“Peppermint” is a revenge story centering on a young mother who finds herself with nothing to lose, and is now going to take from her enemies the very life they stole from her.
Jennifer Garner is the film's only redeeming ingredient. Garner takes this physical role with a great deal of earnest effort. But, in spite of Garner's action sequences, “Peppermint” is just a bland and uninspired movie audiences will forget as easily as tossing an empty popcorn bucket into the trash on the way out of the theater.
“Peppermint” gets a D and is rated R.
Smallfoot
Starring the vocal talents of: Channing Tatum and Zendaya
Rated PG
A Yeti is convinced that the elusive creatures everyone is talking about, called 'Humans', really do exist.
“Smallfoot” is an exuberant and touching animated musical film offering up a terrific story which reverses the Bigfoot legend, well performed heart-felt songs and laugh out loud funny moments.
In the end, “Smallfoot” is a family friendly film that is completely entertaining and has a wonderful message for both parents and kids.
In
a world where humans and puppets co-exist, the puppet cast of an '80s
children's TV show begins to get murdered one by one. A former cop,
who has since become a private eye, teams up with his old partner to
solve the case.
“The
Happytime Murders” is produced by Brian Henson, son of the late Jim
Henson, and with that pedigree the movie should have been so much
more. What could have been a sharp, witty and irreverent satire
quickly degenerated into a bunch of missed opportunities. The film
just runs out of ideas after the first 30 minutes and begins to
repeat itself over and over.
"Happytime's"
human star, Melissa McCarthy, looked lost in every scene. I think
McCarthy is suffering from what Will Farrell went through and has
been pigeonholed into playing the same caustic character over and
over. Check her performance in this new film with her past
performances in “The Heat,” “Tammy,” “Identity Theft” and
even “Bridesmaids,” and you'll see what I mean.
All in all
“The Happytime Murders” is a film offering little reward in
exchange for your time.
Believe me you won't get this hour and
31 minutes back.
It
gets a D and is rated R.
Mission
Impossible: Fallout
Starring:
Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill and Simon Pegg
Rated
PG-13
In
the 6thinstallment of the “Mission
Impossible” series, Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some
familiar faces, race against time after a mission gone wrong.
“Mission
Impossible: Fallout” is one of the most thrilling cinematic
experiences you'll have this summer. The film offers up an intense
espionage story mixed with heart-pounding non-stop action and
breathtaking stunt work from beginning to end.
It's no secret
that Tom Cruise, who produces the film, does a majority of his own
stunt work in the movie. That fact, I believe, brings the audience
closer into the action of the film, escalating the thrill
factor.
But supporting those thrills and spills is a
terrifically well-written script and wonderful performances by Henry
Cavill, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames.
“Mission Impossible:
Fallout” is a rip-roaring, summer blockbuster and deserves an A.
In
this retelling of the famous English legend, Robin of Loxley goes
from Old English playboy to a battle-hardened sniper during the
Crusades. Upon seeing the grimness of war, he is changed.
There
is a difference in retelling and reinventing. This “Robin Hood”
reinvents the legend but without justifying the changes to the story.
Most likely a group of producers sat around a table and started by
saying “wouldn't it be cool...”
Wouldn't
it be cool if Robin Hood was a rich spoiled brat who got drafted to
fight in the Crusades?
Wouldn't it be cool if there was a rifle
that could shoot 30 rounds of arrows a second?
Wouldn't
it be cool if Robin teamed up with another war-weary soldier, who was
once his enemy?
Wouldn't
it be cool if Maid Marian was an outspoken voice against social
injustice?
Someone
needed to say “No. It wouldn't be.”
What “Robin Hood”
is a miserable mixture of strung together scenes looking for social
relevance, scenes of battle with bows and arrows are shot as if we're
watching a Gulf War movie, scenes with the evil Sheriff of Nottingham
(Ben Mendelsohn) are melodramatic and over acted. And scenes with
Marian insulting the Sheriff to his face and going unpunished.
Especially when its established he can end someone's life with a
finger snap.
Because of those terrible decisions, “Robin
Hood” is a ridiculous film so poorly written it is unintentionally
funny.
Pass
it by. It gets a D and is rated PG-13.
Creed
II
Starring:
Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone
Rated
PG-13
Adonis
Creed, trained by Rocky Balboa, is now the heavyweight champion of
the world and is challenged by Viktor Drago, the son of the boxer who
killed is father in 1985.
“Creed II” is a
better-than-expected sequel, but has its roots in the film “Rocky
IV.” Although, the film has some great action scenes, it is a bit
too manipulative by stacking so much emotional weight on its lead
character.
However,
it is exactly what audiences will expect and follows through on its
promise to entertain.
It gets a B and is rated
PG-13.
Wreck-It-Ralph
2: Ralph Breaks the Internet Starring the voices of: John C.
Reilly and Sarah Silverman
Rated
PG
When
Venelope's game is broken Ralph and Venelope journey into the
internet to find a replacement part.
“Ralph Breaks the
Internet” is an enjoyable romp but the film lacks the fun and
whimsy of the first one. The movie is dialogue heavy with meaningful
messages and really no action. The animation is bright and cheery,
but the film feels forced and over written.
The film's saving
grace is when Venelope meets the Disney princesses. I added 1 grade
for that.
“Ralph
Breaks the Internet” will please kids and their parents, but it's
only an average movie. It gets a C and is rated PG.
Starring: Miles Truitt, James France and Jack Reynor Rated PG-13
In “Kin” a young boy discovers an alien weapon of great power and is being hunted by those who lost it.
I was pleasantly surprised that “Kin” wasn't one of those 'kid saves the universe' films, which the promotional ads seem to lead you to believe.
The film offers some exciting action and solid acting, especially James Franco's relentless bad guy. And, although the film has its problems with pacing and flushing out some characters, the film ends up being a 'guys on the run' film with some thrills and spills.
“Kin” gets a B and is rated PG-13.
Crazy Rich Asians
Starring: Constance Wu and Henry Golding
Rated PG-13
Based on the best selling book, a woman travels from New York City to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family.
“Crazy Rich Asians” is a better-than-expected rom-com that has its basic roots in those 1940's screwball comedies, but offering a little deeper moral about simply being yourself.
The film delivers on laughs and at the right moments some good sentiment without forgetting who its audience is.
“Crazy Rich Asians” is a well paced, funny comedy and deserves a B.
Based on the true story of writer /
director Sean Anders, a couple adopt 3 children and must navigate the
highs and lows of parenthood.
“Instant Family” on the outset
seems like another run-of-the-mill saccharine family comedy, but
you'll be pleasantly surprised if you give this film a chance.
I
found the film to be both touching, funny and well paced with good
performances by Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as the couple in the
center of the parenthood storm.
Although there are some problems with
the script, including some long adoption sermons told by the adoption
agent played by Olivia Spencer, the film stays its course and ends up
being worth the ticket price in.
“Instant Family” gets a B and is
rated PG-13.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of
Grindelwald
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Johnny
Depp and Jude Law
Rated PG-13
In the sequel to “Fantastic Beasts
and Where to Find Them,” the new story takes a darker turn as the
maleficent Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp begins his plot to take
over both the Wizarding World and the muggle world.
“The Crimes of Grindelwald” is an
ridiculously complicated film with too many sub-plots and unnecessary
characters to really keep track of.
Most of the sub-plots in the movie
really don't amount to much and are tacked in to give the film some
diversion. There's a storyline about finding Credence, a
human host for an uncontrollable magic force called an 'Obscurus.'
There's a plot about Jacob and Queenie's relationship. And storylines
about other incidental characters including Leta and Newt's brother
Theseus.
The
main plot-line of the movie is the private war between the evil
Grindelwald and a younger Dumbledore, played by Jude Law. This war
has almost nothing to do with Newt Scamander, played by Eddie
Redmayne and his gang from the first film.
In fact, I can not really
see a reason for Redmayne to be in this film at all except to provide
a bridge from the first film to the second.
The film does
offer some solid special effects, but those effects are hindered by
chophouse editing and uneven pacing.
In the end, “Fantastic
Beasts 2” is an overindulged excessive film that makes its audience
work to hard for a lackluster resolution.
Young
computer hacker Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist find
themselves caught in a web of spies, cybercriminals and corrupt
government officials.
The
sequel to “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl in the
Spider's Web” promised a deep and involved crime thriller with a
good cast.
But, unfortunately, the sequel could not live up
to the first film due to an overly predictable story and a lackluster
directing style from Fede Alvarez. The film paces itself as if as if
it were ready to sleep.
The script is full of twists and turns
that ultimately make the audience feel as if they've missed something
because of an inconceivable and ridiculous plot.
The
film would have fared better if the producers had simplified
everything and opted for characters that were believable and
empathetic instead of generic and bland.
In the end, “The
Girl in the Spider's Web” just won't hold your interest.
It
gets a D and is rated R.
Dr.
Seuss' The Grinch
Starring
the voices of: Benedict Cumberbatch and Pharrell Williams Rated PG
Another
version of the Dr. Seuss story of the Grinch, who hates Christmas and
does everything in his power to stop it from coming to
Whoville.
“The Grinch” is an updated animated telling of
the story that probably should have been flushed out a little more.
I
understand the need to update stories and retell them, but the
producers decided to completely rewrite the story and in that process
it lost the magic it's predecessors maintained.
The Grinch is
still a jerk, but he's not quite the bad guy he needs to be to make
the transition at the end of the story. Cindi Lou Who is played more
as a street-wise child lacking the purity and innocence that was
needed as a catalyst for the Grinch's change.
Without those
two ingredients, the story simply loses its wonder and falls flat.
I
think little kids will like the animation, but I do not think this
version of the Dr. Seuss classic will become a Christmas tradition.
Starring:
Helen Mirren, Keira Knightly and Mackenzie Foy
Rated
PG
Following
the footsteps of her mother, a young woman is transported to a
magical land consisting of four realms.
“The
Nutcracker and the Four Realms” isn't the jaw-dropping Disney
holiday film you might think it is. The movie offers up a nice
return to a land, like Oz, where magic rules, terrifying creatures
roam and everyone is waiting to be rescued from an evil female
warrior.
The problem with the film is it concentrates far too
intensely on the letter of its script and had no room for simple
whimsy.
This is a holiday movie and it plays out like a grumpy
elf reading “The Night Before Christmas.” All the words are there
but the presentation is sterile and detached.
I think the film
will resonate here and there with small kids, but this needed to be a
Christmas experience for everyone, but the audience just has to work
too hard to get through it.
“The
Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is a beautiful paining, but after
10 minutes of looking at it, it becomes overly confusing, hard to
understand and lacks heart.
It
gets a C and is rated PG.
Bohemian
Rhapsody
Starring:
Rami Malek and Lucy Boynton
Rated
PG-13
The
film spotlights the events that took place in singer Freddie
Mercury's life which led him and his fellow band members to create
“QUEEN.”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is certainly one of the
best pictures of the year. The film takes on the journey that Freddie
Mercury traveled (although beefed up a bit with writing) as he
becomes one of the most influential voices in music.
Rami
Malek is absolutely on point as the iconic singer, whose troubled
past and identity issues combine to force him into the spotlight and
center stage.
The scenes of QUEEN performing are so well
staged you'd believe you were in the 70's and 80's watching their
rise. Each new venue steps up the momentum until the film explodes at
the 1985 Live Aid concert, at which QUEEN made their comeback
performance.
Finally, “Bohemian Rhapsody” has, arguably,
the best soundtrack so far this year.
Go
see it. It will rock you. It's gets an A and is rated PG-13.
