Fantasies for Kids of All Ages

GHOST IN THE SHELL

ACTION/SCI-FI

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.

Fantasy Reboots and Rebooted Aliens

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

FANTASY/MUSICAL 

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) as  Rita 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.