The Critics Aren't That "Bright" After All

Bright (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Fry

Directed by David Ayer

The Story:

In a world where humans live side by side with the creatures of fairytale legend, Daryl (Smith) is an LAPD cop who is saddled with the first Orc recruit, Nick (Edgerton). When the pair stumble upon Leilah (Rapace) and her magic wand, they must put their differences aside once and for all if they hope to survive the night and all of the different groups that are coming for them to get that wand.

I'm not sure if the critics want to savage this movie because they don't like the inroads that Netflix is making by releasing movies directly onto Netflix and bypassing the movie theater with their Netflix Original movies, but this was hardly the worst movie of 2017, or any year for that matter.

It's Netflix's first true "big budget blockbuster" or "popcorn movie". Is it a great movie?

No, I don't think anyone will put it into that movie.

Is it totally watchable?

Absolutely.

It checks off all the marks for a big budget buddy cop action flick. The two cops that don't get along, but then get along just fine when the chips are down and they realize they only have themselves to rely on if they are going to survive.

It also serves an underlying message on racism in America, without trying to get too preachy and letting the action carry the movie.

I've read that many critics felt that the storyline was too confusing and people couldn't follow along with all of the backstory.

What?

I'm pretty sure that those opening billboards that show that this is a world where we coexist with the Lord of the Rings was pretty straightforward, if you ask me.

Guesstimates put those of us that watched Bright during the opening weekend at 11 million Netflix users. As there are no box office receipts to gauge whether this was a success or a mega flop, I'll do the math:

11 million times $ 8.00 a ticket (averaging a matinee and a full ticket price) puts the weekend box office for this film at $88,000,000.

Yeah, that pretty much justifies any price Netflix spent on the film, and shows why they already said yes to a sequel.

Trust me, I've seen a bad Will Smith movie (After Earth).

This isn't even close.

Final Grade: C+

All That Glitters..."Gold"

Gold (2016)

Rated R

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard,

Directed by

The Story:

Kenny Wells (McConaughey) is a down on his luck miner who has one last shot at the big time. He heads to Indonesia to meet Michael Acosta (Ramirez) and promises to get him the money to search for gold. Kenny gets the investments to come pouring in, and Acosta gets Kenny the gold that he promised, and even more money pours in.

Of course if that were the full story, it wouldn't be a very good movie.

And since this story is based on true events, it seems like something is missing.

Ah yes, the fact that there was no gold, or at least, not where they were looking.

Acosta delivers some gold in the core samples to Kenny to pass off to Wall Street and other investors.

They hear "gold strike" and they literally threw money hand over fist to get in on the deal before it passed them by.

Follow the twists and turns as Kenny balances the high-wire act to secure the financing and all the ups and downs that met him along the way.

Then there is the finale of the movie and it resonates with a did it or did it not really happen that way?

Only a few people know for certain, and they sure aren't telling.

Final Grade: C+

Ironic Film TItle... "Joy"

Joy (2015)

Rated R

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Bradley Cooper, Diane Ladd, Edgar Ramirez, Virginia Madsen, Elisabeth Rohm,

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Joy (Lawrence) is a divorced mother who has allowed her ex-husband (Ramirez) to stay in the basement while dealing with a mom (Madsen) who won't leave her room, a dad (DeNiro) who tends to drive her crazy when he's not chasing after his next girlfriend. She's broke, she hates her job, and she has an idea for a mop...

I'm sorry, was I boring you?

I was totally boring myself.

This engaging true story of a woman who pulled herself up by her bootstraps could be riveting and engaging.

For me, it wasn't.

While I liked the last time that DeNiro, Lawrence, Cooper and Director David O. Russell teamed together (Silver Linings Playbook) they were interesting characters that I was invested in from just about the first time I saw them onscreen.

I wanted to see more.

Lightning did not strike twice.

Aside from DeNiro, I actually wanted to see less of just about everyone else in the first 25 minutes of watching this film.

Life is already depressing enough, and crazy family is crazy family, I really don't need to see it in all of the mundane glory.

Indeed, by the 25 minute mark (I was trying to like it, I really was) I realized I didn't want to spend the next 2 hours with this family just to get to the inevitable happy ending.

Final Grade:  D   

Can "Point Break" Live Up To Its Name ?

Point Break (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone, Delroy Lindo

Directed by Ericson Core

The Story:

"Utah" (Bracey) is an ex-X-treme athlete who joins the FBI after a horrible accident. When he sees that there have been a series of "robberies" by other extreme sport junkies, he wants to go undercover and become one of them. He meets Bodhi (Ramirez) and quickly ingratiates himself into their midst. But when these eco-terrorists go too far, will Utah stop them, or help them?

"I'll take 'Pointless Remakes for $500, Alex"

This unnecessary update of the Keanu / Swayze masterpiece.

"What is 'Point Break' ?

I mean, wow.

Really?

I suppose if you're going to steal the main idea from a movie, you might as well give them the credit in the title.

But really, there were enough differences between this movie and the original, slap some different names and you could've gotten away with it...

But no.

You had to go Utah and Bodhi.

Even so far as Utah being just a nickname! It could have been ditched at any time.

We have eco-terrorists instead of bank robbers.

Multiple extreme sports, not just surfing (and sky-diving).

This owes as much to xXx as Point Break, so they could have called it X-Treme Green and received the same (or maybe more?) box office returns.

But when you call yourself a movie that in some corners is considered a great movie or cult classic, well, you're the one that invited the comparisons.

To start with:

Luke Bracey is no Keanu Reeves. You can dog Reeves all you want, but Bracey is a cardboard cutout compared to Keanu.

Edgar Ramirez is no Patrick Swayze. However, he's just about the most energetic and charismatic thing in the movie, so he's got potential.

Ray Winstone is no Gary Busey. That's a good thing, as the world can only handle so much Busey. That said, I did like the role of Pappas in this film, and it was again, such a departure from the original that this movie could have survived without the familiar title.

Delroy Lindo is no John McGinley. That's also a good thing, because Lindo brings class and dignity to his role, small as it may be.

But again, there were so many changes, many of them for the better, in this film that it didn't need the familiar title card.

The special effects and stuntwork were phenomenal. The scenery and locations were beautiful, and if it was green screen/CGI, it was very good and not obviously fake.

But then you have shot for shot homages to the original, the most glaringly awful example is Utah chasing Bodhi, he falls, hurts his leg, and fires the gun in anger...

Why?

In this universe, Utah never hurts his knee, so there is no reason for that bit of a leap to hurt him.

Booooo.........

So yes, perhaps I've been overly critical.

After all, I don't even have 25 years of love for Point Break, I literally saw it a few days before the remake.

But come on.

Use better judgment when you remake these films.

Or just write something original, and avoid the comparisons.

Final Grade: C