Mission Impossible: Fallout

Tom Cruise and his superspy alter-ego, Ethan Hunt, are still taking missions 22 years after Mission Impossible made its big screen debut. For the sixth mission, Fallout, the franchise's revolving director's chair sits stationary as Christopher McQuarrie returns from the last film, Rogue Nation.

This time, Hunt and his fellow spies Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickwell (Ving Rhames) are hunting the supervillain John Lark. Lark and the Apostles, remnants of the last film's The Syndicate, want some nuclear cores to make weapons with. Our heroes try and fail to stop them at first. But they can try again in Paris. That's where the arms dealer The White Widow (Vanessa Kirby) is to sell the cores to Lark. CIA director Sloane (Angela Bassett) sends the brutish August Walker (Henry Cavill) to make sure the mission works.

The mission mostly works. But the White Widow wants our heroes to extract The Syndicate's Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) in exchange for one core. They do. The Apostles have already made weapons with the other two. Our heroes have to find the weapons and disarm them. It gets complicated when Hunt is suspected of being Lark. Hunt has to find the real man and save his ex-wife, Julia, from the nuclear attack.

McQuarrie's screenplay gives plenty of insane stunts for Cruise to do. There's his HALO jump during a lighting storm. A lengthy car chase in Paris. And a helicopter chase for the climax. Of course, there are plenty of writing stunts McQuarrie pulls masterfully, like how Hunt tricks an Apostle scientist (Kristoffer Joner) into giving his secrets. A few plot details might flyby during the film's 144 minutes. It's especially so if you're not familiar with the entire film series. Those are minor compared to Sloane's decision to act like an obstructive bureaucrat at the worst possible time.

All the action and drama is paced nicely by editor Eddie Hamilton. The cinematography of Rob Hardy makes the movie worthy of the big screen. The HALO jump looks and sounds great. Hunt and Walker's tag-team against a Lark decoy is a memorably brutal fight. The climactic rush to stop the bombs is a thrilling set piece. It helps that Lorne Balfe's score emphasizes the action spectacularly.

I wouldn't know if Mission Impossible: Fallout is the best of the series or one of the best sequels ever. But it is one of the best films this summer. Its action scenes are sure to be icons in the genre. Its cast of characters (especially Pegg) make the long run time worthwhile. See it at any price in the largest screen available. 

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

DC's young superhero team, the Teen Titans, made a name for themselves with their animated series in 2003. Their 2013 revival, Teen Titans Go!, took the show's goofy side and ran with it, allegedly, in the wrong directions. Few thought one such direction was to the big screen. But that's where they went in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

The Teen Titans - Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Starfire - are Jump City's resident childish superheroes. Nobody takes them seriously, not even DC's other superheroes. Film director Jade Wilson (Kristen Bell) is making movies of DC's superheroes; even Batman's Batmobile and Utility Belt have movies. Robin decides to increase the Titans' prestige by getting their own movie. But first, they must have an arch-enemy.

Slade (Will Arnett), a gruff, armored supervillain, enters the scene. He wants to use a crystal to take over the world. The Titans want to stop him. But Slade doesn't take them seriously. But the Titans' efforts get Jade to take them seriously. That Teen Titans movie might finally get made. But fame and fortune might split them up before the premiere. How will they get out of this one?

The film's goofy humor has its hits and misses. There's not many misses, though. A few bits of childish humor and loud goofiness went a bit longer than needed. But the hits are plenty. A darkly funny scene has the Titans prevent, then un-prevent numerous superhero origins, including Superman's (Nicolas Cage), Batman's (Jimmy Kimmel) and, though their names aren't mentioned, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Batman v Superman's most derided moment gets a welcome mocking. And even Stan Lee gets to cameo here. It's that kind of movie.

It does know when to get serious, though. You'll feel it when the Titans are mocked by the other heroes. The Titans' temporary break-up was sad even if you knew it was temporary. And their home movie was silly but it had a good pay-off at the end. It's not an Oscar-caliber screenplay but at least it admits it.

The production values are a bit bigger than the TV show. Its characters look the same but the backgrounds are more elaborate. It even changes animation styles for a few scenes, including a surprising parody of The Lion King's Circle of Life number. Jared Faber's score is pretty good, but its best moments incorporate the 2003 show's famous theme. There were a few musical numbers, some forgettable, with the best one featuring Michael Bolton and a funny closing gag.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a delightfully silly superhero parody for kids. It goes by pretty good at 88 minutes even if it drags a bit at places. It's both a louder, longer and smarter episode of the TV show. Doesn't that sound weird? It's at least worth a matinee.

The silliness starts with a new short for DC's girl-centric franchise, DC Super Hero Girls. It was fun even if it ended abruptly. Its mid-credit scene homages the 2003 show. It ends the credits on the Challengers of the Unknown, Jack Kirby's classic, yet relatively obscure super team, whose comical mistreatment made for a funny running gag.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again

It's not the first Jukebox Musical, but Mamma Mia! is still the biggest name in the field. Ten years after its big screen run, Universal Pictures and director/writer Ol Parker gathered another batch of ABBA songs (and a few reprises) for another go around. So here I go again for Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again.

The first film had Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), who, having never met her father, invite the three men who might be him - Bill (Stellan Skarsgaard), Sam (Pierce Brosnan) and Harry (Colin Firth) - to her wedding. And hilarity ensued, and the paternity issue was ignored.

Years later, after her mother Donna's (Meryl Streep) off-screen death, Sophie renovates her Greek island Inn into the "Hotel Bella Donna." She has a big grand reopening planned, but it's not going good for her. Her husband, Sky (Dominic Cooper), is away on business. Sophie needs all the support she can to make it.

Meanwhile, young Donna (Lilly James), lives a carefree life after she graduates college. She then meets her future daughter's three possible fathers (Josh Dylan as Bill, Jeremy Irvine as Sam and Hugh Skinner as Harry). It's not that easy but she pulls through.

I'm not sure if this is better than the first film or not. I do know that the ABBA songs, "new" and "old", are entertaining. Even if some exist just to have a spot in the film. There are a few strong moments here, like the finale, so that's good. It's a light plot for 114 minutes, but at least it meant something in the end.

The characters are fine. Bill's first scene involved a masterful fake-out involving a twin brother (also Skarsgaard). Sam's singing, while derided in the first film, didn't bother me here. Sophie's three dads, old and young, are an entertaining, likable trio. Christine Baranski and Julie Walters as Donna's Best Friends, Tanya and Rosie, were funny, as were Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies as their younger selves. I wish there was more of Streep as old Donna and Cher as her mother, Ruby. Why did they have to kill off Donna?

The editing by Peter Lambert does a good job at juggling locations. But it can throw people off by juggling time periods. The production and costume designs are good. Robert Yeoman's cinematography of Croatia makes the fictional setting of Kalokairi attractive. There's supposed to be a score by Anne Dudley, but it's overshadowed by the ABBA numbers and instrumentals of them.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again keeps up the same giddy attitude of its predecessor. It takes a chance on more of ABBA's catalog. It's not just a way to make money, money, money. You'll thank the filmmakers for the music after a good matinee.

Before I make more ABBA puns, I'll finish by saying it's a fine sequel. It's a super trouper which wants to entertain and succeeds. Just don't think too much about it.

I made another pun...

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

The Ghouls and Ghosts are ready for another stay at Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation promises another family friendly spooktacular in 3D and Flatscreen. It gets points for stepping out of familiar territory. Let's see what else it does.

This time, we find Count Dracula (Adam Sandler), proprietor of the Hotel Transylvania, stressed and lonely. His daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez), books him and his monster friends on a cruise ship, the Legacy. Dracula can take "a vacation from  giving vacations" as the ship sails all the way to Atlantis. He's unimpressed by the "hotel on the water" until he meets Captain Ericka (Kathryn Hahn). He falls for her at first sight. Mavis sees something amiss.

Ericka is the great-granddaughter of Dracula's wannabe archenemy, Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan). The Van Helsings set up the cruise to destroy Dracula and his monster friends. They just need an artifact from Atlantis to do the job. The scheme is complicated by Ericka falling for Dracula too.

Director Genndy Tartakovsky once again deals with the zany hauntings of the titular resort. The plot isn't a retread of the first two films. You might have to familiarize yourself with the cast, but the film won't punish you if you don't. Its premise is a nice fish-out-of-water story. Its anti-prejudice themes are admirable. Its gags can get delightfully silly. Beware those who seek gravitas in their plot. It's still made for the youngest ghouls in mind.

Let's start with the new characters. Professor Van Helsing starts off an inept, yet funny villain. His multiple failures made for a great montage. He's still funny when he becomes a threat. Ericka is goofy and likable, even when she tries to kill Dracula. Her turning good was a believable story.

The returning characters are still a good bunch of monsters. Wayne and Wanda (Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon), the werewolf parents of too many, were great side characters. Tinkles (Joe Whyte), the giant puppy, debuted as the eponymous Puppy! in the opening short of last year's reviled The Emoji Movie. His antics were fun. And of course, there's Count Dracula. He's still a likable prince of darkness.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is a fine summertime spooktacular. Its 97 minutes are fun and fast-paced. It's not a milestone in storytelling but it's worth a matinee. This entry keeps its predecessors' good, spooky mood. Let's see what they'll do if they make a fourth one.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

It's been ages since I watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on TV. If only I can remember when. Anyway, Mister Rogers himself, Fred Rogers, is the subject of Morgan Neville's (20 Feet from Stardom) new documentary, Won't You Be My Neighbor? You won't feel lost in this neighborhood if your last visit was ten, twenty or thirty years ago. Its story will welcome you back with open arms.

Fred Rogers started his show as counter-programming to loud children's programming. His cast of human and puppet characters educated children about life and wisdom. But it wasn't so easy. He dealt with depression for much of his life. He wondered if his show was worth it in the end. All the interviewees agree that it was.

Its 93 minutes are slow but steady. It details the origins of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from its start as The Children's Corner to its official start in 1968. It also shows us the real life man, who was no different than the TV man. Except that he had a bit more adult sense of humor. And he was also frustrated with the cynicism of this world. But he stood to his principles and welcomed everyone in his neighborhood.

And no, Mister Rogers was not a sniper. The film debunks that and other rumors about him.

It's also a great re-introduction to the show. You'll get to know its puppet characters, like King Friday XIII and Daniel the Tiger. You'll also learn how they reflected Rogers' life. You'll also see how the show defied convention by talking about major issues, like death and war, in a kids show. There's that time King Friday built a wall to keep people out. The interviews with its human cast and crew portray the good life on the set as he made them feel welcome.

Won't You Be My Neighbor is a great portrait of a man who meant everything he said on TV. You'll mourn not just Mister Rogers, but his humanity which some prominent folks lack these days. It's certain to inspire interest in visiting the neighborhood. See it before Mister Rogers' life becomes a narrative film. That film, You Are My Friend, is now in production with Tom Hanks as Rogers.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

We now have ten months to see the epic conclusion to Infinity Wars's cliffhanger. And Marvel still hasn't given a title. In the meantime, we have the size-changing misadventures of Ant-Man and the Wasp. It's a simple adventure...

... At least until the end-credit scenes bring about Infinity War's apocalyptic ending. Ten more months till Part 2 seems like an eternity. At least the second scene has some good comic relief.

Anyway.

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd): ex-husband, ex-con, and ex-superhero Ant-Man (sometimes Giant Man). He's been under house arrest ever since his unsanctioned super-heroics in Civil War. He and his buddies run a security company while he waits out the end of his sentence. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the former Ant-Man and his daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lily), are fugitives because of Scott's aforementioned Civil War action. But they need his help.

Pym's wife, Janet, the super-heroine The Wasp, vanished into the subatomic Quantum Realm thirty years earlier. But Scott went there in the last movie and came back. His trip there left him quantumly entangled with Janet. Pym and Hope, the new Wasp, grab Scott to help them build a quantum tunnel to locate Janet and get her out. Easy?

No. They're pursued by the FBI, including agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), crooked arms-dealer Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), and a masked woman, The Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). Burch and the Ghost want Pym's quantum technology for themselves. Our heroes are running out of time to get Janet out. Scott has to get home before curfew. It's a tall-order for a hero who grows small ... and big.

Rudd and his co-writers, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, make sense out of Scott's adventures. He's still a likable superhero and father who wants to do the right thing if not for that ankle-monitor. His ordeal is understandable. His mission provides great tension and humor as complications arise. The resolution to this caper was a good one. And yes, Hope proves herself a great superpartner for Scott. 

Scott's buddies are still awesome comic relief. Burch is an acceptable antagonist; not that memorable but he's a capable threat. Dr. Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) is a welcome presence here. The Ghost is perhaps the most benign Marvel villain; she's antagonistic but her motives are sympathetic. Pym's ego drives the backstory but the exposition felt rushed at times. This is most apparent with the story of The Ghost's father, Dr. Starr (Michael Cerveris, in a cameo). That's the only real flaw of this fun super adventure.

All the size-changing effects make the humor and action as fun as the first film. Scott's mishaps with his suit provide a few laughs and impressive visual effects. His upscaling to Giant Man is cool. The Ghost's intangible effects are also flawless. The Quantum Realm is an amazing CGI environment.

Ant-Man and the Wasp seems like harmless filler for Infinity War Part 2. But its end credit scenes set Scott up for his role there after he missed Part 1. The revelation will hit you hard. The movie itself is a fun sci-fi adventure with an atypical, yet capable antagonist. Its moral dilemmas felt right at place in a classic Star Trek episode. You won't get antsy during its 118 minutes. Just after...

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Taylor Sheridan continues his story of the war on drugs in Sicario: Day of the Soldado. His sequel to the bleak crime thriller, Sicario, discusses some politically sensitive topics. But its story is too murky to touch a nerve.

Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and his right-hand gun, Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), fight dirty against the drug cartels. A group of suicide bombers strike a Kansas City supermarket. The Government suspects that the cartels smuggled them across the border. They send Matt and Alejandro to retaliate against the cartels. They decide to turn the cartels against each other. Their main tactic is to seize Isabela Reyes (Isabela Moner), daughter of cartel kingpin Carlos Reyes, the man behind the brutal deaths of Alejandro's family.

It all goes well until their Federal Police escort turns on them. The firefight causes an international incident with Mexico. The Department of Defense disavows the mission and orders them to scrub Isabela. But Alejandro sympathizes with Isabela's predicament. He'll do what it takes to keep her safe.

Director Stefano Sollima (Suburra) makes his English-Language debut here. The screenplay mixes in several stories for 122 minutes. The Islamic suicide bomber subplot is forgotten about when their true, more local origins, are revealed. Carlos Reyes was never mentioned in the first movie, yet he's mentioned like he's always been there. Reyes himself never appears. Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez), a good kid caught up with the cartels, gets a compelling subplot with a questionable resolution.

Benicio del Toro is still the star of the show. His Alejandro is still formidable but he shows his lighter side here. The same goes for Brolin's Matt Graver. Isabela Moner as Isabela Reyes was compelling, as was the aforementioned Elijah Rodriguez. Matt's DOD superiors (Catherine Keener and Matthew Modine) were barely memorable jerks. The cartel bad guys were mostly forgettable.

Hildur Guðnadóttir's score was a great successor to the late Johann Johannson's unforgettable soundtrack from the first film. It punctuates the intense moments perfectly. It's helped by the sound design and editor Matthew Newman. The Kansas City attack and the police ambush were standout sequences. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski's use of long takes worked well for them.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a dark film but it's not as bleak as the first film. Alejandro and Matt's more sympathetic portrayal helped blunt any darkness-induced audience apathy. Its logic is questionable but its tension is good. There's currently talk about a third Sicario movie. Let's hope it answers a few questions this one raised.