“Alpha” Review
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Ant-Man And Wasp Review
Maybe you just need someone watching your back, like a partner. (Cassie to Scott Lang)
In the epic sequel, this is exactly what happens as the Wasp comes into the picture, this time with wings and blasters.
Ant-Man And The Wasp picks up right where Captain America: Civil War left off. Scott Lang on house arrest for two years while trying to spend every moment either with his daughter Cassie or trying not to be bored waiting for her to come back. That’s when Hope and her father realize the only way of rescuing her mother is through Scott’s mind, but how to get him out without the FBI knowing.
Through phenomenal special effects and stunt work, the movie captures the same punch as it’s predecessor marvel movies, as Scott and Hope delve into the search through the phantom zone while going from super small to huge in the a split of an eye. Similarly the chemistry between Scott played by Paul Rudd and Hope played by Evangeline Lily is exceptional as the two race to find her mother while trying to keep Scott safe from the FBI.
That’s where his best friend, Luis, played by Michael Peña comes in, complete with his sidekick ant buddy that copies his every move while inside his house in hopes of fooling the FBI. Pena as in other movies including the Chips remake, adds to the comedic timing which makes the film that much more enjoyable. And like the first Ant Man, there is a moment with expose that Pena handles exceptionally with talking over the characters in a type of truth serum trans.
The finally element to the equation is that of Scott’s young daughter, Cassie which brings a subtle father daughter moment to the action driven film. Young Abby Ryder- Fortson reprises her role and carries herself well as she even helps by him time to get back inside the house before the agents realize he’s gone. She additionally meshes well with Rudd as well as all the other actors and even has a slight comedic flare of her own, which’ll be interesting to see how she pursues it as she matures.
Overall at just under 2 hour run time, Ant-man and the Wasp is a film unlike the other superhero movies as it has the same comic appeal, but kind of fits in more closely to Deadpool in the sense of underrated super hero with less of the offensive langauge. Overall it’s a clean cut movie for all ages and will have audiences laughing and cheering all the way through.
And for those who are avid marvel universe fans, the film does answer the question that all are wondering with Avenger’s Infinity War. That is where does Ant-Man fit into the picture. For that answer, one’ll just have to see Ant- Man and The Wasp exclusively in a theater near you.
“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” Review
Eli Mills: [to Claire] The island is dying. The dinosaurs must be preserved. We thought you could help.
The park is gone, but now the question is whether to save the last of the dinosaurs or not. The sequel takes place three years after the original left off, as Isla Nublar is being threatened by a destructive volcano where only the strong willed dinosaurs are left, but not for long. One of those is of course, Blue, the last of the raptors.
As part of a secret operative, special agents try to round up the dinosaurs with special interest in “Blue”, but they need help. The ones who know the park and the dinosaurs better. That’s where Claire and Owen come into play, though both are unaware of the real reason for rescuing the dinosaurs. In a comical turn of events, both are enlisted to go to the burning island, unaware of exactly what they will find.
At two hour eight minute run time, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom contains the same thrill as the original Jurassic franchise with a dark twist, that of total destruction. Ultimately the whole cast does an exceptional job portraying their roles, especially Chris Pratt (Owen) who fully captures the humorous moments that he is known for and the chemistry between himself and Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire) only grows in an even more intense way as they realize that they truly are the parents of the “world” that must be saved. The other question, who do they really need saving from and what is the real answer to their survival.
One scene stealer is that of the little girl, Maisie who shares a special connection to that of the dinosaurs, though one doesn’t know exactly what it is until the end, the expression on the actress, Isabella Sermon is exceptional. One can definitely see why she was cast to play the “daughter” of the original little girl from the first Jurassic Park film. In many ways, her addition to the film, brings the Jurassic Park franchise full circle with the picture in the mansion that paid homage to the original founder the park, the late Richard Attenborough (Hammond) to that of the little girl, Lex who attempted to save the dinosaurs with her brother in the first film. As this is Sermon’s first debut film she is starring in, one can definitely keep an eye to see if she branches out to any more films. She’s got a knack for not only expression but portraying sympathy in more ways then one.
The film captures the same emotion as all the Jurassic Films including adventure, suspense, humor and of course one can not leave out a little romance that Pratt is known for. It’s the perfect addition to anyone’s summer movie must see list. Don’t believe me though, one must see it for themselves to make their own educated decision. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom came out in theaters June 22, 2018 and is currently playing in a theater near you.
Show Dogs Review
“So what you’re a cop?” –Daisy
“I am undercover as a show dog.” –Max
Max, the Rottweiler must learn what it means to truly be a show dog if he is to discover what happened to the baby panda, Ling Ling, even if it means learning to trust the bozo FBI agent who is helping him.
In a somewhat twist of Mission Impossible meets Hotel for Dogs, Show Dogs has something for everyone. Kids will enjoy the talking dogs who essentially poke fun at the humans that they are with, while there is a deeper message for the adults. The message centers around what it truly takes to be a show dog as well as the trust that comes with it. It’s something that everyone has to deal with and at an hour and a half, the movie does somewhat succeed.
Show Dogs stars a long list of celebrities as the voices of the dogs as well as the companions and the interesting thing, though the dogs are talking, is not whether the characters can understand them word for word. Let’s get to our main character Max, voiced by Ludacris along with his FBI partner, Frank (Will Arnett). This relationship is interesting because when we first see Max, he is all alone, tracking down the culprits who kidnapped the baby panda. At the same time, he encounters Frank, in a somewhat hilarious manner, chasing him down when he thinks he is in on the whole case. Right away, there is an uneasy feeling between the two of them that gets even more interesting in the NYPD police station when the chief pairs them together to go undercover at a dog show.
Funny from the start, the pairing of Ludacris with Arnett is ideal as the two, though Arnett is dealing with a voice-overed dog, it meshes well in the finished package and credit thus also goes to the dog handler offset as they were able to perfectly match the dog’s movements with that of the voiceover. I’m always a fan of voiceovers done the right way with live action animals as I know animals’ mannerisms are not easy to control.
Subsequently, the film also stars voices including Alan Cumming as Dante, Stanley Tucci as Phillipi, Shaquille O’Neal as Karma and Jordan Sparks as Daisy. All of these voices ring out of the dogs they are portraying. The director, Raja Gosnell, did a great job working with the stars to match each breeds’ temperament. For example, O’Neal’s peace and love rings out of Karma as being a big dog with a soft heart, and Tucci’s spunky temperament as a Papillion did justice as well.
As a whole, the film flowed quite nicely as it opened with a kind of spyish quality, mirroring that of Mission Impossible or a 007 parody. The camera angles paid off as they perfectly captured both animal and humans, blurring reality and CGI. The wise cracking pigeons were one element that did leave me short, as the editors could’ve very easily used CGI on real pigeons for an extra level of authenticity.
Shot on location in Las Vegas, it was refreshing to see various elements of the Las Vegas strip superimposed with dog like qualities, such as the runway for the dog show smack dab in the middle of Caesar’s palace. Though Show Dogs may not be for everyone, especially if one doesn’t like dogs, it is a quite enjoyable ride. It’s refreshing to see the difference in dialogue between the dogs as opposed to their human counterparts and yet in the end, the dialogue mirror each other as the heart of the situation is to rescue the baby panda. The writers did an adequate job of developing the storyline and appealing to all ages as a whole.
At an hour and thirty minute run time, Show Dogs will take you on an adventure with Max and Frank, as the matter of trust is put to the ultimate test. Recommended for kids and dog lovers at heart, it is truly an enjoyable film for all who wish to let the dogs take control.
Show Dogs came out in theaters May 18 and is currently playing near you.
“Infinity War” Review
When I’m done, half of humanity will still exist. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be… I hope they remember you. (Thanos)
The summer movie season is official on us with the blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War that swept the box office with Friday estimates alone totaling over 105 million domestically.
The Marvel film is a mash up off nearly every single superhero one could imagine including the latest “Guardians” who discover Thor while in space and discover that Thanos is threatening Earth by seeking to find the rest of the infinity stones hidden throughout the heroes which thus give some of them their powers. Now it is up to all of them, from Ironman to Black Panther to ban together and protect everyone. But the question is can they really do it in time?
At roughly 2 and a half hours, Infinity War is packed with so much information that the ending, without giving to much away, leaves audiences saying, “What?” Ultimately, its not the typically ending of a blockbuster, although the ending is a similar concept to that of another film that came out a few years ago, Batman v. Superman. All I can say is one has to watch it and make their own mind as to whether or not those are dead or if there’s a possibility of something else.
Overall, the film’s director’s Mark and Joe Russo did an exceptional job of combining all the stories into one and showing where they all fit on the Marvel Universe timeline. Nothing seemed rushed at all as the story flowed from the opening scene with Thanos and Thor where we see his plot to get all the stones to the obvious first encounter with Thor and the Guardians, which we saw in the trailer, and ultimately the question that we all had, how did they fit Black Panther and the country of Wakanda. In addition, the choice of Peter Dinklage to the Marvel cast was a smart move as he played Eitri, the one that one didn’t know if he was a villain or just trying to protect himself.
The film had so many comical lines, one can’t see it just once to get the full exposure to everything. The funnest scenes would have to be the self dialogue between Hulk/Bruce Banner, where Mark Ruffalo shined in his portrayal of someone who just can not change into his green self. Another breakthrough performance is the addition of Spiderman played by Tom Holland. Though he is just a kid, Holland has matured in his portrayal of Spiderman, taking Ironman’s (Robert Downey Jr.) advice and sticking to being the “friendly neighborhood spiderman” but when the neighborhood is threatened, he is finally brought on board as an Avenger. His comedy as an awkward kid shines on the scene as he really does come in handy when the other more experienced heroes start to fall.
Overall, Avengers: Infinity War came out this weekend on April 27 and is definitely worth seeing at least once on the big screen. One won’t regret it but it will leave you wanting more as it has unanswered questions that we’ll have to wait for the next Avengers movie to hopefully answer them.
“God’s Not Dead: A Light In Darkness” Review
“God Is Good, All The Time”
“And All the time, God is God”.
The same dialogue echoes though the God’s Not Dead trilogy as Christians are tried in new ways. First it was a student vs. professor, in which a freshman student is made to prove the existence of God in front of his collages. Then a public school teacher vs. the state, where for the first time a teacher is taken to the supreme court to be made an example for speaking the name of Jesus in her classroom. Now in the next film, it’s the pastor, himself that faces the ultimate test of faith.
Produced and starring David A. R. White, God’s Not Dead: A Light In Darkness shows that even a pastor is human as Reverend Dave faces the ultimate backlash after being arrested at the end of the second film, now his church is burnt down. To throw more heat onto the scene, the university which has offered sanctuary to the church now wants the church gone, as they seek to lay blame for the disrupt in campus life and hate crimes. As far as acting goes, David A.R White exceptionally portrayed a pastor which we have watched in all three movies as he himself is now feeling the persecution that the student and teacher equally felt. White’s expressions on his face when he has his breakdown in the church as well as the encounter with the student responsible for the fire, ultimately shows the humanistic characteristics that undoubtably all people of faith go through when all seems lost. It shows that even pastor’s aren’t exempt.
Likewise, the film, conveys the same subtle message, that of whether or not to believe in God or not, allowing the audience to make their own decision in the end, though it is slightly more bible based then the previous too, which one could deem is because of the attack on the pastor and the church. The setting and lighting is perfect in using colors to depict just how low humanity can get, but the multiple images of fire serves as both a destroyer as well as a symbol of hope similar to a scene out of the second with the students showing their support for their teacher at her house. This very same scene repeats itself with the university students showing support of Rev. Dave.
The return of Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper) is also a nice touch as those loyal followers of the Gods Not Dead franchise, might have wondered what happened to the outspoken freshman who stood up to the overpowering agnostic professor. Harper’s addition as a student minister, showed the affect of the church on the campus as a new student, Meg (Jennifer Taylor) is introduced as an underlying story supplementing that of the church vs. state. We see a further development in Harper especially from the first film to this one where he has know transitioned from the freshman trying to prove God’s existence to a actual pastor figure who wants to reach others, which I can totally see. Harper’s performance in this one is just as strong and motivating as the student becomes the teacher in an essence both with Rev. Dave when he seems to question himself as well as the new young girl who is in the same boat.
The God’s Not Dead franchise is based in large part by the Christian Musicians Newsboys, who’s song, God’s Not Dead was performed in both the first two movies and one might expect another reprise, which didn’t happen. I found myself slightly disappointed by not hearing and seeing the band, but the music was prevalent in the background as the story continued.
Another difference between this one and the first two was the call that was made. Instead of showing the message, to text everyone, “God’s Not Dead”, there was a live message at the end from Michael Tait, of the Newsboys as he closed out with a public message, to be the light. He also promoted an app which was created for the movie. I liked the notion, but showing the message after the credits, make it difficult to reach, especially since most people don’t stay til the end. While the message was powerful, they might have been better to still have the text message at the end for those that didn’t wait all the way through.
God’s Not Dead: A Light In Darkness is a fitting close to a powerful franchise. It upheld the same standards as the first two, with more emphasis on a pastor’s point of view and of course the call to “Be the Light” was still there. The religious sequel came out in theaters March 30 and is currently playing in a theater near you.
“Midnight Sun” Review
She only comes out at night.
For as long as she can remember, Katie Price has lived under the protection of a special UV window in her house.
The opening scene, a dream that she remembers of her mother holding her on the beach while playing guitar, but for Katie she can’t remember if thats true or not. This is because she has a rare condition, known as XP, (Xeroderma pigmentosum), which makes her extremely sensitive to the sun in a matter of life or death.
At first look, the film reminds one of another movie which came out last year. The film, Everything, Everything, more specifically and to be fair there are similarities that can be identified, especially by the fact of this movie being a young adult romance between two people that are separated by a house but that’s only the beginning.
Midnight Sun is a movie of a slightly different caliber, because Katie’s widowed father doesn’t keep her from going out at night. In fact, we get a sense of her freedom when she meets her best friend, Morgan who gets her to go to a party for the first time after graduation.
Directed by Scott Speer who also directed the Step It Up films, Midnight Sun perfectly captures the innocence of first love despite a terminal illness. The film could also be compared to another book franchise by Lurlene McDaniel who is most known for writing teen romances where at least one partner has a terminal illness. Though the movie is based on a different novel, by Trish Cook, one has to wonder if she might of got some inspiration from McDaniel. The writing definitely lends itself to the possibility.
Overall, the film stands up to the one line from the movie, “To Live in the moment, because you never know when it will end.” It’s a summer romance that for Katie is by far the best time of her life, when she finally gets to experience the love that had been growing inside of her since the first time she saw Charlie outside her window.
Midnight Sun came out in theaters March 23 and has already brought in over 7 million worldwide. It is currently playing in one near you.
Fifty Shades Hits Its Climax
The Erotic love story based on the book by E.L James is coming to theaters this weekend in anticipation for Valentine’s Day as it nearly matched its previous chapter with 5.7 million in Thursday previews.
In the thrilling conclusion, the story picks up where Fifty Shades Darker left with Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) and Christian (Jamie Dornan) officially tying the knot and now the fun comes, trying to act like a married couple. In the midst of Christian Grey’s million dollar business empire, Anastasia doesn’t want to stay home and Christian agrees to her keeping her publishing job with a few improvisations, that of body-guard service. Meanwhile, the couple’s relationship is threatened by Jack (Eric Johnson) who wants Ana for himself, however we soon realize that is not the only reason as dark secrets about Christian’s adoption and foster care begin to emerge. That along with the stunning conclusion of a not so surprising pregnancy is enough to keep viewers on the edge of their seats in this stunning conclusion.
At one hour forty-five minute run time, Fifty Shades Freed is a traditional love story with a slight erotic twist. It will entertain viewers and fans of the novel alike as it follows the book fairly closely from start to finish, though it may not be for everyone, viewer discretion is strongly advised as it is rated “R”, for language and graphic nudity.
That aside, there is a good storyline that will keep one entertained. See it in a theater near you.