PLOT: A
young Mexican boy learns to appreciate family from the land of the dead.
Miguel
loves his hero Ernesto del la Cruz a singer but his family has banned him from
playing music. On the holiday Dia de
Muertos (Day of the Dead) he is accidentally goes to the land of the dead and
finds out the truth about his family and how he wants to go back to them. It sounds like a horror movie but they have
beautiful songs and visuals and the important lesson never forget your
family. It is well done and doesn’t seem
like the movie is for children but it is for everyone. If you can WATCH IT!
STAR WARS VIII: THE LAST JEDI
FANTASY/ACTION
PLOT: Rey goes to see Luke
Skywalker for she is founding out she has new powers and the rebels have a new menace: The First Order.
Good
and evil are being blurred in this movie.
You don’t know who to trust. The
best parts are the action and special effects.
Both are very well done. The bad
guy Snoke is great but not in there very long. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) Snoke’s apprentice is
moving even closer to the “dark side” of the force. The late and fantastic
Carrie Fisher as
General Lei Organa is still strong still leading the rebels and Luke Skywalker
(Mark Hamill) is torn between living alone on his island or to help Rey. He has funny moments and equally sad moments
as well. If you are a fan of Star Wars,
the ones director George Lucas made you may not like it, for writer director
Rian Johnson is “Disney-fying” the franchise.
Diehard fans will go; others (like me) liked the movie as epic entertainment.
PLOT:
The origin of the team of the Justice League.
Superman is dead and Bruce Wayne (Ben
Affleck) decides to collect of people with superpowers to stop the herald of
Darkside, Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) from retrieving the three Mother Boxes to
destroy the world. The superheroes are:
Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash, (Ezra Miller) Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and
Aquaman (Jason Momoa). For those who
think this is the Dark Knight, it isn’t!!
It is a lighter tone. The movie
was much longer but the studio; Warner Brothers edited it to two hours. It may feel rushed by it just may have been
cut for time. The team has great
chemistry but the villain not so much.
Fans know who Steppenwolf is but many people do not. The Flash and Aquaman are the highlights of
the film. They are heroic and humorous. If you see this movie DO NOT rush out when
the credits start rolling! There are two
post-credit scenes you want to see. Marvel films does this post-credits scenes
all the time, but now DC is doing it .
THE STAR
ANIMATED
PLOT:
The telling of first Christmas with animals.
There have been many films of the first
Christmas from the animal’s point of view but this is well-made and
heartfelt. Many celebrities used their
voices to this film but what makes it good is that it is funny and the animals
are cute. It is for children as well as
adults. I believe it will be a classic
years to come. If you can, please watch
it!!!
MARSHALL
BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA
PLOT: A young and only lawyer of NAACP and one of
his famous cases.
Chadwick Boseman loves bio films. He was baseball great Jackie Robinson and the
Godfather of Soul James Brown now he plays Thurgood Marshall. He is a young lawyer who helps black people
trying to get a fair trial. In one case
a blonde upper class beauty Kate Hudson is attacked by a black man Sterling K.
Brown. Marshall and his assistant Sam
Friedman (Josh Gad) who is his lawyers.
You figure out the outcome before the movie is over but the acting is
excellent from all the leads. Hudson and
Gad known for comedy are fantastic. The
movie did not do very well in theaters but I hope in video for it is
outstanding. Actor Boseman will be in
the highly anticipated movie Black Panther.
MURDER OF THE ORIENT EXPRESS
MYSTERY
PLOT: Remake of 1974 film of the
same name.
Hercule
Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is a retired detective boards a train and Samuel
Ratchett (Johnny Depp) is murdered. He
solves it but it is a somber conclusion.
Branagh isn’t just an actor but a director and he is very good at it! It is well made and beautiful to look
at. The cast is not just A-list in popularity
but talent as well. Judi Dench (M from
the James Bond films), Willem Dafoe (Spiderman, John Wick), Derek Jacobi (I Claudius,
Gladiator) and Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). The trailer seemed
it would be lightweight-it wasn’t. It is
always welcome to see a good who dunnit in the midst of action packed
superheroes.
PLOT: The third movie about the thunder god with the hammer.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds out his adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is pretending to be his father Odin and that he has a long lost sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) Goddess of Death and she wants to take over Asgard and portals him to a place where he becomes a gladiator against his ex-Avenger, Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). This is the funniest movie of the Thor series but considering the meaning of ragnarok means destruction is very strange. It does have serious moments but mostly it is very amusing. Hemsworth is also physically perfect as Thor and he is very funny. Blanchett is excellent as Hela who wants to be queen or Asgard or Armageddon. Huddleston as Loki is devious as always. Idris Elba as Heimdall is strong, intense, and heroic and Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie is tough but drinking warrior.
GEOSTORM
SCI-FI/DRAMA
PLOT: The weather is unpredictable so a brilliant scientist creates a station in space to control the weather.
Jack Lawson (Gerald Butler) is smart scientist who created Geostorm, a space station that controls the weather. This is a disaster movie so you know someone tampers with the space station and the weather goes nuts! Countries that are cold are hot, eruptions, lighting everything with the weather goes crazy. Jack has to save the Earth. Story is not the important thing about this movie but special effects and they are top-notch! It is a popcorn movie in October. It is a good movie if you like disaster movies. The film is not doing well and I believe the reason is the recent hurricanes are worst than ever. It is a little to real for the public right now.
HAPPY DEATH DAY
HORROR/COMEDY
PLOT: Young woman relives her death over and over until she finds her murderer.
Theresa nickname Tree (Jessica Rothe) is a college student who on her birthday gets a bizarre birthday gift she has to find the killer or she repeats different ways she gets murdered. She is not a good girl but a beautiful, self-centered bitch! The strange thing is you cheer for her because throughout the movie she becomes a decent woman. Rothe is very good funny and fierce as she is trying to solve her own killing. The young, unknown cast is very good as well but the standout is actress Rachel Matthews as Danielle, a beauty who is more of a bitch than Tree. It is an amusing slasher movie if there is such a thing.
PLOT: Young man sees his girlfriend killed by
terrorist and joins a counter terrorism agency.
Mitch Rapp (Dylan
O’ Brien Teen Wolf, Maze Runner) loves his girlfriend and on their vacation asked
her to marry him. She says yes and then
she is killed by a terrorist; he loses it and wants revenge and joins an agency
to wipe out terrorist lead by Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton). He doesn’t follow the rules and makes his
superior mad as hell. It is your typical
revenge spy movie but what is different many people don’t finish sentences
because they are killed! Three reasons
you should see it; great action, many betrayals and Dylan O’Brien.
KINGSMAN 2: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
ACTION/COMEDY
PLOT: The further adventures of Eggsy who is now a
spy on his own.
The Kingsman is
very few now, his mentor Harry (Colin Firth) is supposedly dead and a new
villain named Poppy (Julianne Moore) is rising as a cartel. He finds help with the Statesmen, who are the
Kingman’s American counterpart. Talented Jeff Bridges is their leader Channing
Tatum is also part of the group but who stand out is Whiskey (Pedro Pascal,
Game of Thrones) who can handle a gun and a laser whip with ease. I do hope he receives more parts. Before you watch the sequel watch the first
movie over again for they do reference from the original. The action is great along with the humor. It is not as good as the first one but not
bad either.
BLADE RUNNER 2049
DRAMA SCI-FI MYSTERY
PLOT: The sequel to the cult classic.
The year is 2049
and K (Ryan Gosling) is a Blade Runner officer which takes down old replicas (old
cyborgs). He finds out that Rick Detard (Harrison
Ford) had a child with a replica, Rachel (Sean Young.) and assumed destroyed
it. Philip K Dick is the sci-fi writer
of the original but the film is so bleak and somber is there hope for humans
and replicas in the future. The movie is
not action-packed so don’t expect it. It
is slooow so fast-pace it is not. It is
either brilliant or boring. You
shouldn’t have to pay good money to find out.
If you like the first Blade Runner it is more of the same; if not don’t
bother.
This movie is hard
to describe but it is a beautiful looking film.
Major Valerian (Dane DeHann, Chronicle, and Amazing Spiderman 2) and his
partner Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevinge, Suicide Squad) are agents who get
involved with a perfect planet that may or not be extinct. It is based on comic books in France in the
70s. DeHann doesn’t look like the hero
type for the film and Delevinge is always tough. They are like two teenagers in
space suits instead of talented operatives.
Singer Rihianna is great as Bubble, an artist who is really fantasy
stripper. Commander (Clive Owen, Shoot
‘Em Up) is interesting but his hi-tech robots are even better! It is lovely but empty. If you can wait for video-wait.
IT: CHAPTER ONE
HORROR
PLOT: An evil being shaped like a clown comes to a
town every 27 years in Derry, Maine.
Stephen King wrote
this novel in 1986 and was turned into a scary mini-series in 1990. Mini-series
was popular at that time but a horror mini-series was very rare. Now they have made a movie about Pennywise,
(Bill Skarsgard) the Dancing Clown. The
movie and the mini-series still don’t tell the entire story of this thing
called IT. If you are very interested
read the book. Skarsgard’s Pennywise is
CREEPY! His wicked presence is felt
through the movie. He doesn’t talk much
but what he does to scary the kids is just awful. The seven kids are very brave, funny and a
few curse a lot. It has made much money
so that means sequel and in the sequel they are adults.
DETROIT
CRIME DRAMA
PLOT: The true story of a hotel incident in 1967 in
Detroit where cops killed black men.
Detroit in 1967
was a tense place to be if you were black.
Curfew at nine black folks scared of cops. The movie is very hard to sit through for you
see mostly white racist police humiliating black men and women. The acting is very good. Oscar winner
Kathryn Bigelow can’t get a break. She
won the Oscar for directing The Hurt Locker but even winning the award it still
didn’t make any money and this movie didn’t either. Whites are tired of being the bad guys and
black people are tired of being victims.
The film is worth watching for after 50 years to some there is little
change.
THE DARK TOWER
ACTION/SCI-FI/WESTERN
PLOT: Young man draws people
from other worlds.
The
film is based on the popular books from popular horror author Stephen
King. Jake(Tom Tyler) draws people from
other worlds and family and friends thinks he is mentally ill. He comes to realize there is another world
besides the one he lives in and Walter a.k.a. Man in Black (Mathew McConaughey)
is after him for he can destroy the dark tower in that world and he can take
over our universe. The only person that
can stop him is Roland a.k.a. Gunslinger (Idris Elba) who can load his guns as
fast as he can shoot them. The movie
could have easily been an episode of Dr. Who.
The action is great. I believe
the books are much better than the movie.
The back story of the film is more interesting, it was suppose to be a
movie then a limited (mini-series) then back to a film. I believe it would have been a better mini-series
on Netflix.
ANNABELLE: CREATION
HORROR
PLOT: The origin of the doll
Annabelle.
The film tells the story of how the doll
became evil. It is sloooow but when it
does start to move it does move! It
makes sense to the fans that saw Annabelle.
A doll maker loses their daughter in an accident and he designs the doll
in her imagine but supernatural lurks in their scary house. Many things don’t make a lot of logic but if
you like these kinds of movies go. Stay
for the post credit for it shows the “creepy nun.”
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD
ACTION/COMEDY
PLOT: A top bodyguard has to
protect an assassin so a dictator will go to prison.
OMG!! The concept is crazy and the cast is
great. It stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
who has to protect Samuel L. Jackson (who is in every other movie) a
hitman. The action sequences are amazing-almost
cartoonish but fun. Jackson and Reynolds
curse a lot and they each have many flashbacks about their lives. The lovely Salma Hayek is Jackson’s wife and
Elodie Yung (Gods of Egypt, Electra in Daredevil) is Reynolds girlfriend.
The virus is
spreading for the humans and they are turning into voiceless animals while the
apes are becoming more intelligent. Caesar
is trying to remain neutral and peaceful but the Colonel (Woody Harrison)
thinks that apes must be killed at any cost.
Caesar wants revenge at any cost and it ends in an explosive
conclusion. This is the best film
franchise I have ever seen! I don’t
really like the old Planet of the Apes series but I like this. There are a lot of subtitles only because
many apes use sign language but when the action does come it is fast and
furious! If you liked the last two you
will enjoy this one and it might be the last one.
BABY DRIVER
ACTION/THRILLER
PLOT: Young,
talented getaway driver wants out.
This film is like
teen Transporter and a 109 minute MTV video!
Baby (Ansel Elgort, Divergent) a young man who can drive a car is in
debt with crime boss Doc ( Kevin Spacey) and he thinks he does one last job and
he is done. Doesn’t happen then things
get more complicated when he falls in love with Debora (Lily James Pride
Prejudice and Zombies) who works at a diner.
Bats (Jamie Fox) is a crazy criminal and Jon Ham (Mad Men) becomes a
driven killer. It is very stylized crime drama with a great soundtrack. If you want something different this movie is
it!
ATOMIC BLONDE
ACTION/THRILLER
PLOT: A MI6
must find “The List” at any cost.
Lorraine Broughton
(Charlize Theron) is a spy and she has to use her intelligence, her seduction
and fighting skills to retrieve a microfilm with a list of spies. Plot is not important but style and action
is! Theron could be the female James
Bond! The fight sequences are
AMAZING. She can give a beating and take
a beating as well. David Percival (James
McAvoy, Split) is always good as an ally to Lorraine and the underrated but talented
John Goodman (Kong Skull Island) as Emmett Kurzfeld, a CIA agent working with MI6. It is not as action-packed as the trailer but
when the action does come it is fast and brutal! It is good but not good as the trailer!
GIRLS TRIP
COMEDY
PLOT: Four successful black women go to New Orleans
to have fun.
The fabulous four
Sasha (Queen Latifah), Ryan (Regina Hall), Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Dina
(Tiffany Haddish) have marital problems, financial problems, man problems so
they decide to go to Essence Music Festival to relive old, good times. It is Bridesmaids dipped in chocolate! It is funny, outrageous, raunchy and at times
so poignant. All the leading ladies are
great but Haddish stands out as foul mouth, loyal fun-loving woman. You have seen this all before but never by
African-American females. If you like
this kind of movie you should see it.!
PLOT: Five college women get
together after ten years with zany results.
You
know the story college people get together after years apart and try to relive
the old days. The five are Jess
(Scarlett Johansson), Alice (Jillian Bell), Blair (Zoe Kravitz), Frankie (Ilana
Glazer) and Pippa (Kate McKinnon). Alice
tries to make a fantastic bachelorette weekend for her best friend Jess but
everything goes terrible wrong. It is
like Hangover and Weekend at Bernie’s only it is female. It is vulgar too but some of it is funny and
very funny but not often. If you like
these kind of raunchy comedies you should see this –if not you can wait a
couple of months until video.
DESPICABLE ME 3
ANIMATED
PLOT: Gru is back!
Gru
is now a good guy who works for AVL (Anti Villain League) who can’t defeat
child star Balthazar Bratt who never got out of the 80’s. He cracked and now he decides to destroy
Hollywood after he got to be a grown man.
Gru also finds out he is not an only child but has a twin brother with
hair and his yellow minions leave him. It sounds very dramatic but it is very
funny. It is so imaginative how they use
the music of the 80s to tell the story.
A few raunchy parts but mostly good.
For kids and grown-ups!
SPIDERMAN HOMECOMING
ACTION/ADVENTURE/SCI-FI
PLOT: Another reimaging of
Spiderman
People
who love comics and superhero movies know the story of Spiderman but this one a
little different. Peter Parker (Tom
Holland) is smart but also a superhero by night. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is his mentor
and gives him an amazing suit and he uses it to stop the Vulture (Michael
Keaton) so he won’t sell hi-tech weapons to gangsters. The little differences
are no origin how he got his powers, no mention of his Uncle Ben and the
villain is not his nemesis. It has what a summer movie should have lots of
humor, lots of action and an exciting ending.
Robert Downey Jr. was born to be Iron Man, Tom Holland was born to be
Spiderman.
PLOT:Young black man trying to support younger
sister sells drugs.
OMG, this is not
your typical superhero movie.It is
about Bo (Jacob Latimore, Maze Runner, Ride Along) a smart student who takes
cares for his sister.He does magic
tricks on the streets but sells drugs to make a living.He wants to get out of the business
especially when he has a steady girlfriend but his boss Angelo (Dule Hill West
Wing, Psych) won’t let him.
Actor Hill
is vicious as his employer who always wants to be obeyed and respected. Bo is
moving up but he has to do worst than sell.He really does have superpowers but you don’t see that until the end. It
is a strange but delightful mix of drug drama and science fiction.The shocking part they didn’t advertise this
film very much which is strange since WWE Studios the wrestling company
produced it. It is low-budget and the hero is African American.It gives you a taste until the big budget
movie Black Panther comes along.It is
worth watching.
TRANSFORMERS:THE LAST NIGHT
ACTION/SCI-FI
PLOT:Optimus Prime turns evil to bring Cypertron
back with a mystical object.
Humans and robots
are at war and Optimus turns bad and must retrieve an ancient relic to bring
back his planet even if earth is destroyed in the process.Story not the important part in the fifth
film of the series. The action and the special effects are.The ending is amazing.I enjoy the franchise but not like I used
to.Optimus is not the movie most of the
time. The most is of course the ending.He is the leader of the Autobots and he is good.Small spoiler he does let loose when he is
bad.They need to really let him have an
evil opponent to he can go full destruction!If you enjoy this series you like this one.
ALL EYEZ ON ME
BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA
PLOT:The incredible short life of rapper, actor,
poet Tupac Shakur.
Tupac (Demetrius
Shipp Jr.) wanted to be more than a rapper; he wanted to change the world with
his music.It is a rags to riches
story-gangster style.It is not as good
as Straight Outta Compton but it is not bad. Newcomer Shipp portrayal as Tupac
is very good, Danai Gurira (Miichonne, Walking Dead) who plays his mother,
Afeni Shakur is excellent!Also
outstanding is Dominic L. Santana as ruthless, rich producer Surge Knight.The movie isn’t doing as well as many thought
it would maybe because of some parts might be false but I hope it makes you
want to read about this rapper who did so much in his life before gunned downed
at 25.
PLOT:Treasure hunter finds an evil princess who wants to destroy the world.
Nick (Tom Cruise) is ex-military finds a tomb that belongs to Ahmant (Sofia Boutella, Star Trek Beyond, Kingsman: Secret Service) a wicked being who wants to conquer the world or destroy it.She also picked Nick to be her lover. The movie is the (hopefully) beginning of Dark Universe from Universal, a movie company known for monsters and creatures.The movie is a popcorn movie!It is not Oscar winning cinema so why treat it as such.It is not a reboot of the Mummy franchise with Brendan Frasier.It is a good movie for a summer flick.It is not doing well in the U.S. but better overseas.If you like Mummy films in general you should see this; if not just wait.
BAYWATCH
ACTION/COMEDY
PLOT:Reboot of the TV series of the same name.
When you watch this movie you MUST do suspension of disbelief.If you like the series you will like this but it has curse words and crude, sexual humor.If you can deal with that then you will enjoy this film.The women are beautiful and Dwayne”The Rock” Johnson and ZacEfron are hulks.The villainess of the movie is Priyanka Chopra (Quantico) and she is pretty good at being bad.The film is doing terrible in America but very well overseas.If you can deal what I wrote before go see it but if you can’t –wait.I believe it will do better on video.
THE BELKO EXPERIMENT
THRILLER/SCI-FI
PLOT:A sick social experiment where people in an isolated office building have to kill or be killed.
This is the office version of Battle Royale, where teens have to kill each other or be assassinated.It is a B-movie but it has stars you have seen before like Tony Goldwyn (TV show Scandal), John C. McGinley (TV show Stan Against Evil), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy).The film came out at the wrong time!It is a bloody, violent movie about human nature must survive no matter the cost!It is a fascinating downer and I hope that it does better on-demand, video and streaming for it is worth a viewing.
I
know it sounds crazy but it is correct; this is the sequel of Prometheus before
Alien 1979.Covenant means coming
together and it is also the name of the spaceship in the film.A group of astronauts are off course by an
unexpected blast and they are awakening too soon and they discover a perfect
planet until they find out the planet is not so perfect.The “covenant” coming together is how the
“Aliens” disturbing origin began.The
creatures have many other ways to invade the human body and it is nasty!Ridley Scott directed both movies and Alien
1979 and it is very well made.The
director is making a third prequel.How
many prequels can you do?It is not
doing well in the US maybe no one has ever heard of so many prequels and
sequels for one movie!If you like the
Alien franchise you should see this movie; if not wait until cable.
WONDER
WOMAN
ACTION/FANTASY
PLOT:
The origin of the most famous Amazon ever.
Gal Gadot (Fast
and Furious movies) is Diana an Amazon living and training in beautiful island
in Themyscira when Steve Trevor (Chris Pine, recent Star Trek movies) washes
ashore.She finds out there is war
outside her world and decides to help Steve.Basically you know the story of Wonder Woman but it is on the big screen
with a female superhero.Gadot is very
good as Wonder Woman.What she lacks in
size she is very intense!The fight
scenes are slow-motion but AMAZING.The
villains are not great but not dull either only for they did not have much to
do.It is also directed by a woman Patty
Jenkins whose last film was Monster in 2003. Much is riding on this blockbuster
because if it fails-wait a looong time for female lead superhero.
PIRATES
OF THE CARIBBEAN 5:DEAD MAN TELL NO
TALES
ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY
PLOT:The further tales of Jack Sparrow.
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) has a past
and his name is Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem,(No Country for Old Men,
Skyfall) who kill all the ships at sea until he finds a mythical object to
break the spell.At least it is better
than then last one.It has all you
expect in these kinds of movies.Bardem
is just amazing as the evil Captain Salazar.He is a great actor but he plays a bad guy he gives the character depth
but you still dislike him!HIGHLIGHT:Rottingzombie sharks!!If you like this
movie series you should see this installment.
PLOT:Four Smurfs find a map where there are even
more Smurfs and try to save them from the evil
Gargamel.
This movie is all
animated-no live action but it is still delightful.Smurfette still feels alone for she still is
the only girl but they discover there are more Smurfs beyond the gray wall-even
girl Smurfs.The voices are different
actors that include singer Demi Lovato (Smurfette), Joe Manganiello (Hefty), Brainy
(Danny Pudi) and Clumsy (Jack McBrayer).The evil Gargamel is voiced by Rainn Wilson.The real surprise Julia Roberts does the
voice of SmurfWilliow.It is very cute
and imaginative if you like the characters, if not wait for video.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2
ACTION/FANTASY
PLOT:The further adventures of Star-Lord and his
crew.
Peter
Quill/Star-Lord(Chris Pratt) finds out by accident about his father Ego(Kurt
Russell): Gamora (Zoe Saldana) finds out why her sister competes with her;
Groot is growing; Rocket is still a thief and Drax (Dave Bautista) is not so
angry like in the last movie.The
special effects are just amazing; there are some surprising cameos and 5 post
credits so stay until it is over.If you
like the first film you will enjoy the second.It is much lighter than the original but it does get sober near the
end.A good popcorn movie to start the
summer.
KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD
ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY
PLOT:A unique version of King Arthur.
If you see this
movie forget about Disney’s The Sword and the Stone-it isn’t!It doesn’t have Merlin or Morgana
either.It is a gritty, realistic
mixture of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and every other fantasy film you
have seen.Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy,
Pacific Rim) is the title character who as child saw his parents die and
survived by being a thief.He finds out
he is the true king but doesn’t want the title and what comes with it.
Astrid
Berges-Frisbey is the Mage, a magical woman to guide him to his true purpose in
life.Hunnam is good as commoner turned
king.The best acting comes from Jude
Law as Vortigen, the guy who took the kingdom from his brother.The film is doing terrible in the US and overseas
because it is not really a popcorn movie for the summer.It is not any version most people know or it
has been done so many times most people don’t want to see another tale of King
Arthur.
PLOT:In the future a young woman has a human brain
but a cyborg body.
Major Mia Killian
(Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind; her body robotic but has a human
mind.She is trained to be a weapon but
also wants to know her past.The
live-action movie is based on the anime series of the same name.Johansson actually looks like Major but many
fans of the series wished they considered an Asian for the part.There are many Asians actress but Hollywood
prefers to go with a box-office star rather to have the ethnicity correct.She was good as the rest of the cast and it
is very sober.
BOSS BABY
ANIMATED
PLOT:A young kid and his baby brother in a suit
must take out an evil guy to stop parents from loving their babies.
An adorable baby
in a black business suit pretends he is Tim’s baby brother while investigates
his parents who works at Puppyco, a toy
company to make the ultimate toy puppy that will make all parents all over the
world to love the puppy more than their own babies.It sounds incredible but is very good and
imaginative.Alec Baldwin is simply
great as the “baby” who is all business and nothing else.It is delightful storytelling and very
recommended.
THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS 8
ACTION/SCI-FI
PLOT:Dom Tretto goes rouge!
Dom (Vin Diesel)
is on his honeymoon with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) when a mysterious woman
named Cipher (Charlize Theron) forces Dom to work for her.Here’s a big hint:It is about family he doesn’t know
about.It is a fun popcorn movie in
April.It is incredible how the
beginning of the franchise they were just race car drivers to minority Mission
Impossible!If you like the movie series
up till now go see it; if not don’t.
PLOT:A live action remake of the classic animation
of 1991
Disney has stuck gold twice with
the same movie.Belle (Emma Watson,
Harry Potter series) is a lover of books and through a series of events Belle
must stay with the Beast.They hate each
other at first then begin to care for each other.There are a few changes from the musical
animation but it is good just as well.
The bad guy
Gaston (Luke Evans) is very good playing a vain, macho creep.If you enjoyed the animated film you will
enjoy this as well.
POWER RANGERS
ACTION/SCI-FI
PLOT:Five high school loners become superheroes.
The original Mighty Morphing Power
Rangers were very popular in the 90s and this is the reboot of the series and
movie.Instead of nice kids they are
loners and outsiders who become friends become then superheroes and most
important of all become a team to save the world.Most of the cast are newcomers.The two that are not are Bryan Cranston
(Breaking Bad, Godzilla 2014) as Zordan their leader and Elizabeth Banks (Hunger
Games) asRita Repulsa.She is a comic villainess and she is very
good. The special effects are amazing.It is like the Power Rangers in the 90s, fun but forgettable.
LIFE
SCI-FI/HORROR/THRILLER
PLOT:Astronauts bring back a specimen from Mars.
Six astronauts that includes
Jake Gyllenhaal (South Paw), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Rebecca Ferguson
(Mission Impossible, Rogue Nation) who retrieves a sample from Mars. Bad idea. At first it is cute (it is shaped like a leech
to me) then it grows into a blob-shaped octopus slithering over objects and
killing the crew.It is your typical
don’t-bring-back-things-from-other planets scenio.Nothing really stands out but the special
effects and the eerie music.It maybe a
sequel but I really doubt it and when you watch the movie you can see why.It will be better on video.
PLOT:Successful black male meets his white
girlfriend’s parents with scary results.
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya, Johnny
English Reborn) is very much in love with Rose (Allison Williams, Girls HBO
series) a pretty white woman.They are
getting serious and Rose wants him to meet her parents.He is nervous for her folks doesn’t know he
is African-American.He goes anyway even
when his good friend Rod (LilRel Howery, a stand-up comic) advises him not to go.Big mistake for he starts seeing things that
are very unsettling with the black maid and gardener.He finally finds out what is going on and it
is frightening!Some people think it is
slow because it is building to a creepy climax. There is a lot going on in this
film. All the actors are great-especially Howery who is much needed comic
relief and director Jordon Peele (part of Key and Peele-the one with the
glasses who does skit comedy on Comedy Central) does a great job.
LOGAN
ACTION/SCI-FI
PLOT:The final chapter of Wolverine.
Logan (Hugh Jackman) is older
and the adamantium is killing him yet he takes a job as a chauffeur and takes
care of an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart).A mysterious woman begs him to take a young
girl Laura (Dafne Keen) to the Canadian border and they are endless hunted by the
military to get the Laura back.OMG!This is not a POPCORN
MOVIE!There is humor but it is bloody,
dark and grim.It is a slow pace but
when there is action it is a messy.It
is rated R for a very good reason.Jackman is good for he can be human and horrifying too.Keen mostly has a scowl on her face and when
you watch the movie you will know why.See it if you like Wolverine for Hugh Jackman says it’s his
last(?).If he did he ended it on a high
but sad note.
KONG SKULL ISLAND
ACTION/ADVENTURE/SCI-FI
PLOT:In
1973 scientists and military go to an island that doesn’t exit and finds
monsters.
First, let me say King Kong is
not my favorite giant monster until I saw this movie! He is seen more than my favorite giant monster
Godzilla 2014.King Kong in 1933 is 25
feet, this one is 100 feet.The people
are expendable but they do what they can.No one is going to see this epic movie for acting.The monster action is AMAZING and the finale
is FANTASTIC!!!If the upcoming film
Godzilla Vs King Kong is as good as this-shut up and take my money!Giant monsters fans REJOICE!.Stay for the extra footage.
Batman (Will Arnett, Teenaged
Mutant Ninja Turtles) loves being the lonely, anti-hero but he realizes he
needs a team that’s like family to stop the evil Joker ( Zach Galifinakis) to
from destroying Gotham City.This movie
is funny and shows Batman from the 60’s to now in funny ways. It has villains
even from other movies. Arnett’s Batman is just great as the rest of the cast
that includes Robin (Michael Cera), Batgirl (Rosario Dawson).Kids and adults will enjoy this movie.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2
ACTION
PLOT:John Wick tries to retire again.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) wants
to lead the quite life with his new dog, new home but an old friend needs his services
so he has to kill a lot of people when there is a hit on him.Story not a point in a movie like this but
body count is.The film is stylish and
bloody.There is a fight scene between
Reeves and rapper Common that will become a classic.Will there be a Chapter 3?Only the fans can decide.Action hounds your movie is HERE!
SLEEPLESS
ACTION/THRILLER
PLOT:Jamie Fox plays a cop.
Jamie Fox
plays Vincent a policeman who may or not be crooked.He steals drugs from the top gangster and
they retaliate by kidnapping his teenage son in front of him.The movie was in theaters for a hot minute
but is very good.You as well as Fox
don’t know what cops or federal agents to trust until the very end.The action is good and the thrills are
better. You should see this if you are a
Jamie Fox fan or action fan.
Alice
(Mia Jovovich) takes on zombies and tries to save earth from a man-made
apocalypse by Dr. Isaacs (Iain Glen).The film is what you expect from the franchise-action packed, lots of
the undead and a few monsters. Jovovich
is just an action babe!Acting not
really a requirement for films like these but she is intense and can handle
herself with man or monster. If you like this movie series you will enjoy it
but it may not be the last-wink, wink!
SPLIT
THRILLER
PLOT:A mental ill man has 23
different personalities.
Kevin
Wendell Crumb (James McIvor) is his real name but the man has a problem.He has 22 other characters inside of
him.One of them kidnaps three girls and
isolated them and the young women try to escape.Many people have seen movies with one person
with many but not like this!McIvor is
just brilliant-if not for him it wouldn’t be good and the director M. Knight
Shyamalan who did The Sixth Sense which I liked.He directed many other movies but this is
very good.Minor spoiler –there is a
“twist” in the film and a guest star action fans know.It is a psychological thriller not Jason in
Friday the 13th so don’t expect many killings but if you want to see
something different this is it!
FIFTY SHADES DARKER
EROTIC ROMANCE
PLOT: The further adventure of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele.
Anastasia
(Dakota Johnson) couldn’t take Christian (Jamie Dorman) kinky fetishes so she
leave him. Christian is used to getting what he wants so he pursues Ana.She still wants him and gives him another
chance but one of his ex-submissive (?) Leila (Bella Heathcote) is stalking Ana
and the woman who got him into bondage Elena Lincoln (still sexy Kim Basinger)
dislikes her. OMG!At least it is
funny.
Let me tell you how it goes:funny, boring, sex scene repeat a few times,
suspense, the end.There is much talent
in this movie from the stars to the director but again at least it’s funny.This is not a critic movie, it’s a guilty
pleasure.African-Americans have Madea
franchise, teens had Twilight Saga and young women have this!It’s a girl’s night out movie with drinks
provided!
PLOT:A black young boy grows up in a ghetto neighborhood.
The
movie is broken down into three parts first chapter, when Chiron is a young boy
and is bullied because he is little and has to deal with his drug addict
mother.Second chapter, he is a teen and
realizes he is not straight but still shy and still bullied.Third chapter he is a well-built,
chain-wearing gangster who is still has gay feelings.The acting is amazing!Most of the actors are unknown except for
Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage, Hidden Figures), Naomie Harris (Monypenny in the
latest James Bond movies) and Janelle Monae (Hidden Figures).The film ask the question is how tough it is to be a man, then
a black man and on top of that being a gay black man.
HIDDEN FIGURES-2017
HISTORICAL DRAMA
PLOT:The true story of three African American women who assisted NASA with
the space missions in the 60s.
All
the science ladies Katherine G Johnson (Tarji Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia
Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) are brilliant mathematicians who help
NASA get astronaut John Glenn into space.It is a feel good movie with black women in the leads overcoming racism
and sexism.It is also a chick flick,
true story with lots of humor and heart.The movie is worth watching to see African American women than the usual
stereotypes and all the acting is very, very good.
FENCES - 2016
DRAMA
PLOT: The movie adaption of the play of the
same name by August Wilson.
Troy
Maxson (Denzel Washington) works as a garbage collector in the fifties.His dream was to be a baseball player but he
got too old to play.He is married to
his loyal wife Rose (Viola Davis) who deals with his drinking and plays ref
between him and his son who wanted to play football.It
was rumored that Eddie Murphy in the 90’s when he was popular.It was worth the wait for ALL the
performances were excellent.Not only
did Washington star in the film he directed as well.
PLOT:Talking animals enter a
singing contest with hilarious results.
Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) owns a theater and he has hit hard
times so he decides to have a singing contest like American Idol and the lucky
ones have problems of their own. The voice cast includes Reese Witherspoon,
Seth MacFarlane and Scarlett Johansson. It is a great musical, the characters
are cute and it is funny and heartfelt.A MUST for all ages.
ALLIED
ROMANTIC/ THRILLER
PLOT:Two spies fall in love but
should they.
Max
Vatan (Brad Pitt) is an agent for the US and he goes to Casablanca to meet another
spy, French Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) in World War II.They pretend to be married to assassinate an
important German Ambassador.They really
do fall in love and Max takes her back to the states to marry and they have a
child. He finds out something that can tear their family apart.The film is very slow and sober and when
there is action it is brief but intense.The two leads are good.It wasn’t
promoted very much because of Brad Pitt’s messy divorce so if you blink you
would miss it.If you like old-fashion
romance suspense you will like it.
ASSASSIN'S CREED
ACTION/SCI-FI
PLOT:Another popular video game
made into a film.
Callum
Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is a criminal and drifter.Assuming he died but transferred in a facility
that has a device, Amimus that regress memories and in his past life he is
Agular who is in a secret society that protects The Apple of Eden which
eliminates free will.Whew!Are you still with me?The best part of the movie is the action
which is fast and furious. If you play video games you may not like it but for
those who don’t play the games might not like it either for there is a lot of
material that is hard to believe.Video
games to movies must be hard to make for so many fail at the box office.Many fans thought this movie would be a
financial and fans would enjoy it but not this one.
