriating” comment above, especially in lieu of the continued incidents like this and this and this and this and … Thus, anyone still wanting to have a conversation to determine their level of “woke” may find Beale Street to be either the perfect conversation starter … or ender.

On a positive note, there are the happy moments that prove the human experience, however has no color and can be enjoyed by everyone. This includes watching Dave Franco’s character bond with Fonny over a potential living space, Domingo and King’s coming to Tish’s aid and the love and chemistry between James and Layne as Fonny and Tish. Forget the earlier commentary made about how the film will strike an extra accord with African-Americans; the way in which screenwriter/director Barry Jenkins (the guy who made 2017’s Academy Awards Best Picture winner Moonlight) shoots their scenes will possibly inspire plenty of Match.com/eHarmony accounts in hopes of finding a love like theirs. Layne and James are the heart of the movie, its driving force and its beacon of hope not only for each other, but also the audience watching it.

If Beale Street Can Talk has plenty to say – which is why the words “must see” are the only two you really need in regards to whether or not you should.

 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: AQUAMAN

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Jason Momoa brings credibility, fun to D.C. Comics longstanding fish-out-of-water hero

“My Crossfit instructor is going to be so proud!” Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) makes his way through a sea (pun intended) of would-be submarine pirates in a scene from director James Wan’s take on the D.C. Comics iconic character best known to fans as AQUAMAN. Credit: Jasin Boland/ ™ & © DC Comics.  © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:





KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Temuera Morrison, Willem Dafoe, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren with Nicole Kidman, Graham McTavish, Michael Beach and Randall Park

DIRECTOR(S): James Wan
THE BACK STORY: Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) was born of parents never meant to meet. For his mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) escaped the underwater kingdom of Atlantis to forgo an arranged marriage, which is why she fell in love with Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) and gave birth to a young son. But since she knew the only way to keep him safe was to eventually return, she left young Arthur in Tom’s care, her young child never getting to know the mother he so desperately wished to be able to do. That’s why she made sure to charge Vulko (Willem Dafoe) with raising him in her place, teaching young Arthur the ways of Atlantis to make sure he knows part of where he came from.
 
Problem is, while Arthur may never meet his mother, he will meet Prince turned King Orm (Patrick Wilson), his vengeful half-brother who is tired of all the pollution and attacks from the “surface world.” That’s why, with the aid of King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren) and his daughter/soon to be Orm’s wife Mera (Amber Heard), he plans to take the war to the surface world and let mankind know their time is up. But since only a true king can stop Orm and his evil ways, Mera seeks out Arthur to stop him before it is too late for both of their worlds. 
 
Then again, since the pirate who will become known as Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is after Arthur for what he did – or should that be didn’t do for – his father (Michael Beach), it seems like our hero is going to have his hands full.
 
THE REVIEW: Of all the members of the D.C. Comics world (Marvel kind of has that Universe thing on lockdown), none have been more ridiculed, scrutinized and generally made fun of more than Aquaman. I mean, he was the long-running source of material on the show Entourage (link language NSFW), Robot Chicken has skewered him for years and even the god-awful abomination that was the Justice League movie even poked fun at one of his most well-known abilities. Like Wonder Woman before him (language NSFW), there was no shortage of jokes about his costume, his skills and, in general, the very idea that someone would want to watch a full-length movie about him.
Then came 2017’s Wonder Woman film – and all the jokes stopped. Now, just in time to round out 2018, Aquaman finds itself in a similar boat (pun intended) … And just like his female predecessor,  Arthur Curry is going to get the last laugh since D.C. Comics’ latest solo superhero cinematic adventure is non-stop fun from start to finish.
Momoa, possibly the ultimate bro among leading men right now, brings all the swag Aquaman has never had as a character to life and then some as the film’s lead. Confident and cool, he proves to be more than brooding brawn and massive muscle as he flexes his thespian talents throughout the film. Of course, being a hulking human being certainly doesn’t hurt as every time he thrashes, bashes and/or generally mashes an enemy, it’s never not believable.
Of course, having a pretty solid cast doesn’t hurt matters, which is why Heard does her best to not just to be a pretty (and extremely) redheaded face throughout the film as Mera. In line with Natalie Portman as Thor’s former love interest Jane Watson in the Marvel Universe, Heard displays a nice Harrison Ford/Kate Capshaw Raiders of the Lost Ark-like chemistry with Momoa, a niche that definitely helps the movie move forward with a balance of antagonistic humor and heart. Wilson is likewise solid as the villainous King Orm; Abdul-Mateen II does seem to be channeling his best Michael B. Jordan/Erik Killmonger rage as secondary villain Black Manta, although one would hope (should the inevitable sequel come to light) he will get to do much more than just huff and buff and try to blown Aquaman’s sea house in. 
 
Throw in Dafoe and Lundgren as the solid veteran male support with Kidman getting throw in a nice bit of physicality to go with the standard long-lost mother role and you get what most comic book movies should be: fun and energetic with just enough heart to make them last for more than one bucket of popcorn. That’s not even including director James Wan’s work with the rest of his team to create this most fascinating and visually-appealing world in a superhero movie this side of Wakanda and the film brings it in nearly every scene.
 
Now, as long as Warner Bros./D.C. can get that whole two-Joker movies thing together by the time 2019 starts, maybe D.C. can keep things going in swimming fashion – Aquaman has already done its part to get them there.

 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: Crazy Rich Asians

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Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel gets the Hollywood treatment – and it’s crazy well done.

“So … Which of these accessories is going to make Lady Gaga jealous?” Rachel Chu (Constance Wu, right, in red) gets some fashion advice from her college best friend – and the secretly rich – Peik Lin Goh (Awkafina) in a scene from CRAZY RICH ASIANS. Credit: 



 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
 



 


 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Ken Jeong, Awkwafina, Lisa Lu, Ronny Chieng, Sonoya Mizuno, Chris Pang, Pierre Png, Jimmy O. Yang, Tan Kheng Hua, Remi Hii and Nico Santos

WRITER(S): Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim (screenplay); Kevin Kwan (novel on which the film is based)

DIRECTOR(S): Jon M. Chu

WEB SITE: http://www.crazyrichasiansmovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians stars Constance Wu as Rachel Chu, a New York economics professor who’s happily in love with her Oxord education boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding in his debut feature film). So when Nick asks her to accompany him on a trip home to Singapore for the wedding of his good friend Colin (Chris Pang) to Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno), she happily says yes. And since she’ll be able to see her old college friend Peik (Awkwafina), Rachel is excited to visit the native land of her people since her mother Kerry (Tan Kheng Hua) left Asia before she was born.


That’s when she discovers that not only is Peik rich, but Nick’s family is really rich. Like, crazy rich – and Nick’s mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) is “old world” Chinese in both tradition and practice. 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? People who enjoyed the novel; fans of people living lavish lifestyles the average person can only dream of; mothers and daughters looking for a good bonding movie; independent women; anyone of Asian descent searching for a major Hollywood film that features their people in a positive, entertaining light; those looking for a film that doesn’t play into the usual romantic comedy/race-centric tropes; Awkwafina fans

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People with no interest in Asian culture; those will find the slow parts in the film’s first hour too, well, slow; people who always say “the book was better;” people who think you have to be Asian to appreciate the film’s universal themes of love, acceptance and family


SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A movie that is essentially a classic love story with modern elements in a setting unfamiliar to many American audiences, Crazy Rich Asians is an entertaining, heartfelt romantic comedy that doesn’t break any new ground as far as romantic comedies go – but breaks plenty in just being a good movie.


Crazy Rich Asians features just about everything you could want in a story: Chemistry between its two leads and supporting characters that, well, save for one or two characters that might seem a like a toned down version of co-star Ken Jeong’s work in The Hangover, are not caricatures of Asians in American eyes. Whereas Wu and Golding (he of British-Malaysian descent) seem like a real couple, Awkafina and Nico Santos – who plays Nick’s fashion and family-conscious cousin Oliver T’Sien – steal every scene they’re in with their good-natured, perfectly timed and well-meaning quips. Likewise, whereas Yeoh plays the role of the seemingly icy family matriarch with a good duality to her like many a Marvel Universe villain – she’s is cautious to never operate at one extreme at any one time – and Gemma Chan plays her role as Nick’s beautiful yet personally suffering in her relationship with her husband Michael (Pierre Png) in a way that feels extremely real (and thus inspiring without going out of her way to be so). 


Beautifully shot by director Jon M. Chu as essentially a tourist agency’s dream video postcard for Singapore, the film presents some of the best visuals captured on film this year, acting as the perfect backdrop for the film’s characters to play, love and learn throughout their respective journeys. Throw in a soundtrack that interpolates classic American songs of various genres in native Asian tongues and Crazy Rich Asians is the type of film that will feel revolutionary when in fact it’s simply more evolutionary.


For given how solid the film is, hopefully Crazy Rich Asians marks the evolution of an industry that has long underserved the Asian moviegoing population but at the same time proves a movie like this can entertain anyone.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: Skyscraper

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Dwayne Johnson flexes his dramatic muscle to lead familiar-yet-palatable Skyscraper

“You know, compared to this, taking steel chairs to the head from other men in spandex wasn’t so bad!” Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) used a makeshift rappelling apparatus for reasons he’d rather not have to deal with in a scene from writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber’s action thriller SKYSCRAPER. Credit: © 2018 Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC. and Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Chin Han, Roland Møller, Noah Cottrell, Bryon Mann, McKenna Roberts, Hannah Quinlivan, Elfina Luk, Noah Taylor, Adrian Holmes and Pablo Schreiber
WRITER(S): Rawson Marshall Thurber

DIRECTOR(S): Rawson Marshall Thurber

WEB SITE: https://www.skyscrapermovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) is a simple man. A decorated military veteran, his life was changed 10 years ago when an unfortunate situation altered his life in two drastic ways: the loss of the lower half of his left leg and meeting the love of his life, his cell phone-challenged/fellow veteran/doctor wife Sarah (Neve Campbell). Now working as the proprietor of his own small security company, Will finds himself thrust into the opportunity of his working lifetime when an old military buddy (Pablo Schreiber) gets him a gig checking out “The Pearl.” 


What is the Pearl? It’s the new commercial/residential structure in Hong Kong designed by billionaire Zaho Long Ji (Chin Han), who now wants Will to make sure that everything in his buildingis up to snuff before the residential half opens up (from the 96th floor on up). But what Will doesn’t know is that why he, Sarah and their two kids Georgia (McKenna Roberts) and Henry (Noah Cottrell) are enjoying their stay, there are some nefarious forces plotting a much different visit to the Pearl. That would be the ruthless assassin Xia (Hannah Quinlivan) and the mercenary Botha (Roland Møller), who are after something that Will has no knowledge of nor why.


But he and his family are about to – if they can survive the certain to be fatal scenario awaiting them in the world’s tallest skyscraper. 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Dwayne Johnson fans who like it when he does physical roles that don’t focus on comedy; Neve Campbell fans; people who like 80s-style action movies without 80s style dialogue

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who will find some of the scenarios too implausible; those who prefer action movies that either go full-on outrageous or full-on logical; anyone who hates violent films

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? An action movie that tries to balance its more (seemingly) outrageous moments with committed performances and intriguing camera work before tying together just how you’d expect (if you pay attention to all the foreshadowing), Skyscraper is an entertaining, family-involved-yet-extremely-violent at times diet Die Hard that while not original, it’s satisfying enough to keep you interested. And if that sentence seems like a mouthful, it should.


Because that’s what happens when you are catering to at least three different types of audiences at once.Johnson, as he has proven in a variety of his roles, commands attention as Will Sawyer, a man who is not invincible yet at the same time extremely determined to do what he needs to do to save the people he loves. His limited stunts seem ridiculous yet, given his commitment and approach, plausible – which, for action movies, has long been an issue for many people paying attention (skip ahead to 1:54 in that link; language NSFW!). Likewise, neither Campbell nor young co-stars Roberts or Cottrell seem to act in an over-the-top fashion, their actions instead seeming reasonable, logical and again, (somewhat) sensible given the situation in which they find themselves.Writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, We’re the Millers) has a history of producing surprising hits, most of which are exclusively comedies. With Skyscraper, he proves he has potential to deliver an action film that, while it does not do anything to reinvent the genre, doesn’t have to be dumb, either. While it lacks a distinct quality to make it stand out from the pack – Johnson’s prosthetic leg accessory comes into play quite often, but it doesn’t always feel as handi-capable as intended – the interplay between the characters works more than it does not, the film moves along swiftly and, again, the story plays out with a good mix of brain and bravado … As best you can in this type of film. Sure, the film could have likely reached a more classic status with a full “R” rating or a

Or at least it does it enough to keep you from wanting to burn down the theater the way the Pearl does on the screen.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

McCoy on Movies: Ant-Man and the Wasp

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Marvel returns to delivering fun in various sizes with humorous Ant-Man and the Wasp!

 

“When I asked if you had seen Blade, this is NOT what I meant!” Hope Van Dyne a.k.a. the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) runs against an assailant’s attack in a scene from Peyton Reed’s latest entry into the Marvel Universe, ANT-MAN & THE WASP. Credit: Film Frame © 2018 Marvel Studios. All rights reserved. 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Abby Ryder Fortson, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Michael Peña, Tip “T.I.” Harris, David Dastmalchian, Randall Park, Judy Greer and Bobby Cannavale with Laurence Fishburne and Michele Pfeiffer 

WRITER(S): Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari; based on characters created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber and Ernie Hart

DIRECTOR(S): Peyton Reed

WEB SITE: http://marvel.com/movies/movie/245/ant-man_and_the_waspHERE’S THE STORY: Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War but BEFORE Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp finds our hero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) on house arrest as a result of his actions in Sovokia since, you know, he wasn’t legally about to be there. FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) is ready to bust Scott at a moment’s notice, even though he only has 3 days until his sentence is up – which he can’t wait to spend with his daughter Cassie a.k.a. Peanut (Abby Ryder Fortson). Even Scott’s ex wife Maggie (Judy Greer) and her new husband Paxton (Bobby Cannavale) are supportive of his changed ways and his best friend Luis (Michael Peña) is running the security company he started with their other friends Kurt (David Dastmalchian) and Dave (Tip “T.I.” Harris), so what could go wrong?


Well, once Scott starts seeing visions of Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) – the wife of Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and mother of Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) long lost to the mysterious Quantum Realm – plenty.


Despite having not spoken to Hank or Hope in 2 years since, you know, they became FBI fugitives for their use of the Pym particle technology that enables Ant-Man to shrink and increase his size to massive heights, Scott contacts the duo with his news. This, in turn, makes them excited about the prospect of finding Janet – even if it means having to get technology off the black market from guys like Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), a man always on the lookout for a new way to get rich, no matter what the cost. Sonny and the FBI, however, will soon be far from the biggest problem facing Scott, Hank and Hope, however.


No, that would be the presence of the mysterious malevolent presence of Ava a.k.a. Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), a woman who needs Pym’s technology for reasons that will soon be revealed in startling fashion …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Fans of the first Ant-Man movie and Thor: Ragnarok; Paul Rudd fans; people who like superhero movies that go for more lighthearted fare than the darker subject matter of Marvel entries such as the Captain America series; people awaiting anything related to 2019’s Avengers 4 movie 

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who joke about Ant-Man as a character the same way Robot Chicken has Aquaman; those who like a villain that is more pure evil that motivated for a logical reason


SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? Another solid entry into the Marvel Universe from start to finish, Ant-Man and the Wasp features everything fans of the first movie came to enjoy, just with more of it. There is plenty of humor, well-constructed action sequences that balances its human cartoon with traditional fight elements with Peña once again stealing nearly every scene he’s in, Lilly – who’s Wasp proves she’s no second fiddle to her male partner – and Rudd exhibiting a familiar yet growing, believable chemistry. Likewise, Rudd’s character’s desire to be a good dad never feeling forced due to the great interplay between he and the lovably precocious Fortson. (Seriously, she’s just too cute as his daughter like a live version of Agnes from Despicable Me but more mature.) Surprisingly, Douglas adds an unexpected emotional center to the film, playing both the crotchety old man archetype well when necessary but without ever becoming a parody of it (or himself).


If there is any real flaw in the film, it’s that Ant-Man may have the least compelling villains as of yet seen in Marvel films. (It’s really hard to follow Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger and Josh Brolin’s finger-snapping Thanos/hard-ass Cable with a villain who’s cause is extremely sympathetic and more misunderstood than anything.) Perhaps having a more hard-edged, truly threatening presence on screen might tilt the film in a direction director Peyton Reed and his team may not want to explore, but John-Kamen turns in a solid performance, hitting all the necessary beats. Goggins, for his part, portrays a much more interesting character here than he did in the already forgotten Tomb Raider, bringing some of his Vice Principals “I-should-dislike-you-but-you’re-too-fun” charm to the movie to round things out. 


Throw in some really fun, early Spielberg-like use of Pym’s ants their selves and the movie is while nowhere near as emotionally gripping as say Black Panther or Infinity War, it is full of fun while filled with enough nuances to stand on its own.


Other than that, there’s not much else one really needs to know about Ant-Man and the Wasp as Marvel is wrapping up Phase Three of its master plan – except that the movie proves that Marvel having a plan has led to a decade’s worth of quality films. Ant-Man and the Wasp is all about the idea of family and trying to do right by the people they love while overcoming the odds throw in their way. 


Ant-Man and the Wasp does both of those things in spades and while not the mightiest of Avengers heroes, they definitely team players that prove they are worth a spot in the lineup … Especially if you want to see what just may lie ahead for the man who could become one of the biggest (or, depending on his physical size, smallest) players in Marvel plans heading into 2019.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

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McCoy on Movies: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

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Prehistoric silliness makes Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom extinct upon arrival.

“OK, we’ve got to walk past this Tyrannosaurus Rex without waking it up … Bryce, did your character remember NOT to wear something ridiculous like high heels unlike the last time we were on this island?!” Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) try to not awaken a Tyrannosaurus Rex in a scene from JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM. Credit: Giles Keyte. © 2018 Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment and Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

 





KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon, Rafe Spall, Toby Jones, B.D. Wong, James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Geraldine Chaplin and Jeff Goldblum

WRITER(S): Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow (written by); Michael Crichton (based on characters created by)

DIRECTOR(S): J.A. Bayona

WEB SITE: http://www.jurassicworld.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Isla Nublar, the island home west of Costa Rica that has long been home to the late John Hammond’s vision of a park where humans could see the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth again live and in person, is under attack from a once dormant volcano that now threatens to destroy all life on its surface. And while Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) has seen the error of her ways and now wants to save the dinosaurs, the U.S. government – especially given the testimony of Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) – sees no real reason to do so. And Claire’s old flame Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), who helped trained the now-closed park’s velociraptors, just wants to be left alone to build his cabin in the woods.


But Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) has different plans. For you see he is the man who, along with Hammond, took the first dinosaur DNA and brought the prehistoric beasts back to life. ANow that he is in the final stages of his own life, he wants to save the dinosaurs by placing them on an undisclosed island sanctuary with natural borders where they can live in peace with no humans to interfere (or be eaten). Iris (Geraldine Chaplin) can look after his granddaughter Maisie (Isabella Sermon), but who is going to look after the dinosaurs?


Well, if Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) and his hunter/dinosaur wrangler (Ted Levine) have their way, something much more sinister than Benjamin, Claire, Owen, Maisie or anyone else on earth may have ever imagined …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Children; Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/TMNT movie series fans; people who like big action movies where splash reigns over substance

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Anyone who loved the first Jurassic Park; anyone who hates movies where the story is corny, predictable and/or has characters that make silly decisions

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? Remember how the first Jurassic Park movie at the time of its release was groundbreaking, innovative and a new take on the monster movie akin to its director’s timeless classic Jaws? Then Steven Spielberg stepped away from hands on directing and moved into a producer’s role … which resulted in two so-so sequels and the franchise lying dormant  until 2015’s Jurassic World saw the park finally open to public.  

And now, the park is closed … And unfortunately, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom proves the franchise should be as well.

As my friend who attended the sneak preview screening I went to said, “I came in thinking of it as a comedy” and that “the bar set low for me, so I enjoyed it.” I had zero expectations based on the previous film’s ridiculousness and the fact the franchise has migrated from sci-fi family film to explosion and monsters and got exactly what I expected. And neither of us is wrong.

Fallen Kingdom, in a word, is silly. In another word, it’s ridiculous. And in a final word, it’s predictable as all get out from start to finish – and there is so much to pick apart, scientists might clone an actual dinosaur before one is done.


While Howard is no longer running around in high heels, the actions of the film’s characters are just so ridiculous that you keep waiting for Mel Blanc to voice this live action Looney Tunes-esque farce. If the first four Jurassic movies have taught us anything, it’s that you are going to always find the following things in a Jurassic movie:


[1] Old rich man who wants to give dinosaurs a place to live in peace;
[2] Person working said old rich man who sees dinosaurs and gets dollars signs running through his or her head;
[3] Scientist who cracks sarcastic one liners;
[4] Business person or scientistic who is clearly so out of his or her element that there is no way they should be there;
[5] Strong male lead that always knows what to do and didn’t want to be there in the first place;
[6] Child who will prove to be smarter and more stealthy than half of the adults in the movie;
[7] A hunter whose own hubris will prove to be his undoing;
[8] The greedy businessman will just be comically – but not in a funny way – dumb and physically weak;
[9] Things that don’t make a lick of sense based on the movie’s own logic;


Continuing on …


[10] A dinosaur hunting a human in a tight space sequence;
[11] A ton of foreshadowing so you can figure out what will happen long before the characters do;
[12] A climatic sequence that will have blown all possible logic out of the window;
[13] A setting that 
[14] … and now, B.D. Wong to pop up since he somehow keeps surviving these movies.


Seriously, Fallen Kingdom couldn’t be a more aptly named release due to the flaws mentioned above. Whereas Daniella Pineda’s character as a female badass dino veterinarian is ok despite a line getting cut that should have been obvious to anyone paying attention, poor Justice Smith comes off as either a humorous Steve Urkel or just a shrieking little (edited for content). Likewise, Howard is still essentially a damsel (albeit not so much in distress as much as just there) for the most part, Spall’s character is a wasteland and the actual story is just filled with “can you tell what’s getting ready to happen next?” moments to the point you get tired of doing so. 


Isabella Sermon continues the tradition of children being smarter than adults in Amblin Entertainment releases, the twist of her character being an allright-yet-predictable one right down to her critical act … Which will then either make you laugh or slap yourself upside the head in “of COURSE SHE does THAT!” fashion. (Seriously, there’s no other option – if you’re surprised, you will love the next sequel, which should be titled “Jurassic World: Extinction” so that either the movies end or at least the stupid humans in them will be.)


Besides the general stupidity of the humans, Fallen Kingdom is essentially an monster movie (oh, how the days of something that felt real with Dr. Alan Grant are missed!) run awry in the same vein of the Transformers and TMNT franchises. The dinosaurs are reduced to either comic foils or, in the case of the new big bad introduced in this particular film, vindictive (edited for content) that, if they could talk, might as well be walking around spouting lines as bad as the ones here. There is no tense build here; nope, instead we’re treated to snarling and stalking silliness at every turn. 


So, to recap, from silly science that no one in their right mind would do (then again, we are in the age of the “space force,” so who knows), dinosaurs that act like superheroes and supervillains, settings which are too “look how the action unfolds in here!” and a story that feels like a 10 year-old wrote the final act with help from a hacky Stephen King wannabe, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom lives up to its title in the worst way possible. Director J.A. Bayona does his best to make this mess look good, but remixing that (in)famous lipstick on a pig quote from a few elections ago, it’s still a mess. 


Then again, Rampage – this year’s other entry into the “how bad can a monster movie be?” category has an “A-” grade with audiences through Cinemascore, so maybe its’ best to just think of Fallen Kingdom like most fast-food. Yeah, it’s bad and it’s bad for you, but it’s quick, cheap and easy and every once in a while, that’s all you want.

Oh, how the mighty Kingdom has fallen indeed.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: INCREDIBLES2

By

Disney•Pixar’s superheroes return for fun sequel worthy of its
name and place in growing cartoon canon

“Oh honey – don’t make me have to Tweet about you feeling emasculated!” Helen Parr a.k.a. ElastIgirl (Holly Hunter) prepares to go to work at her new job while her husband BOB a.k.a Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) look on in a scene from THE INCREDIBLES 2. CREDIT: © 2018 Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved.




WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Brad Bird, Catherine Keener, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell, Bob Odenkirk, Huck Milner, Eli Fucile and Sophia Bush with John Ratzenberger

WRITER(S): Brad Bird

DIRECTOR(S): Brad Bird

WEB SITE: https://movies.disney.com/incredibles-2HERE’S THE STORY: Picking up right where the first film left off 14 (yes, 14) years ago, The Incredibles 2 finds the Parr family – Helen a.k.a. Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), Bob a.k.a. Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), Dash (Huck Milner), Violet (Sarah Vowell) and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) – adjusting to life since working as superheroes (“supers” for short) are still illegal. Furthering complicating matters is Violet’s growing interest in boys, Dash being Dash and Jack-Jack’s growing unpredictable powers.


But, after a brief entanglement with the villainous Underminder (John Ratzenberger), supers find themselves again at the forefront of the public eye … And not in a good way. This troubles Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), who runs – along with his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener) – runs a tech company and has a love of superheroes, despite a personal tragedy that befell he and his sister’s parents. Determined to show the world it needs supers, he devises a plan to have Helen work to show all the good supers can do while Bob, well … He’s just going to have to stay at home and raise the children for now, occasionally calling the help of his good friend Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) for help.

And while things are going great for Elastigirl once she is called back into action, Bob finds being a full-time parent quite difficult, Violet has her troubles dealing with adolescence and Jack-Jack? Well, let’s just say that his powers might make him an incredible problem for Bob and everyone’s safety.

But once the mysterious ScreenSlaver shows up on the scene to cause havoc for all superheroes, it becomes clear that despite the laws, it’s time once again for the Parr family to become incredible …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Fans of the original Incredibles movie, superhero movie fans; Disney•Pixar fans; Holly Hunter fans

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who don’t like animation or superhero movies; those will make more of the film’s potential pro/anti (depending on what you read into the movie) feminist stance; those who overanalyze aspects of a movie more than necessary

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A movie that proves to be just as good (and in some aspects, better and in others, not so much) than the original, The Incredibles 2 delivers the trademark Disney•Pixar magic with a well-crafted mix of humor, action and heart to satisfy audiences of all ages.


Flipping gender roles for Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl proves to work without any of the trappings of stereotypical/traditional comedy tropes; whereas Bob finds himself out of sorts, it’s not because of his gender, it’s because of his role in the world. Likewise, Helen comes into her own while balancing her desire to be a success, strong and still wanting to be a part of her day-to-day family life. The juxtaposition works more to show the demands of being a modern working family and sorting out one’s role in the world, which of course flows well with the story’s overall family dynamic. Likewise, Violet and Dash maintain their child and sibling sensibilities in a way that make all of their interactions work and feel right, especially within the film’s 1960s-style setting. 


Family values aside, the thing that keeps the Incredibles 2 moving along well is the genuine connection the viewer will feel with each of the Parr family members and their interactions with each other. Whereas the true villain of the picture is relatively easy to figure out early on in the picture, the action, humor and interplay between the Parrs more than overcomes any story flaws present. Throw in possibly the best performance in the film by writer/director Brad Bird as fan favorite Edna Mole (to say more would ruin much of the fun), a solid turn by Jackson and the introduction of other superheroes – Sophia Bush does a solid job as Elastigirl fan turned superhero herself the Void – and you have just about everything you need for a solid animated, family-friendly yet inspired adventure. 


Given that 14 years have passed since the first film’s release, it’s a pretty incredible feat that it all comes together so well.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

McCoy on Movies: Ocean’s 8

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Star-studded female cast turns in great performances despite uneven script

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Armitage, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, Awkafina, Sarah Paulson with James Corden, Carl Reiner and … Another familiar face from the other Ocean’s films.


WRITER(S): Gary Ross and Olivia Milch (screenplay); Gary Ross (story); George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell (based on characters by)

DIRECTOR(S): Gary Ross

WEB SITE: http://www.oceans8movie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) has spent nearly 6 years in prison in New Jersey. And now, she’s about to be released. And what does she have planned the moment she gets out of jail, other than hanging out with her friend Lou (Cate Blanchett)? A heist, of course, just like her late brother Danny would have done. Her idea? Rob the Metropolitan Museum of Art during its biggest social event of the year of a $150 million dollar necklace locked in a Cartier vault.


How is she going to do that? Well, it starts with getting fashion designer Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter) to convince prominent socialite Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) to let her style her for the gala. Of course, Daphne will have no clue that she is being used, nor that pick pocket Constance (Awkafina), computer hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna), fencing – stolen property, not the sport – expert Tammy (Sarah Paulson) and jeweler Amita (Mindy Kahling) fit into the mix. Then again, when you have a $150 million on the line, it’s probably best to not ask a whole lot of questions. 


Given that Claude Becker (Richard Armitage), the man responsible for Debbie going to jail in the first place, is also going to be Daphne’s date for the evening, however, there are a lot of questions waiting to be answered indeed …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway and James Corden fans; fans of heist movies; people who liked Ghostbusters: Answer the Call; feminists 

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who feel that franchise reboots/add-on movies are unnecessary; people who will miss the original – and by original, I mean modern – Ocean‘s cast; people who have difficulty accepting movies where the audience is required to continually make large and critical leaps of faith


SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A film that features strong performances despite nearly being undone by a script that tries to make a major plot twist and instead creates a major script problem, Ocean’s 8 isn’t a bad film nor great film by any means …


It’s just a nice diversion from your day-to-day existence, which given the nature of the film will be more than enough to satisfy most fans.


Ocean’s 8 is fun because of the seriousness most of the cast gives their roles in terms of performing, NOT because of the situations tin which they find their selves. For much like the scathing reviews of the hot mess that was Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s 8 has a script that requires the audience to believe one of its characters makes a massive switch in a plot twist that only works because it has to for the entire film to work, which distracts from what otherwise would be a fun if not predictable due to its, well, predictable nature. 


Bullock, who has somehow started looking like Michael Jackson all of the sudden, keeps everything flowing smoothly with a solemn resolve while Blanchett plays up her character’s cool and confident nature. Rihanna continues her streak of picking roles where she really gets to continue develop her acting skills into a solid package and Hathaway gets the biggest spotlight, which given the discussion of her role in the film’s trailer, makes total sense seeing as how she does so much to make what could have bene a throwaway role a critical one. At least James Corden continues to prove he may be the most talented host on late night TV with his role as an insurance investigator called in post-heist as he proves there’s a lot more to him than being a more affable Ricky Gervais who does great stuff with pop culture and music. (That’s a roundabout way of saying he can act.)


And like its male-driven counterparts, Ocean’s 8 is a movie you don’t go to for a logical story; it’s one you see for its stars and their interplay with one another. There are cameos from celebrities you’d expect to see at an event involving a big gala at a major metropolitan museum, the main cast trade jokes and interplay well with each other; unfortunately co-writer/director Gary Ross plays things down the easiest path and while there are several subplots that are potentially interesting – what happened with Danny? Are Blanchett’s and Bullock’s characters more than just friends? Why is Armitage’s character even connected to Hathaway’s character in the first place? And we’re supposed to just roll with THAT explanation for Hathaway’s character?! – that are just left unexplored or that are unsatisfying that the grand potential for Ocean’s 8 never quite materialized.


But behind every great fortune is a crime … Audiences will just wish it wasn’t in robbing them of a better movie that could have been made. 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 
 

McCoy on Movies: SOLO

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The galaxy’s most famous scoundrel finds himself often upstaged in latest Star Wars stand alone

“You know, once you see my face … You’ll know I’m not Harrison Ford!” Alden Ehrenreich prepares to make his presence known in a scene from SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY. Credit: Jonathan Olley © & ™ Lucasfilm, Inc. All rights reserved.
 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 




KEY CAST MEMBERS: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany, Joonas Suotamo, Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Thandie Newton

WRITER(S): Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay); George Lucas (based on characters created by)

DIRECTOR(S): Ron Howard

WEB SITE: https://www.starwars.com/films/soloHERE’S THE STORY: The second installment in the Star Wars “here’s the story behind this character/moment in the main films,” Solo focuses on the most famous scoundrel in a galaxy far, far away: Han Solo, now portrayed as his younger self by Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!, Rules Don’t Apply). And this is a much different solo than fans are used to, for the young solo is a man with a dream: To escape his current life on the planet of Corellia where he is living under the rule of Lady Proxima (voiced by Linda Hunt), become a pilot in the Empire fleet (!) and possibly marry his lady love, Qi’Ra (Emilia Clarke). 


But once he and Qi’Ra run afoul of Lady Proxima, Solo finds himself eventually in a whole lot of trouble – which is why once he escapes from prison via a very hairy newfound friend (Joonas Suotamo), he is quick to take on a risky job with Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson). Of course, that job has much more to it than he originally suspects, which sets in motion a trail of events that make being in debt to Crimson Dawn leader Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany) a very, very bad thing. Throw in a contentious relationship with the most notorious and charismatic smuggler in the galaxy (Donald Glover) and you have an epic tale in the making.


Or at least that’s what everyone behind the world’s most popular sci-fi fantasy franchise hopes, anyway …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Donald Glover fans; Star Wars diehards; Chewbacca fans

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate anything outside of the “original” Star Wars films (now known as episodes four, five and six, respectively); adults that are not already Star Wars fans; those who will

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? Far less hard-hitting (both in terms of storytelling, character development and action), Solo is in fact a Star Wars story … It’s just not the best Wars story despite having it focused on what many consider to be the best character in its galaxy.


Accompanied by a friend at the screening I went to, I was asked for my opinion of the film, which took me a second to formulate. And then it came to me: Watching Solo is like watching your team’s franchise quarterback that often underperforms lead to victory as he passes for 400 yards and 4 touchdowns … Only to remember that what was supposed to be said team’s championship season is instead going to end up 8-8 and missing the playoffs. 


Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that’s there’s necessarily anything wrong with Solo. Ehrenreich proves himself capable of hitting all the beats as younger version of one (if not the) most famous of Harrison Ford’s roles. He conveys the expected mix of ambition, recklessness and confidence one might expect while mixing in a nice bit of sensitivity that will set up for why he becomes cold as ice later in his life. Likewise, the rest of the cast turns in commendable performances, Glover in particular in continuing his hot streak by making his turns as Lando Calrissian count for all they’re worth. Harrelson does exactly what he needs to do to make his character’s arc work from start to finish and Chewbacca is Chewbacca – “lol” intended.


However, Solo doesn’t feel like the epic its intended to be for a very simple reason: It doesn’t feel special in any way. It just feels like a standard action film set within the Star Wars universe.


The first hour of the film feels like conveniently placed together events made to fit the existing character fans know INSTEAD of bringing about any real revelations other than how he got his name. To put it another way, the backstory isn’t so much of a coming of age tale where we see how Solo evolves from a boy to a man or any major change in his life that feels organic or revelatory. Instead, it’s a standard action story that doesn’t make Solo feel so much special as just a capable hero. There’s not gritty, soul searching moment, there’s no epic, battle sequence – the most intense sequence in the film is arguably more of a ship battle where several people play a critical part in the outcome – and the most interesting character is barely given a name and has a more interesting backstory than Solo’s in his own movie. In fact, for a man named “Solo” it’s only at his best, it seems, when he has a bunch of people – or Wookies or droids – helping his cause. (Seriously, you see the movie and tell me who was more interesting head-to-head: Solo or Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s L3-37?)


It would just help Solo‘s cause a lot more if he was always the main attraction in his own movie.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):