Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

My View:  Maleficent: Mistress of Evil  (2019) PG    Family ties will be questioned between Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), as they are pulled in different directions by an impending wedding, unexpected allies and the dark forces that are always in play. As with the first Maleficent film, this movie is all show and no substance. The CGI is once again outstanding, but the plot is even shakier than the first film, and the ending is so patched-worked that it feels the writer/directors of this film just decided to throw everything they could into the finale and hope people wouldn’t notice the giant plot holes the ending exposes. Once again, Angelina Jolie is the best thing about the film, but it’s not enough to save this film. By the way, at our critic's only screening, Disney showed us a ‘Don’t use your cellphone during the movie’ PSA that gave away most of the funnier bits in the film. Great thinking Disney!    My Rating: Cable    Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Website

My View: Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) R The gang (Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson) move to the heartland and have to keep fighting off zombies, all while dealing with a makeshift family that always doesn’t get along. Ten years after the first film, the director and cast have reassembled to bring us another fun adventure of following rules, killing zombies and trying to survive the dynamics of this small group of misfits. While not quite as much fun as the original, the film still is full of hilarious zombie kills, including the Zombie Kill of the Week, and is greatly helped with the addition of a pink wearing Barbie doll of a woman named Madison, played with incredible comedic chops by Zoey Deutch. To say that Deutch steals the movie from the four main actors is an understatement, as she gum chews and hair plays into your heart. I had a great time watching this film, and it made me want to see the first film again. Make sure to stay through all the credits, as there are two bonus scenes that are some of the funniest moments of the movie.   My Rating: Full Price    Zombieland: Double Tap Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Crawl (2019) R   A Category 5 hurricane is about to hit. Having not heard from her dad, Maley (Kaya Scodelario) goes to his house and finds that he is injured. However, there is something down in the basement with them, and it’s out for blood. This is quite a good horror film while there are a few ‘jump out of the dark’ scares, most of the film is building terror. You also can’t figure out how the father/daughter are going to get out of this situation. I liked the performance of Kaya Scodelario, who is very believable as a college swimmer, which the pilot uses to its advantage. There is no rhyme or reason why the gators are killing people, but the shark in Jaws didn’t have a reason either. He just killed.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Crawl Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Spies in Disguise (2019) The world’s best spy (voiced by Will Smith) is turned into a pigeon, he must join forces with a low-level inventor (Tom Holland) to save the world. Did I mention that Will Smith’s character turns into a pigeon?    Spies in Disguise Website

Forgotten Film: In the Electric Mist (2009) R   Months after Hurricane Katrina has hit New Orleans, Detective Dave Robicheaux (Tommy Lee Jones) is investigating a murder of a hooker with ties to a mobster (John Goodman) who is producing a Civil War movie in the area. When the lead actor of the Civil War film, Elrod Sykes (Pete Sarsgaard) discovers a corpse on the swamp movie set, and his investigation begins. Robicheaux starts another investigation into what he thinks is a murder of a black man in 1965. If you like moody, full of twist’s murder mysteries, then this film is for you. What makes this film outstanding is the supporting cast, including Kelly Macdonald, Mary Steenburgen, Ned Beatty, Buddy Guy, John Sayles, and the great Levon Helm.   My Rating: Full Price    In the Electric Mist Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil: Horse Masters

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Current War: Director’s Cut (2017)   The story of the race between Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch), Nikola Tesla (Nichoas Hoult) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) to determine whose electrical system will be adopted by the modern world. The film got caught up in the Harvey Weinstein scandal and has been sold several times since then. It has finally gotten a release date, and with this cast, I am hoping for great things.    The Current War Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

It Chapter Two

My View: It Chapter Two  (2019)  R   Twenty-seven years after first encountering the horrific Pennywise, the Loser Club has come back to town to try and stop him again. There are three big problems with this sequel: it is way too long (2 hours 49 minutes), it isn’t scary, and it has way too many flashbacks to the first film. It’s as if the writer/director knew that we might not like the adult Loser Club, so they decided let's bring back the kids, ‘everyone loves the kids.’ I hated the special effects in this film as most of the creatures looked like they came from a 90’s cheap horror flick. I just don’t understand how you can have a cast that includes Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and Bill Skarsgard and make a boring picture but It Chapter Two is one. Skip this film and go watch the first film instead.   My Rating: Cable   It Chapter Two Website

My View: Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) R   Brittany (Jillian Bell) is a very unhappy 27-year old woman living in New York. She is overweight, parties too much and has a nowhere job in a theatre. When a doctor tells her to get healthy, she decides to take up running. With the help of a neighbor (Michaela Watkins), she doesn’t really like and a fellow out of shape beginning runner (Micah Stock), Brittany begins to succeed in losing weight and decides to set a goal of running a marathon. Unfortunately, Brittany is her own worst enemy and really doesn’t have any trust for anyone, a trust she will need if she is going to meet her goals. This is one of those films that while not a great film, is a great deal of fun, mostly because Jillian Bell is so good in the role of the woman who is tired of being overweight and overlooked. Brittany is her own worst enemy and we struggle sometimes to like her but she keeps plugging away and we hope that eventually, she will decide that she matters and that people do care about her.   My Rating: Full Price    Brittany Runs a Marathon Website

Indiefest: Vita & Virginia (2018)  R   The scandalous love affair of socialite and popular author Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton) and soon to be famous author Virginia Woolf (Elizabeth Debicki). The film is incredibly slow-moving and it seems that throughout the film we keep waiting for Virginia to have a mental breakdown but it just never really comes. This is a beautiful looking film and Arterton and Debicki have great chemistry on the screen but the film seems lifeless and I just didn’t care about any of the characters in the film. The film starts slow and just never really finds its footing.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Vita & Virginia Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Booksmart   (2019)  R   Two high school overachievers (Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein) have always placed academics over anything else. They decide they have missed the fun of being a high-school student and decide to cram four years of fun into one night. Dever and Feldstein have incredible chemistry on the screen and their timing, finishing each other’s sentences. The dialogue reminded me a little of the Gilmore Girls, where the two leads just keep it up with non-stop dialogue. The film is sidesplitting funny and what I really like, it’s an original storyline, unique in this day and age of the remake. If you want a fun time at the cinema with some winning characters, go see this film.   My Rating: Full Price     Booksmart Website

Forgotten Film: The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)    A nineteenth-century New Hampshire farmer, Jabez Stone (James Craig) has hit hard times. A mysterious man named Mr. Scratch (Walter Houston) shows up at Jabez’s doorstep and offers Jabez a deal, his farm will prosper but he has to give up his soul to the devil. Jabez makes the deal and sure enough, his farm becomes successful beyond his wildest dreams but Jabez realizes the price to pay for success is too much. Jabez talks the world’s most famous orator, Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) into taking his case and go up against the devil himself. The film contains one of the best film scores of all time by the infamous Bernard Herrmann and Walter Houston is perfect as the devil who knows he will win, no matter how great Webster is. Great film with some incredible scenes makes this a film to be savored.    My Rating: Full Price     The Devil and Daniel Webster Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of It Chapter Two: Costume Breakdown Artist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)   The gang (Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Woody Harrelson) move to the heartland and have to keep fighting off zombies, all while dealing with a makeshift family that always doesn’t get along. I loved the first film, so I am hoping this one will be fun too.    Zombieland: Double Tap Website

Until Next Time!