Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise and his super-spy alter-ego, Ethan Hunt, are back, perhaps for their last Mission Impossible. For a number of reasons, what one would’ve assumed would be Dead Reckoning: Part Two is now The Final Reckoning. Let’s see if you should accept this mission.

When we last Ethan and his Impossible Mission Force, they had just grabbed the key to The Entity, that evil AI, from its now-former favorite human, Gabriel (Esai Morales). As we open this mission, The Entity is messing around with international politics with fake videos (yes, really). As if that wasn’t enough, The Entity starts hijacking all the world’s nuclear weapon systems. Erica Sloane (Angela Bassett), previously the CIA director in Fallout and now the President, wants Ethan to give the key to the US Government. Ethan, instead, asks Sloane to let him extract The Entity’s source code from the sunken submarine Sevastopol. Sloane agrees.

Ethan brings along his usual spies, Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), Luther Stickwell (Ving Rhames), newbie Grace (Hayley Atwell) and previous antagonists, Paris (Pom Klementieff) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), to the mission. Meanwhile, the US Government and Gabriel engage in a convoluted struggle for The Entity. As usual, not everyone on the team isn’t going to make it out alive. That’s pretty much it.

Cruise’s favorite writer/director, Christopher McQuarrie, once again calls the shots on this mission. McQuarrie and his co-writer, Erik Jendersen, not only load the story with plenty of dynamic set-pieces, but callbacks upon callbacks to the previous films. Among the most prominent is Donloe (Rolf Saxon), a minor character from the first movie, who joins the team an hour or so in. These callbacks are relatively easy to digest, unlike the cavalcade of factions antagonizing Team Ethan. A few other plot threads, such as that concerning Agent Briggs (Shea Wigham), are either left partially explained or not explained at all. This is despite the fact the film runs a rather fitting 169-minutes. 

Still, the mission isn't a complete failure at all. Ethan, Benji and Luther are still a pretty good trio after all this time. Sure, Ethan gets the best stunts, which I'll discuss later, but Benji gets some of the best lines. Luther, meanwhile, gets a rather meaningful final speech. Donloe and his wife, Tapeesa (Lucy Tulugarjuk), are both likable and are welcome additions to the crew. It's quite pleasing that Paris survived Dead Reckoning because she gets plenty of great action scenes and meaningful chemistry with Benji here. Sloane is pretty sympathetic as her cabinet pressures her to make a first strike. Out of all the power playing, a surprise hero emerges in General Sidney (Nick Offerman), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In short, I think the acting team is pretty good here.

Now let's talk about the action. Its most highly publicized stunt is Ethan and Gabriel's long biplane chase in the climax. Yes, much of it was shot on real biplanes, but I doubt that Gabriel's hilariously humiliating demise was done for real. Meanwhile, Benji and the others fight to hack The Entity, while Sloane and her cabinet argue. Earlier than that, Ethan makes his way through the Sevastopol just as the submarine decides to sink even further. Not only that, but he's forced to surface without his diving suit! These set-pieces, as well as The Entity's gradual nuclear hacking, are masterfully constructed by editor Eddie Hamilton. Sure, an important scene involving Luther is a bit hard to follow, but the rest of it works wonders. Anyone looking for great action wont be disappointed here.

What else can I say about it? I almost thought the famous theme wouldn't show up, but it actually kicks in at 23-minutes. I re-checked Dead Reckoning just now, and it actually kicks in there at almost thirty-minutes. And yet, I didn't notice that delay last time. Weird, huh? A scene where Ethan gets inside Gabriel's personal sensory deprivation chamber is just as overwhelming to the audience as it is to him. All the flashing lights there aren't a pleasant sight, that's for sure. It's pretty heavy-handed when our heroes have a few conversations that boil down to "The Entity wants you to be irrational. Be rational." But they're still fine. Above all, it's pretty fun when you realize that the plot boils down to the IMF trying to stop Skynet from doing Judgment Day. Will there be robots in a next film, too?

But seriously, I wonder what a prospective follow-up would be like. What kind of crazy action scenes will it have? Who will they assemble for the mission? Like Ethan and Gabriel in the climax, the future is up in the air. But for now, accept this latest Mission Impossible if you want another good time at the movies. You'll just have to see the biplane climax for itself; there's a lot I haven't discussed in this review. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds ...

Or not.

Lilo and Stitch

It hasn't been long since Snow White slept at the box-office. I'll reiterate that it's a flawed movie, but much like that Ghostbusters redo, it's not worth starting World War III over. In any case, it's clear that nobody slept on Disney's latest live-action redo, Lilo and Stitch. Here's why you shouldn't sleep on it, either.

Chris Sanders, the co-director of the original film, once again voices Stitch, whom Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis) created as Experiment 626. Stitch is sentenced to exile by the United Galactic Federation for being a feral troublemaker, but he escapes for Earth, specifically Kaua'i. The Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Widdingham) forces Jumba to join with "Earth Expert" Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) to get Stitch back.

On Earth, Stitch ends up at the animal shelter, where orphaned local girl Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha) adopts him as her new "dog." Her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) isn't happy, but Lilo is certainly happy with her new friend. Meanwhile, the sisters are threatened with separation by CPS, embodied by social worker Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere, animated Nani herself). Also, meanwhile, the Grand Councilwoman's patience for Jumba and Pleakley is wearing thin. Will there be a happy ending for this 'ohana?

The writers deviate from the original film in several key areas (how the CPS subplot is resolved may break the ending for some). But I think that it's pretty close to the original without going shot-for-shot. I haven't seen the original in quite a while, but I still remember a few scenes and dialogue recreated here. It's hard to feel nothing, for example, when Stitch tells the Grand Councilwoman of his new family at the end. The revised climax, where Stitch nearly drowns, is quite moving too even if it's obvious he won't bite it. On a lighter note, we get some great new laughs, such as a trigger-happy Federation crewmember and a portal gun loop.

It helps that we have a great cast here. Kealoha, in her first movie, is quite likable as Lilo, even when she acts out. You'll easily sympathize with Agudong's Nani as she runs herself ragged trying to keep their 'ohana together. The sisters have great chemistry together; part of the reason why the ending didn't break me is because of a certain loophole, which might just leave you smiling. Amy Hill, who voiced shopkeeper Mrs. Hasagawa in the animated entries, is excellent as the Pelekais' grandmotherly neighbor Tutu, whose grandson is Nani's co-worker David (Kaipo Dudoit). Courtney B. Vance is pretty good as CIA agent Cobra Bubbles, who "partners" with Mrs. Kekoa as a "fellow social worker." As for the aliens, the Grand Councilwoman has an enjoyable sardonism; the more overtly villainous Jumba is fine; and Pleakely is just enjoyable.

Now we get to the technical stuff. The aliens, especially Stitch and Pleakley, perfectly recreate their 2D counterparts without trying too hard, and are rather easy on the eyes. Their gadgets and spaceships, such as the aforementioned portal gun, are pretty nifty designs too. Despite some minor cracks, they're a lot more tangible than a certain set of dwarfs tried to be. Yes, The Legend of Ochi did wonders for puppeteering, but this Stitch feels real just the same. That tangibility helps make the revised climax especially moving. The Hawaiian sights, as filmed by cinematographer Nigel Bluck, are more exquisite when they're paired with Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu's retained songs, Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride and He Mele No Lilo. The rest of the soundtrack is filled by a pretty good score by Dan Romer and a sparse selection of Elvis songs.

I'm sure that Disney will consider a sequel or two after its stellar numbers. I'm kind of curious to see where they and director Dean Fleischer-Camp will take the material next. Will they reverse some of the more controversial story changes next time? Who knows, but at least this current movie is pretty good. Those who disagree can check out the original film, and its follow-ups, on Disney+ anytime. I think I should too, just to remind myself why the first film was great. But that's it for now.

Night of the Zoopocalypse

 Are you ready for Baby’s First Barker?

Clive Barker isn’t known for family-friendly works. At all. But a few months ago, one of the rare exceptions, the short story ZOOmbies, became the animated film Night of the Zoopocalypse, which barely had a theatrical release. It’s ready to stream on your favorite VOD service, and it’s got such sights to show you.

One night, a meteor crashes into the gigantic Colepepper Zoo. One bunny, credited as Bunny Zero (Bryn McAuley), eats a piece and mutates into a “Gum-Beast” zombie. Pretty soon, Bunny Zero infects most of the zoo. The only survivors are Gracie the Wolf (Gabbi Kosmidis), Dan the Zoo’s new Mountain Lion (David Harbour), Xavier the Lemur (Pierre Simpson), Ash the Ostrich (Scott Thompson), Felix the Monkey (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), Frida the Capybara (Heather Loreto) and Poot the Pygmy Hippo (Christina Nova). They’ll have to figure out how to reverse the mutations before they’re next. That’s basically it, but there’s more.

This is a horror film made for those too young or too squeamish for the likes of Hellraiser. That much is obvious when you meet the monsters. Sure, the Gum-Beasts are grotesque, but they’re also surprisingly cuddly. It’s more amusing than terrifying when they lose a body part or two. One of them, a gorilla, not only falls apart, but struggles to put himself together correctly. Another gag, involving Gracie’s gumbied granny, will shock you until the punchline. The final boss, a mammoth chimera, is the creepiest of the monsters, but Barker has written and shown us much worse, so you’ll be fine. Those who have seen Mars Attacks! or Attack of the Killer Tomatoes will smirk when our heroes discover how to cure the Gum-Beasts.

Let’s introduce you to the pack. Felix’s pompous speciesm makes him hard to like, and he does nothing to change that opinion. You’ll be begging for him to get gumbied by his first scene. Still, it’s quite funny seeing him frustrated by a MacGuffin card-key just before that. Xavier is the movie nerd, constantly making references to his favorite films and their plot structures. I kind of wish we actually saw some of those films, even those made-up for this one, but I digress. He, Frida and Ash are much more tolerable than Felix, and they all shine during the penultimate battle. Poot, however, is a hoot, thanks to her cuddly design and ditzy personality. Finally, our two leads, Gracie and Dan, aren't innovative characters, but they have a good dynamic. You'll especially be riveted when Dan gets gumbied for a spell and attacks Gracie.

What else do we have? We do get an annoying use of the conflict ball just after Gracie and Dan encounter her gumbied pack. Fortunately, that lasts for a spell before the Gum-Beasts intervene. It's more fortunate that it's the only really annoying part of the writing; even Gracie and Dan's act two fallout is understandable. On the technical side, we get a striking purple and green color scheme, as well as some impressive battles with the Gum-Beasts. The character designs for the normal animals are quirky, while the overly cutesy animals adorning the zoo's sign are unnerving. Dan Levy, of the defunct band The Dø, gives us an entertaining soundtrack that would fit right in with the best 80's horror soundtracks. 

Whether you want to call it Baby's First Barker, or Baby's First Horror Film, Night of the Zoopocalypse makes for a nice and spooky 91-minutes. Its writing is a bit simplistic, and a few characters were annoying, but I never found myself bored with it. Give it a go and you might be pleasantly surprised. I'll leave it to you to introduce your kids to Barker's other cinematic monsters at your own time. Take your time.

That's it for now.

The Legend of Ochi

The Legend of Ochi, the debut film of longtime music video director Isaiah Saxon, actually ran locally at the tail-end of April. But, for a number of reasons, I decided to wait until its second run, which began on Friday, to check it out. Let’s see what I missed.

Over on the island of Carpathia, Maxim (Willem Dafoe) leads the local lads, and his daughter Yuri (Helena Zengel), on nightly hunts for the Ochi, the local cryptid monkeys. One day, Yuri encounters a baby Ochi, its foot ensnared in a trap. After she heals it, she decides to return the critter to its community. She’s pursued by Maxim and his Junior Hunters (including Finn Wolfhard as Maxim’s adopted son, Petro), and is dissuaded by her long-lost mother, Dasha (Emily Watson). Is any of that going to stop her?

Sure, the film stars a few humans, and all of them are fine, but they’re outclassed by the Ochi. These creatures are more Gizmo from Gremlins than the chupacabra in personality and design. In what must seem like a novelty these days, the Ochi were realized with puppetry and animatronics. Whatever CGI is used is mainly to erase the seven puppeteers controlling baby Ochi. The end result seems too good to be true - some erroneous reports stated AI was used on the film - but it is. It's even more outstanding when you discover that the Ochi's chirping voice was vocalized by a human, Paul "The Birdman" Manalatos. This helps make Ochi and Yuri's chemistry all the more compelling, especially when she learns how to chirp Ochi.

It does repeatedly trip on its own tone, though. It starts off perfectly grim as Maxim and his Junior Hunters attack the Ochi in a nighttime raid. Later on, it tugs at the heart strings as we see the ensnared baby Ochi. But then it gets a bit silly, such as Maxim dressing for his raids like a gladiator goalie, like it's a serious Wes Anderson film. A scene at a supermarket, which has a surprisingly thorough anti-Ochi protocol, ends with Yuri accidentally getting bitten. Yuri and Ochi escape the supermarket by stealing a car in the middle of a tire change (it ends as you might expect). Later on, we see the infected arm, and while it's excellent makeup work, it's also way gruesome. When Dasha enters, she implies that a certain bat is responsible for the livestock deaths attributed to the Ochi. But the film ends too abruptly for that and other points to register.

What else does it have? There's some vibrant scenery in Carpathia, visualized either through matte paintings or through location filming in Romania. A few memorable locations include the aforementioned supermarket, Dasha's hut and especially the Ochi's habitat. Overall, cinematographer Evan Prosofsky and production designer Jason Kisvarday are both worth a consideration for next year's Oscars. Their work is accentuated by David Longstreth's majestic score; just wait until you hear the opening theme. Not bad for a total price tag of $10 million.

The storytelling isn't perfect, but it's hard to doubt the appeal of The Legend of Ochi's titular creature. Whether it's in the technical craft, or the cuddliness, it's worth seeing the film just for the Ochi alone. Distributor A24 might have just found itself a new mascot, or at least a worthy competitor with Marcel the Shell. It's already on VOD, as well as theatres, so you've got quite a few ways to check it out. If you're not interested, I've got a few other options for the whole family. One of them is coming up next.

Thunderbolts*

Let's see if I can get to a thousand more reviews.

It might take a decade or more to get there, but let's begin with Thunderbolts*, which assembles some of the MCU's finest anti-heroes into one team. Jake Schreier, who hasn't directed a film since 2015's Paper Towns, proves more than capable of assembling this ensemble. Now, to distill this plot:

First, let's catch up with former Black Widow Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). These days, Yelena has thrown herself into black ops work for corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss). Valentina sends Yelena on a suicide mission along with Ava Starr/The Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen); John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell); and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), who isn't long for this movie. Everyone with me so far?

The survivors escape with Bob (Lewis Pullman), an ordinary dude who's basically Marvel's answer to Superman. Here, he's called The Sentry, and he gained his powers by being Valentina's guinea pig. Valentina's goons take him away, so our anti-heroes go after them with Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Congressman Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). They have to hurry because Valentina's experiments have not only empowered Bob, but his dark side, "The Void." Yeah, I think that's pretty much it.

Unlike Brave New World, this is a plot that doesn't require too much homework. Sure, its characters span multiple movies and TV shows, but the screenplay by Eric Pearson & Joanna Calo is mostly comprehensible on its own. Its overall plot is quite intriguing as the Thunderbolts* - and yes, the asterisk is there for a reason - learn more about Valentina's "Project Sentry" and Bob's Big Secret. Each revelation helps build-up the anticipation for The Void's debut, and he doesn't disappoint. Meanwhile, our anti-heroes confront major emotional baggage, sometimes with sarcasm, before they deal with Bob's. The one plot thread that lost me was O.X.E. Group, Valentina's shadowy organization, which was apparently a big deal in The Falcon and Winter Soldier (which I haven't watched), but not even mentioned in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The story offered nothing to help my bewilderment.

At least it has a pretty good cast. Pugh and Harbour were already good in Black Widow, but here, they're great. As Yelena, Pugh mines plenty of sympathy and hilarity in her opening narration, as she describes her malaise. "There is something wrong with me." she says, "Or, maybe I'm just bored." As Alexei, Harbour is not only still funny, but he's excellent moral support. Their best scene together comes late in the movie, where he comforts her during an emotional breakdown. Yelena coming to terms with her depression later helps save the world from The Void. John, who was introduced in F & WS as an anti-hero Captain America, is decently compelling as he becomes a better hero; Ava and Bucky are fine, while Taskmaster is unfortunately wasted after one scene. Faring a lot better is Geraldine Viswanathan, who's quite likable as Valentina's beleaguered assistant, Mel.

The visual style is a good place to talk about the antagonists. Valentina makes a better impression here than she did in Wakanda Forever; as much as she wants to be in control, her best scenes come when she realizes she's out of her depth. Bob, much like Yelena, spends the movie dealing with depression, and Pullman, the visual effects team and cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo, do an excellent job in getting us in his head. The Void can flatten people into shadows as he transports them to his realm, where his victims watch their worst memories on loop. It's just as haunting as it is alluring. The Void, a walking silhouette with glowing eyes, is a visually marvelous villain. The final battle, where the Thunderbolts essentially defeat The Void with kindness, isn't a big punch-up like in The Avengers, but it gets the job done.

I should probably mention the composers, the band Son Lux, primarily because I never mentioned them when I reviewed Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. That film got them an Oscar nomination, and they do an equally impressive job here, too. A few highlights include their darker remix of The Avengers theme and The Void's haunting theme. It's an appropriate score for what is, overall, one of the darkest MCU films, and it's one of the franchise's best since the Black Panther films. On a lighter side, the end credit scene gives us a cool preview of Michael Giacchino's theme for the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. As if I wasn't motivated to check out that film.

But what will motivate you to see Thunderbolts*? Perhaps it's the entertaining chemistry between its disparate misfits. Perhaps it's the more serious storyline? Maybe it's the visually impressive final boss? Or maybe, for those who haven't been spoiled already, it's to see why there's an asterisk in the title. Whatever the case, check out this movie for a marvelous start to the summer movie season. Let's hope that there's plenty more goodness to come.