Don't Spoil "Avengers: EndGame"

Avengers: EndGame (2019)

Rated PG-13

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Josh Brolin, Brie Larson,

Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo

The Story:

After the conclusion of Avengers: Infinity War, what remains of Earth's Mightiest Heroes attempt to go after Thanos, retrieve the Infinity Stones and snap everyone back to life.

Buckle up for the 22nd installment of the greatest ride in cinema history.

No other franchise, no other studio has been able to do what Marvel Studios has done, 22 movies, 11 years of sustained excellence that have proven to be successful with audiences AND movie critics.

It all culminates here.

Go see it in theaters now, and prepare to have your list of favorite Marvel films be re-ordered.

Again.

:)

I Have No Reservations About This One..."Wind River"

Wind River (2017)

Rated R

Starring Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene,

Written and Directed by Taylor Sheridan

The Story:

Cory Lambert (Renner) works for the Department of Fish & Wildlife near the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. When he stumbles upon the frozen body of a local, they call in the FBI for help. They send Jane Banner (Olsen) to help, and the duo begin to uncover what may have really happened to her.

Bleak and beautiful, often at the same time, Taylor Sheridan has carved out a great future for himself as both a writer (Sicario, Hell or High Water) and now as a director as well.

It's a harrowing story of revenge and redemption, with subdued performances by the entire cast.

While the story as presented is a work of fiction, it is based on too many cases of Native American  disappearance and deaths.

Renner plays the tortured tracker who has demons of his own to atone for, and they are slowly spelled out as the movie clips along.

Olsen works the fish out of water angle perfectly, trying to balance the fact that she's in charge with the obvious despair that she's in way over her head.

In case you missed this when it first came out, it is now available on Netflix to stream as of this writing.


Final Grade: B+

If You've Seen One "Jason Bourne" Film, You Really Have Seen Them All

Jason Bourne (2016)  

Rated PG-13

Starring Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassell, Julia Stiles,

Directed by Paul Greengrass

The Story:

Jason Bourne (Damon) is back again, and he's going to kill the people that turned him into a deadly assassin with a past he cannot remember.

Wait, stop me if you've seen this before...

Yes, the 4th Damon entry into the Bourne franchise arrives in 2016, the year of long dormant sequels to franchises we all assumed were dead and buried.

And yes, Greengrass and Damon reunite to bring the troubled past of Jason Bourne once again to viewers everywhere.

As usual, I'm really indifferent to these films.

I've seen them all, and ironically, the most coherent and best of the bunch is the one that had Jeremy Renner as the star.

So there.

: )

Otherwise, they are literally a forgettable mashup of spy thriller cat and mouse.

Stylish, but utterly forgettable.

Much like Bourne's past.

At least Julia Stiles finally found a way to get out of this franchise...

Ooops.

Spoiler.

;)

Final Grade: C

Your Review, Should You Choose To Read It..."Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation"

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin

Written and Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

The Story:

CIA Director Hunley (Baldwin) convinces the Senate to disband the Impossible Mission force because they are reckless and are doing more harm than good. While this is happening, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) realizes that there is a sinister agency known as The Syndicate out to destroy the IM Force. He is now alone, but calls in those he trusts the most (Pegg, Rhames) to help him track the mysterious Isla Faust (Ferguson) and stop the Syndicate once and for all.

Over the past few years, the Mission Impossible movies have been getting better and better.

I prefer this series to the Bourne franchise, and I hate to say it, but even Bond is beginning to take a backseat to the IMF.

Sacrilege, I know.

I think a lot of it may be in the handling of the spies themselves.

Whereas Bourne and Bond are unstoppable machines that can pretty much do anything unassisted (gadgets notwithstanding), Hunt relies on the teammates to help him overcome the odds and win the day.

This allows others to shine in the series and make Cruise look good, but vulnerable as our main character.

Twists and turns abound, and these movies take on an air of con-man/heist film in addition to being a spy thriller.

That works for me.

The teamwork required to pull off the elaborate ruse is always a joy, and the addition to Pegg as comic relief has elevated this series nicely.

I enjoyed Ghost Protocol, but I may have to give a tip of the hate to Rogue Nation for being the best of the series.

Like the Fast and Furious franchise, the Mission Impossible series is simply getting better with each installment.

Looking forward to # 6

Final Grade: B+

I'm Still Waiting On A Sequel... "S.W.A.T."

S.W.A.T. (2003)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by Clark Johnson

The Story:

SWAT officers Street (Farrell) and Gamble (Renner) break the rules one time too often, and get suspended from SWAT by Capt Fuller (Larry Poindexter).  Gamble quits and Street opts to work in the armory with the distant hope that SWAT will once again open up to him.  Enter the returning Sgt Hondo (Jackson) who has been sent back to create a new SWAT team.  He recruits a ragtag collection of misfits including Street, and the Captain is out for their heads.  But when a notorious mobster falls into their lap, and offers a 100 Million Dollar reward for his freedom, the SWAT team is going to face their biggest challenge, ever.

Ah yes, this is a guilty pleasure of mine.

I've seen it at least a dozen times, and it never gets old.

Just a hair under 2 hours, but the pacing makes the movie just clip along and feel like it has a much shorter running time.

The movie literally moves at a breakneck pace as the team is built and then they are forced into action to move the criminal to safety.

I also think this is one of the better television shows adapted to the big screen films that has happened.

Naturally, aside from the theme song from SWAT, I barely remember the show at all. :)

All said, it was great work by all involved.  Nobody seems out of place, and all of their actions are believable to the character and/or situations that they find themselves in.

If nothing else, LL Cool J made a nice audition reel for NCIS Los Angeles.

:)

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and it gets played annually, at least.

Who Is Conning Who? "American Hustle"

American Hustle (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Irving (Bale) is a con-man. His lover, Sydney (Adams) are getting rich scamming people.  Then along comes FBI Agent DiMaso (Cooper) who enlists the two to help him take down crooked politicians like Mayor Polito (Renner).  Get ready for the mother of all con artist/flim flam movies... based on a real story!

If you can stay awake long enough to get through it.

It went on 1.5 x within 5 minutes... trying to see if it was interesting at all.

I couldn't find any interest.

I think I let it run for the first 45 minutes before I realized that I honestly didn't care one bit about who was doing what to whom, or why.

Not good for a movie like this.

An incredible waste of talent.

Some of the reviews I see say that it really picks up in the 2nd half.

While I suppose that's better than being let down, if you never feel any connection to the characters, it seems to me, you're fighting a losing battle.

Final Grade: D

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Maybe I'll try and catch the ending someday on cable. But I'm sure I'll find a million other things to watch or do instead.

While Damon's Away... "The Bourne Legacy"

 

Bourne to be wi-ii-ld...


The Story:

The assassins with no memory are back.  This time a new agent (Jeremy Renner) has to fight to stay alive, and save a Dr. (Rachel Weisz) from getting killed so she can hook him up with some drugs to keep his superhero powers.  This story takes place, simultaneously as the last Bourne film as they splice some footage together to strengthen the Bourniverse as a cohesive movie experience.

Meh.

That's been my entire take on the Bourne franchise.  I think I've seen all 3 of the Matt Damon flicks.

Couldn't tell you a thing about what happened in any of them.

: )

It was an action film, and there you go.


The latest?

Same thing.  Renner runs around the world trying to get his meds.

The action sequences are great, the movie zips along just fine, and then it's over.

That said, I think I remember more about this one than any of Damon flicks combined.  What that's worth?  I have really no idea.

Will there be another sequel?

There could be.  They leave it open-ended.


Final Grade: B-  It works for what it is.

Would I Own It: Nope, plenty of other action movies I'd watch again before I'd replay this one.  If I want to see Renner kicking butt, I'll play the Avengers for starters! : )