A pact to lose your virginity at prom?!?! ”Blockers” – RED BAND TRAILER

Universal Pictures’ BLOCKERS is in theaters this April

When three parents stumble upon their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.  Leslie Mann (The Other Woman, This Is 40), Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) and John Cena (Trainwreck, Sisters) star in Blockers, the directorial debut of Kay Cannon (writer of the Pitch Perfect series).

The comedy is produced by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver, under their Point Grey Pictures banner (Neighbors, This Is the End), alongside Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg (Harold & Kumar series) and DMG Entertainment’s Chris Fenton (47 Ronin).

Good Universe’s Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake (Don’t Breathe, Juno) executive produce with Chris Cowles (Collide) of DMG and Josh Fagen, Dave Stassen and Jonathan McCoy.

The film is written by brothers Brian & Jim Kehoe, Hurwitz & Schlossberg and Eben Russell.

 

Genre: Comedy

Cast: Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Indira Viswanathan, Gideon Adlan

Directed by: Kay Cannon

Writers: Brian Kehoe & Jim Kehoe, Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg, Eben Russell

Produced by: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Chris Fenton

Executive Producers: Nathan Kahane, Joseph Drake, Josh Fagen, Chris Cowles, Dave Stassen, Jonathan McCoy

BLOCKERS – In Theaters April 6, 2018

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #BlockersMovie

In Theaters April 6th

http://www.fandango.com

Here comes the Teen Titan GO! Animated Feature!

WILL ARNETT AND KRISTEN BELL JOIN VOICE CAST OF

WARNER BROS. PICTURES’ NEW ANIMATED FEATURE

“TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES”

Stellar series stars Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong and Hynden Walch are joined by Arnett and Bell to bring “Teen Titans GO!” to the big screen

BURBANK, CA, October 9, 2017 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Will Arnett (“The LEGO® Batman Movie”) and Kristen Bell (“Frozen”) will lend their voices to the first-ever big-screen version of DC Entertainment’s animated TV series “Teen Titans GO!”—the aptly titled “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies.”

The animated feature will also star Greg Cipes (TV’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) as Beast Boy, Scott Menville (TV’s “Spider-Man”) as Robin, Khary Payton (“The Walking Dead”) as Cyborg, Tara Strong (the “My Little Pony” franchise) as Raven, and Hynden Walch (TV’s “Adventure Time with Finn & Jake”) as Starfire.  In the film, they reprise their roles from the Cartoon Network series, which follows the crimefighting adventures and antics of the young Super Hero roommates.

The film will be directed by Aaron Horvath and Peter Rida Michail, from a screenplay by Michael Jelenic and Horvath, based on characters from DC.  Michail, Will Arnett and Peggy Regan are producing, with Sam Register, Jelenic and Horvath serving as executive producers.  Apart from Arnett, all are “Teen Titans GO!” series contributors.

No stranger to voice acting or superheroes, Arnett played the title role in this year’s hit animated Super Hero feature “The LEGO Batman Movie,” after creating the character in the wildly popular “The LEGO Movie.”  He also voices the lead in the fan favorite Netflix series “BoJack Horseman.”

Bell starred as the voice of Anna in one of the most successful animated films of all time, “Frozen,” and has since lent her voice to the hit “Zootopia.”  She can also be heard alongside Arnett in an episode of “BoJack Horseman.”

            Set to release on July 27, 2018, “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Have a Fun Flight on a ‘COCO’ themed BOEING 737-700 Southwest Aircraft!!

Southwest Airlines Co. celebrated Disney•Pixar’s all-new, big-screen adventure “Coco” in high-flying style today, unveiling a Boeing 737-700 aircraft emblazoned with the vibrant “Coco” logo and artwork inspired by the film. The aircraft will fly among the carrier’s nearly 100 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean through the end of 2017. As the largest domestic carrier in the U.S. serving more than 115 million passengers yearly*, Southwest Airlines connects people every day to what is important in their lives. With Disney•Pixar’s “Coco,” Southwest connects its customers to an all-new story that’s both exciting and inspiring. The film opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017.

*Based on latest U.S. Dept of Transportation data of O&D passengers.

“Southwest specializes in bringing unique and meaningful moments to our Customers,” said Southwest Airlines Vice President Controller and California Executive Leah Koontz at the aircraft unveiling event in Oakland. “Disney•Pixar’s ‘Coco’ centers on the universal themes of heart and family, core values we celebrate every day with our employees and customers.”

“‘Coco’ is about a boy with big dreams and a strong connection to his family,” says Director Lee Unkrich. “These themes really lend themselves to teaming up with a company like Southwest. And after working for nearly six years to bring this story to life, we were all so excited to see ‘Coco’ on the side of an airplane.”

Customers are encouraged to spot the “Coco” plane and share their photos using #CocoAndSouthwest. Additionally, Southwest is sharing the adventures of “Coco” with Customers onboard flights beginning Nov. 1, with the launch of the Disney∙Pixar “Coco” OnDemand Channel, featuring complimentary movie clips and trailers to get everyone excited about “Coco” in 3D this Thanksgiving. Be sure to tune-in ahead of the film’s Nov. 22 theatrical debut. 

Later this fall, the music of “Coco” will come to life onboard the “Coco” aircraft with a Live at 35® inflight concert performance by Anthony Gonzalez, who voices Miguel in the movie. Customers will experience the sounds and culture up-close and in-the-moment as Anthony sings a song from the upcoming film accompanied by a guitarist.

COCO

DISNEY•PIXAR

http://movies.disney.com/coco

Hashtag: #PixarCoco

Pixar Coco Facebook   

Pixar Coco Twitter   

Pixar Coco Instagram

Running Time: 1 hour, 44 minutes

U.S. Release Date:  November 22, 2017

Voice Cast:  Gael García Bernal, Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt, RenÊe Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía, Jaime Camil, Sofía Espinosa, Luis Valdez, Lombardo Boyar, Edward James Olmos, Alanna Ubach, Selene Luna, Alfonso Arau, Herbert Siguenza, Octavio Solis, Gabriel Iglesias, Cheech Marin, Blanca Araceli

Director:  Lee Unkrich

Co-director:  Adrian Molina

Producer: Darla K. Anderson

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster HĂŠctor (voice of Gael GarcĂ­a Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history. 

Directed by Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”), co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist “Monsters University”) and produced by Darla K. Anderson (“Toy Story 3”), Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017. For more information, check out http://movies.disney.com/coco, Hashtag: #PixarCoco, Pixar Coco, Facebook,Pixar Coco Twitter and Pixar Coco Instagram.

geostorm-movie-screening-poster

Geostorm Advance Movie Screening

Movie Screening Summary: After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world’s leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But now, something has gone wrong—the system built to protect the Earth is attacking it, and it’s a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything…and everyone along with it.

www.geostorm.movie

See more advance movie screenings from tmc

Advance Movie Screening For GEOSTORM

Find your chance to receive special advance movie screening passes below.

 

Phoenix, Arizona

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Wednesday, October 18
Location: Harkins Arizona Mills
Movie Screening Time: 7:00pm
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Las Vegas, Nevada

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date:Wednesday, October 18
Location: AMC Town Square
Movie Screening Time: 7:00pm
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Advance Movie Screening Information

To redeem a pass, simply click the Get Passes button. You will taken to our movie screening partner site (where you can sign up for a free account). Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to print out your pass and bring it with you to your screening or event.

Admittance into a screening or event is not guaranteed with your pass. Events and advance screenings are filled on a ” first come, first served ” basis. To ensure that you stand a good chance of being admitted, we recommend that you show up 30 minutes to one hour early.

The number of admissions that are permissible for each pass are printed clearly on the ticket that you print out. You are allowed to bring as many guests as is indicated on your pass. For example, if your pass is for ” Admit Two, ” you can bring yourself and one guest. If you have an ” Admit One ” pass, you can bring only yourself.

If you have any other questions or comments, please contact us.

As Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” heads into theaters this Thanksgiving, the film’s soundtrack gears up for its debut!

AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 10

“COCO” SOUNDTRACK FEATURES ORIGINAL SONGS, A MEMORABLE SCORE AND TRADITIONAL MEXICAN SOUNDS

Grammy®-Winning Singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade to Perform End-Credit Version of “Coco” Signature Song “Remember Me”

BURBANK, Calif. (Oct. 4, 2017) – As Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” heads into theaters this Thanksgiving, the film’s soundtrack gears up for its debut. The film features an original score from Oscar®-winning composer Michael Giacchino, a song by Oscar winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina. Also part of the team is musical consultant Camilo Lara of the music project Mexican Institute of Sound. Plus, Grammy®-Winning Singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade are teaming up to record the end-credit version of the signature song “Remember Me.” Set for release from Walt Disney Records on Nov. 10, the physical CD is now available for pre-order HERE.

“Coco” tells the story of 12-year-old Miguel, an aspiring musician who hopes to follow in his idol’s famous footsteps despite his family’s ban on music. “‘Coco’ has music in its DNA,” said director Lee Unkrich.

Score

“Coco” features an original score from composer Giacchino, who wrote the Oscar®-winning score for Disney•Pixar’s 2009 film “Up.” “When I saw ‘Coco,’ a mosaic of emotions came over me,” said Giacchino.” “It made me think about my family and my connections to relatives back in Italy. This film speaks to everyone.”

Giacchino worked with Franco, who composed the score for 2015’s “Dope,” to supervise the orchestrations and realize an engaging and specific sound. “She illuminated the complex richness of Mexican music so well,” said Giacchino. “The collaboration between all the musicians on this film has been a beautiful experience.”

Added Franco, “We really wanted to marry this idea of original music with elements of Mexican music to create a unique balance of sound, harmony and rhythm.”

Franco explored a wide array of Mexican instrumentation in the score, including a guitarrĂłn, folkloric harp, a quijada, sousaphone, charchetas, jaranas, requintos, marimba, trumpets and violins.

The score was recorded in August featuring an 83-piece orchestra.

Source Music

“Coco” also features traditional Mexican songs as source music, to bring to life Miguel’s town of Santa Cecilia. “Even though music isn’t allowed in his home, Miguel finds inspiration in the musicians who perform in his hometown plaza,” says co-director/screenwriter Adrian Molina. “Santa Cecilia—home of superstar Ernesto de la Cruz—is so full of music, it inspires Miguel to want to be a musician.”

Franco and musical consultant Camilo Lara of the music project Mexican Institute of Sound were called on to help create the soundscape of Miguel’s world, along with the assistance of cultural consultants Benjamín Juárez Echenque and Marcela Davison Avilés. Lara joined the music team early, helping filmmakers navigate various moments from the film through the spectrum of Mexican music—from cumbia to mariachi music. Said Lara, “From day one, the whole idea was to be as authentic as possible. We listened to a lot of music—from sophisticated to street. I think we managed to present a beautiful mosaic of the vast diversity of our music.

“I was also responsible for a magical session in Mexico City,” continues Lara. “We recorded a wide range of top Mexican musicians of many genres—banda, marimba, mariachi and son jarocho. We had top Mexican maestros. It was a mind-blowing experience.”

Original Songs – “Remember Me”

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who were behind the Oscar®-winning song “Let it Go” in 2013’s “Frozen,” penned the thematic song “Remember Me,” which is the signature song for beloved performer Ernesto de la Cruz in the movie. “The song is from the point of view of a person hoping to be remembered by a loved one,” said Anderson-Lopez. “But the lyric can be interpreted a few different ways depending on the tempo and tone of the music.”

End Credit Version

Grammy®-winning singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade teamed up to record the end-credit version of “Remember Me,” which Miguel and Steve Mostyn produced. “The song is special because it is about family and remembering where we come from,” says Miguel, who won his first Grammy® for best R&B song for the lead single “Adorn” in 2013. “It’s a reminder to be appreciative of the love and sacrifice that those before us had to make in order for us to be who we are. I think the message in the song is powerful enough to connect with everyone, but we’re adding another layer of depth and soul to the emotion of the song in this version.”

Added eight-time Latin Grammy® winner Lafourcade, “I feel very excited to be part of a Pixar movie because I have loved those films ever since I was little. I really enjoyed singing a song that gives life, color and joy to our Mexican traditions, as the Day of the Dead is one of my favorite traditions and celebrations of our culture.”

Original Songs – “Un Poco Loco,” “Everyone Knows Juanita,” “The World Es Mi Familia,” “Proud Corazón”

Franco worked with Molina to write several songs, including “Un Poco Loco,” a song in the son jarocho style of Mexican music performed by Miguel and Héctor on stage in the Land of the Dead. “This is one of my favorite types of Mexican music,” says Franco. “It involves a mix of indigenous, African and Spanish musical elements.”

Among other songs are the aspirational “The World Es Mi Familia” and the tongue-in-cheek lullaby “Everyone Loves Juanita.” “Proud Corazón” was penned for the final scene in the movie. “The lyrics in this song are probably the most personal to me,” said Molina. “It’s about filling your heart with the pride you have for your family, where you come from and who you’re connected to. [It] speaks to this connection across generations—between the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead. Our thoughts, the memories in our hearts make it possible that our loved ones are always with us.”

The “Coco” soundtrack will be available from Walt Disney Records on Nov. 10. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, check outFacebook.com/disneymusic, Twitter.com/disneymusic and Instagram.com/disneymusic.

American Made – Movie Review

In this action, comedy based on the true story of Barry Seal, a pilot for TWA who starts taking pictures of drug smugglers for the CIA then become a drug smuggler himself, then become a… I’m getting ahead of myself.  In American Made, Tom Cruise reunites with his Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Linman, who also directed the films, Swingers, Go, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Bourne Identity.  He definitely knows how to put the comedy in action, not to mention the action in action, and him and Cruise pairing up to make this film is a truly winning combination.  You’ll barely have a chance to take a breath watching the escapades Barry Seal gets into.  The film is also very nostalgic in its presentation.  As if to steal its cue from Tarantino, American Made is edited to look older on purpose to lend to the truth-telling it’s doing but also to keep up the fun.  It certainly wasn’t wasted on the audience I watched it with.  They couldn’t get enough.

While in a bar, Seal, unhappy and bored with his job as a commercial pilot, is approached by a member of the CIA, Monty ‘Schafer’ (Gleeson) who seems to know everything about Seal, especially about a little extra money-making scam he has going on.  He could reveal it to the authorities or… Seal could work for them.  Slimy Schafer wants Seal to fly above certain areas of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and capture photos of Commies in the middle of doing illegal acts.  Seal is worried if it’s something safe. Schafer isn’t worried.  Seal wonders if it’s legal.  Schafer assures him it is.  Americans are the good guys!  This does little to make Seal feel better about the job but takes the offer.  What he never really realizes, and this is important, is that he is not a member of the CIA much like an informant isn’t a police officer.  Had he stopped to think about this, he, as he tells us several times in the film in a documentary style that will be explained later, would have passed.

Seal lands at an airstrip and finds himself a not so happy reception from Pablo Escobar (Mejía) and Jorge Ochoa (Edda).  They, like everyone else he has run into of late, know everything about who he is and what he has been doing.  So, they make him an offer he can’t refuse… not that he could.  He doesn’t know how to turn down money, even when he can no longer find a place to put it.  Escobar starts having him taking flights full of cocaine to the states for them.  The scenes with Escobar are some of the most comical in the movie.  This was just before Nancy Reagan hit the country with her ‘Just Say No’ campaign so when you find out who is working for who, it makes that slogan look like a contrived scam to appeal to the little people and she a useful tool to frighten U.S. citizens.

Barry also becomes a gunrunner for Panamanian dictator, Noriega.  It’s quite interesting seeing how he’s wrapped up in this, too.  Seal’s life gets complicated and he’s often nervous, so is the audience as they’re trying to keep up with the players, but that’s what makes this film so likable.  There is a lot going on and you’re just there for the ride.  Maps are made available to make it easier to understand.  Seal and his wife are moved from Louisiana to Arkansas, in the middle of nowhere, where he is given his own hanger, home and hideaway.  On his land, the military begins training members of the rebellion.  The not so bright rebellion.

The entire cast of American Made is glorious.  They make the film work and help you with the flip-flopping back and forth of the tale itself… of what Barry Seal really went through.  With what’s going on today in politics, seeing what the American government had a hand in doing while jailing Americans for smoking a joint will have you wondering just exactly what happens behind the scenes.  It may have you questioning things and could make you a bit uneasy but this is well told and entertaining.  I highly recommend you don’t skip it.  It’s good that this serious issue was presented to the public in the manner of an action/comedy.  It needs to be seen and understood and though it is only based on the true story, the Iran-Contra affair is a good reminder that there is always a reason to question.

The Lego Ninjago Movie Review

Never before has there been a movie franchise where the audience didn’t mind at all about the Product Placement! Starting with “The Lego Movie”, and then on to “The Lego Batman Movie”, it has been a very enjoyable series. The fresh approach to an animated kid’s movie, based on the kid’s toy, makes a movie that is much more than just for kids. Can lightning strike a third time with “The Lego Ninjago Movie”, and can it produce another remarkable movie experience?

 

Starting with a brief live-action sequence, there is a young boy to meets the owner (Jackie Chan) of a Chinese curio shop. The owner begins to tell the boy about a far away (Lego) city called Ninjago, protected by a mighty (Lego) ninja warrior named … Lloyd (Dave Franco). Lloyd works with a group of friends and fellow ninjas; Kai (Michael PeĂąa), Jay (Kumail Nanjiani), Nya (Abbi Jacobson), Cole (Fred Armisen) and Zane (Zach Woods). Respectively, they are Green Ninja, Fire Ninja, Lightning Ninja, Water Ninja, Earth Ninja and Ice Ninja. This team of young fighters is guided by Master Wu  (also Jackie Chan).

 

The city of Ninjago is always attacked by an evil warlord named Lord Garmadon (Justin Theroux). Garmadon happens to be Lloyd’s absentee father, and Master Wu is Garmadon’s older brother. Garmadon took the path of darkness and evil, while Wu took the path of light and goodness. That can be tough on the family reunions… But after the recent attack by Garamdon, Lloyd stole the ‘Ultimate Weapon’ from Master Wu’s stockpile. And that unleashed an even greater terror, Meowthra. Meowthra is a cute kitten that comes around and knocks over half of Ninjago.

 

Master Wu says that there is an ‘Ultimate, Ultimate Weapon’ hidden in a secret place far away. But only a Master Ninja can use the weapon, and Lloyd is not yet a Master Ninja. So the entire team sets out to journey far away on a quest to become powerful Ninjas who can fight off and defeat Meowthra. Master Wu and the gang are attacked by Lord Garmadon. Garmadon is captured, but Master Wu seems to fall to his death. So they proceed to the final destination with Garmadon as prisoner.

 

There are many obstructions on the way to find the hidden weapon. When they arrive at “Temple of Fragile Foundations”, Lord Garmadon has become more of a father figure to Lloyd (whom he always calls “La-Lloyd”). He explains that Lloyd’s mother Koko (Olivia Munn) was once a Ninja Master called Iron Dragon. The other Ninjas find their inner powers and the group becomes more powerful. Lloyd has become a true Ninja Master, and he is ready to take on the terror of Meowthra. But oops! Lord Garmadon is still up to his evil ways, and it willing to destroy the Ninjas and let the city of Ninjago fall to the clutches of the cute kitty Meowthra.

 

So, will there be a final climax with Ninja fighting and Master Wu returning and Meowthra purring? Also, as Lloyd learns to be a true Master and Leader, and as he reconciles with his father Lord Garmadon, will find inner peace? Also, will the movie find its inner power at the box office? All signs point to yes…

 

This movie has an unusually large group involved with creation of what made it to the screen, seven people working on the overall story, six people with credit for the screenplay, and even three directors. It also has quite a few name actors performing in the main voice roles, but they are well suited and the casting works out fine. The animation is clean and bright, and the made-up city of Ninjago is a wondrous thing. The pace is quick and it keeps the characters moving and interacting.

 

Lego made a good choice to allow qualified people to take up the burden of making a simple toy block set and turning it into a major motion picture franchise. Each new movie is taking Lego higher and higher, building the brand and expanding the audience. I just hope that doesn’t give somebody the idea to maybe make something called “The iPhone Movie”…

Kingsman The Golden Circle Movie Review

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is a follow-up to “Kingsman: The Secret Service”. That movie was a fresh take on spy movies in general, and James Bond type movies in specific. The English upper crust non-government spy group called ‘Kingsman’ was a fun but violent wild ride. The characters and the organization were displayed in detail. ‘Manners Maketh Man’ was the catch phrase that meant the bad guys would be brought down hard, but with wit and in debonair style. Oxfords only, please…

Now in the new sequel movie, the “Golden Circle” can only bring home the Bronze. In the first one, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) was brought in to the group by long-time agent Harry Hart (Colin Firth). Unfortunately, Harry was shot in the head in the first movie and is assumed dead. The special tech support agent named Merlin (Mark Strong) still helps Eggsy on his missions. But a new bad guy is afoot. A washed-out recruit (from the first movie) named Charlie (Edward Holcroft) is working for a drug cartel leader. Charlie attacks Eggsy and nearly kills him. Charlie has a mechanical arm that makes him super strong.

 

The new evil drug lord in named Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore) and she is taking over all drug distribution world wide. But her evil plan is to taint the drugs with a potion that will eventually kill all the users. She will blackmail all world leaders to pay her a ransom for the antidote. But first she eliminated all the Kingsman facilities. Only Eggsy and Merlin are left alive. They only have one option – they must contact the fraternal organization in the United States – the Statesman.

 

The Statesmen finally figure out that Eggsy and Merlin are OK, so they decide to help them out. But they also find the Statesman have been holding Harry Hart, who is alive but without any memories. The agents in Statesmen, led by Champ (Jeff Bridges), are Agent Tequila (Channing Tatum), Agent Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) and the technical support agent Ginger (Halle Berry). They reconnect Eggsy with Harry, but Harry does not know anything about Kingsman. But when Poppy has threatened the entire world into paying ransom, the remaining Kingsman and Statesman must band together for a united attack against her.

 

The action moves fast and in (golden) circles all over the globe. Firs, Eggsy goes to a music concert in England, to chase down Charlie’s ex-girlfriend. Then to the French Alps, to a secret location to find where the antidote is being made. And back and forth to England and to the U.S. to check up on things. And then to Cambodia to locate Poppy Adams in her secluded jungle hideout. Did I mention that she is also keeping Elton John hostage for some reason? Yes, the action set pieces are very much on target, but the ping-pong, crisscross of back and forth in the world gets in the way.

 

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is still a fair spy movie, but it does not have any of the fresh ideas of the first movie. It works around getting the main character (Harry Hart) killed in the first one by some oddball mumbo-medical-jumbo. The movie has the same weird demeaning attitude to women as the first one does. There are very limited motivations for why Poppy is so bad and evil, and why she still thinks she is stuck in the ’50s. There is more screen time for Elton John than there is for Jeff Bridges. Now who thought that would be a good idea?

The things that the movies get right are the action sequences. They are shot in a way that the camera shows in a very way fluid manner what is going on and where everybody is. That is much better than most shaky-cam shots in other movies, where the editing shows nothing about what is happening. The idea to have the U.S Statesman use the cover of a distillery is clever. The Kingsman cover was an upscale tailor shop in London, but you can’t take a drinking tour of a tailor shop…

 

All of the acting is at a pretty high quality level. The standout would be Pedro Pascal who is fantastic. He would be the perfect pick to star in a biographical movie about Burt Reynolds! Julianne Moore plays a bit over-the-top as Poppy, but that is her character. The ones who get so little screen time are Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges. They might have been played by just about anyone. Colin Firth and Taron Egerton also bring their ‘A’ game.

 

So, it is not as good as the first, it runs a little too long, and the locations are too scattered. But the acting is solid, and action parts are off-the-wall quality stuff. The result is that the “Golden Circle” can only bring home the Bronze, it does not deserve the Gold, or even the Silver.

 

Brad’s Status Movie Review

Meet Brad.  He’s smart, he’s a good husband and father, he’s a philanthropist but, largely, he’s average.   Well, to himself, he’s average and at this point in his life that’s the worst thing he could be.  Brad (Stiller) is a guy who has found middle age an impossibly uncomfortable place to be.  With his son Troy (Abrams) about to go to college, he recalls what he was like at that age and thinks about all the things he wanted, the opportunities he had and what he did with those opportunities.  He has spent most of his adult life comparing himself to the friends he went to college with.  This hasn’t helped his self-esteem because most of them are successful, even famous in some circles.

Throughout the film, Brad tells us, through voice-overs, that he doesn’t like himself.  His inner thoughts, when he has a conversation with someone, is generally how awful a person he believes himself to be.  Since college, all his best friends have done well for themselves so, ‘what’s to like about me?’  Watching his son advance in life to the point of starting his college days, he worries Troy could turn out like him.  Another fear is, how will he feel if Troy turns out better?  What if he has all the success Brad only dreamed of?

Brad owns and operates a non-profit and though he lives in a nice home and all his needs are met, he believes his life’s work to be, in his words, ‘Absurd.’  He can’t see through all of his jealousy and his need to have more, be more. 

He continually focuses on his station or status in life, judging whether being wealthy or not speaks to what quality of a person you are.  He wonders how life would be if he were rich like his old friends, who live life as if it was a giant playground while he walks the earth with bills to worry about, finding his ground more in the battle variety. 

Where did it go wrong, he asks himself?  The voice-over is there to stay but don’t fret, it works correctly to advance the story.  He and Troy take a trip to Boston to visit some universities.  Troy misses the interview with Harvard and Brad calls on a powerful and influential friend, Craig, played by Michael Sheen. Craig comes through for him, beautifully and gets Troy in to speak with the dean.  This moment is big for this young musical prodigy and he’s proud of his father. 

There are several touching moments in the film between father and son.  Regarding the actual music in the film, it’s completely theatric and necessary.  During Brad’s inner dialogue, generally, the scene is accompanied by a single hopping bow across the bridge of a violin.  The sound emanating from the instruments F-Holes directed the mood Brad was in and highlighted the black cloud hanging over his head.  Every note heard fits into the scene perfectly; the film wouldn’t have been as good without it. 

Troy and Brad have dinner with a friend of Troy’s who already attends Harvard and within her, Brad sees the drive and the idealistic intentions he once had.  This was the turning point of the film where he tries to explain to her that wanting to help will not be appreciated and that instead, her efforts will go unnoticed and she’ll be forgotten about.  This conversation with her awakens him because through her judging eyes and her voice he hears and sees his own, or at least who he once was and would rather be again instead of this bitter man he has become.  He has a nice life, doesn’t struggle, but always wants more.  When will enough be enough? 

He hears of the passing of a favorite professor which hits him hard.  It’s this loss where Brad puts things more into perspective.  Family.  Love.  Time.  Those things are important.  His son, who doesn’t see him as a failure is who matters, not old friends that don’t call and who, as it turns out, aren’t exactly who he thought they were, after all.  Brad is alive.  Time to be alive and live for himself, not for any of them.

Again, the music throughout every scene is spectacular.  Though the character of Brad is depressing you a fair amount of the time, Ben does well with him, carrying the heavy load, so to speak.  Brad will frustrate at times and will move you to tears the next.  The best part is that at no time during this movie will you see a character like Derek Zoolander come through Stiller’s performance.  This is some of the best work I recall seeing from him.  Abrams’ portrayal of Troy is competent.  He has a real grasp of the character and is the perfect complement to Stiller’s Brad.  When Brad was at his most erratic, Abram watched his co-star and went completely in the opposite direction which thoroughly balanced the movie.

Photo Credit : Jonathan Wenk / Amazon Studios

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Home Again Movie Review

If you like the movies of Nancy Meyers, then you enjoyed ones like “It’s Complicated”, “The Intern” and “Something’s Gotta Give”. Along comes her daughter Hallie Meyers-Shyer, and she is taking her family heritage to heart. She is the creator of “Home Again”, which a similar type of romantic comedy with a strong central female character, surrounded by a group of unusual characters. However, this outing feels less like a new model and more like a retread.

 

Alice Kinney (Witherspoon) had grown up in Los Angeles, the daughter of a famous movie director and his much younger starlet wife. Alice later married a music producer named Austen (Michael Sheen) and lived in New York, later having two young girls. But the marriage is on the rocks, and Alice moves the two girls back to LA. Her mother Lillian (Candice Bergen) wants Alice to start a new chapter in her life. During her fortieth birthday party with friends, she happens to meet up with three much younger guys.

 

The three guys are film-makers in LA to turn a small award-winning short into a full-sized movie. They just need the right connections, the right meetings, and oh yeah – a new place to live. They have almost no money and are getting desperate. The young director is Harry (Pico Alexander) and he meets Alice in the bar. Harry’s brother George (Jon Rudnitsky) is the writer and their friend Teddy (Nat Wolff) is an aspiring actor. Harry meets Alice, but at the end of the night, the party has moved to Alice’s place.

The next morning, her mom Lillian meets the guys and finds out that they need some short-term housing. Alice agrees to let them stay in the cozy little guest house on the property. They find the arrangement quite suitable. Especially Harry, because he and Alice start up a hot little romance. Alice has some built-in babysitting and help with the chores, while she attempts to get her business up and started. She is going to be an interior designer, and she has a new client.

 

Alice meets her client Zoey (Lake Bell) and finds that she is bit more than she can handle. Zoey thinks that a consultant in her house is always avaialble for odd jobs, like unloading furniture and giving her child a bath. Life for Alice keeps getting even more complicated when Austen decides to come to visit at the old house. He meets the trio of much younger men and sees he has some competition. Alice and Austen are together, but the problems in the marriage have not gone away. Will Alice and Austen reconcile, and will the three upcoming film-makers be rewarded by Hollywood?

 

This movie does its best to keep you involved in Alice’s rich white girl struggles. But the basic plot thread of making the best of an awkward ‘blended’ family does not ring true. The scenes are set in picture book beautiful places, and they are filled with attractive people. However there is not a real situation faced by honest everyday folks for miles. It is all a wonderland fantasy of how some people might want to live.

 

Reese Witherspoon is a very talented actress. Playing Alice takes about a fraction of her talent and charisma. Not that Witherspoon is bad, but there is not a whole lot room to develop a character. Michael Sheen is very reliable, and he plays Austen mostly in his rugged facial expressions. Candice Bergen still has great timing for dialog and comedy.

 

The three guys playing the film-makers are just OK. Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander leave a handsome impression. But sometimes it is hard to know which is which, and who has what name. The characters are underdeveloped. Even Pico Alexander, who is playing Alice’s love interest, is not on the same level as Reese Witherspoon. He is in the same game, but playing in a different stadium.

 

If this is your cup of chamomile tea, than “Home Again’ will be a delightful little movie for you. Not everyone has that type of interest in estrogen-powered comedies. So your mileage may vary. Reese Witherspoon does have quite a potential for playing a role and making a character really stand out. Too bad that in this movie, she only can be “Legally Bland”.