DC League of Super-Pets

In their fifth and latest collaboration, the dynamic team of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart have gone animated with their bromance in Warner Bros. DC League of Super-Pets. Following the capture of the entire Justice League, Superman’s dog Krypto (Johnson) joins forces with a group of super powered endowed shelter pets lead by Ace (Hart) on a rescue mission. 

DC League of Super-Pets is a fairly cute, straight forward children’s film that’s action-packed, emotional, and overall enjoyable.  While humorous the jokes are a bit of a crap shoot in terms of landing. Many honestly don’t but there are some good chuckles and even laugh-out-loud moments. I found the pacing of the first half of the film a bit slow and the story a bit janky. A roller coaster of being drawn in then things flat lining.  However, I never completely disengaged from the film or became outright bored.    

A large part of that no doubt is a credit to the cast.  

I went for the team of Johnson/Hart, which is once more a successful pairing, but the stand outs for me were Kate McKinnon’s Lulu and Natasha Lyonne’s Merton.  These ladies steal the show for my money. Big props especially among a cast of heavy hitters the likes of John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Daveed Diggs, and Alfred Molina to name a few.

The animation is good, reminds me of the “old school” Saturday morning cartoons.  Good soundtrack.  While DC League of Super-Pets isn’t earth shattering with innovations, the film is what you expect, nothing more, nothing less.  Nothing inherently wrong with that. All told a pleasant way to spend an hour and forty-six minutes on a hot summer day. 

I enjoyed this one.  

The kids in the theater enjoyed this one.  

I’m giving DC League of Super-Pets a 7.5.

And yes, least I forget, following the trend in films DC League of Super-Pets has 2 credit scenes. The first mid credits and integral to the film.  The second post credits, possibly integral going forward.  Definitely meta, fun, cross promotional, and a wink and nod to those who know.

 

Nope

 

The latest anticipated summer release this week comes from writer/director/producer Jordan in his third film Nope.  Peele keeping with tradition of playing things close to the vest, meant I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going in, so with an open mind I went to see if the third time was indeed a charm.

From the onset Nope had me shaking my head and wondering what the hell was going on to the point of not even being sure the films’ beginning was part of the films’ beginning. I also admit I’m still a bit muddled on what that whole storyline meant and its connection to the whole but maybe I’m just a bit slow.  More clues and weirdness follow as you begin to piece things together and the unsettling, creep factor builds.  

Nice.

Until it doesn’t.

Nope runs two hours ten minutes total and chugs along nicely for the first half of the first half (make sense?) then I found the pacing takes a dive.  Things slow and drag for a good twenty minutes or so to the point I found myself straight up bored.  Hate to say it, but I was literally saying it as I sat in the theater feeling restless.

Then boom! Peele hits his stride once again; the film takes off and never lets up for the rest of the ride.

Yay!

The cinematography, direction, and visuals of Nope are stunning and create the perfect unsettling, eerie, creepy, thrilling, tension filled movie landscape that had me (as well as the characters) saying “nope”.  For the record I threw in a few “aww hell naws” and a “f this $#@!” as well.  Apologies to Oprah for that one, but I stand by my reaction.

Great casting/acting all around, but it’s Daniel Kaluuya’s OJ, Keke Palmer’s Emerald, and Brandon Perea’s Angel performances that truly make this film a treat. I do wish Michael Wincott featured a little more.  That voice alone is spectacular.

Jordan Peele’s Nope is another original and freshly creative film that blends multiple genres into something exciting to behold. Despite the pacing issue I say it’s well worth a trip to the local movie theater to take a look.  I’m giving Nope a 7.5/8

Additional tidbit for people with kids.  Upon leaving the theater I had a kid of 9 or 10 ask me what I thought of the film. I gave him my take and asked for his.  He informed me he REALLY enjoyed it (so much so that this was his second viewing), he liked EVERYTHING about it, and that Keke Palmer’s Emerald was his absolute favorite.  So, FYI.

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

 

As the summer temperatures continue to sizzle family friendly films are hitting the big screen as an enticement to lure folks back to the theaters.  This week’s offering is Nickelodeon’s animated film, Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.  The story of a dog with big dreams of becoming a samurai.  I again ventured to my local theater with high hopes for an entertaining hour thirty-seven-minute viewing experience in air-conditioned comfort to check this one out.

I’ll cut to the chase, the best part of this outing was indeed the AC and to a lesser degree the snacks.  Neither of which was worth leaving home or burning gas for.

The sinking feeling began with the opening short film. I can’t honestly remember the name of this one, but it still has me shaking my head wondering WTF.  It was...bizarre and unsettling at best. I’m not sure what anyone was thinking with it, let alone why it was paired with Paws of Fury, but it definitely set the tone for the lackluster main attraction because once Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank began, things didn’t get much better.  

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is one of those animated films we get every few years where all the time and money seems to have been spent on assembling a heavy hitting voice cast and little else. 

Billed as an animated remake of Blazing Saddles, with a healthy dose of Kung Fu Panda as well, PoF is more a POS that lacks the charm, originality, or entertainment value of either.  

Slogging through the first half of the film was a joyless and mind-numbing endeavor that felt endless. Fortunately, the second half of the film was much stronger and was a better viewing experience. However, overall, it’s a case of too little too late.

Samuel L Jackson is the best part of this film hands down. This is another Turbo situation. In addition, Kylie Kuioka (Emiko) also breathes much needed life into this story as well.  As for the rest of the cast, there simply isn’t much for them to sink their teeth into. No character development. Little story.  Lots of pop culture references (heavy on all things Mel Brooks), dog and cat puns, and visual gags fell short as all indications is this film is aimed toward a younger audience and it was going over their heads.  Being one of the oldest audience members I chuckled here and there, but the only laugh out loud moment for the entire audience, especially the kiddos, came at the end of the movie.  

Positive messaging throughout while important/great is handled with all the subtlety as a hand grenade in a bowl of oatmeal in its heavy handedness and becomes tedious quickly.  

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank doesn’t hold much to warrant a trip to the theater.  The potential was there in the concept but fails in the execution.  This one’s a stream at home at best.  If and when you do, don’t forget to fast forward to the end of the credits for one last tiny scene. The sentiment captures this film perfectly. 

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is a disappointing 3 for me.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Another week is under our belts and with it came the next big summer movie release. Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. My excitement following the success of 2017 Thor: Ragnarök and the return of Taika Waititi as not only director but also co-writer has been palatable as well as guarded. With only an hour fifty-nine-minute runtime, the return of so many established characters, along with the introduction of new storylines, combined with the “late in the game” onslaught trailers, clips, and other hype I was more than a bit fearful we would’ve pretty much seen the entire film before it actually hit the screen.  

Both valid takes as it turns out.

Thor: Love and Thunder is indeed a fun, summer romp of a film that delights in many ways.  The light-hearted to downright silly comedic beats, plenty of expected as well as unexpected call backs, fast paced action, and a storyline with heart at its core for my time and money put Thor: Love and Thunder in the same realm as Thor: Ragnarök.  

Sweet.  

Same realm but not quite the same level, however.

The less is more runtime definitely keeps TLT from hitting the full Ragnarök level of enjoyment.  Not all the comedy is a solid hit, but more importantly the drama and the emotional elements aren’t given the time to sit/breathe making for a less impactful viewing experience that’s emptier than it should be.  

Christian Bale delivers as the “Big Bad”.  I just wish there had been more Gorr to feast upon.  The same can be said for Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie and Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster/Mighty Thor.  The chance to really delve into and expand on their characters never quite comes to fruition and while seeing them is enjoyable it’s also frustrating as a result. The character development remains only skin deep here. A truly squandered opportunity.

Then there’s Russell Crowe.  I can’t even begin to wrap my head around that one.  Better than his outing as Henry Jekyll in 2017 The Mummy but still...  If nothing else, what the hell was up with that accent?  I’ll leave it at that.

Moving on.

Good visuals.  Strong direction. Then there’s the soundtrack. Ahhh, the soundtrack.  An around the world and back snap for certain.  Guns N’ Roses takes me back, ABBA makes me happy, Mary J. Blige is never wrong. 

Thor: Love and Thunder as a whole is a bit of a mixed bag, not unlike all the Thor films.  Fortunately, there’s more good about it than bad.  

Did I want more from it overall?  Yes.  Did I enjoy seeing it on the big screen?  Yes, again.  Can I recommend you head to the theater to check it out?  Again, I’m going to say yes.  Go for the fun, go for the joy of catching up with the familiar characters and for a glance of seeing where they may head in the future.  Go with the right mind set for a summer movie experience but be sure to stay for the 2 end credit scenes.

Thor: Love and Thunder is a 7.5 for me.

Minions: The Rise of Gru

Ever since they made their film debut back in 2010s Despicable Me, I’ve been a big Minions fan and have looked forward to every iteration with great anticipation and delight. In the follow-up to Minions, Minions: Rise of Gru set in the mid 70s a now 11 3/4-year-old Gru attempts to join the ultimate group of baddies, the Vicious 6, on his quest to become the worlds’ greatest supervillain. I couldn’t wait to be front and center for this latest adventure.

Even with the absence of Pharell Williams, Heitor Pereira goes it alone this outing, the soundtrack is once again bumping, pulls you in from the jump and has you bopping along the entire film.  Yes, plenty of smiles, seat dancing and singing along was done.  I don’t apologize and regret nothing. A note of caution, while not as catchy as say Happy, Diana Ross’ Turn Up the Sunshine encapsulates the 70s vibe perfectly and will get stuck in your head.  

Minions: Rise of Gru is chock-full of call backs, reference, and familiar characters that serve the film well.  Many new characters, save for Otto and Wild Knuckles, sadly get short shrift, consequently, don’t pack much of a punch.  Having the likes of Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Lucy Lawless, Danny Trejo, and RZA is all well and good, but disappointments that they don’t figure more into the film.  With only an hour twenty-seven-minute runtime, fleshing out these characters for an additional 10 - 15 minutes would really strengthen the overall film.  It would also help tighten up the multiple subplots of the film into a more cohesive whole.

Overall, Minions: Rise of Gru is pretty much what’s to be expected from the franchise.  90 minutes of silly, fun that will get you out of the heat and entertain you.  There’s more nudity (yes, I said nudity) this time around and some of the action may be a tad intense for younger kids, but as long as you go in not expecting a heartfelt, life altering movie experience (Hello? It’s the Minions!) You will be entertained and will leave the theater (only after one small scene at the top of the end credits) with a smile on your face.  

Minions: Rise of Gru is a fun summer ride and gets a 7.5 from me.

Lightyear

 

Twenty-seven years, yes, twenty-seven, after the release of Toy Story, Disney/Pixar has brought Buzz Lightyear back to the big screen in the “real life” story of the man, the myth, the legend himself in Lightyear. To be clear, this is NOT your childhood’s version of the popular character.  In fact, if you haven’t already checked out the Beyond Infinity Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear thirty-six-minute documentary on Disney+, I highly recommend you do so. I feel it important to emphasize this as it has a major impact on the film. 

Lightyear is a darker, more mature, grittier film than any of the Toy Story films. Think more along the lines of Up in terms of tone and content.  Less whimsical and more realistic. Something to keep in mind when viewing, so much so, while billed as the movie that Andy watched that made him want the Buzz toy so badly, Lightyear comes across more like the documentary of the man that inspired the film Andy loved more than the actual film he saw.  Got it?  If you do than you’ll be in the correct mind set for what takes place in Lightyear.

On to the actual film.

Disney/Pixar once again out does itself with the visuals.  Absolutely stunning and a treat for the eyes. Attention to detail, textured, and the lighting is off the charts with this one as well. Good action sequences, some get a bit intense, but the kiddos in the audience didn’t seem to have issue with them.

The story itself is rather simple and straightforward, pacing is good, and the voice acting, again, top notch. Chris Evans’ Buzz works perfectly in this iteration of the character and while yes, I missed Tim Allen, I had no problems overall buying in and enjoying his performance. That’s not to say that I was also frustrated and annoyed with the character (I didn’t have an outburst but yeah, Buzz was pissing me off) as well.  That’s more of a writing/characterization issue than an acting one.   While Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Dale Soules, and Uzo Aduba bring their A games as well their characters didn’t quite light up the screen. They’re fine, but don't pack much of a punch.

Not gonna lie, for me, when all is said and done, Lightyear is all about Peter Sohn’s SOX.  Think Rhino from Bolt. This scene stealer brings the joy, humor, and relatability/likeability that’s largely missing from the film.  I’m going to tell you right now, parents, go ahead and get your SOX toys now for Christmas.

Did Lightyear knock my socks (no pun intended)?  Not entirely, but it’s definitely a solid and enjoyable film. I was never bored, but never "wowed" either. It’s charming, emotional, and entertaining, but falls a bit flat overall.  There’s a certain lack of spark or “magic” to really stick the landing.  This goes back to the disconnect between what’s actually on the screen and the action/adventure Space Ranger that would make a 9-year-old (let alone the rest of the world) want a Buzz Lightyear.  A divide I’m sure will be closed in a sequel. I'm sure there will be a sequel and I'm down for it.

Lightyear gets a 7 from me.

Oh, yes.  Again, I warn you not to leave the theater immediately.  There are 3 credit scenes (top, mid, and post) in this one.  

Jurassic World Dominion

 

The summer box office continues to heat up with this weeks’ release of Jurassic World Dominion, the sixth and final installment of the popular movie franchise based on Michael Crichton’s novels.  Twenty-nine years after Jurassic Park, dinosaurs are living and hunting alongside humans taxing the fragile balance of nature all over the world.  Well, that’s what we’re led to believe is the setup for Jurassic World Dominion, however, the movie we actually get is an altogether different beast.

Jurassic World Dominion is essentially two different films with the original trio of Sam Neil (Alan Grant), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm) reuniting in one story (the more interesting of the two in my opinion) and Chris Pratt (Owen Grady) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing) picking up and continuing their story from Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.  Eventually the two stories meet and everything is brought to a conclusion.  

Sadly, the conclusion, as well as the ride leading up to it is far from spectacular or overall satisfying.

The pacing in Jurassic World Dominion is clunky and uneven, particularly in the beginning.  Many of the themes are heavy handed and preachy to the point of making you feel you’re sitting in a lecture hall.  Oddly enough, Ian’s actual lecture in the film is more entertaining and thought provoking than the bludgeoning messaging throughout the rest of the film.  The call backs to previous films in many cases are stale.  With the exception of the original Big Three, the returning characters are lifeless (in Pratt’s case the film plays more like a contractual obligation) and uninspired.  BD Wong’s Dr. Wu takes an unexpected turn and the resolution of his story line feels unearned. New characters aren’t fleshed out and act more as props to get from point a to point b than characters.   

Worse still, Jurassic World Dominion, is a dinosaur movie that has little to do with dinosaurs.  Again, Goldblum’s Ian says it best when he goes off on the seduction of dinos excusing what’s going on.  A note that the writers should of taken when sussing out the story.  Dinosaurs are freely living among humans, what’s that like?  Dunno, it’s glossed over save for a few references. I mean at one point in this 2 hour 26 minute film you go a good half hour to forty minutes without seeing or hearing ANYTHING about the dinosaurs.  

Serious bait and switch as well as a major disappointment.

The biggest saving grace of Dominion is the legacy characters, especially Goldblum’s Ian. The wit, charm, and humor is classic. All three actors seem to be having a blast and it shows and you feel it ever time they’re on screen.  When you get the dinosaurs they look amazing.  These bad boys never fail to delight. 

All told Jurassic World Dominion looks great, has some shining moments, but ultimately is lifeless.  If this is what the franchise has to offer, it’s time to let it go the way of actual dinosaurs. 

Jurassic World Dominion gets a disappointing 5 from me.