Wizards, Conjurings and Keanus

WARCRAFT

ACTION/FANTASY

PLOT:  Based on the popular video game where orcs and humans must join together to stop an even bigger threat.

                I have a confession before I review:  I never played the very popular game but as a movie it is EPIC.  You can enjoy the movie if you never played the game for it is a sad popcorn movie.  Orcs and humans must fight together against a wizard and the result is death and tragedy.  It is played very seriously, not much humor at all and you actually care about the orcs than the people.

KEANU

ACTION COMEDY

PLOT:  Two middle class black men pretend to be gangstas to get back their cute little kitten.

                Key and Peele had a very funny show on Comedy Central and they debut in this.  If you like their type of comedy you will enjoy this.  Believe it or not the action sequences are very good.  They comedy is good too but it is like a 90 minute movie of their skits.  The best thing really is the cute little kitten and (minor spoiler) the actor Keanu Reeves does the voice of the kitten in a dream sequence.

NEIGHBORS 2:  SORORITY RISING

COMEDY

PLOT:  The sequel to the successful Neighbors.

                Mac and Kelly (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) are having their second kid and they want a bigger home.  Shelby (Chole Grace Moretz, Hit Girl, Carrie) is a lonely student who realizes there are too many rules at the sororities in her college so she makes her own sororities and the house she picks is next door to Mac and Kelly.  It is crude, vulgar but it is also funny too.  I really saw the movie because of Moretz.  She seemed out of place for comedy because she is an action star.

THE CONJURING 2

HORROR 

PLOT:  Paranormal married couple Ed and Lorraine Warren investigates a possessed child in England.

                Based on a true story of a single mother and one of her daughters is possessed and the Warren couple will   help them.  There are a few jolts in the film but what is truly interesting is that there is faith and the paranormal pair belief in God.  It is very rare in modern horror today.  In a strange way this is why many religious movie fans made the movie a hit because of faith and family. Minor spoiler:  The Creepy Nun is very scary and she (it?) may have a solo movie.

The Mega Movies Explode

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE

ACTION/FANTASY

PLOT:  The team comes together to stop the first mutant that ever existed:  Apocalypse.

I usually don’t mention directors but Bryan Singer has made more X-Men movies than anyone else.  He may enjoy what he does or they are paying him much money. In the latest movie En Sabah Nu (The First One) played by Oscar Issac who was Poe in Star Wars: The Fourth Awakens rises again and recruits four mutants to join him in controlling the world.  One is Erick Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) who tries to be an ordinary man but circumstances force him to be Magneto and the hell with humans and crush them.  Fassbender no doubt can act and so can James McAvoy as Professor X. 

Oscar Issac as Apocalypse is the most powerful evil being in the X-men universe and the actor is of Latino descent!  Thank you Singer for choosing him and under all that make-up is a good performance. He is not a household name but I hope he will be.  Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique is good but her character was NEVER the leader of the X-men but the actress can bring in fans so deal with that.  The sexiest female is Olivia Munn as Psylocke.  She looks great but she is hardly in the movie and she doesn’t speak much.  The action sequences are great.  If you are a comic book fan it is good but you may complain about the mistakes.

THE ANGRY BIRDS

ANIMATED

PLOT: Based on the popular video game.

                Flightless birds live a quiet existence then the pigs arrive that seem friendly but have an evil agenda. One angry bird realizes something is wrong with the pigs. The movie is fun but raunchy that is why the kids want to watch it.  Please see it with your kids for you will enjoy it just as much.

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

ACTION/FANTASY

PLOT:  Alice has problems in her world as well as the magical world.

                Alice is grown up now and she is having grown up problems such as losing her home, upset with her mom.  She goes to the magical realm where Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) is ill.  He believes his family is alive and only Alice can save them.  The movie is epic and special effects amazing.  It is loosely based on the novel but the best thing about the film is what you do for family and Alice tries to help in both of her families in both worlds.