The "Knight Of Cups" Was A Pretentious Bore

Knight of Cups (2015)

Rated R

Starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Brian Dennehy, Antonio Banderas, Imogen Poots,

Written and Directed by Terence Malick

The Story:

A writer (Bale) goes on a journey of discovery in Los Angeles through Las Vegas. These are his tales.

The movie opens with narration by Bale as the camera pans around and around to various scenery and other scenes that may or may not have anything to do with what is happening on screen.

I know I normally give movies 20 minutes, but I was ready to bail by the 10th minute, and I think I let if play into the first full chapter break at around the 13 minute mark.

I had no interest in the character, or whatever story was going to take place at this point.

If that means I have no appreciation for art-house films, so be it.

I come to see a movie to be entertained.

I don't mind thinking when I watch a film.

What I don't want to be thinking, is,  "why am I wasting my time watching this?"

There's a difference.

Final Grade: F

American Hero..."American Sniper"

.
American Sniper (2014)

Rated R

Starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller

Directed by Clint Eastwood

The Story:

Chris Kyle (Cooper) grew up in Texas, and all his life he planned on being a cowboy. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Chris decided to be something more and joined the military. His next stop, he became an elite sniper for the Navy SEALS. However, his experiences in battle don't help him adjust very well at home with his wife (Miller) and he finds life in the combat zone oddly more comforting.

This is Kyle's story, and politics and feelings on war aside, it's one worth watching.

Now, how much Kyle may or may not have embellished in his book is up to his critics to decide, but Clint Eastwood takes the work he was given and crafts a beautiful narrative that doesn't glorify war, but gives the viewers a small taste of what it's like to be there and have to make the decisions that can save, or cost lives in a split second.

Cooper disappears into the role and becomes the Texas cowboy who just wants to serve his country, and is tormented over how to be a family man when he comes home. He's amazing in the role and the movie is carried on his shoulders, and he doesn't miss a beat.

Short review, but that's all you need. You know whether this film is for you probably based on the title alone.

Final Grade: Solid B

So That's How "Christian Mingle" Works

Christian Mingle (2014)

Rated PG

Starring Lacy Chabert, Johnathan Patrick Moore, Morgan Fairchild, David Keith

Written and Directed by Corbin Bernsen

The Story:

Gwyneth (Chabert) has it all in life, except for Mr. Right. So in an act of desperation, she puts a profile on Christian Mingle dot com. There she discovers Paul (Moore) and the two hit it off. There's only one problem, really: Gwyneth isn't really a Christian...

Cue the ominous music and crash of thunder!

:)

Okay, this lighthearted romantic comedy is a labor of love for writer/director Corbin Bernsen. He is a devout believer, but tries to deliver the message in a way that's enjoyable for those that believe and even those that don't.

Many accuse a lot of films with a Christian message or theme to beat it over the head of the audience so that nobody will enjoy it unless you're preaching to the choir.

That probably holds true here again.

Gwyneth is about to tell Paul the truth, that she's not really a Christian, and then doesn't, then it snowballs out of control as she overdoes it every time that religion is brought up.

The comedic effect is there, but it begs to question how blind is Paul when everyone else notices that Gwyneth is struggling with her faith, except the guy who likes her?

Of course, if she doesn't struggle with this portion, she doesn't get to come to terms with what she actually does believe in, if anything, and that's kind of the point behind the whole affair in the first place.

Bernsen surrounds Chabert with a great cast of familiar faces, and after a long career in front of the camera, I'm more than willing to give this former Psych star a chance behind the scenes.

While I watched it on disc, it is now available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C

Whatever Happened To Spielbergian Aliens? "The 5th Wave"

The 5th Wave (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Zackary Arthur, Liev Schreiber, Maria Bello, Ron Livingston, Alex Roe,

Directed by J Blakeson

The Story:

The aliens have made contact, and after 4 waves (Darkness, Destruction, Disease and Invasion) it's time to unleash...The 5th Wave!
But after so much destruction, what could possibly come next?

Cassie (Moretz) is desperate to find her brother (Arthur) who she lost when the Army came to round up survivors and take them to a training facility. There, Colonel Vosch (Schreiber) plans on training the young kids to be the soldiers of the future that can find and destroy the enemy. They shall be...

The 5th Wave!

So, now we know what the 5th Wave is.

How is it as a movie?

Meh, not bad.

It takes the trappings of the dystopian future and places a young female lead into the center of the conflict.

Her quest to reunite and rescue her little brother are the driving force behind the movie, and whether she helps save the world or not is only secondary.

Filled with an ensemble of fine characters to supplement that story, it's nothing earth-shattering and reinventing the sci-fi / action / dystopian future genre...

But entertaining nonetheless.

Probably nothing you haven't seen in one shape or form already, but it's done with enough gusto this go round, you won't feel like you wasted your time.

Final Grade:  C+

Not So Special..."Midnight Special"

Midnight Special (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jaeden Lieberher, Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst,

Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols

 The Story:

Alton (Lieberher) is a little boy with some strange and unusual powers. His parents (Shannon & Dunst) are trying to get him away from a cult that worships him and the government who want to experiment on him.

Most movies have a point, or a lesson or an enjoyment factor to them.

I've finished this one, and pondered it for a bit, and can't really find one to this film at all.

I mean, you've got the love of a parent for their child and wanting to make sure they are as safe as can be, regardless of the consequences.

But it's such a long road to get there.

And I hate to use the word "boring" but I'm going to.

Boring.

I've seen too many similar movies, heck, the far superior Stranger Things on Netflix for example, that takes a similar situation and did a much better job on every level.

I didn't really care too much about any of the characters or what was happening.

Which is depressing, because I wanted to care.

Save yourself 2 hours, listen to the Creedence Clearwater Revival song instead.

:)

Final Grade: C-

"The Finest Hours" Is A Great True Story...But A Mediocre Movie

The Finest Hours (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz,

Directed by Craig Gillespie

The Story:

During a tremendous blizzard in 1952, a tanker rips in two and the Coast Guard sends just about everyone they have to try and save any survivors.

This is not that story.

You see, there was a second tanker that also ripped in half and had survivors on it. What was left of the Coast Guard was dispatched to try and find the remnants of that ship and bring in any survivors.

This is that story.

And it's true.

The biggest problem with this, the story and much of the acting and pacing is stiff, wooden and rather boring.

Which seems really weird when you have a thrilling rescue mission at sea that bogs down while trying to be told.

Weirder still that it was a product of Walt Disney studios who excel at these true life stories.

There's equal parts of blame to go around all over the place, even the leading man, Chris Pine, and quite possibly especially him, is not above finger pointing.

His character is probably supposed to be shy and humble, but it just comes across as stiff and unlikable.

Things do pick up considerably once the storm is raging and the rescue attempt begins, but the buildup to it with Pine and Grainger's romance...

Goodness that's some painfully dull cinema to endure.

Good intentions, a great real story that just gets muddied when it was turned into a film.

Final Grade: C

A Coming Of Age Gem..."The Kings Of Summer"

The Kings of Summer (2013)

Rated R

Starring Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mulally, Mark Evan Jackson,

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

The Story:

Joe (Robinson) and Patrick (Basso) are two friends who are fed up with their respective parents. So Joe comes up with a great plan: they move to the woods and build their own house. So they do. Joining them on their adventure is Biaggio (Arias) and the three have a great time at first. But the lives of teenagers are like weather patterns, and are due to change at any minute...

Usually in these films, it's the preteens that run away on an adventure, but in this case, the kids are high schoolers who have clearly had enough.

Both have parents that simply grate on the kid's nerves, but the parents also have the best dialogue in the movie.

The boys carry most of the movie with camaraderie and a bond that carries through onscreen.

When the bond is severed, you feel bad for all involved because nobody was truly at fault for how it happens.

Again, nothing earth-shattering happens, but I have to leave films like this vague in my descriptions because it's easy to ruin the whole thing with just a few sentences.

It's an evolution of the characters, and Basso and Robinson do a great job of holding our interest and making the most of every scene they have.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Some "Stranger Things" Are Happening Lately

Stranger Things (2016)

TV-14

Starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Charlie Heaton, Matthew Modine

Created by Matt and Ross Duffer

The Story:

In the small town of Hawkins Indiana, young Will Byers (Schnapp) goes missing. His frantic mom (Ryder) contacts the sheriff (Harbour) and the hunt begins. Sadly, it is only the first of some very weird things that are about to plague this small town.

Doesn't sound very exciting, does it.

It is.

I'm being very vague in my description for several reasons.

There's a lot to be found in this ode to 80s cinema and television from Matt and Ross Duffer.

If you aren't hooked to watch this series in the first 8 1/2 minutes, then this show is not for you.

However, if you get the goosebumps in all the right places, you're in for a nostalgic feel for a story you've never heard.

Add equal parts Spielberg, Stephen King, John Carpenter, The Goonies, Halloween, Dungeons and Dragons and some more 80s nostalgia and drop into a blender and you'll get the basic cocktail that lays the foundation for this to work.

It's the latest Netflix original, and while I'm only 2 episodes in, I've found that the pacing for this one seems to flow much better than many of the 12-13 series shows where I've felt they could tell a better story in 8 episodes.

It seems that the Duffers may have felt the same way and they are crafting a fine tale with all the jumps and frights thanks to a good script, a believable cast and a score that helps set the mood and provide just the perfect enhancement cues for the viewer.

I made the 8 1/2 minute offer to most of my kids after I watched the first episode. I told them they could walk when the credits started rolling to introduce the series.

Nobody walked.

Now they are an episode ahead of me as well, and telling me to hurry up so they can keep going!

: )

I have no idea how it's going to end up, but I'm sure enjoying the ride to find out.

I'm hoping for a season 2, regardless of how this season ends.

It's that good.

Streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A

The Same, Yet Different..."That Gal...Who Was In That Thing"

That Gal Who Was In That Thing (2015)

Not Rated

Starring Jayne Atkinson, Paget Brewster, L. Scott Caldwell, Alicia Coppola, Roxanne Hart, Catherine Hicks, Roma Maffia, Donna Massetti, Cristine Rose,

Directed by Ian Roumain

The Story:

In the original documentary, That Guy Who Was In That Thing, director Ian Roumain took a look at a bunch of character actors. You know, the supporting characters in tv and movies. The best friends, the lawyers, the cops, the doctors, even the bad guys...but never the star. And he looked at their careers and why they love to do what they do.

Well, Roumain returns a few years later, and this time, he brings the ladies along for the ride. It's much the same, although there is a bit more resentment and bitterness brought to the table this go round.

Shocking, I know, but apparently life in Hollywood is much harder for the actresses than it is for the guys.

Unless they are insanely hot and young, most of these ladies end up playing moms and grandmothers when they reach their 30s or later.

If they are even employed at all once they hit 40.

That sucks and you'd think that in the 21st century, we would be long past that, but apparently not.

Also, we're apparently still not away from the "casting couch", where if these ladies really want a job, they better be willing to do anything, and anyone, to get it.

Ick.

So yes, it's got a harder edge and less fun to watch this time around, but still good nonetheless.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade:  B

The Tragic Life of Hank Williams..."I Saw The Light"

I Saw The Light (2015)

Rated R

Starring Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones

Written and Directed by Marc Abraham

The Story:

Hank Williams (Hiddleston) goes from a local act to the Grand Ole Opry in his brief 6 year career. Starting under the guidance of his mother (Jones), he begins his national ascent after marrying Aubrey (Olsen) until he is one of the most prolific singers and songwriters in the nation. And then just like that, a series of destructive behaviors took him from us at the too young age of 29.

This is his story...

In some movies, you can say that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (thank you Aristotle) where all of the acting, writing, directing, etc. add up to a great cinematic experience.

This isn't that movie.

Nope.

This movie is all about Tom Hiddleston becoming Hank Williams.

Gone is his British accent, buried beneath a southern drawl.

And, unlike most biopics of this nature, Hank Williams does not sing.

It's all Hiddleston, all the time.

And he is amazing. Both as a singer and an actor.

When I was growing up, it was country music that permeated the household until I realized I could change the channels and discovered rock and roll. :)

But this movie, it took me back to a ton of songs that I heard growing up and probably hadn't heard in 30 or 40 years.

Unless of course, they had been remade by rock and roll artists.

Which many had.

Hank Williams made so many hit records in his brief lifetime, he wound up in just about every music hall of fame that there is.

Deservedly so.

But back to the movie...

;)

The problem with the film, and there are several, the movie only implies a lot of what was happening to Hank Williams in his life.

Is he a bad/abusive husband to Aubrey?

Is Aubrey a bad wife to Hank?

Much of this is left ambiguous, at best, perhaps to avoid tarnishing the Williams family legacy.

Hard to say.

You probably don't get the kind of cooperation you need from the family and friends and establishments for making a biopic if you say we're going to show everything, warts and all.

So much of the dramatic flare in the movie is kind of missing any oomph.

Williams isn't a monster that you want to hate, but have to love whenever he starts singing.

He's just a guy who loves to sing, and also really likes to drink.

However, whenever the movie puts us behind the microphone, it becomes magic as Hiddleston belts out a variety of Williams' hits throughout his career. Whether with a bit of rock, or straight gospel, whenever he hits the stage, it's magical.

He and Olsen elevate their parts above the movie and give you performances worth watching.

The rest of the movie bounces between the what you're watching, and apparently some pseudo-documentary filming where it asks important people in Williams' career about the man.

It's odd, and rather unnecessary.

The movie ends with tragedy of course, but the beautiful tribute of the title song is enough to make you a little misty-eyed.

Imagine how music could have been changed if Hank had survived even another 10 years?

Come for Hiddleston and the music of Hank Williams, you won't be disappointed.


Final Grade: B

A Little Legal "Misconduct"

Misconduct (2016)

Rated R

Starring Josh Duhamel, Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Malin Akerman, Alice Eve, Byung-hun Lee, Julia Stiles,

Directed by Shintaro Shimosawa

The Story:

Ben (Duhamel) is caught in a legal struggle between a pharmaceutical executive (Hopkins) and his firms Senior Partner (Pacino). As the snare of conspiracy draws ever tighter, Ben must uncover the truth before he becomes the latest victim.

So, did you see Misconduct when it debuted in theaters earlier this year?

Yeah, neither did anyone.

Earning $ 97.00 during the opening weekend, you'll be forgiven if you missed the debut.

So, what did you miss exactly?

Pretty much a straight to video generic thriller that hopes the allure of Hopkins and Pacino will get you to sign up.

They were probably well compensated for about a day or two of work on this movie, probably with 10 minutes or less total screen time each.

Duhamel does all the grunt work for the film, he is the actual star, and he does just fine.

In fact, the whole cast does just fine.

They're just saddled with a mediocre story that's been told before, many times, and usually much better.

So just fine rarely is reason to celebrate anymore.

Guilty of not being better with this pedigree of a cast.

Final Grade:  C-

I Would Have Asked "The Lady In The Van" To Move

The Lady In The Van (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings,

Directed by Nicholas Hytner

The Story:

Alan Bennett (Jennings) allows Mary Shepherd (Smith), a slightly crazy old lady to live in her van in his driveway.

For 15 years.

The movie chronicles their strange friendship.

And yes, it's based on a true story.

The problem was, after almost 20 minutes, I really didn't care.

Sure, there was twists and turns to come, but all I wanted to do was move along.

Which is what all of the neighbors wanted Mary to do in the film as well.

It wasn't "funny". It wasn't "dramatic".  It was just playing, and when I have the choice between watching a movie or doing work...

Well in this instance, I chose to get back to work.

: )

I also found the author's "dual roles" to be rather annoying.

I'm sure lots of people will like this one, but it wasn't my cup of tea, at all.

Final Grade: D

It Could Have Been Epic... "Solomon Kane"

Solomon Kane (2009)

Rated R

Starring James Purefoy, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Pete Postelthwaite, Max Von Sydow, Jason Flemyng, Samuel Roukin,

Directed by Michael J. Bassett

The Story:

Solomon Kane (Purefoy) is a privateer who learns that he's been destined to join the Devil in the afterlife. Rejecting that, he vows a life of  pacifism. As he goes about his life, he is savagely attacked and left for dead, nursed back to health by some pilgrims. When they are attacked and Meredith (Hurd-Wood) is taken captive, Kane decides to do whatever he must to save her, even facing the wrath of Malachi (Flemyng) and the Masked Rider (Roukin).

That's a lot of story to try and condense into one little synopsis, and perhaps that's partly why the movie wasn't more successful.

The 2nd of author Robert E. Howard's greatest creations (Conan), Solomon Kane is a pulp movie eye candy that takes itself seriously enough to avoid the derision and scorn that greeted the likes of Van Helsing when it took itself less than seriously.

Perhaps Kane though is too dark, and that could also be a problem.

What isn't a problem, besides the look, sets, scenery, costumes, effects, etc. is Purefoy's casting as the lead character. I saw him in A Knight's Tale in 2001, and have been a fan of his ever since. Sadly, he doesn't turn up terribly often, but I guess that helps keep his appearances fresh and leaves us wanting more from him.

That definitely beats overexposure!

So not bad, but definitely a genre picture for a specific audience.

It seems like they planned on making it a franchise, but I'm thinking when it's almost a decade since the first one, those plans likely have fallen by the wayside.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: C+

There's Nothing Wrong With "Craig Ferguson: Just Being Honest"

Craig Ferguson: Just Being Honest (2015)

Unrated (R)

Starring Craig Ferguson

Directed by Jay Chapman

The Story:

Craig Ferguson, the former host of the Late Late Show brings his stand up comedy to Epix for a special.

Remember those times when he would be censored on the talk show?

No worries here, there's not a censor to be found.

Craig's routine doesn't consist of jokes as much as they do funny anecdotes and stories.

But, as I've always found Ferguson to be a joy to listen to, both for his humor and his accent, this is a good thing.

The storytellers can often weave an hour concert into basically a long running story that builds into each segment and at the end of the night, you've laughed a lot yet only heard 5-10 "jokes". It's the buildup and the telling of the story that provides each payoff.

So while you won't be repeating Craig's stuff at work the next day, you'll think of the stories, and his telling of them, and you will smile and laugh again.

Don't believe me?

Watch this one, and then get back to me about his stories on Kenny G and Mick Jagger.

:)

Streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade:  B

Sibling Revelry... "Sisters"

Sisters (2015)

Rated R

Starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, James Brolin, Dianne Wiest, John Cena, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, John Leguizamo

Directed by Jason Moore

The Story:

Maura and Kate (Poehler & Fey) are asked by their parents (Brolin & Wiest) to come home and clean out their bedrooms so they can sell the house. They return home, and decide to throw one last bash, just like the good old days. However, this time, Maura asks Kate if she can be the "house mom" for the night and let Maura have a good time for once at a party. Sure...what could possibly go wrong?

Here's a fun little reversal of fortune as Fey gets to play the crazy one and Poehler gets to play the by-the-book sister. You expect just the opposite for each of them. However, Maura wants one night to be the wild one, and let Kate be in charge, so it's fun to see how hard it is to be the other type of sister during the escalating party.

It's also a credit to both ladies that they can each pull off the funny one or the straight man with ease.

Of course, there's more to the story than just the party, but the party drives most of the plot and helps to resolve most of the conflict that was set up before and during the shenanigans.

It also helps that the house party has a crazy cast of insane characters in their own right.

And as usual, John Cena makes the most of his screen time. He might never be The Rock, but he'll have a future once he hangs it up for good in the wrestling world.

Don't get me wrong, I laughed, but I feel like a movie like this, I should have laughed more.

It was good, but I thought it could be better.

Of course, almost all movies could always stand to be a bit better, right?

So at the end of the day, I'm glad I watched it, but I don't have that urge to see it again soon, which is often the mark of a great movie.

Final Grdae:  C+

The War In Afghanistan..."Whiskey Tango Foxtrot "

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

Rated R

Starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, Christopher Abbott, Billy Bob Thornton, Nicholas Braun, Evan Jonigkeit

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

The Story:

In 2003, the war in Iraq has pulled all of the world's major journalists there to cover the story. Turning to whatever resources they have left, new reporters are sent to Afghanistan to cover that story. Kim Baker (Fey) is selected and heads to Afghanistan even though she's never worked in front of the camera before. However, her inquisitive nature and determination help her immensely as she befriends her colleagues, the military and the Afghan locals.

Yes, this is a true story.

And while there are many amusing things that happen, this falls more along the dramedy realm than a straight up zany Tina Fey movie.

So make sure you know that going in, or you too may think..."Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?!"
Or some equivalent.
:)

Had Tina Fey written it, it's likely it would have been even funnier, but sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction, and there is plenty of that to go around in the film.

She's surrounded with some wonderful supporting characters, especially Christopher Abbott as her interpreter and Billy Bob Thornton as General Hollanek.

Along the way, Kim uncovers the cold truth about the war: while Americans love and support the military, they just don't want to see it, or the harsh realities of war played out on the television nightly.

That was true then in 2006, when everyone was tired of it.

A decade later, it's sadly even more true.

Final Grade: B

Manipulative To The Very End... "Eye In The Sky"

Eye In The Sky (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Helen Mirren, Aisha Takow, Aaron Paul, Phoebe Fox, Alan Rickman,

Directed by Gavin Hood

The Story:

Colonel Powell (Mirren) has discovered a location that contains some of British Intelligence's most wanted in Kenya. As the operatives on the ground prepare to stage an attack, the drone piloted by Americans show that they are preparing suicide vests for an attack. They need to attack now, risking the lives of a few innocents to save potentially hundreds. What should be an easy decision is strained to the breaking point by being politically correct in a war that is anything but.

So that describes it in a nutshell, but the movie is anything but boring.

It's fascinating the hoops that the program is attempting to jump through to make sure that everyone is satisfied, or absolved of any potential blame should things go badly.

Giving the okay is General Benson (Rickman) and the amount of people he has to get the okay from to dispatch the kill order is extremely lengthy.

That the whole operation then hinges on the American drone pilots (Paul & Fox) who discover a little girl (Takow) selling bread and threatens to compromise the entire mission.

As Rickman's final performance, he left us far too soon, he delivers a wonderful performance as the commander who knows what to do, but appropriately checks off each box that has to be done to satisfy 30 different masters. He then delivers a powerful quote at the end that literally puts tears into his biggest detractor.

Mirren also shines as the mission leader who may very well have to compromise credibility in order to take several threats off the board in one swift action.

As for the American pilots, it's nice to see a sense of compassion...

But...

Seriously?

That may have been a little too much compassion.

Well acted, nearly real-time thriller that stretches my suspension of disbelief just a hair too far.

Final Grade: C+

So Nice, We Went There Thrice! "The Jurassic Park Trilogy"

Jurassic Park (1993)

Rated PG-13

Starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Joseph Mazello, Ariana Richards, Samuel L. Jackson, BD Wong, Wayne Knight

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Pete Postelthwaite, Arliss Howard, Vanessa Lee Chester, Vince Vaughn, Richard Schiff, Richard Attenborough, Joseph Mazello, Ariana Richards

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Jurassic Park III (2001)

Rated PG-13

Starring Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Tea Leoni, Alessandro Nivola, Trevor Morgan, Michael Jeter, Laura Dern

Directed by Joe Johnston

The Story:

Part 1:

Billionaire John Hammond (Attenborough) has created a theme park, Jurassic Park, where he's recreated dinosaurs using questionable scientific methods. He needs some validation by scientific experts that the park is safe and sound and ready for tourists. So he enlists paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Neill), paleobotanist, Dr. Ellie Sattler (Dern) and mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm (Goldblum) come to the park. However, when corporate sabotage and a hurricane collide at the same time, things don't go so well, and it's a fight to avoid extinction!

Part 2:

Dr. Malcolm (Goldblum) returns to travel to Isla Sorna, the 2nd island that Hammond (Attenborough) had created his dinosaurs at. He had no intentions of going, except that Hammond enlisted his girlfriend (Moore) and she was already at the island. The team goes to the island and winds up capturing a Tyrannosaurus Rex and taking it back to San Diego to headline the abandoned Jurassic Park that had begun development there. Bad idea.

Part 3:

The return to Isla Sorna, and this time Dr. Grant (Neill) returns by being tricked into coming so that his dig would continue to receive funding. This time it's the Kirby's (Macy & Leoni) whose son (Morgan) had vanished weeks earlier. In the chance he's managed to survive the wilds of Jurassic Park for this long, they want to bring him home alive. However, there are some new dinosaurs waiting to join the party, in addition to the threats we've already seen in the previous two installments.

So, I don't think that anyone hasn't seen at least the first part of this trilogy, and if you stop there, that's fine.

It is head and shoulders above the others in terms of story, characterization and just sheer awesomeness of seeing those dinosaurs for the first time.

I actually saw this in theaters when it came out, and the scene where Alan and Ellie see the dinosaurs for the first time... well, it gave me goosebumps then.

20 years later, I still get goosebumps with that scene.

The elements of the actors, the great special effects on the dinosaurs themselves, and John Williams score create the perfect moment where you soak in the fact that you're seeing dinosaurs, and it's very cool.

There are similar scenes in each of the sequels, but it never quite matches the very first time you see Jurassic Park.

The cast is great, especially the cynical Dr. Malcolm, effortlessly deadpanning his way as the snarky voice of reason.

He's fun in the second installment as well, but when he has to be snarky and the hero at the same time, it just doesn't have the same oomph as the character was able to enjoy in the first film.

Which leaves the third film, which isn't nearly as bad as everyone probably remembers it to be. While not as good as the first, most film trilogies or series all suffer through that. The blame also shouldn't be foisted upon poor Joe Johnston, who gets saddled following Spielberg yet still directs a perfectly fine thriller.

All three have been added to Netflix as of last month, so feel free to revisit, or if you've never seen one (or all) of them, get ready for a pretty wild ride.

Final Grades:

Jurassic Park: A
The Lost World: B
Jurassic Park III: B-