The Current War

The Current War?

More like the out-of-date war.

OK, enough joking. The Current War went through a lot to get released.

I first saw the trailer for the film with Blade Runner 2049 two years ago.  It was supposed to debut the following month. By the time I saw the trailer, its original distributor, The Weinstein Company, was felled by certain circumstances. That, and its lukewarm reception during the Toronto International Film Festival, sent it back to the drawing board. It's finally here to light up the box office. But is it a blinding light or a faint glimmer? Let's discuss.

In 1880, Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) debuts his Direct Current electrical system. It works better than gas lights, but it only covers a square mile. George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) decides to outdo him with his long-range Alternate Current System. The "war of the currents" is born. Edison smears the AC system as dangerous and this leads to the development of the Electric Chair. Westinghouse hires Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult) to help power his system. Edison and Westinghouse set out to light the Chicago World's Fair.

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) works from a script by Michael Mitnick. The best part of the film is the Electric Chair subplot. It's potentially controversial, but it would make an interesting film by itself. The "war of the currents" speeds through thirteen years as Edison fires cheap shot after cheap shot while Westinghouse practically ignores him until the end. The "AC is Bad" campaign barely dents Westinghouse's business. Tesla barely figures into the story until he meets Westinghouse late into the film.

Sounds boring, doesn't it? But some parts sparked my interest. Cumberbatch as Edison is a delightfully arrogant genius with a soft side. His relationship with his wife, Mary (Tuppence Middleton), is endearing. His work on the phonograph and kinetograph is fascinating to watch. Shannon as Westinghouse makes for a likable "antagonist." Hoult makes the most of his comparatively limited screentime as Tesla. Amongst the supporting cast, there are at least two standouts. One is Tom Holland, who is memorable as Edison's assistant. Samuel Insull. The other is Connor MacNeil as William Kemmler, the first man to get the Electric Chair; MacNeil plays Kemmler as a pitiful wreck, even if his crime is brutal.

The film looks as good as that first trailer did. Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung starts the film off spectacularly when Edison first tests his lightbulbs in a dark field for his investors. Chung's work shows off the immense production design by Jan Roelfs. The CGI-enhancements to the sets are practically invisible. Editors David Trachtenberg and Justin Krohn make the story intelligible. And on the aural side, Danny Bensi and Saunder Juriaans create an intense score.

The Current War is an interesting film. There's not much tension in this "War of the Currents." But it's lively enough to spark some interest in reading on the current events. I already started. It does warrant some curiosity caused by its delay. See it at least once. Prepare to be educated.

Dolemite Is My Name

... And busting busters is my game!

(That's not the actual phrase. The actual phrase isn't family friendly.)

The next few months have plenty of Oscar-likelies on the docket. Fortunately, a few of them are on Netflix, meaning that if it's not playing at a theater near you, you can still see it at home a few weeks later. On the top of the list is this Thanksgiving's Martin Scorsese's eagerly-awaited The Irishman. Right now is the comedic biopic Dolemite Is My Name.

In the early 70s, Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) tries to make it in Los Angeles. By day, he's an assistant manager at the Dolphin's of Hollywood record store. By night, he's an emcee at a comedy club. His dreams of making it big never went bigger. He meets a neighborhood bum named Rico (Ron Cephas Jones), who spins outrageous yarns of a swaggering, rhyming pimp named Dolemite. The stories give Rudy the inspiration for a new comedy act. After Dolemite's first records are smash hits, Rudy and his friends decide to take him to the big screen.

Now for the production. Rudy gets his friends, including Ben Taylor (Craig Robinson) and Theordore Toney (Titus Burgess), on the film crew. Rudy gets playwright Jerry Jones (Keegan-Michael Key) to write the film and actor D'urville Martin (Wesley Snipes) to direct and star as Dolemite's arch-enemy, Willie Green. He sets up base at the rundown Dunbar Hotel - which only works when the crew swipes electricity from another building. His inexperience in film leads to some interesting results. But no major studio wants the end result. Will Rudy avoid a lifetime of debt?

Yes.

One may compare this to Ed Wood or The Disaster Artist, the former sharing this film's pair of screenwriters, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. But the production depicted here is more competent in comparison to the other films. It's still pretty humorous. Jones has to tone down Rudy's unwieldy mix of ideas into a suitable film. A passionate scene goes bonkers. The fight staging is awkward. A bunch of film students make up much of the crew. It's no surprise D'urville isn't sold on the whole thing.

Eddie Murphy capably leads the way. He plays both Rudy and Dolemite with delightful enthusiasm. The often profane dialogue isn't for everyone, but it's so over-the-top that it's worth at least a laugh or two. Beneath the enthusiasm is a man uncertain if his work will get distributed. We understand the stakes as he nearly drives himself to debt to finance Dolemite. Ultimately, his goals and dedication win the audience's admiration.

Now let's not forget some other names. Snipes is a great straight man as D'urville, while Da'Vine Joy Randolph is a standout as Dolemite co-star Lady Reed. Snoop Dogg and Chris Rock get some amusing cameos as DJs in separate scenes. Ron Cephas Jones as Rico is a memorable presence. Luenell's performance as Rudy's aunt also makes the most of her limited screentime. And on the technical side, the standout is the colorful wardrobe by Ruth E. Carter.

Dolemite Is My Name is a pretty good biopic. I'd imagine familiarity with Rudy Ray Moore and Dolemite is needed before seeing it. Still, it's a good story about a man making a name for himself. Whether on Netflix or Theaters, Dolemite makes the most of any screen. See it at least once to see what I mean.

Judy

The next Oscars are two weeks earlier than normal this time. So you might want to start your countdown soon. I started mine with Judy, the biopic which sees Renee Zelweger portray the one and only Judy Garland.

Around 1968, Judy is practically broke and needs a comeback. Her agent suggests a concert tour in the UK. She reluctantly agrees to the proposal, leaving her youngest kids, Lorna and Joey Luft with their father Sidney (Rufus Sewell). Her inner demons threaten to impede her performances. But a nice guy named Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock) comes along and becomes her fifth husband. That relationship goes sour when the tour gets extended, perhaps indefinitely. But she finds the strength to carry on.

And then she died in June, 1969. OK...

Director Rupert Goold and writer Tom Edge adapt Peter Quilter's stageplay End of the Rainbow. The film opens with young Judy (Darci Shaw) getting a pep talk from Louis B. Mayer (Richard Cordery) on the set of The Wizard of Oz. A few more flashbacks follow to show Judy's painful upbringing on the MGM lot. It perfectly contextualizes her later problems. Most of the film deals with Judy's later struggles with her declining health and worsening addictions. There is some levity, especially with two fans named Stan (Daniel Cerqueira) and Dan (Andy Nyman) who befriend Judy, and it's very needed.

Zelweger doesn't disappoint as Judy Garland. Her weary face, made possible by Jeremy Woodhead's makeup team, says a lot about her rough life. She still works to support her family in spite of her rough life. She gets to enjoy some happiness with her kids and later, Mickey Deans. She gets the audience's sympathy the whole way through. Her musical performances invigorate the film. The climactic performance of Over the Rainbow is the film's strongest number. You'll know why when you see it.

Technically, the flashbacks are the best part of the film. On one hand, Judy's rough treatment at MGM isn't delightful. But on the other, her moments of disobedience are. Her scenes with Mickey Rooney (Gus Barry) show excellent chemistry. Kave Quinn's production design and Ole Bratt Birkland's cinematography create a colorful world. Its most distinctive color, of course, is the shear emerald green. 

Judy is a tough movie to watch. After all, it's a film about the sad, final months of a fading Hollywood star. It's a film that might make some people reconsider show business. Its moments of levity made it easier, and as said before, it needed them. Keep that in mind if you decide to see it. Whether you want to see it again immediately is up to you. 

Downton Abbey

I never followed the ITV series Downton Abbey in its day. So I went into its film spin-off pretty blind. Avid fans of Julian Fellowes' cast of characters will get more than their money's worth. Everyone else has a lot of reading to do.

As with the series, the film follows the noble Crawley family and their servants who live in the estate of Downton Abbey. Both the upstairs and the downstairs are shocked when King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) come calling. They plan to spend the night at Downton as part of a tour. Celebrations are in order, and through the hectic preparations, come subplots:

The servants are kicked further down by the snobbish Royal Butler Mr. Wilson (David Haig) and the royal staff. They plan to strike back. Servants Daisy (Sophie McShera) and Andy (Michael C. Fox) plan their wedding. Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith), gets in an inheritance squabble with another relation, Maud Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton). Retired Downton butler Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) is called back into service. All cope with the changing times.

Oh yeah, and an assassin comes for the King. But that's resolved by the halfway point.

Did everybody get that?

Michael Engler, who directed the show's finale, among other episodes, handled this movie too. Fellowes, once again, wrote the script. Its first half-hour or so is sure to test the uninitiated. The film's vast ensemble of characters and their issues show up pretty quickly. It's easy to get lost in the unfamiliar territory. Still, there's plenty of humor here, mainly provided by Violet's delightfully acidic wit ("I never argue - I explain."). The overall plot is easy to follow, though. As said before, fans of the show will feel right at home at Downton.

A few more thoughts on the characters. David Haig does a great job at making Mr. Wilson detestable. It's easy to see the servants' frustrations when they have to put up with him. The Royal Chef, Monsieur Courbet (Phillipe Spall), is so pompous he's hilarious. The King and Queen themselves are likable characters, unlike their aforementioned servants. The highlight of the cast, of course, is Violet. Staunton, as Maud, does a good job playing off of her.

A few familiar technical faces return from the show. John Lunn's score, including the show's main theme, sets the film's majestic mood. Production Designer Donal Woods and Costume Designer Anna Robbins create an alluring rendition of 1927 Yorkshire. Among the new technical faces, there's cinematographer Ben Smithard and edtior Mark Day. Whether indoors or out, upstairs or downstairs, the scope of Smithard's work is marvelous. The best edited scene is the dinner scene when Downton servant Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle) accidentally reveals that he and the Downton staff served the King and Queen's latest meal. You can feel the awkward, dreadful silence until Queen Mary genuinely compliments the meal.

Downton Abbey welcomes its fans with open arms. Everyone else needs to get up to speed before or after the movie. It might make some new fans along the way. As for me, I'm now a bit more interested in the show and Fellowes' earlier film Gosford Park. I had a few questions during its 122 minutes. But they're easy to get now that I've read up a bit more on the show.

The Addams Family

That creepy and kooky household first drawn by Charles Addams for the New Yorker over eighty years ago refuses to stay buried in the crypt of obscurity. Say that ten times fast.

Anyway, The Addams Family has risen in computer-animated form. Its macabre wackiness makes up for some cliched story elements. Let's see what I mean:

Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia Addams (Charlize Theron) just want a home for their family. Sure, they and their clan are bizarre and macabre, but they're still good to each other. They already got chased out of "the old country" by fearful townsfolks. So they settle "somewhere no one in their right mind would be caught dead in:" New Jersey. They hire escaped asylum inmate Lurch (co-director Conrad Vernon) as their butler and settle in a haunted asylum. 

Thirteen Years Later, the Addams, now with kids Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard), live isolated from the world. The fog vanishes and they discover the appallingly sunny town of Assimilation. The town is run by reality show host Margaux Needler (Allison Janney), who decides the gloomy Addams estate needs a makeover. Even if it means flattened to the ground. 

Wednesday decides to go to Junior High with Margaux's frustrated daughter Parker (Elsie Fisher). They horrify their mothers by switching their fashion tastes. Meanwhile, Pugsley has to master his "Mazurka" sabre dance for his Addams' right of passage. Unfortunately, there's still the matter of Margaux rallying the townsfolks against the Addams.

The screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Pamela Pettler has plenty of family-friendly macabre humor. A few highlights include Morticia using her parents' ashes as makeup and Wednesday's "Frankenfrogs." Practically anything Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll) does is sure to get plenty of laughs. Meanwhile, Assimilation is perfectly creepy before we see the depths of Margaux's villainy. Wednesday and Pugsley's subplots sound familiar, but I forgave the familiarity. Not the ending. The resolution is so rushed that Margaux's comeuppance, if it can be called that, is underwhelming.

The Addams are still delightfully ghoulish. Gomez and Morticia have great chemistry together, while Wednesday and Pugsley are creepy, yet sympathetic kids. Bette Midler is a great choice for the witchy Grandmama while Snoop Dogg as the gibberish-speaking Cousin Itt is a hilariously odd choice. Margaux's best scenes are when she's over-the-top evil.

The character designs are a great CGI approximation of Addams' original drawings. The Addams themselves are an eclectic bunch of eccentrics. The "normals" are generally gaudy. The production design provides a perfect clash between the Addams' gothic environment and Assimilation's eye-gauging "perfectness." The highlight of Mychael and Jeff Danna's score is their rendition of Vic Mizzy's famous theme song. They even re-enact the opening of the sixties show before the end credits.

The Addams Family is a fine reintroduction to this famous family. Its ghoulish humor is sure to entertain the adults as much as the kids. It's not a perfect film, but it wasn't boring. Its 105 minutes should make for a good pre-Halloween matinee. 

Joker

The Joker is ready for his close-up, Mr. DeMille!

Wait, Mr. DeMille's dead.

But The Joker still wants his close-up!

Forget a close-up! How about a movie!

Yay!

Yay?!

Batman's number one enemy now has a movie of his own. Joker tells an origin story spun by director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver. It's a movie with conflicting emotions. Let's find out why.

The future Clown Prince of Crime is Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). In 1981, Arthur lives with his mother, Penny (Frances Conroy), in bleak Gotham City. He's a rent-a-clown by day and aspiring stand-up comic by night. Unfortunately, he's often the only one who laughs at his jokes, which is exasperated by his Pseudobulbar Affect. Gotham citizens think he's either a creeper or easy pickings. A fellow clown loans Arthur his gun. He loses his job when he's caught with the gun.

Arthur, in full clown attire, is harassed on the way home by three yuppies. He shoots them dead. This inspires the disaffected populace to rise up and take on the rich. In the midst of it, Arthur learns about his mother's connection to billionaire Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen). It leads to a string of heartbreak and mayhem for Arthur which culminates in a guest spot with his favorite talk show host, Murray Franklin (Robert DeNiro). 

The film's opening scene sets up Arthur's life perfectly. Clown struggles to put on a happy face, Clown enjoys himself on the job, Clown gets jumped by hoodlums. Simple as that. The rest of these 122 minutes gives neither Arthur nor the audience little levity. Some comedy exists, but you'll notice the tragedy and violence even more. Penny Fleck's connection to Thomas Wayne leads to a shocking revelation, which is quickly debunked ... sort of. Penny also has more secrets to share. Arthur's attraction to neighbor Sophie Drummond (Zazie Beetz) turns sour. Let's just say this Gotham City needed a Batman yesterday.

Now for the star of the show. We first empathize with Arthur and dread the inevitable outcome. We want him to succeed in life, but not in the way that he does. His laughing fits are emotionally devastating given his condition, but they become easier when he embraces his persona. After that, he's happy even when we're not. Joaquin Phoenix's performance never loses the audience's attention. I don't think, and hope not, he intended to keep their sympathy for very long.

Now we go for the technicals. The first point goes to costume designer Mark Bridges for designing Arthur's memorable clown attires. His climactic Joker suit looks like an alluring comic book extract. Many points go to the Makeup and Hair departments headed by Nicki Fuderman and Kay Georgiou. They deserve recognition for Arthur's normal disheveled look, his clown makeups and the violent damage they're put through. Production designer Mark Friedberg and cinematographer Lawrence Sher deserve points for visualizing Gotham City at its bleakest. Finally, there's also editor Jeff Groth and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir for sustaining the dread. Take a bow.

Joker is not an easy matinee to sit through. Arthur's miserable existence is depressing and the film's violence is shocking. Some might say that it's also empty headed nonsense. But at least it raises concerns that some people need to listen to. How it raises its concerns makes it captivating to listen to. You'll find a method to the madness if you see it. Look elsewhere if you want a happier film.

Where are the happy films?

Abominable

Get Yeti for this year's other Yeti movie.

(The pun's catchy.)

Abominable stars Yi (Chloe Bennet), a Shanghai girl who works odd jobs for money for a trip around China. She also secretly plays her late father's violin on the rooftop of her apartment. One night, she finds an escaped Yeti there. That Yeti was captured by mean Mr. Burnish (Eddie Izzard), a billionaire animal collector, but escaped in the opening scene. Yi names the Yeti "Everest," and decides to get him back to the eponymous mountain. Cousins Peng (Albert Tsai) and Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) join her. Everest's ability to control nature comes in handy when Burnish's goons come after them.

That describes the movie. It's a simple plot one might essentially recognize from other films. But it's a film with a major surprise. Burnish is a lot nicer than he lets on ... it's his scientist, Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson), who's the real big bad. Some may question the logic, but I'll give the movie points for trying. It also gets points for not overusing its running gag - the "whooping snake."

It's not heavily dramatic. On one hand, Yi deals with her dad's death and her distance from her family. But our heroes are rarely seriously threatened by the bad guys; when they are, it's not for very long. But at least it avoids some forced drama cliches in the process. So that's something.

Its best aspects are its technical splendor. Everest's powers have stunning results: giant blueberries, koi clouds, sunflower fields bending like waves, etc. Everest himself is a perfectly cuddly creature begging for a life-size plush toy. The Chinese locations, from Shnaghai to Everest, are visually appealing. It's set to a powerful score from Rupert Gregson-Williams, who also voices Everest's humming. 

Abominable is a ninety-seven minute breeze. It's easy for kids but surprising enough for adults. It'll give you a bit to think about when it's done. It's good for an easy matinee - particularly as next month's (which it already is in some parts as I'm writing this) family movies are creepy and they're kooky...

Ad Astra

The Lost City of Z was probably the best live-action film of 2017 that I never had the chance to see. But I had the chance to see director Jason Gray's followup. It's his long in development, long-delayed and long-anticipated sci-fi opus Ad Astra. Just imagine Apocalypse Now in space and you have this:

Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) lives in the shadow of his father, Clifford (Tommy Lee Jones). Clifford commandeered the Lima Project, a mission to contact extra-terrestrials, which vanished years earlier. Roy is aboard a giant space satellite when Earth is hit by a cosmic surge. One of several, as we find out. He barely survives the ensuing free-fall.

His superiors trace the surges back to Neptune, the last known whereabouts of the Lima Project. They realize that Clifford is still alive and is responsible for the surges. Roy is sent on a mission to Mars to appeal to Clifford to stop the project. The long space journey gives Roy a lot to think about.

It sounds like a slow ride, doesn't it? Not really. It's only 124 minutes and its plot is lightning quick. The initial cosmic surge and Roy's mission are set up in about ten minutes. And then, it's off to space. Roy's narration lets him reflect on his life and the loneliness of space, among other things. Along the way, Roy gets in a shoot-out with lunar pirates, encounters rabid baboons aboard a space station and indirectly gets his crew killed. The ending nearly buckles over Clifford's motivations. But it's not as baffling as 2001: A Space Odyssey's ending.

Roy's journey to the unknown is a stunning ordeal. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, production designer Kevin Thompson and the visual effects department present a bleak, yet visually appealing view of space. The visual set pieces demand the audience's full attention. Roy's plummet to Earth and his space jump through Neptune's rings are thrilling modern serial scenes. Meanwhile, the sound mix spells out the desolation and loneliness of space. It's easy to see why people can go mad in space, which they do. Max Richter's soft score further emphasizes the introspective story.

Ad Astra is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen. The opening scene on Roy's satellite is worth the price of admission. Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones's performances capably lead the audience through its story. Gray's film is almost a space oddity for its fast and slow story. That's an achievement.

It: Chapter Two

It's ...

... back.

And now, for the other half of Andy Muschietti's film of Stephen King's IT. IT: Chapter Two is a good way to start the fall. It's not as great as Chapter One, but there's still plenty of fine stuff. Read on.

It's now 2016 in Derry, Maine. Adrian Mellon (Xavier Dolan) and his boyfriend, Don, are assaulted by vile punks. Adrian is tossed off the bridge into the raging river below. The newly re-awoken demon clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) fishes him out and makes him ITS first meal. IT beckons the now-adult Losers Club, the seven kids who ended ITS last reign of terror, to "come home."

Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa), the only one of the Losers Club still in Derry, calls up the other six. They promised as kids to finish IT off if IT ever came back. Only Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy), Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain), Richie Tozier (Bill Hader), Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan) and Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) respond. Stanley Uris (Andy Bean) kills himself.

Pennywise is ready and willing to taunt and terrorize them all. But Mike has a plan. An indigenous ritual called the Ritual of Chud may end IT once and for all. The Losers have to go around Derry to collect childhood tokens for the ritual. Sounds easy, right? But what if the Ritual doesn't work?

Chapter One co-writer Gary Dauberman writes this Chapter solo. It goes back and forth in time with the Losers, from their individual quests to "new" encounters with Pennywise. We get some interesting insight into the Losers' childhoods that not even Chapter One explained. But there are a few issues. One of the biggest is that a few details (like Ben's interest in architecture) should've been established in Chapter One. While there are a few creepy and shocking moments, plenty of Pennywise's tricks aren't creepy or shocking. The final, for real, confrontation with Pennywise is overlong, and consequently, not as cathartic, as Chapter One's final battle. Its huge length of 169 minutes speaks for itself.

It's astounding how the adult Losers Club look so much like the kids. Well, most of them, but Ben's considerable weight loss is acknowledged. And the digital de-aging effects used on the kids is practically invisible. The Losers Club, whether adult or kid, are a likable ensemble. Hader gets some of the best lines, but Dolan as Adrian Mellon gets the best lines as he taunts his assailants. Special mention goes to the actors playing Adrian's attackers for making them purely unlikable. Teach Grant as former bully Henry Bowers makes an impression with his relatively short screen-time. We also get a few amusing cameos from King himself as an antique dealer and Peter Bogdanavich as himself. And finally, Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise is still a reliably evil clown.

Now for the technicals. Benjamin Wallfisch returns to score the film, mixing new music with some of Chapter One's score. It knows how to set the many moods of the film. Editor Jason Ballantine and the sound designers deserve more balloons for its most shocking scenes; namely, the set ups for Pennywise's kills. Paul D. Austerberry's production design and Checco Varese's cinematography collaborate the best in visualizing Pennywise's creepy cave. The visual effects department get another balloon for its creepy creatures.

IT: Chapter Two completes this Stephen King adaptation. Its strongest moments aren't as memorable as Chapter One's, but they get the job done. It should make a fine double feature with its predecessor. Just don't set the bar too high. And don't let the runtime deter you. If you're lucky, you'll get a funny teaser for February's Birds of Prey. It needs to be seen to be believed.

The Angry Birds Movie 2

The Angry Birds Movie 2 has played in theaters for three weeks now. I put off seeing it because of a hectic August. But it's September now, so here's a review.

The Birds and the Pigs are locked in a prank war. But then, Zeta (Leslie Jones) of nearby Eagle Island starts tossing giant ice balls at both their islands. The Pig King Leonard (Bill Hader) calls a truce with the Birds. Red (Jason Sudeikis) isn't convinced until Leonard shows up at his house. Red quickly organizes the mission to Eagle Island. They're joined by fellow Birds Chuck (Josh Gad), Bomb (Danny McBride) and Chuck's sister, Silver (Rachel Bloom). Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage), bravest Bird of all, wants to sit this one out. The Birds and Pigs on the mission have to work fast to stop Zeta from using a new superweapon to bombard their islands with ice-lava balls.

That's almost the whole movie.

Meanwhile, three lil Birds chase after three eggs that washed out to sea. Their subplot supplements the movie with its surprising humor. Their antics help save the day near the end. They also get a genuinely funny pre-credit scene.

The main plot goes strong for 99 minutes. Its character relationships, particularly Red and Silver, are surprisingly endearing. Bomb's plan to deal with a flock of eagle guards takes a surprising turn. Zeta's plan is so stupidly short-sighted it makes sense. There's quite a bit of black humor. A few gags went on too long, but there were more hits than misses.

There's plenty of creative wit to behold. The characters and scenery are still appealing. The frozen Eagle Island, in particular, is an impressive villain base. The final battle is fast-paced and coherent. The voice cast is great, particularly Jones as Zeta, Dinklage as Mighty Eagle and the voices of the lil birds. The soundtrack has some great selections, though they overshadow a good score by Heitor Pereira.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 is another step towards the great video game movie. Its story is straightforward and entertaining even with its subplot. You'll be surprised at what it's capable of. There's one major reason why you should see it now:

And that's because it has a short. Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry and Bruce W. Smith, has a father and daughter bond over hairstyling. There's a lot more than that, and it tells all in seven minutes. Be careful. It's pretty emotional.

Blinded by the Light

This August hasn't been productive so far. There were a few movies I wanted to see already, but things changed. But I found time to see a movie after all. It's Blinded by the Light, based on Sarfraz Manzoor's book Greetings from Bury Park. Let's see how it is.

Manzoor is represented in the film by Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra). In 1987, Javed and his Pakistani family are trying to get by in their Luton, England neighborhood. They suffer from a bad economy and racist bullies. Javed is an aspiring writer, but his father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir), refuses to let him go beyond Luton. 

A new classmate, Roops (Aaron Phagura), introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen. The Boss's lyrics invigorate Javed's life. He gains confidence as a writer, gets published and gets a girlfriend, Eliza (Nell Williams). But while Javed's future gets brighter, his family's troubles get darker. How will he mend his relationship with his parents?

Manzoor wrote the film with director Gurinder Chadha and her husband, Paul Mayeda Berges. It's a great case for Springsteen's - or any pop culture figure, for that matter - resonance. We see how Springsteen's songs of the 70s resonate with a young man of the 80s. We also see how Javed's poems resonate with people. This resonance works outside the movie; we might see parallels between Britain of the 80s and the US right now. Socio-political parallels.

The main characters are a nice bunch. Javed is a likable dreamer. We emphasize with him as he faces numerous setbacks. We laugh as he hijacks his school's PA to play Springsteen. His newfound optimistic determinism is inspiring. Malik is a strict father who tests the audience's trust with his harshest actions. But we emphasize with his desperation as he faces debt. His acceptance of Javed's dream and their reconciliation is heartwarming.

There's also a few musical scenes. They don't pop up until about a half-hour in, but they're worth it. A few numbers have Springsteen's lyrics fly across the screen; in others, Javed and co. burst into song. Springsteen's music is a great set list, even including a previously unreleased track, I'll Stand by You. There's also a great, softspoken score by AR Rahman. Another technical highlight is its recreation of the Great Storm of 87. The roaring cyclone is a surprisingly appropriate time to get into Springsteen. Ben Smithard's cinematography perfectly illuminates the fantastical and realistic parts of Javed's life. The production and costume designs perfectly complete the film's vision of the 80s.

Blinded by the Light is a fine late summer film. It's a meaningful family dramedy/coming-of-age story that stands out amongst the blockbusters still around. It's an appealing look at a bygone era, even if it's not that sunny. It's worth seeing at least once even if you're not into Springsteen. The film's 118 minutes will go by relatively quickly. 

Update; 10/15/2025. Why did I write it Bury Bark?

Hobbs and Shaw

One's a current lawman, and the other's a former hitman. Together, they fight crime with cars. Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw, two of the most memorable characters in The Fast and The Furious movies, have a movie for themselves. It's called Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.

This time, Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Shaw (Jason Statham) have to deal with the cyborg card carrying villain Brixton Lore (Idris Elba). Brixton wants the Snowflake super virus for his evil organization, Eteon. But MI6 agent Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby), Deckard's sister, injects the virus capsules into herself. She now has seventy-two hours to extract them from herself. Otherwise, the virus activates, kills her, goes airborne and kills half the world. 

Hobbs and Shaw are called to save the day together. But they hate each others' guts. Hattie has no patience for their bickering. They have to work together to stop Brixton and his shadowy leader from getting the virus. Hobbs will have to reconcile with his estranged family in Samoa to save the world.

Everybody got that?

At 133 minutes, this film runs somewhat shorter than the last film. But even that felt too much. Its numerous story elements move along at a bit of a slow pace. A few story elements, like Brixton's origin, are overwhelmed by the numerous car chases. Others, like Brixton framing Shaw for massacring her team and absconding with the virus for evil, stretch credibility. I know the past few movies stretched credibility too, but some of the stuff here is a giant leap. As of now, I'm only mildly curious as to who the mysterious Eteon leader is.

There's quite a bit to enjoy here. Hobbs and Shaw's bickering is still entertaining. The opening sequence, as edited by Christopher Rouse, nicely compares the two as they go about their days. Another scene compares their skills fighting henchmen in a hallway. They do their best to get through the plot. It's also refreshing to see Brixton honestly introduce himself as the "bad guy." I'd like to see him take on the main cast of the franchise, but given how the film ends, it's unlikely.

There's plenty of new faces here. The best one is Hobbs' CIA handler Mr. Locke, primarily because he's played by Ryan Reynolds. I almost didn't believe it was him. But it was and he got the film's best lines. Kevin Hart also has a surprise cameo as an air marshal who helps our heroes get to Samoa. He needed a little more screentime than two scenes. The members of Hobbs' Samoan family, including Cliff Curtis as brother Jonah and Lori Pelenise Tuisano, were a good bunch. They all play a surprisingly effective role in the final battle against Eteon.

The Fast and the Furious movies are looking less like gritty street racing movies and more like GI Joe with fast cars. Look to Hobbs and Shaw for proof of that. It's stupid, cliched and a bit dull, but a few concepts are entertaining. It's not a loss. It's OK for a matinee. Let's see how Dominic Toretto and his crew handle things when the next movie opens ... whenever that is.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

When will Quentin Tarantino make a family friendly film?

I'm thinking never.

Tarantino's ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starts off rather benign. It tosses aside all restraint in its home stretch. That's when we witness the most memorable ending of the year.

Once upon a time, in Hollywood, there lived Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his best friend/stunt double/gofer Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Rick was the star of the 50s Western Show Bounty Law, but he's a has-been on February 8th, 1969. Producer Martin Schwarz (Al Pacino) suggests filming a Spaghetti Western or two. Rick sets his hopes on his new neighbors: Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and her husband, Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha).

The next day, a lot of stuff happens. Rick has a villain gig on Lancer. Sharon watches herself in the spy-spoof The Wrecking Crew. Charles Manson (Damon Herriman) visits Sharon. Cliff encounters the Manson Family when he drives a follower home to the Spahn Movie Ranch. It's an ordinary day. Little do Rick and Cliff know how big a role they'll play in history six months later when the Manson Family sets out for blood.

All of this plays out for two hours and forty-five minutes. But it was worth it. The best scene is during Rick's Lancer gig, when he strikes up a conversation with his precocious method actress co-star, Trudi (Julia Butters). Even at her age, Trudi sympathizes with Rick's feelings of obsolescence, reflected in the novel he's reading. It's a very nice scene.

Cliff's day is rather ordinary. A few odd jobs around Rick's house, plus a flashback to when he fought Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) to a draw. He's a chill dude, but don't push him. Sharon Tate is a sunny presence, while The Manson Family are ominous storm clouds. Anyone familiar with history knows what awaits Sharon in August ...

... But this movie isn't that loyal to history. The climactic brawl sees Cliff, his dog, Brandy, and Rick, turn the tables on Manson's followers when they invade Rick's house. They never get a chance to go after Sharon. It's an audacious, somewhat overlong display of ultra-violence. It's a fantastical comeuppance for the perpetrators of one of history's most vicious murders. It's not for everyone. It needs to be seen to be believed.

Now for the technicals. Cinematographer Robert Richardson presents an alluring view of 1969 Los Angeles. Some of his shots are astounding: Cliff speeding through the city is one highlight. Some impressive Gumping inserts Rick into The Great Escape and The F.B.I. There's some great production and costume designs to realize Tarantino's vision of the sixties. There's also a nice set list of sixties music on the soundtrack. There's also the trippy hairdos if you need to be convinced when it's set.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood presents Tarantino's fantasy of the sixties. It's quite long, but the cast made it work. The film's ultra-violent climax will stick to you like a knife to the side. Who knows if it's one of Tarantino's best films. But this is one of the best films of the year, so far. See it if ultra-violence and ultra-lengths don't scare you.

The Lion King

Now to the mane event of Disney's summer.

That event, of course, is The Lion King, Disney's "live-action" rendition of its African-set blockbuster. The classic story is told again by director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson. Let's see how they do it this time.

Simba (JD McCrary) the lion cub is born to Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and Sarabi (Alfrie Woodard), the King and Queen of the Pridelands. Mufasa wants Simba to take his place in the great Circle of Life when the time comes. But when Simba's evil uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) usurps the throne, Simba is cast out.

Timon the meerkat (Billy Eichner) and Pumba the warthog (Seth Rogen) save Simba. Simba grows up, now voiced by Donald Glover, living the good life of Hakuna Matata. But when Nala the lioness (Beyonce) finds Simba, he'll have to step up and oppose Scar.

Why the air quotes around live-action? That's because the characters and environments are more photo-realistic than the usual animated film. The resulting verisimilitude is stunning to a point. The animals' facial expressions, at least, compared to the original, fall under dull surprise. But that's compensated by their expressive body language. The most emotive characters are the Hyenas, led by Shenzi (Florence Kasumba), Kamari (Keegan Michael-Key) and Azizi (Eric Andre). Shenzi's ferocity and Kamari and Azizi's banter make them my favorite characters.

The story's faithfulness is, perhaps, its biggest fault. It's a beat-by-beat recreation of the original film. The film opens with a stunning, shot-by-shot remake of the Circle of Life number. All the familiar story beats, and even bits of dialogue, are there. It got dull at times, even during its rendition of Can You Feel The Love Tonight. Scar's villain song, Be Prepared, is shortened into a near non-starter. Still, its original ideas are greatly appreciated. The film's substitute for Timon's hula gag is this film's best gag.

Hans Zimmer returns to rework his classic Oscar-winning score. It's as formidable as his original work, especially in the stampede scene. Elton John and Tim Rice's songs are memorable now as they were then. John and Rice even have a new end credit song, Never Too Late. Beyonce's own musical contribution, Spirit, perfectly punctuates a pivotal part.

Hello, alliteration.

The Lion King in "live-action" is mostly how you remember it in 2D animation. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you. I thought it wasn't as lively as the original film. Its original aspects and voice cast made the 118 minutes more bearable. It's an OK matinee for an afternoon. Only time will tell if this Lion King becomes as iconic as its predecessor.

Spider-Man: Far from Home

Alright, let's start at the beginning one last time.

Again...

Spider-Man: Far from Home sounds like the whimper to Endgame's bang. But it's not. 

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has a lot to deal with. There's the fact he and half the universe were vaporized by Thanos, brought back five years later and his mentor/surrogate father figure Tony Stark died to put down the Mad Titan for good. But at least he gets to go on a class trip to Europe! But Nick Fury won't let him rest. Spidey's got a mission.

The Elementals, embodiments of Earth, Wind, Fire and Water, crossed the multiverse to this dimension. Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), aka Mysterio, is the last survivor of The Elementals' dimension. He needs Spidey's help to finish off the last Elemental. Oh yeah, Beck defeated two Elementals and fought the third by the time he met Spidey. Sounds easy. But how will Spidey balance his normal and superhero lives? There's also more to Beck and the Elementals than meets the eye.

Jon Watts returns to direct, but not write. The latter job goes to Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who also return from Homecoming. We think it's all about Spidey's leisurely summer trip getting interrupted by The Elementals. And it is. But it also deals with the aftermath of Thanos's 50% universal massacre, "The Blip," and its reversal. At least the affected treat it as an inconvenience. Peter also deals with Tony's sacrifice. Any semblance of simplicity is thrown out the window when Beck reveals his true colors. The mid-credit scene gives us one massive cliffhanger.

What can I say about the characters? Tom Holland is still likable as Peter. His relationship with classmate Michelle (Zendaya) is endearing. You can't blame him for not wanting to be Spidey so soon after Endgame. It's awesome to see him take charge when he has to. Peter's fellow students were a fine bunch, especially Ned (Jacob Batalon), Flash (Tony Revolori) and new character Brad (Remy Hii). Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan makes a great mentor figure for Peter.

Here's where I talk about Beck. We first know Beck as an easygoing man with a troubled backstory. But then, the facade fades away to reveal a narcissistic sociopath. He'll threaten his colleagues as easy as he'll praise them. His pettiness alone makes him as dangerous as Thanos. His illusion powers lead to some nightmarish, though somewhat overlong, sequences. They're the visual highlights of the film, especially when Mysterio tops one trick with another.

Overall, Spider-Man Far from Home is a strong follow-up to not just Endgame, but Into the Spider-Verse. We get some great comedy and action for its 129 minutes. It has more tricks up its sleeve than its trailers let on. Anyone familiar with Mysterio might have suspected already. But how they explain Mysterio's methods and motivations is impressive. Even the end credits scene gives us one last surprise.

 Bring on the next movie.

Toy Story 4

Bo the Pig gets this summer's latest sequel.

Really? I thought Toy Story 3 was it. The last one. It ended so perfectly. I thought it was a silly joke when the Muppets mentioned it in Muppets Most Wanted. But we finally have Toy Story 4. And after all my misgivings ... it's actually pretty good. 

At least, I think that's what Jethro will say.

Yes.

Yay.

Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) and their plastic friends get plenty of playtime with their new owner, Bonnie. Or rather, everyone but Woody has. Bonnie prefers cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) to be the sheriff of playtime. Woody still tags along with Bonnie to her kindergarten orientation day. He gives her the materials to make a friend - Forky the spork figure. Forky becomes her favorite toy.

Once Forky (Tony Hale) becomes sentient, he tries to trash himself. Every day, every minute. He finally makes a break for it when Bonnie and the folks go on a road trip. Woody pursues him, and they come to a small town antique store. An old doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) wants Woody for his voicebox to replace her broken one. They make a run for it but only Woody gets out.

Bo Peep (Annie Potts), who we saw given away at the start, comes to Woody's aid. A new bunch of toys, including Canada stuntdoll Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) and Ducky and Bunny (Key and Peele), tag along. But they better hurry, for Bonnie has noticed Forky's absence.

Jethro, go.

The film marks the directorial debut of Josh Cooley, who collaborated on Inside Out's screenplay. He and his seven co-writers find ways to top Toy Story 3's "concise ending." The existential crises the toys face are dramedic. Woody's feelings of obsolescence is relatable. Forky's runs for trash cans are subtly sad, but his over-persistence borders on hilarious. Bo, at least, has a purpose in life. And while Gabby Gabby starts off as a little creepy, she turns out to be sympathetic. The film's climax is about as emotional as Coco's, though we have the veteran toys messing with Bonnie's dad's RV.

The film's 100 minutes start off with a strong prologue. In it, Woody and the other toys team up to save RC the Car from going down a storm drain, while a man comes for Bo Peep. Editor Axel Geddes keeps us on edge for those first few minutes and beyond! The film's running gags, including Forky's trash runs and Ducky and Bunny's imagine spots, grab our attention. The climax, as previously mentioned, is an emotional rollercoaster.

And of course, we have a great soundtrack by Randy Newman. It's highlighted by a catchy, yet poignant song called I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away. Another song, The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy, is the highlight of the ending credits. Speaking of the end credits, stay for the first half to see a nice epilogue.

Toy Story 4 is a welcome sequel which we never know we wanted. But for the sake of brevity, let's hope that this is the final, final Toy Story. We don't need a Toy Story where the toys really do get thrown into an incinerator. This Toy Story, meanwhile, is a strong human parable in toy form. Humans of all ages can relate to these plastic characters and their emotional struggles. See it now.

Late Night

Daisy Mae the Sheep gets to introduce the next film.

Thank you, Jethro, thank you kindly. Tonight's movie is Late Night, the first feature film written by Mindy Kaling and the second movie this month starring Emma Thompson. Or, first; depends on when you see it. 

Katherine Newbury (Thompson) is the pioneering host of her own late night talk show, Late Night with Katherine Newbury. After twenty-eight years, she's gone so out of touch with contemporary viewers that her ratings are falling. She's less receptive to her all-male writing staff. She even fires a writer because he asked for a raise to support his growing family! 

Katherine decides to fill the void with her first woman writer. Said first woman writer is Molly Patel (Kaling), a chemical plant worker from Pennsylvania. Katherine and the other writers aren't exactly welcoming. But Molly is determined to prove to them that she's not a "diversity hire."

Meanwhile, station boss Caroline (Amy Ryan) decides to replace Katherine with a younger, hipper man named Daniel Tennant (Ike Barinholtz). Katherine decides to listen to Molly and adjusts her show to the times. Things go great until Katherine is caught with writer Charlie (Hugh Dancy).

And why do I have to give it to you?

It's my blog.

Fine. 

Nisha Ganatra, who, among other works, previously directed episodes for shows such as Transparent and The Mindy Project, sits in the director's chair. Kaling's screenplay is lighthearted, but the humor has a deep point. We can understand how unfair societal double standards are with Kaling's skewering of the late night production process. Katherine's first attempts at contemporary humor are painfully stale. But she comes around when she spins a routine mocking her career opportunities as a woman of her age.

Let's continue with Molly herself. Her first scene has her recite Yeats, optimistic about her dream job, but gets a trash bag thrown at her by a careless garbageman. She may, by her own admission, have no experience in TV, but she's ready to work for the job and prove her naysayers wrong. It's a bumpy road, but it works out in the end.

Thompson is great as Katherine Newbury. She's not exactly a people person, as her dismissal of the unlucky writer makes clear. She nearly fires Molly for skipping a meeting until she sees it's for a stand-up fundraiser. Her ice queen persona melts soon after. We see her as a self-loathing wreck with an imperfect marriage to Walter (John Lithgow). It's easy to miss the signs of the affair between her and Charlie. But her reconciliation with Walter and her owning up to the affair is awesome.

What else can I say? Amy Ryan and Max Casella (as showrunner Burditt) are standouts of the supporting cast. But the biggest standout is Lithgow as Walter, a loving man with secrets of his own.

Let's wrap it up. Late Night stands out in the crowded summer movie season. It'll give you an idea of how stressful and rewarding television is. It also gives you much to think about societal double standards. Tune into Late Night if this summer's current sequels and re-dos won't do. To quote Katherine's sign-off phrase, I hope it earns the pleasure of your time.

Men in Black: International

This time, the co-hosting duties fall to Buck the Duck.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones took charge as the Men in Black for three films. But it's time now for some new agents to protect the Earth from the scum of the universe. Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth are those agents, and they are part of Men in Black: International. 

Molly Wright (Thompson) wants to join the Men in Black. One night in 1996, she saw them mindwipe her folks and met a fuzzy alien. So she hopes the MIB will give her the answers to life, the universe and everything. One day, she finally tracks down their headquarters. Agent O (Emma Thompson) gives Molly a chance and sends the newly minted Agent M to MIB's London Branch. M is introduced to the Branch's best agent, Agent H (Hemsworth) and the chief, High T (Liam Neeson).

This time, the MIB have to keep a potential solar-system destroyer cannon from evil hands. Twin cosmic energy assassins (Larry and Laurent Bourgeois) want it for their masters, the body-snatching Hive. Vungus the Ugly (Kayvan Novak), a royal party animal, had it for safe keeping, but the Twins killed him. M has it now. She and H have to keep it away from the Twins and other villains. One of them is a mole within the MIB.

And now, over to Jethro, to review it.

Yes.

New director F. Gary Gray works from a script by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. It's a good script that could've been better. The film's 115 minutes are nicely paced as it moves from New York to London and more. It plays a great guessing game with the mole's identity. The revelation of their identity is executed wonderfully even if it should be obvious. It shines a new light on the film's opening battle on the Eiffel Tower. There was a plot point with Earth facing destruction should something happen to Vungus. Spoiler Alert: nothing comes out of it.

A lot comes out of Agents H and M. Agent H, in particular, starts out as an egotistical clown. But we find he's a competent clown with dark secrets, including one hidden from him. Meanwhile, Agent M is a smart character who sometimes gets in too deep (i.e. joining Vungus's security detail when she's not that fluent in his language). But she's a quick learner. Our leads' chemistry is entertaining and it gets better when the sarcastic Pawny (Kumail Nanjiani), an Alien Chess Pawn, joins them.

Now for the aliens. The film eschews the franchise's usual practical makeup and puppets for digital aliens. They mesh with the live-action actors pretty well. The one exception was a purple time-controlling alien, whose one scene, I'll admit, was amusing. The Twins don't have much personality and barely speak. But their true cosmic energy forms are scary. The Mole's true form is a creepy plant monster. Riza (Rebecca Ferguson), a three-armed arms dealer, made for a memorable one-scene antagonist. Her bodyguard, Luca (Spencer Wilding), was also memorable. The film also sees a cameo by Frank the Pug (Tim Blaney).

Another technical highlight is production designer Charles Wood for visualizing the MIB's London headquarters and the Eiffel Tower's secret room. The alien gadgets and weaponry were wonderfully unique. Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon's score made great use of the first film's theme. Cinematographer Stuart Drybaugh gives us some stunning imagery of the film's international settings. One establishing shot of New York was so pristine it was surreal. In other words, it's a visually and aurally appealing film.

Men in Black: International is an entertaining film for an afternoon matinee. Its lead Agents make up for any narrative shortcomings. Its expansion of the franchise makes for interesting worldbuilding. See it at least once. You might not need to get mind...

Get that thing out of my face...

The Secret Life of Pets 2

For the rest of June, I've decided to give a guest co-spot to characters from my debut poem, http://jethrotcat.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-original-jethro-cat.html. Vance was in the last review, and here is Baxter the Dog.

Howdy, fellas. Baxter here. My first collaborative review is on The Secret Life of Pets 2. It's a sequel to that animated movie from three years back. Let's get to describing it.

Max (Patton Oswalt, replacing Louis CK due to certain circumstances) and Duke (Eric Stonestreet) the dogs love their human, Katie. But then, she brings home another human, Chuck, and then, a littler human, Liam. The dogs love Chuck, but aren't certain about Liam. But they warm up to him. Max gets so overprotective of Liam that he starts itching. Then, the whole family goes upstate to a farm. Max meets Rooster the Sheepdog (Harrison Ford), a gruff old guy who teaches him courage.

Meanwhile, Gidget the Pomeranian (Jenny Slate) loses Max's favorite squeaky toy in a cat lady's apartment. Chloe the Cat (Lake Bell) teaches Gidget how to be a cat so she can infiltrate the place.

And also, meanwhile, Snowball the White Rabbit (Kevin Hart) decides he's a superhero. Daisy the Shih Tzu (Tiffany Haddish) asks "Captain Snowball" to help her save a white tiger, Hu, from an abusive circus ringmaster, Sergei (Nick Kroll). Liberating the big white cat's easy; hiding him is another issue. 

Do you want to review now?

Yes.

OK

It's only 86 minutes, but it feels longer than that. Its three storylines would make great shorts. But they slow the plot down when it switches between them. That's because there aren't that many looming stakes until the end. That's when Sergei shows up at the Pets' neighborhood to find Hu. Still, the resulting climax on Sergei's train is a fun romp. Any more positives?

Unlike the first film, there were a few surprises the trailers didn't spoil. Snowball and Daisy's rescue of Hu involves a silly battle with Sergei's guard wolves at the circus. Where Hu ends up was blackly hilarious. The Cat Lady is more proactive than we think. And finally, the "main storyline" with Max and Duke showed their bonding with Liam in a great montage. They're pretty stable when Liam goes to Pre-School for the first time - unlike his parents.

For the new characters. Daisy's assured and commanding presence made her the best new character. It's a shame we didn't get to see her normal life. Sergei is a vile villain, but the film doesn't let him go even further. At least he got humiliated in the end. Rooster was fine. Just fine. The Cat Lady's cats were a fun and eclectic bunch of kitties. The pets Max meets at the Vet's lobby - including the pyromaniac cats - were creepy and hilarious. 

Its narrative bark is still quieter than its bite; but it still tries to bite. You'd be surprised with the risque humor from returning character Pops the Basset Hound (Dana Carvey) and his obedience school pups. Still, if you're in the mood for The Secret Life of Pets 2, it's an OK matinee to start the actual summer with. Don't expect too much before you go in and you'll do fine.

Dark Phoenix

This is Vance. I haven't collaborated on a review in years. I don't know if the review aged well, but here. 

Anyway, I'm here now to talk about what may or may not be Fox's last X-Men film. That depends on if the absurdly long-delayed The New Mutants finally sees the light of day next April. Right now, we have Dark Phoenix (notice no X-Men in the title), which sees the directorial debut of the franchise's longtime producer and writer, Simon Kinberg. 

It's 1992. The X-Men have given mutants a good name with their superheroics. One day, they're called to save the Space Shuttle Endeavour from calamity. Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) plucks out the crew, but Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) has a close encounter with the space oddity that wrecked the shuttle. She returns with a major boost to her psychic powers and is subsequently nicknamed "Phoenix." But that's not the only thing that comes back.

It turns out Professor X (James MacAvoy) sealed some of Jean's traumatic childhood memories. Jean realizes what's up and she's mad. A melee at her childhood home leaves one of the X-Men dead. Thus, the cause of mutant rights is set back a good twenty-forty years, while the X-Men are split between saving her or killing her in revenge.

Meanwhile, alien body-snatchers called the D'Bari show up. Their leader, Vuk (Jessica Chastain), wants Jean's new power to rebuild their world. On Earth. She says she wants Jean to be her own free person. But that's not true. The X-Men and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) have to be on the same page to stop them and save Jean.

This is Jethro. And I'm here to review the film.

Kinberg's screenplay adapts a comic storyline previously done in X-Men: The Last Stand. Its overall plot is focused, even if it's a bit long winded. But some plot threads get less focus, perhaps due to its protracted production. A major offender is the the threat of mutants getting placed in internment camps after Jean goes wild. The internment camp idea almost never comes up again. Meanwhile, Jean's appeal to Magneto to help her control her violent urges goes nowhere. Magneto and Beast (Nicholas Hoult) get revenge-happy too fast. So where did it go right?

Well, it starts with the X-Men as public superheroes. It's great progress for mutant civil rights, which is something Professor X acknowledges. Too bad it's set back haphazardly. What else did it do right?

The visuals, of course. The opening shuttle mission is a great display of X-Men teamwork. From Nightcrawler's teleportation ability to Quicksilver's (Evan Peters) superspeed, the X-Men get to shine. Cinematographer Mauro Fiore's outer space imagery needs the largest screen possible. The final train battle between the X-Men and the D'Bari makes for a long, memorable battle. There were some signs of progress in aging characters like Professor X and Magneto; subtle, but still there. 

Dark Phoenix promises the end for the current cinematic X-Men. It's not perfect but it was hardly boring. Its opening shuttle scene made the 116 minutes worth it. Right now, I am hoping that The New Mutants is finally released, so that all the mystery leads to something. Let's see how Marvel can reinvent its mighty mutants for their Cinematic Universe.

Rocketman

Last fall, Dexter Fletcher stepped in for Bryan Singer to finish Bohemian Rhapsody. His newest film, Rocketman, is another biopic of a glamorous 70s British rock star, namely Sir Elton John. Let's see the end result.

As a child, Reggie Dwight (Kit Connor/Matthew Illesley) was a musical prodigy raised by his loving grandma Ivy (Gemma Jones) and cold mother Sheila (Bryce Dallas Howard). His father, Stanley (Steven Mackintosh), wasn't a real family man, to say the least. Ivy encourages him to study at the Royal Academy of Music. He soon goes from shy Reggie Dwight to showman Elton John (Taron Egerton).

Elton is teamed up with lyricist Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell). He also meets manager and lover John Reid (Richard Madden), who introduces him to sex, drugs and too-much rock'n'roll. Elton's excessive lifestyle threatens to wreck his personal relationships. Sheila, in particular, warns him he'll never find true love. Can Elton rebound?

Spoiler warning: He's still standing.

Lee Hall's screenplay is a jukebox musical with Elton's greatest hits. It starts with Elton rushing to AA in full devil costume, then tells us how he got there. That's like a lot of biopics. But most of them don't have fantastical musical numbers like Rocketman. The highly-stylized numbers show off editor Chris Dickens and the visual effects' team's technical prowess. My personal favorite is the wild Pinball Wizard, which Elton performed in Tommy. The real-fantastical blend makes me think of what Nine could've been if it was styled on 8 1/2 instead of Chicago.

The film's other top selling point is Egerton as Elton John. He's seamlessly both a confidant showman and self-loathing mess. His wild costumes (designed by Bohemian Rhapsody's Julian Day) mask his personal issues. During the title number, we see him running on fumes on-stage after a drug-induced suicide attempt. His personal drama drags the fun factor down, but his return to glory is crowd-pleasing. Egerton's renditions of Elton's songs are as dynamic as the real man.

The rest of the cast perfectly fit their roles. For instance, Madden's Reid is a ruthless svengali, while Howard and Mackintosh are capably cold and distant parents. Another highlight of the supporting cast is Tate Donovan as Doug Weston, the owner of the Troubadour nightclub, where Elton got his big break. Weston's laidback and funny persona were most welcome.

Rocketman is not exactly a cheerful musical biopic. Its intense drama might turn off some viewers, young and old. But they'll soar when things get musical. It's sure to get people interested in Elton John and, by proxy, Tommy. It's gotten me interested in a possible stage version. It feels like a stage musical. It might be a great one.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Five years after his last Hollywood film, Godzilla is back in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Director Michael Dougherty and his co-writers, Zach Shields and Max Borenstein, have created a certifiably colossal sequel. Let's see how it is.

Scientists Mark (Kyle Chandler) and Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) lost their son, Andrew, during Godzilla's brawl with the MUTOs in San Francisco. Both work for Monarch, the organization which researches Godzilla and other Giant Monsters called Titans. They're also divorced. Their daughter, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown), lives with Emma at a Monarch research facility. Emma created a device called the Orca, which communicates with Titans with sonic frequencies. Emma tests it on a newborn Titan Caterpillar, Mothra, before she and Madison are nabbed by Eco-Terrorists.

The main bad guy, Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), wants Emma to help him release the ominous three-headed dragon Ghidorah, aka "Monster Zero," from ice. Emma is all too willing to help him. Mark is recruited to help Monarch stop them. Godzilla shows up to fight Ghidorah for Titan supremacy. A bunch of Titans awaken, including Rodan, the Pteranodon.

Emma thought the Titans could save the world from man-made destruction. But that has nothing on the monstrous weather Ghidorah causes with his presence. It's up to Godzilla to stop Ghidorah, but he needs an atomic boost to do so. Mothra is there to lend a wing for the fight.

The film delivers on its Titanic promises. Godzilla and his Titan co-stars appear early and often compared to the 2014 film. There's plenty of city destruction in their colossal brawls. Basically, a classic Godzilla movie for the 21st century. The human stories are often dwarfed by their Titan co-stars. Emma suffers the worse, for her allegiances change too quickly and unclearly.

Now for the technical aspects. Cinematographer Lawrence Sher gives the main Titans an individual theme color. It's a marvelous sight when these colors come front and center. Case in point is Mothra's emergence as a Moth, illuminated by green luminescence. Bear McCreary's stunning arrangement of her classic theme by Yuji Koseki helps a lot. The rest of McCreary's score suits the Titanic visuals. A highlight is the arrangement of Akira Ifukube's Godzilla Theme at the end credits.

The Titans' designs are great. Sure, the old man in a rubber suit routine is classic, but the CGI Titans are intimidating, towering beasts. Godzilla himself is as formidable as he was in 2014. Wait till you see the climactic fight. Ghidorah's visage and the "Category 6" hurricane he brings makes him a living nightmare. Special credit goes to the three motion capture actors who play his heads, each with its own personality. Rodan's emergence from a volcano is as formidable as his magma body. Mothra is great as a Caterpillar and a Moth. My favorite minor Titan is the Behemoth, a Mammoth/Ape hybrid.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a strong monster mash. Anyone looking for a sensible plot may have to look elsewhere. But come on down if you want plenty of giant monster fights. While it could've developed its human characters better, there were some moments that stood out. To elaborate would spoil. It's a good matinee as long as you're in the right mood.

Stay through the credits to see some hints into Godzilla's future. That includes his impending showdown with King Kong.

Booksmart

So I was looking for a movie this past Memorial Day. I thought the choice was between Brightburn and John Wick: Chapter 3. But I was curious and picked a third option, Booksmart. This marks the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde and the realization of a screenplay by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman. Was it worth it? Read on to find out.

Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) are overachievers and proud of it. Why shouldn't they be? They're going to Ivy League! But on their last day of high school, Molly finds out that her slacker classmates are also going to Ivy League. Molly realizes how little she and Amy had fun during high school. So Molly decides to bring Amy along to the cool kids' party. All they know is that Molly's crush Nick (Mason Gooding) is hosting it and Amy's crush Ryan (Victoria Ruesga) will be there.

But they don't know where "there" is. Much of the movie is their odyssey across Los Angeles to locate Nick's house. A series of rude awakenings await them once they get to Nick's. And it all plays out for 105 minutes.

It's certainly a crazy odyssey. But it does wonders to dispel the notion that first impressions are everything. I've already mentioned the inciting incident. But there's one of the best supporting players, Jared (Skylar Gisondo), a seemingly shallow rich kid. He turns out to be a good guy despite his shallowness. His best friend, Gigi (Billie Lourd), the comic highlight, is too loopy to be a snobbish rich kid. Molly and Amy even learn more about their teacher, Ms. Fine (Jessica Williams) and their principal, Mr. Brown (Jason Sudeikis).

Molly and Amy are a likable pair of co-leads. Their whole night is a collective coming-of-age story. While Molly learns not to be so domineering, Amy learns to be assertive. They make some fumbles and utterly stupid decisions, but they never lose their audience sympathy. Their second act fight is devastating even when the film mutes their harshest words. Their reconciliation leads to one last crazy escapade.

Editor Jamie Gross show us how crazy it is. Molly and Amy's classmates end their last school day with wild partying before their parties. The girls' first stop, Jared's party, ends with a frantic encounter with Gigi and a security guard. Their next stop finds them thrust into a murder mystery party and a bonkers drug trip. Nick's party has an impressive tracking shot, which begins with Amy swimming in the pool and ending with her quarrel with Molly. Jason McCormack's cinematography is also highlighted by an alluring color scheme. Dan the Automator, best known as a producer for the Gorillaz, sets the movie to an energetic score.

Booksmart's an insightful story of teenage confusion and frustration. It's also a wild and sometimes odd film. You'll have much to learn if you can withstand the craziness. See it if it's playing locally. It's worth it. Let's hope it's not ignored early next year like last year's Eighth Grade ultimately was.

Aladdin

I'll bet you know about Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. But did you know Aladdin had two genies in Arabian Nights? One in a lamp and the other in a ring. So when's the Genie of the Ring gonna get his time in the spotlight?

Answer: not this year.

Disney's Aladdin is its latest live-action remake. It has only one Genie, he of the magic lamp, and he is played by Will Smith. Director Guy Ritchie and his co-writer, John August, conjur up an entertaining spin on an old story. It has some issues, but they're easy to overlook.

Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is a "street rat" in Agrabah. He meets a disguised Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), who passes herself off as her own handmaiden. Aladdin sneaks into the palace to see her again. That's when he's arrested and brought before Grand Vizier Jafar (Marwan Kenzari). Jafar needs Aladdin to retrieve a magic lamp in the Cave of Wonders. He does, but Jafar traps him in the Cave.

But at least Aladdin has the lamp. The Genie inside gets him out. Aladdin wishes himself to be a prince to win Jasmine's heart. He succeeds despite a few fumbles. But he doesn't want Jasmine to know that he's not a prince. That drives a wedge between him and Genie. In steps Jafar, who wants Genie to help him conquer Agrabah, and then, the World! Aladdin has to stop him from winning.

It's hard to imagine anyone but Robin Williams as Genie. But Will Smith's Genie fills the void spectacularly. He's a fun character whether he's subdued or in manic mode. He's also a capable mentor for Aladdin. His CGI-induced Blue Form is surprisingly easy on the eyes. The screenplay gives him a love interest in Jasmine's actual handmaiden, Dalia (Nasim Pedrad). Dalia, herself, is a great new character and her chemistry with Genie is endearing. The film's framing device tries to hide the identity of its narrator and his family, but it's beyond obvious it's them once you see them.

What about the rest of the cast? Mena Massoud is a capable Aladdin; sly and honest, he gets the audience's favor right away. Not even his second-act selfishness diminishes the "diamond in the rough." He has great chemistry with Naomi Scott's strong-willed idealist Princess Jasmine. Marwen Kenzari's Jafar is a formidable and intimidating foe. Billy Magnussen plays another new character, Prince Anders, a suitor for Jasmine, a dunce who barely plays a part. Navid Negahban has a much bigger part as the Sultan, a sympathetic man despite his stern ways. Numan Acar and Robby Haynes also stand out as the Sultan's main guards, Hakim and Razoul.

Alan Menken's score mixes some new material with his original work. The songs' arrangements are more extravagant than the original film's. They sounded too much at first but I got used to them overtime. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul revise some of Howard Ashman and Tim Rice's original lyrics and add a new song for Jasmine, Speechless. It's a strong ballad for Jasmine, though its reprise stalled the film rather than support it.

And for some technical highlights. The editing is fast-paced but it's not as frantic as Legend of the Sword. At least it fits with the fast paced music. Production Designer Gemma Jackson and Costume Designer Michael Wilkinson create the bright, colorful Arabian world of Agrabah. Every color stands out spectacularly. The CGI and Practical sets complete the film's visually appealing setting.

What else can I say? Aladdin's plot points are familiar but their executions aren't. It was intriguing to see these new ideas play out. There's rarely a dull moment or a baffling one during its 128 minutes. You can thank the all-mighty Genie for much of that. Oh yeah, and the leads too. Now let's see how this theoretically live-action The Lion King will do.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

I haven't kept up with Nintendo's ever growing list of Pocket Monsters in their Pokemon series in years. I don't even have a Nintendo 3DS to play the latest games. But I still have some interest in the franchise. Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, based on a 3DS game, helps that interest.

So Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) is an ordinary insurance salesman in a world of superpowered Pokemon. His dad, Harry, a detective, is killed in a car crash. Tim leaves Leaventown for Ryme City to settle Harry's affairs. Tim meets his dad's Pikachu, whose perfect English (vocalized by Ryan Reynolds) only he understands. Everyone else hears him squeak his own name (courtesy of his longtime anime voice, Ikue Ohtani). Pikachu is certain that Harry's not dead, so he and Tim set out to solve the mystery.

Joining our heroes is news intern Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) and her permanently-migrained Psyduck. Their investigation leads to "R," a substance which makes Pokemon stronger and feral. It leads to a conspiracy involving Ryme City's founder Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy) and the clone Pokemon Mewtwo (Kotaro Watanabe and Rina Hoshino). Meanwhile, Harry is a lot closer than our heroes realize.

The film's screen story/screenplay is credited to five writers: Nicole Perlman, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, Derek Connolly and director Rob Letterman. It's not a complex mystery but it tries. There's plenty of surprising twists and turns as our heroes investigate the conspiracy. There's also a bit of funny detective satire from Detective Pikachu and Lucy's mouths. The villain's endgame is equally silly and creepy. There are a few plot holes but they're easy to navigate around.

And how about the cast? Tim is a likable protagonist. Detective Pikachu is a fun electric mouse. Their chemistry together is entertaining and involving. Their "all is lost moment" in act 2 is somewhat cliche but it's also effective drama. Lucy and her Psyduck are endearing. Clifford is fine. But it's Mewtwo who's the best of the main cast. Of the overall cast? A Mr. Mime, who factors in a goofy interrogation scene.

Let's talk about the technicals. The CGI Pokemon look and feel real. Detective Pikachu, in particular, is as realistically furry as a dog-sized mouse might be. His expressive face bypasses the uncanny valley at lightspeed. Any too obvious effects actually works for the film's advantage. Want an example? The villain's shapeshifting Pokemon Ditto and its creepy eyes present in every form. Production Designer Nigel Phelps deserves praise for making Ryme City out of London. Cinematographer John Matthieson's use of color results in an alluring film noir. The sound designers' best work is fusing Watanabe and Hoshino's voices into the unearthly voice of Mewtwo. Henry Jackman's score fits the film's relatively dark and mysterious tone.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu requires some familiarity with the franchise. But it won't punish you for unfamiliarity unlike some other video game movies. You'll leave with a basic understanding of the Pokemon world. The film's attention to detail will wow longtime fans. Its 104 minutes go by quickly, perhaps too quickly. I'm ready for a sequel, but I question how they'll handle the film's final twist. 

But until then, at least we have the model for future game movies to build upon. Perhaps the first, true great video game movie is on the horizon. Maybe not this year.