JMcNaughton, Author at tmc.io 🍿 watch movies with friends 45

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Movie Review

December 20, 2017 (updated December 20, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

Back in 1995, the movie “Jumanji” was made from the book, ad Robin Williams was again top with audiences. But that time is gone, so now the next best thing will be.. ‘The Rock’? Yes, Dwayne Johnson has found his way into “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”, and world is a better place for that. The old-style board game of Jumanji is now updated to a 1995 ‘Jumanji’ Nintendo-style video game, with all the basic danger and suspense intact. Instead of Williams getting sucked into a board game, there are four 2017 teens who get the Jumanji video treatment, getting sucked into a world of avatars and multiple lives.

Four teens in high school get detention and are placed into a dusty and dank basement. They are Spencer (a video-game nerd), “Fridge” (a black football star), Bethany (a phone-obsessed drama queen) and Martha (a shy and bookish girl). These four get sucked into “Jumanji”, a video-game version of the original board game. They take the appearance of the character they have selected. Spencer becomes Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), a muscle-bound explorer. Fridge as selected Franklin “Moose” Finbar, who is short zoologist with a large weapons cache. Martha picked Ruby Roundhouse, and she is a powerful commando and fighter. Bethany is now Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon, an older man who has a lot of knowledge that can be very useful.

They find that they all have various strengths and weaknesses as the avatars. Well, except for Bravestone, he is so tough that he has no weaknesses. They also find that they have three ‘lives’. Each one can die in the Jumanji game, and then they will come back to play it again. There is some video-game type plot of finding a missing jewel and returning it to the jaguar statue, then calling out the name to win the game — blah, blah, blah… But they all need to work together to make this happen so they can return to the real world. They also find another player, named Jefferson “Seaplane” McDonough (Nick Jonas). Seaplane is an avatar for a guy named Alex, who had gone missing back in 1995. He has hidden himself away to prevent using up his final life.

There is also a Jumanji evil ruler named John Hardin Van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale). He is looking for the magic jewel and will at nothing to prevent Bravestone and company from achieving the goal. He has a bunch of evil henchman and can use the creatures of the forest to help him find and stop the group from winning the game. There are many places that they all visit, and some clues that they must figure out. But mostly, they learn to trust in each other and dig deep to find the special talents that each of them possesses.

This a movie that not an ordinary sequel. It is a sequel in spirit, but it comes at it in a whole new way. The idea of somehow becoming part of the inside of the video game makes it more fun. In a way, this is like “Tron”, but this does more to get into the game specifics. The group of avatars are so different than the actual people that they portray, that it becomes a funny gag just itself. All of the main actors get a chance to poke a little fun at their own image, and joke about the things that make them unique.

Dwayne Johnson is as he always is – playing a version of Dwyane Johnson. But he is very funny to play against his own type. Kevin Hart is OK, but his character does wear a little thin after a while. Karen Gillan seems to have a lot of fun, playing an uptight girl in the body of a strong and wild woman. Jack Black does a major, classic and amazing job getting the nuances of speech and behavior of teenage girl — just perfectly getting everything just right. Nick Jonas does not have as much time on the screen, but his role is fun and he does a really good job. Bobby Cannavale plays the villain, and that is about all that can be said.

Perhaps this version will not become a treasured childhood movie, like the original “Jumanji”. It does have some big shoes to fill, with the original starring Robin Williams and being very high up on most people’s list. But if you give this one a chance, you can find that regardless if you play board games or video games, this movie will have a solid place in your trophy chest.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

December 15, 2017 (updated December 13, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” continues the new story of the Skywalker Saga begun in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. That prior movie was a smash hit, and it set the table set for many options and story lines. So, now this next step in the story takes some very bold moves and it makes a solid impact on the Star Wars legacy. Rian Johnson has created a masterful addition to the line of ‘Star Wars’ movies, and he can be proud that his is among the best.

Based on the prior ‘Force Awakens’ movie, there are some old favorites and some new characters in the current movie. The Resistance is led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). The secluded Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has been located by Rey (Daisy Ridley). Luke had been isolated on a remote planet by choice because he failed in training new Jedi students, including his nephew Ben Solo (Adam Driver). Ben has turned to the Dark Side of the Force, led by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) a cruel master of the First Order. His group has taken over the galactic government and rules by military might. Ben Solo is now known as Kylo Ren, and he is responsible for death of his father. His mother is Leia and she is on the run from the First Order.

General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) is Snoke’s current henchman, and his troops are hunting down the Resistance. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is a hot-shot Resistance pilot who leads a daring raid on Snoke’s star fleet. His new friend Finn (John Boyega) is ready for action. Finn is a former Stormtrooper, but he switched sides to join the Resistance. He meets up with Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), who has low-level job but will become a major asset to Finn.

Rose and Finn set out on a quest to find a person who can get them access into First Order Star Destroyer craft. Luke meets Rey on his isolation planet, but he is not moved to join up and help the Resistance. Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) is assisting Rey to convince Luke to come back. Chewy soon becomes friends with the little creatures on the island called Porgs. They are like mini penguin-type birds with huge expressive eyes.

Rey has a strong connection with the Force that is unexplained. Her power becomes big concern for Luke, because he had seen that before in Ben Solo. But when Ben turned to the Dark Side and became Kylo Ren, Luke knew he had failed. Rey had fought Kylo Ren (in the prior movie) and now they have some type of telepathic bond. They can communicate and they know that something big is about to happen.

Rose and Finn find a nameless thief (Benicio del Toro) on a distant planet called Canto Bight. This low-life thief says he is a master codebreaker who can get into the Star Destroyer and stop General Hux from catching Leia and the Resistance remnants. Leia suffers in an attack and is put into medical sick bay. The command passes to Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern), who stops Poe from attempting to attack Snoke’s star fleet. They have suffered too many losses.

Rey and Kylo Ren join up in a light saber battle in Supreme Leader Snoke’s headquarter office, with red-robed Guards protecting him. Thsis sequence is a magnificent production of fight choreography that just elevates the entire movie. Rose and Finn are caught and are threatened by Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie). Phasma was Finn’s old boss as the commander of the Stormtroopers. BB-8 is a personable little droid, who was saved in the prior movie by Rey, and now is very helpful to Rose and Finn.

Poe is working to undermine Vice Admiral Holdo’s command, but Leia comes back to be in control. There is a major sacrifice made to allow the remaining Resistance fighters to escape Hux and Kylo Ren. There is a final battle in an old Resistance base on a nearby planet. This allows for a major one-on-one battle between Kylo Ren and Luke Skywalker, which can be described as an ultimate ‘Jedi Mind Trick’.

The build-up for this movie has been huge, and Rian Johnson has delivered a major success. The story line fits in perfectly with the prior movie, and the original characters are well placed in the overall structure. There is a welcome amount of humor and lightness, along with the heavier aspects of life and death, sacrifice and treachery, and good versus evil.

There are strong characters and a good mix of people facing tough decisions, and then dealing with the consequences. The acting is top notch all around. Special kudos to Mark Hamill, who is coming back to a character he has not portrayed in decades. Plus, the visual shot selection and special effects are outstanding. Also, the wonderful John Williams is back doing the music that made him a legend back in the day…

Is it the most perfect movie? It is a bit over-long, and there are some extra moments that go on too long. The whole section with Finn and Rose going to Canto Bight and meeting up with the ‘thief’ breaks the rhythm of the overall movie. There dangerous villains that are disposed of too quickly. The plot point of Luke refusing to help out, but then changing his mind is a bit obvious. But beyond the nit-pick items, this is one damn fine movie. There are even little bits with R2-D2, and C-3PO, and with the Master Yoda’s ghost…

And the most important thing – no Porgs were injured during the filming of this movie!

Wonder Wheel Movie Review

December 8, 2017 (updated December 6, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“Wonder Wheel” is a new movie from Woody Allen full of drama and dialogue, Allen’s favorite topics. However, in this case the drama is weak and the dialogue is ponderous and overblown. Woody Allen is not devoid of talent, but in this case, he seems to have misplaced his writing skills. They were replaced with a first-year college student attempt at writing ‘serious’ drama. The story is very slim and the characters are two-dimensional at best. The actors are giving it their best shot, but it’s hard to make an impact with such light-weight material.

In 1950 at Coney Island, there is a large Ferris wheel ride called (strangely enough) “Wonder Wheel”. Ginny (Kate Winslet) is a failed actress with a young son, and her first husband left her. She is now married to Humpty (Jim Belushi), an easy-going guy who works at the merry-go-round in the amusement park. Humpty and Ginny, who works as a waitress at a bar in the park, both live with her son in a tiny apartment next to the Wonder Wheel. They have little money, and things are usually tense between them. But it is about to get worse.

Humpty has a grown daughter from his first marriage, named Carolina (Juno Temple). She had left and gotten married to a gangster, and Humpty was not pleased. But her marriage went bad, and she left the mob life, and then talked with the FBI. Carolina is now a marked woman, and she is being chased by some thugs who want to kill her. But Carolina goes back to the one place that she knows will have someone to take her in. She goes back to Humpty and his meager life. But she will now share a space with Humpty and Ginny and her son, and this makes everyone feel on edge. She also has dangerous thugs coming after her, so everyone is also very nervous.

Ginny destroyed her first marriage by being unfaithful, and she is again falling into this same pattern this time. She is sneaking away to make time to be with Mickey (Justin Timberlake). He is a grad student and works as a summer lifeguard in the park. Mickey also acts a narrator during the entire movie, which makes his character seem even more awkward. He talks a good game to Ginny, so much so that she thinks he is truly in love with her. Mickey then meets Carolina, so his infatuation is torn between the two women. Ginny is furious and makes several bad decisions that will affect everyone involved.

There are numerous loose ends and unanswered plot points. Ginny takes a lot of money that Humpty had saved, and she spent it on Mikey. Ginny’s son has a habit of starting fires and causing destruction. Ginny’s first husband was a drummer and she was an actress, but all of these things are mentioned and appear to have some deeper meaning. But nothing becomes of any of the things that get mentioned and discussed. So why bring any of these up at all? No answer…

There is something very odd about the screen images at some points. There are times when the screen is awash in a garish reddish-orange color, but it slowly turns into a dark blue tint. Sometimes a character is in a harsh bright light, and then other times when they are hidden in shadow and darkness. Part of this is supposed to reflect living under the lights of the Ferris wheel next door. But it is not a good look for the movie. The characters are subject to a weird pattern of lighting that does not look realistic.

The screenplay is a major sticking point. The dialog seems very ‘theater’ based, and not so much prepared for a cinematic experience. The script feels very full of high ideals and expectations. But it fails to deliver on any of it. There is talk of metaphors and allusions to great theater works, but it just shows how weak this story line is compared to those major works. The actors are doing a admirable job putting their best effort into the movie. However, the result is off-the-mark because the story and the dialog lets them down. Woody Allen has made some very memorable movies. This is not one of those movies.

Coney Island is probably a great place to visit in real life. The actual Wonder Wheel looks very impressive and must be a fun ride. But the Woody Allen treatment of “Wonder Wheel” is not all that good. His version goes around and around, but it never gets you anywhere. This one from Allen is not worth the ride.

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

November 22, 2017 (updated November 21, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“The Man Who Invented Christmas” is a spritely look at the creation of a small book in 1843 that led to a revival and appreciation for the Christmas holiday. Charles Dickens came up with “A Christmas Carol” a couple of months before Christmas in that year. It was major effort on his part, but he felt inspired to create a book that would counter his critics. They had called him out after poor reviews on his recent books. This is a fanciful retelling of how Dickens came up with the ideas for “Carol”, and how he got inspirations to write the characters of the novella. In this version, the actual characters of the book become real to Dickens and lead him on to finish the book.

Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) is a popular author in London who has had a major hit with ‘Oliver Twist’. But his recent work has been lackluster and the public is less than enthused. Dickens needs to create a new book and do it soon, and it must be a smash hit. His agent, John Forster (Justin Edwards) tries to get the publishers to advance Dickens money to create a new book. Dickens wants to do a book about Christmas, and he decides to handle it all himself. He will write and book in two months’ time, get it illustrated, published and into the stores by Christmas time. Too bad he is suffering from major writer’s block…

Dickens starts to come up with a way to tell the story of a miserly old man and how three Christmas spirits visit him one Christmas Eve and change his life. The old penny-pinching scoundrel is named Scrooge (Christopher Plummer) and that character comes alive in Dickens’ real world. Scrooge, and many other fanciful characters from “A Christmas Carol”, join with Dickens on his quest to write the book. His wife (Morfydd Clark) thinks that Charles is acting a little funny, but that is par for the course. His father, John Dickens (Jonathan Pryce), also comes to stay for a few months and that adds to the commotion. John had been an uneven influence on Charles growing up. John had spent time in the Debtors Prison, which caused Charles to be put into a terrible workhouse environment.

As Dickens becomes more obsessed with getting the book out in time, the figure of Scrooge and others from the book haunt him all the time. In his first draft, he decides to let Tiny Tim perish from illness. But his agent and his wife overrule the cruel outcome that would have pleased Scrooge. Scrooge’s delight at the little Tim’s passing makes Dickens change the story and makes Scrooge change his mind. The story gets completed and the illustrator gets the pictures done. The final book gets into bookstores before Christmas and soon everyone loves “A Christmas Carol”. The book is resounding success, and it has never been out-of-print, beginning in 1843

The idea to delve into the back-story of how the influential book was created is a fresh approach to the Christmas classic. Luckily, the story behind the story is enthralling and it is filled with as many interesting people as the book. Charles Dickens life and times growing up in London and becoming a famous author is a fun and uplifting story. Dan Stevens does wonderful job with such an expressive face and knowing eyes. His portrayal is also balanced with Christopher Plummer as Scrooge. It is a role that is comfortable for the experienced actor and he nails it.

The movie moves quickly into a world filled with Dickens’ imagination and his literary friends. The soundtrack, by Mychael Danna, is bright and gives an appropriate bounce to the proceedings. The story gets into a somewhat dark area right near the end, but it rebounds again into a light and breezy ending. The treatment of the events that surround the creation of “A Christmas Carol” can make even a Scrooge be thankful for the holiday spirit.

Coco Movie Review

November 22, 2017 (updated November 22, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“Coco” is a wonderful new movie from some really talented people at Pixar. These are the folk who make the refreshing and creative movies there, not the ones who toil in the Pixar ‘sequel’ division. This is a bright and colorful celebration of Mexican traditions and culture, especially the ‘Día de los Muertos’ (Day of the Dead). That is when family members who have passed away are remembered, a time when music and rejoicing fills the air.

Young Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzalez) is from a poor village, but his family has banished music for generations. Ever since his great-grandmother, named Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguia) had her father disappear into the world of a musician. He left to make a name for himself, but he never returned. Mamá Imelda (Alanna Ubach), who was Coco’s mother forbade any more music, and instead made shoemaking the family business. Now Coco is very frail and invalid, but she still dreams of her ‘Papa’.

Miguel has hidden love of music, and of a long-dead musician named Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). He was a famous artist who had starred in movies and had many hit songs. But he died young and never knew if he had any family. Miguel thinks that he could be related to de la Cruz and that maybe he could have some of his songwriting talent. Miguel ‘borrows’ the famous de la Cruz guitar from the superstar’s shrine.

Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead, with all of his dead relatives around him. He must get a blessing from a family member to ever get back to the normal world. And he better hurry, because at sunrise it will be the end of ‘Día de los Muertos’ and Miguel could find himself stuck on the wrong side forever. It is lucky that he also has hus adopted street dog named Dante to guide him in there.

He meets Hector, another deceased musician who claims to know Ernesto de la Cruz, If Hector can bring Miguel to de la Cruz, and perhaps he can get his famous relative to give a blessing and get Miguel back home. But things in the spirit world, as well as in the real world, are not always as they seem. When secrets are revealed and mistaken identities are finally known, then everyone involved can all be at peace.

Every actor doing a voice role has been cast with perfect care. Every major part is played by a Mexican or Hispanic artist. This really adds to the authentic nature of the movie and also shows the respect given to that culture. The design of the movie gets right to the heart of Mexican love of color and vibrant music. Each image is a beautiful nod to the style and classy nature of Hispanic art.

The movie is also available in 3-D, and this does two things. First it does add some depth to the look and feel of the design features, but it can also add a small layer of darkness to a film that should be seen on a large screen and with the brightest image. So it cuts both ways for the 3-D aspect, and is not a required thing to enjoy the movie.

Yes, it must be said that couple of years ago, the movie came out called “The Book of Life”. This movie also did a terrific job with the similar theme of ‘Día de los Muertos’. But I would say that “The Book of Life” hit a home run, but it was an inside-the-park type. “Coco”, on the other hand, hits a full Grand Slam…

Wonder Movie Review

November 17, 2017 (updated November 15, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“Wonder” is based on a popular book by the same name that deals with a young boy with a severely deformed face. Due to some genetic trait, the youngster was born with many medial issues and has undergone 27 surgeries to make him inch toward being normal. He has a close-knit family, with a loving mother and father a slightly older sister. His world is about to radically change, because mom will no longer home-school the boy and he will attend fifth grade with all other kids his age. It will be a world of ‘Wonder’.

Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) is the boy with a medically-corrected face and a huge heart. Isabel (Julia Roberts) is his mom and will no longer put her life on hold to home-school Auggie. She was close to getting a Master’s degree and wants to pursue that once more. His dad, Nate (Owen Wilson) is always very supportive, but he knows to let mom have her way. His sister Olivia (Izabela Vidovic) – called Via – is about to start high school. So, there are many changes in the Pullman household.

Auggie is very shy and awkward with people that he meets. They usually stare at him because of his face, and knows it make them uncomfortable. He tries to downplay that it makes him feel a little weird about himself, because he wants to expand his world. He normally loves to run around with a space helmet and pretend he is an astronaut, because that makes him feel better. But when he goes to school, he will need to fend for himself. He meets the principal named Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin). There is also a kid in his class that seems to like him named Jack Will (Noah Jupe). But there will also be some people there who will snub Auggie and some who will bully him.

The movie follows the school year for Auggie and for Via. They both have some challenges, but then they both meet some new good friends. For Auggie, there is the new routine of a middle-school, and for Via it is learning to branch out into theater and a new romance. Their time in school has its ups and downs, but with help from mom and dad, they seem to work out the issues. There is a school play, a science fair, an overnight field trip – all the usual things to school-age kids. The most troubling event that happens is when the family dog gets ill.

Each of the main characters gets a little mini-chapter in the movie, where they get to tell more of what they think of the whole thing. It works out ok for most of the characters, even when it retreads a couple of scenes over and over (from a different perspective). There is no great revelation, other than to choose to ‘be kind’. There are some valiant attempts to give this movie more meaning than just a different type of kid that goes to a new school.

But this resembles the 1985 movie “Mask” which was a true story of a young boy with a similar problem. That movie did a good job to make an awkward kid feel ok about a facial deformity. It turned out to be very popular and won quite a few awards. So perhaps “Wonder” is destined to join in that exclusive club. But it will all depend on the acting and the story. In this case, the acting is superb, but the story is very ho-hum.

Jacob Tremblay and Noah Jupe (in a smaller role) are both incredibly good in their roles. Tremblay has the added weight of facial prosthetics to give him the look of Auggie. But they are terrific in this movie and make a very good impression. Izabela Vidovic as Via also does a great job to play the sister that tends to be ignored by mom and dad always giving time to the younger, sicker brother. Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson do a fine job as the mom and dad, but their story is not one that is front and center. Mandy Patinkin plays his role like a favorite uncle at a family reunion.

The biggest issue is that there is not all that much going on. The movie stretches over a year period, but the characters do not seem to grow at all. There is no big hurdle to get over, nor any major issue to tackle. It is all just there, going on from one day to the next. The level of bullying is not all that major, and the difficulties adjusting to the new school come and go quickly. So there is not any tension built up or any big outcome that you look forward to…

Last Flag Flying Movie Review

November 10, 2017 (updated November 9, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

The movie “Last Flag Flying” is a somber reflection of the human costs of war, and it just happens to have a wild and raucous fun side. It deals with the start of the Iraq war, when a man loses a son in combat, but then calls on old Viet Nam war buddies to help him out. The result is a quiet declaration that war is never good, but that the military way of life is required (and preferred) in a dangerous world. And that patriotism is more than flying flags, it is being ready to defend your way of live and your beliefs.

Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) seeks out an old friend in Portsmouth named Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston). Sal runs a run-down bar and grill (with no grill). They both served in Viet Nam many years ago. There is some unspoken reason that Doc spent a couple of years in the brig. But they brush that off and go to find one other pal from that old war. Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) is now a Baptist pastor and is happily married. When they were back in the war zone, the former Marines were not holy, but a Holy Terror.

Doc reveals that his reason to seek out his buddies is that could help him bury his son. Larry Jr. was also a new Marine who went over to Iraq in 2003, but he returned in a military casket. Doc needs the help of Sal and Mueller so that he can cope with the loss of his only son. Also, on top of that is the death of his wife earlier that year. So, the aging crew gets on the road to travel first to Arlington, then to Dover – to where his son is delivered from overseas.

They meet a young Marine named Washington (J. Quinton Johnson) who was a close friend of Larry Jr. and he tells them how he was killed. Doc refuses to have his son buried in Arlington, instead he wants to transport his body to his home in New Hampshire. The initial thought is to rent a U-Haul truck, and that has limited success. The Marine corporal in charge will help in getting the body and casket to Doc’s hometown. But he ordered Washington to take the train and stay with the old fogeys and with the casket as a moving Honor Guard.

There is not a huge action-packed sequence that happens, and most activity happens in cars, trucks and trains. But the amazing thing to watch is not the events or action, but the perfectly cast actors in each role. They each have a very distinct character and they interact with a wit and sparkle that brings each to life. The old war dogs have a deep secret that they eventually talk about, and they do everything that they can to right an old wrong.

All the acting of Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne is excellent. Cranston has the most frantic and watchable role. But Carell does an incredible job with the role as a broken man. Fishburne is a middle-ground of dignity and reason between the other actors. They have a very observable way of making the old friends who have not met in over twenty years look believable and natural. Also, Richard Linklater style of direction fits the story well, as it flows and meanders to the conclusion.

This movie will not ask you to stand up and cheer for foreign wars, whether they be in the South Asian Pacific or in the Middle East. It will ask you to silently bow your head to honor those whom have made great sacrifices to ensure America’s freedom. Hoorah…

Thor Ragnarok Movie Review

November 3, 2017 (updated November 2, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

Thor is one of the superhero characters from Marvel Comics Avengers team. Now after two stand-alone movies featuring Thor, and the two movies with all Avengers, Thor is back in action. But this time he will have a new adventure that will ‘Ragnarok’ his World. But first, a bit of an introduction to Thor…

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the Norse God of Thunder and the son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Thor has a half-brother named Loki (Tom Hiddleston) who is the God of Mischief. Thor can always count on Heimdall (Idris Elba) the protector of the access point between Thor’s world of Asgard and the other realms. Thor has just conquered a monster which could bring about the Ragnarok, an end-of-times destruction of Asgard.

Thor returns home and finds that things are not quite right with Asgard. Odin is lounging about and Loki is nowhere to be seen. Except that Loki is pretending to be Odin and is running the place. Loki leads Thor to Earth to find Odin, but they run into a Supreme Sorcerer. Yes, Dr. Strange (Bennedict Cumberbatch) is watching over Earth and does not want Loki around. Odin is hidden in Norway, and when the brothers find him, he explains about Hela (Cate Blanchett). Hela is the first-born and the true leader of Asgard, but only when Odin is gone.

Hela is unknown to the brothers and they want to fight her off. But she sends them into exile into a distant planet called Sakaar. This planet is ruled by a strange person named the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) who is an oddball. He runs the planet that is a trash dump of the universe. Thor is captured by Scrapper 142 (Tessa Thompson) who is a bounty hunter, but also was a prior Adgardian Valkyrie warrior. Thor is chosen to fight in a gladiator-style face-off with the Grandmaster’s current champion.

The current champ turns out to be Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who the alter-ego of Bruce Banner and another of the Avengers. But now Hulk is powerful and adored for his fighting skills. Thor finally gets Hulk and Scrapper 142 to agree to escape and head back to Asgard. Oh yeah, they also take Loki, who had landed on Sakaar and had become a favorite to the Grandmaster.

Meanwhile, Hela had been ruling Asgard by killing off anyone who did not agree with her. She had raised an army of dead warriors, and had destroyed most of the population. She has an ally with Skurge (Karl Urban) who is a warrior torn between Hela’s power and the destruction she creates. Heimdall is in hiding and saving as many of the Asgardian people as he can. He cannot wait until Thor comes back to challenge Hela.

While the plot does cover a wide range of places and characters, it never drags or never seems to be forced. The interaction between Thor and Loki is always interesting. Also, the interaction between Thor and the Hulk is very amusing. Even later, when it is between Thor and Bruce Banner it is really fun to watch. There are many places for some broad humor and many gags that are really great. This movie chooses not to take everything too seriously.

The director Taika Waititi has done mostly smaller independent comedies and minor films. But now he has been given a much larger canvas, and he paints a beautiful picture. The story gives Thor and Hulk some time to bond and to become closer. There are plenty of the standard Marvel action CGI sequences, but the story still has fun with many of the smaller sequences. Dr. Strange makes for a nice crossover appearance. And also, there is a short segment in Asgard where a play is being put on to honor Loki, and you can guess the actors who show up to play Odin, Loki and Thor.

All the acting is straight out terrific, with special regards for Tessa Thompson and Idris Elba. They both play such tough warriors who want also to save as many as possible. Chris Hemsworth is dependable as Thor, and Mark Ruffalo plays the big green Hulk (in motion capture) and also Bruce Banner. The dialog is sharp and right to the point.

The 3-D aspect is a basic conversion after the main work is done, so it does not add too much to the overall movie. The scope and overall design call out to see this movie on the biggest screen possible, including an IMAX presentation. The colorful design of Sakaar is fantastic and the world is brought to life.

“Thor Ragnarok” is a worthy entry into the ever-growing number of great movies created by the Marvel Movie Machine. This will leave you anxious for the next time the Avengers return for “Avengers: Infinity War”.

Suburbicon Movie Review

October 27, 2017 (updated October 25, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“Suburbicon” is new look at the 50’s era of massive suburban developments and the people who moved into these mini-cities. With a brilliant opening sequence, designed to look like a marketing brochure come to life, it takes some very different and dark turns. Since the original script is from Joel & Ethan Coen, there are many dangerous areas explored in the idyllic little town. These mostly deal with gangsters, dead bookies, possible insurance fraud and murder. The script also was touched by Clooney & Grant Heslov to include racial tensions and integration gone wrong. The two styles do not mix very well.

In Suburbicon, there is a black family who moves into the neighborhood. However, the Mayers arrival starts an over-the-top escalation of dismay, rudeness and hate from the lily-white people next door. The new family is blameless of course, but the racial taunting and bullying goes on and on. But across that backyard, something strange is happening at the Lodge residence. Gardner Lodge (Matt Damon) lives there with his crippled wife Rose (Julianne Moore) and son Nicky (Noah Jupe). Also visiting is Rose’s sister Maggie (also played by Moore).

A late-night break-in gets all the family tied up and helpless, and two thugs (Glenn Fleshler & Alex Hassel) use chloroform to make them all pass out. However, this puts fragile Rose into a coma, and then she dies. Nicky is heartbroken, and he does not get much love or support from his father, Gardner. He is also put off by his aunt Maggie, who will be staying with them for the time being to support the family. Maggie soon takes to emulating Rose in every way, dyeing her hair blond and wearing Rose’s clothes and jewelry.

The police say they have suspects, but in a line-up neither Maggie nor Gardner say they spot the men that killed Rose. But Nicky can see that they are hiding something. There is also an obnoxious insurance investigator named Bud (Oscar Isaac) who thinks that the life insurance policy on Rose has a bunch of issues. At the same time, there is a bigger and louder confrontation with the Mayer family in front of their house. Nobody is looking into the weird events at the Lodge’s house. But that same night, there are many things that all go wrong.

The insurance guy Bud comes back to threaten Gardner and Maggie. The two thugs are back to also threaten Gardner and Maggie. Nicky is scared and must fend for himself. But the crowd by the Mayers house is too involved to notice the nefarious deeds that are being done at the Lodge’s house. By the time the night comes to an end, so will the lives of several of these people…

When it all breaks down, this movie plays as ‘Coen Brothers Lite’. It has some of the risky, double-dealing, creepy behavior of the typical Coen brothers movie. But that aspect is downplayed and set against a backdrop of the unconnected racial tensions next door. There are characters whose motivations only come clear later as it continues, and only the young son Nicky is the innocent one. One initial bad thing brings a cascading domino effect of rotten mistakes and loser options. But the heavy-handed side-story dealing with of the persecution of the new black family does not connect to the main plot.

The acting is stiff and forced, perhaps as a way to better show the 1950’s era that the movie portrays. But none of the main characters have much to do, except perhaps young Noah Jupe. He puts in a terrific performance. Also Oscar Isaac makes a decent appearance, but has a very brief role. Matt Damon is very plain and cartoonish. He plays a character that could be called ‘Good Will Boring’. Julianne Moore plays two roles, and is stilted in both of them.

When a Realtor calls and says you can make an offer on a nice, quite little house in a place call Suburbicon, tell them to keep looking. This neighborhood is not that good.

Only The Brave Movie Review

October 20, 2017 (updated October 23, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

“Only The Brave” deals with the tragic death of the 19 Hot Shot firefighters in Yarnell. They died as they were fighting a huge wildfire in 2013. But the end of the story only enforces the prior build-up of these brave men. They were ordinary people put into extraordinary situations, time and time again. The purpose of the Hot Shot crew was to be the ‘Seal Team 6’ of wildfire control. They went into dire and deadly circumstances with little more than 50-pound packs and knowledge of the terrain. The Hot Shot crew stood between a forest fire and the local community and towns that were in peril.

Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin) is known as “Supe”, as the Superintendant of the firefighting crew in Prescott. They had 20 members who were all young and ready to take on the worst that Mother Nature can give them. When a couple of openings pop up, one of them is filled by Brendan McDonough (Miles Teller). Brendan was a low spot in his life; with a recent drug habit and felony record, plus an unplanned child from a past girlfriend. He can barely make it through an initial run up a mountain, but he perseveres. Eric sees that Brendan can have the discipline to make it, while the other members of the crew scoff at him.

Eric’s wife Amanda (Jennifer Connelly) is very supportive, but she wants Eric to stay around more so they can plan a family. But it all changes when the local fire chief Duane Steinbrink (Jeff Bridges) tells Eric that the US government has approved his crew with an official Hot Shot status. Eric and his second-in-command Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale) look forward to being sent around the region to fight the biggest blazes. Brendan does everything he can to make things right with his old girlfriend and get to know their little girl. Chris MacKenzie (Taylor Kitsch) at first rejects Brendan, but he soon sees the attitude and spirit in him that keeps the team going. All the other team members also accept his hard work to better his life.

The Granite Mountain Hot Shot team is born, and the group gets called on for fighting fires all over the state of Arizona. They do amazing work, and every place they go, their reputation grows. Eric leads them in a tough but fair manner. He does not expect anything more from his team than he expects from himself. He has his own demons inside, from the past, living in a bottle. Brendan and his addiction problems hit Eric very close to home. Jesse, Chris and all the other crew accept Brendan as an equal. Many of them have wives and children of their own, so family is very important to them. Almost as important as making a dent in a raging wildfire…

They go on deeper into the fire season, and they finally get to June 2013. There is a new fire in the rocky hills near Yarnell. Brendan had a recent leg injury and has limited mobility. Eric Marsh sends him up to a ridge to be a lookout. Brendan is nearly overtaken by a fire roaring up the hill. Another Hot Shot crew finds him and takes him back to the base camp. Eric and the other 18 fire fighters lose contact with Brendan and with everyone else. They decide to hike/run back to the base camp. They are unaware of a major firestorm and winds that have pushed the fire right over the ridge. They are trapped on all sides by the raging blaze. They deploy the safety shelters that they carry, to hide them from the flames. But their luck has burned out…

“Only The Brave” does a spectacular job recreating the personalities and the environment that was the Granite Mountain Hot Shot team. The scenes of the forest on fire are totally realistic. The work and sweat of each crew member is shown in detail, along with ways in which they saved homes, property and lives. The story is true-to-life and makes for a compelling viewing, even when you know the sad outcome. The only issue is that with 20 different characters, it is very hard to know any but selected few. Also, the wives and family are important, but they take second-place to the few main characters.

Josh Brolin and Miles Teller are both excellent in their roles (Eric and Brendan). James Badge Dale and Taylor Kitsch are also very good (Jesse and Chris) but they are not quite as well-defined. Jennifer Connelly is very powerful as Amanda, Eric’s wife. All the other acting is great, with Jeff Bridges even getting a chance to sing and play guitar. The story of the Granite Mountain crew is examined in detail, and it shows the dedication of each member. The soundtrack (Joseph Trapanese) is very noble and moving, and suits the firm perfectly. Director Joseph Kosinski has taken a careful look at these very special people and has creating a very fitting tribute to their life and their life’s work.

This movie really has almost no downside, unless you are afraid of fire. It does go a tiny bit long, and it does limit the people who are the main characters. But each and every one of that crew would give anything for their fellow Hot Shot. On June 28, 2013 – the ‘Seal Team 6’ of Granite Mountain Hot Shots made their last stand.

A Red Carpet preview was held at Tempe Marketplace with many of the people involved with making this film. See the terrific pictures from that event, with many of the stars from this movie…

Photos from the “Only the Brave” Red Carpet event

Author: JMcNaughton