The Mummy

My View:  The Mummy  (2017)  PG-13  An ancient Egyptian princess, whose destiny was unjustly taken from her, is awakened from her crypt. Now she seeks revenge on mankind. This movie is the first in what Universal Studios calls its “Dark Universe” (think the Marvel Universe for monsters). Universal Studios is known for its classic horror films like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Universal has scared generations by creating truly horrific characters in their classic monsters. The big problem with this Mummy reboot is it isn’t scary but feels more like a weird edition of Mission Impossible, including a scene with a plane that seems to take five minutes to crash. In fact you could call this film Mission Impossible with Sand. In a bit of a gender swap, this story is about a princess who has been wronged and seeks revenge. She finds Cruise’s character and decides he is the perfect beloved to help her evil plan. The problem is we don’t care about any of these characters, as producers give us almost no backstory. Cruise looks a little lost in portraying the pursued one (instead of his usual suave ladies’ man). Finally, the main character’s chief weapon is she uses sex to drain the life out of her victims and then make them zombie-like slaves. The use of sex as a weapon just seems wrong.  I don’t remember the classic mummy characters doing that; they just killed people. This is a film that is filled with so much CGI (special effects) that it becomes boring. The few attempts at humor (much needed in this movie) are shallow and don’t work. This is a very shaky start to Universal Studios’ plan to start a franchise. Hey, here’s a clue:  make your horror films scary. By the way, the film was not shot in 3-D and doesn’t have any post credit scenes.  My Rating: Cable   The Mummy Website

My View:  Megan Leavey  (2017)  PG-13  Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) is a troubled soul who has lost her best friend. She decides to join the Marines and become a bomb-sniffing dog handler. The bond she develops with her dog allows her to save many Marines’ lives on more than 100 missions. I loved this film about a woman who has no purpose in life until she meets a dog named, Rex, who teaches her how to love. This is Kate Mara’s finest performance, and it’s a brilliant one. Touching and heartwarming, she gives us a woman who fights for her best friend, her dog.  The story is a true one, and that makes the film even more poignant and moving. Skip the recent superhero films and see a movie about two real life heroes.  My Rating: Full Price   Megan Leavey Info

Indiefest:  It Comes at Night  (2017)  R  A family lives in the isolated woods as the world is engulfed in a breakout of some deadly plague. Now their family is threatened when a young family arrives at the home wanting refuge.  While not a true horror film, this movie has plenty of scary moments that keep the tension building and nerves frazzled.  We never learn what has created this plague or how it has affected other parts of the country, but that doesn’t matter because it has completely engulfed the daily life of this family. This is a film that, at its root, is about only trusting your family, how far you will go to defend them, not letting the outside world in and finally suffering the consequences when you leave your heart to rule by your head. My only quibble with this film is I would have ended it about two minutes early, but that is minor compared to the brilliance of this film. Big Hollywood blockbusters should learn a lesson: you don’t need a huge budget to make a great movie.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   It Comes at Night Website

Indiefest:  Paris Can Wait  (2017)  PG  The wife (Diane Lane) of a successful movie producer takes a car trip from the south of France to Paris with one of her husband’s associates (Arnaud Viard ). To say that they are going to take the scenic route would be an understatement. If you are a foodie, this is the film for you. The couple takes a leisurely trip through France, centering their journey on the fine cuisine of the country.  Lane’s character loves food, so much so, that she takes endless pictures of her plates, and we see the results (some of which could grace the cover of Bon Appetit magazine). Lane and Viard play off each other extremely well, and there is quite a bit of sexual tension between the two that keeps building to the very end. The scenery is beautiful, and the food looks almost too beautiful to eat. If you want to imagine eating your way across France, this film isn’t a bad way to go.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Paris Can Wait Website

Indiefest:  I, Daniel Blake  (2016)  R  Daniel Blake (Dave Johns) is a 59-year-old man who has a heart attack at work. He is now caught in the system as his doctor tells him not to work, but the government says that he is fit to do so.  Take an exceptional performance by Dave Johns, add in a script that is moving and full of empathy, with just a bit of wit and wisdom, and you get a film that will fill you with multiple emotions. It’s a film that is filled with controversy, and it will make you mad how someone can fall through the cracks but still keep his humanity. You may want to scream at times because of the indignity that this man goes through, but it’s tears in the end that will fill your soul.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   I, Daniel Blake Website

Indiefest:  The Hunter’s Prayer  (2017) R   Lucas (Sam Worthington) is an assassin hired to do a hit on a young woman, Ella (Odeya Rush). When he can’t pull the trigger, the two join forces to get away from the people who want them dead.  We know that Sam Worthington can do action pictures, and he does yeoman's work in this film as a hit man with a big secret. I like the chemistry between Worthington and Rush, as they work well on screen together.  The problem with the film is the very simplistic plot that never gives us the twist that we need. Everything that happens is predictable which makes the action sequences a little annoying. It would have been interesting to see what the two leads could have done with a more complicated script. If you are into action films, this film might fit the bill, but anyone wanting a little more plot is going to find the movie lacking.  My Rating:  Cable   The Hunter's Prayer Info

Forgotten Film:  Set it Off  (1996)  R   Four inner-city women (Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, Kimberly Elise) have come to their wits end and decide robbing a bank will solve at least some of their problems.  Little do they know that their problems have just started.  There are plenty of shoot-outs and car chases for the action film fan to like, but what makes this film work is the well-rounded characters.  We get to know these women and why, in their desperation, they would turn to robbing banks. My favorite part of the film is when the four women are sitting around the table and start doing a scene from The Godfather. Yes, this is a bank heist film, but it’s a bank heist film with heart.  My Rating:  Full Price    Set It Off Info   

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Mummy:  Dunes Assistant Location Manager

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Big Sick  (2017)  R  A couple (Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan) think they are perfect for each other, but just about everyone else thinks otherwise.  This film was the talk of SXSW and is being compared to Little Miss Sunshine and The Way, Way Back in its feel and look.    The Big Sick Website

Until Next Time!

Morgan

My View:  Morgan  (2016)  R  Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy) is not like other teenagers.  She was created in a laboratory by a group of scientists led by Dr. Lui Cheng (Michelle Yeoh). Corporate troubleshooter Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) is sent to investigate the program when Morgan violently attacks one of the scientists (Jennifer Jason Leigh). What will Lee find when she gets to the compound? This felt like a made-for-TV movie on one of the cable networks aimed at teens. With a plot that was too simple and an ending that was predictable from the start, the movie never gets started. The cast seems to be just going through the motions, and I was especially disappointed by Anya Taylor-Joy, who was so good in last year’s The Witch. Her performance is shallow and never intimidating (something her character was supposed to exhibit). The action sequences are few and done with “shaky-cam,” so as an action film, it fails, which it also fails as a suspenseful film.   My Rating:  Cable   Morgan Website

My View:  The Light Between Oceans  (2016)  PG-13  Tom (Michael Fassbender), a lighthouse keeper, and his wife, Isabel (Alicia Vikander), are living off the coast of Western Australia soon after the end of World War I.  A rowboat with a baby inside washes on shore, and the childless couple decide to raise the child they name Lucy as their own. Years later their lives are changed when they encounter a woman (Rachel Weisz) on a visit to the mainland. My biggest problem with this film is I never emotionally connected with the characters. The movie is beautiful to look at. The cinematography by Adam Arkapaw is gorgeous and captures the raw beauty of the rustic coast of Australia, with sweeping shots from high above which gives us a bird’s eye view of the land. Those shots are greatly aided by a score by Alexandre Despiat that adds to the feel and tone of the film. It looks like Director/writer Derek Cianofrance may have fallen in love with this part of the country because after the fourth overhead shot of the coast, you become a little bored with the same shots. The film moves at a slow, almost snail’s pace, making the film feel much longer than its 2-hour 12-minute length.  Ultimately, the film wears down over the constant twist and turns, never quite getting out of the darkness that it has created. The ending of the movie feels like it was added on by the studio to try and fix the mess that the filmmaker created, but it doesn’t fix anything.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Light Between Oceans Facebook Page

My View:  Complete Unknown  (2016)  R  Tom (Michael Shannon) is invited to a dinner party. There Tom meets a woman (Rachel Weisz) whom he is convinced he has met before, but she says he is mistaken. When the woman makes a hasty exit, Tom follows, and they go on an all-night odyssey where Tom will discover the woman’s hidden secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed this film due to the superlative performances by Shannon and Weisz. I especially enjoyed Weisz’s performance as the mysterious woman with a multi-layered past. Shannon works off Weisz extremely well, creating sparks between the two on-screen. It’s an entertaining film that has plenty of twists and turns. It’s a well-crafted tale that is fun to watch.   My Rating: Full Price   Complete Unknown Website

Indiefest:  Morris From America  (2016)  R  The film centers on a 13-year-old boy named Morris (Markees Christmas) and his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson), while they live in a town in Germany. Morris is a “fish out of water” and only wants to write rap lyrics in his room until he meets an older teen girl, Katrin (Lina Keller).  She is way out of his league, but Morris is going to fall in love, regardless. Craig Robinson does a masterful job as the single father who loves his son and is willing to make this experience in a foreign country work. Robinson has just about the right amount of smart ass in him to make his caricature credible while also showing that his character has a sweet and loving side. I loved his interactions with Markees Christmas and their timing together is about as good as it gets, making their scenes seem believable and, at times, moving. Overall, this is a movie that works due to its highly creative storyline, great chemistry between Christmas and Robinson and a script that treats its characters like they are living, breathing people. Director Chad Hartigan creates a world that feels real while being charming, funny and, at times, moving.  Let’s hope that someday Morris does become a rap star, because he has quite a bit to say.    My Rating: Full Price   Morris From America Website

Indiefest:  The Sea of Trees (2016)  PG-13  An American professor(Matthew McConaughey) travels to Japan and is contemplating suicide. He befriends a Japanese man (Ken Watanabe) lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and, as they search for a way out, the two embark on a spiritual, life-changing journey of friendship, discovery, and healing; one which may ultimately re-connect Arthur with his love for his wife (Naomi Watts). This is a film full of regrets, betrayal, and redemption. McConaughey gives an understated performance of a man who is full of guilt and is looking for a way out of his pain. I greatly enjoyed the performance of Naomi Watts who plays Arthur’s wife. She is a breath of needed fresh air in a film that can get very depressing. While not a great film and I did not like the twist at the end, I still enjoyed watching McConaughey up on the screen.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Sea of Trees Website

Indiefest:  Little Men  (2016)  PG  When 13-year-old Jake’s (Theo Taplitz) grandfather dies, his family moves from Manhattan to his grandfather’s old Brooklyn home. Single mom Leonor (Paulina Garcia) has a dress store below Jake’s new home. He soon befriends Tony (Michael Barbieri), Leonor’s son and they become fast friends. That friendship will be tested when Jake’s father, Brian (Greg Kinnear) decides to raise the rent on Leonor’s store.  A film that on outward appearance seems light but when you think back at all the characters went through, is nuanced and full of drama. Greg Kinnear gives one of the best performances of his career and the two kids, Taplitz and Barbieri, are a joy to watch. This is a film not to be missed about the friendship of two very different boys who find common ground. If only their parents could do the same.   My Rating: Full Price   Little Men Website

Forgotten Film:  Big Wednesday  (1978)  PG   Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), Jack (William Katt) and Leroy (Gary Busey) are living the carefree life of California surfers. It’s the 1960’s, and everything is wonderful in their lives full of beaches, girls and big waves. Unfortunately, the Vietnam War is looming on the horizon, and the guys wonder if they will survive “Big Wednesday,” the mythical day when the ultimate wave will come. The film is directed by John Milius (Conan the Barbarian (1982), Red Dawn (1984)) and he gathered some of the greatest surfers of all time to do the stunts. This film has some stunning surfing footage, is fascinating to watch, and anyone who has an interest in the surfing world will enjoy this film.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Big Wednesday Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Light Between Oceans:  Specialty Costume Elements

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near:  Sully  (2016) PG-13   The story of Chesley Sullenberger, “Sully”, who became a hero when he landed his engineless plane on the Hudson River, saving over 150 lives.  Hey, the film stars Tom Hanks, Laura Linney and is directed by Clint Eastwood.  That’s enough reason to the see the movie for me.    Sully Website

Until Next Time!

 
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