It's Franchise Time! "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

Rated PG

Starring Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tina Desai, Celia Imrie, Tasmin Greig, Richard Gere,

Written and Directed by John Madden

The Story:

Sonny (Patel) returns with his sights set on marrying Sunaina (Imrie) and expanding the hotel to a second location. Naturally, before he can get the kind of funding to be backed by a chain, they need to send an undercover inspector to the hotel to see what the Exotic Marigold is like. However when two guests arrive (Greig & Gere) mistaken identity ensues and Sonny runs the risk of losing everything, including the woman he loves.

And really, this is Sonny's movie.

Where he was the heart that held the first (and superior) Exotic Marigold together by weaving in and out of the stories of the retirees that came to his hotel to spend their golden years, his story now takes center stage and the rest of the cast is given a little to do, but nowhere near the substance they enjoyed in the first film.

The biggest conundrum, you want Sonny to succeed in both the hotel and the wedding, so the conflict they have to foist onto the story seems almost eye roll worthy. Sonny is too likeable and Sunaina too sweet for them not to be together, so you never really worry that the wedding could fall apart.

The question is simply how will Sonny get the other hotel, and you'll probably figure it out before he does.

Not as good as the first, but not a bad revisit with some old (ha!) friends.

My advice though, never put the words "Second Best" in your movie title.

You're simply asking for trouble at that point.

Final Grade: B-

With Great Power Comes Great Paranoia... "J. Edgar"

Does this dress make me look manly enough?

The Story:

In a story that jumps between flashbacks and "modern" day, J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) recalls his early days in the Justice Department and how it soon branched into the FBI, which he would head for the rest of his life.  Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) is promoted to his right hand man, and the two have a lasting relationship until Hoover's dying days.  The movie shows Hoover's penchant for spying on everyone, and having secret files which kept him in a position of power over the Presidents.

Meh.

For a period piece, it's okay.  I thought it would be more engrossing and  involving than it was, at least for me.

I mean, you've got the subject of literally the most powerful man in America for over 50 years, who outlasted administrations that wanted him out of office, yet had no power to do anything about it, as they most likely had a little file hidden in Hoover's office about their misdeeds.

All of the actors do a fine job, especially DiCaprio who basically carries the film through the years in makeup and without.  How his lifestyle contradicted everything people thought they knew about him, and met most of all with disapproval from his mother (Judi Dench) is probably a nugget that the President could have used to get him out of office at anytime in his career.  Of course if your job is to get secrets, it only makes sense that Hoover was probably the most private man in the world.

Clint Eastwood solidly directs as usual.  Again, the movie just never really grabbed me and made me want to watch.  Instead, it simply played, and I paid as much, or as little attention as I felt like as the movie progressed.

Your mileage could vary!

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, I'm good.  2 1/2 hours was plenty.

The Reinvention of the Spy Wheel... "Skyfall"

 

The franchise gets shaken... and stirred.

The Story:

Bond (Daniel Craig) is back as 007.  This time around he must save M (Judi Dench) and all of MI6 from the threat of one of their own gone rogue (Javier Bardem).  Meanwhile, as things go from bad to worse for MI6, the British Government is holding hearings on possibly dismantling the section altogether.  It seems that the spy business is a bit outdated, so if the bad guy doesn't do it, the Brits might dismantle it themselves. 

Best. Bond. Ever?

No.

It's good.

Which for this franchise, is good enough.

The title of the film refers to the Scottish home of the Bond family, where Bond makes his final stand against the enemy.

Not everyone makes it out of the film intact and ready to film the next installment.

However the new director, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) takes over as M, bringing with him a young secretary named Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) whom Bond will be able to flirt with.

In a cute turnabout, the franchise has gone full circle so that the M that Connery had is the same M that Craig put in the seat.

Of course this can only mean that SMERSH, SPECTRE or whatever acronym they devise for the bad guys in the next film can not be far away.

Don't think about it too much, it will make your head explode.

So yes, it's nice to have the franchise hit the reset button, it's just odd to think of the Brosnan and Craig years as the prequels.

As for the opening song, absolutely dreadful.  I cannot stand Adele, and this theme song, as with every theme song that came after A View to a Kill, is utter rubbish.

Academy Award winning rubbish, but rubbish nonetheless.

Otherwise, not a bad effort from all involved.  This is Craig's best outing in the tuxedo since Casino Royale.

Which if you want to make an argument for best Bond film ever, you will have an easier time convincing me of that film, over Skyfall.

But as we all know, Goldfinger is the best of them all.

Final Grade: B-  A B+ film marred by a screechingly bad theme song! : )

Would I Own It:  Yes, because I own every other Bond film, why stop now.  ; )