London Has Fallen

(Much like this blog.)

A few years back, we had the terribly disjointed and horrifically unrealistic (especially for those of us who live in DC and actually know how this stuff works) Olympus Has Fallen. This weekend, we got the sequel. Sort of. In that we have the same characters, but no one ever mentions that time a terrorist managed to take over the White House and nearly initiate WWIII. Weird.

This time around, we're dealing with Middle Eastern terrorists who aren't really terrorists. And a plan of breathtaking scope and dubious probability of success. And a change of venue. Honestly, it improved the concept considerably.

Peanuts

(This is an old one, that apparently never got published from drafts. Enjoy.)

The Peanuts are an ancient and hallowed property that has been mined deeply, and is dear to many of our hearts. Hearing that there is a new feature film really leans on that nostalgia button, but also triggers a lot of trepidation. How can you possibly make it fresh without betraying what makes it great?

Well, I don't know that I have the answer, but the guys at Blue Sky certainly do. I won't proclaim this movie as a wonderful film in its own right. But the way in which the production team navigated the truly dangerous waters of honoring the legacy while taking it in a new direction was genius.

The Good Dinosaur

Well, it's Pixar, so I feel contractually obligated to love it. Except that, honestly, I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad movie by any stretch. But it failed to live up to the bar set by previous Pixar films. The plot is predictable, the beats coming exactly where and how you expect. The characters are well done, but surprisingly thin. The setting seems to go to a lot of effort to support a wonderful concept (dinosaur protagonist, human pet) that is then only half-heartedly explored.

And yet, I would totally watch it again. Because, familiar and well-worn as it is, it is exploiting formulas that work. Also, this is clearly a movie where the focus landed on the technical achievements. The animation was detailed, realistic (in some instances photo-realistic), and indescribably beautiful.

Southpaw

Short version: This movie wins on acting, and pretty much acting alone. The script is serviceable but fairly cliched (with a couple important exceptions). The direction, cinematography, visuals, etc. are similarly well done but don't stand out in any way. But the acting; oh my, the acting.

Fantastic Four

Short version: Much better than I expected. Admittedly, I was expecting something along the lines of Ang Lee's Hulk, so that's not a high bar to clear. It was still not a *good* movie, but it wasn't a bad movie, either. It's a fun way to pass a couple of hours, but it's not something that anyone involved will brag about.

Max

You might have missed the trailers for Max. I can't tell if it was under-marketed, or just heavily targeted away from me. Given the number of "kids" movies I see, I find it odd that never saw a trailer, and only caught one commercial on TV.

Short version: A fairly typical feel good kids movie, but very well done within that genre. The plot felt mostly realistic, the characters were fairly three-dimensional, and the emotions were surprisingly complex. While it's not a movie that anyone needs to see, it's also a movie that you will likely enjoy watching.

Oh, and the important bit: The dog does NOT die. I was a bit worried when the poster said "From the producer of Marly and Me".

Jurassic World

Starting with an apology. Sort of. Yes, I know that I'm three weeks late on this one. But, hey, I was out of the country. I seriously contemplated going to see it in Denmark, because how cool would that be. Fortunately, I didn't waste my vacation time on this.

Short version: The effects were spectacular. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were both really good. The direction and cinematography were both good. But the script was a godawful mess. And that reduced what could have been a really good movie down to something I wouldn't mind having on in the background while I work.

Woman in Gold

Short version: It is exactly the movie you expect from the trailers. It follows the plot, hits the emotional beats, and features some damn fine acting. It does not stray from the formula, but within the formula it does some wonderful things. I highly recommend watching it, but there is no need to rush.

Home

Short version: It was sweet, touching, and funny. It also was decidedly aimed at a young audience, with very silly world-building, a peculiar but appropriate story structure, and no subtlety. It was much closer to Horton than Shrek. Adults will likely enjoy the first viewing, but won't find much for repeat viewings.

Insurgent

Short version: I haven't read the book, but I have to assume that the movie suffers in the adaptation. It is a hot mess from beginning to end. And yet, it still managed to be somewhat enjoyable. If you aren't a fan of the series, wait for Netflix for this one.