GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXYL. 3 Review

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the most confounded I’ve been by a movie in some time. I don’t know how to process it completely. As a fan of writer/director James Gunn, his first film, and a massive fan of GotG Vol. 2 (as in it’s absolutely the best non-Avengers film in the MCU) I had high hopes for the gang’s swan song. Unfortunately, this final time out with this configuration of the Guardians - at least upon initial viewing - is an incoherent, repetitive, sensory overload so grating that any attempt at emotional resonance is rendered moot. 

From the minute Will Poulter’s underdeveloped and underutilized Adam Warlock arrives to decimate the titular team it seems clear Gunn took his screenplay out of the oven a few drafts early. The character of Warlock (who was heralded as a Christ-like figure in the second film) is presented as a clown mere minutes after almost annihilating the Guardians with little to no effort. The contrast could work, sure, but it's not developed in any recognizable fashion as Gunn was clearly more interested in the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), a mad scientist of a man whose abusive yet paternal tendencies certainly fit the writer/director’s running themes in these movies, yet the High Evolutionary's arc feels as stock as the template Gunn uses to close out his trilogy. Iwuji also likes to yell. A lot. 

When I say template, I'm of course referring to the one where a main character becomes incapacitated, and the movie then spends the rest of its runtime sending his friends who desire to save them on countless missions to locate countless McGuffins required to in fact save him. I realize many a genre flick rely on these kinds of plot devices as a way of propping up their bigger thematic ideas through easily accessible checkpoints, but Gunn feels above this and that he chose to go out leaning on such a structure would only seem to suggest that the script and, as a result, everything afterward was not necessarily ill-conceived, but more feeble in the way James Gunn movies are typically bold and affecting. 

THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA Review

A horror film based on Mexican folklore about a "weeping woman" who drowned her own children in a river and is then doomed to an eternity of seeking out the children of others is, well...a pretty great set-up in story and tone as well as hinting at the natural aesthetic a movie should take. So, how hasn't this been converted into a product for profit already? Unfortunately for Hispanic culture, director Michael Chaves-in his feature directorial debut-seems to have been told to approach this from a very specific standpoint by a studio invested in a very specific vision of a cinematic universe rather than from a financier who might have allowed the filmmaker to integrate the natural inclinations the folklore would lend to a visual representation. That said, and this is somewhat ironic, The Curse of La Llorona's biggest strength is in fact its visual prowess as the narrative resorts largely to jump scares and extended sequences of as much rather than nurturing an actual story or developing actual characters. Though I haven't seen any of the shorts Chaves has directed, La Llorona feels very much in line with the visual stylings of James Wan, the originator and cultivator of this series of horror films from the same universe. In approaching such promising material from this mindset, the result is almost inevitably middle-of-the-road as it hits all of the required beats without ever making the audience dance (or squirm) to its rhythm. Furthermore, while Chaves and his team go to great lengths to nail down an atmosphere and period-specific details (like The Conjuring films, this also takes place in the 70's) much of it is in service of few to no genuine scares. There is even a general lack of creepiness as all that occurs and all that is being threatened to happen to these characters we mostly care about only because they are either children or widowed women are more broad examples of horror movie tropes than they are specific consequences of having encountered as unique a figure as the "weeping woman".

GREEN BOOK Review

There isn't a person you wouldn't love if you could read their story. I tend to try and not speak in absolutes and there may or may not be some exceptions to this rule, but the point is an obvious one: all the races and people with different sexual orientations or different religious beliefs can get along once we really get to know one another; that we're not really all that different after all. That's all well and good, but it's also a tried and true formula that at least one Hollywood production trots out every awards season to try and make us all feel better about ourselves. One might think, given the current cultural climate, that any movie attempting to bring people together might immediately be dismissed as one party's agenda to corrupt another into actually having a conversation with a person of opposing views, but maybe that's ultimately why Green Book feels so good right now and ironically, so needed. There isn't a damn thing here you haven't heard or seen before and director Peter Farrelly (one half of the brother directing duo who brought us comedy classics like Dumb & Dumber and There's Something About Mary, but also brought us Dumb & Dumber To and The Heartbreak Kid) directs with the eye of about as mainstream a filmmaker as it gets meaning there is nothing glaringly unique or interesting about the way in which he captures these events, but this does mean it will undoubtedly speak to a very large audience. There was some slight hope that Farrelly might utilize his experience in his years of making broad studio comedies to infuse the many predictable formulas this movie utilizes with a more striking tone or presence, but while taking on a project like this might have been a bold thing for the filmmaker to do given his past credits he alas decides to do nothing bold in the execution of this change in pace, but instead plays it right down the middle. Fortunately for Farrelly, the story has such a great inherent hook and given he's hired two more than capable talents to lead his film it hardly matters how he's saying what he wants to say as long as it's competent enough to capture how Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen are saying what they want to say. It's largely through these two performers that Green Book transcends the calculations of a movie such as itself, eclipsing every predictable note it plays that could have so easily rung false to become something genuinely endearing; a true crowd-pleaser in the least cynical and most delightful of ways.

DADDY'S HOME 2 Review

I will admit, and not necessarily begrudgingly, that I didn't mind 2015's Daddy's Home. One might even say I liked it to a certain extent. Did I understand why stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg were reuniting with something that was a more standard studio comedy rather than following up their 2010 Adam McKay film, The Other Guys, despite the fact it was likely because that film only made $170 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million? No, despite that evidence I still didn't and yet, somehow, Daddy's Home was something I laughed at consistently enough and had a warm enough time with that I was more than happy to recommend it to those looking for a light watch on a weekend afternoon. This was undoubtedly all it was ever meant to be. That was, until that second Ferrell/Wahlberg collaboration ended up going bonkers and making over $240 million worldwide on a production budget of only $69 million and thus is the reason we now have a Daddy's Home 2 that cost just a little more ($31 million more to be exact) with the addition of granddaddies Mel Gibson and John Lithgow present to up the antics of Ferrell's Brad and Wahlberg's Dusty as they try to co-dad in peace. Paramount was also keen to release this sequel prior to the holiday season as a whole thus kind of inadvertently kicking it off itself (Bad Moms Christmas obviously helping with this as well) as the studio looks to capitalize on their family-friendly PG-13 comedy playing through the Thanksgiving break and having collected all it needs prior to Star Wars coming in and claiming all the screens. That said, is this strategic approach going to work? Does Daddy's Home 2 offer the same comforts as its predecessor without succumbing to the stupidity that first film was always on the verge of flirting with or without becoming a carbon copy of that initial film? For the most part, sure. Daddy's Home 2 ups the antics in the way that sequels do without being maybe as consistently funny as it should be given the talent on hand. All things considered though, Daddy's Home 2 does further the story of the scenario set-up in the first film in natural and organic ways while adhering to the wacky tone that first film defiantly established. We are introduced to more family members in order to spice up the proceedings and from keeping it from becoming that total retread of the original while the dynamics of such relationships are explored and caveats of others revealed to add layers to characters we might have imagined we already knew everything about. That isn't to say writer/director Sean Anders (Sex Drive, Horrible Bosses 2) and writing partner John Morris (Hot Tub Time Machine, We're the Millers) have delved into the anxieties of blended families and come up with a film that analyzes the dynamics and struggles of such situations-this is very much of a movie world where no one has any problems except the ones in their personal life as created by their personal life with money being no object-but there is something to be said for Daddy's Home 2 as it doesn't simply rest on the laurels of its predecessor when it very easily could have.

First Trailer for DADDY'S HOME 2 Starring Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg

Paramount has timing on its side this week as not only is this weekend Father's Day, but they also have the release of Transformers: The Last Knight which coincidentally stars Mark Wahlberg as well as Warner Bros. The House starring Will Ferrell opening next week and the week after-making this a perfect time to treat audiences to their first look at Daddy's Home 2. Two years ago Paramount released the original Daddy's Home to rather bad reviews, but it proved to be the gift that kept on giving as the film ended up with a worldwide gross of over $240 million on a budget of only $69 million. Needless to say, the studio was quick to get all involved, including Wahlberg, Ferrell, and director Sean Anders (Sex Drive, That's My Boy, Horrible Bosses 2) back on board for another go-around. If you've heard anything about this unnecessary, but totally understandable sequel you probably know that the hook this time involves meeting Dusty and Brad's respective fathers who will be played by none other than John Lithgow and Mel Gibson. It is this new dynamic that the trailer plays up and is all the better for it. I actually didn't mind the original film as much as I'd anticipated, but that was very likely due to the fact I went in with almost no expectations. The trailers made the film look as generic as a comedy could which was a shame as I loved and still love The Other Guys. The Other Guys is, simply put, one of the more underrated comedies of the last decade and while I'd hoped more than just the chemistry between Wahlberg and Ferrell might cross over into Daddy's Home it was always going to be missing that key creative drive in Adam McKay. There is hope in the fact Anders is again directing as each of his credits prior to these films were willing to go the distance for whatever joke needed to be made and while this will most definitely be PG-13, hopefully they can find some way to breathe fresh life into what is now a recycled premise. I'm hoping the effortless quality of comedy the lead duo possesses comes through as Ferrell and Wahlberg are almost as good together as Ferrell and John C. Reilly and there should be more than enough to work with between them and all the bigger stuff studio sequels inherently come with. Daddy's Home 2 also stars Linda Cardellini, John Cena, Alessandra Ambrosio and opens on November 10, 2017.

THE FOUNDER Review

In The Founder, Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc favors the saying, "fortune favors the bold," but the question that comes to mind as the The Founder reaches its denouement and shows us not just what Kroc became in the professional world, but who he became as a person is just how bold was this guy? As it turns out, quite. There were risks involved in his journey that were never guaranteed to pay off and he arguably had a vision no one else did-or at least the balls no one else had to risk it all. In the end, fortune obviously favors Ray Kroc, but at what expense to his humanity and decency? Some may say such things don't matter when you're worth $500 million, but in those final moments of The Founder where Kroc rehearses lines for a speech he stole from old motivational records when his wife, who he also stole, walks into the room and he catches her eye that there is a hint of self-awareness; of knowing that there was a price for all that he now looked down upon. Keaton, in all his charming and endearing glory, snaps his face out of the thought that dazed him only for a moment as if to say such was a price he'd gladly pay again and again. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence he tells himself-not talent, not education-persistence. It is in this train of thought, this idea that Kroc is never complacent or content with his life that confounds though as the movie that now tells his life story tends to air on the side of being exactly that-content. Directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks) The Founder is a perfectly acceptable slice of cinema as it is obviously well-crafted, hits all the right notes, and features a handful of appealing performances with Keaton being a whirlwind of as much sly charm as he can possibly muster-carrying this thing across the finish line with ease. It's not that there is anything particularly bad about the film, but there isn't anything that is rather exceptional either. Instead, The Founder more or less delivers what is expected of a biopic these days with only slight indications that there was a deeper, more cutting ambition to the project that maybe took a backseat to safety. There have been many a comparisons between The Social Network and this film with its protagonists being ruthless men who take ideas from smaller thinking men and turn them into multi-billion dollar businesses, but where David Fincher's film had a specific tone and a certain state of mind that was in place from the get-go, The Founder never feels as personal or alluring. It, ironically, never feels bold enough to transcend its genre lines.

First Trailer for THE FOUNDER Starring Michael Keaton

Can Michael Keaton go three years in a row starring in three Best Picture nominees? Potentially even three Best Picture winners? It seems slight with his new film getting an August release, but if this first trailer for The Founder is any indication it looks as if Keaton and his crew are at least ready to compete. Telling the story of McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc, the film was written by Robert D. Siegel (The Wrestler, Big Fan) and is directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks) so it certainly has the credentials to go far, but only time will tell given Hancock's last effort seemed a shoo-in for many major awards, but was ultimately looked over. I can't help but feel The Founder is different though, and that the combination of story, social relevance, writer, director, and especially star will push this thing to become something more than another awards season offering, but possibly something of a cultural conversation piece. It is inevitable that the portrayal of Kroc as this charismatic, but sleazy businessman will serve as a commentary on the many alternative and ugly ways one can go about achieving the pureness of the American dream. What pushes this even further into potential awards season glory though, is the dynamite performance Keaton looks to be giving. There is no denying that the actor is in the midst of a very real resurgence with both Birdman and Spotlight winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards the past two years and with future prospects of being the new villain in a Marvel Studios produced Spider-Man film there is no stopping him. I still believe Keaton should have won for Best Actor for Birdman, but maybe this will be his year to claim that honor even if The Founder doesn't take home the big prize. Regardless of awards potential, this looks great and I can't wait to see if it delivers. The Founder also stars Nick Offerman, Linda Cardellini, Laura Dern, BJ Novak, John Caroll Lynch, Patrick Wilson, and opens on August 5th, 2016.

DADDY'S HOME Review

The Other Guys is a brilliant piece of satire that really gave way for director Adam McKay to go in the direction of crafting something like The Big Short. The Other Guys was also helped by the oddball pairing of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg who proved to have almost as much chemistry as Ferrell and John C. Reilly. So, it was natural for the two to want to reunite given their past success, but The Other Guys Daddy's Home is not. This was clear from the beginning. Whereas The Other Guys felt like a film, an actual, real, weighted film with an objective and a structure that felt inspired without being standard, Daddy's Home feels like a rushed job of a couple of funny men getting together and seeing what they can hammer out. Daddy's Home is a movie and one that has seemingly been dropped off the Hollywood assembly line in hopes that it will appeal to enough people to make it's money back on the broad appeal of Ferrell and Wahlberg. There is nothing particularly insightful about the picture, there isn't even anything particularly funny to the point I'll remember it tomorrow, and the product placement is so abhorrently obvious the whole thing might as well be a commercial, but beyond these heavy complaints lies a movie that still stars the likes of Ferrell and Wahlberg. Both are very likable guys with a supporting cast that includes the always-pleasant Linda Cardellini, the outrageous Thomas Haden Church, a surprisingly funny extended piece enlivened by Hannibal Burress and, of course, a couple of cute kids saying inappropriate things. Given these factors, despite the sub par script and despite the fact the film has little to no visual flair, Daddy's Home comes out the other end being rather enjoyable for what it is. It is a movie one can put on in the background and still keep up with if the need to do other things arises while at the same time guaranteeing a couple of chuckles from friends or family that might also be in the vicinity. Daddy's Home goes a long way on the charm of it's cast making the product as a whole more endearing than it appears on first glance.  

First Trailer for DADDY'S HOME Starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg

As it was father's day weekend it comes as no surprise that Paramount Pictures decided to release the first trailer for the Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg reunion that will be hitting theaters this Christmas and is appropriately titled, Daddy's Home. Given The Other Guys is one of the most underrated comedies of the last few years and that Ferrell has been hitting a few speed bumps lately (though Sundays Fatal Adoption may be the best move the star could have made for his career while also being the most unexpected) I am really rooting for this one to work, but I can't help but feel about the trailer the same way I did when I saw the initial preview for Get Hard. I want Ferrell to be funny, I want him to be successful so that more people will convert and understand why his fans, myself included, find him as funny as we do, but dammit if this doesn't initially look like another misstep. There is hope in the fact that this might be rated-R (which I'm not saying is necessary to be a good comedy, the aforementioned The Other Guys was PG-13 and flourished, but the R-rating certainly gives the comic actors room to flourish) given it is directed by Sean Anders (Sex Drive, That's My Boy, Horrible Bosses 2). Each of Anders credits are willing to go the distance for whatever joke needs to be made, no matter how dirty and while Sandler's film is my least favorite of Anders trio I still laughed at large portions of it. I'm hoping this effortless quality of comedy comes through in the final product as Ferrell and Wahlberg are almost as good together as Ferrell and Reilly and there should be more than enough to work with between them and this premise. Daddy's Home also stars Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church, Alessandra Ambrosio, Paul Scheer, Hannibal Buress and opens on December 25, 2015.