You'll Want To Lose This "Holiday Baggage"

Holiday Baggage (2008)

Rated PG

Starring Barry Bostwick, Cheryl Ladd, Julia Sobaski, Leah Wagner

Directed by Stephen Polk

The Story:

Pete (Bostwick) is ready to retire, settle down, and get married to the girl (literally, half his age at least...) of his dreams. Only problem, he's still married to Sarah (Ladd). When he presents the divorce papers to her, he has a stress related panic attack and ends up needing to spend the holidays with his estranged wife and daughters, none of whom want him there. Will he get what he's hoping for, or will he find that he's had what he really needed all along?

Who cares?

This movie sucked.

Now streaming on Netflix, I made it exactly 20 minutes in before I couldn't take it any longer.

Not funny enough for a comedy, not dramatic enough for a drama... terrible acting from the daughters...

I didn't care if they reconciled or not, I simply wanted them out of my life this holiday season.

Grade: F

The Wedding Bells Ring..."A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding"

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige, Honor Kneafsey, Sarah Douglas, Theo Devaney, John Guerrasio,

Directed by John Schultz

The Story:

It's been a year since the events of A Christmas Prince. Amber (McIver) has been blogging away but now it's time to jet back to Aldovia for her Christmas Day wedding to King Richard (Lamb). However, the protocol of the proceedings and the palace's insistence on how the wedding, and Queen-to-be-Amber's life are to be run may end up killing the marriage long before the big day. However if that doesn't sound dramatic enough, there is also a financial crisis plaguing the kingdom and casting doubt on the King's effectiveness already!

I was pleasantly surprised to see a sequel to last year's Christmas hit, but apparently enough Netflix viewers watched to warrant a sequel.

Like most sequels, they don't quite live up to the bar established by the predecessor, and that too is the case here.

The falling in love angle is already done, the charming cast established, so now what?

Putting Amber's lifestyle in direct conflict with her expected behavior as a royal works, and then they give the financial crisis to affect the King and distract him from his bride to be and also provide an always timely look at the struggles of the people in the labor force.

The entire cast comes back except for Amber's dad (Guerrasio) who was recast and has a much larger role this time around. Even the treacherous Simon (Devaney) returns, but is it to be redeemed or to scheme while Aldovia is in turmoil?

All these questions and more will be answered, and now I sit back and wonder if A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby will be next year's sequel?


Final Grade: B-

Someday "A Christmas Prince" Will Come

A Christmas Prince (2017)

TV-PG

Starring Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige, Honor Kneafsey, Sarah Douglas, Theo Devaney, Daniel Fathers

Directed by Alex Zamm

The Story:

Amber (McIver) is a reporter that is stuck basically reworking every other reporter's stories so they work better. She lands the assignment to go to Aldovia to cover Crown Prince Richard's (Lamb) coronation or abdication of the throne. Using a case of mistaken identity, Amber infiltrates the castle staff to try and uncover the real story and get to the truth. However, her work may just undo everything in the process!

I'm not sure if this was Netflix's first original Christmas movie or not, but it was probably their most buzz-worthy title of last year.

I partially watched it last year, but was tapping around on my computer and not paying attention.

So this year, I did my due diligence and watched it from start to finish, no electronic devices anywhere around to distract me.

The results?

As I've said on other reviews this year and in reviews of Christmas Past, there is a very specific formula for these Hallmark/Lifetime/FreeForm Christmas movies. You get the right cast, a decent script and you'll nail it and create an instantly rewatchable comfort film that earns a replay every December going forward.

Netflix pretty much nailed it.

I didn't find it the "so bad it's good" category that earned a lot of the buzz last year. I enjoyed it for not taking itself too seriously and giving us the obvious checklist of what to expect.

A good cast, carried mostly by McIver (I almost didn't recognize her at first due to actually having color on her skin instead of her usual iZombie pale look!) that connects and shares a nice chemistry throughout.

All of the characters have a personality instead of just a cookie cutter background extra, and that is always appreciated.

You'll know how the movie ends long before it ever gets there, but again, that's comforting and enjoyable, especially this time of year.

I'm happy, and I'll be back to visit Aldovia again next holiday season.


Final Grade: B

A Holiday Lump of Coal... "Holiday Breakup"

Holiday Breakup (2016)

TV-14

Starring Manon Mathews, Shawn Roe, Katie Leclerc, Matt Riedy, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Diane Robin

Written and Directed by Temple Mathews

The Story:

Chloe (Mathews) and Jeff (Roe) are a couple that have just moved in together. Except, after a lecture by his dad, Jeff begins to realize how childish Chloe is always acting, and the two break up. However, with the holidays looming, they decide to just pretend to still be together to avoid all of the awkward pity parties that they might be forced to hear. Will the pretend love rekindle their lost love, or is their relationship forever doomed?

In case you think I love all Christmas movies equally, here's proof that I don't, and I apparently have some sort of filter on what I consider a good Christmas movie, and the ones I just don't like.

I've often said that most films that are made now have competent direction, decent acting and the only thing that truly can let a film down for me is a bad story.

This hits the trifecta.

First, the story is written and directed by the same guy. So the terrible dialogue and 1 dimensional characters are all his fault.

Then the acting is abysmal. Chloe's "childishness" is so overblown, it's a wonder that anyone likes her at all. Then Jeff is so preoccupied with having breakup sex, the two are just oil and water and not only do I want them to either get back together or stay apart, I need them to do it now.

My other usual complaint when I don't like a movie is that it had too long of a running time. Trim 15, 30, 45 minutes and the movie would be better.

Well conversely, this movie that clocks in under 90 minutes, the standard "perfect time" for a movie....

However it feels like you're enduring a 3 hour marathon.

If you'd like to see for yourself, the movie is currently streaming on Netflix.

Thankfully it was not a Netflix original, and maybe it will go away by next year.

:)

Final Grade: D-

Kurt Russell IS Santa Claus... "The Christmas Chronicles"

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Oliver Hudson, Martin Roach, Lamorne Morris,

Directed by Clay Kaytis

The Story:

Kate and Teddy Pierce (Camp & Lewis) stay up late on Christmas Eve to catch Santa (Russell) in the act. However, when they stowaway on his sled, they inadvertently set off a chain of events that could have serious repercussions to Christmas.

Netflix's third (and final?) Christmas release for 2018 premiered on Thanksgiving Day and seems to have attained the status of instant classic from all the buzz that seems to surround it.

While the previous films played like a Hallmark/Lifetime cable movie, The Christmas Chronicles seemed to have the big budget feel of a film that could have been in theaters.

Looking back at similar stories on Santa needing help to save Christmas, we've had several hit theaters over the decades, so maybe that's it.

The greatest strength of this film is Kurt Russell.

There's no role he can't pull off, but until now, I don't think anyone ever thought, hey, wouldn't Kurt Russell make a great Santa Claus?

Someone did.

And it was nothing short of genius.

This isn't your typical ho ho ho nice Santa.

This Santa has that little extra Kurt Russell swagger that makes the film a real joy to watch, as Russell seems to be loving what he's doing onscreen.

You'll find yourself laughing one minute and crying the next.

:)

Plus Kurt gets a chance to channel one of his other greatest roles in the middle of this film as well.

Totally worth your time, and I'll probably give this one another spin later in the season, and it has definitely earned an annual replay.

Final Grade:

A-

Countdown to Christmas 2018: The Princess Switch

The Princess Switch (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar, Alexa Adeosun

Directed by Mike Rohl

The Story:

Stacy (Hudgens) is entered and accepted into an annual Christmas baking competition in the European country of Belgravia. When she arrives, she bumps into Lady Margaret (Hudgens) and the two realize they must be related because the resemblance is striking. Lady Margaret so wants to live just a normal life so she concocts a scheme to swap places with Stacy for just 2 days, after all, what could possibly go wrong?

Netflix offered up their next holiday original the week before Thanksgiving.

Taking the successful Lifetime/Hallmark/Freeform/Disney formula and basically Parent Trapping Christmas, Hudgens steps into this Princess and the Pauper update and gets to play the spunky baker who years for something more and the shy princess who simply wants all the attention to go away.

Naturally with the 2 obvious love interests, a prince (Palladio) and a best friend zoner (Sagar) you can see exactly how the movie ends roughly 5 minutes after it starts.

But they wouldn't call these formula movies if the formula didn't work, right?

This one hits all the right notes and should be one that winds up in your annual Christmas movie viewings for years to come.

So far Netflix has been 2 for 2 this year, but their most ambitious Christmas offering is still to come!


Final Grade: 
B

Countdown To Christmas 2018: The Holiday Calendar

The Holiday Calendar (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Kat Graham, Quincy Brown, Ethan Peck, Ron Cephas Jones

Directed by Bradley Walsh

The Story:

Abby (Graham) is a struggling photographer who wants nothing more than to open her own studio. With the holidays fast approaching and her life in a bit of a spiral, Gramps (Jones) gives her Grandma's antique advent calendar. However, as each day reveals a new gift, that gift seems to come true in real life and it sends Abby down a path that could forever alter her future.

As someone who no longer has cable, I don't get the joy of watching FreeForm (Formerly ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas) where they saturated their airwaves with original and classic Christmas movies.

Nor do I have the luxury of Lifetime or Hallmark for a Christmas movie fix.

When I wrote up a list of Christmas movies that I do have access to, including what I own and what streaming services I have (Netflix & Amazon) I have over 130 choices...

So 25 Days of Christmas doesn't cut it at our house, and we start November 1st!!!

But as I said, I do have Netflix, and they carry a few of these offerings from Christmases past, they have started creating their own Christmas movies as well.

This year, they've introduced 3 (so far...) that I'm aware of, and The Holiday Calendar was the first of those 3.

Now the thing with Christmas movies you have to remember, is they often follow a very obvious pattern, but those of us that like Christmas movies usually don't care about that, it's a warm and comfortable feeling that makes you feel cozy while you watch it.

Or it's dreadful. :)

Thankfully, this wasn't dreadful. It was a lot of fun, and while you know how the film is going to end, you enjoy the trip that you're taking to get there.

So far so good, and this one will enter the ranks of the movies we will watch again each Christmas time.

Hoping Netflix continues this trend of yuletide offerings each year!

Final Grade: B

Go Stuff Yourself... The Turkey of the Year Winners for 2018

The worst of the worst.

While I certainly did not review as many movies as in years gone by, I still saw enough films that I just didn't care for.

As has become an annual Thanksgiving tradition, I now recollect the least entertaining films that I saw since Thanksgiving of 2017 to Thanksgiving 2018.

Justice League - The DC cinematic universe just does nothing for me. This movie seemed like a mishmash of styles, a little brooding and dark and a little levity to try and make it seem more Marvel-ous. I sat through it, couldn't tell you what happened, and know that I nodded off for a bit during the film, and apparently didn't miss a thing.

That's not a good recipe for a superhero film in 2018.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets - A rare Luc Besson total misfire. There was an interesting concept buried in there somewhere, but the dull dishwater chemistry of the two leads pretty much killed any momentum the movie tried to build. Save yourself and go watch the Fifth Element instead.

Breakfast at Tiffany's - The only "classic" on the list this year, so I thought I'd give it a whirl and see how awesome it was. I was not expecting the boredom and characters that followed and the most disturbingly unfunny racist character to ever be on the silver screen. And really, that's saying something right there! I suppose it could have gotten better as the movie went along, but I was in no way attached to any of the characters during that first Act to even care to continue. The only movie on this list that I actually turned off.

November Criminals - I barely remember watching this one, but I do remember wondering why I hadn't bothered to turn it off. More character chemistry issues like those in Valerian with two leads that just failed to energize the movie in any way, shape, or form. Then there was a credibility to the story that kept stretching the suspension of disbelief way past the point of breaking.

The Dark Tower -  After years of not having any Stephen King movies in theaters, 2017 brought his works back to the silver screen with It and the Dark Tower. Just like the good old days, it appears that we are back to the good Stephen King/bad Stephen King adaptations.  For as good as It was, The Dark Tower was equally inept. A solid cast that was given nothing to work with, a 90 minute film felt closer to four hours of tediousness.  Thankfully next up: It 2

Mother! The exclamation point is possible inserted to cut off the profanity that you utter when you realize what a hunk of celluloid garbage you are sitting through. Easily one of the worst films I've ever endured sitting through. I even used the fast forward button... a lot... and this was still a chore to get through and no payoff for investing all that time.

With the flip of the calendar, time to put the next year's worth of reviews on notice that they could end up here next year.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Thanksgiving!!

R.I.P. Stan "The Man" Lee 1922-2018

I absolutely hate writing these, and for quite some time I have avoided these, and a lot of writing this year for various reasons.

But when I saw the news today that Stan Lee had passed away at the age of 95, well, it's time to dust off the keyboard and get back to my favorite job:

Writing.

I owe that passion for writing to Stanley Martin Lieber, better known to us all as Stan Lee.

I was first introduced to Stan Lee as the creator of Spider-Man with  Amazing Fantasy # 15.

While I wasn't lucky enough to be around when it premiered, through countless reprints, I learned of Spider-Man's origins from the nerdy Peter Parker to the hero with problems, the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

What made Peter Parker or the Fantastic Four so special?

Lee brought the humanity to his characters, the kind of which you never really saw in the Distinguished Competition.  Batman, Superman and the like seemed to perfect in what they did. There wasn't second guessing, joking because they were scared or any of those things. They were godlike, or at the very least, nearly perfect in the way their lives unfolded.

At Marvel, they were humans that were often thrust to do heroic things, even if it terrified them as they were doing it. It was refreshing, it was new... And now it's the model of how it's done.

Through the decades, fans have debated which was better, DC or Marvel. My answer has always been Marvel.

Stan imbued his characters with the best traits that we often aspire to be.

At the end of the day, it wasn't the costume, it was the person that wore the costume that truly mattered.

You take Peter Parker or Steve Rogers or Tony Stark or countless others out of their costume, and they are still as heroic and noble and yes, flawed, as when they are in it.

The man who brought "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" to life on the comic page for a teenaged hero-to-be spoke to us all.  We all have that power within us, we must use that power responsibly.

It is through our actions that we make the world a better place, and Stan gave us a great role model for kids of many generations with Peter Parker.

For those that didn't take the nerd/geek path and follow comic books when they were growing up, well....

Welcome to the 21st Century and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 20 films, and just about as many cameos later, the non-comic book reading world finally got to see what the rest of us already knew:

Marvel Comics are phenomenal!

I get goosebumps and misty eyes when the Marvel Studios banner unfurls... never did I expect to see these films in my lifetime, let alone that they would be so good.

That Stan got to be there when it all gelled into the perfect storm had to be icing on the cake for the man that had a celebrated career, one that will live on because of those very characters that he created/helped create nearly a half century ago.

Stan may have been embarrassed early in his career by what he was doing, and he was never able to be the great American novelist or anything, but I think he had one helluva career.

And if I'm asked who my favorite American author is, it's always Stan Lee, without hesitation.

Go read Amazing Fantasy # 15 again if you don't believe me.

Thank you for shaping my childhood, raising me into adulthood, and letting me share your creations with my children as you shaped yet another generation.

God Speed Stan Lee, you are now, and always will be, THE MAN!

Excelsior!!!

Boy, That's A Mouthful... "Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets"

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna,

Directed by Luc Besson

The Story:

A space station has carried out a galactic mission of peace for generations, welcoming new races to join until this station is now comprised of about... a thousand planets. However, that peace may be coming to an end unless peace-keeping special operatives Valerian (DeHaan) and his partner Laureline (Delevingne) can save the day.

Okay, besides the mouthful of an overlong title, there was nothing in this trailer that screamed "must see!" to me.

It pretty much tanked at the box office as it failed to find an audience.

I got my copy through Netflix, and shortly thereafter, it found a streaming home on Amazon Prime.

I pretty much saw it for one reason only: Luc Besson.

Normally, I've enjoyed any Besson helmed (or often written by) production.

And there were indeed some interesting/fun parts to this movie.

But at nearly 2 and a half hours, this overlong production was simply weighed down by the fact that the two stars have all the charisma and chemistry of wet paper towels.

You try and buy into the premise, and then they remind you that it's hard to take it, or them, seriously.

Seriously, put this one next to Besson's masterpiece from 2 decades earlier, The Fifth Element,  and you might see what I'm saying. However, I don't think anyone will ever mistake Bruce Willis for Dane DeHaan.

Or to put it another way, when Rihanna is the best part of the movie, you know something has seriously come off the rails.

:)

I did make it through the whole thing, so there is that, but it wasn't easy, and I can't say I recommend it.

But if you have 3 hours to kill and have seen everything else that's out there, judge for yourself.


Final Grade: D

So That's How You Keep The Franchise Alive..."The First Purge"

The First Purge (2018)
Rated R

Starring Y'lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Mugga, Patch Darragh

Directed by Gerard McMurray

The Story:

In a world tired of 2 party political in-fighting that gets America nowhere, the Founding Fathers of America swoops in and gains control of the White House. One of their first orders of business: The Purge. A night where for 12 hours, all crime is legal. It allows you to vent and get a little aggression out of your system. And if the results kill a few "less desirables"along the way, so be it. Of course, to test this theory, they have to start somewhere, and New York gets to play guinea pig.

2 years ago, I wondered if James DeMonaco's franchise would find life after the really-better-than-it-should-be-trilogy of The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy & The Purge: Election Year wrapped up.

Aha... start at the beginning.

DeMonaco wrote it, but he's passing the directing reigns off this go round as we get to discover the beginnings of the seedy world he envisioned when he created the Purge universe.

And I think I'm using that term correctly, because they just had or are having a 10 episode television show as well.

** Note to Self... put that in my Netflix Queue for later! **

To be fair, this grim and gritty universe is also more entertaining than the DC Cinematic Universe.

ZING!

But I digress...

The residents are paid to stay put, and others are encouraged to purge, but if there is any hope of taking this thing nationwide and making it an annual event, there needs to be a lot of participation.

It's the who and the how that may, or may not, surprise you!

If you've seen any of the first 3 movies, you know what you're getting into, and it's been a good ride thus far.

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

If you've stayed away from The Purge franchise, this also makes a great jumping on point to see them in order.

Final Grade: B-

I'm Going To Go "Overboard" On My Review

Overboard (2018)

Rated PG-13

Starring Eugenio Derbez, Anna Faris,

Directed by Rob Greenberg

The Story:

Leonardo (Derbez) is a wealthy snob who has utter disregard for how the real world works, or those that work in it. So when he callously fires Kate (Faris), wouldn't you know that karmic payback was in order as he washes up on shore with no memory, and Kate claims him from the local hospital as her loving husband and devoted father to their three girls. Yep, it's payback time!

Oh no!

It's the dreaded, "Hollywood is remaking one of my classic films that I love" syndrome films.

However, let me ease your worries, hopefully, just a bit.

For those with fond, or distant memories of Overboard (1987) starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, which I actually watched earlier this year because I vaguely remember watching it 30 years ago...

It's not that great. Sure, there are some funny moments, and there's no denying the chemistry between the leads, but much of the humor is actually quite mean as you watch the story unfold.

There's no way that flies in the ultra-hip, totally modern 21st century...

Unless you actually are mean to the man, then by all means, game on!

Thankfully, the man in question is Eugenio Derbez who simply makes great movies that continue to get added to our movie library where we can laugh (and cry) whenever the mood strikes us.

Don't believe me? Go watch Instructions Not Included, a film that made my Best of the Year list not too long ago.

He carries most of the movie here as well, garnering the laughs and the sympathy as the hen-pecked husband who does his best to readjust to a life he doesn't remember.

If I had to choose between which of the Overboard films I'd watch again in the future...

Well I've seen the original twice in just over 30 years.

I've seen the new one once, but I plan on purchasing it and watching it a few more times over the next year.

It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it's fun and enjoyable, and that always fits the bill.

Final Grade: B

It's All About Family... "Coco"

Coco (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach

Directed by Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina

The Story:

Miguel (Gonzalez) was born with music in his heart, but unfortunately it is a passion not shared, in fact it's forbidden, by his family, and has been for generations. When he finds himself spirited away to the Land of the Dead during the Day of the Dead festival. Hoping to meet his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Bratt). If he can return to the land of the living with an ancestral blessing, perhaps he can finally play his music?

Okay, before we get to yet another gushing of adulation for this film, let's all pause for a moment and reflect on 20th Century Fox's The Book of Life which hit theaters in 2014 and took us to the Land of the Dead already.

It's a great, visually stunning movie that was overlooked, likely because it doesn't have the same Disney/Pixar connection with audiences.

It had a great voice cast, gorgeous animation and a love story at the heart of their adventure.

You can argue which of these is better, and you're not wrong. Same yet different, both worthy of your time and attention.

Coco offers much the same, but their story goes down the family avenue instead.

The secondary, and perhaps more important story in the film is that of Hector (Bernal) who is trying desperately to cross back over one more time so that he will not be forgotten. He's hoping to use Miguel to get back and ensure his picture could be placed on the family mantle so that he will be remembered by future generations.

In other words:

bring tissues

This is Pixar firing on all cylinders again, and it's good to have them back at their A-game.

And for that, I reward them.

Final Grade:  A

You're Going To Need A Bigger Statham! "The Meg"

The Meg (2018)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Shuya Sophia Cai, Winston Chao, Page Kennedy,

Directed by John Turteltaub

The Story:

Diving in the depths of the Mariana Trench to test a hypothesis on the actual bottom of the ocean floor, the submarine becomes immobilized and requires a deep sea rescue. The only man for the job is now a drunk, who refuses to step foot back into the ocean because he lost his best friends years ago in a freak accident. When he learns that the cause of the destruction may be the long extinct Megalodon, he heads back into the sea to extract revenge and save the day.

Or...

Jason Statham versus a giant killer shark!

:)

If you've seen the trailer, you know exactly what to expect with this one.

It's a B horror movie that takes itself seriously enough, while having fun in the process.

Turteltaub also fills the movie with plenty of homages to Jaws in the process. Nothing dialogue wise, unless I missed it, but a lot of shots are cribbed beautifully from that movie and are a nice touch.

I'm happy to say that in the pantheon of shark movies, this one joins the list of my favorite killer shark movies of all time:

Jaws
The Meg
Deep Blue Sea
The Shallows
Jaws 2

And no, sorry, Sharknado is nowhere to be found on that list. :)

Whether you want to rush out and see it in theaters, or wait until the eventual Netflix release, that's up to you.

I went last night, took my favorite date, and we both enjoyed it.

I'll be adding it to my home library by Christmas I would imagine.

Final Grade: Solid B for a fun B-Movie!

The New Dynamic Duo..."Ant-Man & The Wasp"

Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018)

Rated PG-13

Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Pena, Laurence Fishburne, Walton Goggins,

Directed by Peyton Reed

The Story:

Scott Lang (Rudd) is almost complete with his 2 years of house arrest following the events of Captain America: Civil War. With just days to go until freedom, he begins having strange visions of Janet Van Dyne (Pfeiffer) in the Quantum Realm. Naturally, Hank Pym (Douglas) and Hope (Lilly) are trying to rescue her from the Quantum Realm, and they realize they need Scott's help to accomplish the mission. The only downside, they aren't the only ones who want to enter the Quantum Realm.

So I have to ask, did you like Ant-Man?

Because if you did, pretty much everything there was to like about that movie gets ample screen time in the sequel.

We've got another heist to accomplish, and the every man charm of Paul Rudd makes the trip worth taking.

Now if you didn't like Ant-Man, then there's really no point in bothering with the sequel.

Though I've yet to find anyone who seriously didn't enjoy that movie, at least just a little.

The sequel highlights what I think most fans of the MCU have come to realize with this franchse:

Ant-Man has, from top to bottom, the best supporting cast in all of these films.

The film itself takes place over roughly a 48-72 hour span, so there's a breakneck energy to it as Peyton Reed dials up the ability to shrink and grow to effective (and many times, hilarious!) results.

10 years.

20 films.

Everyone has their favorites, and I have a feeling that this one will land in the first half of many fans favorite listing.

Here's to the next 10 years... and the next Ant-Man sequel!

Final Grade: A

Good, Clean, Family Fun..."Deadpool 2"

Deadpool 2 (2018)

Rated R

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, Julian Dennison, T.J. Miller

Directed by David Leitch

The Story:

Wade Wilson (Reynolds), for reasons unknown to even him, is trying to save a kid (Dennison) from being killed by a time traveling mutant named Cable (Brolin). However, to tackle this latest obstacle, Wade's going to need a little help, so he decides to make his own team of X-People...

X-Force!

Now playing in theaters, so I'll be cryptically vague to the point of being totally nondescript about anything in the movie so as to not sway your opinion one way or another as to whether you should bother to even see it or not.

Because apparently, that's my mutant power!

:)

IF you enjoyed the first Deadpool film...

then the odds are already in you favor that you've already seen the sequel.

The odds are also considerably high that you enjoyed this second coming of Deadpool as much, or possibly more than the original.

Hey, it happens.

Josh Brolin isn't the first actor to play double duty in comic book movies, but he's a welcome addition to the film and plays the perfect Cable.

There is even... gasp... some character development for Mr. Wilson between the start of the film and the end credits.

You'll laugh... you'll cry... you'll laugh some more.

Not sure if we'll get a Deadpool 3 first, or an X-Force movie, but either way, I'm in!

Final Grade: A-

I Mustache If You Liked "Justice League" ?

Justice League (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Jeremy Irons,

Directed by Zack Snyder

The Story:

Steppenwolf (the villain, not the band) is coming to Earth to destroy it. It's up to Batman (Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gadot) to gather a band of heroes to defeat him. Ah, if only Superman (Cavill) was still alive..

I was determined to not have another DC Extended Universe film hit my "Turkeys of the Year" list.

So I sat and watched this one awhile ago.

I know I dozed off for a few minutes at least, and when I woke up, nothing substantial had been missed.

I also know I've never dozed off during a Marvel Studios film. At least not during the first 4 or 5 times I've seen it.

Is it fair to compare the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the DCEU?

Not to DC it's not.

Again, I've pointed out what I see as some of the flaws in the DC approach to movie-making.

The tone is too dark, and the films were too rushed. Marvel took a decade to lay the foundations, and the fans, both hardcore and casual are invested by the 19th film to see what is happening to their favorites.

Conversely, DC launches a team-up from nearly the first movie, and then expands on it with the next film, tinkering with the tone mid-film to try and be more Marvel-like.

At this point, I'm not buying it.

While this movie is more watchable and more entertaining than Batman vs. Superman, that's not really saying much.

It's the old being poked in the eye by a dull stick versus a sharp stick argument.

Then when you stack it against what Marvel has given us so far this year (Black Panther and Infinity War) then you see how this movie just totally pales in comparison.

I want to like these films. I want DC to succeed.

Trust me, I'd much rather see ALL the superhero movies be good.

Maybe next time?

I'm not sure how many chances I'm willing to give, but I do know I'll never buy a ticket to see one in the theater.

What a waste of money that would be.

Final Grade: D+ to F

A Loving Look At A Comic Genius... "A Futile And Stupid Gesture"

A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)

TV-MA

Starring Will Forte, Martin Mull, Joel McHale, Domhnall Gleeson,

Directed by David Wain

The Story:

With the success of the Harvard Lampoon and their impending graduations coinciding with one another, Doug Kenney (Forte) persuades Henry Beard (Gleeson) that instead of moving on with their lives as expected, they go National with the Lampoon brand. It wasn't easy, but it sure was funny.

When paired with the amazing documentary National Lampoon: Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead (Review:  http://talesfromthequeue.blogspot.com/2016/05/their-impact-on-pop-culture-cannot-be.html  )

The two pieces compliment each other very well. Both streaming on Netflix, this Netflix Original fictionalizes a lot of what (and who!) will be found in the documentary on the life and troubled times of Doug Kenney.

In this version, an older, wiser Doug (Mull) laments on what happened to him in his life.

The cast gets the daunting task of retelling the story as comedy legends of the 70s and 80s as they try and channel the styles and mannerisms of those they attempt to portray.

Joel McHale? He nails it. :)

The big revelation, at least to me, is Domhnall Gleeson in a comedy.

I'm racking my brain, but I don't think I've ever seen that yet, and he's got really good timing.

Anyway, it's a bittersweet tale of the man who helped shape generations of comedians and actors and helped redefine what was funny for the latter half of the 20th Century.

Final Grade:  B+

May The Fourth Be With You..."Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill,

Directed by Rian Johnson

The Story:

The one in which we continue to kill off characters to drive the story forward with a new generation of the cast.

Picking up shortly after the The Force Awakens, Rey (Ridley) tries to learn from Master Luke (Hamill) while the rest of the rebellion is trying to survive and outrun the Empire.

It seems like this one took a lot of flack from the fans compared to the previous installment.

I'm not really sure what the beef was.

While not as good as the last one, this one advanced the storylines, although it may have done so in rather expedient fashion.

It seems like a franchise that wants to hurry up and jettison the baggage of the old cast and move on to the new stories, and that's completely fine.

But it's an awful lot like treading water in some ways while also marathon sprinting in the others.

Some storylines that seem mysterious are quickly dissolved with some dialogue or a quick scene.

Others stretch over the entire movie before there is any sort of conclusion.

But everyone will be back in a year or so to see what happens next.

That's Star Wars for you.

Final Grade:  B-

A Review With No Spoilers..."Avengers: Infinity War"

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Rated PG-13

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Everyone Else! :)

Directed by The Russo Brothers

The Story:

Thanos (Brolin) is on his quest to unite the 6 Infinity Stones and wipe away half of the universe. Can the combined forces of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy stop him?

The answer may surprise you!

Buckle up true believers for the 19th installment in a 10 year ride that is the biggest emotional roller coaster of them all.

It comes out of the gate swinging and doesn't let up until the screen goes dark and the house lights int he theater come up.

You'll laugh.

You'll cry.

You'll repeat as necessary.

When it's over you'll want to see it again, and you'll also feel like the wait to get to Infinity War was nothing compared to the wait to see what happens next. 

As fans, we have invested 10 years of our lives in these characters.

So too have the actors invested nearly as long in portraying them on the screen.

We've been lucky to have them, and however this all ends, I'm glad to have had the chance to see all of these films with my kids.

I said at the start of the year that barring some surprise, I would be penciling in Avengers: Infinity War as my favorite movie of 2018.

I think we can put the pencil down, and grab the big black Sharpie.

Don't miss this one.

Final Grade: A+

He's Baaaaaaack..."The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale"

The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale (2018)

Starring Joel McHale

The Story:

Joel's back, doing what made him famous the first time around: poking fun at the best, worst clips you can find on television today!

Seriously, that's it.

For those with a long enough memory and cable subscription, you may remember back in the day there was a little show called Talk Soup. It was hosted by Greg Kinnear, and they mocked some of the outrageous clips that were found on the daytime talk shows.

This ran for years, with Kinnear ultimately heading off to become a leading man in Hollywood, and subsequent hosts came and went, each springboarding to further fame after their hosting gig.

Then the show was rebranded as "The Soup" as television was not only inundated with crazy talk shows, but reality tv was going gangbusters and deserved a special place in the sun to enjoy the absurdity of it all.

The ringleader in all of this? Some guy named Joel McHale.

Following its predecessor's lead, Joel stood in front of a green screen and made quips about the clips until E! decided to pull the plug.

Joel headed to Hollywood and the rest is history.

Until 2018, when Netflix decided wouldn't it be great if we brought back something old as something new again?

And here we have the perfectly titled The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale.

It's wordy. It's a bit conceited. It's the perfect title for Joel's comeback.

There are guests aplenty in each episode, usually from another Netflix series or special, but otherwise you get Joel being Joel and mocking everything from the clips to his own show to Netflix ... dun dun ... itself.

All is right with the world again.

New episodes stream every Sunday, but we're getting close to the end of the first 13 episodes.

Hopefully he'll be renewed for a Season 2 later this year.

Final Grade: A-

The Weather Outside Is Frightful..."Geostorm"

Geostorm (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Gerard Butler, Max Sturgess, Eugenio Derbez, Andy Garcia, Ed Harris, Abbie Cornish,

Directed by Dean Devlin

The Story:

To battle climate change, the governments of the world create the Dutch Boy program. This series of satellites counteracts severe weather and keeps the Earth peaceful and stable. Until now. Suddenly the satellites are apparently causing severe weather and attacking major cities across the globe. It's up to the original project manager, Jake Lawson (Butler) to head into space and find out what's going wrong.

Oh Dean Devlin, how we've missed you!

These epic disaster movies with just enough tongue in cheek are always a blast to check your brain at the door, grab the popcorn and have a rollicking good time.

Here, Butler takes center stage and battles to find out if his programming has gone haywire or if there is a traitor in space trying to sabotage his best work.

There is political intrigue and corruption.

There is space sabotage and a series of red herrings to throw you off of who is behind the madness.

But at the end of the day, this movie isn't nearly as bad as it was made out to be.

It was fun, completely watchable, and yes, I'd even watch it again or heaven forbid even buy it if the price was right.

:)

Your mileage may vary.

Final Grade:  C+

Grief Counseling..."Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Rated R

Starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell

Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh

The Story:

As the title suggests, these three billboards are placed outside of the town by a grieving mother (McDormand) questioning the police chief (Harrelson) about why her daughter's murderer has not been caught. 

There's a lot to soak in with this movie.

It's probably the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful of Martin McDonagh's catalog of films. 

That's a good thing, but all of his previous work that I've seen, I've always enjoyed. 

The cast, which I'm limiting to just the three principal players, is simply outstanding. 

I'm happy for the film and all the awards it was nominated for, and rightfully won. 

The worst part was having Harrelson and Rockwell competing against each other for the same category.

Both are great, I would personally have given the edge to Harrelson, but that's me. 

My only real complaint with the film, it wanders a touch here and there, maybe 10 minutes or so too long, but still comes in shy of 2 hours. 

I won't go into much more than that, but if you were hesitant to see it, add it to your list and see what all the fuss was about. 

I think you'll be glad you did. 

Final Grade: A-

Country Bumpkins..."Logan Lucky"

Logan Lucky (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig,

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

The Story:

Jimmy and Clyde Logan (Tatum & Driver) have decided that if they want to succeed in life, they have to stop getting walked on. So they set out to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway, but they need the help of safecracker Joe Bang (Craig). The only catch? He's currently behind bards...

And there you have the setup for an elaborate heist film that is filled with ups and downs, which actually seems to be the curse of the Logan family.

The heist itself is improbable and yet elaborately simple and complex, both at the same time.

The movie ends on a puzzling note, but for this film, that seems spot on.

Daniel Craig seems to be having the most fun of the cast, playing completely against type in this one. Of course when your type seems to be James Bond, it's fairly easy to play anything other than that.

But the role is very comedic in nature, and he seems to be relishing the whole non-leading man part and having a lot of fun while doing it.

If you've got Amazon Prime, this movie is currently available to stream.

Final Grade: C+/B- range

Strange But True..."American Made"

American Made (2017)

Rated R

Starring Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright,

Directed by Doug Liman

The Story:

In 1978, Barry Seal (Cruise) was a burned out TWA pilot who was recruited by the CIA to fly reconnaissance missions for them. In the years that follow that would turn to drug and arms smuggling for both sides. However when you work for the cartels and they suspect you're double-crossing them, your story will not have a happy ending.

Naturally, based on a true story goes without saying here.

Liman and Cruise are together again in the exploits of Barry Seal.

The story jumps around with what happens next, inter-spliced with video narratives by Seal taping confessionals of his unbelievable story to a camcorder.

And it was a wild ride that Barry lived.

Dramatic license or not with the actual events, this is a guy who flew spy missions for the CIA and smuggled drugs for Pablo Escobar.

Throw in arms dealing in a little thing called the Iran Contra Affair and the story is just over the top crazy.

But it's true.

It's also a pretty good film.

And that's never a bad thing.

Final Grade:  B-

A Tale Of "Wonder"

Wonder (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic, Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts, Mandy Patinkin

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

The Story:

Auggie (Tremblay) is a little kid who is about to embark upon his greatest adventure: he's going to public school for the first time in his life. The facial deformities that he was born with have been fairly well fixed and hidden over the first part of his life thanks to his parents who were there for him and homeschooled him. But now it's time for Auggie to branch out and see if the real world will accept him or reject him.

So if you saw the trailers, you hopefully got the misty eye or the lump in your throat as it hit all the cliche notes that a movie like this is going for.

The movie will not disappoint you.

Cliche after cliche, note after note, this film ticks off every block that you're expecting to see in a coming of age dramedy about a little boy who fits in nowhere but at home, and yet has a profound impact on everyone around him.

The greatest strength of this movie is they realized that telling Auggie's story might get a bit redundant after 90 minutes of over and over, cliche after cliche of what Auggie is dealing with.

So in the wisest move ever, the movie shifts off of Auggie and instead tells side stories that run parallel (and have flashbacks) to life with Auggie in in. Friends. Family. Those that have known him forever and those that are just getting to know him.

Again, you know the road they are going down from the moment the movie starts, but it's still an enjoyable road nonetheless.

Final Grade:  B+

It's A Rough Job..."The Hitman's Bodyguard"

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

Rated R

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Elodie Yung, Gary Oldman,

Directed by Patrick Hughes

The Story:

Michael Bryce (Reynolds) used to be the best Triple A rated bodyguard in the business. After a disaster he couldn't have seen coming, he's now striving to keep himself employed and working to get back to the top. Hired to escort international assassin Darius Kincaid (Jackson) to testify in court to put a war criminal (Oldman) behind bars, the two have to survive countless assassination attempts and each other if they hope to make it out of the situation alive.

If you saw the trailer and thought it looked like a silly, fun action flick, well you were right.

Ryan Reynolds is back to doing his usual routine of playing himself/Van Wilder/Wade Wilson.

It's worked for his entire career in most movies, so why stop now?

Paired with Samuel L. Jackson, the two get to enjoy the camaraderie that comes in the usual buddy comedy/mismatched dynamic duo genre and all the trappings and cliches that entails.

I happen to looooove that genre, so I'm a fan.

Fun film that with a few tweaks along the way could have been even better than it was.

Your mileage of course can vary.

Final Grade: B-

The Freedom Of The World Rests On "Dunkirk"

Dunkirk (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Fionn Whitehead, Damien Bonnard, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh,

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan

The Story:

Late May 1940, the Allies have been pushed out of Europe and now are desperately bunched up on the beaches of Dunkirk awaiting transportation back to England. Thankfully, Hitler decides to stop the advancement of tanks on their location and this gives the Allies the small window to charter boats (and lots of them!) to cross the channel and save the troops. They hope to get a small fraction out... they end up saving them all.

For those that failed to read up on their history, this is indeed based on the true story of a pivotal moment that saved Europe from completely falling under Hitler's relentless march.

Nolan's three-headed tale bounces between land, sea, and air to show different people trying to escape death or heading straight into it to save lives.

It's a good film, but I didn't find it nearly as great as much of the hype that followed it.

Best war movie ever? That's pretty lofty praise.

I would argue that it wasn't even the best war movie of last year. I'd give that title to yesterday's film that I reviewed, Darkest Hour. They even touch on the Dunkirk evacuation, and I felt in the brief moment of that mission, they almost conveyed it in a better scope than the entirety of this film.

But that's just me, feel free to judge for yourself.

Final Grade: B

The Right Man For The Job..."Darkest Hour"

Darkest Hour (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Stephen Dillane,

Directed by Joe Wright

The Story:

As the Nazis roll through Europe, Great Britain is facing an internal crisis of their own as Chamberlain (Pickup) resigns as Prime Minister and recommends Winston Churchill (Oldman) instead. However while the majority seem to want to forge a peace with Germany, Churchill seems determined that England draw a line in the sand, and fight!

It's rare to have the 2 hour biographical drama that you wish would have kept going, or might get a sequel, but then, Winston Churchill is the rare subject that likely deserves it.

Oldman disappears into the role and carries the picture that pretty much is a short snapshot of him getting selected as Prime Minister and the first weeks in office.

But that's because quite a bit of events kept churning up in that window of opportunity.

The movie blazes through this time period, while also giving a brief look at his life at home with his wife (Thomas) as well as Churchill breaking in a new secretary (James).

Having read and watched other Churchill biographies, this one hits most of the high points of that crucial time period and thanks to the spectacular work of Oldman, leaves you wanting more.

Definitely worth a look.

Final Grade: B+

I Have No Idea..."November Criminals"

November Criminals (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Ansel Elgort, Chloe Grace Moretz, Catherine Keener, David Strathairn

Directed by Sacha Gervasi

The Story:

When Addison's (Elgort) black friend is gunned down while working, the police suspect possible gang activity. But Addison proclaims from the rooftops that his buddy wasn't into drugs, wasn't in a gang... and he begins his own investigation as to what really happened. All the while, he becomes closer and closer with Phoebe (Moretz) and she assists on his crusade for the truth.

Well, the trailer didn't seem that bad, so I figured why not?

Man, this movie wasn't sure what direction it wanted to go.

It's the most agonizing coming of age murder mystery angsty teen romantic dramedy you're likely to see.

But really, there's nothing to see.

I may have not been wowed with Elgort's big break, Baby Driver, but I would definitely watch that one again before ever bothering to try and get through this one.

It's a movie that continues to push the limits of suspension of disbelief every few moments, and each reveal just makes you shake your head like, "really"?

Great cast hampered by a movie that derails itself trying to be some ambitious movie that's about something, and ends up being nothing at all.

If you've got Amazon Prime, it's now streaming.  I'm pretty sure you can find something better to do with your time though.

Final Grade: D

My Kind Of Band..."Now More Than Ever: The History Of Chicago"

Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago (2016)

Not Rated

Starring: Chicago

Directed by Peter Pardini

The Story:

The band you know. The story you don't. Follow their history from their creation in 1967 (!!) until their long overdue induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's a nearly career defining retrospective, warts and all.

I would imagine that for most casual fans of Chicago, you know the band, you know the logo, but likely aside from Peter Cetera, you probably don't know their names.

The documentary will help erase that and give them their due as one of the longest tenured rock bands still performing today.

Naturally, as with most rock bands, it wasn't all sunshine and roses, and the biggest piece missing from this documentary is the inclusion of Peter Cetera.

However, that's not for a lack of trying.

Whatever beef he's got with the band, he's not letting go, which is a shame.

He was a huge part of their success in the 80s, though producer David Foster will happily let you know it was all him. :)

This documentary is currently streaming on Netflix.

Final Grade: B+

We've Got Fun and Games! "Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle"

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Bobby Cannavale, Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Ser'Darius Blaine, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner

Directed by Jake Kasdan

The Story:

Four high schoolers (Wolff, Blaine, Iseman, Turner) are serving detention when they decide to take a break and play a video game on an old system they find in the room they've been assigned to clean up. They fire it up, and the next thing you know, they are sucked into the video game, Jumanji. Now inhabiting their selected avatars, they must work together to beat the game and get back to the real world without losing all of their lives.

Welcome to Jumanji!

If you saw the trailers, odds are good that you thought the movie looked fun.

The movie lived up to the trailer's hype, and when last I checked, this movie was actually still playing in some theaters in America, even though it is now officially released on digital download and blu-ray and DVD.

This is sort of unprecedented in an age when most movies are coming out for download or purchase 4 months after they premiere. To still be playing in over 1,000 theaters and earning $850,000 when the movie premiered before Christmas is a feat unlikely to be matched...

Until Black Panther. :)

Now, back to Jumanji...

I've never seen the original.

Sorry, somehow it fell through the cracks, and I've never bothered to see it over the last 25 years.

If you're like me, don't worry, you're not missing anything. The movie sets up exactly how and why everything that is happening is coming to fruition.

I don't see anything that flies in the face of the original either, so I would assume fans of that one will enjoy revisiting Jumanji.

What starts as a Breakfast Club moment as the four teens that really have not a lot in common with each other prior to detention turns into hilarity as they each find themselves in the bodies of characters from the video game.

Naturally, each character is about as opposite from the kids in the real world as can be.

I won't say much more so as not to spoil any of the fun, but I would like to acknowledge the following:

1) Jack Black steals this movie out from under everyone.
2) The Rock and Kevin Hart can feel free to continue teaming up and making movies forever.
3) Possibly the greatest screen kiss in the history of cinema is included in this film.

So if you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it.

It's one of the few times in movie history you can find it still in theaters or available to watch at home.

That's pretty impressive.

Final Grade: A

Tra La Laaaaaa... "Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie"

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll,

Directed by David Soren

The Story:

George (Hart) and Harold (Middleditch) are best friends whose overactive imagination and love of comic books has landed them in trouble one time too often with Principal Krupp (Helms). To get them out of trouble, they hypnotize the principal into believing that he is the super-powered Captain Underpants. What could possibly go wrong?

Dreamworks Animation offers up a movie I would never have imagined watching in all my life.

I had seen the books in the libraries and bookstores over the years, and I always rolled my eyes and shook my head.

The artwork was always a turn off for me, and I had no desire to read whatever the story could be to my kids.

So here comes this one, and I groaned...

Until I saw the trailer.

Then I laughed.

So I figured, what the heck, how bad could it be?

It's from Dreamworks, and as I've mentioned before, their track record in our house runs a bit higher than Disney over the last decade.

Honestly, we were not disappointed.

The voice cast is tremendous, and the laughs and jokes are non-stop.

Plus, buried beneath the funny there's a little heart to the story about growing up tucked away in there as well.

Kudos to Ed Helms for double-duty as the stern principal and the goofy hero who alternate throughout the movie, often at the snap of the fingers.

I'm not sure if there will be a second movie, but if it is, we'll be there.

Final Grade: Solid B

Growing Up In Maine..."It"

It (2017)

Rated R

Starring Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Bill Skarsgard, Jackson Robert Scott,

Directed by Andy Muschietti

The Story:

In the small town of Derry, Maine, every 27 years an evil entity returns to the town and feasts off the children of the town. The year is 1989, and Pennywise (Skarsgard), the personification of this evil has returned and the body count is climbing. A group of kids have banded together after realizing what is happening, and what has happened to their town throughout the last century. Can these kids hope to stop whatever It is?

As always with Stephen King adaptations I must fully disclose that I have not read the book upon which the movie is based.

Not only that, but I've never seen the 1990 miniseries which was the first adaptation of the source material.

So how's that for going in blind to this movie?

Thankfully, I quite enjoyed it.

The movie itself plays out quite a bit as a coming of age story, and that helps the film overall with the tone.

The scenes with Pennywise often have a jump scare, more than anything horrific or gory.

My biggest complaint with the film seemed to be in the sound department as much of the background score seemed to stomp over the movie itself. I found Pennywise's potentially scary dialogue to often come across muffled or garbled.

He was less scary than he was unintelligible. :)

The rest of the cast was really good, though I think I would have preferred Finn Wolfhard to have been recast just to avoid the obvious 1980s/coming of age/Stranger Things connection to exist.

I may have to go back and check out the miniseries, because who doesn't love Tim Curry?

I'll be back for the sequel, and see how the kids grew up and what they do when they realize they have to take out Pennywise one final time.

Final Grade: B+

Not Just Kid's Stuff... "The Toys That Made Us"

The Toys That Made Us (2017)

TV-14

The Story:

We were all kids once. We all liked to play. Come revisit your childhood with a walk down memory lane and learn the fascinating story about the toys we all played with and how they came to life.

This Netflix original will be an 8 part documentary series, the first 4 parts are already up and available.

They are: Star Wars; Barbie; He-Man; G.I. Joe

They are all fascinating to watch and will take you back to when you were a kid, and you'll be amazed in some cases that you even had that very toy to play with.

The designers, creators, marketers, etc. etc. etc. are all brought out to reminisce about what it took to get those toys into your hands and make your childhood the sunshine and roses that you remember.

The behind the scenes cut-throat business of toy empires are brought to light, and it's amazing what a lucrative business these toys were.

Each episode is about 45 minutes, so they all fly by fairly quickly, and no, you don't have to watch them all, but they are all totally worthwhile.

Coming in 2018, the remaining 4 episodes will be airing: Lego; Hello Kitty; Transformers; Star Trek

I'm looking forward to watching those as soon as they hit Netflix.

Final Grade: A-

Father Knows Best..."The Foreigner"

The Foreigner (2017)

Rated R

Starring Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan,

Directed by Martin Campbell

The Story:

When his teenage daughter is killed in an alleged terrorist attack, Quan (Chan) wants answers. That leads him to the desk of politician Liam Hennessey (Brosnan) a former IRA member who is attempting to keep the peace after nearly 20 years, and trying to keep the British Isles from erupting in violence again. However, Quan is determined, and will do anything to keep pushing Hennessey to reveal what he really knows.

Acclaimed action-director Martin Campbell returns after a too-long hiatus since the doomed Green Lantern movie.

Totally not his fault, DC still doesn't know what it's doing with their movies.

Reteamed with an older, wiser James Bond, Campbell puts much more drama into this thriller and lets the action come in bits and pieces, but always turning up the pressure on the characters to find out who is really committing these bombings and how much the government did or did not really know.

Chan still has the moves that has dazzled audiences for decades, but at an older age, the sequences are dialed back a bit so it's not non-stop Kung Furious action spectacles.

If you passed on it thinking you were getting a subpar, direct-to-dvd fare, try this one again, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Final Grade: B-