For us film lovers, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on the industry. Several films that many of us were really looking forward to have been pushed from their original release dates; some have been delayed by a few months, others by a whole year, and others have been taken out of theaters all together and sold to streaming services. In a time when things are hard to comprehend, it’s important to look at the lighter side. Even though we have to wait even longer for these films, they will come out eventually. So, let’s take a look at some of my most anticipated films that have been delayed because of the virus. AntlersOriginal Release Date: April 17, 2020 New Release Date: TBD Not much was known about this horror film from director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart and Black Mass). The trailers did a great job of selling the film without giving away the supernatural element at its core. What it does show us is that it looks to be a dark, menacing horror film with some truly nightmare inducing images. Hopefully it manages to live up to the highs the trailers have already put it at. F9Original Release Date: May 22, 2020 New Release Date: April 2, 2021 The latest installment in the highly successful Fast & Furious franchise looked to be the biggest and most fun installment yet. What made the trailer so surprising was the return of Sung Kang as team member Han, who was thought to have been killed in Furious 7. Hopefully the delay will be enough time for Universal to work out its recent feud with theater chains over pursuing VOD releases, because I refuse to see this movie on anything smaller than an IMAX screen. The Forever PurgeOriginal Release Date: July 10, 2020 New Release Date: TBD The next installment in Blumhouse’s blockbuster franchise is slated to be the last film in the series of annual lawlessness. For those who don’t know, the series is set in an alternate dystopian America where the government sanctions a yearly 12 hour period called The Purge, where all crime is legal. It was designed to allow anger-filled Americans to release their rage, but the ones behind it are really using it to eliminate lower income populations. The Purge was deemed unlawful and eradicated at the end of the third installment, so it will be interesting to see where the series goes and how it all comes to an end. Free GuyOriginal Release Date: July 3, 2020 New Release Date: December 11, 2020 We never get movies like this. It would have made more sense for 20th Century Fox (I will not call it 20th Century Studios) to make a film based on the Grand Theft Auto video game series rather than make a parody of it. With Ryan Reynolds at the top of the cast, you can bet that there will be a lot of meta-gags and self aware humor. It’s kind of his thing since starring in the Deadpool franchise. This looks to be a good time, with a dose of humorous stabs towards the gaming community. Ghostbusters: AfterlifeOriginal Release Date: July 10, 2020 New Release Date: March 5, 2021 Even though it’s not a sequel to the highly underrated 2016 reboot, a new addition to the Ghostbusters franchise is exciting enough. The cast is intriguing, especially the additions of Paul Rudd and Finn Wolfhard, and it’s cool to see a Ghostbusters movie take place somewhere other than New York City for once. From the first trailer released last December, it looks like new director Jason Reitman (son of original director Ivan Reitman) is trying to recreate the look and feel of his father’s films, and it looks pretty spot on. Hopefully it lives up to expectations when it comes out next March. In the HeightsOriginal Release Date: June 26, 2020 New Release Date: June 18, 2021 I don’t know much about the musical, but the trailer looked like it was going to be a really good time at the movies. Lin-Manuel Miranda has brought us some great songs from his various musicals and contributions to Disney films. The trailer for this film adaptation already makes me want to dance along with the music, so hopefully the full film can create the same feeling. Minions: The Rise of GruOriginal Release Date: July 3, 2020 New Release Date: July 2, 2021 Though popular opinion looks down on the titular minions, I find them to be very enjoyable no matter what they’re in. They are the highlights of the entire Despicable Me franchise, and always manage to put a smile on my face. The sequel to their solo spin-off film looks to bring us more of what we love from the franchise, with Steve Carrell returning to voice a 12-year-old version of series protagonist Gru. With the promise of more minion gags, the film looks to be a great family adventure, and a great expansion to the franchise. A Quiet Place: Part IIOriginal Release Date: March 20, 2020 New Release Date: September 4, 2020 The first A Quiet Place was something very unexpected; not just an above-average horror film, but a horror film that was also one of the best films of the year. Even though a sequel wasn’t entirely necessary, John Krasinski’s continued involvement as writer/director was reassuring. It really was his expert directing that was one reason why the first film was so effective. So with him behind the camera for this new one, I have faith that he’ll do it right. RunOriginal Release Date: May 8, 2020 New Release Date: TBD The new film from the writers and director of 2018’s Searching followed a disabled teenager who begins to suspect her mother is hiding a dark secret from her. It seems like a rather trite premise, with so many Lifetime movies treading the same territory. However, director Aneesh Chaganty made Searching a fully unpredictable experience despite the familiar concept. I believe that he’ll deliver the same twists and turns that his first movie brought to the thriller genre. SoulOriginal Release Date: June 19, 2020
New Release Date: November 20, 2020 What could be Pixar’s last film made by one of its original creators, Pete Docter (the creator of Monsters Inc., Up, and Inside Out) was set to bring us what looked like Pixar’s most imaginative and gorgeous film yet. It’s interesting to see a studio like Pixar explore something like what makes up a human soul. They’ve always explored very human concepts, and here they seem to be going deeper than ever.
0 Comments
One of Nickelodeon’s most iconic series, and arguably their best, is Avatar: The Last Airbender. The series has left a lasting impression on our culture, and is a prime example of a perfect balance of content and story equally appealing to both kids and adults. I recently revisited the series in this time of self-isolation, and discovered how many easter eggs and bits of foreshadowing there are in the early episodes. To show my love of the show, here’s my top 20 favorite episodes of the series. 20. Jet (Book 1, Chapter 10)In this episode, Aang and his friends meet a group of rebellious youths who fight against invading Fire Nation forces, led by dreamy warrior Jet. However, they discover that their plan will take lots of innocent lives with it. This is almost a perfect depiction of political activists who are so consumed by their beliefs and hatred that they don’t think of the long-term consequences. But what really makes this episode great is its ambiguous ending, where the team thwarts Jet’s plan without changing his beliefs. It shows that some people just can’t be changed by the simplest of actions; a more realistic outcome than in most kid shows. 19. The Headband (Book 3, Chapter 2)Having arrived in the Fire Nation, Aang and his friends attempt to blend in until their invasion. Aang soon becomes enrolled in a Fire Nation school, where he sees an opportunity to inject fun into the lives of his classmates. What makes this episode so great is how quotable it is. Aang’s interactions with the other kids are so amusing. And the scene where he gets Sokka and Katara to play his “parents” at conference with the school headmaster (in the picture above) is one of the most hilarious scenes of the whole series. 18. The Storm (Book 1, Chapter 12)This episode finally provides us with important backstory relating to Aang and Zuko’s pasts. While it is sad to see Aang’s childhood be ripped away from him after learning he’s the Avatar, the real accomplishment is Zuko’s backstory. The story of how his father banished him gets into some really dark places, darker than most kid shows would ever go. 17. The Library (Book 2, Chapter 10)The first time I watched this episode, I didn’t realize just how many hints there are towards the final episode. This episode is littered with easter eggs foreshadowing what the team encounters leading up to their final showdown with the Fire Nation. It’s also a very thrilling episode when it comes to its action sequences, and the ending where Appa gets taken away by Sandbenders was one of the most heartbreaking things I had ever witnessed as a kid. 16. Sokka's Master (Book 3, Chapter 4)In this episode, we finally get to see Sokka develop a fighting skill all his own when he trains with a Fire Nation sword master. His goofy interpretation of the master’s old-fashioned wisdom is a joy to behold. But it’s even more joyful watching Aang, Katara, and Toph struggle to figure out what to do without Sokka’s guidance and jokes. Who knew how aimless life would be without Sokka’s wise-cracking one-liners to entertain us. 15. The Avatar and the Fire Lord (Book 3, Chapter 6)The beginning of the 100 year war was always a mystery throughout the series. In this episode, we finally see what happened; revealing that the instigator of the war (Fire Lord Sozin) and Aang’s previous life (Avatar Roku) were best friends. For much of the series, the Fire Nation is depicted as power-hunger soldiers looking to conquer the world. Here we learn that, even if Sozin’s plans were bad, his initial intentions weren't just black and white. He wanted to share the prosperous life of the Fire Nation with the world, not just conquer it. This shows that the longer wars last, the more the original ideals become skewed and forgotten. 14. The Beach (Book 3, Chapter 5)Focusing entirely on the Zuko, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee as they go on vacation, this episode shows that, even though we’ve only known them as villains, they are actually human beings. The biggest laughs come from Azula, who’s attempts to act like a normal teenager despite being a manipulative tyrant. She doesn’t have the personality to integrate into a normal life, but she does want to. That shows us that, even though she’s crazy, she at least wants to be treated like a normal kid. 13. The Siege of the North (Book 1, Chapters 19 and 20)The two-part conclusion to the first season is one of the most epic moments of the series. Not only is it a great conclusion to the show up to that point, but it’s final battle (shown in the picture) is a beautiful feat of animation. Successfully balancing high stakes with true emotion, this story brings a satisfying conclusion while making us more than excited for what's to come. 12. The Puppetmaster (Book 3, Chapter 8)Even though it’s set in a fantasy world representing medieval Asia, they found a way to work in a Halloween special. And it’s a genuinely unnerving episode that slowly develops into a full-blown nightmare. The battle involving the Bloodbending techniques to a great example of how to add horror elements into an action sequence, and all done by a show made for kids. It’s not too scary for kids, but it’s still pretty scary. 11. Lake Laogai (Book 2, Chapter 17)It obviously earns points for the ending, where our heroes are happily reunited with Appa. But when they descend into the secret Dai Li headquarters underneath the titular lake, it’s a very tense and effective atmosphere. Also, the conclusion that leaves us hanging as to Jet’s ultimate fate is very emotional. We know what’s coming, but we don’t see it. 10. The Ember Island Players (Book 3, Chapter 17)The prelude episode to the 4-part series finale, the gang attends a play based on their global adventures, written by a Fire Nation playwright who was always a few steps behind our heroes. Acting as a recap of the entire series filled to the brim with meta-gags, we are taken on a hilarious journey back through our favorite moments while the writers gear us up for the epic battle that’s yet to come. 9. The Boiling Rock (Book 3, Chapters 14 and 15)A two-part episode that focuses on Sokka and Zuko breaking into a Fire Nation prison to rescue Sokka’s father. What follows is a thrilling and hilarious journey as they work to find a way to escape a prison that has never been broken out of before. It’s also great that to see the two reunite with people from their past; with Sokka reuniting with his father and Suki, and Zuko forced to confront Mai and Azula for the first time after leaving his nation. 8. The Cave of Two Lovers (Book 2, Chapter 2)It may just be a filler episode, but it’s one of their best. Thanks to a group of listless nomads, the story is filled with so many laugh-out-loud moments and memorable quotes. The comic timing is absolutely perfect, and the story of love acting as a guide through the labyrinth of tunnels acts as great character development. It also works with building up the relationship between Aang and Katara, which we all knew was going to happen eventually. 7. The Day of Black Sun (Book 3, Chapters 10 and 11)Their invasion plans come to fruition as the solar eclipse begins. Watching their army attempt to conquer the Fire Nation capital is one of the show’s most epic battles, with so many pieces happening all at once. It’s impossible to take everything in upon first viewing. That’s what makes this episode so great. I also love that, with the eclipse and the upcoming Sozin’s Comet, the show delves into more science fiction territory than just fantasy. 6. Avatar Day (Book 2, Chapter 5)“That’s why we call it justice. Because it’s just us.” Another insanely quotable episode that delivers one belly laugh after another, this one finds the team stuck in a town that despises the Avatar. In their attempts to prove Aang’s innocence, their interactions with the looney town are so hilarious, especially with their extremely one-sided law system. Before I get to my top 5, here are some honorable mentions in no particular order:
5. Sozin's Comet (Book 3, Chapters 18, 19, 20, and 21)Just because this is a perfect conclusion to the entire series, doesn’t mean that it’s the best episode. Nevertheless, it’s still a masterful piece of television that boasts stellar action sequences, gorgeous animation, and a truly emotional conclusion to the characters we love. Very few series finales give us everything we want while also managing to exceed all our expectations like this one did. It balances some many different tones, and wraps all the series's details in a nice little bow. 4. The Crossroads of Destiny (Book 2, Chapter 20)This episode is one of the darkest episodes of television I’ve seen, with one of the most devastating conclusions ever. As if the uncertain ending was upsetting enough, the creators really twist the knife by making us wait almost an entire year before the next season began. This episode does everything right, and really makes us scared (but also excited) for what comes next. 3. Appa's Lost Days (Book 2, Chapter 16)Showing us what happened to Appa after getting captured by the Sandbenders in The Library, this episode is hard to watch with crying a little. Our favorite flying bison is put through some miserable stuff as he is sold to an abusive circus, then then escapes and tries to make it on his own without much luck. It’s heartbreaking watching him suffer through all these things as he tries to make his way back to Aang. 2. The Awakening (Book 3, Chapter 1)The first episode of the third and final season; what makes this episode so great is how different it feels from the rest of the series. From the opening shot, the tone of the episode shows us that things are different. Our heroes aren’t just the fun-loving bunch we knew in the first two seasons. Things are serious now, as they prepare for their invasion of the Fire Nation during the solar eclipse and journey ever closer to their ultimate goals. 1. The Tales of Ba Sing Se (Book 2, Chapter 15)By far the best episode of the whole series is merely a series of short stories following the main cast as they live their lives in the titular Earth Kingdom city. Each story shows us different sides of the characters we’ve spent so much time with. But the one story that makes this episode the best is Uncle Iroh’s, who spends the day helping people before setting up a shrine for his son (who died in the war) and tearfully singing a folk song. It’s one of the best pieces of short drama ever made that makes me cry every time I watch it, especially with the tribute to Iroh’s recently deceased voice actor Mako at the end. While these are my personal favorites, all 61 episodes of this show are great in their own way. Very few shows run perfectly from beginning to end without a single misstep. It's what makes Avatar: The Last Airbender a true masterpiece in both animation and television, and a show that will be talked about many years from now.
The first thing to admit about this movie is that it is no high art. Based on the weekly comedy sketches created by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, the film is designed to expand on the tone and style of said shorts into a feature length adventure. This isn’t the kind of film you would see getting award nominations and critical acclaim from critics. You’re love of the movie will depend on how much you can stand the YouTube duo.
But as someone who has loved the Smosh brand for years, their first feature outing is a joyous sight to behold. It has its obvious limitations; such as a small budget that results in some lackluster visuals and a TV movie aesthetic. But for fans of Ian and Anthony, their palpable chemistry and signature humor will be more than enough to fulfill your expectations. There’s also a surprising amount of well-written character development that elevates this film above others of its kind. The duo’s adventure finds them at a crossroads in their lives. Anthony is focused on furthering his career despite working a dead-end job as a pizza delivery driver, while Ian still spends his days browsing the various videos on YouTube. They both wish for more from each other: Anthony wants Ian to grow up and make something of his life, while Ian wants Anthony to remember the carefree days of their youth. When they receive an invitation to their high school reunion, Anthony sees this as an opportunity to impress his old crush Anna Reed (Jillian Nelson). But when an embarrassing video of him shows up at the same time, he fears rejection. He and a reluctant Ian travel to the YouTube headquarters to talk with site founder Steve YouTube (Michael Ian Black) about taking the video down. He can’t, but reveals that they can change the video by literally going into YouTube. What follows is an adventure through a variety of content in order to find the video and restore Anthony’s reputation. The story has flashes of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure in it, which makes sense since it was directed by Bill himself, Alex Winter. It follows two best friends who go on a fantastical adventure that ultimately saves their friendship. That’s pretty much the extent of it. There’s isn’t much in terms of layers to the film’s themes of Internet fame and what it means to grow up. They’re just jumping off points for the story to enter full comedic territory. But if you like this kind of humor, you will find much to enjoy during the film’s breezy 84 minute runtime. There are multiple stabs towards Internet trends and what it takes to truly get famous on YouTube, and they all mostly land well. There are some hardy belly laughs to be had at the expense of Internet content creators. The comedy is mostly aided by the performances of Ian and Anthony. Again, your tolerance of their brand of humor will depend on how much you tolerate their online videos. It’s their chemistry and central friendship that help even the film’s weakest jokes land with some kind of chuckle. They don’t give fantastic performances, but they give enough to make their characters very entertaining. Another of the film’s biggest assets is its surprising commitment to character development. Rather than just being a series of bits held together by a loose narrative, the film has an actual story with character arcs for both Ian and Anthony. It really feels like they grow and develop throughout the film; because they aren’t the same people they were at the beginning by the end. They become better human beings because of their adventures. This may seem like a “duh” when it comes to screenwriting, but there are many other movies of the ilk that don’t do this. They merely throw their characters into a situation without using these circumstances to grow their personalities. There are no character arcs, so by the end, they are the same people they were at the beginning. By actually spending the time to develop Ian and Anthony’s characters, they become people that we want to root for and we feel like we learned an important lesson about life by the end. Smosh: The Movie is no cinematic masterpiece; but when compared to other movies from the YouTube community, it really seems like one. Rather than just littering a stale story with even staler gags, this film chooses to actually focus on a narrative in which the leads grow and learn as characters and become better people by the end. The humor is where some viewers may be tested, but there is fun to be had in this one even if you don’t care for their style. For a movie starring two of YouTube’s most influential stars, if could have been a lot worse, but it’s also way better than it had any right to be. That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment in my eyes. On the surface, the 2016 reboot of the 1984 supernatural comedy Ghostbusters has all the fixings of a cash-grab project. It’s light on story and heavy on fan service, despite not including the fan favorite characters. It follows an entirely new set of characters that are designed to fit the audience favorite personalities of today. However, if you’re willing to look beyond all that, it turns out to be so much more.
Ignoring the events of the original film, this new continuity introduces us to particle physicist Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig). In her early life, she was a firm believer in all things paranormal, despite being mocked by everyone around her. Now a respected scientist, she does whatever she can to distance herself from her past, for fear that she could become a laughing stock again. That is until something from her past comes back to haunt her. Her former partner, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), has published a book about the paranormal that she and Erin wrote years before without her knowledge. She fears this will lead to the end of her career, which sadly comes true when she, Abby, and her lab partner Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) discover a real ghost and the video of their discovery goes viral. But Erin’s belief has returned, and the three of them make it their mission to prove it to the public. They start a business attempting to find and capture spirits to study, named Ghostbusters by the public as an insult. They hire the dim-witted yet good hearted Kevin Beckman (Chris Hemsworth) as their mostly inept secretary, and history buff Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) when she also encounters a spirit. But little do they know, there is a madman responsible for these sightings. A genius inventor named Rowan North (Neil Casey) is attempting to bring about a ghost apocalypse, and only the Ghostbusters has the tools to put an end to his plot and save the world. What this new plot does well is managing to stand on its own. Sure, it’s full of references to the original movies and follows some of the same beats as the first film. But other than that, the film follows its own story and characters. Rather than just skipping to them with their fully-developed equipment and business, the film takes its time showing us what it took to get from point A to point B. This makes the stakes better earned, as we know why these characters care for each other. The cast also aid in making this new bunch of characters quite lovable. While the characters are more archetypes than fully-fledged humans, Wiig, McCarthy, McKinnon, and Jones do a great job of taking them and making them very fun to watch. Their palpable chemistry makes their fictional friendship very believable, which makes us care for them to win the battle against the ghosts. One of the standouts of the cast is McKinnon’s Jillian Holtzmann. She is easily the most unique of the new Ghostbusters; taking on the role of Harold Ramis’s Egon Spengler, but putting her own weird spin on it. Not much is known about her character from a backstory point, but she gives little clues through her dialogue that makes us curious to know more. She paints a good picture of who she is without doing much, and that’s a feat in and of itself. But probably the best performance of the film is Chris Hemsworth as Kevin Beckman. Like the other actresses, he manages to take a basic archetype and turn him into something very lovable. He makes what should be an insanely annoying character into one of the most hilarious highlights of the film. He also manages to work wonders with improvisational comedy; consistently keeping his jokes fresh by delivering clever one-liners and subverting the tropes of his role as the dumb blonde hunk. But even I have to admit that some of the cast’s one-liners don’t always work. They ride the modern train of constant improv, delivering joke after joke in a consistent manner. A lot of the time, the cast give the same type of jokes over and over, and while it works for the most part, it also manages to miss its intended targets. Which leaves us with an abundance of jokes that aren’t as funny as the characters seem to think they are. But even if it somewhat stumbles in the comedy department, it more than makes up for in its visuals. The film is gorgeous to look at, boasting a stellar color palate when it comes to its army of spectral villains. Even if some of the ghosts don’t look fully up to snuff when it comes to the standards of CGI today, they look great for the world and tone that the filmmakers have established. Though it does miss the mark a bit when it comes to the action sequences. Director Paul Feig excels at the comedy aspects of the film, and the film does have some fun set pieces during the second half. However, some aspects of the action don’t come alive as much as they could. There are multiple points towards the finale where the ghosts they fight look more like figures moving across a game board. Feig is an excellent director, but he maybe needs more practice when it comes to movies of this scale before he truly nails it. But that’s not to say that he fails the entire film, because for the most part, he very much succeeds. This is one movie where I would recommend the extended director’s cut more than the original theatrical cut. The extended cut may be 19 minutes longer, but it’s a way more coherent film than the one released in theaters. The story plans out more naturally, is loaded with other (and better) variations of the jokes, and overall feels like a more satisfying experience. So don’t truly judge the film until you’ve seen the director’s cut, because Feig’s version is infinitely better than the original studio version. The new Ghostbusters isn’t quite the movie that fans would expect, but manages to carve its own identity despite really being just a franchise starter at its core. Its talented ensemble makes a variety of paper thin caricatures into entertaining characters. The improved humor, while not always successful, is mostly very well delivered. The visuals are striking and colorful, and was one of the few films to truly embrace the 3D aspect with ghosts really looking like they fly off the screen and into the theater. Though we probably won't get a sequel, it's a fun one-off outing with a fun group of new busters. If you're curious to read my original thoughts, check out my review of the original theatrical cut on my old, and now defunct, review blog. For as long as the genre has existed, comedies have attempted to test the limits of what can be shown on screen. Sure, their main goal is to make us laugh. However, sometimes the funniest things we see are some of the more shocking things. Very few comedies try and do that today, because of the overabundance of people who are offended by everything. Though some movies try, and the new film Good Boys, from the producing team of Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, attempts to make an R-rated comedy about kids. Talk about risky territory.
The film follows three best friends, Max (Jacob Tremblay), Thor (Brady Noon), and Lucas (Keith L. Williams), who have been doing everything together for as long as they can remember. They have a bond that can never be tested no matter what. So, when Max is invited to his first kissing party by the popular kids, he is stressed that he won’t know how to kiss the girl of his dreams. This leads to the three using Max dad’s drone to spy on his teenage neighbor Hannah (Molly Gordon). However, this causes the drone to be confiscated by her and her friend Lily (Midori Francis). Thor steals Hannah’s handbag as collateral, but they end up with illegal drugs that the girls will do anything to get back. This leads the three friends on a journey around town that takes them from one bad decision to another, putting them at odds with cops, frat boys, and even each other. While it may be off-putting to watch preteen boys constantly swear and play with BDSM attire, that’s the whole point of the film. Much like 2016’s Sausage Party was an R-rated take on animated family films, this film is like an R-rated take on goofy kid comedies you might see on Nickelodeon. Your ability to accept something like that will definitely determine whether or not you like it. For those willing to, you’re in for a real treat. Good Boys delivers more than enough brilliantly timed jokes and gross-out gags to make-up for its somewhat weak story, and even has an unexpected heart to it that may bring a tear to some people’s eyes. It also has a surprisingly well-handled message about the powers of friendship and what it means to truly be a kid, and manages to make it universally relatable to the adults this film was made for (since kids really shouldn’t see this film). It’s the three young leads that really blow it out of the water. Tremblay, Noon, and Williams feel like actual best friends, and watching them play with and explore adult things they don’t have a full grasp on is an absolute delight. One of the funniest scenes involves the boys arming themselves with sex-themed toys and masks that they believe are weapons, then confronting a total stranger armed and dressed with them. It’s priceless. The real highlight performance here, however, is Jacob Tremblay. Ever since 2015’s Room, he has been one of the most talented child actors working today. He’s only 12 and he hasn’t had one bad performance yet. Even though last year’s The Predator was terrible, he was the one good thing about it. Here, he really gets to try something new and test the waters of a different kind of character and he nails it. It’s good that he’s doing this at such an early age, so it might be easier for him to transition to adult acting as he gets older. Sure, the humor does stay in the “highly profane” range for practically the entire runtime, and fully relies on the adult things the characters do and say. However, the film manages to handle this by delivering one gut-busting joke after another. Pretty much ever single jokes sticks a strong landing, and even when some don’t, they are immediately followed some that do. Very few comedies these days are capable of that. As said above, the one thing that brings the film down a bit is its story. It doesn’t have the strongest story to back up its creative humor. Max, Thor, and Lucas’s adventure just feels like going from one backdrop to the next to setup the next series of gags. This causes the film to slow down in places, and sometimes makes us pine for the next gag. It manages to get by; just not as well as one might have hoped. However, the story isn’t a complete wreck. In fact, it does something that most comedies these days don’t even try to include: it has a heart. Beneath all the crude humor lies a surprisingly heart warming side that makes us actually care for the characters. Most modern comedies would do away with the heart, creating characters who we don’t care about. This movie is filled with characters that we care for because they feel like actual human beings who care for each other. Even the villainous teenage girls they encounter have their likable moments. It may even be enough to bring a tear to someone’s eye. Good Boys may not end up becoming a comedy classic, but it successfully pushes the boundaries of what can and can’t be shown on a film without overstaying its welcome. It manages to balance its profane humor with a genuine heart, and is led by three great performances from its adorable leads. It doesn’t just test the limits, but actually tries to deliver a true standout within it’s crowded sub-genre, and it very much succeeds. Now that superhero movies are no longer the bottom barrel genre of the film industry, one genre still holds that title: video game movies. This is still a tough subject to crack, though that hasn’t stopped people yet. To give them a break, more effort actually has been put into making them as good as they can be. Warcraft is proof of that. It may have been a terrible film, but it showed that studios were willing to at least try and put some effort into making them decent.
Another example also comes from 2016; the animated feature film adaptation of Angry Birds. That film took what very little existed within the games and made a story that was feasible enough to satisfy fans of the game. It also sported a perfect voice cast and some beautiful and stylish animation. If anything, the film was a glorious treat for the eyes. Now, thanks to the success of that film, the birds are back in The Angry Birds Movie 2. After saving their home from the conniving pigs, Red (Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (Josh Gad), and Bomb (Danny McBride) spend their days engaging in an endless war with them, led by Leonard (Bill Hader) and his assistant Courtney (Awkwafina). They fire one prank after another, with no true end in sight. That is, until the pigs make a discovery that may require them to put their mission on hold. On a distant, frozen island, previously hidden from view of the birds and pigs, an eagle named Zeta (Leslie Jones) is fed up with her life living in perpetual winter. She plots to use a giant ice ball canon to drive the birds and pigs away and turn their homes in her own personal resort. In order to save their homes, Red and his friends must form an uneasy alliance with Leonard, along with a team consisting of Chuck’s sister Silver (Rachel Bloom) and a pig genius named Garry Pig (Sterling K. Brown) to stop Zeta before they all meet an icy doom. Critics weren’t too fond of the first film (which wasn’t much of a surprise), so it was almost shocking how warmly they started to receive this film. And for once, the critics were right. The Angry Birds Movie 2 is an improvement over an already entertaining animated film that focuses less on adapting the games and more on developing its own story, characters, and worlds. It also boasts more of the beautifully crafted animation and new additions to the cast that are just as great as the returning cast. Of course, this is a kid’s film first and foremost. So, the humor isn’t entirely effective. It’s very kid friendly humor, which means a large amount of gross-out gags, which sometimes tend to overstay their welcome. However, one thing to mention is that these gags are less prominent in this film than in the first one. The previous film had much more potty humor, but this one does it in a more tasteful way. It’s not always successful, but it’s more so than the last one. As with the first film, the voice cast was pure perfection, especially Sudeikis and Hader. Now that their characters are forced to work together, they have a lot more comedic potential to dive into, and it’s a wonder to behold. These two actually have fantastic comedic chemistry that makes their interactions about as entertaining as they could be. When ever Red and Leonard butt heads in this film, it’s always good for a hardy laugh. But Leonard isn’t the only character that has great chemistry with Red. Sudeikis also has great chemistry with newcomer Rachel Bloom, who voices the decidedly less speedy but just as crazy sister of Chuck, Silver. Silver is portrayed as a potential love interest for Red, a plot point that adds great comedy to the film. Watching Red and Silver butt heads about who should be the true leader of the team is just as funny as watching Red and Leonard do the same. Also just like the first film, the animation is absolutely stunning. I found myself awed by a shot of Red popping popcorn, which seems strange. The reason being that it looked about as realistic as possible. It was a strange sight that practically blurred the line between what was real and what was animated. Apart from that, the sheer amount of detail put into creating the world of Angry Birds is astonishing. You can tell that the filmmakers actually cared to put great effort into making the world look unique. What helps this film rise above its predecessor is its focus off of the games. The first film’s goal was to adapt the games, so the plot is basically a compilation of little references to the game’s story and play mechanics. Now that the game has been put to screen, this film decides to focus on its own potential. It has its own characters and worlds that aren’t even featured in the games (unless you count Zeta being added to Angry Birds 2). Because of this, the franchise really gets to stretch its legs and explore its potential in the best way possible. The Angry Birds Movie 2 manages to improve upon the original film by doing what most video game movies don’t. Instead of getting hampered by a need to adapt the games, this film creates its own story that takes its characters to new places that will keep the audiences guessing on what will happen next. We’ve already fallen in love with these characters, and the studio decided it was time for them to explore places outside of their games. With this, along with Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, it’s safe to say that we have found what it takes to break the video game movie curse (at least until Sonic the Hedgehog comes out next year). The Fast & Furious franchise has been with us for almost 20 years at this point, and it is still going strong. After the last two entries, Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious, made over 1 billion dollars at the box office, it has becomes Universal’s most successful franchise, and one of the most powerful properties in the film industry. No matter how far they stretch this series, it doesn’t show any signs of slamming the brakes.
So it only makes sense that the studio would do whatever they can to keep it going. Despite running for eight films, there are some places still left to look. That is, if Universal is willing to look hard enough. There are truly places for the series to go, but it isn’t a very large target to hit. But that won’t stop them from trying, and now they give us the first spin-off in the long running franchise, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. After their reluctant team up in The Fate of the Furious, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) are working as hired hands, taking down whatever crime their respective governments anonymously puts into their hands. However, their latest mission finds them hunting for the same thing; a super virus capable of wiping out billions of lives within a short period of time. For Luke, this is another job to save the world, but for Deckard, it’s personal because the one in possession of the virus is his sister, Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby). But they’re not the only ones after the virus. Their main adversary is Brixton (Idris Elba), a cybernetic-enhanced assassin working for a sadistic tech cult called Eteon. He and his men are capable of doing just about anything to get their way, and they wish to use the virus to make the world in their own image. Luke, Deckard, and Hattie will have to put their differences aside and work together to stop Brixton before he and Eteon destroy the world. It’s safe to say that this film is the true definition of a spin-off. It has almost nothing to do with its companions in the main series, making no mention of Dominic Torreto and the others aside from a few tongue-and-cheek references. And aside from a few muscle cars, it has completely abandoned the franchise’s street racing origins for almost comedically over-the-top stories involving advanced technology and international espionage. The good news; the series is still as hard hitting and fun as ever. Hobbs & Shaw may not be the best film in the gargantuan series, but its fast-paced, well choreographed action and irresistible chemistry between Johnson and Statham makes this one of its most entertaining. There’s also a level of humor in this one more so than the previous films, arguably making it the funniest film in the series. It’s no cinematic art, but it’s exactly what a summer blockbuster should be; fun, funny, and purely brainless. This film does loose some points for not being as heartfelt as the previous films, specifically the last two. There isn’t much in the way of character progression or truly affecting drama in this one. It’s primary focus is the action. If you’re are unfamiliar with the leading characters and what they’ve done up to this point, then you probably will find it hard to connect to them or the world around them. At this point, you’re either with the series or not. But for established fans of the franchise, they should breathe a sigh of relief that they should find something to love about this film. Whether it’s the hilariously insane action sequences or just the banter between the lead characters, there’s loads of fun to be had with this little romp. In an age where movies are sloppy, CGI messes with poorly handled social commentary, it’s refreshing to have a film who’s only focus is to entertain the audience. Much of the film’s fun comes from Johnson, Statham, and Kirby. The former two were the best part of the previous entry, so now they get the chance to truly test the limit of their comedic potential. And boy is it fun to watch. No matter what, their banter and one liners never get old, and it gets better with the addition of Kirby. Statham and Kirby actually feel like they are brother and sister, so their rivalry humor works even better. Needless to say, these three are the best matched trio in recent history. The series continues to top itself in terms of action, to the point where the action in this film is almost cartoonishly over-the-top. Rather than pushing the laws of physics like the previous films, this film completely does away with them. Whether or not you’re accepting of this will depend on if you like the film. For this reviewer, it’s the film’s best asset, and what makes the action work is that it’s well done. It’s consistently exciting and unexpected in ways that keeps the film from getting boring. The film also breathes new life into the series with its humor. Sure, the previous films had a good amount of humor largely thanks to the chemistry between the ensemble cast. But this one is the first in the series to truly act like a comedy. It presents the audience with actual jokes rather than just the witty remarks its characters make. This is also thanks to some truly unexpected cameos (which will go unnamed for spoilers sake) that adds some great laughs to the film. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw lacks the heart of the franchise’s previous two installments, but thanks to the infections chemistry of its leads, some truly laugh-out-loud humor, and well made and deliriously ridiculous action, it manages to rank among the series most entertaining films. The Fast & Furious saga still has places to go, and if they keep going down this route, it will still have a place in our hearts as the ultimate escapist film series. The possibility of bad Uber drives has become a joke on the Internet. The fact that you’re free to accept jobs from random people through the app means you’re more than likely to get someone strange. Very few people are who they say they are on the Internet, so it’s possible that the person you pick up isn’t going to be the person they say they are. Now, the new movie Stuber explores this concept through the eyes of someone not quite ready for an adventure like that.
Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) is struggling to make ends meet, with his dead-end retail job, meeting the expectations of his feminist love interest Becca (Betty Gilpin), and suffering from one 1-star Uber job after another. He begins to fear that his life may not be going in the direction he wanted, and worries that he might loose the girl of his dreams. That is, until he picks up someone new. He’s about to meet Vic (Dave Bautista), a hard-boiled detective whose hot on the trail of a bloodthirsty terrorist named Teijo (Iko Uwais). Vic has been more determined to find him after he killed his partner in cold blood. Unfortunately, a recent eye surgery has left him unable to complete his mission by himself, and he’s forced to recruit the very reluctant Stu on a violent and wacky adventure around Los Angeles to stop him. Stuber has the makings of a great buddy cop movie, with two big stars who both have great comedic chemistry, and a premise that takes a timely concept and turns it on its head. Unfortunately, despite some comedic moments and great chemistry between Nanjiani and Bautista, the movie never offers more than a mildly entertaining diversion. It’s best enjoyed if you’re with friends whom you can enjoy its pure stupidity with. One of the better parts of the film comes from the interactions between the leads. Kumail Nanjiani is a great comedian by himself, always knowing how to deliver comedic lines in the best possible way. So surprisingly, pairing him with Bautista gives him a great character to bounce his lines off of. Nanjiani’s mild-mannered personality and Bautista’s chiseled one are great contrasts that make for some truly laugh-out-loud moments. Bautista should also get some serious credit for his performance. Despite being best known as Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his role in this movie never once comes off as the crazy alien character. He may be playing a stereotypical cop, but that kind of character works well for him. He both looks and acts the character in a way that makes him a tough cop, but also a lovable one at that. Unfortunately, this movies stumbles when it comes to the story. It has a great concept with a lot of comedic potential. However, the writer decided to use the most basic story possible for the two leading men. If you’ve seen any movie following the “mild-mannered man thrown into a crazy situation,” you’ve basically seen this movie. It doesn’t do much to really reinvent the form or add any new twists to it. The casting also doesn’t work well in terms of the characters. While Nanjiani and Bautista are undoubtably perfect for their roles, characters like the villain Teijo didn’t seem large enough for their actors. Iko Uwais is such a big actor, but his greatest benefits to his talents are never used to their full potential. One can’t help but wonder why someone as big as him is in a part so small. Similar to most action movies these days, the way the high-stakes shootout sequences are shot doesn’t always work. The film’s shaky cam action sequences never very quickly get annoying to look at, and it becomes difficult to see what’s going on half the time. It also relies too heavily on the violence of its action, which sometimes becomes a little too much. The way people are graphically killed in this movie plays on a more comedic level that never quite works all the time, and eventually becomes tiresome. Stuber manages to get by on the arguably fantastic chemistry between Nanjiani and Bautista and a handful of comedic moments. Unfortunately, the story is too basic to fully take advantage of the assets they’ve pulled together. The violence is too over-the-top, the humor never quite sticks the landing all the time, and the action sequences get old way too fast. The only way to truly describe this film is that it’s “the strangest Uber commercial ever made.” The Warrens, Ed and Lorraine, investigated some of the most famous cases of hauntings, possessions, and demonic encounters ever recorded. They are generally considered to be the most prolific researchers of the paranormal in history. Since 2013, one of their cases that has become popular among audiences is the Annabelle doll. She has been featured in almost every film in The Conjuring Universe, and now she makes her return to the theater with the third chapter in her respective series, Annabelle Comes Home.
After coming to the aid of a pair of nurses who possessed the infamous doll, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) have taken it upon themselves to keep it locked away so the evil attached to it won’t harm anyone. However, during a rather eventful car ride home, Lorraine discovers, to her horror, that the demon is so powerful that it attracts the presence of other spirits, acting as a beacon for them. To make sure the spirits of the objects in their artifact room aren’t disturbed by the doll, the Warrens lock it away behind holy glass in an old church case. But evil can only be contained for so long. A year later, after the events of The Conjuring, their 10-year-old daughter Judy (Mckenna Grace) is struggling with possible psychic powers like her mother. When Ed and Lorraine leave for a day, she is left in the care of her babysitter Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman). However, Mary Ellen’s rebellious friend Daniela (Katie Sarife) is also along for the ride, but with her own agenda. Daniela intends to see inside the artifact room, and by doing so, unintentionally releases Annabelle, who uses the spirits of the room to unleash a terrifying wave of evil on the three girls. The Conjuring Universe has become known for bringing back traditional horror films in a way that can entertain modern audiences. They rely more on psychological fear and building up dread than cheap jump scares and over-the-top violence. It’s what makes these films among the A-list level films in the genre, of which there are very few. And with this new film, the franchise concludes its first trilogy. Annabelle Comes Home is by far the strongest entry in the universe since The Conjuring 2, featuring an Avengers-style crossover between old and new demons that is sure to delight and terrify fans of the franchise. The cast nails their respective roles, and we get a look at a barrage of new villains just waiting to receive their own spin-offs in the future. It also has a sort of heart to it that may even warm your heart, if something like that can even come from a horror film. The one thing that makes The Conjuring Universe one of the better cinematic universes is their treatment of the films. Every movie in this franchise works as its own standalone story, never trying to tie into or further a much larger narrative like the Marvel universe. The same goes for this film. You don’t need to have seen any other film in the franchise to know what’s going on in this one. It gives you enough information so, if you are going into this one fresh, you’ll have a pretty good idea what’s going on. After three years, it’s nice to see Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga back in the roles of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their palpable chemistry is one thing that makes The Conjuring films so watchable. It was great to have them back in their roles for this film, and as short as their time was, they were easily the best part of the film. The rest of the cast also does a great job. McKenna Grace, who’s talents can be ranked alongside the likes of Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) and Lulu Wilson (Annabelle: Creation), does a fantastic job as Judy Warren. And Iseman, who is rising through the ranks after her role in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, also does a great job as Mary Ellen. The Conjuring Universe has also been known for its creative scares. In this film, we see some of the franchise’s most inventive ones yet. The setup matches that of some of the familiar ones from previous films, but then they find ways to really subvert expectations. It’s a good thing because, as the series continues, there’s only so many kinds of scares you can pull off correctly. It’s nice that they’re already trying to find ways to reinvent themselves as they move forward. Annabelle Comes Homes uses the established formulas of the universe to deliver a clever and inventive slice of horror that will please fans of the franchise, and even entertain newbies. It terrifies with some very inventive scares, great performances from the cast, and a loving tribute to Lorraine Warren that may bring a tear to your eye. With the introduction of so many new demons within the Warren’s museum, it’s safe to say that The Conjuring Universe has lots of new places to go, and will be staying with us for quite a while. For as long as the monster movie has existed, Godzilla has been the staple of the genre; the “king of the monsters” so to speak. The towering, ancient, dinosaur-like creature has gone toe to toe with some of the mightiest in Japanese monster cinema, always coming out victorious and retaining that title. In 2014, Godzilla made his triumphant debut in an American-produced film that continued his legacy. Now, he’ll go up against some of the world’s strongest beasts in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Five years after Godzilla’s victory against the Mutos in San Francisco, the organization Monarch is facing charges for the destruction of the city. Godzilla has not been seen since the incident, and more creatures of god-like magnitude, classified as Titans, are starting to appear all over the world. Though their mission is to contain each one and figure out which are good, they know that they can’t keep them at bay forever. When Monarch scientist Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and her daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) are kidnapped by an ecoterrorist named Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), Emma is forced to use an experimental sonar system of her own design to unleash Ghidorah, a massive, hydra-like monster who assumes dominance over all the world’s Titans. Jonah believes that giving the Earth back to the Titans will save the planet from humanity’s influence. Meanwhile, Emma’s ex-husband Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) is forced to help the organization in the wake of her and Madison’s capture. As Ghidorah unleashes a literal hell on Earth, the only Titan standing in his way is Godzilla, who will stop at nothing until Ghidorah falls. With the help of Monarch scientist Sam Coleman (Thomas Middleditch) and higher ups Ishirō Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins), they all fight to ensure the survival of both humans and monsters alike. In this reviewer’s opinion, the 2014 Godzilla film was an underrated gem. The idea not to show much of Godzilla until the end built up anticipation for the final battle in the end, which was so much fun. It’s a move that takes a more old fashioned approach to its source material, something that modern mainstream audiences didn’t have the patience for. So expectations for this one were very high, almost impossibly high. And it did not disappoint. Godzilla: King of the Monsters doubles the amount of Kaiju action from the first movie that fully embraces the epic nature of its global destruction, creating what only be described as a true work of art in the monster genre. The battles between Godzilla and the other monsters are spectacularly crafted and inject so much fun into the film, and the shots of the monsters look like paintings out of a museum. The performances of the cast are a real highlight of the film. It was great having Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins back from the first movie. Along with them is a cast of actors and actresses who are all playing roles they don’t normally play. It’s fun to see someone like Thomas Middleditch, known to normally do comedies, take on a more serious role. The true highlight performance, and probably the best part of the film, is Millie Bobby Brown. Starring in her first film following her role in Stranger Things, the character of Madison Russell gives her more emotional range compared to the near blank-faced Eleven. And she continues to prove that she is the best child actress working today. Surprisingly, her performance in here doesn’t come off as her television character. She really becomes her character and plays her with so much emotion that you won’t be thinking, “hey, it’s that girl from Stranger Things.” It’s rare to find an actress so young that can act so well. There is something to be said about the story, and while it’s not really ridiculous or stupid, it is only serviceable. It feels like a story from one of the classic, Japanese Godzilla films in how over-the-top the missions become. It doesn’t try to bring anything new to the table, and it becomes somewhat predictable, though it still has a number of twists that keep you guessing. However, no one ever comes to these movies wanting an original story or great characters. They come for the monster fights, and boy does this film deliver on that. There haven’t been fights as exciting as this since the first Jurassic World. Godzilla’s duels with the other Titans will have you jumping in your seat and cheering for the colossal creature. There’s no denying that, as much as you don’t like the story or characters, you will be more than entertained by the sight of Godzilla throwing Ghidorah into an office building. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is truly something to behold. Its unbelievably exciting action scenes and beautiful imagery are more than enough to make up for a story that does what it needs to without reinventing the wheel. No one ever comes to these movies expecting something on the level of a Best Picture winning marvel. But there’s no denying that summer blockbusters this exhilarating are very hard to come by these days. |