Movie Review: Good Boys 

The movie slum continues as we await the Fall releases.  So, when a coworker saw Good Boys and said, “It’s pretty funny,” I decided to give it a viewing.  With the team behind Superbad and Sausage Party lead by Seth Rogen behind it, I figured I had a decent shot at being entertained for an hour and a half.

Let’s be honest, Good Boys isn’t for everyone.  It’s nothing too deep or challenging and is basically just dumb.  Raunchy, dumb, fun.  It’s fair to classify it as a pint-sized Superbad from start to finish.  Extreme situational comedy, but not over the top.  The humor for me, however, is a mixed bag of unevenness.  Maybe it’s just me (other audience members were shrieking with laughter from start to finish) I on the other hand felt some of the “humor” didn’t land, other bits were “one chuckle through the nose amusing”, and then you had some real laugh-out-loud hilarity, sometimes all in one scene.  Not quite the emotional roller coaster I was looking for.  Maybe it was just me, but I feel like a have a good sense of humor normally, and this one just didn't hit the ole funny bone as often as it should.

The kids are watchable, relatable and not annoying for the most part.  But, once again, there are also quite a few cringe worthy acting moments that beg for another take.  After a slow start the pacing hits a good stride, and the soundtrack is without a doubt my favorite part of the film. 

While I did find Good Boys amusing, can’t really categorize it as entertaining.  Yes, there are some real gems sprinkled throughout the film, but the inconsistencies, predictability, and cliches are too many to over come.  Overall not a terrible film, just not that great.  Most of the funny you see in the previews and for the rest you’re better off waiting to watch at home.  I’m giving Good Boys a 5 and hope that Seth Rogen and company put a little more into their next effort.

Movie Review: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

The 2019 film season continues to be less than stellar for me so I haven’t been excited enough about the current film offerings to make the effort to hit the theaters.  The constant reminders that I haven’t posted anything recently had me put out a call for suggestions.  Shout out to Robert Howard for heeding the call and suggesting Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.  With another week of brutal temps ahead and Guillermo del Toro being involved in the screenplay, sounds like the perfect time to hit the theater.

First things first, Scary Stories certainly isn’t breaking any new ground or moving the horror genre forward into some new territory.  It’s quite predictable and familiar to even the most casual of horror viewers.  Nonetheless, after a somewhat slow start, this 108 minute period film delivers on entertainment and is visually rich and acts as a cautionary tale against trespassing, breaking & entering, petty larceny, and eating food that miraculously appears in your refrigerator.  Not to mention leaving suspect reading material alone.

With the exception of Dean Norris all the principle actors are unknown to me.  The young cast was fine and their acting serviceable (they avoided the lame/obnoxious kid trap thankfully), but overall nothing to get overly excited about.  Best acting moment for me is the laugh-out-loud one liner by Chief Turner.  Made the film for me.

No, the real joy of Scary Stories definitely lies in the CGI work and the creatures.  They deliver next level creepy and take the spine tingling in this PG-13 film to the next level.  They have del Toro written all over them and they doesn’t disappoint.  Great adaptations of the original source material.

A little more dark/scary than Goosebumps, not as scary as IT, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark falls somewhere in between on the “jack up some kids” scale.  Not a bad way to get out of the heat and spend some time in the movie theater.  Glad I went, and thanks again for the recommendation Robert.  I’m giving this one a 7.5 and look forward to the sequel.

Movie Review: Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

With the almost universal exception of Tokyo Drift I’m a big fan of the Fast and Furious franchise.  I’m not a gearhead by any stretch of the imagination, however, I do enjoy the flashy, expensive cars I can never afford or drive (stick is not my friend), the over-the-top/one upmanship of the films along with the increasingly ridiculous “heists”/stunts, all against the backdrop of the ride or die nature of family (both born into as well as chosen).  Being a fan of the three principal male actors (I haven’t had much exposure to Vanessa Kirby) and wanting to desperately break my movie slump (2019 has not been kind to my movie viewing) I’ve been anxious to see what’s been done with the first (no doubt of many) franchise spinoffs.  The idea of  Idris Elba as “Black Superman” going up against Dwayne Johnson(Hobbs) and Jason Statham (Shaw), meant I couldn’t get my butt into a theater seat fast enough.

If you’re a fan of the Fast and Furious films, then you’re in luck.  Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw fits perfectly within the franchise and the expectations that go with those film. Adrenaline pumping action sequences/chases, brutal knock down drag out fights, humor, heart, self-awareness winks and nods, cool cars and tech, the continued underlying theme of family throughout, and just enough of a plot to hold things together without taxing your brain too heavily for the 2-hour 15 minutes run. 

With the Fast and Furious formula firmly in place Hobbs & Shaw isn’t anything new, but definitely delivers plenty of bang and entertainment for the buck.  Quick and even pacing keeps the film moving so it never drags.  The strategic placing of the heartfelt/emotional/dramatic elements keeps you interested and invested in the characters without impeding the good stupid fun the film offers.  There’s even a couple of unexpected casting choices that delight. Way to keep a secret and have it pay off.

Speaking of casting.  The boys, Johnson, Statham, and Elba all deliver and they’re a blast to watch. Not really surprising.  The Johnson/Statham chemistry continues to build and deliver from their Fate of the Furious outing.  As for Vanessa Kirby, kudos!  She not only keeps up with, but often takes over and leads the boys with their toys, making sure she’s anything but a damsel in distress.  Her “Hattie” unlike many of the females in the Fast and Furious franchise refuses to play second fiddle and the film is better off for it.  Kirby’s a smart, sassy, sexy, competent, bad@$$ and she never lets anyone forget it, most of all the audience.

Kicking soundtrack including the perfectly themed song performed by Aloe Blacc featured on Songland. Solid CGI.  Good cinematography and editing.  All round things out and make Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw a perfect summer popcorn film.  It’s got some heavy themes, but never gets too bogged down or serious.  There’s good character continuation and development that elevate this film and will no doubt play into the main franchise and other spinoffs.  Hobbs & Shaw is a big, loud, over-the-top, somewhat dumb Hollywood film, done right.  It delivers on fun, self-awareness, and entertainment. Setting up the spinoff franchise perfectly. 

I was looking for a movie win and Hobbs & Shaw delivered in explosive fashion.  I’ll certainly be adding this to the old movie collection and look forward to many repeat viewings. Do yourself a favor, hit the theater, sit back and enjoy this one for what it is.  It’s far from Citizen Kane, but it gets a 10 from me.

Oh, and do stick around through the ENTIRE credits.  Most people didn’t and missed all 3 bonus scenes not to mention more kicking music.