John Wick Chapter 4

Let me start this review by symbolically pouring some out for the late Lance Reddick a.k.a. Charon of the John Wick franchise to name a few.  His untimely death was a shock to the system and definitely made his role/character arc in this fourth film of the franchise poignant.  Reddick will be missed.  

As for the film itself, John Wick Chapter 4 to put it succinctly is everything you can want in a John Wick film and more.  I loved the original John Wick and each proceeding film has equaled or surpassed it in my opinion.  Yes, even with she who shall not be named showing up in John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum.  

Chapter 4 takes all the things we love about the previous films, the characters, action, gallows humor, violence/high body count, and kicks it up another couple of levels in this 2-hour 49-minute adrenaline pumping, non-stop epic thrill ride.  Stuntman turned writer/director Chad Stahelski once again strikes gold.   John Wick Chapter 4 picks up where Parabellum leaves off, grabs you by the throat and much like Wick himself, never let's go as John takes on the world and the High Table.

Joining Keanu Reeves in reprising their respective characters are Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and of course the late Lance Reddick.  Adding to the fun, mayhem, and carnage are Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson, and Clancy Brown to name a few. All give stellar performances and are very welcome additions to the franchise. A special shout out to Donnie Yen for yet again embodying a cool, humorous, sympathetic, blind ass kicking martial artist (Rogue One).  He kills in this part, pun both intended and not.

Chapter 4's action/fight sequences are unbelievable sights to behold.  Intense, thrilling, brutal, exhaustive, over-the-top and totally satisfying.  The direction keeps you in the thick of things and leaves you grunting, oomph-ing, and damn-ing throughout.  You will be left breathless time and again just watching. Everything that’s come before that had you reeling is upgraded to boss fight plus levels.  A small word of caution, there is one sequence nearing the end that had me dizzy and thinking I may vomit with the overhead action. I wasn’t alone on this point, so it wasn’t just my system being weird.  Think Sandra Bullock in Gravity. You've been warned. 

Well written, great dialogue, stunning locations and set pieces, stirring soundtrack, world building at its best. John Wick Chapter 4 is a masterpiece that delivers all the thrills and all the feels.  Kudos to all involved.  

If you’re a John Wick fan, do yourself a favor and see this one on the big screen.  And when you do, make sure you stay through ALL the credits, there’s a final scene that at least half the packed audience I saw the film with missed.  It’s well worth crossing your legs a little longer.  

 John Wick Chapter 4 is a solid 10. 

#JohnWick4

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

 

Standard disclaimer: I didn’t have access to comic books growing up. No deep dive for me. My superhero experience/knowledge is limited to the tv shows, cartoons, and the occasional films I saw growing up.

In short, my review of Shazam! Fury of the Gods as was 2019s Shazam! is based solely on what I saw on the big screen. Going into Shazam! I vaguely recalled the Saturday morning tv show and saw the film on a lark. I loved it and was clamoring for a sequel. To say I’ve been looking forward to this movie is a bit of an understatement, especially given the disappointment of numerous delays and push backs. With Shazam! Fury of the Gods FINALLY hitting theaters this week, I braved the elements, hit my favorite theater with crossed fingers and high hopes to check it out. I was definitely nervous/scared FotG would fall short of my expectations given my excitement going in. What a relief when the opening scene unfolded, sucked me in and took me to my happy place. FotG is a two- hour 10-minute thrill ride from start to finish that’s funny, sweet, thrilling, and all-around entertaining. I admit there are a few CGI flying shots at the beginning of the film that fell a bit short, but happily that was the only issue I had with the movie and was quickly forgotten. Great storyline with high stakes and lots of action nicely balanced with character moments/development and emotion. Good direction. Awesome music. Fantastic casting. Love that almost all the original cast is back (Superhero Mary is played by Caroline Grace-Cassidy this time around), yay! And the additions of Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu in particular are more than a welcome bonus. I have to say I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up. She’s living her best life and killing it. As entertaining and fun as Shazam! Fury of the Gods is it’s also darker and more intense than the original so anyone with young kids take heed. There was one maybe five-year-old that freaked out during the last fifteen to twenty minutes of the movie and was taken out. YES. They struck pay dirt with Shazam! Fury of the Gods. It’s a fun, satisfying movie going experience. What I wanted and needed. I’m looking forward to adding this one to my movie collection for repeated viewings. Speaking of viewings, yes, my friends, once again you need to sit through the entire movie to catch both of the end credits scenes. Taste the rainbow!

Shazam! Fury of the Gods gets a 10 from me.

Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania

 

A new year brings my first new movie review!  For better or worse I’m starting things off with the latest entry from Marvel, namely Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania.  Once again, other than the trailers and teases, I made it a point to avoid delving into the film wanting to actually SEE and experience the movie without bias.  Crazy? I know, but that’s how I like to roll.  Even with that being the case I went into this one with a bit of trepidation.  Love the original Ant-Man.  Ant-Man and the Wasp?  Not so much for numerous reasons.  This time around I wanted to recapture the joy of the original, advance the characters, and usher in Phase 5 of the MCU in solid fashion.

For my money, once again under the direction of Peyton Reed, Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania delivers on all three levels. 

Whew! 

Huge sigh of relief.

Quantumania has heart, action, humor, and thrills well blended and nicely paced throughout its two-hour 5-minute runtime, solid effects with some beautiful other worldly backdrops.  While charming and engaging the film also brings the tension and makes the sense of high stakes palatable.

Returning characters bring their A game and I enjoyed the fact that Michelle Pfeiffer really gets to shine this time around.  In his second outing as Kang, Jonathan Majors is a wonderfully blend of sincerity, charm, determination, and menace.  Squee! The man lights up the screen with his performance. Yes! My only complaint is not getting more of him in full on Conqueror mode and more background on how he’s been “done wrong” but hopefully there will be more of those revelations moving forward.

Kathryn Newton’s Cassie Lang looks much younger than Endgame’s Cassie (Emma Fuhrmann) which threw me for a bit, but once I got past that is a nice addition.  Personally, I again found myself muttering under my breath about “effing kids” in the context of the narrative, but that’s probably just a “me” thing.  

There are also some new characters that I found intriguing in William Jackson Harper’s Quaz and Katy M. O’Brian’s Jentorra that had me wanting more.  Yay!  And others that well, honestly fell flat.  Sorry Bill Murray. 

Be that as it may, after an uneven Phase 4 that often left me disappointed, Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania opens Phase 5 on the right foot.  It feels like Marvel has regained some of its swagger and is back on track.  

I for one am there for it.  I enjoyed the movie, never lost interest, left happy and excited for what happens next. A feeling the packed audience I saw the film with all seemed to share.

And yes, before you ask. There are two end credit scenes, so you need to cross your legs and sit tight until the houselights come up folks.  

Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania gets a 8 from me.

Puss in Boots the Last Wish

 

The year is quickly drawing to a close. The holidays are in full swing.  The weather is cooler to downright cold.  Stress levels are at an all-time high and patience has worn thin.  Aahhh, the perfect time to head to the movies and check out for a couple of hours. With fingers crossed and hopes high to finish my movie year on a high note, I once again grabbed my movie kit and struck out to the theater to see Puss in Boots the Last Wish. 

Getting straight to the point, yes!  Puss in Boots the Last Wish delivers.

Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek don’t miss a beat in reprising their roles as Puss and Kitty Softpaws and I was down for every moment of it.  Joining the “team” is Harvey Guillen as Perro and he’s a pure delight.  A perfect addition to their dynamic.  This time around Puss and company face off against three antagonistic parties featuring the voice talents of Florence Pugh, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, Olivia Colman, John Mulaney, and Wagner Moura in an epic adventure that entertains and thrills from start throughout its entire hour forty-minute run time.

Great character arcs across the board.

Puss in Boots the Last Wish reminds me of Shrek but darker.  This movie has bite.  

The themes and language are mature and relatable, yet still assessable to kids. The skewering of Disney and Disney characters is a hoot, one in particular had me in stitches. Plenty of adult humor complete with bleeps to keep things PG for the kiddos. Puss in Boots the Last Wish contains lots of heart, angst, retrospection, and emotion.  

The animation is stunning.  A fantastic mixture of 3D computer generated graphics that are now the norm combined with highly stylized Into the Spider-Verse animation is beautiful to watch on the big screen. It also adds to the thrill factor in the action scenes bringing frenetic energy that many live action films fail to capture.  I will add that the intensity of the action combined with the darker aspects of the themes/characters may be a bit much for kids under 6.

Puss in Boots the Last Wish is a hard hitting, humorous, fun filled adventure that triumphs in every aspect.  An animated family film that delivers where so many as of late have failed.  Definitely theater worthy and I have this one marked for my personal collection so I can enjoy it again and again.

Puss in Boots the Last Wish gets a 10 from me.

Avatar: The Way of Water

 

After 13 years James Cameron invites us back to theaters to catch us up with former Marine Jake Sully and his family as a familiar threat returns to the extrasolar moon, Pandora. In all honesty I wasn’t overly excited to sit through this 3-hour 12minute of a film.  Don’t get me wrong, 2009s Avatar blew me away visually when it came out and while the story is fine it didn’t leave me clamoring for more with its predictability. I remember figuring out the entire film within the first 15 minutes and was able to recite the accompanying dialogue more often than not. With over a decade to improve technology and film techniques, I expected the visuals to be even more outstanding and worthy of a view. As for the storyline itself I wasn’t necessarily “feeling” the hype to see the newest film, Avatar: The Way of Water. The vagueness of the trailers kept me on the fence right up to an hour before movie time. Yes, I toyed with the idea of just getting a refund and waiting until I could stream this one at home.  

Damn glad I didn’t.

Avatar: The Way of Water is one of those rear sequels that is more of the same in many aspects, yet also manages to be entertainingly different. And better.  Yes, much better than the original.  I’m not sure how Cameron pulled it off, but he did so beautifully. 

Much like Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water is far from subtle or nuanced in its messaging or morality.  The plot is straight forward and simple. The good guys are practically saintly, and the bad guys are purely, unabashedly evil. Very black and white, little to no shades of gray. The dialogue can be eye-rolling cheesy and pedestrian. Even some of the acting of a couple of the new characters is weak.  

Here’s the thing... 

...None of those matters. 

Avatar: The Way of Water works, nonetheless.  It’s as visually stunning as expected.  I ended up seeing it in 3D and WOW.  Just W-O-W.  There’s one underwater sequence alone where I felt completely submerged in the world of Pandora and its sea life and it was worth the price of admission alone.  But yes, the visuals are spectacular and hold up throughout the entire film.  Slow clap and a chef's kiss for all the artists that once again brought all the colors and textures of Pandora to life.  And the underwater scenes?  Mind blowing!

But TwoW happily delivers more than just pretty pictures.  

The Soundtrack is as rich and dynamic as the visuals.  The action is thrilling to edge of your seat intense. I found myself quite anxious and holding my breath numerous times. The familiar is interwoven with the new world building/expansion seamlessly.  The characterization is meatier and makes for a more compelling story.  The focus of family kept me fully invested in who these people are and what happens to them (for better or worse).  At this point I just have to say, effing kids! Uggh. A phrase that became my personal mantra.  There are also some nice surprises to be had not only in the characters that pop up but in the actors behind them.  

Avatar: The Way of Water is not only worth the 13 year wait, but also definitely worth the trip to your local movie theater.  Yes, it’s a long film (skip the soda and get an Icee), but it certainly didn’t feel like it. My interest never wavered; my eyes never left the screen.  I never regretted seeing this one at the theater. Unlike so many of the highly anticipated, hyped films this year, Avatar: The Way of Water actually delivers an amazing, entertaining movie going experience.  This is a film meant to be seen on the big screen and should be viewed accordingly. Can't emphasize that enough.  Avatar: The Way of Water is good old movie magic and I thank James Cameron for delivering it to us once again.  Like the Na’vi, I see you Cameron and your movie is as badass as feral Neytiri.  

Can’t wait to see the next installment in 2024!

Until then Avatar: The Way of Water gets a 9.5 from me.

Violent Night

Violent Night

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again, or is it?  That’s the crux of Santa’s (David Harbour) existential crisis in the newest entry in edgy Christmas movies, Violent Night. Not being a big fan of the usual touchy feely, saccharine holiday films this seemed right in my wheelhouse.

Admittedly, Violent Night wasn’t entirely what I expected.  It’s billed as a comedy and the trailers really lean into that. However, while comedic, it’s far from the laugh your butt off hilarious romp seemingly advertised. It’s definitely amusing to funny, but a bit of a letdown in that regard.  

Violent Night is also surprisingly more deep, sentimental, and emotional than expected.  Not a bad thing in and of itself, but the lack of follow through left me unsatisfied and wanting more. Getting a glimpse of who Santa was in his former life? Intriguing.  How did he become Santa? How does the magic work? Enough teasing, more answering. Are they saving things for a prequel?  

Harbour is perfectly cast as Santa, so you won't be disappointed. And the scenes with Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa bring all the feels. Nicely done. Beverly D'Angelo is plain dreadful as Gertrude Lightstone and couldn’t be more fun to watch. The ultimate anti Ellen Griswold. Can you say wicked good!?  There’s no goodness or light to be had in her and I was all for it.  Not to be left out, John Leguizamo also shines as our big bad, Scrooge. The two of them (D’Angelo and Leguizamo) squaring off makes for big entertainment.

Violent Night goes all in on the violence and gore justifying its R rating, so not a film for the squeamish. Think Home Alone the Tarantino style. The action sequences are good, and the holiday flair adds a nice festive and demented touch. 

The pacing can drag here and there, particularly the first half of the film but isn’t terrible.  You feel it but it's bearable. 

When all is said and done, Violent Night works well but isn’t as strong a film as I hoped.  Some of the exposition is labored and most of the secondary characters are cut and paste cutouts that add little to the story.  Fairly predictable and expected, nevertheless a fun watch.

Violent Night gets a 6.5 from me.

Devotion

 

My latest foray to my local movie theater had me checking out Devotion.  Starring Jonathon Majors and Glen Powell, Devotion is inspired by the true story of Jesse Brown (Majors) the first African American U.S. naval aviator during the Korean Conflict. Never having read the book, I didn’t know much about the story going in, but the trailers looked promising.

Devotion has a great cast and contains some thrilling flying sequences, but, as interesting as the subject matter is, I confess the 2-hour 19-minute film came up short and sadly fell flat for me.  

The film, particularly the first half is choppy in pacing and thematically underdeveloped causing the narrative to just lay there more often than not. There's just very little spark and a feeling of lifelessness hangs over the story. 

For a biopic Devotion does very little to delve deeply into the characters or what caused the Korean conflict to be called “America’s Forgotten War”.  Everything is addressed superficially with a few “pops” of insight/connection here and there, but all told the gaps between what actually unfolds on screen and what needs/should is too wide.  Emotionally there’s a disconnect that the film simply can’t overcome and left me wanting /needing more and disappointed.

The second half of the film strives for and succeeds more in making for a compelling story, however, it’s just a case of too little too late.  

Devotion had the potential to be an amazing, engaging film that lives up to its title and give Airmen Brown the recognition he deserves.  Ultimately the ripped straight from a high school textbook narrative approach keeps Devotion firmly grounded in the “It’s not bad, but it’s far from great” category.

Devotion gets a 6 from me.