Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Tabari McCoy

McCoy on Movies: The Rise of Skywalker

By

Nostalgia, battle sequences likely enough to send longstanding
fans home happy with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

“Just think – in some other galaxy, people will actually go pay to throw axes indoors when they could just get lightsabers and fight people to their potential deaths!” Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) faces off against Rey (Daisy Ridley) in a scene from STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER. Credit: © 2019 Lucasfilm Ltd.  & ™. All rights reserved.

 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Richard E. Grant, Domhnall Gleeson, Carrie Fisher, Ian McDiarmid and Keri Russell with Billy D. WilliamsDIRECTOR(S): J.J. Abrams

THE BACK STORY: The ninth and final installment of arguably the greatest science fiction franchise in history, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker finds Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and what’s left of The Resistance preparing to take a grand final strike against The First Order, now firmly in the grasp of its new supreme leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) a.k.a. Ben Solo (if you don’t know why, you’re probably NOT ready to see this movie and need to catch up to the previous episodes). After a series of revealing discoveries, the Resistance and the First Order are set to face an epic clash, Rey and Kylo Ren destined to be the ones who may determine the fate of the galaxy.


Then again, the presence of the previously thought to be deceased Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) may change both of their plans forever if he has his way.

THE REVIEW: You have four types of people when it comes to Star Wars: (1) The uninitiated/unconcerned, a.k.a. the people who have ever never seen a Star Wars movie, don’t care to see another Star Wars movie and/or don’t even know The Rise of Skywalker is here; (2) The relatively familiar – people who have seen one or two of the films, most likely the “original” three from the 1970s and 80s and are good with that; (3) the generally knowledgeable – they’ve seen all the films, but are not dedicated fans who can rattle of planet names or easter eggs from one film to the next; (4) the Comic Book Guys (or Girls). So named for The Simpsons-inspired character inspired in part by Star Wars-obsessive fans, they are protective of the franchise the way parents are a first-born child, love and hate different aspects of the series with the passion of a young Olympic boxer pursuing a gold medal and know so much Jedi/Sith trivia they would make Ken Jennings Jeopardy run look like child’s play.So, that all being said, as someone who falls into category 3 and knows plenty of people that fit into categories one, two and four, my spoiler free assessment of the last installment in the main Star Wars canon is this: Episode IX (nine for those who don’t remember their Roman numerals), while not perfect, contains enough positives to satisfy the people in the last two groups while perhaps making those in the first two groups curious enough to at least wonder what all the hype is about.

The previous Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, is a divisive issue among the hardcore fans as for as many people loved it, just as many seemingly did not – leading to it to serve as an “OK Boomer”-style case study in letting go of old things vs. embracing new possibilities. (You can read more about that here, here and here. Abrams has shared his thoughts on the matter extensively.) Whether that unconsciously (not likely) or consciously (most likely) played a factor in J.J. Abrams’ approach to the final installment may be up for debate, it won’t feel like it watching The Rise of Skywalker as the film tries to bridge a nostalgia gap for the old guard of fans while finishing the new work.

Here’s what most of you will care to know in regards to the actual quality of the film: The action sequences work well, Ridley proves herself capable of earning the massive responsibility her character is thrust into, Driver makes his character more than a Darth Vader clone and the classic elements of good vs. evil – complete with dad jokes aplenty courtesy of C-3PO. There are sky battles, ground battles, journeys across the galaxy to find missing pieces of information, character revelations, homages to the past … It’s a basic 2-and-a-half hour blowout of the things most fans have come to enjoy about the franchise.

Yes, it would be nice if Fisher hadn’t passed away before the filming finished (luckily for Abrams the cut footage from previous films fits in nicely). Likewise, some people may take issue with the incorporation of past characters into the film and their usage and the Palpatine situation may serve as the stuff of blogs and YouTube videos for many eons to come. Then again, when you’ve got over 40 years’ worth of cinematic history coming to an end, there is no way you’re going to satisfy everyone.

But, much like everyone’s favorite little green friend re-invented as a child on Disney+ once famously said, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Thus, if you don’t embrace some change over the course of nine films, you’ve probably missed what Abrams and company have attempted to do: Deliver a fitting end to a story with plenty of history while giving it some fresh life along the way. After all, one must “Do or do not. There is no try.”

Keeping that sage-like wisdom will likely send most longstanding fans home happy from this galaxy to the next.

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

 

McCoy on Movies: Charlie’s Angels

By

Empowerment runs amuck over entertainment in maligned reboot of Charlie’s Angels

“Hey, what’s over there – is it the music video shoot we’re supposed to be in for the soundtrack?!” Townsend Agency agents Elena (Naomi Scott) and Sabina (Kristen Stewart) peer over into enemy territory with their newfound on-the-run client Jane (Ella Balinska) in a scene from writer/director/co-star Elizabeth Banks’ take on CHARLIE’S ANGELS. Credit: Nadja Klier © 2019 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska, Elizabeth Banks, Nat Faxon, Jonathan Tucker, Luis Gerardo Mendez, Sam Clafin, Djimon Hounsou and Sir Patrick StewartDIRECTOR(S): Elizabeth Banks

THE BACK STORY: The product of a screenplay from and directed by Elizabeth Banks (who also co-stars), the 2019 version of Charlie’s Angels stars Ella Balinska as Jane Karo, a developer at an energy company owned by Alexander Brok (Sam Clafin). Her invention could help revolutionize energy as we know it, which is why her boss Peter Fleming (Nat Faxon) can’t wait to show it off despite the fatal flaw that could allow the project – codename Kalisto – to become weaponized. You see, Kalisto could be hacked to release a devastating electromagnetic pulse (EMP for short) in the wrong hands, which is why Jane wants to stop the project from going forward. Peter, however, has his own ideas and wants to get the product to market as soon as possible.


Jane, however, is about to have a bigger problem on her hands when in attempting to meet with a man named Bosley (Djimon Honsou), an assassin (Jonathan Tucker) tries to kill her. This leads to Jane meeting up with the rebellious Sabina (Kristen Stewart) and no-nonsense Elena (Naomi Scott), two female secret agents who work for the Townsend Agency – the same agency that employs Bosley … the soon-to-be-retiring Bosley (Patrick Stewart) … And the woman Jane will also come to know as Bosley (Banks). 

Confused? Well, you should be – it’s about to get a lot more complicated from here. And that’s why Jane’s guardian angels are about to try to save not only her life, but the world, too.

THE REVIEW: In the era of “woke” and “cancel” culture in the wake of the #MeToo movement, one might be inclined to see Charlie’s Angels as an example of empowerment in the action comedy genre. It could be taken as an attempt to show women being just as strong, sophisticated and stylish as their male counterparts with modern women in control of their careers, their bodies and life in general. There’s just one little problem with that, however, as it pertains to the film.In the quest for empowerment, Charlie’s Angels lacks a lot in the entertaining department and nearly ends up becoming at best a caricature of what it wishes to destroy in terms of the cinematic patriarchy and at its worst, an unmemorable movie.

Now, before one accuse yours truly of a blatant case of mainsplaining, let me simply point to the film’s opening scene as an example of empowerment run amuck: Stewart’s character is literally explaining to the audience why women are underestimated, unappreciated and generally taken for granted as underachievers. This is balanced out, of course, by a male antagonist so taken with her beauty, he must then via his substandard, terribly over-the-top dialogue explain why everything she is saying is basically wrong – only of course to get his comeuppance because Stewart’s seductive agent has been setting him up. Of course the audience knows it, but the film makes sure to spell it out for them because it wants to drive home the point of the entire 80 minute-plus experience: Women can do whatever and they’re gonna do it loud, brash and however they want.

Unfortunately, as the heavy handed scene also shows, in the case of Charlie’s Angels, they’re gonna hit you over the head with it at every possible turn.

Charlie’s Angels wants to be the ultimate badass female movie: It attempts to feature Stewart as a wise-cracking rebel who’s quick with her one-liners, the Rihanna-esque Scott as a … Rihanna-esque no nonsense agent (who is by far the most believable character) and Balinska as an awkward, fish out of water just trying to do the right thing. Problem is, Stewart feels like she’s doing her best imitation a female action movie hero and it’s never believable, Balinska’s fish out of water is so out of water it’s almost like a live-action cartoon a la The Simpsons and Scott feels like she’s overcompensating for the other two. None of the three characters are really developed beyond a simple explanation (“She grew up rough!” “She’s smart” “She’s smart and nerdy and awkward!”). The timing of the sexualization of their characters comes off a bit misplaced (“Let’s infiltrate this mansion … With a fully choreographed dance routine as part of our cover!”), the fight scenes are comical when meant to be serious and just silly when they meant to be comical and the heavy-handed storytelling makes sure to guide the audience instead of letting things play out more naturally.

Complicating matters further is the fact the jokes are (1) usually forced (2) usually stale and (3) just not working. The male characters are either complete bumbling morons to the point you can’t take any of them (save for Jonathan Tucker’s heavily tattooed assassin) seriously or so sleazy they might make Harvey Weinstein wince. Charlie’s Angels may go down as Stewart’s worst performance in eons. While his Bullock character on Seth McFarlane’s now exiled to TBS cartoon American Dad! is supposed to be a buffoon, the fact this character is supposed to be taken seriously is cartoonish in and of itself.

It doesn’t make for a great viewing experience outside of its target audience: Young women who want to see young women be heroes, no matter how ridiculous the story and how over-the-top pretty much everything else in the mix may be. In trying to be empowering, it almost comes off as egregious and does the very opposite of what it wishes to do for all audiences. Just like this year’s earlier action detective reboot Shaft (which had slightly better jokes … slightly), Charlie’s Angels just isn’t memorable as much as it is missable.

As a sign of very heavy foreshadowing, the music video for the lead single from the film’s soundtrack – the inane “Don’t Call Me Angel” by polarizing pop stars Lana Del Ray, Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus – is pretty much an entire encapsulation of the project: A group of artists begging people to take them seriously by exhibiting a ton of “I don’t need your approval” attitude … While falling into every negative trope of using overly and overtly sexual grinding, lip-biting possible in a desperate attempt for approval. Don’t believe me? Check out this lyrical wizardry for yourself:”Uh, don’t call me angel when I’m a mess,
Don’t call me angel when I get undressed,
You know I, I don’t like that, boy,
Uh, I make my money, and I write the checks,
So say my name with a little respect,
All my girls successful, and you’re just our guest”

Thus, much like the aforementioned song, Charlie’s Angels whole point seems to exist for the sake of simply extending a middle finger to the cinematic patriarchy … Which would be fine if it has deeper characters (it doesn’t), an interesting, rich story (absent), or just anything that felt original, fresh and inspiring (no dice). Instead, it comes off as maligned as when Poochie was introduced on The Simpsons‘ beloved cartoon-within-a-cartoon “Itchy & Scratchy” and with similar results.
So, don’t call them angels if you like … But much like the aftermath of a bad date, there’s a good chance you shouldn’t just call, period.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN): 

 

McCoy on Movies: Shaft

By

Shaft utilizes father-son dynamic for laughs to overcome
convoluted story and character’s social shortcomings

“All right, you got me … I DO know Nick Fury but we are NOT from Wakanda!” The film’s namesake (Samuel L. Jackson, center, with hands up) tries to reason with a criminal as his dad (Richard Roundtree, the original John Shaft, right) and his son John Jr. (Jessie T. Usher, left) and his friend (Alexandra Shipp, far left) look on. Credit: Kyle Kaplan © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher, Alexandra Shipp, Regina Hall, Titus Welliver, Avan Jogia, Luna Lauren Velez, Aaron Dominguez, Matt Lauria and Cliff “Method Man” Smith and Richard Roundtree with Isaach De BankoléDIRECTOR(S): Tim Story

THE BACK STORY: John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) is Harlem’s protector, a detective with a break bones first if necessary, ask questions later style that matches his apparel and his automobile. That’s partially the reason his ex Mya (Regina Hall) left him, taking his young son John Shaft, Jr. in the process (well that and dealing with one shootout too many for her liking). 


Now, 20 years later, John Shaft Jr. – JJ (Jessie T. Usher) for short – is making his own way in the world as a data analyst at the FBI. A graduate of MIT, JJ is good with his hands, even if his sense of style and personality are not traditional in terms of the male Shaft family name. Then JJ’s best friend Karim (Avan Jogia) get killed.


Looking for answers with his other best friend Sasha (Alexandra Shipp), JJ ultimately decides to turn to help from the one person least likely to give it to him: his dad. As you might expect, a two decade gap in his child’s life leads to some serious daddy issues .. But once father and son learn the ins and outs of the case, it might be time for a family reunion if they are going to survive and get to the truth about what happened to Karim.
THE REVIEW: Sometimes, you can get a movie that’s a crowd pleaser because the characters are engaging enough to make up for the film’s flaws that also packs enough humor in it to make you overlook the things that don’t work. Co-written by Kenya Barris of black-ish and grown-ish fame, 2019’s Shaft (not to be confused with 2000’s installment also starring Samuel L. Jackson) is more of a comedy than any previous installments have ever been, which has both positive and negative side effects on the film as a whole.As one might expect, the familiar father/son crime-fighting trope is at times as tired as you’d expect; then again, Jackson and Usher play to their strengths well enough that the whole “old playa tries to teach millennial while millennial tries to make old playa learn the error of most of his social ways” routine feel fresher than it should. Recurring jokes about the younger Shaft’s manhood and sexuality may not likely play well in mainstream America, but urban audiences raised on generations of comedians like 1980s Eddie Murphy and late greats like Robin Harris (who gets some nice screen time in the movie) and Bernie Mac will likely enjoy it in spades. Likewise, the where there are plenty of times the film’s machismo levels spin out of control, they are eventually grounded back to earth enough to keep things moving forward.

Then again, there isn’t too much to worry about moving forward as the plot is pretty much standard action movie fare (someone dies, the simplest answer is too simple and there’s a bigger conspiracy afoot). This is why Jackson’s full-on Sam Jax mode performance coupled with Usher’s fish out of water routine are so critical to the film’s overall entertainment level. Throw in a soundtrack that may make longstanding fans of African-American cinema wish for the days of the 1990s when every hit urban film came with a classic album to boot and Shaft makes up for its shortcomings well-enough to give the people what they want: Samuel Jackson cursing and taking names like no one else can, Hall giving it back to him and enough laughs to go around. It’s far from perfect, but it will please the majority of modern audiences here for a good time (even if it’s not really a great movie as much as it is an okay one).

As the theme song said so many moons ago, you’ll probably be better off just shutting your mouth and accepting it for what it is instead of thinking about what it could have been or should be.

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

McCoy on Movies: PEPPERMINT

By

Jennifer Garner returns to her badass heroine roots with violent-yet-consumable Peppermint

“Tell me one more time how Ben Affleck is the worst Batman ever … I dare you!” Riley North (Jennifer Garner) pries information out of Judge Stevens (Jeff Harlan) in a scene from PEPPERMINT. Photo Credit: Tony Rivett; Motion Picture Artwork © 2017 STX Financing, LLC. All rights reserved.
 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jennifer Garner, John Gallagher, Jr., John Ortiz, Clifford “Method Man” Smith, Juan Pablo Raba, Tyson Ritter, Annie Ilozeh, Ian Casselberry, Jeff Hephner and Cailey Fleming

WRITER(S): Chad St. John

DIRECTOR(S): Pierre Morel

WEB SITE: https://www.peppermint.movie/HERE’S THE STORY: Like many women her age, Riley North (Jennifer Garner) is a happily married woman with a husband (Jeff Hephner) and precocious 10 year-old daughter (Cailey Fleming) she loves. But what she doesn’t know is that her husband is considering doing something less-than-legal to help get his family out of their current financial binds …


Problem is, Diego Garcia (Juan Pablo Raba) – the man Riley’s husband and his friend Mickey (Chris Johnson) thought about ripping off – catches wind of their scheme and decides to make the pay. Dearly. Riley survives the attack, only to see her receive no justice due to a dirty system that lets Garcia’s associates responsible for the attack get off while trying to punish Riley for seeking justice.


Then she goes off the grid for 5 years … And now, Riley North is back. But the Riley North that LAPD detectives Carmichael (John Gallagher, Jr.) and Beltran (John Ortiz) is dead. And a lot of people that wronged her and her family are about to be, too.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Taken fans; people who used to love Alias but always wish it was more violent; feminists; independent women; Jennifer Garner fans; people who like action movies that actually worry about their plausibility a little bit; people who thought if Hollywood was going to remake Death Wish remixing it up a little bit would be a good thing

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People not wanting to a watch a movie where guns are used basically without any thought to recourse in the wake of (seemingly) weekly mass shootings; people who don’t like gratuitous violence; anyone who’s over the concept of Death Wish-style revenge movies; anyone who cannot buy into the concept of the Garner’s character doing what Garner does for an 90 minutes-plus

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? Peppermint – which takes its name from a scene that does exactly what you think it’s going to do in terms of setting up the rest of the flick – is one of those movies that you watch the trailer, you hear the catchphrases and go ‘Well, that’s pretty much all that’s going on in this joint.” Then you actually watch it and end up going “Well, that was better than I expected.”

As someone who’s seen it, I can tell you without a doubt that Peppermint – which features the most interesting version of anything Jennifer Garner has done character-wise in ages – is a nice 1970s-era exploitation flick with a 2018 flair that is much more enjoyable than you’d expect.

Peppermint works because Garner is fully-committed to the role, looks the part and plays it as straight as one can with a supporting cast that does the same. Much like Eminem on his latest effort Kamikaze, Garner’s North is a woman who feels she has lost everything and now has found a new purpose in life and is determined to make her foes suffer her wrath. But as opposed to going on a rampage with no humanity, North’s new environment makes her feel necessary, a feeling reflected in the film and in turn, is successfully projected to the audience. 


Further helping the film are some minor twists, turns and gunplay/fight sequences that avoid being both hacky and add intensity to the film. Likewise, whereas veteran actor John Ortiz (not to be confused with cast mate Johnny Ortiz) adds a solid creditability factor as Beltran by keeping you guessing who is allegiance is to while making sure the film stays on course, Raba’s performance as Garcia – a villain who actually recognizes the danger Riley presents as opposed to instantly writing her off in classic “you’re gonna regret that!” fashion – makes the build to their eventual showdown equally appealing. 


Make no mistake, however, watching Garner transform from loving soccer mom to basically Ronda Rousey in her UFC heyday coupled with a Seal Team 6-like focus is entertaining and empowering at the same time. Again, she doesn’t play the role with a “I’m gonna show them what a woman can do” fake coolness, she simply is cool because of what she does and how she does it. There is a reason that despite everything that happens in the world, we still will flock to a movie full of gratuitous violence.


If you’re in the mood to watch Jennifer Garner stomp out a seedy Los Angeles full of lowlifes, Peppermint will deliver a sweet treat – with quite a kick.

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

 

Award-Winning Comedian & DMM Movie Writer Headlines Wiley’s Thurs, Sept. 7TH

By

You know him from his movie reviews on our very own site … But did you know that Tabari McCoy  is an award-winning stand-up comedian, too?

 

He would like you to consider this your official invite to see for yourself just why audiences have enjoyed having him make them laugh for over a decade.

 

McCoy (Laughs on Fox; Pandora Radio) headlines a night of Queen City comedy live at the historic Wiley’s Comedy Club at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7th. This will be McCoy’s first time headlining Ohio’s oldest home for stand-up comedy, which is now proudly celebrating its 35th year with brand new ownership and a new – but still entertaining! – direction.

McCoy, who was one of several “Rusty Nail” award winners for developing stand-up comics at the 2008 Rooftop Comedy Festival in Aspen, Colo., has also performed at the SF Sketch Fest in San Francisco, Gilda’s Laugh Fest in Grand Rapids, MI and the initial Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington, IN. His debut album, Laughing with a Panther (2013 RooftopComedy), was released in physical and digital form to outlets including iTunes and Amazon Music on his birthday on Dec. 3, 2013.

 

McCoy, who says his comedy represents “an average man with average frustrations and successes in sometimes non-average situations and observations to boot,” can’t wait to take the stage at Wiley’s.

 

“Wiley’s was one of the first clubs I performed at when I was starting out and to have the chance to headline there, even just for a night, is phenomenal. The new management is putting in effort to put on quality shows, which is why I brought two former Funniest Person in Cincinnati winners to open the show,” he says. “Then again, I never won that contest and in the words of Busta Rhymes, ‘look at me now’ – I’m the headliner! Now please buy a ticket – I have to pay Bank of America the money they keep saying I owe them!”

Ran Barnaclo

Chris Weir

Opening the show is 2017 Funniest Person in Cincinnati contest winner and Wiley’s Sunday Comics regular Ran Barnaclo; the feature act for the show is 2014 Funniest Person in Cincinnati winner Chris Weir. Weir also writes for Future Science, an award-winning, live, sketch comedy show a monthly show held at a music venue in downtown Cincinnati.

Wiley’s Comedy Joint is located at 101 Pine Street, Dayton OH 45402. Tickets to the show are $10 in advance or $15 at the door (doors to the show open at 7:30 p.m.). To purchase tickets or for more information, visit https://www-wileyscomedy-com.seatengine.com/shows/62666.

 

McCoy on Movies: Alice Through the Looking Glass

By

Alice Through the Looking Glass may make anyone who’s hit puberty want to look away for a better family-friendly film

 

“That watch is NEVER gonna fit on my wrist!” Alice (Mia Wasikowska) gets a look at the Grand Clock of time in a scene from ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. Credit: Disney Pictures. All rights reserved. 

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Lindsey Duncan, Matt Lucas, Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, Rhys Ifans, Leo Bill and the late Alan Rickman
WRITER(S): Linda Woolverton (screenplay); Lewis Carroll (original novel on which the film is based)
DIRECTOR(S): James Bobin
THE STORY AS BEST WE KNOW IT: Loosely inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll, Alice Through the Looking Glass stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice Kingsleigh. Now grown up, Alice has spent the last few years at sea as the captain of her late father’s boat. Returning to London, Alice comes across a magical looking glass (hence the title) – and of course, she steps in only to find herself returned to the Underland. And once she’s there, she’s reunited with her old friends the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), Absolem (the late Alan Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry) and
the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). But the Mad Hatter is not himself – for he has lost his muchness and no one seems to know why, save for perhaps the Hatter himself. For he is convinced his family is alive, which prompts Mirana the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) to send Alice on a new mission: Find the Chronosphere from Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen) and see what she can do to help save the Hatter’s life. For the Chronosphere will allow Alice to travel throughout time and – while she cannot change the past – she might learn something that may help figure out how to save his life.But of course, if Iracabeth the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) wasn’t involved in the story, Alice’s quest wouldn’t be the same now, would it?

WHO WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE THE MOST? Johnny Depp fans; Helena Bonham Carter fans; people who enjoy easily digestible fantasy tales; those happy to see a strong female character presented in a film 
WHO WILL HATE THIS MOVIE THE MOST? Those “over” Tim Burton style movies; adult males who despite the film having a good, strong female lead character will be bored by the story’s somewhat plodding pace and predictable story; those who don’t enjoy children’s fare when it’s strictly kiddie business
SO IS IT GOOD, GREAT, JUST ALL RIGHT OR DOWNRIGHT AWFUL? Alice Through the Looking Glass is a movie that could have been better and honestly should have been better … But given just how well, boring, the finished result is, it would have been better likely being re-done before it hits theaters this week. 


Alice Through the Looking Glass looks like it should be good. After all, the cast is solid, the visuals are good and there is enough of a pedigree present to make this Tim Burton-produced (he didn’t direct this one; that task fell upon James Bobin of Muppets Most Wanted infamy). Likewise, Wasikowska does a formidable job as Alice, making her a convincing lead character that is equal parts courageous and courteous, strong and yet sensitive. And Bonham Carter delivers a very enjoyable performance as the Red Queen, delivering much needed humor that doesn’t feel as zany (but not out of place, mind you) as that as delivered by Baron Cohen as the embodiment of time as a half human, half machine creature.


There’s just one – well, more than one, but that’s not the expression now is it? – problem: Alice Through the Looking Glass is boring, suitable mostly only for children (ages 12 and younger) from start to finish and is fairly predictable for far too long before it garners any intrigue. I don’t say this because I found myself fighting sleep for the first 40 minutes of the film … But because the guy next to me at the screening I saw DID fall asleep … As did the guy behind me. Throw in the fact the women next to me offered up an “eh” shoulder shrug at the end of the film and the claps that were to be heard quickly faded into the larger surrounding silence and you’ll come to the same conclusion I did: This paint by numbers feature isn’t exactly a fabulous fairy tale after all.Does Alice Through the Looking Glass add anything to the tale of Alice in Wonderland or the Tim Burton 2010 release? No, not in particular. Is it horrible? No – it’s just slooooooowwww. Too slow. And the whole Chronosphere time travel device thing never comes together as it should; sadly, while Sacha Baron Cohen plays his over-the-top character in fine over-the-top fashion, the lack of defintion of the character becomes some one note that each tick-tock feels longer than the last. Poor Anne Hathaway looks lost – literally – for most of the picture, so it’s no wonder her character feels like an add-on when she is supposed to be an important cog in the overall story.

If it seems like I’m having a hard time articulating the disappointment of the experience of watching the film, it’s because the film should be so much better than it is. Instead, it comes off so heavy-handed that it’s hard to become engrossed in it when the paint-by-numbers nature of it that feels like it was aimed at nothing BUT a pre-puberty audience. Sure, there are some good moments, but they rarely feel organic and come too few and far between. Sorry, James Bobin, but your lackluster Muppets misadventure has now tagged another would-be franchise with too many lame jokes, outlandish episodes and missed opportunities.

In short, instead of going through the looking glass, poor Alice should have seen that nothing that was as good as it could, should and would have been better if maybe she came back later instead.

 
RATING OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN:

 

McCoy On Movies: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

By

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES
The audacious send-up of Jane Austen and the modern zombie phenomenon delivers a delectable bite of camp, comedy and cult classic entertainment

“This will teach you disrespect the good name of the house of Bennett!” Jane Bennett (Bella Heathcote), right, and her sister Elizabeth (Lily James, center) lead their sisters through a battle in a scene from screenwriter/director Burr Steers take on the Seth Grahame-Smith’s best-selling remix of Jane Austen’s best-known novel PRIDE AND PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES. Credit: Jay Maidment. © 2016 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.
WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Lily James, Bella Heathcote, Sam Riley, Douglass Booth, Jack Huston, Matt Smith, Douglass Booth, Charles Dance, Sally Phillips, Suki Waterhouse, Ellie Bamber, Millie Brady and Lena Headey
 
WRITER(S): Burr Steers (screenplay); Jane Austen (novel) and Seth Grahame-Smith (novel based on the original novel on which the film is based 


DIRECTOR(S): Burr Steers


WEB SITE: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/prideandprejudiceandzombies/
 
60 SECOND PLOT SUMMARY (OR AS CLOSE TO THAT TIME AS ONE CAN MAKE IT): The film adaptation of writer/director/actor/author Seth Grahame-Smith’s audacious re-envisioning of Jane Austen’s classic novel, Pride And Prejudice & Zombies stars Lily James as Elizabeth Bennett. Elizabeth is one of five sisters who’s mother (Sally Phillips) has one common goal for them all: Get them married to someone rich as soon as possible. So, when the handsome and rich Mr. Bingley (Douglas Booth) takes a fancy to Elizabeth’s sister Jane (Bella Heathcote), her family is delighted. Darcy (Sam Riley), Mr. Bingley’s best friend, however, is not … For he is the epitome of upper class prejudice, a fact not quickly lost upon Elizabeth at first glance. 


With a budding romance in the air, Jane and Mr. Bingley find the couple becoming closer and closer, which prompts Jane to go visit him at his sizable estate … Only to have an accident. Of course, an accident riding across town is bad enough, but there is one particular detail that makes the situation much worse than usual …


London, where they live, is in middle of a zombie outbreak with the dead walking the earth.


Sent to the Far East to train to defend their selves against such a problem, Jane, Elizabeth and the rest of the sisters are fully prepared to slay the undead, as is Darcy. And once zombies begin to pour out of every nook and cranny on their to potentially taking down the fortified walls of London, Elizabeth and Darcy must put aside their differences if they and the rest of mankind is to survive …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Zombie movie fans; people who found previousPride and Prejudice films in need of something more lively (no pun intended); people who will be happy the film stays true to the spirit of Austen and Grahame-Smith’s original works, Matt Smith fans; Lily James fans; people who will see it as a bit of modern feminist chic WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People suffering from zombie hangover; those wanting it to stray away from Austen’s original themes and dialogue; people who feel like Austen’s classic work should never have been abominated in this fashion; those who feel the incorporation of Asian martial arts into the piece is somehow offensive

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? A film that should never have worked based upon a book that should have never worked when considering the original novel on which it is based, Pride And Prejudice & Zombies (PP&Z for short from here on out) might arguably be the best adaptation of Austen’s work ever. If that’s not true, well, it’s at least the most entertaining one thanks to a mix of well-crafted characters, performances, dialogue and fight sequences that may finally bridge the gap between lovers of classic literature and comic books.

The cast of PP&Z could not have done a better job in infusing the right mix of humor, camp, seriousness and edge in the film as the dialogue and its delivery remains true to the spirit of Austen’s work while delivering the zest and energy of Grahame-Smith’s unique take. The zombies are not used as a crutch; instead, the cast plays things out while maintaining the traditions of the era, the quirks of each particular character – James, Smith and Riley standing out exceptionally well in this task – while at the same time making the story feel fresh. The conflicts of upper and lower society, what constitutes love … And of course, the necessities of what makes for a proper young woman (in this case, casting aside one’s martial arts training, sword and/or pistol to be a wife) are all present and expertly incorporated into the mix.

Whereas Heathcote and James present a great chemistry as sisters with different outlooks on life, Riley and James are downright dynamic in their juxtaposition as diametrically opposed zombie slayers and protectors of their family/friends. Likewise, Smith plays his role much like Elizabeth Banks’ Hunger Games approach to her Effie Trinket character, pompous, prim and proper all the way along that he is so perfectly campy his Doctor Who fans will beg for more screen time. Even Headey is great in her role as a legend akin to a zombie-slaying, all powerful Oz take on the role of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, especially when she is put to test to prove Elizabeth’s worth.

Screenwriter/director Burr Steers, however, is the one that serves to come out as the biggest winner from PP&Z as there is rarely a dull moment in his take on the insane-on-the-surface-but-intriguing-and-compelling-in-practice comedy/romance/drama/zombie movie. His cast performs top notch under his watch, he balances with a near perfect hand the mix of slasher camp and courtesan cinema and the fight sequences deliver true, enthralling action with just the right mix of tension and comedy. Had there been a few more threatening moments of zombie action, the film might just be perfect.

Or at least as perfect as any film with a premise this outrageous could ever hope to be, that is. Anyone thinking otherwise has too much pride and an unjust prejudice against a future cult classic that might arguably be the best film released so far in 2016.

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