Thursday, April 21, 2016

Several Kinds of Jungle




ALLEGIANT
ACTION/SCI-FI/ YOUNG ADULT

PLOT:   Divergent series part three.

                Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) escape outside Chicago seeking a better world but it is just as corrupt and horrible as their home and soon they have to save it.  It wasn’t as good as Insurgent but it did have its moments.  I believe there will be a part two as with all books Hollywood breaks the last book into two parts.  If you can wait until video please wait.

13 HOURS:  THE SPECIAL SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI
DRAMA/ACTION

PLOT: The true story of six military men who defend the U.S. embassy.

                The film is an inside account of the brave operatives who needed help and protected the best they could the compound they were in.  The fight scenes are intense and Michael Bay, who is known for popcorn movies shows he can make a serious action movie.  The question is why these men never received any military assistance when they asked for it?  Who is responsible?  Michael Bay did not want to make it political but unfortunately it is for it sadly shows once again can we trust our elected officials.  The film was in theaters in a hot minute then suspiciously gone.  The video release arrives June 7.

THE JUNGLE BOOK
FANTASY

PLOT:  An updated version of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.

                Disney in 1967 made the animated version of the same name and now they used CGI.  The story is about a boy named Mowgli (Neal Sethi) raised by wolves and the evil Shere Khan voiced by Idris Elba wants him dead because he is human and what his father did to him. The film is visually amazing and the voice actors are outstanding which include Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Lupital Nyongo and Christopher Walken but Elba’s Khan is menacingly good!!  Highly recommended.
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Monday, April 11, 2016

On Justice and Aliens



TRIPLE 9
CRIME DRAMA

PLOT:  Dirty cops and Russian mafia try to make a big heist but are stopped by a good cop.

                This movie should have been fantastic with the A-list cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrleson and Kate Winslet. It has action but most of the characters are crazy, corrupt or killers.  Not too many people to root for.

BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY

PLOT:  Two iconic superheroes fight each other.

                Superman (Henry Cavill) destroyed much of Metropolis but saved a lot of people as well.  Congress wants him to give himself up for he is too dangerous but he has been set –up by Lex Luther (Jesse Eisenberg).  Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) is upset he destroyed his building but more importantly the people.  They packed a lot of action and story in this one movie but the best part is when the two superheroes attack each other!  Affleck’s Batman is badass!  He is more like the Punisher but he does have his reasons. 

Many fans (including myself) didn’t think he could be good as Batman but he is.  Cavill’s Superman is okay.  Eisenberg as Lex is annoyingly arrogant and evil.  I wish they chose Mark Strong.  I believe he will be better in the next movie.  Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) isn’t in the film much but when she is she ready to battle!  To comic book fans they crammed many things together and the origin of Doomsday is good but not correct. The fight sequences are just great!  In short, it is an adult, long, epic Saturday morning cartoon.  When the movie arrives on video there will be an R-rated version.  That sounds interesting.

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
HORROR/SUSPENSE

PLOT:  Young woman after an accident is in a cellar with two men.

                First of all this film is not a sequel or prequel to the 2008  Cloverfield.  I heard the name was used just to make money off the popular movie.  Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter) is leaving her boyfriend Ben.  She is on the road and she crashes with another car and when she wakes she is in a room with no windows and chained up.  Howard (John Goodman) tells her he saved her but did he?  Is he nice, nuts or just lonely? There is also another guest/prisoner named Emmett (John Gallagher Jr). 

They are a happy family for a while but Michelle is planning her escape.  Let me just say it is slow moving but it becomes more interesting near the end.  Once again John Goodman is amazing!  An award of any kind is long overdue.  Winstead is great too.  She is the most resourceful woman I have seen on screen for a long time.   Will they make a sequel?  Only box office will tell.



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