Author: James Hathaway

Sorry To Bother You

First, it is set in an alternate universe in Oakland, CA where under employed telemarketers struggle to make sales that impact their paycheck.  Suddenly Cassious Green, played by Kakeith Stanfield, is coached by Langston, played by Danny Glover, who teaches Cassious how to find his “white voice” when cold calling potential customers.   Before long Cassious becomes a super star who is invited “upstairs” where the heavy hitters work.

The total cast is over 80 actors including most notably, Armie Hammer, Steve Yeun, Michael Sommers, Kate Berlant and Tessa Thompson.

Unfortunately, the film erodes into a bizarre place where excessive drug use and humans are transformed into minotaurs for sex.  It goes way off target in our opinion.

Now fasten your seat belts…most critics gave this film great ratings!!  Rotten Tomatoes scored it with 95% favorable.  Metacritic and Common Sense Media both rated it with 80% favorable.  Our rating below speaks for itself.

It’s rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content, graphic nudity and drug use.  It’s listed as a Comedy, Science Fiction and Fantasy.  Children should never see this film.  And in our opinion, no one else should either..

Rating 

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Yes, the movie “pickins” are getting a bit thin.  So why not catch a mindless cartoon for an hour or so, right?!  We know the franchise from Sony Pictures can deliver quality animation and we know what to expect, right?  Well…not as much as we thought.

Drac and his family decide to take a vacation on a Monster Cruise ship as an alternative to their own hotel.  All goes well until Drac falls for the Ship’s Captain, Ericka.  Soon, all goes wrong when Ericka’s Dad, Van Helsing, plans foul play…

Over 60 actors contribute voices to the characters.  Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Jim Gaffigan, Joe Jonas, and Mel Brooks were among our favorites.

It’s rated PG for some action and rude humor.  It’s listed as Animation, Comedy, Kids & Family.  The run time is 97 minutes.  It’s not a bad film.  Let’s just say we have had better “vacations”!!

Rating 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

The original is a movie classic and the stage play is even more popular today than ever before.  This rendition tweaks the concept quite a bit.

First it’s set in the future of the original.  The daughter played by Amanda Seyfried, has completed the renovation of her Mom’s hotel and plans a huge Grand Opening event.  As guests slowly gather, bad weather threatens to impede events.

It’s a great cast.  Meryl Streep has a cameo appearance.  Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, and Colin Firth round out the ‘Dad’ category.  Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are fantastic in the ladies section.  Cher headlines as the Great Grandmother.

We were surprised to see the critics and some audiences poo pooed the production.  We felt it had just the right mix of connection to the original, a few twists to make it interesting and respect for the original story while still keeping it fresh.

It’s rated PG-13 for some suggestive material.  Our theater was packed with an audience from adolescents to seniors.  It’s listed as a Comedy, Musical and Performing Arts.  Run time is 114 minutes.

Rating 

Whitney

This is the second documentary about the life of Whitney Houston.  It’s at the same time touching and heart breaking.  It uses real footage including amazing performances and the dark erosion of one of the worlds best contemporary singing talents.

It’s also raw, insightful, haunting and tragic.  As the film unfolds, Whitney is discovered and begins a meteoric career that plateaus as a superstar with her family, husband Bobby Brown and her childhood demons in tow.

The cast includes Whitney of course, her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, husband Bobby Brown, her mother Cissy Houston, Clive Davis, Robyn Crawford, Gary Houston, L.A. Reid, Mary Jones, Alan Jacobs and over 20 crew members.

We found the film riveting.  Her performances are stunning.  Her life story and family deeply flawed.  We were surprised to see the film is not rated.  We also feel the movie is absolutely not appropriate for children.  Nonetheless we noticed many children in attendance with parents.  The run time is 120 minutes.

Rating  

Sanju

This is an interesting and unique film about an East Indian Actor Sanjay Dutt, his enormous success as well as his battle with numerous addictions, time in prison and behavioral demons.

The film was released globally a couple of weeks ago and was greeted with great success.  If you have not seen Indian films, this would be a great first choice.  There are 14 primary actors from a cast of 50.  It is noteworthy that actor Ranbir Kapoor literally transformed himself into the character with extensive hours of hair and makeup.  He also spent months of physical training to bulk up to better match the real life character.

It’s a classic Bollywood production.  The acting is exaggerated, the language is primarily Hindi, the English subtitles fly across the screen, and the underlying messages are both locally and globally relevant.

It is not rated in the US.  It is really a Biography/Drama.  There is drug abuse, violence and sexually suggestive so we strongly caution parents that it is not child appropriate.  The run time is 2 hours, 35 minutes.

Rating 

Skyscraper

This is the latest Dwayne Johnson film.  This time building consultant to the tallest building in the world.  It is set in Hong Kong in the near future when the bad guys set the building on fire and extort money from the owner.

It is just different and fresh enough to be entertaining.  It’s a unique plot, generally well acted with just the right mix of surprise and production features.

The cast is compact.  Dwayne Johnson is, of course, the headliner.  Neve Campbell plays the wife.  Noah Taylor, Pablo Schreiber and Roland Moller are really good bad guys.  American actor Ng Chin Han is the building owner and Byron Mann is the top policeman.  The special effects are impressive.

It is rated PG-13 for gun violence, action and some strong language.  The genre is noted as Action & Adventure, Drama.  The run time is 103 minutes.

Rating 

Continue reading Movies: Sicario: Day of the Soldado, The First Purge, Ant-Man and the Wasp

Big HELLO to everyone!

We are sending out the following two reviews because we will be traveling to Wisconsin starting tomorrow.  Once we get settled, we’ll resume our movie reviews and travel posts as activities allow.

Our first week will be filled with family activities including our favorite…time with the two newest nieces, Gracie and Amelia.  (They grow and change so fast, one must seize the moment as often as possible!)

We wish the best to everyone for a safe fun filled 4th of July.  J&J

Leave No Trace

Wow!  This is a powerful story about a father and daughter living “off the grid” in a rugged forest park outside Portland, Oregon.

When they are discovered by Park Police their simple life is replaced by a structured program meant as a path to “normal” living.

The film never really reveals what happened in their lives although we do learn the father appeared to be struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  The daughter reveres her Dad, their bond is incredible.

The cast is compact.  Thomasin McKenzie is exceptional as Caroline (daughter), Ben Foster is incredible as the Father, Will.  Dale Dickey is awesome as the Landlady.  Dana Millican is perfect as the Social Worker.

The film is rated PG for thematic material throughout.  It is listed as a Drama.  It may be okay for older children with some explanation.  The run time is 109 minutes.  We think this film could garner some Oscar nominations for acting, directing, screenplay.  This is a good one, don’t miss it if it appeals to you.

Rating  

Boundaries

This is a unique take on a “father, daughter, grandson” road trip story with more than a few twists.

First, all the characters are flawed, but the acting is above average.  Next there are lots of stray animals just for dysfunction sake, but the critters are easily forgiven while the humans really need some serious help.

All that said, we enjoyed this film.  It’s unique, mostly believable, well acted and doesn’t take itself too seriously.  There are some surprisingly funny scenes and a mostly nice road trip.

Vera Farmiga is hilarious as the Mom.  Lewis MacDougall is perfect as the son.  Christopher Plummer is amazing as the Father/Grandfather.  Bobby Cannavale is excellent as the ex-husband and Kristen Schaal is adorable as the sister.

It’s rated R for drug material, language, and some sexual references along with a few nude sketches.  It’s called a Comedy/Drama and runs 104 minutes.

Rating  

Hi Everyone!  It’s been an interesting week for movies.  There’s been a lull in new releases so this week we decided to explore a couple of new movies released from China.

It was an interesting experience.  One in Cantonese, and one in Mandarin, both with English subtitles.  The challenge was to speed read the subtitles and pay attention to the visuals at the same time.  That is easier said than done.  Worth a look if you find them in your area.

J&J

Vivienne Westwood is one of Britain’s iconic fashion designers.  This film chronicles her rise to celebrity status and her life and career as a global couture brand.

Ms. Westwood’s conversations range from the Sex Pistols, her resistance to the film’s content, her 26 year marriage to husband Andreas  Kronthaler, and a roller coaster journey from near bankruptcy to global success.

The film drifts from a focus on fashion and design to a passion for environmental activism and ultimately her mixed feelings about her own legacy.  It is interesting, somewhat confusing, revealing and insightful about the life and times of this unique personality.

The film is not rated,  It is listed as a Documentary running 80 minutes.  It is currently in limited release.

Rating 

Lobster Cop

It’s an odd mix.  Four police officers open a lobster restaurant as a cover to catch nearby drug dealers.  Much to their surprise their lobster recipe, which includes 13 spices, becomes a huge success.

It’s heavy on the slap stick, quite gritty but funny.   The cops are more like the three stooges than police officers.  The production is hit and mostly miss.

There are only seven actors in the film, none known to the  international market.  The film is not rated in the U.S.  The genre is Action & Adventure, Comedy.  The run time is 94 minutes.  Mandarin with English subtitles.

Rating 

The Leakers

This action/crime themed film is set in Malaysia.  A new infectious disease out break threatens death to millions of people until a vaccine is developed and released by a local pharmaceutical company.

The pharmaceutical Chairman of the Board’s son turns up dead.  A reporter and police from Hong Kong and Malaysia start a man hunt for the killer.  Along the way a group called the “Leakers” claim to know the “dark truth” behind the scenes.

The story is interesting with lots of twists and lots of action.  The production quality is world class.  The acting is good with occasional goofy moments.

It’s listed as a thriller.  The run time is 1 hour 40 minutes.  Cantonese with English subtitles.

Rating  

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

This fifth in the series Jurassic movie is different from the rest of the franchise.  It is intense, yet intimate.  Epic and suspense filled.  It’s dark and visually stunning.

Lots of critics poo-pooed this film.  And yes, it is a departure from the previous films in the series.  So what?!

It’s a good cast.  Bryce Dallas Howard plays Clare.  Chris Pratt of course as Owen.  Jeff Goldblum is Ian Malcolm. Daniella Pineda is Zia Rodriguez.  Justice Smith plays the techie and B. D. Wong plays Dr. Henry Wu.  Toby Jones is back as Wheaton and James Cromwell is the Patriarch.

We wonder where the next chapter will go, assuming there are more to come.  Some predict the dinosaurs retake the earth and mankind, as we know it, evaporates.

Bottom line, we liked it.  It was interesting, different and certainly entertaining.  See it in a premium theater with recliners, upgraded sound and such.  Run time is 128 minutes and is rated PG-13.

Rating  

Attraction

We were “attracted” to this film because it was different, a Russian production (rare by our standards), and we have exhausted most of the available inventory of films lately.

That said, we were not disappointed.  We were impressed.  It’s a world class production.  An alien spacecraft enters Russian airspace and is shot down over Moscow suburbs. It’s as believable as any Western production of the same genre; i.e. Independence Day.  The edgy tone of the Eastern bloc culture was intriguing and insightful.

The core cast included 14 Russian actors with hundreds of extras.  The story is focused on a few core elements, the military, young adults and their immediate circle of friends and love interests, patriots and resisters.

The film is not rated in the US.  It is listed as Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romance.  The run time is 133 minutes.  Russian with English subtitles.

Note:  This was originally released in IMAX theaters in 2017!  Did anybody see this?!

Rating  

SuperFly

We just heard about this film and decided to squeeze it in.  We were glad we did.  We knew it was a remake based on the 1972 movie.  It’s updated to present time with a contemporary set and screenplay.

Set in Atlanta, the plot follows drug dealers and suppliers, their sources and lifestyles.  The relationships are well developed and the characters feel plausible.  The outcome is a surprise.

The cast is excellent with over 78 actors.  Trevor Jackson, Lex Scott Davis, Esai Morales, Jason Mitchell, Rick Ross, Andrea Londo and Allen Maldonado round out the leading characters.  Jennifer Morrison and Brian F. Durkin are really good as bad cops.

It’s rated R for violence and language throughout, strong sexuality, nudity and drug content.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Suspense.  It is not appropriate for children.  The run time is 108 minutes.

Rating  

Gotti

We literally left the theater less than an hour ago.  We came home, turned on the computer where we discovered Rotten Tomatoes critics trashed Gotti with a 0% rating.  We felt that was completely wrong so a digging we did go.  Cross checking with numerous other sources, our unofficial sleuthing showed audiences, in general, liked the film.  What’s more, the folks distributing the movie called the critics “Trolls”.  We are certain there is a much bigger story behind all this and we will share what we learn with all of you.  On with our perspective!

Overall, we liked it.  It is very focused on John Gotti and his son and their families, the code they lived by as part of the Gambino crime family in New York during the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s.  It felt authentic.

It has a pretty nice cast: John Travolta as John Gotti, Sr., Kelly Preston as wife Victoria Gotti, Stacy Keatch as a key member of the “family”, Canadian actor Spencer Rocco Lofranco plays John Gotti Jr.  The rest of the cast includes well over 100 actors.

It is rated R for strong violence and pervasive language.  It is listed as a Biography, Crime, Drama.  We do not recommend this movie for children.  The run time is 104 minutes.

Note: While researching, we discovered much of the movie was filmed in Cincinnati, not New York.

Rating 

Incredibles 2

It is hard to believe it has been 14 years since the first Incredibles came out of the Pixar Studios.  Now part of the Disney empire Incredibles 2 is close to breaking box office records barely a week after release.

Like the original, Incredibles 2 is a fun, clever, action packed epic.  Audiences of all ages are loving it.  Our favorite character is Jack Jack the baby who has 17 super powers.  We will say no more but we are confident you’ll be entertained.

The cast is perfect.  Holly Hunter is Elastigirl.  Craig T. Nelson is Mr. Incredible.  Catherine Keener is Evelyn Deavor, Bob Odenkirk is Winston Deavor.  Isabella Rossellini is the Ambassador.  John Ratzenberger is the Underminer.  Johnathan Banks is Rick Dicker.  Brad Bird plays a hilarious Edna Mode.  Samuel Jackson is Lucius Best/Frozone.

It is rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language.  It is child friendly although very young children may be startled by some rapid actions.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family.  The run time is 118 minutes.  Special Note:  Pixar has put out a disclaimer that a few scenes, using strobe light technology, may affect audience members who have epilepsy.

Note:  While showing in several theaters at the multiplex we went to, our show was sold out.  Customer Service offered us any other showing including IMAX.  It made a good movie even better.  The screen we had is the largest on the West Coast.  Talk about an upgrade!!

Rating 

Let the Sunshine In

This film features Juliette Binoche as a divorced Parisian artist, frequently having sex in one failed relationship after another.

Critics laud this movie as “real”, “relatable” while others call it a “shallow midlife crisis” and an “undiagnosed” Cinderella complex.

French Director Clare Denis crafts a story about a middle aged woman artist seeking happiness from her male lovers de jour.  The story does not judge, in fact, it gently recognizes her faults with sympathy and compassion.

The cast includes Juliette Binoche and Gerard Depardieu as the headliners.  Paul Blain, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Xavier Beauvois, Philippe Katerine and a dozen more French actors.

The film is not rated.  The genre is listed as Art House & International, Drama, Romance.  The run time is 96 minutes.

While we are big fans of International films and Ms. Binoche, this one was just a little too artsy for our liking.

Rating