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The Kid Who Would be King Movie Review

January 25, 2019 (updated January 23, 2019) Published by JMcNaughton

Retelling the tale of King Arthur is as common as giant turkey legs at a Renaissance Faire. But in the movie “The Kid Who Would Be King” the ‘Once and Future King’ is a little on the young side. The Sword Excalibur is meant only for the hands of the King. But when a young kid pulls out the sword in a modern-day England – that schoolboy’s life gets turned around. Good thing he has help of an ancient and mighty sorcerer named Merlin. However, he is also portrayed as another young boy, just more eccentric. There is an evil presence from King Arthur’s day ready to return and destroy all of England, so the new Kid King has his work cut out for him.

Alex Elloit (Louis Serkis) is getting a rough time at school in a small town outside of London. He and his best pal Bedders (Dean Chaumoo) get picked on everyday. Two older kids named Lance (Tom Taylor) and Kaye (Rhianna Doris) are very cruel to Alex and Bedders. One night, while hiding from the two, Alex ducks into a construction site. He finds an unusual site – there is a sword in a stone. He’s is able to remove and take it home. Little does he know that an evil sorceress named Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson) has been imprisoned and knows the sword is active. She is the half-sister of King Arthur and she is held by a powerful spell from the Ancient Merlin (Patrick Stewart). She vows to escape and lead her undead evil minions to destroy the Kingdom.

Alex learns that a young version of Merlin (Angus Imrie) has come back to assist him. Merlin seems to be just an oddball at school, but he shows Alex, Bedders, Lance and Kaye some very powerful magic. In four days, during a solar eclipse, Morgana plans to rise from the prison of darkness and overtake the world. Alex does not know how to be a leader. Bedders is basically scared of everything. Lance is bully who puts himself first, and Kaye is not interested in helping other people. But with a lot of effort, this ragtag group travels across the country to seek out the truth, a Quest for the future of England.

Alex and his crew finally get to the place where Morgana is entrapped. They think they have defeated her, but there is another – and a much larger – battle to come. The solar eclipse releases Morgana and some terrible forces from the Earth. But Alex and gotten his entire school ready to fight. There is a huge CGI battle-fest, with undead minions on black horses and Morgana returned as a female bat-dragon type of thing. It is only because of the ‘Earth in darkness but not in night’ that allows Alex to have so many people join his crusade against evil. It is non-descript battle, seeing that it is to prevent the downfall of all humanity…

There are a handful of clever and creative ideas in this movie. But mostly it is a just a rehash of better movies on the same subject. Even Disney’s animated “The Sword and the Stone” covered much of this same ground. The bright spots are Angus Imrie playing Merlin, and when he gets swapped out occasionally for the older and wiser version – played by Patrick Stewart. Most of the child actors are pretty fun to watch, and they get the point across. The movie moves at an odd pace, with some sections dragged out for a quest going here and there in the English countryside. The internal logic of the movie is fuzzy, and there is one major scientific error that I cannot dismiss. There is supposed to be a solar eclipse in a few days, and right before that – the kids are out at night under a full moon. Ask your science teacher why that is wrong…

Joe Cornish has another movie under his belt where he wrote and directed (“Attack the Block”). That movie also starred mostly young kids, and he did a fantastic job with that one. He also wrote (or co-wrote) some great movies, “Adventures of Tin-Tin”, “Baby Driver”, and “Ant Man”. But he seems to have taken a few days of during this movie. “The Kid Who Would Be King” could be a very engaging movie, with a lot going for it. But the final results with this movie, it does not rise to the Throne. Cornish has pulled and pulled, but this time the sword stayed in the stone…

Destroyer Movie Review

January 18, 2019 (updated January 17, 2019) Published by JMcNaughton

“Destroyer” is a wild fever dream of a long awaited time to avenge a wrong done to the main character. It involves a woman undercover detective in LA, sent into a deep-cover operation with a man who becomes her lover. There are circumstances that cause several deaths, and she suffers a tragic loss of her lover. He had become the father of a soon-to-be born child, and the agents’ life is turned upside down. There was a bank-robbery gang that she and the other agent were imbedded into. During an ill-conceived heist, there is hell to be paid. Even if that retribution needs to wait 17 years…

Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) is currently considered a joke in the LA police detective office. She is hard-drinking and impertinent. She does not work well with others. She has a daughter, and the girl is contently in trouble. She has an ex-husband Ethan (Scoot McNairy), but is now divorced – mostly because Erin Bell pushes way everyone in her life. She is a total hot mess and under duress. She knows and waits for only one thing. She craves to get back the person who had ruined her life 17 years ago.

Back 17 years, and Erin was teamed with Chris (Sebastian Stan) in an undercover operation to get in with a gang of outcasts. They are led by a strange but charismatic guy named Silas (Toby Kebbell). People in the gang were under control of Silas, to the point of playing Russian roulette for his amusement. He would plan bank robberies and other things to prove the loyalty of his crew. After many months, Erin Bell and Chris became full ingrained into the gang. They become lovers and Erin is pregnant. But there is a fateful day with a robbery gone very badly. Erin’s child will never meet her true father.

Erin Bell has survived her life since that day, and has not dreamed of anything but getting revenge. One day, she hears of some recent clues about the return of Silas to the scene in LA. There are some ex-gang members that she finds, and she finds DiFranco (Bradley Whitford). DiFranco is a successful lawyer who has side jobs from criminal clients. One of his contacts is Silas, and he has been laundering money from the old bank robberies. This leads Erin to Petra (Tatiana Maslany), one of the old members. She is getting new members to work for Silas to commit new robberies. Erin finds one in progress and becomes an on-the-spot security force. She first captures and gets more information from Petra, so that she can confront Silas for a final time.

Nicole Kidman has created a character that is so deep into her hatred and despair that she has ruined her life. Kidman put 100% into this role, and she looks so unlike any other character that Nicole Kidman has ever played – that you might gasp. Her life spirit has been drained, and she wants nothing but revenge. But she will not give up or quit, until she can undo the damage done by Silas. This is a role for which Kidman deserves to be recognized and awarded many honors.

Karyn Kusama has directed a very wonderful little film. It tracks back and forth in time, to show Erin Bell’s tragic story. It takes the typical ideas from detective stories and turns them slightly askew. It captures the struggle for a normal life by a character that is haunted by her past life. It takes a clear-eyed view of how an obsessive need for revenge can be a Destroyer of a person’s life.

In Phoenix, area – open exclusively at the Harkins Scottsdale Camelview

Second Act Movie Review

December 21, 2018 (updated December 20, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“Second Act” is attempting to be some things that it is not. It is sold as a Romantic Comedy, just without the romance. It is supposed to be a positive feel-good story of a woman who can make it on her own merits. Yet her credentials are made up from whole cloth and are fake, phony and non-existent. There is an encouraging message on adoption, but the lead up to the reunification of mother and adopted out daughter seem contrived. But is does have Jennifer Lopez as the charismatic engine in this ‘Little Engine That Could”, so it is able to climb that hill and make it to the top. She brings all of her energy, and there is a cast of supporting characters that gives this movie a little zest.

Maya (Jennifer Lopez) is a 40-year old with a job in a big box retail store in Queens. She has been building up the local store for many years, yet she is passed up for a Manager position. She is feeling down, and her boyfriend Trey (Milo Ventimiglia) attempts to cheer her up. But they have a major fight over getting married and having kids. She is not ready for that, so soon she is staying at her best friend and co-worker’s house. Joan (Leah Remini) has sympathy for Maya, but she gets her son to give Maya a professional Social Media makeover. Maya becomes Maria, who has graduated from Wharton Business School, served in the Peace Corp, and climb Kilimanjaro. Maya (as Maria) gets a very lucrative job offer from a Wall Street business that is into skin care products.

Maria (actually Maya) really impresses the owner and founder of the company, Anderson Clarke (Treat Williams). She has less of an impact on his daughter Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens). Maya BS’s her way into a corporate position and finds herself in a showdown with another group inside the company. There are two groups that will attempt to make a fully organic skin care product, and the other group will take an existing product and make it eco-friendlier. Maya has only a few folks with her side, including Hildy (Annaleigh Ashford). They face off against a group led by Ron (Freddie Stroma). Ron is running circles around Maya, and Hildy also dumps Maya to work instead with Ron. There are some social events for the company that end in disaster because Anderson believes that Maya has done all the things that are listed on the (fake) resume.

But a dark secret that Maya has from her past caused her breakup with Trey, because she could not bear to tell him the truth. That youthful mistake that created Maya’s hidden secret comes back to her in a big and substantial way. Maya develops a much closer relationship with Zoe because of this past incident. But Maya still attempts to keep up the fake facade that got her this new position and all the luxuries that come with it. But will her moments of dishonesty lead Maya to some unfortunate circumstances? Is her trouble with the past really over, or is it just now starting again?

“Second Act” is a big underachiever, in that it starts up with too many ideas that never get fully developed. The writing has some pretty funny lines, but the overall idea is dreadful. Don’t like your current job? Then make up all sorts of wild things about your professional past to make you look like a Real Pro. I’m sure you won’t get caught. Jennifer Lopez never did! But hand it to Lopez, because she takes the old rusty Chevy Chevette of a story and makes it purr like a Corvette.

There are a handful of really funny lines, most delivered by Leah Remini (as her best friend Joan). Vanessa Hudgens has a nice performance as person who has more in common with Maya than she knows. Milo Ventimiglia is seen a short time and retuns at the end, so not much is there for him. All the other actors are respectable, but nobody stands out.

Only because Jennifer Lopez stars in this movie, “Second Act” deserves a second look.

Aquaman Movie Review

December 21, 2018 (updated December 19, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“Aquaman” is another in the DC Comics ‘Extended Universe’ of movie adaptations. But this one hits on some strong notes, as opposed to the other DCEU ones they have created. “Wonder Woman” was an exemption and a template for doing this right, and they have (mostly) followed along in a similar way. It is not dark and brooding like the recent DCEU movies were dark and (mostly) humorless. But with help from director James Wan, this new movie does not jump the shark – it uses the shark as a friggin’ undersea taxi service. If you don’t tip well enough, the driver might eat you…

Since every superhero needs a back story, Aquaman becomes a love child between a lighthouse keeper from Maine, and the Queen of Atlantis. Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), escapes to the Earth’s surface. She meets and falls in love with the keeper and they have a child. The little boy has unusual powers (being half-human and half-Atlantean). Atlanna is forced back to again be Queen of Atlantis, and there she and King have another boy child. Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) is the half-breed, and his younger (fully Atlantean) brother is Orm (Patrick Wilson). Arthur is named after a king, because, well – you know…

Arthur is fine with staying on land, and getting some good things done – under the name ‘Aquaman’. He works to save a Russian sub from a band of pirates. But one of these bad guys is named David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and he blames Aquaman for his father’s death. Kane is working secretly with Orm, to try and make the sea-people rise up and fight the land-people. Aquaman is staying out of this fight, until he gets visit from Mera (Amber Heard), an Atlantean princess and warrior. She knows that something bad is going to happen, and she is soon to be married to Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother. Awkward!

Mera’a father is King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren), an ally of Orm. As a child Arthur was being trained by Vulko (Willem Dafoe). Vulko and Mera both convince Aquaman that he the only one with the special powers to challenge his brother Orm. Aquaman is brought to Atlantis and there is a challenge to the death. It is between him and his brother Orm, and he must fight in the “Ring of Fire”. But Johnny Cash does not show up to save him. Mera helps to get him out so they both can go on a world-wide quest to find the lost Trident of the First Atlantean King. They go to sandy African deserts and scenic islands off of Sicily. David Kane (I’m sure you all remember him) shows up with some modified Atlantean technology and calls himself Black Manta.

Aquaman fights Black Manta and throws him off a cliff, where he surely dies (unless they want another villain for ‘Aquaman 2’). Aquaman and Mera escape and they know the location of the special Trident. It is hidden in a dreadful placed called ‘The Trench”. It is where Aquaman’s Queen mother was brought years ago and sentenced to die (for treason, after the King found out about the ‘Arthur Curry incident’)

But you still need to strap in at this point, because you have much more to see. There is much more in the story, including scary ugly monsters that look like sea monkeys on steroids. There is a Lost Kingdom with secret hiding places for a special Trident. There is Arthur who pulls the Sword Excalibur from the stone… No – I mean, Aquaman who takes the Golden Trident from the guardian hands of the dead King.

There is a major underwater battle that is brewing when Orm and his minions decide to destroy any resistance in the other Kingoms, and then take the fight to the land-dwellers. Only the One True King would be able to prevent Orm from taking over and proclaiming himself and the Ocean Master. Can’t have that now, can we?

Other than a slightly too-long run time, this movie is a fine example of a fun and adventure-filled comic book turned into the visual treat. A lot of the visual effects are like cotton candy for the eyes. The actors cast in the movie do a credible job at making a fantastic display of an interesting world come to life. The sub-plot with David Kane and the Black Manta could have been cut and it would be perfectly fine. There are shades of the classical saga stories in the plot and the final battles are epic.

Wan directs this comic book classic with zeal, and Jason Momoa takes the lead role and makes it his own. An adventure story with lot of spectacle and a lot of humor. Definitely ‘see’ worthy!

Bumblebee Movie Review

December 21, 2018 (updated December 19, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

Face the facts. Since 2007, Michael Bay has delivered “Transformers” movies that have assaulted the audience. Each movie being bigger and louder and dumber and more visually CGI-infected than the prior version, it was like an evil Decepticon plot to torture humanity. But the Torture-bots have been defeated. The newest “Transformers” movie is like a breath of fresh, clean air from back in 1987. “Bumblebee” is a movie that gives the viewers plenty of robot action, but it transforms into a human-centric exploration of a young kid who finds a close buddy. Of course, the buddy is a 12-foot yellow robot that turns into a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. Sort of like “The Iron Giant” with wiper blades.

In a faraway universe, Autobots fight against Decepticons on the planet Cybertron. Their leader, Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) sends a young B-127, later renamed Bumblebee (voiced by Dylan O’Brien), to Earth. The robot from space arrives on Earth, and a soldier named Jack Burns (John Cena) thinks he is an evil out to destroy the planet. Bumblebee escapes an evil Decepticon that followed him to Earth, but in a battle loses his voice box technology. He kills the Decepticon robot and saves Burns, but then Bumblebee malfunctions and turns into the last thing that he saw, a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. He winds up in a junkyard in a small California coastal town.

Also living there is Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld), a young girl who is troubled by the sudden death of her father. Her family seems to be adapting and moving on with life, but Charlie broods and spends a lot of time working on her dad’s old car. She finds a cute yellow VW Bug in the junkyard. The owner gives Charlie the car on her 18th birthday, and she later finds it is actually Bumblebee. But he has lost his memory and can’t talk, so he cannot communicate with Charlie. She tries to keep Bumblebee a secret from her family, but it gets hard when he accidentally wrecks the house. Her next-door neighbor Memo (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) has a crush on Charlie and he also finds out the big yellow secret. Bumblebee regains his memory and figures out that Optimus Prime has sent him here to Earth to protect the people and the planet.

But there are two Decepticon robots that come to Earth to search for Bumblebee. These two evil giant robots (voiced by Angela Bassett and Justin Theroux) meet up with Sector 7 Agent Jack Burns, and with a researcher named Dr. Powell (John Ortiz). Powell is misled by the Decepticon robots to believe Bumblebee is a rogue robot who must be captured and interrogated. Burns is not so sure, because the robots want to plug into the military satellite system to search for Bumblebee. This will lead to a big robot battle, and Charlie being put into danger. But Bumblebee has the smarts to defeat the evil robots, if he can get some help from Charlie. Burns and Memo are close to the action, but they are not front and center for the major battle.

“Bumblebee” does have a bunch of giant robot battles and clashes, but it also offers something different. There is bit of light sweetness and some human emotions that were usually missing from earlier ‘Transformer’ movies. The struggle is still there in the background, and it seems important. But there is an emphasis on how a young woman in California in the late 1980’s can rise above pain and sorrow and find a true friend. True, that friend happens to be an Autobot that can change from a VW Bug into a very large robot. But it still does something very special, as compared to the other movies. It does not make the audience feel dumb for watching it. It creates an interesting fantasy world and invites us into to explore with the characters.

Hailee Steinfeld does a very decent job in the role of a downcast young woman with a big yellow secret. John Cena adds some helpful light comedic lines where they are needed. Dylan O’Brien adds a tenderness to the voice of Bumblebee (until his voice box gets maimed). Peter Cullen (as usual) returns to voice the Autobots fearless leader, Optimus Prime. I wonder if he is related to Amazon Prime? Travis Knight has directed this with a sense of wonder and awe for the big metal monsters that turn out to be some of the good guys. The soundtrack has a spot-on selection of songs that you may remember from the 80’s, or just songs you can now hear on the Spotify ‘oldies’ playlist.

“Bumblebee” – This is the first Transformer movie that will get good ‘buzz’.

Blast from the Past (December 2018)

December 16, 2018 Published by JMcNaughton

Yeah, the Box Office is rockin’ today with a whole lot of movies. But there are some from prior years that you may (or may not) remember. These older movies came out 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago, maybe even longer back. Some were instant classics, while others were not. So let’s jump into the DeLorean and travel backwards in time to revisit a few of these forgotten gems…

December 2013 (5 years ago) — The Wolf of Wall Street

Leonardo DiCaprio shows that, as portraying cheater and con artist Jordon Belfort, Greed is definitely NOT Good…

Martin Scorsese directed Leo in this grimy and grubby look at a very grimy and grubby cheater, swindler and con artist. Making money on Wall Street was never this much fun. Jordon Belfort turned up the debauchery level to eleven, and the BS level to fifteen. But he made tons while it lasted…

December 2008 (10 years ago) — Valkyrie

Tom Cruise breaks out a German accent to play one of the main German conspirators involved in the unsuccessful plot to kill Hitler and stop the Nazi War Machine

Nazi Germany was under the iron grip of Hitler, and during World War II, a few of the military commanders thought of a way to take over. They would kill Hitler, and use a plan called ‘Valkyrie’ that would give control of the German Army and the government to some sensible people. That is, if it could work, and they could eliminate the dictator.

December 2003 (15 years ago) — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Peter Jackon’s final movie in the trilogy to adapt the Tolkien Middle-Earth saga to play out on the big screen, only to receive bigger Box Office and bigger Awards

This was the final movie in a Trilogy created out of the huge JRR Tolkien saga. The audience was geared up for this chapter to come to the big screen. So much so that it earned over One Billion in box office revenue. It also was nominated, and WON, Oscars in eleven categories. That’s no fantasy…

December 1998 (20 years ago) — Patch Adams

Robin Williams takes on a role about a real-life doctor who wanted to treat the whole person, and not just a sick body – and he is the best things about a mediocre movie

Patch Adams is a real person who studied to be a doctor, but was shunned by his unorthodox ideas. The whole person needs to be treated, not just the disease that showing the symptoms. Robin Williams can play up the unorthodox methods that Adams used to make a screen character that seems sincere about an alternative approach to medicine.

December 1993 (25 years ago) — Tombstone

Very good old-time Western with Kurt Russell standing tall as Wyatt Earp, helped by his best friend and huckleberry – Val Kilmer (Doc Holiday)

Westerns are sometime though of as second-rate fare. But this movie was more like a prize pony at the fair. The portrayals of actual Western characters from history made for an entertaining movie. A somewhat accurate retelling of the events at OK Corral gives the basic structure for some fine performances. Russell, Kilmer, along with Sam Elliott and even Charlton Heston make this one to watch again.

December 1988 (30 years ago) — Rain Man

Dustin Hoffman turns in an amazing performance as Raymond, who is the Rain Man to younger brother Tom Cruise

Oscar winning in four categories, including for Hoffman and for Best Picture, this movie is an iconic touchstone in movie history. Countless movies have taken memorable visual scenes from Rain Man. Think of a scene of two people, dressed sharply, riding to the top of an elevator – slowly coming into view (from a bunch of movies), and think back – where did they get that inspiration?

Mortal Engines Movie Review

December 14, 2018 (updated December 14, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

Gentlemen, start your “Mortal Engines”! This movie is a bit like a NASCAR race; it has a whole lot of characters, they all move at breakneck speed, they all go around and around in circles and with loud volume – but never seem to get anywhere. When the whole thing is finished, there are no Winners. Especially not the viewer. It has a visually stunning design, with a good number of images that are intricate and precise. It is based on a novel that has a unique concept, where a post-apocalyptic world has huge cities that move and rumble around a barren future landscape.

The ‘city on wheels’ idea shows us a large city that can only sustain and grow by searching out and taking over many smaller cities. The Big City takes over all of the resources, and assigns all the new people to hard labor. There are battles between the little guys and the ‘City of London’, and the big city always wins. This movie has many twists and turns, so there is a lot of potential for an exciting and well-defined film. There is also potential for a big sloppy mess…

Many centuries after the Sixty Minute War, all the people of Earth live in the ‘Traction’ Cities in the Wastelands. Or people lived behind a Shield Wall (in what is now China). The huge, mobile cities are places where remnants of the past remain. in the ‘City of London’, the large number of people are there hoping that the Energy Project that Engineer Thaddeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving) will finally be working to give them unlimited power. Valentine is thinking of a different type of ‘unlimited power’, but in a different sense.

He works with an historian of the City named Tom (Robert Sheehan). Tom is from the lower class, and he needs Valentine’s help to rise in the ranks. But there is a woman named Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar) who has a personal goal to kill Thaddeus Valentine. She almost succeeds, but Hester and Tom both are thrown out of the moving ‘City’. Now they are trapped on foot in the No-Mans-Land. They are picked up for a ‘rescue’ by a nice couple out in the desert in a weird vehicle. But then get taken to Scavenger city to be auctioned off.

Thaddeus Valentine is still in the ‘City’ and he is cooking up some big plans, including finder Hester and killing her. These plans involve a reanimated cyborg named Shrike. This metal monster machine has a death wish for Hester Shaw. Shrike can’t be bargained with. Shrike can’t be reasoned with. Shrike doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And Shrike absolutely will not stop… ever, until you are dead! No, sorry — that’s the Terminator. Well, close enough. So Hester has everyone looking for her and she could be in deep trouble.

Tom and Hester find that the Scavenger auction was interrupted by Anna Fang (Jihae). She is a well-known rebel and the leader of the Anti-Traction League. She hates the moving cities and fights them in every way possible. Anna finds Hester, along with Tom. She rescues the two of them, just as Shrike finds Hester and announces that he will kill her for running away. Because, you see – Hester was raised by the undead cyborg monster man when her mother was killed by Thaddeus Valentine. It’ a complicated relationship… So there is more that happens, and just as scattered and confusing.

This movie ought to have a Bingo card that will allow the viewer to match each scene or idea with another movie. Main villain is actually the Father of the main character? Yup, that would be “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”. High-speed chases and battles as shown in a bleak landscape? “Mad Max: Fury Road”. A deadly cyborg who is conducting an unstoppable quest to find and kill a young woman? “The Terminator”, of course. Far future technology that looks like mid 1890’s Steampunk? How about “The Golden Compass”.

There are some wonderful ideas that could be developed for “Mortal Engines”. The biggest problem is that too much world-building and idea development and background exposition entirely drowns out the main story and any feeling that these are actual people. There is way more emphasis on action than there is on acting. Plus a total overload of motion and just a passing glace to human emotion. This might have worked out quite well as a limited series TV show, say on HBO or Netflix.

But this is big-budget stand-alone movie – perhaps ready to spur on the other movie adaptations of other books. Maybe so, but this first ‘Engine’ has seized up and it is not working…

Ben is Back Movie Review

December 14, 2018 (updated December 14, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“Ben is Back” is a family’s personal trip into the nightmare of addition, and how it destroys that family. The screenplay is written by Peter Hedges, and he is also the movie’s director. Plus, on top of that, he directs his own son, Lucas (who plays the aforementioned Ben). This is heavy lift, and the topic is dark and moody. But the acting and direction is very realistic, so it makes for an unsettling experience. The movie takes place right at Christmas time, but it is not filled with joyous Christmas spirit.

Holly Burns (Julia Roberts) has two children with her first husband, who is now out of the picture. Her children are Ben (Lucas Hedges) and Ivy (Kathryn Newton). Nice Christmas pairing, Holly and Ivy – right? However, with her new husband African-American Neal (Courtney B. Vance), he is bringing his two much younger children into the family. But the family unit has been fractured. Ben has a severe addition to drugs and he fell into a group of very unsavory characters. Ben got his girlfriend hooked, and she died of an overdose. So now Ben has been shipped away to a rehab center far away.

Except on this Christmas Eve day, Ben is back – meaning he left the rehab center to come home for Christmas. Holly is pleased, but she is also very wary about what Ben might be up to – or what trouble he might cause. Neal’s two younger kids love seeing the older brother whom they love. But Neal has many misgivings, seeing what happened with Ben in the recent past. Also, his sister Ivy is pissed off, because she feels that Ben has come back to ruin it for everyone, like he has done in the past.

Holly sets up some stringent rules for Ben. She takes him to the mall to get new clothes, and they even get to a recovery meeting. Ben does seem to be making progress fighting off the addition urges, but Holly is still suspicious at anything that is out of the ordinary. Ban has made some enemies in the town, so there might be some blowback to his return. The family goes to church that night and all is merry and bright. Except when they get home and find that their home has been ransacked and their little family dog has been dog-napped.

Holly heads out with Ben to try and find out what is going on. The two of them are stuck together in a desperate search of the ghosts in Ben’s past. They must confront the demons of his addictive nature, and the scummy people who had dealt with in the bad old days. Ben is pushed to do things that his old nature would do in a heartbeat. But he has made it to 70 plus days of recovery, and he does not want to endanger his future. Holly sees that her son is in his element dealing with the seedy side of life. Can he fight off the evil addiction devils that are pursuing him? Can Holly make a leap of faith that Ben is really turned around in his life?

“Ben is Back” is a movie that keeps people aware of the destructive nature of addiction. The family unit is portrayed wonderfully by Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges playing as the hopeful mother (but wary) and her son who has strayed off the path one too often. Roberts puts in a moving performance, and the depth of her despair is tangible. Lucas likewise has many powerful scenes, and he is very believable. Kathryn Newton does another job as the younger sister of Ben who suspicious of his motives for coming back.

Peter Hedges has done decent job in creating this movie, and in being able to direct is own son as the character Ben. The movie hold together really well, but in the second half there are some areas where the plot slows down and turn into more of a by-the-book whodunit. The special relationship is broken when Holly and Ben go two different ways, and resulting scenes are not as strong.

However, there could be some Award nominations on the horizon for Julia Roberts and for Hedges, perhaps for both of them (Peter and Lucas).

In the Phoenix area, opens exclusively at Harkins Camvelview at Fashion Square.

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (Netflix) Movie Review

December 7, 2018 (updated December 7, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

Just in the nick of time, there is a new movie called “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle”. It is based on Rudyard Kipling works, including “The Jungle Book”. But do not confuse this movie with other movies called “The Jungle Book” (versions released in 1967, 1994, and 2016) or “The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story” (1998) or “”The Jungle Book 2” (2003). Those other movies are not like this new movie, because this is based on “All the Mowgli Stories”. Also, it is not part of the Disney franchise, so there are no musical numbers or singing vultures. Is does feature Mowgli, so that clears up everything for you…

Mowgli (Rohan Chand) is a boy orphaned in the jungles of India long ago. As a little baby, his parents are killed by the striped Bengal tiger named Shere Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch). Mowgli is found by Bagheera (Christian Bale) who is a black panther in the jungle. He finds the boy and leaves him with the nearby family of wolves. Mowgli knows that he is unusual, but he also knows that his wolf parents care for him. He is taught, like the other wolf cubs, by the Himalayan brown bear named Baloo (Andy Serkis). Mowgli learns of the Man Village, but he avoids it and wants no part of it. He knows that some day Shere Khan will return and will try and kill him. Mowgli plans to be ready for that day. There is an ancient python named Kaa (Cate Blanchett) who knows the past and the future. She knows that Mowgli can be a great leader in the jungle, or he might one day destroy their home.

The people of the Man Village have hired a Great White Hunter named Lockwood (Matthew Rhys) to track down and kill Shere Khan. Mowgli studies with Baloo, and he learns that he can use his human features to also be fast in the jungle. He can run upright, he can climb trees and swing on vines, and he can use tools. That makes Mowgli very different form the wolves. He is also different from other jungle creatures. Mowgli makes friends with the elephants, and one day he is kidnapped by the apes. He is almost turned over to Shere Khan by the apes, but he is rescued by the elephants, Bagheera and Baloo. Mowgli is found by the hunter Lockwood, and he stays for a while in the Man Village. But Mowgli knows that he must face Shere Khan some day, so he leaves the Village to find and fight the ruthless tiger.

So in case you have not seen any of the other five or so movies about the Jungle Book or about Mowgli, then this will not give away any surprise endings. But if you want to know “The Bare Necessities” about this movie, than you can “Trust in Me”. Andy Serkis has taken an old favorite and has given a new and talented cast a shot at making something different. He gets close to it in a few places, but the fact that everybody knows the story hold this adaptation back from being great. There is an amazing visual landscape that is created, and it all looks good. The CGI creatures created for the main animal characters are really well done. The voice acting is very convincing. There is a section of the movie where Mowgli spends in the Man Village, and that part has never been explored in the past.

Rohan Chand makes a very good impression as Mowgli, very skinny and spritely. He is very physical in this role, and he does it well. Christian Bale and Andy Serkis are very stable and upright as Bagheera and Baloo. They match up very well with the characters. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Shere Khan, but is couple of scenes he almost goes from drama to parody (“I will not rest until I drink the blood of the Man Cub !!!!”). The human characters (other than Mowgli) never too much attention. So this will be released to a limited run in theaters, but most of the viewing will be done when it gets to Netflix.

Roma Movie Review

December 6, 2018 (updated December 6, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“ROMA” is a fantastic voyage back into the memory of Writer and Director Alfonso Cuarón. It is a lovingly filmed remembrance of his childhood, growing up in Mexico City. His family had a live-in housemaid who becomes an essential member of the family. He pays honor to her, and also to his own mother – both were strong women faced with difficult circumstances. But he has done so by creating this movie, which is an artistic bonanza of talent and beauty. Alfonso Cuarón has already won an Oscar, actually two (2014 “Gravity” – Academy Award for Best Director and Best Film Editing). So he did not have to prove anything. But Cuarón was busy with “ROMA”, working as Writer, Director, Co-Producer, Co-Editor, and Cinematographer.

Beginning back in 1970 and going through 1971, “ROMA” follows a middle-class family in a section of Mexico City named Roma. The mother Sofia (Marina de Tavira) and the father Antonio (Fernando Grediaga) have several young children. To help them with this unruly brood, they employ a young woman named Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio). She comes from a poor family out where the indigenous native Spanish live. But Cleo has been around with the family for many, many years, and she deeply cares for all of them. Also living with them is Teresa (Verónica García), who is Sofia’s elderly mother.

Antonio leaves on a ‘business trip’ to Canada, but the tears from Sofia show that there is a much more ominous reason. They have had marital problems, and he is leaving the family. Cleo steps up to be more supportive, and Sofia needs that support. But Cleo has a boyfriend problem. She has met Fermin (Jorge Antonio Guerrero) who is a very blunt and tough-talking guy. He has big plans for his future, and she woos Cleo with his martial arts skills. But Cleo becomes pregnant, and soon Fermin disappears. She makes a trip out her native village one day, to try and contact him and let him know her situation. But he rebuffs her, and says he has better things to do.

There are exams in the hospital for Cleo, where an earthquake rumbles the entire area. There is a New Year’s outing to Sofia’s relative’s house. It is fun time, until there is a forest fire near the house, and everyone runs out to help stop the fire. There is even help from a man in bear costume who sings a Mexican folk song. There is Cleo and Teresa who go out one day to purchase a crib for Cleo’s soon-to-be-born infant. However, there are street protests and some students are injured and killed. Some of the pursuers chase some people into the store, and Cleo sees that one of the thugs is Fermin.

Cleo is about to give birth during the street riots. The hospital is complete chaos. Cleo finds out that her baby is stillborn, and never had a chance to live. Sofia decides to take all of the kids and also Cleo out on a vacation to the ocean. She lets the kids know that their father Antonio will not be back home to live with them. Cleo is sad about her lost baby, but it is even more difficult for Sofia right now. The kids play in the ocean, but get caught in a strong current. Cleo, even with no ability to swim, goes into the water to make sure they are safe. Cleo becomes even more important in the lives of this family who live in Roma…

This movie is filmed in black and white, and it is almost 100% Spanish language. Many parts are very languid and easy-going. There is a simple story structure and it does not have a whole lot of details in the plot or the delivery. But each scene is constructed in such an artistic way that the movie is beautiful to watch. The sound design is very precise and detailed. A scene of Cleo in the ocean is overwhelming when the waves come in higher and higher. You can hear the roar of the ocean bringing more and more danger to her character. There are some scenes where small details in the background just seem to be astonishing. Such a man shot out from a cannon at a small village fair. Or the scene where the family is eating ice cream, but the main action is in the back where there is huge wedding reception. Or the look out of a window at small store, and seeing hundreds of people fleeing and fighting in the streets. The attention to every detail is very impressive.

Alfonso Cuarón has used “ROMA” to make a statement about the two special women who had raised him as a child. He is taking the memories of his childhood and giving them new life on the Big Screen. But soon, it will be also on the Not-So-Big Screen. After a limited release in theaters, he will also get it released to streaming service Netflix. Some people are not too happy with that. But it will give many more people the chance to see this movie. Perhaps that will gain him the following and the goodwill to spark another Oscar. This time for Best Picture.

Opens December 6th – in Phoenix area, exclusively at Harkins Camelview

Author: JMcNaughton