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Liam Neeson’s Latest Thriller “The Commuter” Reviewed

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Liam Neeson takes a familiar ticket to ride with latest action movie entry

“Hold on – this workout is phenomenal for your core!” Michael (Liam Neeson, in suit on right) tries to help a train conductor separate passenger cars in a scene from THE COMMUTER. Credit: Jay Maidment © 2018 Lionsgate Publicity. All rights reserved.

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WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth McGovern, Andy Nyman, Sam Neill, Colin McFarlane, Shazad Latif and Ella-Rae Smith

WRITER(S): Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (screenplay); Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell (book, The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made on which the film is based)

DIRECTOR(S): Jaume Collett-Serra

 
WEB SITE: https://www.thecommuter.movie/HERE’S THE STORY: Michael MacCauley (Liam Neeson) has had a very rough day at work. Sure, he did get to hang out with his old police partner Alex Murphy (Patrick Wilson) for a bit, but with the news he gave him, it wasn’t exactly a happy occasion. But at least it will all be over soon, for all he has to do is catch the train so he can get home.


There’s just one problem – a mysterious woman (Vera Farmiga) has just given him a curious hypothetical question to ponder: Would he help find a person on the train named Pryn in exchange for $100,000. There’s just one other little problem if he does – that person is likely going to be in a lot of trouble. 


Thus, once Michael realizes the question isn’t hypothetical and the mysterious woman has now threatened his family’s safety, is watching him at all times and already exited the train, he is left with no choice but to do what she says … Unless he can find a way out.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Die-hard Liam Neeson or 80s/90s action movie fans; people who like whodunit movies 

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who thought the messing with Liam Neeson’s family train (no pun intended) should have stopped with Taken 3

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? At this point in his career, you can watch about 30 seconds of a Liam Neeson trailer and nine times out of 10, you will come to the same conclusion: This is a Liam Neeson movie where Liam Neeson does Liam Neeson things – especially if someone has messed with his family. Don’t believe me? These guys immortalized Neeson before going they’re separate ways onto bigger and better things. 


And there you have just about everything you need to know about The Commuter – for it is simply the latest entry into the world of movies that prove illustrate the mantra “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” … Even if the formula may finally be at its breaking point as it the time may have come for Neeson to move on to something else. 


Neither Neeson nor director Jaume Collet-Serra try to reinvent the cinematic wheel at any point in The Commuter; instead, they just try to hit the usual beats in a movie of its ilk as best they can without being too insulting to the audience to try to keep most of its plausibility somewhat plausible. Neeson does his best to make Michael a classic put-upon figure forced into an impossible, damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t-situation. He’s in disbelief at first, then desperate before launching into eventual “now you’ve done it – I’m not playing your games!” mode. (He even says the line in the film, for goodness sake).


Essentially a paint-by-numbers action movie, The Commuter doesn’t make waves, it just rides along its familiar tracks for its in-and-out journey before arriving at a climax that is rather anti-climatic, all things considered. It’s not horrible by any means; it just is everything you’d expect it to be. It’s like riding a cinematic bike – even if there are times it feels like the training wheels need to come off. 


It’s one thing for Liam Neeson’s action movies to be immortalized in a Key & Peele sketch; it’s another thing for his movies to almost feel like they have become a parody of their selves. Thus, while the ride isn’t quite bumpy, it’s not quite that smooth, either … That is, unless, you’ve become so accustomed to it all you care about is getting home at the end of the day.

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

 

Mexican Culture & Music Come To Life in Coco

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Pixar Brings Mexican culture, music to life in animated smash Coco

“We have no Auto-Tune … I hope we’re good!” Aspiring musician Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) teams up with a charming trickster named Héctor (voice of Gael García Bernal) to unravel a generations-old family mystery. Their extraordinary journey through the Land of the Dead includes an unexpected talent show performance of “Un Poco Loco,” an original song in the son-jarocho style of Mexican music written by co-director Adrian Molina and Germaine Franco for the film. Credit: © 2017 Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 




KEY CAST MEMBERS: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor and Jamie Camil

WRITER(S): Lee Unkrich, Jason Katz, Matthew Aldrich and Adrian Molina (original story by); Matthew Aldrich and Adrian Molina (screenplay)

DIRECTOR(S): Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina

 
WEB SITE: http://movies.disney.com/cocoHERE’S THE STORY: Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) is a boy who loves music … and that’s a problem because in his family – in the wake of his great grandfather Ernesto (Benjamin Bratt) who left them to become the greatest musician the world has ever known – music is seen as nothing short of pure evil that rips relatives apart. Miguel, however, is undeterred in his quest to become a musician himself, which is why on the Day of the Dead – in which families visit the graves of their lost loved ones – Miguel sneaks over to the mausoleum containing a guitar that once belonged to Ernesto. But once Miguel plays the guitar, he  – along with his faithful dog Dante – finds himself now in the land of the dead, which is where he sees several family members including his Mamá Imelda (Alanna Ubach), who will only give Miguel her blessing to return to the land of the living on one condition: He give up his dream of becoming a musician forever.


Of course, this makes Miguel hightail it away from Mamá Imelda and the rest of his family, which is how he runs into Hector (Gael García Bernal), a trickster desperate for Miguel to return to the land of the living and take his picture with him. Why you ask? All will be revealed throughout the course of the night.


All Miguel has to do is stay alive in the land of the dead long enough to bring our story full circle.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Disney•Pixar fans; people who will find the story culturally respectful and enriching


WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Those who will see the film as somehow not following enough realities of Mexican culture

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? At this point, Disney•Pixar has pretty much proven anything they release is gold; Coco – a film that cleverly reveals its title’s significance late in the story – is just evidence that the company can make it regardless of what language/culture its character make speak or from which they come.  


Coco features superb visuals, an original story with enough twists to entertain adults while making children smile; then again, it wouldn’t quite be a Disney•Pixar movie without some testing of your tear ducts, so one should expect the heartfelt story to make having a box of Kleenex close by a good idea. The vocal cast – Gonzalez in particular – nails each of their roles to the point you forget you are watching an animated film as the exploration of the Land of the Dead is fantastically splayed across the screen. There is enough depth to each of the critical characters to keep the story moving along at a brisk pace, all while co-writers/directors Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina provide a rich landscape of both music and humanity akin to Disney classics of yesteryear.


In short, if there is a flaw with the film, it may be that the film wraps up so succinctly you wonder how in the world its creative team will come up with a sequel worthy of Coco itself; for one will likely be heavily inclined to want to spend time with its characters again.


Who knew a journey to the Land of the Dead could be so life affirming?

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

 

Uneven Superhero Mashup Justice League

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“Yo – you seen that dude Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons anywhere? We’ve got to talk to him!” (L-R) Aquaman (Jason Momoa) as Aquaman, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) prepare for battle in a scene from Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure JUSTICE LEAGUE, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, J.K. Simmons, Billy Crudup, Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Joe Morton and Ciarán Hinds

WRITER(S): Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon (screenplay); Chris Terrio and Zack Snyder (story); Bob Kane, Bill Finger, William Moulton Marston, Joe Shuster and Joe Siegel (characters)

DIRECTOR(S): Zack Snyder

 
WEB SITE: http://www.justiceleaguethemovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Still reeling from the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman (Ben Affleck) has been on the hunt to track down a group of “metahumans” he believes will be essential in helping him fight future threats to earth. And while he already has Amazonian “wonder woman” Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) on board and a very eager and speedy Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) on board, Arthur Curry a.k.a. “the man who talks to fish” (Jason Momoa) is not trying to hear Wayne’s pitch. Then again, at least Arthur knows who he is, because Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) is still coming to grips with what his scientist father (Joe Morton) has done to him in the wake of an accident that should have taken this life. 


But with a threat he’s yet to determine the origin of seemingly starting to become more and more prevalent around Gotham, Wayne knows he’s going to need to get them all on his side sooner than later if the earth if going to have any chance to survive.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Batman Vs. Superman apologists; Gal Gadot fans; Jason Momoa fans; people who will appreciate the visuals and references to other DC properties

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hated Batman Vs. Superman; people who hate the idea/execution of Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight; those who will find the film’s main antagonist underwhelming; people who will find some sequences of the film very paint-by-numbers and/or uneven

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? “Diet Avengers … Diet Avengers … Diet Avengers” …


Sometimes, when a certain phrase goes through your head repeatedly, you have to stop and ask yourself “why?” To call Justice League “Diet Avengers” might at first seem like a cop out, but upon further contemplation, it may not be so much a cop out as much as it is a short yet accurate recapitulation of Warner Bros./DC Comics boldest attempt yet to compete head to head with the ebulliant force that is the Marvel Universe. 


A better term, however, might be “mixed bag” – because for a film where so many things are done right, so many others just feel out of place or wrong.


When Affleck was cast as Batman in the ill-received (or should that be, conceived?) Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, he – despite his best efforts – really didn’t do anything wrong … But he also really didn’t do anything significant to quell the online backlash, either. In Justice League, Affleck finds himself once again, like his onscreen counterpart, of trying to do the right thing while knowing there are many who will just simply not forgive him for what he has done. Whereas he hits all the usual Bruce Wayne beats, he doesn’t do anything to make his character stand out. We get a kinder, gentler Batman, but one that seemingly only has any distinction in just how non-distinct he is. 


Likewise, Miller’s take on The Flash almost feels like an homage to another friendly, swinging neighborhood Marvel character, which, despite what surely is an attempt at bringing some levity to the situation, some are more often than not to find annoying (or at best, cheeky in an Austin Powers way) than genuinely humorous.


It is the film’s villain, however, that is an utter disappointment. Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciaran Hinds) feels like a low-rent villain, has low-rent villain dialogue and lacks the usual cool factor associated with most DC villains. There’s just nothing to him … Other than saying since he’s another Norse-style mythology creature he feels like a very low-rent, not entertaining version of another popular Marvel antagonist, right down to the horns.


On a positive note, Gadot once again shines and shines bright as the Amazon Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman while Fisher and Momoa make what – for all intents and purposes outside of Cyborg on Cartoon Network’s popular show Teen Titans Go! – have never been more than also-ran characters into viable parts of the franchise. Despite a rather lame origin explanation, Fisher makes sure his character balances a fine line between brooding and bruising while Momoa brings a rockstar cowboy flair that boosts the chances (and likely fans’ desire) for an Aquaman solo outing. (You’ll get your wish soon, Atlantis fans …) 


Then again, while there are great homages to past DC characters (Ryan Reynolds couldn’t even hate on how they show respect to his former green alter-ego) and the use of Henry Cavill is both great at its best moments and sappy at their worst, the film just feels OK – and that’s NOT what you want for major superhero team foray. Call it a bit of superhero fatigue, perhaps there’s a bit of wanting to appeal to the masses as opposed to just the die hard fans or the hard balancing act of fitting in a bunch of characters that haven’t previously come together before, but Justice League just feels like above average characters in an average superhero story. You’ll want to stick around through the end credits, of course, to see what may be next for the DC galaxy (using the term universe seems a bit redundant at this point), but you and your legion of friends can probably figure that out …


All in all, Justice League is not horrible, but it’s definitely not anything that’s going to make you feel like you need to rush out to see it again. Then again, if you didn’t like Batman Vs. Superman or the under-appreciated Suicide Squad, you might be better served catching a matinee. Because Justice League is definitely in a league of its own.


Whether audiences consider that league minor or major, however, remains to be seen. 

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

 

Queen City Shines In A Movie That Is Cinematically Tarnished

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“Man, I know we decided to shoot this movie here in Cincinnati … But could someone have warned me what chili every day was gonna do to my system?!” Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell, left) listens to Martin (Barry Keoghan) in a scene from writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos’ THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER. Credit: Jima (Atsushi Nishijima), courtesy of A24. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


KEY CAST MEMBERS:  Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Sunny Suljic, Raffey Cassidy and Alicia Silverstone

WRITER(S): Yorgos Lanthimos

DIRECTOR(S): Yorgos Lanthimos

 
WEB SITE: http://www.thesnowmanmovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) is a surgeon – and a very good one. He lives in idyllic bliss with his wife Anna Murphy (Nicole Kidman) a fellow medical professional and their children Kim (Raffey Cassidy), an aspiring choir star and Bob (Sunny Suljic), who is nearing puberty. And for Steven, life as he knows it is good. Very, very good, in fact. 


But that’s where Martin (Barry Keoghan) comes into play. You see, Martin is a young teenager who dreams of one day following in Steven’s footsteps, which is why he’s spent the last 6 months or so mentoring the youngman. Or at least that’s what Steven is lead to believe. 


For what Martin is truly after is so sinister, so malicious, so … revenge-fueled that neither his mother (Alicia Silverstone), Steven nor the rest of the rest of the Murphy clan has any idea what he’s truly up to …


But trust and believe they will. And very, very soon …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Creeps; people who enjoy the Saw franchise and all its sequels; people who will excuse an art house film that is well shot with a big name cast as something other than what it is; people you generally don’t hope to go on to have children

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Anyone who sees the lackluster plot for what it is; those who find the characters/scenario over-the-top ridiculous plot that lacks any of the supposed depth, thought and/or exploration of humanity you would otherwise be led to believe exist in this film

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? About 2-3 times a year, I come across a movie that is supposed to be a uniquely interesting experience. A film that is supposed to perhaps provoke, maybe even titillate or make you question something on a deeper, how does humanity-and-our-most-base-instincts-affect-us level, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is the type of movie that once you watch it, you’ll never forget it.


And that’s a shame – because given that the film is the cinematic equivalent to a rough bowel movement, I truly, truly wish I could.


Shot on location in my native Cincinnati, Deer is essentially one of those “man faced with an impossible choice” movies that feels like the team behind it dares the audience to make a similar difficult decision of its own: Sit through the entire 2 hours of torture that is the film’s running time. Where does the film go oh so wrong? Oh let us now count the ways …


First, the acting in the film is absolutely, for lack of a better word, terrible. Farrell and his family play the perfect suburban, white upper class family so stiffly to the point it is comically bad and highly unbelievable. In short, you haven’t seen characters this upper crust since Winthorpe’s friends sang in Trading Places and even they had more soul/realism in them than these characters. Whereas Farrell portrays his doctor as a man for whom his entire world is controlled and clinical, Kidman – who steals the easy-for-the-taking show – is prim and proper for the film’s first half to the point that her character’s attitude switch almost feels misplaced even though it is the only performance that drives the story forward. 


Likewise, Cassidy’s terribly over-the-top Stockholm Syndrome completely overrides whatever writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos was attempting to achieve with it, again become ludicrous to the point the film’s attempt to take itself so seriously – or maybe it’s not at all, a target if which intended also misses the mark – that her character becomes annoying. The work done by Suljic is admirable as he also maintains a modicum of reality in the situation, despite the fact the is so devoid of anything that doesn’t feel like a parody of itself that it’s hard to care.


Then there’s the absolute insane use of Alicia Silverstone as Martin’s mother. The less said about it, the better. There have celebrity breakdowns more entertaining – and less maddening – than what she exhibits in Deer, and that includes her token white character in a predominantly black film role in the long forgotten Beauty Shop.


Then there is the most problematic character of the film of all: Barry Keoghan’s Martin. A character that is essentially the devil incarnate with more charm, his Rainman-like presence (as a character, not as an actor) is a hard pill to swallow, especially given the lack of explanation for what he is able to do to Steven’s family. (I stay spoiler free as I know some of you will still be foolish enough to see this movie no matter what I say.) Manipulative and apparently intelligent on the level of Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw character, his demeanor coupled with his desire to rationalize his actions is at the same time perplexing, comical, ridiculous and annoying. Martin is as much a caricature of a villain as Steven is of a man placed into an impossible situation, an undeniable fact which makes the entire film feel like an overacted, overwrought and nearly cartoonish 70s B-movie masquerading as a modern psychological thriller.


But trust and believe once the mask is off, The Killing of a Sacred Deer would be better as chopped venison on the bottom of a merciful editor’s floor.

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

Familiar faces, fun return in Thor: Ragnarok

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The final theatrical release poster for THOR: RAGNAROK. Credit: © 2017 Marvel Studios.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 




KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Karl Urban, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum and Sir Anthony Hopkins

WRITER(S): Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost (screenplay); Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Larry Lieber (based on the comics by)

DIRECTOR(S): Taika Waititi

 
WEB SITE: http://marvel.com/movies/movie/222/thor_ragnarokHERE’S THE STORY: Thor (Chris Hemsworth), 2 years removed from the last time the Avengers got together to defeat Ultron, finds himself in a bit of an unexpected bind: Hela (Cate Blanchett), the goddess of death, is coming home to Asgard. But she is not coming home for a reunion; no, she is coming home to claim what she believes is rightfully hers: the throne of Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), so that she can rule over the nine realms. 


Unfortunately for Thor, he’s got a bigger problem on his hands: He’s imprisoned on the planet of Sakaar, a literal trash wasteland ruled by a figure known simply as The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). And the Grandmaster is quite fond of his gladiator battle champion, who as Thor will find out is an old friend from work in the form of the Incredible Hulk … Who he hasn’t seen since his alter ego Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) disappeared after the events of the war in Sokovia (that’s the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie again for the uninitiated). 


So what is the god of thunder to do since he’s got to (1) battle a former brother-at-arms in the Hulk while (2) worrying about what his actual brother and (3) sister who is bent on bringing Ragnarok (a.k.a. destruction) to their home of Asgard? You’re about to find out! 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Longstanding Marvel movie fans; Chris Hemsworth fans; Jeff Goldblum fans; people who like more accessible superhero movies; people who wish Marvel would make another Incredible Hulk movie


WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who are hoping for a more serious Marvel movie in line with the Captain America series or with the emotional and comedic depth or say the Guardians of the Galaxy series; those who find the film a bit too comical in parts; those who look forward to the post-credit scenes more than the actual movies itself sometimes; those who feel the Planet Hulk storyline could have been explored better/more deeply


SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A film that is does nothing really wrong but fails to yield something revelatory on its protagonist’s latest (mostly) solo mission, Thor: Ragnarok is a like a meal you’ve had before that you throw a new seasoning on and add a new garnish to on the side. In other words, it’s another win for Marvel Studios, even if it feels a bit familiar despite a few new tasty morsels being added to the mix. 


Thor: Ragnarok follows a bit of the Guardians 2 philosophy of (1) a lot of jokes plus (2) an emotional reveal for the lead character and (3) an emotional battle that leaves the hero forever changed. Hemsworth has his part down pat at this part given that it is his fifth go round as the Norse god, as does Hiddleston as Thor’s mischievous brother Loki. Blanchett does her best to make Hela a formidable force even if the crazy-female-family-member thing feels a bit, well, bland after watching it play out in two Guardians adventures (with a bit more teeth to it). Goldblum is a bit of whimsical fun and it’s clear the veteran actor is having fun in his role, which plays well off Ruffalo who portrays Dr. Bruce Banner as an über-nerdy scientist still coming to grips with both himself and his green alter ego to strong comedic effect. 


Don’t get me wrong: Thor has plenty of “lol” moments, there are a couple nice surprises along the way and director Taika Waititi – wonder if he’ll go by Taka Waita Flame if he ever decides to try a music career – brings some strong visuals in behind the camera while adding some great laughs as Korg (imagine if The Thing’s had a grey cousin). But whereas Iron Man‘s films always had some sort of cool reveal and the Captain America movies conveyed a serious sense of danger, Thor: Ragnarok instead feels like it just hits all of the necessary beats without one element that hits a hard solo that you’ll be talking about for years to come. But then again, that’s probably what next year’s Black Panther and Infinity War opus is for.


In the meantime, Thor: Ragnarok will serve to look to serve your superhero fix with a solid-if-not-comfortably familiar adventure to tide you over until 2018.

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

 

Déjá Vu Gets A Fun, Murderous Touch With Happy Death Day

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“Oh man, good thing I called for an Uber so I can escape this parking garage safely … Wait a minute, is THAT my Uber driver?!” Tree (Jessica Rothe) hides as her masked killer attempts to murder her again in a scene from HAPPY DEATH DAY. Credit: © 2017 Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken, Rachel Matthews, Phi Vu, Rob Mello and Laura Clifton

WRITER(S): Scott Lobdell 

DIRECTOR(S): Christopher Landon

 
WEB SITE: http://www.happydeathdaymovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Theresa a.k.a. Tree (Jessica Rothe) is a college student at a typical university in Louisiana. What isn’t typical, however, is that today is a day that most girls her age can’t wait to celebrate, that being her birthday. And while her roommate Lori (Ruby Modine) might be excited about it, her favorite professor (Charles Aitken) might be a bit taken aback and Carter (Israel Broussard) – the co-ed in whose dorm room she unexpectedly awoke this morning – is simply happy to see her, there’s a bigger problem awaiting Tree later that night: Her death.


As it turns out, after being murdered by a figure dressed in all black save for a creepy baby mask of her school’s mascot, Tree awakens the next morning back in Carter’s room, only to experience 

déjà vu, reliving her entire day over. That includes getting murdered. Again. And again. And again.

 
Growing tired of being well, murdered, Tree starts to devise a plan: Figure out who is murdering her before they can do it again and maybe then she can escape her Halloween-meets-Groundhog Day existence. 

But given the list of potential suspects, Tree might have to get used to get stabbed, shot, clubbed and maimed for the foreseeable future … Even in the mounting injury list might mean her time is starting to run out.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Fans of horror movies where the main characters are enjoyable people; fans of movies that mix humor into the thriller aspect; anyone who can appreciate a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously but does at the right times; those who will appreciate the film’s concept and the competent execution of it

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Fans expecting a more serious/blood-filled experience; those who may figure out who is behind the mask early on; those who may not appreciate the simple nature of the story and its execution

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? A film that’s more about the character’s story than it is a straight out horror experience, Happy Death Day works because of a lighthearted (if you can have that in a movie where a female character repeatedly gets murdered) tone and a strong, well-rounded performance by its lead and a competent group of co-stars.


Rothe is, for lack of a better word, fun to watch as Tree, a character that is well-developed and goes from being pretty terrible to pretty well, not terrible while Broussard is so naive and likable you can’t help but root for his character. The pair make for a great duo, one a very alpha female while the other plays the role of a good Samaritan with a proverbial platonic best friend twist to a “T.” It’s really a credit to her that she is able to take what could have been a disaster of a character in the wrong hands and make it into a viable, enjoyable character that drives the story. 


Whereas Rothe can be a word that rhymes with “witch” at times before switching her game up, Broussard is perfect as a Scooby-Doo-esque sidekick who just wants to get the girl, or, at the very least, help her from dying (after every time she explains what’s happening to her).


Throw in some nice cheesy-but-not-too-cheesy-to-be-enjoyable sequences with the baby face killer after Rothe’s character, some good ol’ fashioned disturbing music and a few nice, unexpected touches and Happy Death Day is a (well not perfect) mix of humor, horror movie tropes and an interesting story that will entertain you without draining you w/ silliness or gore. Whereas Blumhouse’s other big 2017 hit Get Out was a sharp, satirical that resonated due to its social commentary and exploration of the African-American psyche in modern America, Happy Death Day is more of a simple, gather with your friends/a full theater and take in the experience type of thriller that’s easy to digest but fun at the same time. 

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

Emma Stone serves up fitting tribute to Billie Jean King in Battle of the Sexes

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“You know, I never thought about this before but … How did your character seriously hook up with Jonah Hill in Superbad?!” Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) talks things over with Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) in a scene from BATTLE OF THE SEXES. Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Austin Stowell, Elisabeth Shue, Jessica McNamee and Fred Armisen 

WRITER(S): Simon Beaufoy

DIRECTOR(S): Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Feris

 
WEB SITE: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/battleofthesexes/HERE’S THE STORY: It was one of the most famous events in sports of the 1970s and eventually would become one of the most famous sporting events in history. But while the world saw a battle between a budding tennis star and a self-proclaimed male chauvinist pig, there was far more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. For while Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) was battling what she saw as an unfair payscale for she and her fellow female players, she also was dealing with coming to terms with a budding “forbidden” love with hair dresser Marilyn Bennett (Andrea Riseborough) … Despite being married to her husband Larry (Austin Stowell).


Meanwhile, while living off the glory of his days as a former champion tennis player, 55 year-old Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) is trying to be a good husband to his wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Unfortunately, his old gambling demons are quite alive and well as is his desire to regain the spotlight. This, of course, leads him to dream up an idea that will be as much spectacle as it is sport: a “battle of the sexes” between the top women’s player in the world and himself. 


What results, however, will be a battle that expands way beyond a simple tennis match. 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Emma Stone fans; Sarah Silverman fans; tennis historians; the LGBTQ community; 

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Trump supporters; anti-LGBTQ supporters and the religious right; people who wish the film would dive deeper into the aftermath of King’s life following the event and the struggles she faced  

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Some biopics go through painstaking detail to explore every aspect of its subjects’ lives; some present the most-glossed over, slapdash/mediocre puff pieces that fail to capture what made their subject matter.

Battle of the Sexes is neither of those things; instead, it is a film that simply attempts to showcase some aspects of its two lead characters in great stylish detail while at the same time, humanizing them while being very selective in displaying judgment of their actions. It’s really an ingenious trick on the part of co-directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Feris; there are no over-the-top dramatics, there are no true villains as much as there are people representing the ideals of the time from a very understandable (given the times) mindset. Then again, Margaret Court hasn’t exactly softened her stance on King’s life in her advance years, Bennett and King had a very public struggle that’s left out of the film and Stowell’s level-headed, let-me-do-what’s-best-for-the-woman-I-love-despite-our-own-turmoil may not exactly have been as it plays out on screen. 


Yes, the movie does take a few liberties with the actual facts, it does stick a mostly factual approach driven by a very up-to-the-task Stone. Stone captures King’s legendary competitiveness, shyness and desire to simply make things better for other women and Carell – who’s character almost becomes a tragic figure in a very Hollywood way before getting a very Hollywood moment at the end of the film – bring a great bit of levity to the whole scene as Riggs while Silverman is great as King’s tennis tour promoter/manager Gladys. (Think of a character fresh from The Carol Burnett Show or Rhoda living it up in sassy, glorious fashion while chain-smoking herself to death and you’ve got her character down pat.) Riseborough comes off as little more than a spacey, new-age chick that is everything King isn’t, but it plays well enough that it doesn’t feel as gimmicky/out-of-place as it might sound on paper. Throw in a “perfect for the current times even though the setting is the early 1970s” quote by a perfectly used Alan Cumming and the film hits enough beats to balance things out. 


Perhaps one day, the balance King fought for won’t need a movie to remind the world of how far it’s come. 

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

The Dark Tower: Generic Good-vs-Evil Storytelling

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“Who told me they didn’t like ‘Throw Ya Gunz’ by Onyx?! WHO SAID IT?!” Roland (Idris Elba) engages in a shootout in a scene in director Nikolaj Arcel’s adaptation of Stephen King’s THE DARK TOWER. Credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures © 2017 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved. 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, Katheryn Winnick, Nicholas Paulding and Jackie Earle Haley

WRITER(S): Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinker, Anders Thomas Jensen and Nikolaj Arcel (screenplay); Stephen King (based on the novels by) 

DIRECTOR(S): Nikolaj Arcel 

 
WEB SITE: http://www.thedarktower-movie.com/site/HERE’S THE STORY: Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) keeps having nightmares of a world where a mysterious man in black looms in a threatening manner while a man styled like a Wild West gunslinger tries to stop him … All while a tall, dark tower stands constantly under attack.


While Jake’s mom (Claudia Kim) and stepdad (Nicholas Paulding) think whatever Jake is seeing is made up, Jake himself quickly learns that it is not once he sees people from his vision in his home that are supposedly from a clinic designed to help kids like him. Fast-forward a bit and Jake then realizes that the man in black is Walter (Matthew McConaughey), a sorcerer who is determined to collapse the dark tower from his dreams. Jake also discovers that the gunslinger is named Roland (Idris Elba), a man who is the last of his kind and determined to stop Walter. 

(On a personal note, Roland is also seeking revenge against Walter for what he did to his father – Dennis Haysbert – but you’ll learn more about that as the story goes on.) 


And as Jake is soon about to discover, his role in either saving or destroying not only his world but all of those in existence is a critical one indeed …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? McConaughey fans; people who like basic sci-fi stories; anyone who will enjoy all of Easter eggs connecting the film to other works of Stephen King; those who want a Cliff Notes®-style overview of the book series

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate films that feel like Cliff Notes®/watered-down versions of larger, deeper stories; anyone who loves King’s books but feels that most of the film adaptations lose the spirit of the story; anyone looking for something with a definitive quality to the storytelling and/or its presentation; moviewatchers who, if they start pointing out flaws in a film, can’t stop once they do; Idris Elba fans 

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? The cinematic equivalent to a frozen version of your favorite restaurant chain’s food in your local grocery store, The Dark Tower is a fast and loose adaptation of what is the introduction to what is the Stephen King Universe (literally) that needs to be slower, steadier and more serious than it is. 


The Dark Tower was once considered to be a project too arduous to possibly film in one take … Looking at the finished result, that coupled with reports of a troubled production make that idea seems to ring truer than ever as just about everything in the film feels truncated even if like (ADMISSION: yours truly) you’ve not read one page of the book. Plot points feel rushed, dialogue is boiled down to the most simplistic of exchanges and – at 91 minutes – and the film has an aforementioned Cliff Notes® feel to it. I can almost imagine this exchange at many offices across the country come next Monday:


Person 1: “I saw The Dark Tower this weekend.”


Person 2: “I read the books but was going to wait – how was it?”


Person 1, who has not read the books: “It was good. I liked how the made everything seem like one big world but didn’t overdo it with too many details to keep the story simple so that the Gunslinger’s final confrontation with The Man in Black was tense.”


Person 2: “What did you think of the connections to The Shining and 1408? How was Stephen King’s character in the movie versus how it was in the books? Did you catch all the high speech references?”


Person 1, feeling flop sweat forming: “Yeah … Oh man – I need coffee.”


Then again, even if you are Person 1 in this scenario, you might realize that the story feels a bit, well, dry, given its reputation as King’s magnum opus work given the generic feel of film. Instead of intense, gripping drama, you get paint-by-numbers “and the bad guy does this and the good guy reacts like this” storytelling with McConaughey playing the cool villain like Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in the mid-90s and Elba as the straight-laced (a.k.a. borderline boring) man after him. It’s rare that you want a movie to be longer, but with The Dark Tower, save from Taylor’s pretty stellar turn as young Jake Chambers, you don’t care so much about the story other than seeing what you already just know has to be coming. (And if a Stephen King story feels predictable, that cannot be good, right?) 


Throw in scenes that feel thrown in just to exist, the fact McConaughey’s character seemingly could kill EVERYONE in EVERY universe simply by saying it into reality EXCEPT Roland apparently for reasons that are not clearly detailed and, most important of all, does NOTHING to make itself seem distinct (as so many other King stories have) other than being a distilled good-versus-evil Western and what do you have? 


A rather generic film made from what is supposed to be one of the most distinct stories in an acclaimed writer’s bibliography. The movie is OK, but it’s nothing special – and that’s a shame that when the goal should have clearly been for director Nikolaj Arcel and company to not have forgotten the face of their story’s father.

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

 

Ambivalent Sci-Fi in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

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“Now … To find the guy that told me A Cure for Wellness was gonna do big numbers earlier this year!” Valerian (Dane DeHaan)  patrols in a scene Luc Besson’s latest sci-fi adventure VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS. Credit:  Domitille Girard Photo courtesy of STX Entertainment Motion Picture Artwork © 2017 STX Financing, LLC. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock, Sam Spruell and Kris Wu

WRITER(S): Luc Besson (screenplay); Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières (French comic book/graphic novel on which the film is based) 

DIRECTOR(S): Luc Besson

 
WEB SITE: https://www.facebook.com/ValerianMovieHERE’S THE STORY: Years ago, species throughout the galaxy started joining forces on a structure very similar to the International Space Station and created a floating utopia called Alpha. Now, in the 28th Century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and his partner Loralei (Cara Delevingne) are police offers that work for the Human Federation, making sure to respond to any and all threats to that peace. So when a radioactive force is discovered at the center of Alpha, Valerian and Loralei are called in to figure out what is going on – a situation complicated by the nightmare Valerian had of a planet being wiped out. 


And as they begin their journey, Valerian and his partner (and girl of his dreams?) soon find out there’s a lot more to his vision – and what they’re investigating – than they ever dreamed. 

 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Die-hard sci-fi fans; people who love all of director Luc Besson’s works; Rihanna fans; people who thought the Star Wars prequels got a bad rap; Cara Delvingne fans;  

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? 



SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Given that the name of the film is Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, it is pretty easy to talk about how the film tries to do about 1,000 things in an attempt to be the ultimate sci-fi movie and only does maybe a tenth of them well. 


On the plus side, the film looks great in 3D as director Luc Besson and company actually use the technology well to immerse you into Valerian’s and Lorelei’s world. Additionally, Delevinge exudes a strong, silent sexy confidence as Lorelei and proves herself to be an intriguing character as does Rihanna, who’s performance is nuanced and should have no fears of being roasted the same way Ed Sheeran recently was for his Game of Thrones appearance. In fact, one might argue Rihanna’s character is the best thing about the movie, both in execution and significance to the story.


Unfortunately, that’s where the praise of Valerian ceases – for everything else about the movie seems to be a study in excess and how NOT to do a sci-fi movie from start to finish.


Complaining about something looking fake in a science fiction movie is kind of like going to a restaurant and complaining about not being able to come back to an all-you-can-eat buffet and complaining you can’t come back the next day to eat again without paying a second time: It’s dumb. That being said, the CGI in Valerian is a bit much at times as the inhabitants of Mul just look like the worst Avatar-inspired creatures ever. Next up, the story is a bit overly convoluted for a reason that is never explicitly explained in regards to why the bad guy (once the bad guy is revealed) is doing what he’s doing other than doing it for the sake of doing it. 


Adding to the problems is the fact that DeHaan’s character is just … flat … And shares as close to zero chemistry with Delevingne (show steals every scene they’re in together) as possible. Whereas his character is apparently supposed to be a cocky ladies man who has a soft spot for Lorelei but instead he just comes off as kind of a douche that she reluctantly cares about and is just waiting for him to learn his lesson. Seriously, out of all the performances in the film, Dehaan’s is about the least interesting of the entire batch – and that’s a problem. The advice Han Solo once famously gave advice to a young Luke Skywalker would seriously serve DeHaan’s character well in the movie. Sadly, that is not the case here. (Then again, it’s not quite as painful as watching Clive Owen and Ethan Hawke play the most over-the-top characters this side of John Turturro in those awful Transformers movies, complete with bad outfits to match.) Throw in Besson’s tendency to overindulge everything – be it cutesy characters in the form of the three Jar-Jar Binks-esque, platypus-inspired informations Lorelei deals or the über-cute little creatures that produce the pearls the Muls – a key species in the movie – value so dearly to the long-for-no-good-reason sequences that drone on, Valerian is an exercise in giving to every idea that sounds good without realizing how well they do or don’t fit together. It’s almost like he took everything people said they loved about The Fifth Element and forgot why people use editors (both video and script).

Likewise, the film wants to be funny when it should be trying to be taking serious and comes off as funny when it’s trying to be serious. Add in the fact it wants to be Star Wars (there a LOT of characters that look like they were hanging out at the Mos Einsley Cantina) and look like Avatar without achieving either well and throw in a bit of a preachy message (there’s one in there) and Valerian rolls out as an ambitious but overwrought mess.

Could be worse, though – at least it’s not Battlefield Earth.

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

 

Tom Holland Swings into Superhero Stardom in Spider–Man: Homecoming

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“Man … I wonder if Deadpool got my text message …” Spider-Man (Tom Holland) chills out in a scene from Columbia Pictures’ SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING. Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures © 2017 CTM, Inc. All rights reserved. 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Glover with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey, Jr. 

WRITER(S): Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley; Jon Watts and Christopher Ford; Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers / Based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko 

DIRECTOR(S): Jon Watts

 
WEB SITE: http://sites.sonypictures.com/spidermanhomecoming/splash/#ticketsHERE’S THE STORY: Having just finished up the events depicted in Captain America: Civil War, young Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is thoroughly enjoying his time as an “intern” at Stark Enterprises – especially since his internship is really just a cover so his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) doesn’t become suspicious of what he is really doing: Dressing in a special suit designed for him by Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) so he can become a crime-fighting superhero.


Tony, however, doesn’t quite trust the young Peter to go out and save the world, which is why he has his driver Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) routinely checking up on him and trying to dissuade him from biting off more than he can chew. After all, he is still in high school, hangs out with his equally nerdy best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and is on the debate team where he battles the indifference of Michelle (Zendaya) and Flash (Tony Revolori) for the attention of Liz (Laura Harrier).  


But while Peter is trying his best to keep Aunt May and Tony at bay while dealing with the regular pressures of high school, he soon will have to deal with another problem: Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), the head of a cleanup company that gets the shaft when the head of the Department of Damage Control shows up and takes over one his jobs. Undeterred to let yet another Tony Stark venture stop him from earning a living, Toomes later finds some alien technology that Damage Control forgot to take with them …


And this is how supervillians and superheroes, ladies and gentlemen, are made …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? People who liked Holland’s character in Civil War; people who disliked the “dark” Spider-Man as played by Andrew Garfield; those who prefer the character in his high school settings vs. his adult ones; anyone who doesn’t mind certain elements of Spider-Man’s mythology being remixed for the sake of another new film

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People faithful to the first two Spider-Man films; anyone who has very specific thoughts/ideas about Spider-Man and his suit; people who won’t like how the first series of films are/are not acknowledged

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Spider-Man: Homecoming is a solid film that benefits from the help of Marvel Studios’ direct involvement while at the same time leaves you with more than one “what about that?” question in your head.


A film that tries to meet every challenge facing it while at the same time sets itself up for a new series of them, Homecoming thrives due to the performance of Holland, who arguably captures the truly playful sense of being a high school kid associated with the Spider-Man character while at the same time showcasing he is a capable crime-fighter. Holland nails his interpretation of the spandexed-superhero, making his journey from novice to skilled fighter both extremely entertaining and unique to his movie. His interactions with Downey are about as perfect as they can be, all while maintaining the needed awkward teenager vibe that is essential to the Peter Parker character.


Likewise, Keaton is great, channeling the best elements of his more animated (in terms of energy, not actual cartoons) roles past (think Beetlejuice, but more subtle and terrorizing with the same absence of a potential conscious in most instances). Considering the general public’s lack of knowledge of the Vulture (who, in keeping with most modern super hero movie cannon, is not mentioned by name), Keaton definitely makes his villain a very formidable presence, both from setting up his proverbial turn to the dark side and, in the words of the artist formerly known as The Rock, knowing his role. In fact, as a whole, the film does a solid job of establishing its current characters into the Marvel Universe, making sure that the story fits and adds to the overall canon.


The problems Homecoming has, however, are ones that are innate to a franchise rebooting itself for the second time. Having gone from two great original films (let’s not talk about that third one) to a “darker” pair of follow-ups back to a more humorous one that treads on some familiar territory, Spider-Man: Homecoming – with his heavy dose of humor mixed with the infusion of the Marvel Universe as a whole – attempts to mix the best of all worlds but doesn’t always make you forget the worlds it already has lived in.


Harrier serves her role well as the object of Peter’s affection (always a source of conflict for our beloved hero) … But seeing how the previous sets of films have already seen him love Mary Jane Watson and (late spoiler alert) suffer through the life and loss of Gwen Stacy, seeing exactly how Homecoming sets up his future love stories and how they will play out. Likewise, seeing how in some films he has been the creator of his own suit, been able to shoot webs without the suit and now shifts to a suit made by Tony Stark (although that is somewhat explained later in the film), some fans will no doubt have a few nitpicky issues with whether the film is about Peter Parker’s transition from teenager to titan or about him figuring out his place as a superhero in the world. Of course, yours truly would argue why couldn’t it be about both, but you can’t please everybody. 


Last but certainly not least, as the creative team behind Batman Vs. Superman found out, it’s extremely hard to keep rebooting a character and mixing their origin story – or, as it is in this case, more of a “we’re just going from here now and the others don’t matter anymore” story and expect your audience to follow suit. Once the audience has an idea of what to expect, it’s virtually impossible to start over at zero and now have the expectations/limitations that come with the past rear their head in the present. But then again, that is kind of the neat trick that Spider-Man: Homecoming pulls off – because despite all of those lofty things to overcome, the movie does enough to stand on its own and stand on its own well. It’s web-slinging fun with a very capable cast, a great load of humor – Homecoming is probably the funniest movie not named Guardians of the Galaxy – and enough interesting twists and turns to make it a worthwhile entry into the Marvel Universe.

Where it goes from here, however, remains to be seen …

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

Johansson and Company Turn Up the Funny in Rough Night

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“The untold story of Destiny’s stepchildren is a tragic one, indeed …” Alice (Jillian Bell, second from left in blue dress) takes center stage while her best friends Jess (Scarlett Johansson), Blair (Zoë Kravitz) and Frankie (Ilana Glazer) strut their stuff in a scene from ROUGH NIGHT. Credit: Macall Polay © 2016 CTMG Inc. All rights reserved.  

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Zoë Kravitz, Illena Glazer, Paul W. Downs, Ryan Cooper, Dean Winters, Enrique Muriano, Colton Haynes, Bo Burnham, Demi Moore and Ty Burrell 

WRITER(S): Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs

DIRECTOR(S): Lucia Aniello

WEB SITE: http://www.roughnightmovie.com/site/HERE’S THE STORY: Jess (Scarlett Johansson), Alice (Jillian Bell), Frankie (Ilana Glaser) and Blair (Zoë Kravitz) were the best of friends in college. But now, they’re grown up and dealing with their own problems which is why Jess’ upcoming marriage to Peter (Paul W. Downs) are a perfect opportunity for the four of them to reunite and blow off some steam down in Miami. After all, Frankie is an unemployed activist, Blair is going through a rough patch of her own and Alice is, well Alice seems to enjoy her job as an elementary school teacher.


So, once the foursome meets up Jess’ other best friend, peppy Australian Pippa (played with Kate McKinnon with the right amount of authenticity and audacity), the group looks to have the makings of a perfect weekend. 


Then the stripper (Ryan Cooper) Blair hires shows up … and there’s an incident. (If you watch the trailer, you’ll know what it is.) What follows is more than enough to live up to the movie’s title – and the new champion of the craziest comedy of 2017 thus far. 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Anyone who liked the movie Bridesmaids; fans of Broad City; Kate McKinnon fans

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who will be uncomfortable with the lesbian subject matter; those who hate watching women behave badly; 

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Women can be and are funny. If you are still having that dumb debate in your head and/or stuck on all the controversy with Kathy Griffin or Amy Schumer, hopefully you will get your mind right and stop having that idiotic notion run through your head.


And if that doesn’t do, how about this – Rough Night is the funniest female ensemble cast movie since Bridesmaids (if not more so) and possibly the best comedy (thus far) of 2017. 


Rough Night hits all the beats one needs to hit in modern comedy: the characters are not one-dimensional, they play the wacky moments as if they were serious moments and play off each other perfectly. Likewise, the jokes are sharp, exploits each characters’ foibles expertly and the inherent silliness forces you to become vested in the story and its outcome. 


The thing that separates the film from the pack, however, is the clever nature of the writing combined with the snappy, fully committed timing of the cast. Throw in the slight role reversal shown by Downs (who co-wrote the script with director Lucia Aniello) and his male counterparts – to say more would put a damper on watching the performance – and the film is as sharp a comedy to release this year. McKinnon, in keeping up with her usual track record, steals the show (this time by playing things more straight – no pun intended – than usual) while Bell shows she can be less in-your-face with a character that is more human than her recent work. Johannson might be the biggest winner, however, for the woman who has convincingly played both strong, sexy super heroes and enigmas proves her comedic chops as a normal, stressed out person just trying to live her life. 


If you and your friends are looking for a good way to enjoy living your lives together, seeing Rough Night is a great way to guarantee avoiding one. 

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

 

Marvel Ups The Ante, Fun with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2

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“You thought someone else was going to open a movie this weekend against us?! Fool – we’re gonna be no. 1 for weeks!” Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) laugh in the presence of Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in a scene from James Gunn’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2. Credit: © 2017 Marvel Studios. All rights reserved. 
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE (RED BAND TRAILER – NOT SAFE FOR WORK!):


 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Kurt Russell, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, Elizabeth Debicki, Karen Gillian and Chris Sullivan

WRITER(S): James Gunn (screenplay); Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (based on the Marvel Comics by); Steve Englehart, Steve Gan, Jim Starlin, Stan Lee, Jacky Kirby, Larry Lieber, Bill Mantlo and Keith Geffen (characters)

DIRECTOR(S): James Gunn

WEB SITE: http://marvel.com/movies/movie/221/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_2HERE’S THE STORY: Taking place some time after the events of the first film, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 actually begins with a flashback to life in 1980’s Missouri. It’s here that we see a young man and woman cruising in the t-top sportscar, riding down the open highway enjoy life as they listen to a collection of awesome tunes. It’s here where we see the man embrace the woman, showing her something that her “starman” has planted in the earth …


Flashing back to the present, we find our familiar heroes Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and a baby form of the humanoid tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) fighting a huge space creature. It seems they have been hired by Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) to return a very special set of batteries to her people, the Sovereign. Obsessed with perfection, the gold-skinned, gold haired society is quite notably upset once it comes to their attention that Rocket has in fact stolen said batteries for himself, prompting Ayesha to lead a call to chase them down and eliminate the Guardians. And once Ayesha reachers out to Yondu (Michael Rooker), he and the rest of his Ravager buddies are hot on their trail …  


Much to everyone’s surprise, however, is the unexpected help that comes in the form of a man later revealed to be known as Ego (Kurt Russell), a mysterious entity accompanied by Mantis (Pom Klementieff), an antennae’d woman with great empathic powers. But why has Ego traveled across the galaxy looking for the Guardians, Quill in particular? The answer may change the Marvel Universe as you know it forever …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy (the movie); fans of the Marvel Studios’ films in general; Chris Pratt fans; people who like superhero movies with a good mix of comedy and action

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate alterations to characters like Ayesha’s comic book origins stories; those with short attention spans given the film’s 2 hour-plus runtime 


SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? When you leave a movie thinking “What else could audiences want from that movie?,” it’s probably a good sign you’ve seen a really good movie. And unless your thought process is extremely out of whack, the only other thought one should have about seeing Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 is “I can’t wait to see what they have left for Vol. 3.” 


Vol. 2 delivers all of the risqué, perfectly-timed humor, creative action sequences and dynamic character interplay of the first film (the screen never feels too crowded with characters), but ups the ante with more development of the characters and how their backstories have modeled them into who they are today. This, in turn, enhances the great relationships between the characters –Vol. 2 shows the idea of what constitutes a family to a bunch of rogue misfits isn’t limited to just a bunch of earthbound characters in Diesel’s other “furious” franchise – which is the element that continues to shine in Marvel’s films: Whereas the D.C. films have characters with great powers, Marvel’s power lies in great, fully developed and interesting characters. 


Of course, you can’t have any of that without great individual performances – and Vol. 2 features a cast that works together like the 1996 Yankees, for every player has a role and knows their role quite well. Whether it’s leads like Pratt as a young man coming to grips with his reality as the star-crossed (pun intended) Peter Quill or Saldana and Karen Gillian as a pair of sisters with the ultimate sibling rivalry, bit players like Chris Sullivan – who is the butt of a hilariously savage series of jokes as would-be Ravager leader Taserface – to the point no one feels like a wasted opportunity. Writer/director James Gunn likewise effectively guides his cast as well to set up all of the films twists and turns, mixing in another awesome soundtrack to create what might already be the best movie of the summer. 


Here’s to hoping Vol. 3 expands the galaxy even more.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

Kong: Skull Island an entertaining take on the primate king

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“I HATE the album Monkey Business by The Black Eyed Peas – quit asking me about it!” The titular character lets his rage flag fly in a scene from KONG: Skull Island. Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures © 2017 Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures’ and Ratpac-Dune Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved.

 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:

 

 

 


 

 

 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Toby Kebbell, Jason Mitchell, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, Terry Notary, Tian Jang, Eugene Cordero, Thomas Mann and John C. Reilly

WRITER(S): Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly; story by John Gatins

DIRECTOR(S): Jordan Vogt-Roberts 

WEB SITE: http://kongskullislandmovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Set in 1973 near the height of the Vietnam conflict, Kong: Skull Island begins by introducing us to Bill Randa (John Goodman). Randa works for an agency known as Monarch and he believes there is something worth exploring on a recently discovered, uncharted island in the South Pacific. Fueled by a report from the Harvard education Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) and fellow biologist Sam Lin (Tian Jang), Randa and Brooks convinces a senator to let him piggyback on a mission by Landsat (the agency who’s satellite work discovered the remote terrain) to explore the island. And wouldn’t you know it – Randa is able to get the military escort he requests to accompany them there led by Col Preston Parker (Samuel L. Jackson), several of his best soldiers (Hawkins’ Straight Outta Compton co-star Jason Mitchell, Toby Kebbell and Shea Whigham among others) as well as the tracker (Tom Hiddleston) he hired … And an anti-war photographer in Mason Weaver (Brie Larson).


But once they arrive in the realm of the mysterious island, they are greeted by something no one (or maybe at least one of them) expected: A giant, monstrous ape (portrayed for the screen by Terry Notary) who does NOT take kindly to intrusive visitors. But despite Randa’s and Parker’s mutual desire to prove man is king, they soon learn that Kong – and the other species on the island – have a thing or two to shout about that …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? People who enjoyed Godzilla (the Warner Bros. version, not the Matthew Broderick version as NO ONE should enjoy that); John C. Reilly fans; Jason Mitchell fans; people who enjoy well done B-movies; those who thought the Warner Bros. version of Godzilla should have had more teeth (no pun intended) to it; people who enjoy summer popcorn movies that arrive a few months early

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hated Godzilla (both the Matthew Broderick and Warner Bros. versions) and/or The Legend of Tarzan; those who don’t enjoy monster movies; people who hate b-movie fare

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? A film with an awful 20 minute opening followed by an hour and 40 minutes of salvageable to actually quirky yet entertaining fare, Kong: Skull Island is a summer popcorn movie come a few months early … Because there are a couple of stale kernels mixed in with an otherwise decent bucket of fun.


There are two things that really make Kong: Skull Island fun – and those are the performance of John C. Reilly as an adopted Skull Island “native” and the presence of Kong (who is utilized properly in each instance) as portrayed by Terry Notary. Reilly’s performance is the perfect mix of fun and whimsical, giving the audience a character worth actually rooting for in a film otherwise devoid of one (save for the giant ape). Indeed, while Goodman and Jackson play their respective roles well – you KNOW what you’re getting from both within 30 seconds of seeing them – and Mitchell and Whigham add a nice bit of realistic-based humor, Reilly provides one that truly supplements the film with a sweet one while Kong is shown to only be a monster in stature, not in practice. 


That’s all you pretty much you need to know about the movie … Save for the monstrous inhabitants of the island (Peter Jackson’s take on the king in his 2005 telling of the giant gorilla’s tale is pretty much replicated here, but with a more ominous, Lone Survivor tone) and the tribal natives, Skull Island covers familiar territory. And at times, some of that territory is a bit too familiar for its own good. Save for a more-important-than-you-realize-opening-sequence, the first 20 minutes of the film is bland but necessary exposition, the cast is forced to deliver some overtly-ominous dialogue and despite receiving top billing, Hiddleston and Larson don’t do anything remarkable in their roles as much as just play them efficiently. Throw in director Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ early homages to Michael Bay action movies (there are some sequences in here that seem straight out of Transformers) and you get an entertaining – but at times, mixed – bag. 


In short, Kong: Skull Island is a lot like visiting your local zoo: There’s a lot to like … But when you pass through the monkey house, you’re gonna smell some things you wish you hadn’t before you get to the end. 

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

 

Passengers on a Troubled Interplanetary Flight

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PASSENGERS- Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence take a ride on a less-than-fantastic-but-not-that-bad voyage in Passengers

 
“Man – is THIS where they store all the unsold copies of MOVIE 43 (I was in that, remember?!) Jim (Chris Pratt) and Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence) take in the severity of the challenge facing them in a scene from director Morten Tyldum’s PASSENGERS. Credit: Jaimie Trueblood © 2016 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. 

 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen, Lawrence Fishburne … and about 5 unnecessary seconds of Andy Garcia

WRITER(S): Jon Spaihts 

DIRECTOR(S): Morten Tyldum

WEB SITE: http://www.passengersmovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) is like many people – or more accurately, he is like all the other 4,999 passengers and 280+ crew members currently hibernating aboard the Avalon. What is the Avalon? It is a ship run by the Homestead company that is en route to Homestead II, a new colonized planet like several of the others that have popped up in the galaxy following what some consider to be the overcrowding of earth. And given that it will take 120 years to get there, Jim and his fellow passengers/crew should be asleep for awhile.


Jim, however, has woken up unexpectedly about 90 years too soon. Which, as you might imagine, is quite a dilemma.


Discovering that the only other person awake on the ship isn’t a person after all but an android bartender named Arthur (Michael Sheen), Jim is horrified at the prospect of dying alone aboard a ship with no potential help or rescue to be had. That is, however, he discovers the presence of Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence), a writer from New York who was planning to travel to Homestead II for a year, hibernate, and return to earth to write about her experience after all her friends and family are long gone. There’s just one small problem that may complicate Aurora’s plans …


She’s awake now, too – and neither she nor Jim have any idea how to get back to sleep.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Chris Pratt fans; Michael Sheen fans; Jennifer Lawrence fans happy to have her doing anything that doesn’t involve the word “Hunger;” those who enjoy space travel movies in general and/or the idea of undertaking a journey and then having to overcome a problem; those who find the exploration of Pratt’s character’s life interesting

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Those who will find the ending as a bit of a romantic drama cop-out; those looking for more of a supernatural/scientific element to the story; people who eviscerate plot holes (or at the very least, scenarios in films that would seem to be ridiculous or at the very least dumb for someone to find themselves in); people who hate what happens to characters of a certain ilk in movies like this all the time; single people who can’t find anyone on earth to spend their lives with

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? “Imagine the movie Gravity with less eye-popping visual, a romantic plot and more upbeat tone.” – That would be the bare-bones way one could summarize Passengers for someone interested in getting a general feel for the film, one which aspires to be inspirational with a “live in the moment message.”


Problem is, it’s final moments kind or blur that message while giving one of that essentially feels like the filmmakers giving in to something familiar and safe to wrap things up.


Pratt, like Lawrence, does an acceptable job in his role as a man facing a serious prospect of dying and dying alone once he awakens far too early on his journey. Unfortunately, the depth of that harrowing experience is offset with montages of general “woe is me” platitudes and conversations with a delightfully glib Michael Sheen. Keep in mind of course that you know what he is going to do about three scenes before he does at every turn and much of the build up that should be building in Passengers often fails to have more than an expected “and here we are” finish. Instead of building, many scenes feel like they are plateauing – a notion that will take away from one’s potential enjoyment. Much the same can be said for Lawrence’s character, which plays out more as a damsel in distress and the force that drives Pratt’s character to mature (and not in a vice-versa, mutual sense). Saying too much about Fishburne’s role would be to give away too much of a story where there is not much to dive too deeply into; all you need to know is that he serves a very specific – and convenient – purpose (a purpose which drove a fellow critic friend hilarious up a proverbial wall at the screening, mind you).Conveniences such as Fishburne’s role are the other major knock on Passengers attempt at smooth sailing, for there are just many things that seem and/or are illogical even in the world in which the film exists. (EVERYONE aboard the ship is asleep?! Not one person was kept awake with the option of going on a shift with another hibernating crew member? The ship is supposed to be this perfect that NOTHING could go wrong? Ever?!) Again, these aren’t enough to completely throw the film off course (pun intended), but they are enough to make one take pause.

But if you’re looking for a movie with two pretty people trying to deliver an inspirational romantic drama, you could do worse than to hitch a ride with Passengers.

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

The Force Returns: Rogue One

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The first stand-alone (kind of) story that is not considered an official episode in the Star Wars canon but one that fits in between episodes III and IV, Rogue One is centered around Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). Jyn is the daughter of Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), a man who has tried to leave his life as a top weapons engineer for the Empire behind. 

“All right troops … We’ve got to get ready for those after Christmas sales quick!” Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones, center in vest), and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna, in brown jacket) prepare to head out on a mission that may change the galaxy – and their lives – in a scene from ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY. Credit: Film Frame © 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Jimmy Smits, Ian McElhinney, Wen Jiang, and the motion capture talents of Alan Tudyk 

WRITER(S): Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy (screenplay); John Knoll and Gary Whitta (story by) and George Lucas (based on characters created by)

DIRECTOR(S): Gareth Edwards

WEB SITE: http://www.starwars.com/films/rogue-oneHERE’S THE STORY:   Unfortunately for our would-be defector and his family, Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) is determined to do his job and bring Galen back, which results in a young Jyn having to flee until she is rescued by Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). A former member of the Rebel army, Saw has become deemed an extremist who trusts very few people as he maintains his focus on taking down the Empire by any means necessary despite the great cost to him personally. But while many people are out searching for Jyn and Galen, there is a pilot named Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) that is soon one of the most sought after plans in the galaxy. Why? Because he apparently has seen the Empire’s plans to build a weapon – the infamous Death Star as it is known to longstanding Star Wars fans – capable of wiping out entire planets with just one blast. And since Galen is the man Orson needs to finish building it, it only makes sense why Jyn hasn’t seen her father in 15 years …


But once Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and K-2SO (performed for motion capture by the versatile Alan Tudyk) come to rescue Jyn in hopes of finding her father first, all the players and their roles come into focus. For if Cassian and K-2SO can’t stop Galen, the Death Star may live up to its name in horrifying fashion … Especially if the Empire gets its way. But what they don’t know, however, is the fact that since a version of the Death Star already exists, the expression “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” is about to take on a whole new meaning in a battle for intergalactic supremacy …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Die-hard Star Wars fans – especially those who love extended battle scenes; little girls who are enjoying the female-friendly expansion of the franchise’s universe; people who love diversity in film;  those who would rather stick with the familiar aspects of the Star Wars universe vs. the newer elements or those from the less-than-stellar prequel trilogy

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Those who have never cared about the Star Wars franchise as this film won’t make them begin to do so now; casual Star Wars fans who will find it to be more of the same; those who hate films with a lot of long, droll verbal expositions; those who find the film to be full of battle sequences to make up for the lack of character development; anyone who hates a cookie-cutter fed to the audience hero

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Despite being a long at 2-hours plus epic, Rogue One delivers enough of what Star Wars fans enjoy to make this trip into a galaxy far, far away worthwhile in between episodes.


Rogue One doesn’t really do anything spectacularly well at all; instead, it stays the course by delivering justenough of what fans have come to enjoy to keep things moving in telling the story of how the Rebels were able to get the intelligence needed to later blow up its crowning achievement. Luna is capable enough at hitting his marks as is Jones in providing the Han Solo-like accompaniment to her young Skywalker-esque hero. (Don’t worry – there are no training montages as no Jedi-like training figure is to be found her for young Jyn’s journey.) Character-wise, the highlights are found no in our leads nor Mendelsohn’s rather paint-by-numbers villain but instead in the form of Wen Jiang and Donnie Yen. Whereas Jiang excels in playing the strong, dedicated gun toting soldier Baze Malbus, Yen brings out the strongest emotional connection to the audience as a blind, non-lightsaber toting Jedi* (*it’s never made clear if he truly is or not) who is certain to never forget that the force is with him even when things appear to be at their most bleak.


Throw in some homages to the previous films and cameos by some of the galaxy’s best-known and beloved characters and Rogue One lives up to its billing as a Star Wars story. It would just be a better story if it didn’t feel so familiar as you watch it. Whereas the ways in which our heroes cheat death and then formulate their plans will likely enthrall younger fans, they – just like the extended battle sequences – will feel like familiar territory to older, wiser viewers. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a “we’re sticking with what we know works so we’re not re-inventing the wheel or in this case, lightsaber” thing.


But it’s a thing that works well enough that it will keep fanboys from going rogue and blasting yet another Lucasfilm production on the Internet in a galaxy far, far closer than the one he created. 
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

Bad Santa 2 – The Perfect Holiday Film?

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Despicable people doing humorous things makes for raunchy fun in Bad Santa 2

“So … Just tell me: Did they REALLY cut that guy’s foot off in that one episode of Mad Men?!” Diane (Christina Hendricks) glares at Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton, center) as his literal partner-in-crime Marcus (Tony Cox) does the same in a scene from BAD SANTA 2. Credit: Jan Thijs for Broad Green Pictures/Miramax © 2016 Santamax Distribution, LLC. All rights reserved. 

 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
 



 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Tony Cox, Christina Hendricks, Brett Kelly, Jenny Zigrino, Jeff Skowron and Ryan Hansen

WRITER(S): Johnny Rosenthal and Shauna Cross (screenplay); Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (based on characters created by)


DIRECTOR(S): Mark Waters

WEB SITE: http://www.badsanta2.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) is tired of being a loser. To hear him tell it, he was born a loser, has been living like a loser and is ready to die a loser – which is why he’s about to kill himself in the motel he’s been living in. But just as he’s in the act of doing it, his old buddy Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) – the kid turned now 21 year old sandwich maker who took to him as his adopted dad – walks in, not knowing what Willie is doing. 


Soon thereafter, Willie gets reacquainted with another old face in the form of Marcus Skidmore (Tony Cox), his height-challenged criminal associate that he hasn’t spoken to in quite some time. Then again, when someone tries to kill you, you really don’t expect to keep in touch with them. As it turns out, however, Marcus has a big score lined up with a Chicago benefactor that needs Willie’s safecracking skills. Reluctantly going along with the plan, Willie is beyond upset when he finds out who the benefactor is: His mother Sunny (Kathy Bates), a criminal in her own right planning on ripping off the charity she’s been working for after getting out of prison. Sure, the plan might involve Marcus and Willie buddying up to Diane (Christina Hendricks), wife of the charity’s founder Regent Hastings (Ryan Hansen) and their top female security guard Gina de Luca (Jenny Zigrino) … But when there’s $2 million to be had for the taking, you do what you gotta do, right?


Which includes not killing each other … At least not with anything other than insults.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? People who enjoyed the first film; anyone who loves off-color humor and plenty of it, especially of a sexual nature; those who like a film that doesn’t fit the mainstream but has an actual story that works from start to finish; Kathy Bates fans

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hated the first film; those who feel that anything Christmas/holiday related should NOT be associated with anything crass, lewd and/or potentially offensive; those who feel like the film does not take alcoholism or depression seriously;  activists who might view the film as promoting the verbal abuse of little people

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? The rare comedy sequel that surpasses the original in terms of both its storytelling, its comedy and – in this case, it’s downright disgraceful behavior – Bad Santa 2 is the perfect holiday film for anyone looking to watch bad people behaving even worse … And laugh all time they do it. 

Make no mistake: Bad Santa 2 is as ribald as a rated “R” comedy can be these days, so if you are easily offended or watch the trailers and go ‘This doesn’t seem to be be for me,’ stick with that assessment. As anyone familiar with the first film might expect, Thornton’s performance in Bad Santa 2 is filled with all the crustiness, acerbic/sarcastic nature and yet, when faced with the optimism and innocence of Thurman, desire to do the right thing (in all the most wrong ways possible). Of course, one could say the same can be said for Cox and Bates as the three sling jokes with equivalency of heavyweight boxers in the 1970s. Whereas Thornton and Cox dish out insults throw profane insults at each other left and right, Bates more than holds her own, delivering crushing truths no proper mother would ever say to her son and discourse that would make even the most respectful man consider domestic violence. 


Not to be left out, Hendricks and Zigrino get down in their own dirty ways, the former as a sexually frustrated wife and Jenny Zigrino as a security guars with a VERY specific fetish of her own that plays for big laughs. (To say more about it would be to give too much away.) However, the x factor that keeps you from feeling horrible about enjoying watching so many terrible people be, well, terrible is the performance of Kelly as the adorably naive Thurman. Ever an optimist who simply does not understand evil, bad or indecent things, Thurman is the one positive figure in the film who represents all of the things that one is supposed to appreciate about life – a fact not lost on Thornton’s character (and in turn, the audience). While in almost any other situation Thurman’s character would be a completely annoying caricature, Kelly hits his beats with precision to make it all come together. 


At least, it all comes together as best one could hope for a film loaded with explicit language, sexual situations, politically incorrect, well, everything, drug and alcohol abuse … And quite possibly the world’s worst mother and son.

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