Over the 80s, WW84 disappoints

Let me begin by saying it is with a heavy heart that I report I did not like WW84. For I love all things Wonder Woman. I have t-shirs, key chains, sun glasses, legos, comics, the complete show, movies, cups, purses, etc. My first underroos as a child were even, you guessed it, Wonder Woman. I love her ideals, truth and justice, and have lived my life by them. Though I strayed to Cat Woman in my teen years, WW has stayed in my heart and soul. Even with my daughter truth is key. Ism always honest with her a d a lie is the only real thing she gets in trouble for. (Wonder Woman)

So in all honesty I did not like most of this movie. I spent the first two thirds of it bored and the last third wishing for less CGI. (Plastic people do not look good. You could tell EVERYTIME!) I was so bored I even paused the movie and went shopping for a bit. I just couldn’t care. Then had to force myself to finish.

What did I like about the movie? Kristen Wig was amazing as cheetah. Though cheetahs design was only ok. She was mousy and vulnerable in the beginning. With just enough humor. Then she slowly becomes more and more feral and her transformation is perfect. I would be hard pressed to give up that power too, but she was never completely powerless. Which was a fantastic twist which I loved.

The 80s fashion show also got a giggle. Thank you Chris Pine for doing what so many women have done in. Countless movie beyond time. I loved it.

Gal Gadot is an excellent actress and physically she can handle stunt work. So why was the movie so CGI heavy? What was with the over use of playdough people covering my screen? It was unacceptable and took you right out of every action scene. And using the damn rope to fly bothers me SO much, I cant even! I know they explain it in the first movie, but they go heavy with it here.

The villain Maxwell Lord, acted well by Pedro Pascal, was such used car sales man it was unbelieveable he’d pose a threat at all. He was too vulnerable and the ending predictable by a mile. The moment you meet his son and see them interact you know all you need to know.

The Chris Pine story line, though sweet was like rehashing the last movie. We get it, she will only ever love one man. She’s not virginal, just unobtainable and out of batman’s league. Thank god! As a major crier at movies, I did not even tear up here. The story just did not land.

Over all if you have HBO MAX, watch if you want it cost nothing. If not, wait till you can stream for free!

Stuber: A Buddy Cop Movie without a White Guy!

Ok guys, so let me tell you a little bit about my weekends. I usually see two to three movies, usually all in one day, for this blog. If I didn’t work I would see them Thursday or Friday the first showing I could, but unfortunately I am often stuck going Saturday. I don’t mind, this is a labor of love, an obsession really. But it is lovely when I get to actually enjoy the movie I see!

Stuber will never give down in history as a ground breaking, amazing movie. The script huge holes. Detective Vic, Dave Bautista’s character is a detective who could be considered legally blind without his glasses who is doggedly pursuing a drug dealer, Iko Uwais. He can’t drive because he got laser surgery to correct his eye sight so he ropes in an uber driver to help him catch a drug dealer? How does this make any sense. Even a loner on the force would have a friend he could call instead of endangering a civilian right. But who cares, because honestly this movie is hilarious and me and ALL of my fellow patrons were to busy laughing to care how crazy stupid the plot was.

Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani have amazing chemistry together. Bautista is a great straight man for Nanjiani’s brand of wit. On top of that they both nailed the physical humor. By the time the got to the fight in the sporting goods store I was loudly laughing and I have not done that in a theater in YEARS. Solid humor with just a sprinkling of sincerity. The joke at the end landed. Definitely worth seeing if for no other reason than to encourage the production companies to make more movies that work like this.

Less big budget tech more good old fashion humor and fun. Unlike the other movie I watched this weekend I did not feel the time I spent on the seat and enjoyed every minute of it.

Stuber (US Release Date 7/11/2019)

Director Michael Dowse

Writer Tripper Clancy

Cast Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, Natalie Morales, Iko Uwais, Mira Sorvino

Trailer https://youtu.be/i5l6a5RiR1E

Godzilla King of Monsters: Why do Americans Keep Trying?

Full disclosure, I grew up on Godzilla movies and have a soft spot for this genre, but Why oh WHY do American’s think they can make these movies? They just keep screwing up! First the Matthew Broderick debacle! What the hell was that one about? Now this series, and while it has made over a billion dollars worldwide for the studios I can help but feel they SUCK!

First we had the 2014 Godzilla movie that did not contain Godzilla. It was so focused on the human story that it panned away from every fight Godzilla had, barely showing any action. We got plenty of shots of the damage the Kaiju caused, but what good is that. In fact the movie was so bad I completely forgot everything about it and had to re-watch it just to write this much about it. And I had seen it twice before!

Next is the series is Kong Skull Island from 2017. This was an OK movie with a really cool looking Kong, but the story line really failed. Huge plot holes and some drag in the middle, I could not watch this one a second time. Sorry guys I tried and got too bored, and this one has giant spiders!

Then we come to our feature Godzilla: King of Monsters. While this movie definitely has more Godzilla (YEAH), it also has more of everything being two hours and two minutes long. I actually checked my phone a few times during the movie because it is too damn long. Learn to edit people! There was a lot that could have been cut. The Kaiju are now environmental warriors, this is Eco-terroism at its finest, what a crock! Sorry if I”m spoiling anything but this script was utter shit! I can’t begin to point out the holes or ridiculousness because it was garbage! While there may have been moments I enjoyed, Yes Ken Watanabe was great, Millie Bobby Brown did a fantastic job and is rising star. For a child actress she brought emotional depth to her scenes as she struggles with what her parents have done and the consequences of their actions. But it just wasn’t enough to make me care about everyone for the whole movie. I am a big baby and cry at most things I watch, I never shed a tear because I could not become emotional involved in a movie that never got me to give a damn.

I liked the monsters fighting and I loved Mothra, I have always loved him and seeing him fight was great, but the family crap got old fast and the twist there were too predictable. Every “twist” I had written down in my notes way before they happened, not a single surprise. Its one thing to make a two hour movie, it’s another thing to make one that feels like a two hour movie. Wait for this one to come out on a streaming platform so you can pause it. And then you can watch it just before, wait for it, Godzilla vs. King Kong the final installment in this four part series! If you want a better Godzilla movie watch

Godzilla King of Monsters (US Release Date 5/31/2019)
Director: Michael Dougherty
Writer: Michael Dougherty, Zach Shields
Cast: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ven Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Bradley Whitford, Aish Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Cinematography – Lawrence Sher
Production Company – Legendary Pictures
Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B12REtkl2KY

Avengers: Endgame (Marvel’s Grand Plan)

First some quick history:

This movie has been eleven years in the making. The Avengers movie franchise began with the first Iron Man movie on May, 2 2008. This movie introduced US to Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, an Iconic, irreverent and arrogant superhero. I still remember the “Oh damn” feeling I got when he announced to the world “I’m Iron man.” Here was a superhero that did not hide behind an alternate, secret identity but proudly said, yes I am that bad ass! I loved him. Next came the Incredible Hulk reboot with Edward Norton, I love Ed Norton in most anything, but I have to say I am glad he did not continue the roll. Mark Ruffalo has made the hulk a truly beloved character and I can’t see anyone else in the roll. Before the first Avengers movie on May 4, 2012 they also introduced Thor with Chris Hemsworth on May 6, 2011 (thank God Jane did not continue in the movies long!) and Captain America: the First Avenger on July 22, 2011 with Chris Evans. We now had all of our hero’s and were ready for the first true Avengers movie and it grossed a little 1.5 million dollars world wide and it only cost them 220 million. In fact all six of the first movies cost 1.076 billion dollars to make and made a little over 3.8 billion dollars world wide. So of course they kept making movies.

For sequels, we have Iron Man 3, Thor: the Dark World, and Captain America: Winter Solider in 2013 and 2014. We also have new characters introduced with Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014) and Ant-man (July 17, 2015). The official Avengers property during this time was Avengers: Age of Ultron written and directed by Josh Whedon and released in May 1, 2015. The price tag of these six movies was slightly higher, 1.179 billion dollars but the brought in a little over 5.271 billion dollar world wide. Marvel, Paramount Pictures, and Ultimately Disney had found their cash cow and it was unstoppable all thanks to Kevin Feige the genius producer responsible for all of the Avengers films.

Finally for phase three, there are ten movies Captain America: Civil war, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spiderman Homecoming, Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and Finally Avengers: Endgame. To date they have spent 4.601 billion dollars making these movies and made 19,848,985,785 dollars world wide. Endgame alone has made over 1.2 billion for its opening weekend making it the highest grossing movie of the year according to frobes¹. Amazing success, at least monetarily! If you want a synopsis on each movie check out either the Wikipedia site on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Films or Marvel Cinematic Universe fandom.

But how are the movies?

Well I did not like Infinity Wars that much to be honest. I felt the movie was a little too long and the ending just pissed me off. The stones felt like a giant McGuffin and the movie felt too busy. It was just OK and I’ve never felt compelled to re-watch it. I liked Captain Marvel, though I feel like she is too powerful, but hey, it fits the source material so what can you do. Thor’s last movie was a riot and Homecoming was the best Spiderman movie ever made! The fact that in general I love these movies gave me hope that Endgame, despite being three hours!! long would be OK and I would not find my self bored or regretting the midnight screening.

How was it? Best Movie Yet!

This film did not feel like three hours and I was never tired. The movie keeps you interested and engaged, even the scenes that are not integral to the plot are integral to the characters. In the beginning of the movie there is a small scene with Nebula and Tony Stark as they are stranded in space. They are playing table top football. It is a nothing scene but it shows you Nebula’s developing humanity as she begins to build connections with these characters. If they had cut it and just moved to her taking care of Stark later it would not have worked as well. Their would have been no connection building. There are lots of scenes like this, scenes that work not for the amazing special effects or big action but for the moments you share with the characters.

There is plenty of action and big special effects too. The ending battle, I can mention it because it is a super hero movie so of course, almost got a standing ovation at one point from the audience. People out right cheered. And it was well deserved! The action was well shoot and not so convoluted you could not follow it. Which in a lot of special effects bonanzas these days are a problem, you just end up watching color blobs thrash on the screen. These were clear and well rendered graphics.

Every actor brought their A game. Robert Downey Jr. was a dramatic master piece as usual. But man I loved Hemsworth. Thor’s struggle with their failures in the last movie are epic and I love him in comedies. It’s difficult to balance real inner struggle and silly comedy and he did it beautiful. Watch his expressions, they’re beautiful. He is fantastic here and it is Thor as you have never seen him.

I could write so much about this movie. Renner’s story as Hawkeye got to me so bad. As a mom, Yes I am playing that card again, I was right there with him and could see myself reacting exactly like him. I do not want to give anything else away so all I can say is go see this movie! See it twice, because I am sure you missed something the first time. I know I did! This series deserves to be ranked so High, the movies are not dark and brooding, they are fun, well lit with amazing special effects, but more importantly they have amazing stories and characters we actually care about!

Avengers: Endgame (US Release date: 4/26/2019
Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcMBFSGVi1c

1Hughes, Mark ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Is Already The Highest-Grossing Film Of The Year

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2019/04/28/avengers-endgame-is-already-the-highest-grossing-film-of-the-year/

Hellboy: Please Stop Making Crappy Remakes!

I was hesitant about this movie going in and at first I did not mind it. I loved Ron Pearlman’s Hellboy, he was mouthy, full of angst and did not give a sh**. How could they top that. Then there was David Harbour, of Stranger Things. He has given us a Hellboy who is less sure about his place in the world. His Hellboy doesn’t like killing his own kind. He feels conflicted about the purposes his father has raised him to fulfill. His performance had depth and nuance and I loved it. “So I’m devil’s spawn and a Nazi, Thanks Dad.”

But then every character in this movie except his father and a medium Hellboy once rescued (Alice Monaghan, played by Sasha Lane) either wants Hellboy dead or is actively working to destroy him. The entire movie is a conspiracy against the main character. Hellboy is the destroyer of the world so he must be destroyed, but what about Mils Jovovich’s character Nimue? She spends so much of the movie being assembled that she barely has a part. No one trust him to save them because he is a monster so he has to be the bad guy. Personally, If I was surrounded by such jerks my whole life I might not be inclined to save the world either. I get that they are trying to do a fish out of water, don’t judge a book by it’s cover kind of story. But this one is just not written well.

The main problem with the story is that Hellboy has always been linked to Nazi’s and the occult which this movie has plenty of, but instead of sticking to characters story Andrew Crosby decided to change things up a bit. Hell boy meets Arthurian Legend? While I will be the first to admit I am not a Hellboy comic book reader, I can read comic character synopsis and know enough of the characters history to know the writer this is completely out of left field. What is this BS!!!.

MAJOR SPOILER WHILE I RANT!

Now Hell boy is the great, great grandson and hell-spawn of King Arthur? This was the story they came up with? This was the story the decided to reboot the Hellboy franchise with? Why because the King Arthur legend did so well for Transformers? Or no maybe it was the outstanding success of the Guy Ritchie King Authur: Legend of the Sword from 2017 that inspired them.

Come on? When Merlin came out of his hallow and told hell boy this ridiculousness I outright laughed out loud in the theater. I just could not hold it in. The movie had finally gone too far. I’d had enough of Mila Jovovich sleeping through the movie as Nimue the immortal witch and I finally broke. Now we have Excalibur to top things off and only Hellboy with his Arthurian blood can wield it. Will he use it to save the world or destroy it. I would say watch the movie and find out, but the story is so predictable I am sure you can guess the ending and figure it out yourself. Please do not waste your money or your time. While David Harbour is an excellent Hellboy the script is so bad the movie is not worth watching unless it cost you nothing.

Hellboy: US Release Date 4/12/2019

Director: Niell Marshall

Starring: David Harbour, Ian McShane, Mila Jovovich, Thomas Haden Church, Sasha Lane, and Daniel Dae Kim

Distribution Company: Lionsgate and Millennium Media

Cold Pursuit: Dark Comedy about Fathers and Sons

For starters I almost did not go see this movie. I heard the news about Liam Neeson’s comments and I considered seeing Prodigy instead. But I did my research first, Neeson told a story where he previous held a racist value. Where he was angry after a loved one was raped and wanted revenge.  For a week he wanted to hurt someone based solely on the color of their skin and then he realized the incredible stupidity of his actions and stopped. When you hear the whole story, a very nuanced conversation about a thirty year old incident and the bigotry and racism present in Northern Ireland in the past and today. He discuss the horror of thinking the way he did. By taking a part of the statement out of context you lose the point of the statement and the chance to have a true conversation about racial bias. In this case I don’t believe boycotting Liam Neeson’s films will do any good or serve any purpose but to stop anyone from discussing their thoughts about race for fear of becoming a sound bite that is misunderstood.

Now for my review of Cold Pursuit:

This is a movie about fathers and sons. Liam Neeson plays a Father who looses his son to an apparent heroin over dose. His wife, played by Laura Dern, so readily believes this lie I have to wonder what kind of relationship this family had to begin with. At the begining of the movie Liam Neeson is given the Man of the Year award (or equivalent) for the town of KeHo outside of Denver, Colorado. We see the Husband and wife having dinner and getting ready. They seem like a loving happy couple. The son stopps by and uses the bathroom, but doesn’t stay for dinner, he is just saying hello. Things seem normal and happy. There is no evidence of a strained relationship, so why is the mother so quick to believe her son is a junky and get angry with her husband for not recognizing the signs? Grief may make people do crazy things, but to just immediately accept everyone in you life has let you down, has lied to you? I didn’t get it.

I did however completely understand Liam Neeson’s character! Here is not a slick killer with skills, but just a really angry father who quietly kills his way to the top. In every chapter after the sons death we have another death, though we do not see them all, we begin to wait for each so we can understand how it will lead us to our two main fathers finally meeting in their ultimate confrontation.

Liam’s foil in this fight, played by Tom Bateman, is Trevor “Viking” Calcote. A vicious, controlling drug dealer who cares only about himself and his son. How does he show how he cares about his son? By controlling him. We are introduced to father and son on their way to school. Ryan does not want to go because he is being bullied. Viking tells him “Know what a bully is, it’s a chance to prove your metal.”

Ryan answers, “You think I should hit him? That’s not a good idea.” Viking, “Why” Ryan “Because then I’ll be as stupid as he is.” Just shows the smartest character in the movie is going to be the youngest. Will his father figure out who is killing of his dealers and put a stop the killing before it gets to him or will he become the final victim? Man you really hope so!

A third party, a native American drug gang is brought into the mix, headed by White Bull, our third father. White bull is played by Tom Jackson. He brings into the mix an angry and tired drug lord with nothing to lose. He has made his fortune and now lost his only son. Now only vengeance will satisfy. Will the final confrontation give him justice or death?

The violence in the movie is balanced with wonderfully dark comedic moments that don’t over power it. Though there is nothing ground breaking or new here the movie is good. I cared about the characters, except the mother, and wanted to know what would happen next. I was never surprised but Cold pursuit is worth checking out. It is one of Liam Neeson’s better movies as of late.

Cold Pursuit US Release Date 2/8/2019
Director: Hans Petter Moland
Staring: Liam Neeson, lAura Dern, Micheal Richardson, Tom Bateman, Domienick Lombardozzi and Tom Jackson
Production Company: StudioCanal