Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story
Released 12/16/16

With this week's release of the next Star Wars movie, Disney and Lucasfilm begin their two-pronged experiment.  It's the first film outside of the previously numbered movies of the main SW saga.  It's also the first film not heavily devoted to the Skywalker clan.  Outside of the initial fervor the saga's fans have for everything SW, could a movie such as this be success?  After the humongous success of last year's release of The Force Awakens, there's a lot for Rogue One to live up to.

I think the first thing that needs to be addressed is can Rogue One be different from what has come before and still definitively have a Star Wars feel?  There has been backlash against every film outside of the "Holy Trilogy" encompassing IV-VI.  The much maligned prequels, Episodes I-III, were such effects-laden exercises, that many thought story was sacrificed and the concept strayed too far from what SW originally was.  The Force Awakens (Episode VII) was a welcome reversion back to the familiar for most.  But, there was a loud contingent that thought it was too familiar and not daring enough.  In many circles, it's been called a polished rehash of Episode IV. 

From the lack of an opening crawl, Rogue One is different.  It is one of the darker SW films on record.  It depicts the dirty underbelly and unseemly side of war, albeit a fantasy space war.  There's an undercurrent of the magical aspect as the Force is ever present.  Hey, it's SW film right?  The Force has to be part of the equation.  But, with the exception of a few scenes, it's greatly underplayed. 

So, that brings us to the question, "If not about the Skywalkers, what is Rogue One about?"  Well for those hardcore SW fans, you already knew going in.  But, believe it or not, not everyone is of our ilk, so this is for them.  Bear with me for a few paragraphs. 

In short, and I'll try not to give spoiler, Rogue One takes place between Episode III (Revenge of the Sith) and Episode IV (A New Hope).  A prequel  to A New Hope, it takes place roughly a few days before the events of that film.  Now, if you've been around for more than 15 years, you've have likely seen Episode IV 10,000 times on cable and know that the opening features the desperate, but, futile escape attempt of Princess Leia's flagship from Imperial forces.  Her ship is carrying the vital design plans of the Empire's superweapon, The Death Star.  The opening crawl of A New Hope gives you the rundown of how the opening sequence came to be, "In a daring raid, Rebel spies have managed to steal the plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star", or something of that nature.  Rogue One tells that story.

Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is a "guest" in an Imperial prison when the Rebel Alliance jailbreaks her for reasons unknown to her at the time.  Once back at their headquarters on Yavin 4 (remember that from A New Hope?), the Alliance reveals their purpose.  An Imperial cargo ship pilot has defected from the Empire and carries a holographic message from Jyn's father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen), a coerced Imperial Research Scientist and chief designer of the Death Star.  The defecting pilot is directed to Galen's old friend, Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), a Clone Wars veteran who, like another well known SW character, seems to be more machine than man now.  Saw runs a radical faction of Rebel fighters and isn't on the greatest terms with the main Alliance force which is why the Alliance needs Jyn as Saw was her foster father after the Empire claimed Galen. 

Reluctantly teamed with Alliance Intelligence officer, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and his reprogrammed Imperial droid, K-2SO, they're able to find Saw who plays for the message for Jyn.  Galen has helped design the greatest weapon of mass murder ever.  However, there is a subtle secret that he kept from his oppressive masters.  Armed with this knowledge, Jyn, Cassian, K-2SO, the defecting pilot, and, two strange, but, resourceful allies they have picked up along the way narrowly escape annihilation from Imperial forces who realize there has been a breach in their security. 

After a failed attempt to reacquire Galen, the motley group reveals his secret to Alliance leaders who can't come to a consensus on a course of action.  The next step would be extremely dangerous involving raiding a heavily fortified Imperial stronghold to steal the design plans for the Death Star.  Jyn's group, along with a squad of Rebel soldiers, defy orders deciding to complete the mission themselves.  It's a mission akin to suicide, but, the Empire must be stopped at any cost.

Now, if you know the story of Episode IV, I'll leave the rest to your imagination as to how Rogue One concludes.  I do commend director, Gareth Edwards, and all the creative powers on the film that they brought us to a plausible conclusion.  This is war.  It ain't pretty.  Sometimes heroes take it on the chin before they succeed.  I don't think I'm giving much away in saying they do transmit the plans to the Alliance.  But, at what cost, you'll see.

While this is a dark, gritty, in-the-trenches kind of war movie, it still very much feels like Star Wars.  It does have a little of the general hokiness all the films have.  There aren't going to be any Oscar-winning performances here, but, everyone is more than adequate.   You've got your signature insane space battle at the end.  You've got amazing battle choreography with the Force, though not in the way you might think.  Donnie Yen's, Chirrut Imwe, I think is implied to have some type of Force sensitivity with the way he fights being a blind man.  If nothing else, he believes in the Force.  But, outside of this, if you are looking for Jedi, you might be disappointed.  Although there is a reference to Obi-Wan Kenobi even if he isn't called out by name. 

Like I said earlier.  War isn't pretty.  And, sometimes the lines between good and bad can be blurred.  Some of the "good guys" of the Alliance do certain things in the movie that aren't close to noble from executing informants to being ordered to carry out assassinations.  It's pretty much a do what you have to do type of attitude.  Different for Star Wars outside of Han Solo's killing of Greedo in cold blood (HAN SHOT FIRST).  I appreciated Edwards not shying away from the greyness of those situations. 

Although this is a cast of new players primarily, you get some old favorites thrown in to whet your appetite as well.  There's a very brief "blink and you'll miss it" cameo from everyone's favorite droids, C-3PO and R2-D2.  There's even some stock footage of Red and Gold fighter squadron leaders from A New Hope blended into the ending space battle if you're feeling nostalgic.  Speaking of nostalgic, you'll get a glimpse of some "old friends" from the Mos Eisley cantina.  Again, blink and you'll miss it.  Oh, and, if you're interested, you'll learn why Luke Skywalker has the call sign "Red 5" in Episode IV. 

One thing I would be remiss in mentioning as it seems to have received quite a lot of attention is the digitized additions of Peter Cushing's, Grand Moff Tarkin, and a younger Carrie Fisher's, Princess Leia.  I've read some reports that some viewers found it a little off-putting dubbing their digital likenesses  over stand-in actors.  I found it a little odd at times, but, overall, I thought it was job well done.  The effects specialists made it as seamless as possible.  To those who didn't care for it, I say this to you.  Can you really see anyone else in either role?  Both almost had to be part of Rogue One to add that connection to Episode IV, and, given the circumstances of Cushing being deceased and Fisher being  much older now than she would have been when this is supposed to take place, how else could it be done?

And, last note.  You didn't honestly think I'd end this review without mentioning our favorite Sith Lord, did you?  Darth Vader returns!  Now, this is a double-edged sword.  He's in Rogue One less than he's in A New Hope.  But, oh, are his scenes memorable.  We haven't seen this Vader onscreen since The Empire Strikes Back.  He just oozes menace and evil.  And, his final scene?  You may make noises you didn't know you could make when you see it.  He brought the house down and brought it all home.  WELCOME BACK DARK LORD!

I wasn't sure what to make of these "side" Star Wars stories when I first heard that Disney was planning to release them in years when they didn't have a main saga release.  But, if this is what Star Wars fans can expect going forward?  We're in for a wild, crazy ride.  The Force Awakens last year was comfort food for SW fans.  Rogue One was a steak dinner.  Keep it coming House of Mouse!

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***** stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Doctor Strange

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Doctor Strange
Released 11/4/16

Marvel Studios introduces what they hope is the next household name in their vast universe.  They steer their cinematic universe to the realm of the mystical with the release of Doctor Strange.  Before 2008, it would have been inconceivable that a fringe character even by some comic fans standards could warrant a big budget feature film.  But, since the release of Iron Man, the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and blah, blah, blah, here we are.  The only question is can Marvel stay on its meteoric path of success?  The studio spared no expense with the cast to ensure its success pulling the talents of respected actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, and Mads Mikkelsen.  When does the Marvel bullet train stop rolling?

Well, I'm happy to say it won't stop with Strange.  Visually stunning, Doctor Strange is helmed by director, Scott Derrickson, who holds a special place in my movie heart.  If you've followed this blog, you know how much I love the film Sinister.  A modern horror masterpiece, in my opinion, Sinister was directed by Derrickson.  I don't know if Derrickson has made the good doctor a household name (he probably will from the box office take so far), but, he has created a mindbending adventure that expands on the idea that Earth is not alone in this fictional universe.

So, who is Doctor Strange?  For comic fans (and those who have seen the movie) this is a rehash.  For the non-comic inclined, here goes.  Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a brilliant and condescendingly arrogant neurosurgeon whose livelihood is threatened when a devastating car accident causes severe nerve damage to his hands.  He learns of a possible cure for his condition in the far East after alienating the one true friend/lover (McAdams) he has and exhausting all his financial resources to repair the damage.

What he finds is a brand new world of mysticism and other dimensional power that's hard for the scientifically oriented doctor to comprehend in the beginning.  All he knows is, he wants to learn more after seeing this power on display.  Willingly accepting the tutelage of the Celt master sorcerer, the Ancient One (Swinton), and her followers, including a particularly fierce and rigid true believer named Mordo (Ejiofor), he begins his new training. 

Now every super hero story has to have a villain of course.  This film's big bad is Kaecilius (Mikkelsen), a former student of the Ancient One who has rejected her pacifistic teachings.  He and his followers have willingly fallen under the sway of Dormammu, the all-powerful ruler of the Dark Dimension.  Having lost his loved ones, Kaecilius believes the Dark Dimension is the true path because time doesn't exist there.  To that end, he makes preparations to bring the Dimension and Dormammu to Earth.  Strange, while a quick study, is by no means a master sorcerer at this point and must be more cunning than he ever thought he could be particularly when tragedy strikes someone close to him. 

A movie like this is expected to be a special effects extravaganza, and, Doctor Strange doesn't disappoint.  It's visually the best movie of the year in my opinion.  The laws of physics do not exist with the ever changing landscapes that literally bend and merge with each other. 

Speaking as someone who has never read Doctor Strange extensively, I've always thought of him as all about sorcery, time portals, new dimensions, spells, arcane objects, etc.  And, that's all pretty much true.  However, I never pictured the character as much of a physical hand-to-hand combatant.   That's one thing the film expanded upon that I appreciated a great deal.  Derrickson has created a type of "magical Kung Fu" that's much different than the Harry Potter-type of wizards slinging spells at each other type of fighting (which is also great).  Here, sorcerers are very much adept at a martial art fighting style enhanced by magical shields, weapons, and just about anything pulled out of thin air..  It's wild and visually satisfying.

While it's a well-acted film by all involved (particularly Cumberbatch), my one complaint is that this was an origin story.  I might be wrong, but, I believed Marvel had indicated they wouldn't make these types of films any longer.  I was kind of hoping Strange would have already been Sorcerer Supreme as the movie starts.  In Captain America:  The Winter Soldier, he was already a person of interest for Hydra which would indicate he had already made a few waves in the world.  It's hard to know where his origin works into the continuity of the MCU.   I would have preferred to see an Incredible Hulk type of origin with newspaper clippings or a few flashbacks.  Although there was plenty of action in Doctor Strange it would have been nice if they could have gotten right to it without the "getting to know you" portion which comes with all origin movies. 

As far as a tie in with the rest of the MCU, Thanos will very likely be on the sorcerer's doorstep in the future as the Eye of Agamoto, an object famous in Doctor Strange lore contains something that will be of great interest to him.  Also, in one of two end credit scenes, a certain Thunderer from Asgard stops by Strange's Sanctum as a prelude to his next upcoming film in 2017. 

Doctor Strange's visuals and performances make it one of the better superhero offerings of the year.  It has the signature humorous moments you've come to expect from Marvel Studios.  I mean, who doesn't need a Cloak of Levitation with a mind of its own?  While not as funny as Deadpool or as grand as Civil War, Strange's entry into the MCU is a welcome one. More Doctor Strange as soon as possible, please.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***3/4 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Don't Breathe

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Don't Breathe
Released 8/26/16

Maybe 2016 will be known as the year horror made a comeback.  Well, maybe that's too strong of a statement.  We'll just say it's the year that saw a lot of mainstream horror releases.  How about that?  We've already seen the releases of The Forest, The Boy, The Witch, and, if you really want to stretch things, Pride Prejudice and Zombies.  Depending on your tastes, while there's been quantity in the horror genre, has there necessarily been quality?  As a geeked out fanboy of the genre, I can say it's been a pretty mixed bag.  There hasn't been anything that's been downright awful.  I've seen "meh" (The Boy) to almost good (The Forest) to overrated (The Witch) to solid (The Conjuring 2) to "good, but wished it was better (Lights Out)."  So, that brings us to August and our next entry attempting to rank high on my personal "Sinister" scale of horror.

Co-written and directed by Fede Alvarez, Don't Breathe is his second excursion into the horror genre following 2013's remake of horror classic, Evil Dead.  Now, if you saw that one, you know Alvarez has a flair for the wicked and disgusting with a dash of WTH thrown in for good measure.  While Evil Dead offered him a large canvas to explore the fantastic, Don't Breathe's simplistic premise of home invasion gone wrong naturally calls for a more subdued approach.  So, what could Alvarez do with that?

The answer is quite a lot.  What he's created here is an extremely tense, at times claustrophobic, but, always riveting thriller that blurs the line of who's the monster and who's the victim. What I like most about what Alvarez does here is he doesn't cop out like so many other directors tend to do. You know the kind of movie I'm talking about.  The ones that are painted in shades of grey until the would be villain makes no ifs ands or  buts that he/she really is despicable and deserving of being put down.

Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and Money (Daniel Zovatto), our three "heroes" in the film are teenage delinquents who make a living breaking into homes secured by the company Alex's father works for and fencing the stolen loot.  The motivations of each varies.  Rocky is doing it to acquire enough money to leave dilapidated Detroit with her younger sister and move far away from their good-for-nothing mother.  Money, Rocky's boyfriend, is doing this under the guise of helping his her, but, he seems to get a perverse thrill out of the whole criminal life. You're really not quite sure why Alex is involved in all of this outside of his infatuation with Rocky.  His father seems to make a decent enough living.  But, petty thieves they are.  With Alex's careful planning, they're a fairly successful group until they go for their biggest score yet.  It's one Rocky desperately needs, Money is almost gleeful to execute, and Alex has great trepidation about.

Their next mark is "The Blind Man (Stephen Lang)", a war veteran who lost his sight in Iraq.  He's sitting on at least a six-figure settlement of cash he received from a wealthy family for the vehicular death of his daughter perpetrated by that family's own daughter.  He's an unassuming hermit who is the only person living on his completely deserted city block.  He only has the company of his dog (a big ferocious Rottweiler).  The thieves believe the settlement is in his house and they mean to get their hands on it. 

While breaking into the house proves to be no piece of cake, once they're in the house, they'll discover much to their chagrin that the Blind Man is not as helpless as he seems.  Plus, he has a few dark secrets of his own in that house.

Part of the beauty of Don't Breathe is the dichotomy of Stephen Lang's performance.  When you first meet him, you think of him as a pitiful, broken down old man who is just trying to live out the rest of his days in peace.  He falls asleep listening to old videos of his daughter.  You feel a tremendous amount of sympathy for him especially when he's going to be robbed of a fortune.  Why isn't this money in a bank?  Well, he's a weird old hermit, what can I tell you?  As Money puts it, he doesn't trust anybody.  But, remember those WTH moments I mentioned Alvarez has a flair for?  A switch is flipped and the Blind Man goes from prey to predator in a lightning quick moment.  It's rather impressive and unsettling at the same time.

The reveal of the Blind Man's secrets will make you sympathize with him a little less to be sure, but, even with that, you still understand his motivation as bat spit crazy as it is.  The thieves become essentially rats in a maze as the Blind Man traps them inside the house and systematically hunts them.  And you can only feel for them so much.  Yes, they're fighting for their lives against a crazy old man, but, they were there to steal from him despite whether their motivations were noble or not. 

Alvarez also employed a masterful use of lighting in the film.  When the lights are turned out and everyone is walking around in complete darkness, you understand the abject terror of the thieves being completely out of their element.  Of course, the Blind Man is right at home and moves with stealth and grace. Having no sight, the old man's other senses are highly acute.  There's a reason for the name of the movie.  Any slight sound could mean death.  The near misses as the thieves try to avoid him in the dark will have you bug-eyed. 

That doesn't mean our trio, well, let's say duo because, *spoiler*, one thief falls fairly quickly, is unresourceful.  They do come to realize a couple of times that in "Daredevil-style" fashion, the Blind Man can be overwhelmed when he's on sensory overload.  The problem is they're just too terrified to do anything about it most of the time.  And, let me just add, it was genius to have the Blind Man live in a deserted area.  No one can hear anyone's screams.  No help is coming.  The dread almost pulsates. 

While Don't Breathe isn't what I would call personally terrifying necessarily, it is one of the tensest movies I've seen in recent memory.  Alvarez gives it it's own special moodiness.  It has its own feel and unique atmosphere.  Even if you don't necessarily feel the peril the protagonists are in, you understand why they feel it. 

Don't Breathe is a very satisfying outing for Alvarez that I hope isn't ruined by a sequel.  That will be dictated by the box office of course and there is an opening for one if the market calls for it.  But, this is nice little "one off" thriller that shouldn't be sullied by an obvious cash grab in the future.  At least I hope that's the prevailing thought.  Let the greatness of this film shine.  I would doubt this type of magic will happen a second time without feeling contrived.

On a final note to all my female readers, let me say you'll never look at a turkey baster in quite the same way again.  Believe that!

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

**** stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Suicide Squad

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Suicide Squad
Released 8/5/16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

In this latest year of current superhero madness, Warner Brothers/DC releases its latest chapter of its fledgling cinematic universe.  It hasn't been the year the entertainment mogul expected so far has it?  They, along with many probably anticipated riding into August on a huge wave of success after Dawn of Justice was released in April.  Sadly, that didn't happen.  We all know reaction to that film was...mixed to say the least.  While it did make money, it wasn't the bank breaking raucous success WB/DC hoped it would be. 

So, now we're in August, and, while I don't believe WB/DC is pinning their final hope on the release of Suicide Squad, the release has become increasingly more important than it would have been given different circumstances.  So, can the DC Cinematic Universe find its footing with a film featuring characters that are primarily from their B-list and below?

What is the Suicide Squad?  Following the events of Dawn of Justice (namely, the death of Superman), the U.S. government begins pondering what would happen if the next Superman or metahuman in general were to become a terrorist.  Enter ruthless government intelligence agent, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) who just might have a solution.  Fight metahumans with your own group of metahumans.  In this case, criminals that can be disavowed by the government if the mission turns sideways.

To that end, Waller has been manipulating events to organize her own specialized gang of misfits  .  For the two most prominent ne'er-do-wells, she fortuitously receives the aid of a familiar vigilante in Gotham City.  Floyd Lawton (Will Smith), better known as the master assassin, Deadshot, surrenders to the Dark Knight (Ben Affleck) for the sake of his daughter.  The second capture might actually be the most dangerous recruit of all.  Harleen "Harley" Quinzel (Margot Robbie), former psychiatrist and current psychotic girlfriend to her "puddin'", the equally psychotic Gotham gangster, Joker (Jared Leto).   Both Deadshot and Quinn are incarcerated to Belle Reve Penitentiary where they are regularly abused by guards.   It's there Waller recruits them along with fellow prisoners, pyrokinetic El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), monstrous cannibal Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and opportunistic thief Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney).  She places them under the command of Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), a no-nonsense Special Forces soldier.  To keep the team in line, Waller orders small explosive devices to be implanted in each member's neck.

The team doesn't have much time to relax in their cells as they are called on for their first mission.  Another of Waller's recruits (and Flag's girlfriend), Dr. June Moon (Carla Delevingne), has gone A.W.O.L.  The good doctor isn't someone who can just be ignored.  Another being inhabits her body, a powerful witch-goddess known as the Enchantress.  The Enchantress has gained control  and is on a mission to eradicate mankind with the help of her equally powerful brother, Incubus.  Flag, the Squad, a team of SEALS, and Flag's personal bodyguard, Katana (Karen Fukuhara) set out to Midway City where the Enchantress has taken refuge knowing full well this could be the last hurrah for all of them.  If that's not bad enough, the Joker has learned the location of his Harley.  And, he wants her back!

Let me say this about Suicide Squad.  I enjoyed the first half of it very much.  It had intrigue as you learn how ruthless and manipulative Amanda Waller really is.  The flashback sequences were fun as you came to discover how the Squad's members came to be at Belle Reve.  The few scenes featuring "Batfleck" were exciting.  It was humorous watching Harley be a looney toon.  Will Smith exuded the cool charisma we saw in his earlier days.  I had a big smile on my face as Flag ran down for the group how he would hit their kill switches if they "vexed" him in any way. 

The second half of the film involving  the team landing in Midway City and taking on the Enchantress I found far less intriguing.  For one, I thought the Enchantress and her brother were rather weak villains.  I tried, but, I just never felt the sense that all were in life threatening danger.  From the Joker?  Yes.  But, that's a problem.  He wasn't the main antagonist.  The Enchantress's converted human foot soldiers?  They were more unremarkable "bowling pins" than the Chitauri from the first Avengers movie.

 While we're on the subject, let's talk about the Joker.  Jared Leto's Joker is psychotic enough, I didn't question that.  I'm just not sure I'm completely on board with "gangsta'" Joker though.  The grill, the tattoos, and the bling just seemed odd and didn't feel like it completely fit my idea of this character.  It was weird for me.  It's a take on the character that I'll need to get used to.  The Joker doesn't necessarily have "people."  Well, not people he doesn't plan to kill later on.  I also think his character would have been more effective if kept to even more limited use than the way he was used here.  Like Batman, I would have preferred to see him more in flashback and, then, at the very end making a grand reappearance.  The Joker story running parallel to the main one felt a little crowded and unnecessary at times.  The Squad should have been the stars.  It's almost as if the powers that be didn't trust them to be that. 

Robbie's Harley Quinn was the most interesting character in the film.  Mercurial, goofy, and deadly, she was the best member of the group.  The remainder of the cast was competent, if unremarkable (with the exception of Waller and, at times, Flag).  Even Will Smith wasn't truly notable.  The setup of his character was excellent, but, later in the film it felt like he was just flexing threateningly at everyone.  It was a completely empty gesture when you figure Flag could have just blown his head off with the touch of a button.

The placement of this film in the DC Cinematic Universe feels a bit odd as well.  Their flagpole superteam isn't on solid footing as of yet.  And therein lies the issue with the DCCU in the first place.  Things just feel rushed and out of sequence.  It wouldn't be as noticeable if the three features so far were great.  Suicide Squad is primarily the B list and below of DC characters with one or two possible exceptions.  Was this the best time to introduce them when the perception of your cinematic efforts  outside of diehard fans isn't completely favorable?  It should make its fair share of money opening weekend, but, is anyone going to think about non-Justice League characters outside of that timeframe?  I guess time will tell.  But, DC just feels disjointed.  I'm going to bring up the dirty "M" word  right now.  But, you didn't have Guardians of the Galaxy or Ant-Man before The Avengers were a household name.  Marvel had a cohesive plan since the release of Iron Man.  DC seems like they're just throwing ideas against the wall and seeing what sticks. 

Before anyone thinks I'm being a fountain of negativity, I liked Suicide Squad.  There are decent action sequences, a notable first half, and pretty good soundtrack of recognizable songs that's on par with Guardians of the Galaxy.  But, I wasn't blown away.  Maybe I've been spoiled by Marvel Studios in recent years, but, I'm looking for excellence on the DC end of things, too.  I'm waiting to be mind blown, and, not just by individual parts or halves of films.  I want something from WB/DC that's top to bottom memorable.  We haven't gotten there yet.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/4 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Ghostbusters

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Ghostbusters
Released 7/15/16


"Who you gonna call?"

Ah, yes!,  The famous tagline of what is now considered Ivan Reitman's 1984 classic horror/comedy (emphasis on comedy).  Almost universally praised, there's no denying it's remembered fondly in many hearts and minds.

Then, there's the recently released 2016 remake which is the subject of the current review.  The press on this has been less than kind in many circles.  Pre-release, many moviegoers considered it a little less desirable than getting your fingers slammed in a car door and a little more desirable than death itself. 

In fact, the 2016 version from director Paul Feig has one of the most unusual divides between critics and moviegoers that I've seen for a Summer blockbuster with critics primarily giving the thumbs up and audiences just hammering it.  Now, I'm not a licensed critic (do they have licenses?).  And, I've often vehemently disagreed with them in many instances.  I'm just an average moviegoer like most of you.  But, the amount of vitriol that has come this film's way from moviegoing audiences has been jarring.  I think I've heard just about everything from all associated with the film trying to push a feminist agenda to not being funny to being a man-hating bore of a movie.  And note, most of this came before the movie's release.  Even people who have praised it have been accused of being paid off by the studio.

So, as I will be posting this review to multiple sites, let me just say I have no agenda here except to give you my honest opinion on a movie I just recently saw.  If you're one with a pre-formed opinion, or, one who has seen it and developed a strong opinion either positive or negative, there isn't much I can say that will influence you.  Instead, I address those of you who are on the fence about it.  Is the new Ghostbusters a blockbuster of Avatar proportions, or, is it destined to be the worst bomb since Ishtar? 

If you go into this film thinking it will be a frame-by-frame retelling of its 1984 ancestor, you would be mistaken.  We start with Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig), a professor of Physics at Columbia University.  Her perfect life is about to be shattered when a book she co-authored with a former colleague on paranormal investigation surfaces threatening her position at the university.  Wanting desperately to have the book retracted, Erin confronts her former friend and colleague, Dr. Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), and Yates' new partner, Dr. Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), an eccentric, but, brilliant engineer. 

Ghostly activity brings Erin back into the fold with the other two scientists as the three encounter violent paranormal occurrences throughout New York.  Enlisting the aid of streetwise city transportation worker, Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), the four women uncover a plot concocted by a man named Rowan who is attempting to amp the supernatural activity to bring about the apocalypse.  If this genius psychopath isn't enough, the newly formed "Ghostbusters" have to fight the tide of public opinion believing them to be frauds. 

So, here's the million dollar question (one of them at least).  Will the new Ghostbusters make you forget about the 1984 original?  No.  But, that doesn't mean you want to put your eyes out with a red hot poker either.  Now, I'm going to say something some may find controversial.  The original Ghostbusters has millions of fans and rightfully so.  But, while I thought it was very good, I never thought it was great.  As a matter of fact, it doesn't crack my top 25 of all time.  It may just sneak into my top 40.  In fact, it might only just crack my top 25 all time comedies.  In other words, I've never thought of Ghostbusters as a sacred cow that could never dare be touched.  If the 1984 version didn't exist at all, I think the 2016 version would be just fine with audiences.  There is really nothing in the film that's absolutely abominable.  It's crime is daring to retell a story that's considered a classic. 

There are a couple of danger areas that I read about prior to seeing Ghostbusters.  Let's address the first one, lack of chemistry between the four leading ladies.  I never had that sense as I was watching it.  As a matter of fact, the one character I thought I would despise going in turned out to be less abrasive and obnoxious as advertised in the trailers.  That would be Leslie Jones' Patty Tolan.  Don't get me wrong, she had her cringeworthy moments , but, there aren't nearly as many as you think.  Her eye-rolling moments are pretty much what you see in the trailers.  If that's enough to turn you off, so be it.  But, again, she's not as overbearing as you might think.

In a departure from the norm, both McCarthy and Wiig don't drive the movie's comedy train.  As madcap as both can be, they fall more into the supporting comedy roles even though they are the two biggest stars in the film.  As a comparison, you can think of them as taking the Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis roles in the in the original.  They're silly, but, not goofy. 

Goofy is reserved for Kate McKinnon's morbidly peculiar mad scientist.  There's nothing she can't build.  There's also nothing she builds that doesn't make you fear for your life.  Dr. Holtzmann is always "on."  I don't think she has one serious moment in the film.  Of the four heroes, she is the comic relief.  But, even as strange and as she is, there's one character that brings the laughter arguably more than she does.

Now when you think comedy, Chris Hemsworth doesn't readily come to mind.  If he does, you have a very vivid imagination.  But, here's the real eye opener.  He's actually pretty good at it.  Kind of playing to his own stereotype, he's the Ghostbusters' pretty boy secretary who is dumb as a box of rocks.  Actually, I think I might be insulting the rocks.  And, this isn't the first time Hemsworth has been decent in a comedic role.  There probably aren't many who saw last year's remake of Vacation.  His brief time onscreen was also one of that film's standout moments.  I'm not saying Chris is the next Eddie Murphy, but, he does have some comic timing.  And, seeing that his recent roles outside of Thor haven't garnered much attention, comedy might be an option for him.

So, back to the chemistry issue, I never felt that any of the cast reacted awkwardly to each other. How funny they are together, that's up to the movie watcher.  I thought the cast bounced off each other just fine. 

As far as a man-bashing feminist manifesto as I have also heard was a problem with this film, I didn't quite get that vibe from it either.  Yes, Chris Hemsworth is a moron.  But, Feig and company are playing with a comedic stereotype.  Andy Garcia who plays the mayor in the film is a smarmy jerk.  But, so, is his yes-man assistant.  Who happens to be a woman, by the way.  However, they did shoot the big monster substituting for the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in the crotch with their proton packs, so, take that how you like I suppose. 

Speaking of proton packs, I think one thing this film improved on was the offensive capabilities of the Ghostbusters' weapons.  Grenades, gauntlets, pistols, and proton whips are part of the new arsenal.  I also thought it was good idea not to do a frame-by-frame replication of the original.  If this is going to stand on its own as a new franchise for Sony, it needs to have its own unique voice which I think was accomplished.  There's still more than enough here that definitively says "Ghostbusters."  And, even if you are the nostalgic type, you have several cameos from the original GB crew to chew on.

The action moves the film along consistently.  It offers some disturbing apparitions that creep you out a little bit.  But, staying true to its comic roots, you also get cartoonishly absurd images that definitely wouldn't pass in a true horror movie.  But, it's Ghostbusters and not true horror, right?

Now, on to some things that didn't quite work.  I think the villain, Rowan (Neil Casey), was weak sauce.  I didn't quite grasp the motivation he had, and, he wasn't interesting enough to work without a decent motivation for pulling off his scheme.  He's just a genius nerd who happens to have an obsession with the occult.  And, then there's the new take on the Ray Parker, Jr. theme song.  I have no idea what they were going for here.  It's not modern, it's not cool.  It's every bit as bad as the GB2 theme song by Bobby Brown. 

Overall, the new Ghostbusters is not a classic.  It doesn't have a great villain.  It doesn't have any instantly memorable dialogue.  As you know, the original is filled with it.  But, there is nothing I found hideously wrong with the remake. Mine is just one opinion of course.  I'm not going to try to change anyone's opinion for the better or worst.  I can't.  As polarizing as this movie is, everyone has their own reasons for feeling the way they do.  Again, this is not the audience I'm speaking to.

I'm speaking to those who aren't quite sure.  The ones who have curiosity.  Ultimately, you will make up your own mind as to how well it stands up to the original.  For me, at least, it was a good time at the movies.  It's solid entertainment.  If you're curious, you can do worse than this.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/2 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Central Intelligence

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Central Intelligence
Released 6/17/16

In a Summer inundated with sequels, it seems rather strange to have a new weekend highlighted by an original feature.  Whoops, scratch that.  Finding Dory was released this weekend.  Oh well, the spy farce "Central Intelligence", was released this week as well.  Starring Dwayne Johnson and top comedian-of-the-moment, Kevin Hart, CI certainly has the comedic star power to be great.  But, also keep in mind both actors have given us such gems as The Game Plan, Tooth Fairy, The Wedding Ringer, and Ride Along 2.  So, I guess what I'm saying is I had a 50/50 chance of seeing something that was actually funny.

We begin in a common high school in 1996.  Friendless, overweight Robbie Weirdicht (Johnson) is grossly embarrassed at a school assembly when he's tossed onto the gym floor naked in front of the student body by a few bullies.  As an act of kindness, "Mr. Everything" in the senior class, Calvin Joyner (Hart), gives his letterman's jacket to Robbie to cover up.  As we'll learn later, Robbie leaves school never to be heard from again until...

Go forward 20 years.  Calvin's life hasn't turned out quite the way he envisioned.  Voted most likely to succeed by the senior body, he's stuck in a dead end, mid-level accounting job.  Sure he married the prom queen, but, professionally, his life stinks.  His protégé has just been given the promotion he was after while his wife is a partner in her law firm making her a far greater success in the business world.  He's at a point in his life where he definitely does NOT want to discuss it at his upcoming high school reunion, a gathering he has vehemently decided not to attend to the chagrin of his wife. 

At a low point, he reluctantly accepts a friend request on Facebook from someone who claims to know him.  Little does Calvin know that "Bob Stone" is the former Robbie Weirdicht.  To say Robbie has changed is an understatement as he's miraculously turned 300 pounds of flab into rock hard muscle.  How, you ask?  As Robbie explains, "I worked out six hours a day for the last 20 years."  Anybody can do it, right? 

He has a weird belief that Calvin is his best friend and has another bombshell to drop when they meet for drinks.  After easily dispatching a few bar thugs, he reveals that he's in the CIA.  That's not all, as he also needs his "friend" Calvin's accounting skills to uncover a plot to sell America's spy satellite codes.  Oh, and, he just happens to be on the run from the CIA who believe he's insane.  And, to be honest, so does Calvin. 

So, let's get down to it.  Is Central Intelligence funny?  The answer would be yes.  At times, it's extremely funny.  There's never been any denying of Johnson's comedic chops or timing going back to his days as "The Rock" in WWE.  Even in his "bad" movies like the aforementioned Game Plan and Tooth Fairy, he was the best thing about them.  In CI, he plays Robbie with an almost childlike quality relating to Hart's character.  It's funny, but, almost heartbreaking at the same time.  He's a grown man desperately seeking acceptance with more than a few deep seated psychological issues. He's genuinely hurt when his "friend" momentarily betrays him in the film.

Kevin Hart is a bit of an enigma for me.  I think he is a genuinely funny guy.  But, there are times he has a tendency to go too over the top with his buffoonery.  The recent Ride Along 2 (and, for that matter, Ride Along) is a perfect example of that.  I pretty much have that reaction to the late Robin Williams as well.  Comedy is always a funny thing with people (I swear I wasn't trying to do that just now).  Everyone has a different fine line between what's funny and what isn't.  And, it's ever changing.  Hart still walks through his same manic mannerisms as always in CI, but, it was a little more palatable for me here as he takes the less traveled road of straight man.

In a film that could have easily turned into a battle of one-upmanship of who gets the best gag, Johnson and Hart play very well off each other.  There's nothing special about the plot of this film but, these two keep it fresh and funny even through it's clichéd ending of the underdog getting revenge on his former tormentor.  There are even some pretty good action sequences to boot.

Speaking of tormentor, there are a few notable co-starring roles.  Jason Bateman is an excellent asshat (can I say that?) as the adult version of Robbie's lead high school bully.  If you saw him in 2015's "The Gift", you know it's a part he can play very well, although he goes back to his comedic roots in CI.  Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame is Robbie's former partner in the CIA who may not be all he appears to be.  Then, there's an ending cameo that was quite the surprise from a certain actress in an uncredited role.  I won't say who this is except she's become huge in recent memory. 

If you're tired of the endless parade of sequels this Summer, and, you're looking for something light and silly, Central Intelligence is here for you.  With two comedic leads who have excellent chemistry to the unexpected guest appearances, you can't help but have a good time.  Well, I did  hint that comedy is kind of a personal thing.  I was entertained at least.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***3/4 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

X-Men: Apocalypse

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
X-Men:  Apocalypse
Released 5/27/16

It's survival of the fittest for Marvel Comics' mutant heroes as they face their greatest threat to date in this week's release of X-Men:  Apocalypse.  As far as superhero movies go, it's hard to garner any major positive attention with the phenomenal success of Marvel Studios this decade, but, after some very rocky moments earlier in the millennium, Fox's licensed X-Men franchise has experienced a resurgence.  From the respectable comeback of X-Men:  First Class in 2011 to the mega-blockbuster of 2014's Days of Future Past, Fox has been on a roll themselves.  They need something after their dismal Fantastic Four atrocities.  Sorry.  Had to go there.

Since Days of Future Past retconned their entire universe, the X-Men now have a malleable future that can steer away from the mistakes made before First Class.  The problem now is Fox has to keep that momentum going and try not to repeat past transgressions.  But, that's the trick.  The more success you have, the more scrutiny you are under.  And, the early returns on the latest adventure, X-Men:  Apocalypse haven't been kind.  James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, and Evan Peters reprise their previous roles.  Bryan Singer returns to direct his fourth film in the series.

Apocalypse starts in ancient Egypt where the godlike being and ruler, En Sabah Nur, is ready to undergo a metamorphosis by transferring his consciousness into a younger male body (Oscar Isaac) with the help of his chief lieutenants (The Four Horsemen).  Betrayed by a contingent of his royal guards, his lieutenants are killed and he's buried for centuries.  But, thanks to one of his Horsemen, the transfer to the younger body is completed.  En Sabah Nur will slowly regain his might while entombed. 

Forward to the 1980's, approximately ten years after the major events of Days of Future Past where we find a few new, yet, familiar faces on the chessboard.  We're introduced to a young Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) who is just discovering there's a major issue with his eyes.  An issue that's best solved at a certain school for the gifted in Westchester, New York.

Mutant shapeshifter, Raven (Lawrence), continues her role from DOFP as mutant advocate and liberator.  In other words, she hunts the globe for mutants who are mistreated and frees them from their captors. In one such instance, she breaks up an illegal cage fighting venue pitting mutant against mutant.  At this time she finds a winged warrior (Ben Hardy) taking on a blue-skinned teleporter (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

And what has become of infamous X-Men frenemy, Erik Lensherr (Fassbender), better known as Magneto?  The Master of Magnetism has been keeping a low profile for several years.  The way he's doing it may surprise you given his past history.

Meanwhile, at the aforementioned Westchester School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor Charles Xavier's (McAvoy), academy is thriving and teeming with young mutants.  His ever-present assistant and resident scientist, Hank McCoy (Hoult), has remained by his side.  One of Xavier's students is a particularly powerful telepath and telekinetic by the name of Jean Grey (Sophie Turner)

So, while not all bliss, things are relatively peaceful in the mutant universe.  That is, until En Sabah Nur is able to break out of his centuries-old prison.  It's an event witnessed by previous Xavier ally, Moira MacTaggert (Byrne), and felt around the world.  Rumored to be the first mutant ever on Earth, he not only possesses immense power on a personal level, he also has the ability to bestow power on others.  He's unlike anything the modern world has ever seen.  And, speaking of the modern world, he's not happy by what he sees.  Weak humans and their filthy technology rule the day.  In his world only the strongest should survive.  He'll tear this world asunder and build a new one. 

But, to do that, he'll need a new set of Horsemen, powerful mutants whose full potential he can unlock.  He finds his new crew in various arenas.  First, there's a petty thief in Cairo (Alexandra Shipp) with the ability to manipulate the weather.  Then, there's a female enforcer working for low-level criminal with the unique ability to create weapons of psionic energy (Olivia Munn).  Remember the winged cage fighter?  He's given a nasty set of metal wings to replace his feathered ones.  Finally, the fourth Horsemen is one of the most powerful mutants of all who will be made even stronger when En Sabah Nur forces him to embrace his true power.  Who is it?  That would be telling.

X-Men:  Apocalypse is a very busy film as it introduces several new characters.  And, I do include the reintroductions of previous characters here, too.  That's not usually a good thing for this genre. Here, it's done with varying degrees of success.

By far, the most fully realized new character is Jean.   Confident, yet fearful of her true power, there's a believable vulnerability to Sophie Turner's performance that is a standout.  She was good choice as the young Jean.

Tye Sheridan and Kodi Smit-McPhee offer a bit more fleshed out iterations of Cyclops and Nightcrawler.  It's a step in the right direction as both actors add more personality to their respective characters.

Unfortunately, I still don't think Storm has been fully realized.  Part of the issue is that she spent most of the film being manipulated by Apocalypse.  She really didn't have an opportunity to soar.  Also, if you're a fan of Angel/Archangel, you're not going to be too happy either.  There's still very little development here or resemblance to the character from comic lore.  Instead of a wimpy looking little guy like from The Last Stand, you have a tough, pit fighting warrior.  But, when the action starts, he's still very quickly dispatched.

The reaction to Oscar Isaac's Apocalypse has been mixed to say the least.  While I wasn't blown away by the performance, I thought he was a more than adequate villain.  Apocalypse's character has always been about ruling over a world where only the strong survive.  Upon his awakening in the film, every action he takes works toward that goal.  Now, I admit I'm not foremost expert on his comic book counterpart, but, I thought Isaac's conqueror was a believable one.

The backbone of the series since First Class remains the dynamic between McAvoy and Fassbender and their somewhat complicated "bromance."  It's a relationship that I believe has been captured better with these two actors than it was between Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.  These two have an easy chemistry onscreen captures that "two sides of the same coin" dynamic perfectly.

One thing that's usually been executed well in the X-Men series is the myriad power displays when the mutants are in action.  Apocalypse gives you a ton of eye candy in this department from the destructive nature of Cyclops' optic blasts to the blue smoke left in the wake of Nightcrawler's teleportations.  I think Storm's one on one battle with Cyclops was an excellent display of both mutants' capabilities.  Magneto's mastery of metal is always a welcome sight.  The symbolic "X" he forms with a couple of steel girders was a very nice touch.  Charles' fight with Apocalypse on the astral plane was a well-conceived fight for survival (on Charles' part at least).  I found the Psylocke's psionic weapons manifestations a different, yet, fresh take on her power.  Comic fans are used to seeing her power manifest in a single knife-shaped blade.  In the film she forms sword length blades and whips.  And, since she does survive the ensuing carnage, I'm anxious to see what else the creative minds come up with.  Then, there's Jean and the manifestation of a primal force that's been associated with the character for a very long time.

The scene stealer in the film again belonged to Quicksilver (Evan Peters).  I don't know who conceptualizes his action sequences, but, whoever does has a sense of humor that borders on the ridiculous.  His rescue of Xavier's students from the exploding mansion is easily one of the film's top three scenes.

Now, I just want to briefly touch on some things I found a little peculiar.  Number one, is Raven's/Mystique's new status with the team.  Trying not to give too much away, we'll just say Singer has strayed a bit from canon with this character.  I actually liked Mystique's role prior to the end of the film as being a type of mutant liberator.  Not on the same sometimes over-the-top scale as Magneto had a penchant for, but, on a smaller "righting injustices" type of deal.  She has definitely chosen a side by the end.  I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet.  I'm wondering if Lawrence had some influence on the story arc of this character in relation to her image.

Then, there's the one guy I haven't mentioned yet and he's kind of a big deal.  We are treated to small segment featuring everyone's favorite clawed mutant, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).  His appearance, taken from the iconic Weapon X story, is a treat because, hey, Jackman as Wolverine is always a treat.  But his appearance is completely unnecessary.  It's as if it's shoehorned in because someone figures any X-Men-related story has to involve him in some way.  If you're expecting to see Wolverine vs. Apocalypse one on one, you'll be sadly disappointed.  This isn't a negative in the film per se, as I'm a firm believer the X-Men series needs to become a little less Wolverine-centric, it's just a strange cameo that doesn't resonate much. 

I would be remiss for not mentioning this as I personally know one lifelong X-Men fan who has taken issue with the team lineup from the first X-Men movie.  If you believed the retcon would make way for the original X-Men team (Cyclops, Jean, Beast, Iceman, and Angel), that doesn't appear to be the case.  If you are one of these fans, I'm not sure when you're going to see it.  Maybe never.  But, for me, at least, I did feel a sense of excitement when the new team is introduced in the Danger Room with a now bald Xavier overlooking the process.

X-Men:  Apocalypse is not the best in the series, but, it's much better than many would have you believe.  This series has never been one to follow canon closely, so, if you've been hanging in until now, Apocalypse will give you no reason to stop.  It's a solid effort.  It's not Civil War.  It's not Deadpool.  Those were exceptional releases in the ever growing superhero genre.  Films like those can spoil you.  As fans we should always want the best.  While Apocalypse may not be that, let's not crucify it for being merely good.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/2 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

2016 the Best (and Worst) of the Rest

The Forest- Game of Thrones alum Natalie Dormer stars as identical twins in this psychological horror/thriller.  When her sister, Jess, mysteriously disappears in a Japanese "suicide" forest at the base of Mt. Fuji, Sarah travels to the forest as she "feels" her sister is still alive.  But, this forest does strange things to a person's psyche.  Things that make it difficult for a victim to determine what is real and what isn't.  The Forest does a decent job of blending reality and horrific fantasy.  There are a few good jump scares.  Overall, a good, but, not great horror movie.
*** stars

The Boy- This latest entry in the "creepy doll" horror subgenre stars The Walking Dead alum, Lauren Cohan, as an American trying to escape a sordid past by taking a nanny position with an elderly British couple to watch over their little boy, Brahms.  Brahms just happens to be a child-sized porcelain doll the couple treats as human.  I give the minds behind the film credit.  The story behind Brahms is a bit of a curveball.  But, that same curveball also makes a few scenes a little nonsensical.  Still, there is suspense to be had even if the film isn't what you would call terrifying.
**3/4 stars

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- Speaking as someone who has never read Jane Austen's classic, she might be spinning in her grave over this one.  Her story of social class and manners in 19th century England is fused with zombie lore for one of the craziest mashups of the year.  The second oldest of five sisters from a somewhat well-to-do family develops a very contentious love/hate relationship with a higher born gentleman.  Oh, and they just happen to be expert samurai-type warriors in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.  It's as silly as it sounds and also a lot of fun if you approach it with the right mindset.  Skull-cracking and more than one head exploding from gunshot is the flavor of day.  Throw in a little 19th century English romance and you have something for the whole family.
***1/4 stars

Zoolander 2- All you really need to know about this sequel to the 2001 farce is that it's completely and utterly ridiculous.  Even more so than the first.  Plot is secondary to lunacy, but, if you're interested, the world's most beautiful people are being assassinated with male supermodel, Derek Zoolander's, signature "Blue Steel" look on their faces.  Fashion Interpol recruits Zoolander and his friend-once-chief-rival, Hansel, to investigate.  Yes, you read that correctly.  While funny, I think Ben Stiller may have milked everything he can from this silly franchise.  Will you like it?  Depends on whether you liked the first one.  Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell star.  Benedict Cumberbatch has one of the creepiest and funniest roles in the film as the gender ambiguous model, All. 
**3/4 stars

The Witch- By the amount of critical acclaim this film has received, you might think it was one of the best horror movies ever made.  This story, based on New England folklore, tells the story of a deeply religious Puritan family in  the1600s exiled for differences in beliefs from the rest of their community.  While taking up residence at the edge of a large forest, strange things begin happening to the family.  Something evil is lurking within the forest. Or, could it be a little closer to home than anyone in this doomed family believes?  While there is some creepy innuendo and a few disturbing images, The Witch is far from the terrifying horror movie it is billed as.  The Witch is a bit of a slog even at just over 90 minutes and I found it difficult to give my full attention the entire time.   It's not horrible, but, it's not an edge-of-your-seat nail biter either.
**3/4 stars

The Other Side of the Door- There has been a plethora of horror movies to usher in 2016.  As a horror fan, I couldn't be happier about that.  Ah, if only the horror that's been offered thus far was notable.  So far, it's been a fairly mediocre ensemble.  The Other Side of the Door, however, is one the better ones.  It's a story that highlights the dangers of not being able to let go.  When her young son dies in a tragic car accident, a grief-stricken mother is given one last chance to communicate with him from beyond with the caveat to not open a temple door separating the land of the living from that of the dead.  Well, you know we wouldn't have a movie if she leaves the door closed, so, we'll just leave it at that.  You can predict much of the plot as it's a retread of what you've seen in some other horror movies in the genre.  But, predictability still doesn't mean it's not done well. It does score a few blips on the creep scale.  Sarah Wayne Callies and Jeremy Sisto star.
*** stars

10 Cloverfield Lane- Well you had to be somewhat intrigued by the title alone if you saw or were a fan of the 2008 film.  And the powers that be were very cagey about the footage that was released.  You didn't really know what it was about except three people locked in a few rooms.  There were hints of a monster being involved.  Was it the creature from the first film or something different?  No one knew.  I won't give it away here except to say 10 Cloverfield Lane isn't necessarily a sequel.  There is unexplained phenomena here.  But, it's as much psychological thriller as it is horror.  And the former tells a very tight story of a young woman "rescued" by a paranoid survivalist who is protecting her from "apocalypse" occurring outside his homemade bunker.  Is everything happening outside what he describes?  Maybe, maybe not.  But, the danger may become very real on the inside.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman star.
***1/4 stars

The Boss- Melissa McCarthy stars as wealthy, ambitious, and more than a little obnoxious business mogul, Michelle Darnell.  Busted for insider trading and losing everything in the process, she starts the long road back after her release with the help of her beleaguered former assistant (Kristen Bell).   This one is as absurd as most of McCarthy's other comedies.  It's ridiculous and more than a little mean-spirited at times which has drawn the ire of many who have reviewed it.  But, guess what?  It's a farce.  So, while McCarthy clotheslining 12-year old girls might not be to some people's comedic tastes, I found many segments of the film to be hilarious.  Written and produced by both McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone (who also makes a cameo), this isn't McCarthy's best comedy, but, far from her worst.  In other words, disengage your brain and enjoy the shenanigans.  Peter Dinklage co-stars.
***1/2 stars

Keanu- Comic duo Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele star as two hopelessly straight laced cousins who must find their inner "gangsta" to rescue a stolen kitten named Keanu.  Their misadventures inadvertently start a gang war where the hapless pair have to take bloody action.  There was a fear that the sketch comedy duo had made a movie of comedy shorts that would have best been left as skits on a half hour cable show as is the case with many movies starring comedians who have become popular in that particular medium.  But, I have to say, Key and Peele kept the laughs coming fast and furious.  A ridiculous movie with a ridiculous premise that works on just about every level imaginable.
***3/4 stars

Green Room- A down and out punk rock band gets a gig they never bargained for.  Performing at a small Neo-Nazi club in the backwoods of Oregon, the group mistakenly witnesses a murder.  Trapped in the small band area backstage, the small group must survive the murderers operating under the authority of the sadistic club owner (Patrick Stewart).  It's a movie that has a slow, nonsensical start which amps up nicely in the second act.  But, then the ending is a bit of a head scratcher.  And the club owner's plot to frame the band for the original murder is needlessly convoluted.  It's a mixed bag on this one.  See it once if you have nothing better to watch.  Anton Yelchin and Imogene Poots co-star.
**3/4 stars

Zootopia- A non-Pixar produced animated feature from Disney, Zootopia is actually better than most features that studio has produced in several years.  In a fantasyland where animals, both predators and prey, have developed a modern society where they live in harmony, feisty bunny, Judy Hopps, strives to do some good in the world at an early age when she vows to be the first of her kind to graduate the police academy.  Making good on her dream, but, not taken seriously by the top brass, Judy becomes embroiled in a mystery where random mammals have gone missing.  Enlisting the aid of reluctant fox con artist, Nick, Judy finds this mystery might actually be a conspiracy that's greater than any Zootopia has ever known.  Funny and beautifully animated, the film has a more complex story than many animated features these days tackling the prickly subject of race relations and the far reaching consequences of bigotry.  It's an overall triumph for Disney's non-Pixar animated studio.  Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, and J.K. Simmons lend their voice talents among others.
**** stars

The Angry Birds Movie- So, this is what the world has come to.  Having tapped into the video game genre with varying degrees of success, Hollywood has now drawn creative inspiration from...phone apps?  The highly popular and successful Angry Birds app has now received the movie treatment in their own animated feature.  In a land of flightless happy birds, Red, Chuck, and Bomb are outsiders who don't quite fit in.  Which makes them the perfect saviors when a mysterious group of green piggies invade the land for their own nefarious reasons.  Angry Birds is cute and very funny at certain moments.  It's a better movie than one based on an app has a right to be.  But, that is its weakness also.  The premise is a little thin for even a 90 minute feature.  However, it is fun overall and most should have a good time with it if they don't take it too seriously.  Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Peter Dinklage, and Bill Hader provide the voice talent. 
***1/4 stars

Ride Along 2- Ride Along 2 is what happens when a moderately funny buddy cop movie makes more money than it has any right to.  Soon-to-be cop brothers-in-law, James (Ice Cube) and Ben (Kevin Hart), travel to Miami to track down a dangerous crimelord (Benjamin Bratt).  This is a demonstration of the law of diminishing returns.  As I mentioned, the first Ride Along was moderately funny at best.  The sequel has pretty much recycled the same jokes.  Cube is more ornery.  Hart is more of a buffoon.  That doesn't make this movie any funnier.  I think there was only one scene near the end that made me genuinely smile.  They really should have stopped at the first.  But, rest assured if this makes enough money we'll be in store for Ride Along 3.  The horrors.  Olivia Munn and Ken Jeong co-star.
**1/2 stars

Fifty Shades of Black- Just what everyone was looking for.  A parody of Fifty Shades of Grey.  And, Marlon Wayans-style no less.  It's everything you'd expect from a movie helmed by this particular member of the Wayans family.  It's sexually and racially charged to the gills.  Now, I'm not always the biggest fan of Marlon's comedy, but, he usually makes me chuckle a time or two when I do watch him.  Fifty Shades barely made me crack a smile.  I think there was one moment I found laugh out loud funny.  Marlon's solo efforts with the Haunted House series are uneven, but. they seem like masterpieces compared to this.  And, for the life of me, I don't know why this man is so fascinated with his butt.
**1/4 stars

How to Be Single- A rom-com that follows four single women with interconnecting stories in New York.  With most looking for love in all the wrong places, what struck me is how unlikeable and uninteresting they really are.  For example, one young woman (Dakota Johnson) "takes a break" from her college boyfriend to discover if they really do belong together.  After an undisclosed amount of time, she announces to her former paramour that the experiment is over and she's ready to commit to him...again.  Thankfully, he's moved on.  Seriously, I felt not one twinge of sympathy for her.  I wanted to jump through my TV set and high five this dude.  Aside from a few humorous moments from Rebel Wilson as the unabashed single party girl, this film has little to offer.  If this was meant to be a feminist slant on the single life, it fails miserably.  Alison Brie and Leslie Mann co-star.
** stars

Jane Got a Gun- Natalie Portman stars as a woman in the Old West who must enlist the aid of an ex-lover to protect her current husband from a vicious gang who wants him dead.  I'm not the biggest fan of Westerns, but, as far as those movies go, this is a fairly solid outing that has a couple of unexpected twists to boot.  Joel Edgerton and Ewan McGregor co-star.
*** stars

Triple 9- An all-star cast leads this action thriller following a team of corrupt cops doing the bidding of a Russian mob.  Meanwhile a clever detective and his team on hot on their trail.  Triple 9 (police code for "officer down") is a bendy tale that leaves no one unscathed.  I just wish the ending was better.  It leaves you with the feeling of "Is that it?"  It's the reason I downgrade the film a quarter of a star.  Norman Reedus, Aaron Paul, Anthony Mackie, Kate Winslet, Gal Gadot, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, and Chiwetel Ejiofor star.
***1/4 stars

Gods of Egypt- Let's just say Gods of Egypt's closest equivalent is the 1980's version of Clash of the Titans.  That's not a good thing.  How many things are wrong here?  Cheesy special effects, bad acting, and mortals/gods that don't look like Egyptians.  How did anyone involved with this film think it was a good idea?  I will say that I did get a bit of a kick out of how bad it was.  So it gets some "good bad" points.  The plot, if anyone cares, follows a clever mortal enlisting the aid of the deposed Egyptian god, Horus, to rescue his love from the Underworld and save Egypt from the evil god, Set.  Silliness of unheard of levels.  Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gerard Butler star.
** stars

The 5th Wave- Can I just say to Hollywood enough of the YA-adapted novels?  You're not going to repeat The Hunger Games.  And while this film isn't terrible, it offers little excitement and rudimentary special effects.  An alien invasion attacks the Earth in waves driving humanity back to almost a new Stone Age.  A young girl tries find her brother and survive in this apocalyptic new world.  As much as I like Chloe Grace Moretz as an actress, she can't quite make this film interesting enough to recommend.  Liev Schreiber and Ron Livingston co-star.
**3/4 stars

The Conjuring 2- I will be the first to say that I thought the first Conjuring was a tad overrated.  Not that it was bad by any means.  It just wasn't the scarefest it was touted to be.  That said, Conjuring 2 improves upon the first and doubles down on the creep factor.  Depicting another real life paranormal case in the career of husband/wife duo, Ed and Lorraine Warren, Conjuring 2 takes you to England where the investigators try to assist a family living in an Amityville-like house with a particularly nasty demonic presence.  As much as I enjoyed director, James Wan's, tale this time around, the other satisfying factor in the film is the chemistry shared between the two leads.  They're good onscreen together.  Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star.
***1/2 stars

The Do-Over- Adam Sandler and David Spade star in this comedic action-adventure of two down-on-their-luck high school acquaintances who re-connect at their 25-year high school reunion.  Deciding that it would be for the best to just start their lives over (well, one decides for both of them), they fake their deaths and assume the identities of two newly deceased individuals.  Little do they know their new identities come with some unexpected baggage.  It's a preposterous premise.  It's an Adam Sandler movie.  What do you expect?  It's sexist and gross at times.  It's an Adam Sandler movie.  What do you expect?  It's not a great movie, but, it did draw me in to a degree if for no other reason than to see where this was leading.  It's not Sandler's best.  That will forever remain "Happy Gilmore."  But, it's not his worst either.  It's watchable.  As a made for Netflix feature, you can stream it anytime.
*** stars

Finding Dory- Disney/Pixar's long awaited follow up to the smash hit "Finding Nemo" finds the forgetful Blue Tang on a quest to find her own parents she was separated from some time ago.  It's as vibrant and delightful of a film as the first.  If you loved Nemo, there's no reason you shouldn't love Dory.  It should be yet another triumph for Disney at the box office.  The Mouse is printing money again.  Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olsen, and Ty Burrell lend their voice talents to the film.
***3/4 stars

London Has Fallen- Gerard Butler returns as super Secret Service Agent, Mike Bannon, in this sequel to 2013's  "Olympus Has Fallen."  Bannon must protect the President again at all costs against a terrorist plot in London designed to execute all prominent Western leaders.  There's a lot of action, a lot of neck breaking, a lot of stabbing, a lot of Butler being an unstoppable terrorist killing machine.  Oh, and throw in a good amount of "America, F---- Yeah!" sentiment and you pretty much have the measure of this film.  Olympus was better.  This one is palatable.  Morgan Freeman and Aaron Eckhart co-star.
**3/4 stars

Hail, Caesar!- In this latest Cohen Brothers extravaganza, a beleaguered 1950s movie studio "fixer" charged with finding kidnapped movie star, Baird Whitlock.  Well, that among about a dozen other fires involving the studio's stars needing his attention.  Like most Cohen features, Caesar is not uproariously funny, but, it is quirky.  It muddles along at times.  However, it throws in just enough goofiness to be entertaining.  The all star cast includes Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Scarlett Johannsson, Jonah Hill, Tilda Swinton, and Channing Tatum.

*** stars

The Brothers Grimsby- Sacha Baron Cohen returns as the long lost soccer hooligan brother of a British spy.  Needless to say, Cohen's character causes all manners of difficulty for his brother.  It's a Cohen movie, so, if you're familiar with them there is no lack of gross out humor most of which involve certain body parts.  I like Cohen for the most part, but, some of the imagery here even I found to be a little too much.  He's likely never going to equal the brilliance of Borat again, but, I have liked his movies since then even if many haven't.  This one was a bit of a miss for me.  I laughed at some of it, but, mostly found myself shaking my head in almost disgust thinking, "Yeah, he just went there."  Mark Strong, Penelope Cruz, Isla Fisher, and Rebel Wilson co-star.
**3/4 stars

The Purge:  Election Year- The third installment of James DeMonaco's horror/thriller series has a much more social and political bent than ever before.  This time, on the U.S.'s annual purge night, a Presidential candidate who wants to see an end to this night of death and destruction permanently is targeted by the powerful "Founding Fathers" who control the government.  She must survive this lawless night with the aid of her one loyal security chief and a few local D.C. citizens.  This series has evolved a great deal since the first film in the sense of shining a light on economic, religious, and social issues that can be applied to the current issues of the day.  Although the ending of the film could leave some wiggle room for another possible sequel, the story could logically conclude here.  I hope that's what people in charge believe.  But, again, it'll likely depend on how much money this installment ultimately takes in.  Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Mykelti Williamson star.
***1/2 stars

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot- Based on a true story, Tina Fey stars as a low level TV journalist who is offered a short term assignment as a war correspondent in Afghanistan.  What was supposed to be only a month or two-long assignment turns into a years' long assignment as she befriends and, in some cases, annoys the politicians, local citizens, and U.S. Marine Commander in her travels.  Fey does get a couple of comedic zingers in here and it was somewhat fascinating to see how a vast number of journalists in the area party in their down time, but, as a whole the film just doesn't grab you in any significant way.  I had a difficult time focusing through its entirety.  Fey is better than the material she had to work with here.  Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, and Billy Bob Thornton co-star.
**1/2 stars

Hush- This psychological thriller is the tale of a deaf, mute young author who is ruthlessly stalked by a masked killer around and in her small, remote cottage.  This small-budget film from Blumhouse Productions was released directly to Netflix.  It gets an A for producing its fair share of white knuckle thrills.  Like the 2008 film, "The Strangers", it's so much more terrifying that there really isn't a reason for the killer's actions.  His victims have just unfortunately crossed his path.  It's  simple, bare bones horror.   Not the scariest thing you've probably seen, but, well made with good pacing from director, Mike Flanagan.
***1/2 stars

Swiss Army Man- Here's a headscratcher of a movie.  A suicidal, depressed young man strikes up an unusual friendship with a drowned corpse that washes ashore on an isolated beach.  The corpse, despite some unreal superhuman flatulence, turns out to be a really nice guy who helps his new companion work through his issues.  No, I'm not making this up.  That's the setup for director, DANIELS (Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan), oddball dramedy.  It's not easy to categorize this one.  It's a little bit Cast Away, a little bit Weekend at Bernie's, and all whacked out of its gourd.  What's mostly a whimsical adventure takes a sharp left turn for the dark and sad ending with one of the most ridiculous scenes in the history of film.  I'll...give it a recommendation if for no other reason than this is a film you have to experience just once.  Love it or hate it, you will agree you've never seen anything like it.  Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead star.
*** stars

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates- Two immature brothers are given an order by their fed up parents.  Bring dates to their sister's impending wedding in Hawaii so they're less likely to cause mischief.  For the sake of their sister, they agree, using Craig's List as their resource.  Their search goes viral and they attract the attention of two schemers who see the opportunity for a free "vacay."  Unfortunately, these "nice girls" are every bit the arrested adolescents  the brothers are.  This is normally the kind of raucous fratboy-type comedy I dismiss.  But, I have to say the characters grew on me more than I thought they would and I laughed at its absurdity for a healthy portion of its runtime.  I'm as surprised as anyone.  Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Aubrey Plaza, and Anna Kendrick star.
***1/4 stars

Term Life- In this crime thriller, a thief (Vince Vaughn) who plans heists and sells those plans to the highest bidder (?).  When plans for his latest heist go awry thanks to corrupt cops, the thief has to go on the run with his estranged daughter (Hailee Steinfeld) when the collection of thugs threaten her, too.  This film tried to be a lot of things, a crime thriller, a father-daughter comedy, an action adventure movie.  It did none of these things well.  It didn't do them particularly poorly either.  Everyone's pretty much going through the motions here and I'm not a particular fan of Vaughn's in the first place. On a side note, could he possibly have a worse hairdo?   Bill Paxton, Terrence Howard, and Jon Favreau co-star.
**1/2 stars

The Family Fang- Actor Jason Bateman's second directorial effort tells the story of the Fangs, a family of performance artists who stage shocking events in public.  Nothing was too taboo for their "art" which ranged from staging a fake shooting in a bank to the young siblings kissing during a performance of "Romeo and Juliet."  However, the siblings now bear the scars of these antics as adults.  The daughter is a temperamental alcoholic film actress and the son is a depressed writer with a severe case of writer's block.  And their parents are still "performing."  When the parents disappear suddenly under what seems to be violent circumstances, the brother-sister duo are left to wonder are they really gone, or, is this just another "act."  The film is at times a darkly comic look into family dysfunction.  It also dives into serious waters in commenting how childhood scars can have debilitating effects into adulthood.  It makes for a movie that's 100% off-kilter.  But, at least, it's an entertaining type of off-kilter.  Jason Bateman, Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken, and Kathryn Hahn star.
*** stars

The Divergent Series:  Allegiant- The YA saga depicting the strife in post-apocalyptic Chicago continues as series heroine, Tris Prior, fights for the rights of all citizens in the city.  While Chicago is gearing up for civil war between two factions of the victorious rebels from the last film, Tris discovers there's an even greater "big brother" threat on the horizon.  Divergent is now a series of diminishing returns.  While the first was much better than I thought it would be, each subsequent chapter has become less interesting.  And, the special effects here?  They look like they should be in a bad science fiction B movie.  You know what's worse?  We have at least one more movie in this series to go.  Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Octavia Spencer, Jeff Daniels, and Naomi Watts star.
**1/4 stars

Kung Fu Panda 3- That lovable, but, bungling Kung-Fu master panda, Po, is back with Master Shifu and the Furious Five in the third installment of DreamWorks hit animated series.  This time Po discovers his biological father and a hidden city of pandas.  His jubilation is short lived as a vengeful spirit warrior returns to the mortal plane to wreak havoc.  Only by mastering the ancient and all-but-lost Panda art of chi will Po defeat this powerful warrior.  It's a cute movie just like the others in this series.  But, it just wasn't as funny to me this time around.  DreamWorks made a shrewd move releasing this film early in the year when studios don't release many of their finest they have in the can.  If this film had gone head-to-head with Zootopia or Finding Dory, I think it would have been crushed at the box office.  Featuring the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogan, Bryan Cranston, Kate Hudson, and David Cross.
***1/4 stars

Midnight Special- Jeff Nichols' sci-fi, supernatural drama is one that leads the viewer on a long chase, but, not a particularly merry one.  Running from a religious cult and the FBI,   a father and his best friend are on the lam when they kidnap the father's son away from the cult.  But, this is no ordinary boy.  He has abilities that aren't human.  They have to bring the boy to an undisclosed location on a specific date in which a possible world-changing event will occur.  All predicted by the son, of course.  This film takes you down a road that spins you in circles that ultimately crash and burn into a WTH ending.  You can spend your time doing more productive things like, say, clipping your fingernails.  Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, and Jaeden Lieberher star.
**1/2 stars

Lights Out- In this supernatural thriller, a young woman fights to defend her half-brother from their mother who has been a little unhinged ever since young woman was a girl.  Their mother is mystically connected to a malevolent entity who can only exist in darkness.  While there are a few plot points that don't always make a lot sense, there is no denying how chillingly creepy the film is.  It's not always necessary, but, I felt a little more gore may have ramped up the intensity.  I'm not talking about a complete bloodletting, but a few more mutilations would have been welcomed.  As it is, it's still the best horror movie I've seen so far this year.  You just might flinch at the darkness when it's all over.  Teresa Palmer and Maria Bello star.
***1/2 stars

Miracles From Heaven- Based on a true story, the film recalls the tale of a young girl dying of a terminal illness who is miraculously healed when she falls 30 thirty feet from a tree onto her head.  Informing her parents that she had an amazing out of body experience while unconscious, she becomes an inspiration to many in her small Texas town.  However, there will always be cynics who want to challenge her family's faith.  This is a total feel good movie.  You know.  Sad, inspirational, and ultimately, sappy and syrupy sweet.  And overlong.  It's a TV movie of the week stretched out to be a feature film.  There's nothing inherently wrong with the film, it's just not my cup of tea.  It goes down easy enough if you like this sort of faith-driven story.  Jennifer Garner and Queen Latifah star.
**3/4 stars

The Infiltrator- Bryan Cranston, Diane Kruger, Benjamin Bratt, and John Leguizamo star in this crime drama based on a true story from the 1980s.  U.S. Customs agents go deep undercover to take down the Pablo Escobar cartel.  It's well-acted by all involved and expertly conveys the sacrifice undercover agents must expose themselves to on the job, as well as, the dangers of getting too close emotionally to the target itself.
***3/4 stars

Batman v. Superman:  Dawn of Justice-Ultimate Edition- I felt compelled to add a second review of this film after watching the Ultimate Edition as it has 30 minutes that were cut from the theatrical version of the film.  So, the verdict.  Does the extra 30 minutes help?  Yes.  Does it make this movie a great one?  Still a no.  What the extra time does is flesh out some of the murkiness of Lex Luthor's plan.  That's a good thing.  But, that's about all it solves.  So, I guess how you view the Ultimate Edition comes down to how you felt about the theatrical version.  If you already loved it, this will do nothing except keep you moony-eyed.  If you weren't in love with it, your opinion will improve marginally.  If you hated it, there's probably very little the extra 30 will do for you.  Count me in the second group.  I raise my original rating by a quarter star.
***1/2 stars

The Secret Life of Pets- Universal, that studio that gave the moviegoing public those mischievous Minions, veers away from the little yellow guys in favor pets.  You name it.  The film has dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, and even a crazed bunny among others.  This little tale tells the story of a happy pooch named Max who absolutely loves his owner.  All is bliss in his life as he cuddles with his owner and hangs out with his other animal friends in their apartment building awaiting her return every evening.  That is, until she brings home a shelter dog, Duke, to be Max's new "brother."  Needless to say the turf war between the two leads to a crazy adventure involving the animal warden, psychotic alley cats, and a gang of abandoned pets led by a manic former magician's rabbit.  It has big laughs and gives you that "awwww" feeling without being too sappy about it.  I think this is the best animated feature of the year outside of Zootopia.  Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, and Kevin Hart are among the film's voice talents.
***3/4 stars

Eye in the Sky- This military thriller offers a bleak look into the art of modern warfare and the scars it leaves in its wake.  A joint American-British-Kenyan operation to eliminate several terrorist targets in Africa is wrought with legal and moral pitfalls when innocent casualties could become part of the equation from a drone strike.  Difficult decisions must be made.  Ground forces risk their lives selflessly.  The political and legal haggling does slow the pace of the film down a great deal, but, the film does a more than adequate job of depicting the psychological trauma of having your "finger on the trigger" when innocent lives are at stake.  The ending is a bit devastating.  Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, and Helen Mirren star.
***stars

Criminal- What happens when you try to implant the brain wave patterns of a dead CIA agent in the mind of an emotionally stunted, hardened criminal?  That's the premise of this sci-fi action thriller.  Agent Bill Pope's memories are surgically implanted in psychotic criminal, Jericho Stewart in order for the CIA to complete Pope's last globally vital mission before he was killed.  But, Stewart still has remnants of his own personality and isn't as cooperative as the agency hopes he would be.  Throw in an industrialist-turned-anarchist megalomaniac and Russians who all want what's in his head and you've got a wild adventure.  It's a solid actioner that's fairly well-acted.  It's not award-winning, but, it's good entertainment.  I'm surprised this didn't perform a little better at the box office.  Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gal Gadot star.
***1/4 stars

Hardcore Henry- Where do you start with this one?  This film offers a novel concept being shot like a first-person shooter video game.  But, the minds behind project forgot one very important item.  It's always useful to have a story behind your idea.  And, that's what Hardcore Henry is sorely lacking.  The plot, if you can call it that, involves a man named Henry who wakes up in a lab.  He's told he's married to the scientist who revives him and shortly realizes that he has new gnarly cybernetic parts.  He's then attacked by a team of mercenaries led by a telekinetic named Akan and proceeds to be pursued by him throughout the film's runtime.  Oh, and he's also mysteriously aided by a man named Jimmy who seemingly has the lives of three cats.  The action is fast-paced and constant.  And, more than a little dizzying given how it's shot.  Other than Henry kicking butt to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" near the end, there isn't much to latch onto here.
** stars

Batman:  The Killing Joke- An iconic comic story finally comes to life.  Well, animated life, at least.  This adaptation of one of the Dark Knight's most disturbing confrontations with his primary arch-nemesis has long been anticipated.  DC and Warner Brothers pulled out all the stops enlisting Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill from the wildly popular Batman Animated Series to voice Batman and Joker.  So, you would think there's the potential all involved made something legendary.  Well, as far as the actual "Killing Joke" story itself, it's good, if not legendary.  All 30-40 minutes you get of it.  The first 30 minutes or so are devoted to a Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) story and her "relationship" with Batman (which does become physical at one point).  And, let me say, this sequence could have been accomplished in five minutes, 10 at the most.  Really, the first act will have you wondering "When does the Killing Joke start?"  We don't even see Joker until about 35 minutes into the approximately 80 minute feature.  You really don't even care what happens to Barbara later on as the character is a bit annoying.  There is also a friend of Barbara's that is such a gay stereotype, you wonder what were they thinking introducing this character.  As I said earlier, the actual Killing Joke part of the story is good, but, even that is brought down by the boring flashback sequences of Joker's possible origin.  And, let us put the Joker musical number in the film as far out of our memory as possible.  The other disappointing thing?  This movie has an R rating.  So, I'm expecting a little bit of graphic savagery here.  The Killing Joke is not a kid's story as the Joker defiles Barbara in the most heinous ways possible in the graphic novel.  This barely registers on the PG-13 scale.  Come on.  At least give us some foul language to justify that R rating.  All things considered, this was a bit of a miss for me Bat-fans.  One of the few DC animated features that didn't impress.

**3/4 stars

Meet the Blacks- Funnyman Mike Epps stars as a beleaguered husband and father who seizes the opportunity to steal money from a Chicago gangster and move his family to Beverly Hills.  But, the neighbors may not be so eager to embrace the Black family as they move into their new home on "Purge Night."  Yes, this film is a parody of The Purge series.  It's also chockfull of ethnic humor, racial stereotypes, and a generous use of the N-word, some of which made me chuckle a few times.  But, as funnymen go, Epps has never been on my list of favorites.  Meet the Blacks does nothing to improve that opinion.  It was film I was glad ended when it did.   Charlie Murphy co-stars.

**1/4 stars

The Bronze- What happens when an ex-teenage Olympian with unfulfilled potential becomes an adult?  She becomes an acerbic, foul-mouthed, and mean-spirited ex-Olympian with an Ohio-sized chip on her shoulder.  That's the premise of The Bronze, a dark comedy, featuring Melissa Rauch of Big Bang Theory fame as the unpleasant ex-gymnast.  Through circumstance and manipulation, she comes to mentor another young gymnast from her hometown with Olympic potential.  But, will she really be a mentor to the young girl, or, a saboteur  as the young upstart threatens to replace her in the hearts and minds of the townsfolk.  The sex scene between Rauch and her ex-lover, current nemesis is a ridiculous and hilarious array of acrobatic carnal escapades.  Sebastian Stan and Gary Cole co-star.

***1/2 stars

The Trust- Two bored Las Vegas cops decide to rob a drug dealer's safe in this crime thriller.  As meticulously as they plan the heist, they're still unable to account for all variables.  It's factor that just might get both of them killed.  I don't actually remember this one being released theatrically.  Since it's a Nicholas Cage movie, it might not have been.  That guy will star in anything these days.  But, this is a somewhat fun, harmless movie that has a bit of a twist at the end.  You could do worse with a rental.  Elijah Wood co-stars.

*** stars

I Am Wrath- A retired Special Ops soldier goes into vengeance overdrive when his wife is murdered in what seems to be a random gang shooting.  What he discovers is a conspiracy that involves the upper ranks of government.  It's a standard revenge flick with little nuance or excitement.  If you look up average in the dictionary, this movie will spring out at you.  Christopher Meloni and Rebecca DeMornay co-star.

**1/2 stars

Mother's Day- A large ensemble cast highlights this romantic comedy from Garry Marshall (his final director credit before his recent passing).  The cast tackles several storylines ranging from conservative parents accepting their daughters' lifestyles and mates, a divorced mother coming to terms with her ex's new, much younger wife, and a widower trying to come to terms with his beloved wife's death.  This is all fairly insipid storytelling that elicits few laughs.  Even fans of rom-coms might find this one tedious.  Jennifer Anniston, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, and Timothy Olyphant star along with several others.

** stars

Sausage Party- The ideas for this animated feature could only have come from Seth Rogen's, Evan Goldberg's, and Jonah Hill's minds after taking several bong hits.  Food and other supermarket items have a belief and hope that one day they will be taken to the "Great Beyond" by the human gods.  Little do they know what will happen to them when these "gods" get them back home behind closed doors.  After learning the awful truth of their true fate, some food begins to fight back led by a courageous wiener named "Frank."  Where do you begin?  The movie is a ridiculous raunchfest of suggestive toilet humor.  And, it's one of the funniest and most unique movies you'll see this year.  You haven't lived until you've seen an actual food orgy.  This one ain't for the kiddies.  It's got an R-rating for a reason.  Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Salma Hayek, Bill Hader, Edward Norton are among the stars that voice this farce.

****stars

The Lobster- Where do I start with this one?  How do I start with this one?  Here goes.  In a dystopian time period, romantic attachments are a mandatory part of society.  If you are not in one, you are either hunted as a "loner" in the forest or, in the case of breakups, you are taken to a hotel to find a new compatible mate.  If you don't find one in 45 days, you are transformed into an animal of your choice.  You can have time added to search if you go out on daily raiding parties to hunt loners in the forest.  Let that sit and simmer for a moment.  That's the plight of David, our main character, whose wife has recently left him.  But, can he conform to the strict rules of this society or will he rebel?  And do the loners offer a viable alternative, or, are their rules just as strange and oppressive.  You know, this might have been a goofy enough premise that could work if approached with a little more madcap lunacy.  But, it's presented as an abstract absurdist comedy that's short on comedy.  I did find the first half of the film partially amusing by the sheer blandness the characters approach life with.  The second half quickly devolved into ideas that are so abstract that it's no longer entertaining.  What was the point here?  What is the greater point writers Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou are trying to convey about relationships in general?  If you figure it out, let me know.  Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and John C. Reilly star.

*1/2 stars

The Nice Guys- Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe star as a down-on-his-luck PI and an enforcer who become embroiled in a complicated 1970s mystery involving a fading porn star, a corrupt politician's daughter, and a scandalous movie several parties would kill for.  The plot for me was a little overly complicated and confusing at times.  But, the comedic chemistry between the two leads was enough to make me forget about that for the most part.  Who knew Russell Crowe could be funny.  Watching these two semi-bungle their way through this minefield of deception is the real treat of the film.  It also has a killer of a 70s soundtrack.  Keith David, Kim Basinger, and Matt Bomer co-star.

***1/4 stars

The Huntsman:  Winter's War- First of all, this pre/sequel to 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman is a follow up to what was already a mediocre film.  This film finds the hunky Huntsman from the last movie (Chris Hemsworth) in deadly conflict again with evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron).  The vanquished queen is brought back to the land of the living by her powerful, but, brokenhearted and emotionally unstable sister, Freya (Emily Blunt).  It's up to Huntsman, Eric, and his motley crew of allies, including his fellow Huntsman and love of his life, Sara (Jessica Chastain) to stop both sisters once and for all.  Lifeless and, most of all, pointless, this didn't move me in the slightest.  It's not horrible.  But, there's no other word to describe it except "blah."  At least Kristin Stewart didn't reprise her role as Snow White in this one.  So, it has that going for it.
**1/2 stars

The Duel- In late 19th century Texas, a Ranger is tasked with an undercover mission to infiltrate a small community controlled by an enigmatic religious leader who may be responsible for the death of a prominent Mexican military officer's relative.  What I can say about The Duel is it has a nice setup.  It's intriguing...about 40+ minutes after its start.  It's really too bad.  If it didn't move so slowly I could give it a recommendation.  As it is, The Duel just doesn't quite hit the mark for me.  If the plot moved better, this would have been a solid outing.  Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Alice Braga star.
**3/4 stars

Jungle Book- Jon Favreau's live action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic story is a marvel to behold.  If you enjoyed the Disney animated version of the story, there's more than enough here to give you that sense of nostalgia.  How can you not have a smile on your face when you hear Baloo the bear singing "Bare Necessities" or orangutan, King Louie, belt out "I Wanna Be Like You."  Even though this is live action for the most part, there is some special effects work here that is seamless and believable.  Well, as believable as talking animals can be.  This version is a bit darker in tone than the animated Disney version, so don't be shocked.  For the 10 people who probably know nothing about this story, an orphaned human boy is found by a panther who, in turn, hands him over to a wolfpack to be raised as one of their own.  However, an evil tiger who distrusts man in general wants to eliminate the boy before he becomes a man and a threat to all in the jungle.  Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, and Christopher Walken lend their voices to this feature.
***3/4 stars

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Hell or High Water- Two brothers go on a bank robbing crime spree to save the family farm from foreclosure.  A Texas Ranger close to retirement pursues the siblings on the way to an explosive confrontation where not all survive.  The film is a slow burn with some explosive bursts of action before it reaches its fateful confrontation.  It's well-acted by the three leads.  It gives you humor, sadness, satisfaction, and a myriad of other emotions.  And, the ending. Very simple, yet very ominous at the same time.  It leaves you to make your own conclusion as to what may come in the future.  It does drag slightly in spots, but, this is one in 2016 you should catch if you can.
***3/4 stars

The Disappointments Room- This psychological thriller follows a family trying to put the shattered pieces of their lives back together after a heartwrenching tragedy.  Moving into a large house in the country, the secrets of the house have a profound effect on the mother who is suffering the deepest trauma.  The marketing of this film would have you believe it's a supernatural horror movie.  To a degree it is, but, the final resolution will also leave a bit of a bad taste in your mouth as ultimately, they don't make sense as to why they exist at all.  Is the mother really being haunted by spirits in the house or is she just bonkers?  I guess that's the conclusion you need to come to on your own.  I was intrigued, but, I was hoping for a more satisfying endgame.  Kate Beckinsale stars.
*** stars

The Magnificent Seven- Director, Antoine Fuqua, kicks it Old West style in this reimagining of John Sturges's 1960 classic which itself was a reimagining of the Akira Kurosawa tale, Seven Samurai.  You know the story (at least you should).  A desperate western town, bullied and intimidated by a powerful third party (this time a wealthy landowner with dozens of hired guns), hires their own set of  rough and tumble gunslingers led by bounty hunter, Sam Chisolm, who might have some unknown ties to the landowner himself. The seven protectors train the peaceful townspeople how to fight for the inevitable final smackdown.  A movie like this can be a little bit of a hard sell. You already know what's coming.  Fuqua's "7" offers very little nuance on the original story other than the heroes are more racially diverse.  So, then the story becomes can the cast itself save the day?  And the answer is, "Yes, it can."  They interact well with each other.  They're believable (to a degree) and individually interesting even if the overall story is a retread.  From the gambler's snarky humor to the evil landowner who almost twirls his mustache, there was great chemistry on the set.  And, if you like old fashioned western Gun-Fu, you can't go wrong.  Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, Lee Byung-hun, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Martin Sensmeier are the titular seven. 

***1/2 stars

Ouija:  Origin of Evil- Let me say that this subgenre of horror (evil through Ouija boards) has been lackluster in my opinion.  You have the ridiculous, but, entertaining '80s horror film Witchboard.  You also have the godawful 2014 Ouija which was a total waste of a movie.  And, then you have everything mediocre in-between.  I'm happy to say that you can mark Origin of Evil as one of the better horror movies not only in the genre, but also in the year 2016.  This story of a family of charlatans that comes to be haunted by an evil spirit summoned by a Ouija board has a creep factor of 10 despite its PG-13 rating.  Even though the story becomes a bit senseless near the end, it does what horror movies should do.  It wigs you the Hell out!
***1/2 stars

Boo!  A Madea Halloween- Tyler Perry's latest comedy featuring his most well-known character, finds Madea spending a harrowing night trying to babysit her nephew's rebelious teenage daughter on Halloween.  If you're a fan of Perry's Madea movies, this one likely won't disappoint.  It is funny and Perry does give his usual life lesson which I sometimes find a little preachy.  But, it's a solid enough effort.  However, at 103 minutes, the film is a little overlong. 
***1/4 stars

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them- The next peek into J.K. Rowling's wizarding world takes place decades before Harry Potter was born.  This story's hero, Newt Scamander, comes to New York with a suitcase filled with magical creatures often misunderstood by the world.  While in New York, he becomes embroiled in a conflict where a dark wizard attempts to harness a dangerous power that would threaten both the magical and non-magical worlds.  Fantastic Beasts is visually impressive, but, the story falls just a bit flat for me.  For the life of me, I don't think I ever figured out why Newt, a British wizard, is actually in New York.  Plus it suffers from the same problem as the Hobbit series did, in my opinion.  It follows an epic, wildly popular adventure that doesn't seem to have the same sense of wonder and danger as its predecessor.  I'll recommend it because there is more good than mediocre here.  But, if you're longing for Rowling's wizarding world, fire up the DVD player and watch the Potter series.  Eddie Redmayne and Colin Farrell star with a surprise cameo from...ahhh, that would be telling.
***1/4 stars

Bad Santa 2- Billy Bob Thornton is back as Willie Soke, the hard drinking, deviant sexual misanthrope from the hilarious 2003 comedy.  Willie once again teams up with his diminutive and devious partner, Marcus, to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve.  The duo has a  new partner this time in the form of Willie's awful excuse for a mother, Sunny.  His life is further complicated by the now adult, Thurman Merman, the hopelessly naïve child from the first film who was pretty much the only person on the planet who believes Willie is a decent human being.  I've indicated in the past that comedies don't lend themselves well to sequels because the jokes tend to be repeated and get old quickly.  Bad Santa 2 still goes for the same lowbrow comedy of its predecessor, but, what I appreciated is that it didn't go overboard trying to "out-Santa" the first film as most comedy sequels do.  The jokes weren't as funny this time, but, they still work for the most part.  Bad Santa 2 made me smile.  Kathy Bates, Tony Cox, Christina Hendricks, and Brett Kelly co-star.
***1/4 stars

Warcraft- The fantasy role playing game is brought to life in this special effects laden action adventure.  It's humans vs. Orcs on the fantasy landscape of Azeroth.  Knights and mages.  Sword and Sorcery.  Huge monstrous creatures.  Should make for a good funhouse ride, right?  After watching this, I not only am NOT inclined to play this game, but, I also never want to see another frame of film involving this world.  It's not that it was necessarily bad.  It was just very blah for me.  These types of fantasy fights were done much better in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  In fact, at times I was reminded of cheesy 80s sci-fi fantasy only with better special effects.  It just did nothing for me.  Dominic Cooper, Tony Kebbell, Ben Foster, and Paula Patton star.
**1/2 stars

Office Christmas Party- An all-star cast is front and center for this raucous holiday tale about a scattered, but, well-meaning party boy who heads the Chicago division of his family's tech business trying to justify his office's continued existence.  He is opposed by his overachieving ultra-competitive sister who is the CEO.  To avoid massive layoffs, he promises to land a large account.  Now the problem is trying to impress the straight laced representative of the company he needs to land.  What better way to do that than inviting that rep to the office Christmas party.  The party his sister resoundingly canceled.  What could go wrong, right?  Office Christmas Party is funny.  Very funny at times.  But, it all ends in silly typical "all is forgiven" fashion despite things happening that should have landed many people in a holding pen.  I guess this is how it should have ended, but, I was looking for something a little more subversive.  Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon, Rob Corddry, Olivia Munn, Courtney T. Vance, and T.J. Miller star.

*** stars

Morgan- This sci-fi thriller covers familiar ground.  Humans trying to play God dabble in science they shouldn't, and said science ends up kicking them in the backside.  In this instance, a powerful corporate entity has financed the creation of a human girl.  For what purpose?  You'll find out as you watch.  Let's just say, the girl, chronologically five years old, but, physically, a teenager, has a few defects that have had some unexpected consequences for the scientists who made her.  The corporation sends their own special agent to investigate.  An agent who has some secrets of her own. You can pretty much call out most of what is going to happen before it happens.  Not necessarily a bad thing, just a predictable one.  What struck me is how incredibly stupid the scientists in this film are.  How many different ways does your experiment have to show it's dangerous before you get the hint you shouldn't be in the same room with it?  But, alas, I guess we wouldn't have anything to talk about if they were smarter, would we?  Kate Mara, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Giamatti, and Anya Taylor-Joy star.
*** stars

31- I'm not even sure how to review this one.  I didn't hate it.  But, being a Rob Zombie film, it didn't make a lot of damn sense either.  The setup time warps you back to the mid 70s.  Five carnival workers try to desperately  survive 12 hours in a twisted game of death called 31.  The game is controlled by three  wealthy people dressed as aristocrats.  The object for the carnies is to avoid the aristocrats' henchmen known as "Heads." Each of the Heads is a murderous psychopath bent on mutilating their prey in the vilest ways imaginable.  If you're familiar with Zombie-type mayhem, there's gore galore and buckets of blood.  There's no rhyme or reason to 31, only mayhem.  One of the Heads, "Doom-Head" is a killer who waxes philosophical many times trying to add what I suppose is some type of keen insight on the human condition.  But, like most Zombie ventures, 31 is primarily Hillbilly Killer Theatre.  Sheri Moon Zombie, Malcolm McDowell, Meg Foster star.
**1/2 stars

Nine Lives- Tell me if you've heard this one before.  Overachieving workaholic husband and father forgets what is important in his life, so, an impossible transformation occurs where the workaholic is forced to endure several poignant, yet comedic adventures to regain his humanity and magically be transformed back into himself.  That's the premise of Nine Lives.  The wealthy workaholic dad in this instance is transformed into the one thing he hates the most.  A cat.  Outrageous merriment ensues.  Cute.  But, that's about it.  Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, and Christopher Walken star.
***stars

Nerve- In this cyber-age thriller, an unknown entity has created an online game called Nerve.  Contestants who choose to play are given random challenges which they have to record themselves performing for the unseen master(s) of the game and throngs of online fans looking on.  Complete the task successfully and the contestants get cash wired to their bank accounts.  Fail and they can face various consequences including death.  And the tasks gradually escalate in degree of difficulty and danger.  It's a fascinating concept and the movie attempts to be a commentary on how cyber space is turning humanity into thrill seeking uncaring drones.  But, the premise can't sustain itself throughout the length of the film and delves into a convoluted conspiracy plot that isn't very entertaining for the final 15 minutes or so.  It leaves too many questions unanswered when it ends and they're not very interesting ones at that.  If you don't think about the holes too hard, you'll find much of it entertaining enough.  Dean Franco, Emma Roberts, and Juliette Lewis star.
**3/4 stars

The Shallows- Was the world ready for another killer ccgreat white shark movie?  Apparently, it was.  A medical student taking some much needed R&R in Mexico enjoys a day of fun and surfing.  Unfortunately for her, she unwittingly stumbles upon the feeding ground of a great white shark.  Needless to say, the shark isn't pleased by this interloper and intends to remove her in a way that only sharks can.  There are intense moments and one danger following another.  It's no Jaws, but, it's pleasing enough.  Blake Lively stars.
***stars

Why Him?- An eccentric and obscenely wealthy game developer has dated the college-age daughter of an uptight upper middle class family for a year.  While he's crude and lewd, he's genuinely a nice guy who wants to do nothing more than marry his new girlfriend.  Now, if only he can convince her father to give his blessing.  The film was a pleasant surprise for me.  I expected maybe a few laughs, and, then boredom from the sheer stupidity of the plot.  And, make no mistake.  Why Him? offers plenty in the way of stupidity.  But, it's funny stupidity.  I laughed a lot more at this one than I ever thought I would.  James Franco, Bryan Cranston, Keegan-Michael Key, Kaley Cuoco (voice only), Cedric the Entertainer, and Megan Mullaly star.
***1/2 stars

The Legend of Tarzan- In the latest relic Hollywood is dusting off to add a new shine to, the Lord of the Apes is set for a new adventure.  Eight years removed from living in Africa, Tarzan, has taken his rightful place in England as John Clayton, Lord Greystoke.  Convinced to return to Africa to expose a possible slave ring in the Congo, John has dangers other than natives and the harsh, cruel jungle itself to deal with.  An old enemy has struck a deal with the Belgian government who wants the regions precious diamonds.  The price for the diamonds is luring Tarzan back to the area where he's been marked for death.  The film is a solid actioner.  It really pops in action scenes over the jungle landscape.  Outside of the action, the story itself is a bit mundane which is why it doesn't rate higher for me.  Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, and Djimon Hounsou star.
***stars

Mechanic:  Resurrection- The sequel to the 2011 remake finds master assassin, Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham), trying to live quietly in Rio de Janeiro after faking his death.  A former acquaintance has tracked him down to make three extremely difficult kills.  Not only does Bishop have to kill these targets, all of whom are heavily guarded, but, he also needs to make each one look like an accident.  To add incentive, his new "employer" is holding Bishop's new love as collateral until he finishes the job.  If you're a fan of Statham's typical headbreaking style, you won't be disappointed.  He's tried to diversify a little in some of his most recent films.  But, this type of movie is where Statham lives.  Simple on plot.  Heavy on action.  Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, and Michelle Yeoh co-star.
***1/2 stars

Now You See Me 2- The Horseman have returned!  Those Robin Hood magicians from the first film have a new threat on the horizon in a tech genius that appears just as savvy as they are.  In a plot only slightly less convoluted as that of the first, the sequel isn't quite as fun either.  Plus, it also appears the story has been retconned in such a way as it makes the first film make even less sense.  Still, the illusions are fun.  The movie is entertaining on its own level even if some plot twists don't completely make sense.  Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Daniel Radcliffe, Sanaa Lathan, and Michael Caine star.

***1/4 stars

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2:  Out of the Shadows- This sequel to the 2014 megahit finds the reptilian foursome still protecting New York City from the shadows one year later.  There are several new additions to the cast from the TMNT universe including the introductions of Casey Jones, Bebop, and Rocksteady that turtlephiles should appreciate.  The Turtles main foe, Shredder, has teamed up with an alien entity to enslave Earth.  Standing in their way is...well, you know.  This movie was ripped to shreds critically when it was released, and I'm not sure why exactly.  You have to take the Turtles with a grain of salt.  They're corny.  Let's get that out of the way.  But, they do have a childlike charm about them.  This one has solid action and solid special effects.  Trust me, there are much worse movies in 2016 to sit through.  I've done it.  Megan Fox, Stephen Amell, Will Arnett, Tyler Perry, and Laura Linney star.

***1/4 stars

Kubo and the Two Strings- This animated feature set in ancient Japan follows a young boy with magical powers on the run from his Grandfather and aunts.  Along the way, he's assisted by no-nonsense monkey and an amnesiac samurai partly transformed into a beetle.  There's more to both than meets the eye.  It's a beautifully animated feature from Laika's animated studio.  Melancholy and humorous, Kubo has something for everyone.  It wasn't my favorite animated feature of 2016, but, it was the most innovative in many ways.  Featuring the voices of Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, and Matthew McConaughey. 
***3/4 stars

Star Trek Beyond- The third installment featuring the "new original" Star Trek crew finds our space heroes battling an enemy that attacks like an insect swarm.  The leader is in search of an ancient weapon that just happens to be on the Enterprise.  That leader also has surprising ties to the Federation's past.  I know these last three Star Trek films have drawn much criticism from hardcore "Trekkies" for not being Star Trek enough.  It's much the same as the criticism of Daniel Craig's rendition of James Bond.  But, I have to say, these new movies are fine by me as someone who hasn't been an avid Trek fan in the past.  I like the more Star Wars feel to them.  I know it probably can't last as Beyond didn't do the bang up business it was expected to do at the box office.  But, count me as a fan of the new direction it has taken since the 2009 reboot.  Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, and Zachary Quinto return as the Enterprise crew.

***3/4 stars

The Neon Demon- Nicholas Winding Refn's abstract tale of horror about the world of fashion and the world's emphasis on beauty could have been quite a screwed up commentary of the pitfalls found in both arenas.  That is, if any part of this movie made any sense at all.  An innocent young teenager enters the world of modeling, becomes increasingly more narcissistic, angers other  models jealous of her natural gifts, and...well that would be telling.  And, if you dare to view this monstrosity, you have to experience it in all its incomprehensible glory.  I will leave you with one thought.  Human eyeballs should never be part of anyone's diet.  Elle Fanning, Christina Hendricks, Jena Malone, and Keanu Reeves star.
*1/2 stars

Free State of Jones- Director Gary Ross spins a tale based on the life of Newton Knight, a medic in the Confederate Army who becomes weary with the senselessness of his side's cause and deserts.  Going back to his hometown a fugitive, he becomes a hero and leader of his and the surrounding communities' fight against Confederate oppression in Mississippi during the war.  The story also spins ahead to 1960s Mississippi as one of Newton's descendants has to fight bigotry in court due to his "unlawful" heritage.  The problem I always find with a film of this nature is that it's often hard to judge how good or bad it is because there are parts that make me angry watching them.  It's history though, every last ugly inch of it.  It's a little known tale that the public should be aware of, so, I do think it's worth viewing.  Matthew McConaughey stars.
***stars

Snowden- Oliver Stone directs this biographical tale of U.S. Intelligence officer, Edward Snowden, a man who became so disillusioned that he turned whistleblower on the agencies he worked for, and, essentially, on the U.S. government.  Snowden isn't a boring movie per se, but, it's not really edge of your seat viewing either.  It's...safe.  Maybe Stone told all there was to the story.  But, there wasn't a great deal of suspense in this for me.  The strength of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance is what will make me recommend this.  Whether Snowden, alive and well to this day and given asylum in Moscow, is a national hero or traitor you will need to decide.  His story is definitely tragic.  Nicholas Cage, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Timothy Olyphant, and Tom Wilkinson co-star.
*** stars

The Accountant- An autistic forensic accountant uncooks the books for several unsavory individuals.  It's an added bonus that he's also able to do a little wetwork when the situation calls for those types of skills.  It's a crazy premise that strangely works in this fast paced thriller.  Ben Affleck gives a committed performance as the titular accountant.  His pained social interactions and mathematical genius comes with an underlying and awkward sweetness that's in sharp contrast to the brutality of most of the film.  By all indications, it seems the studio was going for a possible franchise with this one.  I'm not sure if it has enough positive buzz for that.  Personally, I wouldn't mind visiting this world again.  Anna Kendrick, Jon Berenthal, and John Lithgow co-star.
***3/4 stars

Blair Witch- Ugh.  Ugggh.  UGGGGHHHH!!!  This sequel to the 1999 found footage (one of many reasons I dislike that movie) horror phenomenon, The Blair Witch Project, follows the aftermath of the first film.  The brother of the female protagonist from BWP takes his merry band of friends into the same spooky forest where his sister and her friends disappeared years before in a desperate attempt to understand what happened to that group.  Not long after they enter, strange things go bump in the night, weird stick configurations appear out of nowhere, people start running haphazardly in the woods, and a nonsensical time is had by all.  Again.  It's so frustrating when you can't even discern what's happening because the camera is constantly jumping.  I guess this is supposed to add a touch of realism.  You know what I say to that?  UUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
*star

Keeping Up With the Joneses- What do you get when accomplished undercover spies move next door to the most bland and mundane couple in the history of human existence?  What director Greg Mottola is hoping for is rip-roaring hilarity.  In part, he's right.  Keeping Up With the Joneses is very funny at certain times, but, it gets bogged down in the usual "fish out of water" trope when the average couple becomes unwittingly involved in the spy world.  That's not necessarily a knock against it.  I'm just saying there's nothing new to see here.  A movie like 2016's Central Intelligence did this type of story better.  This one is a harmless little comedy that has a few decent action sequences and a couple of laugh out loud moments.  It's worth viewing.  Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, and Gal Gadot star.
***stars

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- Tim Burton's latest oddball venture follows a young man who becomes embroiled in a time looping battle of extraordinary beings called "peculiars" and "hollows."  One such group of peculiars is led by headmistress, Miss Peregrine, stuck in a perpetual time loop in 1943.  It's hard describing time altering stories as their narratives tend to become muddied in many circumstances.  But, I do give this one high marks for creativity even if it does become slightly tedious  trying to follow the film with much understanding at times.  Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, and Samuel L. Jackson star.
*** stars

Jack Reacher:  Never Go Back- The sequel to 2012's Jack Reacher finds Tom Cruise back in the titular role of the ex-military police officer who rights the wrongs involving the U.S. military.  In this latest adventure, Reacher must clear the name of an Army friend (and love interest) who is framed in a conspiracy involving weapons and drug smuggling.  It's fairly standard face punching and bone breaking action.  That isn't horrible mind you.  But, this Reacher film kind of weighs on you as you're watching it.  For one, it's overlong.  The mastermind of the conspiracy is caught with at least 25 minutes left of air time.  Add in a snarky teenage girl who may or may not be Reacher's daughter and the whole venture becomes a bit tedious.  Cobie Smulders co-stars.
**3/4 stars

Masterminds- This comedic heist movie is based on the real life 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina.  Lovable, but, hapless armored car driver, David Ghantt is manipulated into being the inside man in the robbery of his company's vault.  None of the players in this heist are criminal masterminds so you can imagine what a comedy of errors this becomes after the theft is pulled off! With a heavyweight cast of comedians such as this, you would think Masterminds would be a laugh riot.  But, it's not.  It has its moments to be sure, but, if you were expecting a rollicking good time, you may be slightly disappointed.  It's still worth a look.  Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, and Leslie Jones star.

***stars

Inferno- The third collaboration between Tom Hanks and director, Ron Howard, in the Robert Langdon film series finds the symbologist in desperate race against time (what else is new) to prevent the release of a virus that will kill millions.  The plot Langdon uncovers is needlessly elaborate and complicated.  It's made palatable on the strength of Tom Hanks pretty much.  While there are some decently shot sequences, Tom Hanks, action hero is still a little hard to get used to.  It's mostly a solid DVD watch and nothing more.  Felicity Jones co-stars.
***stars

Trolls- This DreamWorks animated feature pits the lovable singing, dancing, happy wild-haired Trolls against the unhappy, miserable Bergens.  The Bergens can only feel happy when they consume Trolls (pretty dark for a children's movie).  When a disgraced Bergen chef captures some of the Trolls for her king who has never eaten one, it's up to Poppy, the forever optimistic Troll princess to get her friends back.  The only assistance she has is from Branch, a worrying, fearful Troll who is as dour as Poppy is peppy.  I'm usually not a fan of the old Disney style of singing cartoons for the modern era.  There are many times when the characters break out in song.  However, it helps that the two leads can more than carry a tune.  The songs are also very recognizable pop tunes that most can relate to.  It's a cute movie with enough comedy to stop it from being syrupy sweet.  Featuring the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, Christine Beranski, and Christopher Mintz-Plase. 

***1/2 stars

Florence Foster Jenkins- This biographical dramedy follows the life story of  the New York heiress who became an opera singer during World War II.  Known for her horrific lack of skill in singing skill, Jenkins appears to have never been deterred through the bitter end.  The singing is treated a bit Three Stooges-like at times, but, in actuality, it's a tragic story of a woman who is a bit delusional, has a professionally loyal, but, cheating husband, and carries a debilitating disease given to her by her first husband.  It's another typically good performance by Meryl Streep in the title role.  Hugh Grant, Rebecca Ferguson, and Simon Helberg co-star.
***1/4 stars

The Edge of Seventeen- Oh, no!  Another coming-of-age dramedy.  This one, however, did get much critical praise during its release so I was optimistic.  Unfortunately, that optimism wasn't rewarded in my eyes.  The Edge of Seventeen is supposed to be a poignant tale of a socially awkward teenage girl coming to grips with the death of her beloved father (the only person who seemed to ever understand her) and just teenage life in general.  What I saw was a petulant teenager who self-inflicted most of her emotional scars.  If this had played as a complete farce about a sad sack teen, it might have had more traction with me.  As is, the main character just comes across as an "Oh, woe is me", brat.  The film isn't a disaster as it does offer some amusing moments, particularly from the main character's beleaguered, mildly sarcastic teacher/confidante.  But, teen angst usually isn't my style, so, I can't fully recommend it.  Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson star.

**3/4 stars

Arrival- This alien invasion film is a bit of a departure from the usual films in this genre.  As the invaders hover over random sections of the Earth and generally "freak out" the world's governments, a linguist is pressed into service by the U.S. in an attempt to communicate with the visitors.  Through much trial and effort, she is able to decipher their language.  But, is the purpose for the invasion malevolent, or, is there something less sinister afoot?  I don't necessarily mind nonlinear storytelling as presented in Arrival as long as the journey is worthwhile.  One of my favorite movies of all time is Pulp Fiction to illustrate.  While Arrival does present a thought-provoking conundrum at the end, the journey was a bit long and painful.  Because of the dilemma the film presents, I do want to like it more than I do.  I just can't.  Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forrest Whittaker star.

**3/4 stars

Loving- This historical drama tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple from Virginia, persecuted by the state for marrying in 1958.  In a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court, the Lovings had to fight tooth and nail to stay together even being banished from the state for their union.  It's a well- acted film that exposes more of the dark underbelly of U.S. history after the Civil War.  It'll make you angry and destroy your faith in humanity at times.  But, the end result is uplifting.   It's a movie I'm glad I've saw, but, films like this are only a one shot for me.  Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga star in the lead roles.
***1/4 stars

Almost Christmas- You really should follow Flava Flav's sage advice when it comes to watching this film, "Don't believe the hype!"  And, by hype, I mean don't get sucked in by the trailers that this is a raucous holiday comedy.  There's way more melodrama here than I was anticipating and, it wasn't particularly moving.  The Meyers clan is challenged by the family patriarch to spend five days together, including Christmas, without conflict.  There are feuds where you're not quite sure why there is one.  Drama feels forced and unoriginal.  It does offer some amusing moments at its obvious attempts to force comedy, but, overall, this is a glorified Lifetime movie posing a major motion picture.  Danny Glover, Omar Epps, Gabrielle Union, J.B. Smoove, Romany Malco, Kimberly Elise, and Mo'Nique star in the ensemble cast.
**1/2 stars

Nocturnal Animals- Tom Ford wrote and directed this psychological thriller that follows two parallel stories.  A wealthy art gallery owner in a loveless marriage with her current husband is sent a manuscript for a novel written by her estranged ex-husband.  As she reads the dark story, the audience might just be witnessing an allegory of  the former couple's sordid past.  I give Ford credit for conveying his story in a somewhat unique way, but, the transitions between reality and fantasy aren't always seamless.  It's not always easy to make the connections and I found myself drifting slightly.  If you're looking for twisted Jake Gyllenhaal thrillers, I would recommend Nightcrawler before this one.  And the opening credits are a sight to behold.  Aside from the aforementioned Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon co-star. 
**3/4 stars

Pete's Dragon- In Disney's continued direction of remaking their classics into live action feature films, they've had varying degrees of success in my opinion.  While none have been bad, some have been far superior to others.  I count the lesser known Pete's Dragon as a very pleasant surprise.  I have to confess, it has been decades since I saw the original film, so, this remake didn't particularly excite me when I first heard about it.  But, it was a magical experience.  Five year old Pete is orphaned when his parents meet their end during a family outing.  He's found and cared for in the next six years by a dragon living in the forest who's as friendly as a large puppy.  Chaos and misunderstandings ensue when both are discovered by local townspeople.  It's an amusing and heartwarming film.  It almost brought tears to my eyes.  Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Karly Urban, and Robert Redford star.
***1/2 stars

Allied- Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard star as a Canadian intelligence officer and French Resistance fighter who work together to assassinate a German ambassador during World War II.  Beautiful people working that closely together naturally fall in love, get married, and start a family, right?  It's destined to be a beautiful life until Allied intelligence discovers the French rebel might be a Nazi spy and tasks her husband with putting her down.  It kind of puts a damper on happily ever after.  Allied is a slow burn thriller that has some blindingly violent scenes that offset the romance of the two leads.  It's a well-acted bittersweet effort from director Robert Zemeckis.
***1/4 stars

Moonlight- Well this was the Best Picture winner for 2016.  It's a story told during three important phases in a young African-American boy's life.  Chiron is living a hard life in Miami.  Between his drug addicted mother and being friendless at school, he is starved for human kindness of any sort.  Add to that a growing confusion regarding sexual preference in a culture that scorns homosexuality.  By all critical accounts, this is a beautifully crafted coming of age story of a culture rarely seen in cinema.  I can agree with that in part.  Homosexuality in the African-American community is something you don't see approached seriously on camera very often.  But, try as I might (and I did), I just couldn't muster the energy to care about what was happening.  All I could think about as I was watching this is, "Wow, this is much ado about nothing."  Maybe that's the wrong way to view this because I am clearly in the minority here.  I just didn't get why this film was the phenom it became.  Another thing I'll say about it is that the movie does play to stereotypes that need to start dying.  Maybe that's why I wasn't impressed.  Maybe it's because there were no bombastic, attention-seeking performances to speak of here.  Good for Moonlight and Mahershala Ali for taking home the hardware this year, but, emotionally, I wasn't feeling this. Naomie Harris, Andre Holland, and Janelle Monae co-star.
**1/2 stars

Moana- There's no denying it.  Disney is on fire!  They are absolutely printing money these days with their ownership of Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and Pixar.  Lately they've been making a killing with their own brand-labeled animated features.  After huge successes with Frozen and Zootopia, the House of Mouse brings us Moana.  It's the story of a Polynesian chief's daughter tasked with returning the symbolic "heart" to an island goddess in order to bring prosperity back to the land.  Along the way, she's assisted by an arrogant, but, good natured demigod.  And, that's my problem with Moana.  Well, not so much a problem, as a slight disappointment.  While the film was cute, it didn't really jump for me until demigod, Maui, was firmly in the mix with his one liners and storytelling tattoos.  By no means am I implying  Moana is a bad movie.  Far from it.  I just didn't like it as much as a thought I would.  Featuring the voices of Dwayne Johnson and newcomer, Auli'i Cravalho. 
***1/4 stars

Manchester By The Sea- A grief-stricken loner is tasked with the guardianship of his 16 year-old nephew after his brother dies in this heavy-handed family drama that pretty much makes little progress for over two hours.  Through flashbacks the audience learns the tragic circumstances that have led to the current life he leads before his sibling's tragic death.  The flashbacks are confusing and our protagonist just can't seem to get out of his depressing rut.  As I said in my review of Moonlight, good for Casey Affleck and his Oscar win.  But, ultimately, the film is a fistful of nothing.  Nothing interesting.  Nothing insightful.  I just don't understand the good will the movie has inspired.  Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams co-star.
**1/2 stars

Passengers- What would you do if you were on a 125 year journey to another planet and accidentally awakened from cryo-sleep 30 years in?  How long would you be "ok" being completely alone (with the exception of a cyborg bartender)?  Would you do the unthinkable?  Would you wake someone else up because you need a companion dooming them to your fate as well?  That's the dilemma in this sci-fi thriller that's a little bit Wall-E, a little bit romantic drama, and a little bit off-putting stalker movie.  Despite a bit of a contrived occurrence that makes deception somewhat acceptable, the film does tackle some interesting moral dilemmas.  What would you really do if faced with a lonely oblivion?   Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, and Laurence Fishburne star.
*** stars

Fences- Denzel Washington directs and stars in this film of a very flawed husband and father trying to keep his family together in 1950s Pittsburgh.  Washington is Troy Maxson, a hard drinking, opinionated, blusterous sanitation worker who can't seem to get out of his own way when dealing with his wife or teenage son.  While not an evil man, Maxson is hard-hearted and more-often-than-not a mental bully to his son.  He was once a great baseball player in the Negro leagues who is just a smidge resentful that he was a little too old to play when blacks were finally allowed in the Major League.  He puts up walls, or fences, between himself and loved ones that no one may be able to break through.  It's a well acted movie, but, it's not a particularly riveting one.  It's worth a look.  Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Maxon's wife, Rose.

*** stars

Collateral Beauty- A somewhat surreal journey into an advertising executive's path to acceptance of his young daughter's death, Collateral Beauty is definitely a different kind of movie.  Both the executive and his friends/business partners meet three actors who change their lives in profound ways.  These actors who may not be all they appear to be add some light comic effects to the heavy subject material.  The revelations in the film, while not shocking (you'll figure a lot of it out before it happens), are poignant.  It's a bittersweet movie that I think avoids becoming overly preachy. Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Michael Pena, Keira Knightley, and Naomie Harris star in the ensemble cast.

*** stars

A Monster Calls- A young boy facing a series of troublesome issues, including the imminent death of his terminally ill mother, is visited by a giant tree-like monster who advises he will return to tell the boy three true stories in exchange for one story from the boy.  Based on a novel of the same name, this dark fantasy is infinitely more fascinating when the monster is onscreen.  Despite his fierce visage, the monster adds humor to the otherwise dark themes in the film.  The movie jumps during his stories.  When he's not onscreen, the movie is a bit tedious.  Admittedly, it's a creative way of teaching how to face fears and let go, but, this one was a mixed bag for me.  Sigourney Weaver and Felicity Jones star.  Liam Neeson voices the monster.
*** stars

Miss Sloane- A cunning and ruthless Washington lobbyist who wins at all costs may get more than she bargains for when she takes on one of the country's most powerful organizations in this twisty political thriller.  As the story unfolds, she may actually learn finally that winning may come at too high of a cost.  Miss Sloane is a riveting drama set against the backdrop of contemporary politics.  You can almost see this playing out on CNN sometimes.  John Lithgow and Mark Strong co-star.  Jessica Chastain gives a fantastic performance in the lead role.
***1/2 stars

The Founder- Visionary.  Snake.  Entrepreneur.  Rat fink.  Every description fits McDonald's "founder", Ray Kroc.  Why is "founder" in quotes?  If you don't already know the story, you'll just have to watch it unfold.  Based on true events, the film spins the tale of how one man made a simple walk-up hamburger stand a global empire.  But, in the making of an empire, people usually get crushed.  Each individual will judge Kroc's actions good and bad, and there's a little bit of one and a lot of the other to chew on. But, the end result made him legendary.   Michael Keaton gives a criminally underappreciated performance as Ray Kroc.  Nick Offerman, Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson, Laura Dern, and John Carroll Lynch co-star.
***3/4 stars

Hidden Figures- FINALLY!  An Oscar contender I can get behind.  African-American women face racism and misogyny at 1960s NASA in this biographical drama.  Following three (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson) in the era of America's space race with the Soviet Union, these women became instrumental figures in the country's first manned missions to the great beyond.  Wonderful performances are turned in by the three main actresses.  Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae star.  Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Mahershala Ali, and Jim Parsons co-star.

***3/4 stars

La La Land- The film that was almost Best Picture.  Actually, it was for a couple of minutes.  A throwback to musicals of yesteryear, director Damien Chazelle concocts a bittersweet romantic drama following a Jazz musician's and aspiring actress's trials as a couple in modern day Los Angeles.  Well-acted, but, utterly predictable at times, the film is carried by the chemistry of its two leads.  Musicals aren't my thing, but, the singing and choreography are well done.  If you're itching for a little old school nostalgia, give it a go.  You can do much worse.  Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone (who won an Oscar for this role) star. 
***1/4 stars

Sing- Musical animated anthropomorphic animals are nothing new to film.  Illumination Entertainment, the studio that brought you those mischievous Minions, crafts the story of a entrepreneurial koala holding a singing competition to save his failing theater.  Of the course the hilarity comes from various animal species grooving to popular songs.  You haven't lived until you've heard a Sinatra-knock off mouse belt out "My Way."  Mind you, I'm not being sarcastic.  Sing is very cute and sweet.  I'm just saying don't expect much more than that.  In this case, it's more than enough. Featuring the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, and Scarlett Johansson.
***1/4 stars

Sully- Director Clint Eastwood recounts the real life emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 by pilot, Chesley Sullenberger.  Hailed as a hero by the media, "Sully" had to fight to convince his superiors that the water landing was necessary.  Giving a story like this the justice it deserves requires a need to stick to the facts as much as possible without many embellishments.  In other words, I'm saying Sully isn't the most exciting movie you'll ever see.  It's ably acted, directed, etc.  But, it's about as adrenalin-pumping as drinking a glass of milk.  Still, it's a story worth telling.  Once.  Tom Hanks stars as the titular character.  Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney co-star.
*** stars

Yoga Hosers- Remember when Kevin Smith wrote silly, yet poignant dialogue?  Remember when he was actually funny?  Yeah, seems like a lifetime ago.  It's hard to believe the same man who gave us Clerks and Chasing Amy turned this out.  Was he angry at someone?  Did someone lace his marijuana with acid?  I'm at a loss as to what I should say here.  Well, the plot, if you can call it that, involves two vapid teenage girls who spend their days with their noses buried in their phones, doing yoga, and playing in their all-female rock band (including a 35-year old male drummer) foiling the nefarious plans of  failed artist, Andronicus Arcane, and his army of foot tall bratwurst soldiers (Bratzis).  Taking place in Canada, the film is littered with horrible Canadian puns.  Hey, you might turn a drinking game into how many times you hear the word "a-boot."  This is the second chapter of Smith's True North Trilogy, a trio of North-of-the-border horror comedies.  The first installment, Tusk, wasn't a great movie, but, it was at least provocative in some instances.  Yoga Hosers, a spin-off of Tusk, has no such redeeming qualities save for a cameo by comic legend, Stan Lee.  Oh, and I did mention this was a trilogy, right?  So, we have "Moose Jaws" to look forward to in the near future.  I'm not lying when I say this.  Smith has described it as "Jaws" with a moose.  Johnny Depp reprises his role from Tusk as the creepy Canadian monster hunter, Guy LaPointe.  No, Depp still hasn't stopped playing weird buffoons.  Lily-Rose Depp (Depp's real life daughter) and Harley Quinn Smith (Smith's real life daughter) star as the teenage "Colleens", the movie's protagonists.
1/2 star

Jason Bourne- The fifth installment of the Bourne series finds our favorite amnesiac spy trying to keep a low profile until he's found by a former agency contact.  In yet another deep conspiracy, Bourne tries to unravel the truth of his father's involvement in his recruitment and training.  There's nothing wrong with this Bourne story per se, but, I think it might be time to retire this franchise.  There's still a few high octane thrills to be had, but, this is pretty much the fifth time of seeing, what is the name of the piece by The Four Tops?  Oh, yeah.  "It's the Same Old Song."  Matt Damon returns to the title role of Jason Bourne.  Julia Stiles, Tommy Lee Jones, and Alicia Vikander co-star.
*** stars

Hacksaw Ridge- Mel Gibson returns to the director's chair to recount the true story of Desmond Doss, a pacifist Army medic in World War II who refused to use or touch firearms.  Yeah, that would make it a little difficult to when you're on the battlefield wouldn't it.  In Okinawa, Japan, Doss singlehandedly carried 75 wounded men to safety on a stretch of land nicknamed "Hacksaw Ridge."  I'm not a big fan of war movies.  They're just so extremely sad I have difficulty sitting through them.  This one is no different.  It's a well-crafted movie by Gibson, but, watching the pain and suffering of war, even simulated gives me a feeling of dread.  I'll recommend it for those who don't have an aversion. Andrew Garfield gives a notable performance as Doss.  Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, and Teresa Palmer co-star.

***1/2 stars

The Birth of a Nation- I'm going to make this one short and sweet.  This is another movie genre that I'm not very fond of.  The film is based on the story of Nat Turner, a slave who led a short-lived slave rebellion in 1831.  It's what you would expect of a movie depicting the Antebellum South.  Unimaginable cruelty floods your senses.  It's difficult for me to label a film of this nature good or bad.  If you want dose of history, go for it.  But, I wouldn't blame you if you left it alone either.  It is well acted, so, on that basis, I'll recommend it.  Nate Parker, Gabrielle Union, Armie Hammer, and Penelope Ann Miller star.

*** stars

Patriot's Day- The 2013 Boston Marathon bombing is brought to the big screen in this Peter Berg film.  It covers all the bases of following random people leading regular mundane lives until the tragedy strikes.  After the bombing, the film is a solidly paced thriller that fortunately doesn't feel exploitative.  It naturally becomes a little "U.S.A, U.S.A." campy given the subject matter.   It's still a stirring tribute to the heroes who lived through that tragic event.  Mark Wahlberg, J.K. Simmons, John Goodman, and Kevin Bacon star.
***1/2 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good