Avengers: Infinity War

This is a great film. I will not give away any spoilers at all. At some point in a few weeks I might come back to it and discuss some of things that happened.

As I said this is a great film. I was very impressed how Marvel was able to intergrate so many super heroes into one film. It didn't feel forced or contrived at all.

Here's a little from the review in the Post:

What is not unexpected is the film’s death toll. Fanboys and fangirls have already steeled themselves to the eventuality that favorite characters will die here. Opening with a distress call from the Asgardian refugee spaceship that was seen fleeing planetary destruction at the end of last year’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” “Infinity War” gets that outcome out of the way early, paving a path forward for a film that, while very funny for much of its 2 ½ -hour running time, ends on an almost stunningly somber note. It should be mentioned that there is already a sequel planned for next year that is likely to act as a corrective — short of bringing people back from the grave. In the manner of the second and third “Matrix” films, and the “Deathly Hallows” segments of the Harry Potter films, you can expect that upcoming movie to be more of a conclusion to a giant, two-part saga — complete with this installment’s cliffhanger ending — than a free-standing sequel.

The laughs are dialed back some. But pay very close attention to when the Guardians rescue Thor and Star Lords reaction to him. It is some of the funniest parts of the movie. In fact I'd say some of the funniest parts of any of the Marvel movies. Also of note is the relationship that develops between Rocket and Thor.

Some reviews said that the movie runs long. I don't think that at all. I was suddenly surprised when I realized it was about to come to an end. There are a few slower parts in the film. But they're slower because they are not full of action. They also allow the audience to catch their breath.

I thought Chris Hemsworth was especially good in the film. He's really come into his own since Thor: Ragnarok. And he certainly gets beat up in this film. As you can see from the photo below.

In all a really good movie. I choose to see it at the Uptown which has one of the biggest screens in DC. The screen is curved, 70 feet long and 40 feet high. It is also one of the oldest theaters in DC opening in 1936. One other good thing about seeing it at the Uptown is that it cost $6 to get in. A really cheap price these days.

One funny event happened while I was there. I had gotten my seat (at 9am in the morning there weren't all that many people there) and was going out to get some candy. This kid of around 13-14 asked me if this was the theater that the Avengers was playing in. I said back to him that there was only one screen. He didn't understand my answer and asked the question again. I again said there was only one screen. He still couldn't figure out what I was talking about so I quickly added that this was where the Avengers was playing. The funny thing is the kid couldn't comprehend that a theater would have only one screen.

Go out and enjoy this movie.

Finally a Good Spider-Man Movie

It's not that I didn't like the last two sets of Spider-man movies. But this time the actor playing Spider-man, Tom Holland, actually looks like he's in high school. The other two guys didn't look like that at all.

The movie is also on a smaller scale than the usual Marvel super hero movie. More of the neighborhood Spider-man (a line actually used by Tony Stark). No alien invasions. No massive destruction of cities.

Robert Downey shows up as Tony Stark. He puts his assistant Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau who directed the first Iron Man) in charge of keeping track of Peter Parker. Peter checks in on a regular basis to see if he's needed for anything. He leaves messages for Happy that are never returned. The chemistry between Downey and Holland are great. They have some really funny moments together.

Michael Keaton plays the bad guy, Adrian Toomes (Vulture). But he's bad but not all that bad. He's just a guy trying to provide for his family. He runs a salvage business. He got a contract from the city to clean up the mess left over the first Avengers movie. Well the feds come in and take over and put Keaton and his crew out of a job. Keaton decides not to get pushed aside. He starts stealing the alien technology and make weapons out of it. In doing so he becomes the Vulture.

A big part of the movie shows Peter navigating high school and being Spider-man at the same time. He's in a school for gifted science students and there he really doesn't fit in. There is his best friend, Ned, who finds out Peter is Spider-man in one of the very funny scenes between the two of them. Ned wants to tell everyone who Peter is and Peter is completely against it.

There's also comic relief when Peter finally gets his Spider-man suit, giving to him by Stark, to completely work for him. There is a computer assistant to help him navigate what to do. Like which of the over 500 different web choices there are. Taser is one of them.

There are some great action scenes but perhaps the best scene is between where Adrian and Peter finally figure out who each other are.

In all a really well done and fun movie.

Oh and make sure you stay until the very end of the credits. There is a must see little extra that everyone will enjoy.

Everything is Awesome in the Lego Batman Movie

Yes I borrowed the name of the song from the first Lego Movie. But it really does apply to this one too.

Before the review a little about how I get to see the 3D version of the movie for the regular price. The first 3D show time was at 10:15 on Saturday at Gallery Place. I got there a little more than half an hour early. The box office for the theaters is in the lobby of the mall. The theaters are two stories up. The doors into the mall must not open until 10 because the security guard had to open the door for people.

I got in line, actually I was the first person in line, I asked for one for the Lego Batman Movie at 10:15. He had a little problem with his computer. Then he said I had enough points on my Regal card to get in for free. Then he said sorry that wasn’t right because it was a new movie.

I get my ticket and go upstairs. I give my ticket to the ticket taker. She points out where my theater is. But she didn’t say anything about getting the 3D glasses. I pick them up by myself. I got my snowcaps. Then walked around and looked at the posters. Decided to go into the theater and went to it and said it was an 11:30 show. I looked at my ticket and sure enough it said 11:30. Well I’d wanted to see 10:15 in 3D and that’s what I did.

The movie itself is great.

Here are a few of the highlights:

When people are firing their guns at each other they make the sound of the gun going off. Just like you did when you were a kid.

The dialog between the Joker and Batman is like they are in a relationship. The Joker wants Batman to admit that he hates the Joker the most. But Batman refuses to. Batman says I hardly ever think of you.

Batman is afraid to be part of a family because of what happened to his parents. That's why he's never close to anyone. It's an underling theme of the movie and is done very well.

Batman goes to Superman's fortress of solitude to phantom zone gun to send the Joker there. Batman thinks Superman will be all by himself. Instead all of the Justice League is there having a party.

Alfred recites all of the different versions of Batman including that weird one in the 60s.

Telling Robin when they attack the bad guys words will appear on the screen.

There are many other cultural references so you need to really pay attention.

From one of the reviews:

Like a miniature universe made entirely of millions of tiny plastic bricks, “The Lego Batman Movie” looks and feels like it could only have been put together by a roomful of mad geniuses, moving in a ballet of well-choreographed creativity: It’s simultaneously epic and humble.

From the pew-pew-pew that accompanies the animated movie’s make-believe gunfire — the same serviceable but phony-as-heck sound effect that your 6-year-old might use when firing his (or her) finger at bad guys — to the roster of deliriously ecumenical villains recruited from every corner of pop-culture literature for this clever mash-up of comic books and construction toys, the new animated film is the definition of fantastic.

 Everything is Awesome in the Lego Batman Movie!

Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War put the fun back in super hero movies (unlike Batman vs. Superman which was dark dark dark) while at the same time going beneath the surface of the characters. The main theme of the movie is what happens when super heroes can do just about anything they want and there are no consequences to their actions. This becomes crystal clear in the opening scene when Cap and his team are trying to stop terrorists from stealing a bio weapon. While stopping the bad guys, they are unable to prevent a bomb from going off that kills innocent people.

Back in the US, Tony Stark is giving a speech at MIT. As he’s leaving he runs into a woman who works at the State Department. She shows a picture to Stark of her son. A son she lost when the Avengers battled Ultron.

The upshot is a series of accords is going to be assigned which will put the Avengers under the control of the United Nations. A committee will decide when and where the Avengers will be used. Stark is for it while Captain America is against it. The other Avengers take sides. At the signing of the accords a bomb goes off killing many people (this is how Black Panther is introduced). It seems that the terrorist who set the bomb off was none other than Buck Barnes, Caps old friend.

Cap cannot believe his friend could have done this. He sets out to save his friend and the civil war had begun. A climatic battle takes place between the two sides at an airport. It is nothing short of amazing. There are a couple of additional characters here. Ant-Man and Spider-man.

What Cap finds out is that there are other winter soldiers like Buck. And someone is going to try and revive them. Cap and Bucky escape the airport and head off to stop this. Stark figures this out to and heads to help the two out. This is where the major twist of the movie happens and you’ll just have to go and see it to find out what it is.

This movie makes the Marvel characters much more three dimensional. This is especially true of Cap and Stark. But each is presented with the dilemma of which side to choose. The person who has the problem choosing sides is Black Widow in the end she splits the difference between the two. And she shows how what looks black and white in reality isn’t always that way.
There is a great deal of humor in this movie. This is especially true when Paul Rudd as Ant-Man meets Captain America. The hero worship on Rudd's part is very funny. The same goes for Tom Holland who plays Spider-man.

This is a very well done film. It puts the fun back in super hero movies. Yet at the same time adds a level of character development and complexity not seen in other Marvel movies.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

In all I liked the movie. There were some problems. So I’ll think I’ll deal with them first.

The movie was a little too dark for me. As in many of the scenes were actually dark and it was hard to see some things. Also the tone was dark as well. There needed to be just a little less serious. More playfulness as in the scene with Clark and Lois in the bathtub. I’m not sure it was necessary to see how Bruce Wayne’s parents got killed. But upon thinking further about this it made sense with what happened when Batman and Superman were fighting.

These are minor problems. The big problem was Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. I don’t know if the problem was the script, the director, the actor or some of all three. But Eisenberg was nothing short of terrible as Lex Luthor. He acted like he was off his medication. It was a cringe worthy performance. After awhile I just wanted him to get off the screen. I have no idea what they were going for here but it certainly didn’t work. Many of his lines you couldn’t understand. It was hard to figure out what his motivation was for going after Superman. It was just bad. Now if he’d been playing the Joker or the Riddler, the performance would have been perfect. But he was playing Lex Luthor.

To the good stuff. I think Ben Affleck was fine as Batman. Was he perfect? No he wasn’t. But he did a good job. He was especially good at channeling his rage at Superman. Thinking the worst of Superman at every turn. Also putting forth a rather cogent reason for not liking Superman (where as the reason for Lex Luthor not liking Superman were murky at best).

I really like Henry Cavill as Superman. In the scene where he shows up to save Lois, his power is really on display. You feel just how powerful he is by the look on his face. Then right after that is the scene where he comes home with groceries and ends up in the tub with Lois. I thought that was a good way to show his two sides.

The battle between Batman and Superman was great. I also liked all the preparations made by Batman to use the Kryptonite in as many different weapons as possible. The weapons allowed Batman to level the battle field so to speak. I liked how the battle went back and forth. Superman at first not wanting to hurt Batman and then realizing he would really have to hurt if not kill Batman. The motivation for Superman was to save his mother, Martha. Best part of the battle when Superman you have to save Martha. There was a pause from Batman and he yells at Superman why did you say that name. And Superman again says you have to save her. At that point, the entire body language and voice from Batman completely changes. It is a great scene.

One of my favorites parts of the movie was any scene with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman was in. She was just fantastic. The cat and mouse game she plays with Bruce Wayne is great. The line from her I just borrowed your hard drive; it’s in your cars glove compartment. Great line and just as great a look from Bruce responding to it.And when Wonder Woman as Wonder Woman arrives to battle Doomsday, she hardly looks like the same person. She is just great in this movie. I hope this is what her solo picture will be like.

In all a pretty good movie and worth seeing. I’d say in the future lighten up a little both in tone and in actual filmed scenes. And please, please, please do not have Lex Luthor show up in any other movie.

The Peanuts Movie

What a wonderful movie. What a wonderful tribute to Charles Schulz. A very sweet and delightful movie. It brings to like all the vast array of Peanuts characters in a charming and loving way.

The story is:. The little red haired girl has moved into the neighborhood. Charlie Brown is smitten with her. He tries for the rest of the movie to try and get her to notice him. Not all of his attempts work out. In fact none of them work out the way Charlie Brown hopes that they will. He tries to impress her at a dance. He does very well until he slips and some how sets off the sprinkler system. He is assigned to work with her on a book report. She has to go and see a sick relative. Charlie Brown takes it on himself to write the report on War and Peace no less. And it goes from there.

There are the usual side plots with Snoopy taking on the Red Baron. Lucy giving out advice. Linus having problems with Sally.

Here’s a sampling of the reviews:

From USA Today:

You’re in a good movie, Charlie Brown!

Those who have seen the vintage Halloween and Christmas specials a bazillion times or are just finding out now what a Pigpen is will find something to adore about the clever and charming The Peanuts Movie (*** out of four; rated G; in theaters Friday nationwide). Director Steve Martino (Horton Hears a Who!) and producer Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) bring Snoopy, Peppermint Patty and all the gang to computer-generated 3-D life while never overshadowing the timeless quality of the late Charles M. Schulz’s comic-strip world.

Yahoo News:

Maybe the Peanuts gang hasn’t been on the big screen in decades because they’ve had so much success on the small one, with specials like “The Great Pumpkin” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” that have been annual TV traditions since the 1960s.

Thankfully, “The Peanuts Movie” isn’t just a small-screen special writ large. The filmmakers take advantage of their cinematic scope with a bigger story, more sophisticated animation and effective use of 3-D that gives new depth to the Peanuts world. But the characters loved by generations of fans — Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Woodstock and beloved blockhead Charlie Brown — are as charming and timeless as ever.

Washington Post:

Director Martino has captured the emotions that made “Peanuts” so meaningful, masterfully replicating Schulz’s hand-drawn expressions, including Charlie’s sighs, Sally’s smiles and the exasperated yells of Lucy (Hadley Belle Miller). The filmmakers also stay true to the timelessness of Schulz’s world. The only tweets come from Woodstock, and Linus (Alexander Garfin) grips his blanket instead of an iPhone. Schroeder (Noah Johnston) still plays Beethoven on his toy piano, and Lucy charges only five cents for advice.

Parents’ hearts will melt every time Sally (Mariel Sheets) lovingly calls Charlie “Big Brother,” and when Charlie — feeling dejected at his prospects — laments that he has no future with the Little Red-Haired Girl because “she’s something, and I’m nothing.” An entertaining combination of humor and tenderness.

I saw it in 3D. Mostly because the time worked for me because of the other things I did that day. But I’m glad I saw it in 3D. It brought a whole new perspective on the whole Peanuts gang. This is a wonderful, delightful and just plain fun movie. Go and enjoy. Make sure you stay until the end for a couple of additional treats from the film makers.

Two Movie Reviews

I’m a little behind on these. It saw The Man from U.N.C.L.E and Shaun the Sheep Movie a couple weeks back. I decided to post about them anyway.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Not exactly a critic favorite but I liked the movie.

The movie opens with Napoleon Solo attempting to get the daughter (Alicia Vikander) of a German atomic scientist out of East Berlin (they her to try and find her father who’s disappeared and probably helping to build a bomb). Illya Kuryakin is doing his best to stop that. At each turn Solo thinks he’s out smarted Kuryakin. But Kuryakin just keeps showing up. The way Solo finally gets the girl out is very funny.

Henry Cavill plays Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer plays Illya Kuryakin. I really like the chemistry between the two of them. They start out really not liking each other but gradual grow to respect each other. Each takes a lead on a task that ends up not turning out as planned and the other has to save the day.

The plot:

“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” centers on CIA agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin. Forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology.

It’s a very stylish movie. It certainly captured the 60s feeling. I also liked the gadgets that were used. Of course the level of technology had to be dialed back to the 60s but at the same time needed to be cool enough and cutting edge for the time. I think they accomplished that very well.

The story is not entirely original shadowy crime organization is going to sell a nuclear war head. But that aside I think the story works well. As I said Cavill and Hammer work really well to together. Also the attraction between Hammer and Vikander is sort of a running gag in the movie. The will they or won’t they kiss. They get close on numerous occasions but are alway interrupted.

It was a fun diversion.

Shaun the Sheep Movie

Saving the best for last.

What a delight of a film. Very sweet. Very funny. Just enjoyable from start to finish.

Here’s the plot of the film:

When Shaun decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan, and a very steep hill lead them all to the Big City and it’s up to Shaun and the flock to return everyone safely to the green grass of home.

The farmer ends up in the caravan and takes a ride into the city. There he loses his memory. He winds up in a barber shops and “shears” (he remembers the shears but doesn’t remember he uses them on sheep instead of people) someone’s hair and suddenly becomes a star hair dresser.

Shaun and friends chase after the farmer to try and bring him home.

There are all sorts of delightful adventures. The sheep trying to get away from an aminal control man. Shaun is actually caught and put in the same cell as the dog from the farm who also pursued the farmer into the city.

From the Post:

the jokes fly faster than the eye can read them. When the sheep aren’t disguising themselves as diners in a fancy French restaurant — name of restaurant: Le Chou Brûlé, a.k.a. the Burnt Cabbage — they’re hiding from an animal containment officer by posing stock-still in front of a bus station poster. The prevailing tone throughout is one of warmhearted absurdity. Several moments (including pretty much any shot of tiny Timmy the lamb) will elicit “awwws” from the audience. But “Shaun the Sheep” has enough of a sly streak to avoid succumbing to over-cuddliness. Adults will especially appreciate the winking homages to “Silence of the Lambs” and “Breaking Bad.”

This is an absolutely wonderful film. It reminds you just how good, fun and enjoyable a movie can be.

The Fantastic Four

Simply put not all that fantastic. Too much back story. Too many subplots. Not enough development of the main characters. And certainly not enough the four learning how to use their powers.

It certainly starts out well. With Reed Richards and Ben Grim becoming friends in school. Trying to pursue Richards dream of teleporting. Richards gives a report on what he wants to be when he grows up. He is interrupted half way through and told to come up with something that’s actually possible in the real world. (It is good to see that Dan Castellaneta can get work outside of animation. I think he should just pick better projects.)

A few years later with his teleporter perfected he and Ben enter it in a science fair. They try it and it seems to work but doesn’t impress the committee. But it does impress Dr. Storm and his daughter Sue. Reed is whisked away to their institute and starts working on the teleporter. The institute has perfected sending things but can’t bring them back.

To complete the team Dr. Storm brings back Victor VonDoom another troubled character. Then there’s Johnny Storm who would rather drag race then work with his dad. And then there’s the budding relationship between Reed and Sue and Victor’s jealous of that. I could go on but you get the idea that there’s way way way too much baggage with this. Now you may wonder how does Ben get back in the picture.

So they perfect the teleporter. Send a monkey there and back in a pod. Next there going to send a person. But it’s not going to be any of these four. It’s going to be turned out to NASA. So the three guys get drunk and decided they are going to this other planet on their own. Reed calls up Ben and says I’m not going there with out you.

They go to the other dimension and all sorts of fun and hi-jinx takes place. Well not really. The energy in the planet attacks them (for lack of a better way to describe it). They try to escape but Victor is left behind. The pod comes back but while doing so the energy of the planet penetrates the pod and some it comes back to good ole planet earth. So that’s the set up. Then all sorts of hi-jinxs pervails after that. No that doesn’t happen either.

The main problem with the film is there is just not enough of the four coming to grips with and using their powers. The fight against Victor (yes he does show up again) is well done but is far too brief.

I like all of the main actors. It’s too bad more time couldn’t ahve been spent on them. Miles Teller is very good as Reed Richards especially as he aganizes about what his actions did to his friends.

I think the review from the Post sums it up the best:

While plenty of superhero films touch on the whole great power/great responsibility trope, the four here work hard to reverse their newfound talents. It’s rare to find heroes who don’t want to be super, and that’s where “Fantastic Four” could have gotten interesting. Instead it spends so much time on origin that there’s no room left for story. Character motivation is lazy (being the school nerd, having daddy issues, literally being named “Doom”) and the climactic battle is so subdued you’re completely unaware it IS the climactic battle.

“Fantastic Four’s” young actors do their best — Teller infuses his awkward genius with moments of sweetness, Bell’s voice conveys Ben’s sadness and eventual resignation to a life as a geological formation and Jordan brings a warmth (sorry; had to) that cuts through Johnny’s bravado. It’s just unfair that, while their characters can save the world, their talents can’t save the movie.

Mr. Holmes

Last weekend was a weekend for seeing movies. I’m trying to see more movies. Actually see the movies I’m interested in seeing. The big block busters are easy to see. You can wait a couple of weeks to see as long as they are popular. But art house films seem to have a shorter theater life. Or they end up showing in places that aren’t all that easy to get to.

I decided that I would see Mr. Holmes. I’d read a couple reviews and they liked the movie.

It is very well done. The basic plot is Holmes is trying to remember his last case. He’s trying to remember why he retired. He knows a few facts about the case but not the whole story (his memory is starting to go which he goes to great lengths to try and stop). For the first time he is writing down one of his own cases. All of the cases in the past had been written by Dr. Watson.

He has retired to a sea side cottage which he shares with his housekeeper Mrs. Mun­ro played by Laura Linney and her son Roger played by Milo Parker.

For a man who prides himself on his powers of observation not being able to remember is devastating. He is going to great lengths to try and stave this off.

From the review in the Post:

Directed by Bill Condon (“Kinsey”), the movie leaps back and forth in time, incorporating another thread involving Holmes’s recent trip to Japan in search of a rare plant to cure his dementia. Like any good Sherlockian case, the stories interweave into a satisfying conclusion. And the cinematic elements fit together as neatly as the plot lines. Carter Burwell’s music, combined with the film’s cloudy landscape shots (courtesy of cinematographer Tobias Schliessler, who worked with Condon on “Dreamgirls”) add to a sense of nostalgia. McKellen is impeccable as the aging investigator, who has always prized logic over emotions. And the young Parker holds his own in every scene he shares with his elder.

Holmes bonds with Roger getting Roger interested in the bees that Holmes keeps. Holmes also opens up to Roger about the case he is trying to remember. The scenes with these two are just fantastic. I agree with the review that Parker more than holds his own with both his co-stars.

The flashbacks of Holmes remembering the story are very well done. Here we see Holmes at his best. That brings the present into an even sharper perspective.

Holmes finally remembers what happened with his last case. His logic solves the case but he forgot to take into account the human factor, the emotional factor, which leads to a tragic ending. Something he's never been able to recover from. Thus the reason for his retirement.

There is an interesting twist at the end where Holmes has to solve one more mystery involving an accident that happens to Roger. We finally see Holmes emotional side. He and Mrs. Munro are waiting in the hospital to hear how Roger is doing. As the doctor comes out they both grab hold of each other hands. It is a small gesture but shows just how much Holmes has been changed by these two people.

Go and enjoy. This is a fantastic movie.

Southpaw – Movie Review

I had to take my car back to the Meineke shop for them to check on the air conditioning on Saturday. They were going to see if the dye they put in the air condition tank showed any places where there was a leak. Thankfully they did not.

They finished up around 3:30 and I decided to go and see a movie after that. I found a parking space in a garage (where it just so happens parking is free on the weekends) and went to the movies.

I decided I wanted to see Southpaw. I decided not to read any reviews but to go in with a fresh mind. I did notice on one of movie apps, which I checked to get the show times, that the score was only so-so.

The first thing about the movie is how different Jake Gyllenhaal looks in this film. And he really looks different from the preppy look he has in most movies. He was almost unrecognizable.

Here’s a little about the training he went through for the role:

Gyllenhaal went from a relatively slight 147 pounds to a ripped 175 pounds in just six months, trainer Terry Claybon, who whipped Jake into shape for Southpaw, in theaters July 24, tells E! News. And they had a lot of work to do when they first met up to discuss training.

“He wasn’t in any shape at all,” Claybon said. “We met at a boxing gym, and he was jumping rope. Just the way he was jumping rope, I knew we had a lot of work to do.”

Claybon didn’t let Gyllenhaal cut any corners: “Everything we did in training was as if he was having a professional boxing match.”

That realism really showed in the movie. Gyllenhaal plays Billy Hope (there were just one too many use of the last name for me in the script too many there’s still hope get it), a boxer from the wrong side of the tracks an orphan no less that has made it big. He’s the champion. The opening of the movie Hope in a title fight which he wins but takes brusing in doing so. The fight scenes are real the blood isn’t but there’s still a lot of it. I would say this film is not for the squish because there’s a lot of blood.

Hope is challenged by another boxer Victor Ortiz who wants to fight Hope. While both are leaving a charity function an altercation ensues which leads to guns being fired. It leads to the death of Hope’s wife Maureen, played by Racheal McAdams.

That’s when Hope downward spiral starts. He’s unable to deal with his wife’s death and in short order sees everything he has crumble. And quickly those people around him desert him. He tried to fight again but simply gives up. This is one graphic scene in the film where Hope is just pummeled. Because of that Hope drinks heavily tries to kill himself by running his car into a tree. The house goes. The cars goes. His daughter is put into foster car.

Hope hits rock bottom. Ends up in a flop house. But tries to rebuild his life because he wants his daughter back.

He ends up in Tick Wills’ gym played by Forest Whitaker and tries to rebuild. For the rest of the story you’ll have to see the movie.

Gyllenhaal is just fantastic in this role. He really looks the role. You feel his pain with the death of his wife. The absolute despair of not knowing how to put things right. His complete helplessness as his life spins out of control. His anguish when he tries to reconnect with his daughter, Leila played by Oona Laurence (who is just great in the roll. The scenes where she finally gets to watch her father fight are just great).

There is also a very funny scene between Gyllenhaal and Whitaker on the rule of not swearing in the gym. There relationship is very well drawn. There isn’t an instant liking between the two. But there is a slow development of respect between the two of them.

I like that not everything is tied up in a neat bow by the end of the film. The person who murdered Hope’s wife is never brought to justice. The big fight between Hope and Ortiz ends very realistically.

Here's a little from the review in USA Today:

Call him “Joltin’ Jake” Gyllenhaal, because the actor adds needed presence and punch to the melodrama of Southpaw.

As champ-turned-chump Billy Hope, Gyllenhaal shines with the same intensity he showed in Jarhead and Nightcrawler, and performances from him and Forest Whitaker lift up a movie that goes a full 12 rounds of rope-a-dope with every boxing-movie story trope.

I really liked the movie and highly recommend it.

Minions — My Review

I had some time to kill before my car would get fixed. They needed to install a new fan and the fan assembly. As I mentioned earlier the fan wasn’t kicking into high gear which would allow for the a/c to actually get into the car.

When I thought all that was needed to fix the a/c was recharging the coolant, I was going to go to a 10:20 showing of Minions. But complications ensued. Turns out there was a 11:10 showing. I would still have a little time to kill before the car after the movie but I figured I could have lunch.

The cost of movie tickets continues to go up. And now they are strange prices. I paid $10.70 for Minions (I looked at my ticket and it turns out I got the senior discount without even asking). I have a Regal Club Card and with this purchase I got some free stuff. I got a free small popcorn. I’m not a huge popcorn person. I decided I would give it to someone to use. First I wanted to make sure you didn’t have to show your card in order to get the popcorn. Turns out you don’t need to show the card. I walked up to a woman in the concessions line with her son. I said I got this coupon for a free popcorn and that I didn’t eat popcorn and wondered if she would be interested in taking it. She said yes and thanked me for it. When she explained it to her son he got very excited about it. I figured that was my good deed for the day.

I went into the theater and was surprised. The surprise was there were hardly any kids in the theater at all. More did show up but I would say there were way more adults in the theater then kids.

Along came the previews. And at the start of each one a kid behind me would ask what it was. Each time the dad explained it was for a movie coming in the future. I got concerned that this kid would be talking throughout the movie. Thankfully once the movie started he didn’t make a peep unless to laugh.

The movie is very silly. But I enjoyed it and it was exactly what I needed. The Minions dialog is mostly gibberish except when they need to say something people will understand. Like banana. And who knew that banana could be so funny. The plot is the Minions attempting to find someone evil to serve. The opening sequence shows the various masters that they find and how in each case the ineptitude of the Minions leads to the master being killed off.

They end up going off to the Artic and find a large cave to live in. But the main reason for their existence is to serve an evil master. Kevin, Bob and Stuart set out on the quest. Kevin being the head Minion. How the others are picked is one of the funniest parts of the whole moive.

Here’s part of the review from the Post:

Soon, they’re on their way to Villain-Con, a riff on Comic-Con only a convention celebrating the likes of Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), an evil world-conqueror in a beehive. The trio inadvertently wins a job in Overkill’s entourage, and they’re soon enmeshed in her plan to take the British throne, along with Overkill’s inventor, Herb (Jon Hamm).

There are, it should be noted, more ambitious seats of power to set one’s diabolical sights on. But this is 1960s Swinging London, a colorful if over-familiar backdrop, and the goggle-wearing Minions could just as well be chipper Mods.

At the very end Gru makes an appearance as well.

I thought this was a funny movie and a great way to spend some time while waiting for your car to be fixed.

Jurassic World

I went and saw this on Sunday. My plan had been to see it at the Uptown. They had a 10:30 am show. I was going to go to the gym and then go to the movie. Glad I checked the time again. That early show at the Uptown was only on Saturday.

Quick change of plans. I wanted an early show so I could get back to my house before it got really hot. I opted to go to Silver Spring and see the 9am show. Turns out I’m glad I didn’t go to the gym and the Uptown. There was some sort of problem at DuPont Circle and they were single tracking and providing shuttle bus service. Not sure how long it lasted. But as I was riding up to Silver Spring all at each platform I passed trains going to downtown were just sitting at the station not moving.

I was a little concerned that I would be late getting to the movie. Turns out I had time to spare. The person at the ticket counter was pretty much out of it. I think they might have been trying to take a nap. It was after all before 9 and I assume she probably had opened the box office by 8:30. The ticket taker didn’t seem that much more awake either. He took my ticket and only after I took a few steps did he tell which direction to go to get to the theater the movie was in.

As for being late I need not have worried about that. There were at least 15 minutes worth of previews.

Now on to the movie. There were parts that I really liked. The homage to the first movie to the first movie is really well done. There are actually a couple of points where they do this. The best is when the two kids discover the old entrance to the park. It was the visitors center. It’s also amusing that they use some of the banner as part of a torch.

I really like Chris Pratt and his character, Owen, and his training the Raptors. I wish there had been more of this in the movie. A very interesting idea of training this incredibly dangerous animals. Also the notion of Pratt being the alpha male of the pack. That plays an important part towards the end of the movie.

The effects are amazing. It really looks like there is park with dinosaurs. Special effects have really advanced since the first movie and it really shows. I like the gyro spheres taking park visitors around the park. Sort of like driving your car through a animal park. Also Jimmy Fallon makes a funny cameo explaining how the gyro sphere works.

The problem with the movie is way too many sub-plots. Here are a few:

The kids (Gray and Zach) are being sent to the park because their parents are getting a divorce
The older kid is not really interested in his little brother; can’t seem to bothered all that much with him.
The kids aunt, Claire, is one of the mover and shakers and doesn’t have any time for them.
Claire went on one date with the Chris Pratt character so their is some little history there.
Claire sees the dinosaurs as attractions not as living.
As mentioned bonding with the Raptors.
The Raptors to be used as weapons.
The big bad dinosaur and the secret of what it really is.

I think that might be all of them. Just too many in a movie that is a little over 2 hours. I will say, that when Claire gets that the dinosaurs are actual living and breathing creatures, it is very moving.

I would have liked more on Owen and his work with his Raptors.

Things I liked. There are a couple of good plot twists. One that I certainly didn’t see coming. There is the scene on the previews where the pterodactyls are swooping in on guest which is cool. And I liked the twist at the end of what was arrayed against the genetically altered dinosaur.

In all a pretty good movie over all. One more thing since it made over 200 million opening weekend, there will be another one and there’s a scene in this movie that sets that up.

Godzilla — Movie Review

When you get to the monsters the movie really takes off. You see glimpses of Godzilla mostly his back in several early scenes in the movie. The other two creatures are MUTOs, for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms. They sort of reminded me of cock roaches especially the one that flies.

There is an extensive set up piece that gives the history of the MUTO without really letting you know that it is a MUTO. Actually it is only one that you learn about the other isn’t revealed until later in the movie.

Back in 1999 a discovery is made in the Philippines. Caves are being explored. Something is found with a high level of radiation. There’s several gigantic pods found. One is clearly dead but the other. Whatever is inside escapes and takes a straight line to the ocean.

Cut to Japan and a nuclear power plant. This is where Bryan Cranston and his wife work. Their son is with them too. Strange things start happening at the plant. There are strange readings which look like seismic activity but aren’t because they are too consistent. The wife goes down into the bowels of the reactor. More strange readings happen. Then there is a breach and Cranston races down to try and save his wife but he cannot. The reactor collapses (in one of the cooler scenes in the movie).

Move to present day where the action really starts. The son is all grown up and in the Navy. The father has not been able to get over his wife’s death and continues to investigate what happen. I won’t give away all the plot but sufficient to say son goes to Japan. Father and son explore quarantined area around the reactor. Find out there is no radiation. The MUTO is being hidden here. MUTO hatches. MUTO can fly! Father dies from wounds when MUTO escapes. MUTO heads to Hawaii. Then all of a sudden along comes Godzilla.

MUTO one lands in Hawaii. Godzilla comes along and fights MUTO at airport. But wait there’s more

There’s another MUTO that’s kept in Nevada. This MUTO a female wakes up (that’s the reason for the strange readings they were communicating with each other). Everybody including the military and the son head for San Francisco. Climatic battle ensures. And that’s all you’ll get from me. I will say pay close attention to when Godzilla is about to breath fire so very cool. And the last time he breathes fire is really cool.

The effects are amazing. The MUTOs are really rather creepy. Godzilla is amazing right down to his roar. In fact the monsters are more interesting than the people. Wish there had been more fighting. San Francisco is of course destroyed. Does Godzilla kill both MUTOs? Does Godzilla live to fight another day? Go and see the movie and find out.

I had a couple of problems. Like I said too much time with people. The story lines should have been simplified. One too many subplots. Lots of good actors without a whole lot to do.

But in all a fun film to go to.

Now a little about when I went to see the film. I went to the 9:30 am showing on Saturday. I got to the multiplex which is in Georgetown around 9. There were a couple of people there. The doors were locked. I even tried a couple. A few more people show up. It gets to be about 9:10. I can see that there are people in there but still the doors aren’t open. So I try some of the doors. There are probably at least six sets of double doors. Only one is open. And only one of the doors of the set works.

We go into the lobby area. A person who I can only assume is a manager says to us they aren’t open until 9:30. I say you have three movies starting at 9:30. Then she says they open at 9:15. I think she thought we were going to go back outside but we didn’t. Finally at 9:15, they start selling tickets.

The strange thing is they hadn’t even started popping the pop corn when we came in. I go in and take my seat. The theater is empty. It turned out I had a private screening. No else came in. And that was damn cool.

Monuments Men

Monumentally slow. Monumentally dull. Monumentally eh.

That's was the reaction both Mark and I had to the movie when we saw it on Saturday.

I was looking forward to the film. I knew a little about the story. Knew about the book. Thought this would be a good story for a film. The cast look great. And well it just didn't gel.

It was seemed so slow. There just was no pacing to the movie. No real dramatic tension. Two the the characters were killed off and you really didn't care about either one. (At least one actor has an abbey to go back and run on PBS). The characters were cyphers.

The first scenes sets the premise for the film. Clooney's character is briefing the FDR about what is going on in Nazi occupied Europe. He makes the case for protecting the great works of art that Hitler is taking. Clooney proposes creating a team to help find and return the works of art. The opening part of the movie is the creation of this team.

The movie does a good job of showing just what a megalomaniac Hitler was. The idea that he would round up all the art for his museum Fuhrer Museum. And if he couldn't have it then it was to be destroyed. (Hitler issued a directive as Germany was falling apart that the seized art was to be destroyed rather than fall into Allied hands.) The detective story of trying to figure out where the Nazi hid the art is of interest but is a peripheral story in the movie.

There are some horrible moments when the Nazi burn a trove of art. Another time when the monuments men discover barrels that contain gold fillings.

But the characters are just not fleshed out. They don't really have personalities; they are more caricatures. The other problem is there are too many of them. The scenes keep bouncing back and forth to the teams that have been sent out to find the art. By the time you really get to know one team the action moves on to the next.

In all a disappointment to what should have been a much better movie.

The Wolverine

I saw this last week. This it the fifth movie where Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine. I have to say this is a much better movie than the first stand alone Wolverine movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That one was just completely flat.

On to The Wolverine. This picks up after the last X-Men movie. Logan has given up being Wolverine. He’s hold up in the forest in Canada (I think that’s where he is). He essentially has become a bum. He dreams about Jean Grey and how he’ll never again be The Wolverine.

He’s sought out by Yukio, a woman samurai. She’s employed by a man Logan saved back in World War II. Logan saved Yashida from an atomic bomb blast. Yashida is asking him to come to Japan. Once there Yashida says that he can make Logan mortal. Allow Logan to live out a normal life and die. Yashida knows Logan can no longer handle being immortal.

That’s the basic premise of the movie: Logan dealing with his demons (thus the scenes with Jean) and whether or not he will become the Wolverine again.

There are some really great action sequences. The scene on the bullet train is fantastic. One of the fake outs is especially funny. But the twist is not all that much of a surprise especially if you pay attention to the dialog earlier in the film.

But there are a few slow spots too. The romance between Logan and Mariko, Yashida’s granddaughter, slow down the pace of the movie. I’m not necessarily saying that’s a bad thing but pace and timing are important in a movie. These scenes just go on too long. I’ve noticed that in comic/action movies lately that directors have a hard time getting the slower scenes to flow correctly with the rest of the movie.

I will say this stay for the credits. There is a scene well worth waiting for. I won’t spoil it but a couple of old friends show up in it.

Man of Steel

I saw this on Sunday the 9:30 show. A friend had seen it Friday in 3D and said it didn’t add all that much to the movie. (I have to say I find 3D doesn’t add all that much. Star Trek being the notable exception of the films I’ve seen lately.)

There was the usual strangeness of getting into the theater. I went to the Regal Cinema at Gallery Place. There was a security guard who opened the door for each person coming in. I’m not sure why they just don’t unlock one of the doors and have the guard stand there.

I got my ticket. For some reason I got the senior discount. So I got to save a buck. I’m not complaining about that.

I found the theater. It was about the smallest one in the entire complex. It sat around 100 people. The screen was not all that big. I wondered around and looked at the movie posters because I’d gotten there early. For a moment I thought I could get a pair of 3D glasses out of the return boxes near the entrance to each individual theater and see the thing in 3D. I thought it was kind of shitty to be in the smallest theater in the place to see the regular version of the movie. But I decided not to.

I got in my seat around 9:15. Eventually around 40 or more people in the theater. The slide saying to turn off your cell phone and not to talk during the film came up. And then it stayed up. 9:30 passed and then 9:35. Someone finally went out and told someone that the movie wasn’t playing. More time passed. A guy in front of me called someone in the movie theater (I have no idea how he got a number). He said the 9:30 movie wasn’t working in and I told him theater 3. More time passed. Still no movie. During all of this no one from the theater management came in to tell us what was going on. Finally someone did show up and suddenly the lights went out and the movie started. The only thing we missed were the endless previews that they show because they went straight into the movie. My thought was we didn’t miss anything.

Now on to the movie.

As Box Office Mojo put it:

In need of a major franchise to fill the void left by Harry Potter and The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. put their all in to making sure Man of Steel was a hit. As far as franchise reboots go, they started in a good place: while Superman is immensely popular, audiences have largely forgotten about Superman Returns, and therefore Man of Steel never faced the same kind of skepticism that surrounded The Amazing Spider-Man last year.

I think this was a very good start for a franchise reboot.

I think Henry Cavill is great as the Man of Steel. He has a great screen presence and you really do believe he’s Superman.

The take this time is Clark’s attempt to fit in as a normal person. For him to blend in and not use his power and thus not be noticed. Jonathan Kent instills in Clark the belief that people will not be able to accept who he really is. He will scare and frighten people That he needs to hide himself and his powers until the time is truly right to show himself to the world. This comes into very clear focus when Jonathan dies. It is one of the best not action scenes of the movie. Clark has this continual conflict of trying to keep a low profile but events test him on this. There is the bus accident as a child. The oil rig explosion when he's an adult. Does he let people die or does he do something to save them? (This is another stand out scene of the movie.)

It's also interesting that you have him with a beard. I think the first time that's ever been done. This again reinforces his desire to blend into the back ground and not be noticed. The beard acts as a further disguise to hide who he really is.

There is of course the inevitable conflict with General Zod and his band of merry mercenaries. They show up and try to conquer the planet. Here's the ultimate conflict for Superman (which he's referred to only two or three times in the entire movie). Which destiny does he choose? Which race does he choose?

The fight scenes are spectacular. But, and this is my only real problem with the movie, there are too many of them. Just a little less mayhem and destruction would have made for a better film. Also I think the scenes on Krypton run a little long as well.

In all a really really fun movie to see. Here's hoping the man of steel takes to the air again.

Seeing the Summer Blockbusters

I’ve seen both Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness on their opening weekends. I saw them at the Regal Cinemas at Gallery Place. I’ll talk more about each movie but first a little about getting into the place.

Both times I saw the films I picked the first show of the day on Sunday. I thought there would be fewer people and for Iron Man I had to meet someone for brunch. Both times I get to the theater about half an hour early. Both times the doors are locked. Now the way the theater is set up it is a very small mall. The box office for the theater in the lobby of the mall. The theater itself is on the third floor.

I don’t understand why the doors were locked. Sunday morning some of the theaters are rented out for church services. When I saw Iron Man I was let in by someone from the church. I then went over to the other side of the building and let someone in. We had looked at each other across the lobby earlier and had both shrugged our shoulders as to why the doors were locked. I think we were both thinking why can’t we get in. The second time I was let in by the security guard. Now sometime after being let in all the doors were unlocked. But again you think half an hour before the movies starts the doors should be open.

One more quick comment. For both movies I saw between 7 and 10 previews lasting close to 20 minutes. First thing how do you remember that many previews. Ask someone the previews they saw and very few people remember one let alone 10.

Now on to the movies.

Iron Man 3
I enjoyed the film. It was fun. Robert Downey has the wise-cracking Tony Stark down. There are some very funny exchanges with a kid, Harley, (Harley tries to ask all sorts of questions the worm hole Stark went through in the Avengers which causes Stark to have a panic attack and well there are a few couple of scenes with this theme) about in Tennessee where Stark has gone to trace down a lead about the evil villain the Mandarin. Turns out the Mandarin is not all that he seems or actually more than he seems. I won’t give away this very interesting twist but will say that Ben Kingsley is very menacing and well funny at the same time.

The final climatic battle scene in the ship yards is nothing sort of spectacular. Make sure you stay until the very end of the movie. Yes that means after all the credits role for another very funny scene. That’s all I’ll say on it. Stay until the end.

I saw the movie in 3-D. It did add to some of the battle scenes but I’m not sure it is totally necessary to see the movie in 3-D.

Star Trek into Darkness
First off I think 3-D really added to the film. Especially when Kirk and Khan are shot from the Enterprise to attempt to board the Vengeance. Very very effective film making here.

It’s not all that easy to tell who the good guys are from the bad guys. Or maybe how bad the bad guys are. There seems to be two levels here.

There is a very funny scene where Kirk, Spock and Uhura are descending to Kronos. Uhura makes a snide remark toward Spock (it seems they’ve been fighting). Says she doesn’t want to talk about and then proceeds to talk about it. She brings Kirk into the discussion as well. What adds to the humor is they have their backs to each other as they man their posts on the ship.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays the evil Khan. Or at least we think he is the evil villain until we find out a little more on what is going on and how he’s been used. Kirk ends up being played by both Star Fleet and Khan.

There is homage to the Wrath of Khan which I will only mention but it is very well done.

In all a really good movie. All the actors are very good. The building of friendship and trust between the characters is wonderful to watch. This is especially true of Kirk and Spock. Highly recommend this one.

I think I’m going to have to see it again.

Oz: The Great and Powerful

Went and saw Oz: The Great and Powerful today. I went to the first show they had at the theater which was at 10am this morning. Before I get to the movie a couple of quick things.

Up until about 5 minutes before the movie started I was the only person in the theater. Then a couple more people came in. Well that's not entirely true. When I came into the theater and was picking out my seat, I heard what sounded like a person snoring. I looked around the theater and didn't see anyone. I thought it must have been part of the ad that was playing on the screen. Turns out not to be correct. A security guard came in a little later and there was the snoring sound again. There was a guy asleep in one of the last rows of the theater. The security guard got him up and out.

On to the movie. I enjoyed it. It got so-so reviews but I liked the film. I think James Franco was perfect as the wizard. He starts out very much as a con artist out for the treasure and over time changes to really care about what's happening in Oz. I think one of the best sub plots is how he's not the wizard people imagined would come along but he's the wizard they got.

The opening part of the movie is in black and white and does not take up the entire screen. There is a great deal of material in this opening section that deals with the books and the movie. You have to pay attention to everything that's covered because some of it is rather subtle. I do think this section of the movie goes on for a little longer than necessary.

Once in Oz there are a couple of references to the movie as well. One is fairly obvious (which I won't divulge); the other you have to pay close attention to. It's in the background when they set out on the yellow brick road.

The twister (yes he is transferred to Oz just like in the movie; although this ride in the twister is much more dramatic) is amazing and really adds a great deal in 3D. In fact 3D adds a great deal throughout the entire film. I also think the scene where he arrives in Oz and we transfer to black and white to color is very original. And is a nice tip of the hat to the original Wizard of Oz.

In all a very fun movie to see. Maybe they can make a sequel to it some day.

Lincoln the Movie

This is about the movie about the man. I have to say I think it was a masterpiece.

Daniel Day-Lewis seemed to be channeling Lincoln. Day-Lewis was completely believable as Lincoln. He just was amazing. The nuances he brought to the role are just amazing. The mannerisms and the way he walked and talked. How he wore a shawl. He was just amazing.

But he wasn’t the only one of the actors that seemed to channeling their characters. David Strathairn is William Seward. Strathairn is made up to be a dead ringer for the Secretary. I could name the other actors who seemed to live their characters: Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook the list could go on and on.

But one of the best performances which rang incredibly true to me was Bruce McGill who plays Edwin Stanton. The relationship between Stanton and Lincoln was very complicated and somewhat contentious. I think the scene of them in the War Office really shows what type of relationship it was. While waiting for news on the bombing of Wilmington, Lincoln starts to tell a story. Stanton yells out not another of you’re stories, you’re not going to tell another story. Stanton storms out. Lincoln tells his story. Suddenly the telegraph comes to life. Both Lincoln and Stanton head over to the telegraph operator. Lincoln holds up his hand and Stanton grabs hold of it. I was just blown away by the scene.

Many Lincoln scholars thought the movie was incredible too. They gathered at the Lincoln Forum. Here's what one said:

Forum Vice Chairman Harold Holzer, who has written or edited more than 40 books on Lincoln, was delighted with the movie. “I loved it,” he said. “Day-Lewis captured Lincoln as the brilliant politician he was, who knew how to draw to the table everyone he needed and he showed his great physicality. Lincoln did lose his temper; he was tightly wrapped and explosive.”

Go and see this movie; it is truly great. I think I'm going to have to go back and see it again.

On Saturday I thought it only appropriate to go down to the Lincoln Memorial.

Snow White and the Huntsman

I saw this last Sunday. I'd like to say that I liked this movie but have to say I really didn't. It wasn't terrible but it had some problems. The pacing of the film is just horrible. There are some good action sequences and then the movie just grinds to a halt. It gets very talky and not a great deal happens.

Also the opening scenes deal with the back story of how Snow White was imprisoned and the wicked queen came to power. The only reason I could figure out why this wasn't reduced to a few lines of dialogue was so there could be cool special effects of the demon warriors. Otherwise it really wasn't all that necessary.

Kristen Stewart as Snow White does a passable job. At least she has a little more emotional range than what she has in those horrible Twilight movies. But at the end of the day she's supposed to give this rousing speech to rally the troops to battle the wicked queen and well it just doesn't exactly work.

Speaking of the wicked queen, Charlize Theron plays her well. She certainly gets the wicked down right. And the evil part down right. The problem is that she doesn't have a great deal to do in the scenes she is. There are only so many times she can rant and rave about not catching Snow White. In fact the movie seems to go from action scenes to scenes with her and, as I said, they just slow down the movie.

I like Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman. He seems the most believable and best drawn of the three main characters. And his back story is done in a few lines of dialogue which at the same time advances the main story. Not sure why this couldn't have been from the beginning with the other characters.

Another reason I didn't like the movie, which I have to say was not the movie's fault, but I had to pay $10 for the first show on a Sunday. The noon show on Sunday was $10. Let me state that again the first show of the day was $10 and this was not a movie in 3-D. This is the "matinee" price. I'm thinking I won't be going to that theater again for awhile.

In all I'd say wait for this one to go to Netflix.