Mission Impossible: Fallout

My View:  Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018) R  Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team have a mission go wrong, and now Ethan is a wanted man. The MI series just gets better with every film. What I love about this series is that it keeps upping the game, making the action sequences bigger and bigger. I’m not a huge Tom Cruise fan but he gives it his all, and it is evident that he does almost all his own stunts. The action sequences are some of the best I’ve ever seen and the last fifteen minutes of the film are on the edge of your seat amazing. The plot has plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested, and the film moves at a breathtaking pace. I can’t express how much fun watching this film is. Just go see it.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Mission Impossible: Fallout Website

Familyfiare:  Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018)  PG  The five Teen Titans dream of Hollywood making a movie on their superhero antics. Robin (Scott Menville) must make a serious decision when a Hollywood director named Jade (Kristen Bell) decides she wants to make a film only about him. I went into this film knowing nothing about the Teen Titans and expected it to be another animated snooze fest. Instead, I encountered a delightful movie full of humor and fun. I was really surprised by this film, especially the sometimes really dark humor that fills this film. The film is a blast to watch, and adults will enjoy this film as much as their kid's will. My Rating:  Full Price   Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Website

Indiefest:  Blindspotting (2018) R  Collin (Daveed Riggs  and Miles (Rafael Casal) have been friends since their childhood. Colin has three days left on his probation, three days to stay out of trouble. The problem is that trouble just seems to follow everywhere Miles goes. The film moves defy between humor and seriousness. This is about friendship, race and the changing landscape of neighborhoods. Diggs and Casal have great chemistry on screen making this film work so well. This is a film that you will be thinking about long after you see it. My Rating; I Would Pay to See it Again   Blindspotting Website

Indiefest: Eighth Grade (2018) R  Kayla (Elsie Fisher) is all about blending into the woodwork so that she doesn’t stand out. All Kayla wants to do is survive the last week of the eighth grade so she can start high school on a clean slate. Life has decided that Kayla should come out of the shadows. Kayla decides to give advice on how to navigate life through a series of YouTube videos. I loved this film, and Elsie Fisher is a delight to watch on screen. Her performance is heartfelt and beautiful and writer/director Bo Burnham treats her with a loving touch. The film is filled with beautiful moments about an awkward kid trying just to survive one last week of school. This is a film that everyone will enjoy going into the last week of eighth grade with Kayla.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Eighth Grade Website

Indiefest:  Love, Cecil (2017)  Documentary about Academy Award-Winning costume designer Cecil Beaton. Incredibly exciting documentary on the life of a fantastic man. Photographer, costume designer, artist, writer, Beaton was a man of many talents, and this film highlights them all. Known for his Academy Award-winning designs for My Fair Lady and Gigi, he was a man of many talents and led an extraordinary life. The film showcases his life which was filled with celebrities and full of amazing stories. My Rating: Full Price   Love, Cecil Website

Forgotten Film:  The Unbelievable Truth (1989)  R  A man (Robert John Burke) returns home after serving time for homicide. He begins a relationship with Audry (Adrienne Shelly) who is obsessed with the end of the earth ending due to a nuclear war. This little-seen film is one of the best romantic comedies of the eighties. The film is filled with extraordinary characters that make the world of ordinary seem special. This isn't a film for everybody, but if you enjoy unusual movies that don’t follow the usual script, this is a film for you.  My Rating: Full Price   The Unbelievable Truth Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Mission Impossible: Fallout: Helicopter Fabrication

Coming Soon To a Theatre Near You: The Spy Who Dumped Me  (2018)  R  Audrey (Mila Kunis) and Morgan (Kate McKinnon) are best friends. They discover that Audrey’s ex is a spy and now the world depends on these two to  travel to Europe and save the world.  I loved the trailer, so I have high hopes for this film.   The Spy Who Dumped Me Website

Until Next Time!

Unfriended: Dark Web

My View:  Unfriended: Dark Web  (2018) R   Matias (Colin Woodell) has just gotten a new laptop. As he plays with his friends online, he finds out that the new laptop had a previous owner that wants the computer back, at any price. I liked this movie a little more than the first Unfriended (2014), but that’s not saying much. I like the setup; a bunch of friends get together over the internet via Skype for a game night. We get to meet all the individuals in the group and get to know their personalities and their relationships. Matias starts getting threats in a mysterious email he receivesthat  threatens him and his friends if he doesn’t immediately return the laptop. The killings begin, most of which are very predictable. This really isn’t a horror film but a suspense movie that has very few scary moments. Instead of seeing this film, why not search for something better, like kitty videos?   My Rating: Cable Unfriended: Dark Web 

Indiefest:  Woman Walks Ahead  (2017)  R  In 1890, Catherine Weldon (Jessica Chastain) travels to the Dakotas to paint the portrait of Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes). After experiencing the the lives of the Lakota people, she decides to fight for their right to keep their land. You can tell that this film wants to make a statement about the treatment of Native Americans by the U.S. government in the 1800s. The movie fails by making a elite white woman the hero of the story, that the Sioux tribe won’t succeed without her leadership. The film moves at a slow pace, and the film grinds to a halt at several places. The script lets down the dazzling performances of Jessica Chastain as the determined artist and Michael Greyeyes as the stoic Sitting Bull. Some of the best scenes of the film are the discussions between Catherine and Sitting Bull, utilizing the great chemistry between the two actors. I also like the performance of Sam Rockwell, who plays a soldier who hates the Indians and is trying to take some of their land. The film fails to ever get the emotional impact that it needs, which makes the film feel a little empty.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Woman Walks Ahead Website

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu Ray);  Isle of Dogs  (2018)  PG-13  Set in Japan, a young boy goes on a search for his lost dog that has been sent to an island by an evil government official. This film is gorgeous, and the stop-motion animation is brilliant, bringing all the characters to life on the screen. The movie is funny, touching and, at times, a little sad, but the storyline is so perfect you will enjoy every minute of it. This is probably the best voice cast film I have ever seen led by Bryan Cranston, who voices the leader of the pack, Chief.  Isle of Dogs is a brilliant film that kids and adults will equally enjoy.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Isle of Dogs Website

Forgotten Film:  A Shine of Rainbows  (2009)  PG  Tomas (John Bell) is an orphan who is constantly being bullied by other kids in the Orphanage. Tomas’s life is changed when he is adopted by a couple Maire and Alec (Connie Nielsen, Aidan Quinn), and they move him to their farm on the west coast of Ireland. The shy Tomas begins to come out of his shell under the wing of the loving Maire. Alec is a little slow to warm up to Tomas as he feels the child isn’t sturdy enough to help on the farm. This is a sweet and warm film that hits all the right notes. John Bell gives an engaging performance as a little boy learning to love. The cinematography perfectly captures the magic of the coast of Ireland. This is a feel-good movie that we can always use.  My Rating: Full Price   A Shine of Rainbows Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Woman Walks Ahead: Livestock Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Crazy Rich Asians  (2018)  PG-13  Native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) has fallen in love with the man of her dreams Nick (Henry Golding). When he decides to take her to Singapore to meet his family, she finds out that his family is one of the richest in the city and his mother doesn’t think Rachel is good enough for her son. The trailer makes this film looks like a lot of fun.    Crazy Rich Asians 

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Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Family Faire:  Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)  PG  When his daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez), decides that Dracula (Adam Sandler) needs a vacation, little did she think that he would meet Ericka (Kathryn Hahn), the captain of the ship they are vacationing on. Dracula is falling in love, but there is a secret that his new lady love is hiding and it could cost Dracula his life. The Hotel Transylvania series is getting a little long in the tooth as we quickly lose our interest in the film almost from the start. The jokes are stale, and the characters are uninteresting. The plot is just too simple to keep us engaged in the movie. I think only young children will like this film.   My Rating: Cable   Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Website 

My View: Skyscraper (2018) PG-13  U.S. war vet Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) now assesses security for skyscrapers. On assignment in Hong Kong, the tallest building in the city is ablaze, and Will is being blamed for it. To make matters worse, his family is trapped in the building above the fire line. Will must save his family and clear his name. It’s hard not to laugh at some of the situations that this film puts Dwayne Johnson in. This film will be compared to Die Hard because it takes place in a skyscraper, and the hero is trying to save his family, but that’s where the comparisons should end. Skyscraper takes itself too seriously. For a film that was written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, a man known for his comedies, there is very little humor in this film, something that is desperately needed. Skyscraper has numerous plot holes and an ending that is ridiculous and unsatisfying.   My Rating: Cable   Skyscraper Website

Indiefest:  Leave No Trace (2018) PG  A father (Ben Foster) and his daughter (Thomasin McKenzie) are living off the grid in a vast park in Portland, Oregon. One small mistake changes their lives forever. In one of the best films of the year, Leave No Trace tells the story of a father and daughter that are living in a forest, willing to take only what nature gives them. Thomasin McKenzie gives a convincing performance as the girl who knows her father will never be able to live in the city due to his post-traumatic stress disorder. Director/co-writer Debra Granik brings us a moving tale that explores the love between a father and daughter. Buoyed by two intense, vivid performances in Foster and McKenzie, Leave No Trace packs a powerful punch.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Leave No Trace Website   

Forgotten Film: The Last of the Mohicans (1992) R Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Chingachgook (Russell Means) protect Cora (Madeleine Stowe), the daughter of a British Colonel in the midst of the French and Indian War. I love this film. What sets this movie apart from others is the score. The music fits perfectly with the look and feel of this film. The cinematography is exquisite, and the action sequences are robust and well-choreographed. Day-Lewis and Stowe have splendid chemistry that makes the film work so well. This is one I can watch over and over.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See It Again   The Last of the Mohicans Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Skyscraper: Disparity Map Creation

Coming Soon To a Theatre Near You:  Christopher Robin  (2018)  Christopher (Ewan McGregor) once had a friend in Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings), the stuffed bear that came to life. Now, when he needs him the most, Winnie comes back into Christopher’s life. The trailer makes this film seem warm and friendly. We all could use a little Winnie in our lives.   Christopher Robin Website

Until Next Time!

Ant-Man and the Wasp

My View:  Ant-Man and the Wasp  (2018)  PG-13  Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is trying to balance his life as a  superhero and being a dad.  Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) are faced with a new threat, and the Ant-Man and the Wasp are sent into action, but this time as a team. I much enjoyed the first film, and I am happy to say that Ant-Man and the Wasp is another fun ride. Ant-Man is an unconventional hero, irreverent and fun-loving, and he isn’t the sharpest guy. Rudd is charming as a man who is trying to do the right thing but doesn’t always make the best decisions. I loved the chemistry between Rudd and Evangeline Lilly as their back and forth banter really makes the film work. I was hoping, before seeing this film, that Michael Pena would be given more to do, and he is and runs with it, giving a funny performance that never fails to make you laugh. The film moves at a quick pace and doesn’t feel its almost 2-hour length. The action sequences are exciting and well-choreographed. There are two bonus scenes in the credits with one of them, I think, is the most startling extra scenes that Marvel has ever done.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again

Indiefest:  Sorry to Bother You (2018)  R  Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) finds work at a telemarketer, and, after determining the secret to selling, he becomes successful beyond his wildest dreams. But, at what cost? This is a one-of-a-kind film that starts out being funny, then turns into a weird sci-fi film that you never quite know where it will end up. Stanfield gives a dazzling performance of a man who is just trying to get ahead, but when he becomes successful, he loses his true self. This is a film is groundbreaking, but doesn’t always work, yet, overall, it’s a compelling film that will make you think.  My Rating:  Full Price

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray):  Beirut  (2018)  R  Caught in the crossfires of civil war, the CIA brings in a former U.S. diplomat (Jon Hamm) to negotiate for the life of a friend left behind.  This is the best performance that Jon Hamm has given in a film. He is perfect as the world-weary diplomat who is forced to help a friend get released from kidnappers. It’s refreshing to see a movie that doesn’t explain everything, but you have to pay attention to keep up with the plot. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep the story moving, and the ending is quite surprising. If you like a good spy caper, this film is for you.   My Rating: Full Price 

Forgotten Film: Corrina, Corrina  (1994)  PG  In 1959, a widower (Ray Liotta) hires a housekeeper (Whoopi Goldberg) to help manage the house and take care of his daughter (Tina Majorino), who hasn’t spoken since her mother died. This is a sweet, family film where Corrina, the housekeeper, spins her magic to transform a home filled with gloom into one filled with love. This isn’t a perfect film, but all three principle actors give superb performances, and you get an ending that you wanted from the start.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Ant-Man and the Wasp:  Visual Effects Ant Double

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Mission Impossible: Fallout  (2018)   Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team have a mission go bad, and now Ethan is a wanted man. This series has been hit or miss, but you know Cruise will do some crazy stunts. 

Until Next Time!