The Hero We Deserve...Finally..."The LEGO Batman Movie"

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Rated PG

Starring  Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Zach Galifinanakis,

Directed by Chris McKay

The Story:

Its seems as though decades of fighting Batman (Arnett) are taking their toll on the Joker (Galifinanakis) because Batman refuses to acknowledge that the Joker is his # 1 enemy. So a change in the Joker's motives might prove to be Batman, and Gotham's undoing. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne (Arnett) adopted an orphan named Dick Grayson (Cera) quite by mistake. Now he's bonding with him the best way he knows how, as Batman!

Oops. Sorry about that spoiler right there.

:)

Finally.

After at least 7 big screen incarnations, Warner Brothers has finally given us a Batman movie worth watching.

It's fun, it's exciting, it's irreverent.

It never takes itself too seriously, yet takes itself seriously enough.

The voice talent does an incredible job inhabiting their roles. The nice part, nobody has a distinctive voice that overshadows the actual character they are playing.

Hopefully they can find a way to do another sequel or two to this one, because this is one DC cinematic universe worth visiting.

Final Grade: B+

Criminal "Masterminds" Indeed!

Masterminds (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones

Directed by Jared Hess

The Story:

In 1997, David Ghantt (Galifianakis) pulled off one of the largest bank heists in American history when he robbed the Loomis Fargo armored car company of $17 million dollars. This is pretty much his story, and it's mostly all true.

Ghantt meets the lovely Kelly (Wiig) and he is so smitten with her that he would do anything. When Kelly leaves the company, Ghantt is depressed until she contacts him again about the possibility of robbing Loomis of all that money just sitting in the vault.

Ghantt agrees, and becomes the inside man that gets the money and passes it along to Kelly and Steve (Wilson), the brains behind the operation. They take the money, send David to Mexico with a few thousand dollars to lay low, and then plan to cut the guy loose while they keep the rest.

There are a few laugh out loud moments, but for the most part, this is a retelling of a true story that punches up some of the humorous aspects of what really happened, and pads the rest with creative story devices and characters to add meat to the story.

Sudeikis pumps some much needed fun and energy when he arrives as a hitman that is to eliminate Ghantt, but even that doesn't go right.

Nothing that reinvents the comedy genre, but it's harmless enough, and gets a lot of extra mileage from an enjoyable cast of characters.

Final Grade:  C+

It's Difficult "Keeping Up With The Joneses"

Keeping Up With The Joneses (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot

Directed by Greg Mottola

The Story:

Jeff and Karen Gaffney (Galifianakis & Fisher) are a happy couple living in a wonderful neighborhood in suburbia. And then the Jones family moves in and Tim and Natalie (Hamm & Gadot) just seem to be so cool...so different.

Well that's because they are international spies...

The movie literally begins with a bang and then fills us in on the backstory of the Gaffney's, their lives, their jobs, their neighborhood.

But why on earth would spies want to live in the suburbs?

That's the next layer of the film as eventually, their mission is learned as their identities are compromised.

It's not a laugh out loud comedy, though it does have it's fair share of laughs.

Much of the humor is situational comedy as stereotypes of suburbia and espionage are both examined a little closer.

It's a great cast, and with a few tweaks here or there to punch up the comedy, this could've been really good. However, the interaction between the characters is what keeps the movie afloat and invests you in the overall story.

But I've seen worse spy films, comedies, and comedy spy films, so there's that at least. :)

Final Grade:  C+

I Would Have Rather Watched The Superhero Flick "Birdman"

Birdman (2014)

Rated R

Starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, Edward Norton

Written and Directed by Alejandro Inarittu

The Story:

Riggan (Keaton) is a former movie star of the Birdman superhero franchise. But he wants to be taken seriously, so we writes, directs and stars in a play on Broadway, sinking all of his cash into the film. They bring Mike (Norton) onboard at the last minute, but his volatile acting style is going to push Riggan into making either the best play ever seen, or the final humiliating nail in his acting coffin.

Well, that was something.

Keaton plays an actor who's most successful film was a superhero film with popular sequels from over 20 years earlier in his career.

Talk about typecasting!

:)

This is an unusual film, as it is almost strictly a drama, but it keeps you watching thanks to the presence of the actors, especially Keaton and Norton who keep blowing up what you are watching and keeping it fresh and entertaining as a look behind the scenes of a Broadway play.

Then the Birdman angle rears its head...

And it is unusual, to say the least.

Is there really a Birdman?

Has he imbued his talents into Riggan?

Does Riggan actually have powers, or is he falling into psychological hallucinations?

Don't know.

Watch the film and judge for yourself.

Because just when you think you have it figured out, the movie decides to end with a scene that will have you question everything you thought you just saw.

It's a good film, but since I would likely never watch it again, it cannot be a "great film" on my grading scale, because I'm all about wanting to watch a movie all over again sometime in the near or distant future.

Final Grade: B

What Happens In Vegas..."The Hangover: Part III"

I can't believe I watched the whole thing...

The Story:

The Wolfpack returns, one last time as things come full circle.  Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) must track down Chow (Ken Jeong) who has $21 Million in stolen gold from Marshall (John Goodman) or Marshall is going to kill Doug (Justin Bartha).  Strangely, this time everyone remembers everything that has happened to them, so there is no memory loss aspect this go-round.

As I said, this film brings the trilogy full-circle to a conclusion.  How satisfying it is, totally depends on how much you enjoyed these films.

I've been firmly in the camp of "they're okay, but nowhere near as great as people make them out to be".  At least, I guess the first one.  I'm not sure the same acclaim came with the second one.

This series has provided a series of gags which elicit smiles, smirks, chuckles, groans or outright laughs.

Sadly, the outright laughs usually number single digits in each of the films.

How Mr. Chow became the focal point of the series is a strange twist of events.  He's begun to overshadow the movie himself, which is weird for what should be an outrageous buddy film.

The three leads have their parts down pat, and they seem to quite enjoy doing these films, but I think they're probably all glad that this series is hopefully behind them.

It's run out of steam, and it's best to part ways now, though the filmmakers definitely leave an opening if they want to make a 4th film.

How Stu is going to get out of that mess is anyone's guess.

Again, depending on your enjoyment of the first two will help gauge your enjoyment of this one.

Final Grade: C, which is about on par for the whole series for me.  This is not as good as the first but better than the second.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, not a franchise I need to see again.

The Future is in Their Hands... "The Campaign"

 

Let the mud-slinging begin!

The Story:

Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is once again running unopposed in North Carolina.  Naturally, a special interest group hoping to bring a sweatshop to the area puts their money behind a local (Zach Galifianakis) in the hopes that he will defeat the Congressman, and naturally, he will return the favor by letting them have their special interest way.  It all hits the fan during the campaign trail, and when the dust settles...

Oh my goodness.

This is one hilarious look at politics, dialed up to 11. 

However, for all the eye rolls and 'no ways' you might muster watching them go for laughs... really, how far from the way modern politics works today, is this movie?

Ferrell works a cross between Bush and Clinton as the Democratic Congressman who enjoys his job, and really has nothing better to do, because he doesn't have any other skills.

Galifianakis loses the beard but stays behind the stache to comic effect.  A simpleton in over his head, he learns quickly how to navigate the rough waters of election campaign.

The dialogue has to be structured improv, stream of consciousness raunch as the two opponents lay into each other.

So naughty... so funny.

I wish elections were all this spirited.

Final Grade: B

Would I Own It: Tough sell due to the rating, but I could certainly watch it again in 4 more years.