Category: Movies

Movie Review: ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second installment in the new five-part magical adventure from the mind of J.K. Rowling, and while it seems a little all over the place, it’s carefully setting up what’s to follow, which is very exciting.

The sequel Crimes of Grindelwald begins with the deadly powerful wizard, Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), still incarcerated in New York at the MACUSA. When the British Ministry of Magic, however, comes to transport him back to London to face judgment for his crimes, Grindelwald stages an elaborate escape and flies off to Paris. He’s still intent on gathering like-minded witches and wizards to join his Order and rule over the Muggles of the world. Not to kill them, of course, just to dominate them.

Grindelwald is also eager to find Credence (Ezra Miller), the young wizard who can’t control his destructive Obscurus and who is now in Paris with a traveling magical circus. And Grindelwald isn’t the only one trying to find Credence. Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterson), now an Auror, is also hot on his trail to try and bring Credence in peacefully.

Depp turns in one of his most charismatic performances to date as Grindelwald. Never exactly menacing but also kind of terrifying, Depp as the evil wizard oozes in and out of scenes, all while convincingly painting a picture of a world where magic reigns supreme and you can be free to be who you are — and love anyone you want. This ultimately appeals to cute little New Yorker Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol), who has come to London so she can marry her beloved No-Maj, Jacob (Dan Fogler), even though it’s against the law. Jacob, whose memory of his magical adventure is restored, loves Queenie as well but doesn’t want her to jeopardize anything and won’t marry her. Feeling rejected, Queenie takes off for Paris to find her sister.

Finally, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) is summoned to the Ministry of Magic in hopes he’ll join in on the hunt for Grindelwald. But the wizard wants nothing to do with the Ministry or being an Auror, which puts him at odds with his brother, Theseus (Callum Turner), who heads up the Auror division. What’s even more awkward is Theseus is engaged to Newt’s former crush, Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz).

Instead, Newt is recruited by Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to find Credence before Grindelwald can get his hands on him. Dumbledore has a personal connection to Grindelwald and cannot go after him himself, so Newt accepts and eventually reunites with Tina in Paris, along with Jacob who is searching for Queenie. They all come together for the ultimate confrontation with a few surprising twists you might not see coming.

Along with the standout performance by Depp, all the cast do a great job deepening their characters, especially Redmayne’s Newt and Sudol’s Queenie. Venturing away from the whimsical feel of the first movie, this Newt is a little more sure of himself and more in his element, while Queenie has a major shift in her outlook. But of course it’s Law’s portrayal as the younger Dumbledore that will have tongues wagging. The British actor has matured like a fine wine, and to see him add his own twinkle to the beloved character makes you adore Dumbledore even more.

Yet, I realize in writing out – or trying to write out – the synopsis of Crimes of Grindelwald, there is a lot that goes on in this movie, maybe to a fault. But delving in as a true Harry Potter fan, it doesn’t take away from the experience. Like many, I felt a hollow place when the Harry Potter series came to its conclusion. Rowling’s wizardry world was so immersive, I never wanted it to go away, not completely, so when she came up with the first Fantastic Beasts, it was an all-in situation because it gave a fresh perspective on the wizarding world. Plus, setting it in the past, we are able to see some of those characters we love, like Dumbledore, show up in a younger form. It’s sort of brilliant.

So maybe Rowling is having too much fun revisiting this world she created in a brand new way, and she has trouble cutting out some things in the script, but under the guidance of long-standing Harry Potter director David Yates, who (along with producer David Heyman) is the only other person who has as much a handle on the material as Rowling herself, Crimes of Grindelwald works. The fact we go back to Hogwarts alone is enough to thrill the hell out of a Potter fan, but there is plenty of eye-popping action and beautiful magical moments to keep you completely entertained.

And the twists –  did I mention the twists? Like the one about Nagini, Voldemort’s trusted and deadly righthand snake. In Crimes of Grindelwald, she is a beautiful and mysterious witch (Claudia Kim) who has a blood curse that will eventually doom her to permanently become the feared serpent. Oh boy, can’t wait for more installments.

For some, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald may be considered a problem child in the series because of all the information it throws at you, but the film is definitely for those Harry Potter aficionados who are ready for more.

Movie Review: ‘Ready Player One’

Ready Player One seems like it was tailor-made specifically for director Steven Spielberg, to swoop in and create another sci-fi fantasy extravaganza to add to his long list of classics. The movie places you in a fun-filled carnival for the senses, stacked with so many wonderful pop culture references, you’ll leave with a nostalgic smile on your face.

Based on the Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel of the same name, Ready Player One takes place in the dystopian near future, where we’ve messed up the planet pretty good. When one James Halliday (Mark Rylance) and his partner Ogden Morrow (Simon Pegg) create the first virtual reality world called the Oasis, it becomes an instant success. It’s a place in which you can be anyone and do whatever you want and the perfect place to escape the awful world.

After parting ways with his business partner, Halliday runs the company alone and when he finally dies years later, he releases his final challenge to the world. He tells people across the globe that he has placed a literal Easter Egg deep within the Oasis and whoever finds it will inherit the whole of his assets and the Oasis itself. Of course, to find it, you have to first find three keys, or clues, to unlock the egg’s precise location, and it’s no easy task.

These is where we jump off in the film. Set in Columbus, Ohio, we meet Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), a young man who lives in the poorer side of town known as “the Stacks.” It’s a trailer park from hell, where trailers are literally stacked up on top of each other, and Wade has pretty miserable existence in the real world. But he finds his solace in the Oasis as his cool avatar Parzival, hanging with his avatar pals and desperately trying to crack Halliday’s challenge.

When Wade/Parzival meets Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), however, the game changes, and suddenly Parzival, Art3mis and his gang start figuring out the clues. This is all much to the chagrin of Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn), the head of a rival gaming company who is also trying to find the Halliday egg so he can take it all over – and ruin the Oasis forever. The race is on, and the odds are stacked against our underdogs. Can they win?

The performances are all top-notch, especially from Sheridan and Cooke, who gel well together onscreen. Cooke particularly is engaging when she’s being her avatar Art3mis, full of cute swagger and confidence. Mendelsohn chews it up with the best of them, and it’s perfectly fine for him to go over the top. Other standouts include the always-good Mark Rylance, as the sweet, kind-hearted, geeky moral center of the film.

The true star of the film, however, is Oasis. It’s simply the bomb place to be, especially through Spielberg’s visual acuity. No offense to the actors, but you are instantly sucked in the minute any of the characters put on their VR goggles, and you’re completely engrossed in the action sequences. The sights and sounds are nothing short of amazing, and you can actually feel Spielberg just giddily reveling in all the high-tech visuals he can create.

Honestly, Spielberg might be 71-years-old (WTF?), but there’s no question he is still pretty much that nerdy kid inside – except the auteur has the vast experience to create something truly special. Everyone is talking about how Ready Player One is Spielberg’s return to the sci-fi fantasy world he once reigned over, and it’s true. He had a minor dip back into that world with 2016’s The BFG, based on the Roald Dahl’s children’s novel, but it didn’t quite resonate with audiences. Ready Player One should (or at least I hope so).

The film is also an ode to the 1980s, which is where I come in for a brief moment because I grew up in the ’80s, and Ready Player One spoke to me on many levels. I felt like it was made for me. Author Cline co-wrote the script with Zak Penn, and the two are kindred spirits, stuffing the film full of that era’s references. So is Spielberg, to some degree, because it’s in the late ’70s and ’80s when the director perfected his craft. Clearly, Cline’s (and our) alter ego is Halliday, who has infused his Oasis with things that he loved from the ’80s, from the music (I mean, you can’t get enough of Culture Club, Def Leppard and Hall and Oates; you just can’t) to the movies (yep, Back to the Future is in there) and character references. No spoilers, of course, but there is a particular ’80s horror movie highlighted in this, and the action sequence involving it will knock your socks off.

Here’s the thing, though. It’s not just the ’80s being represented in the Oasis, but a number of great pop culture references, from beloved characters like the Iron Giant to King Kong and so much more. Ready Player One could be one of those movies that can appeal to just about everyone, even younger audiences who should appreciate the high-tech gadgetry and modern-day gamer mentality.

Penn and Cline craft a cohesive narrative that isn’t necessarily surprising in its set-up but grabs you nonetheless, and while the film does seem to drag a little the closer we come to the climax, it probably has more to do with Spielberg having difficulty deciding what to cut out. You know what? He’s earned that right. It’s his Oasis, and he can do whatever the hell he wants.

Ready Player One is just one big bowl of spectacular popcorn fun, from beginning to end, and it’ll be one you want to watch over and over. Thank you, Mr. Spielberg.

The Movie Kit Happy Hour Review: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’

Put in that mix-tape, strap into your seat because Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 favs Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax  and Baby Groot are all returning for another adventure.

Continuing the story, the Guardians are now top-notch mercenaries for hire, and still squabbling like a family does. Except Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) gets a surprise when he finally meets his father, Ego (Kurt Russell), an otherworldly being who has been searching for Peter. There are some other family issues that come up, particularly between Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and sister Nebula (Karen Gillam), but they once again must band together to save the universe.

Here’s my review of the fun-filled GOTG Vol. 2!

The Movie Kit Happy Hour Review: ‘The Fate of the Furious’

Vin Diesel and the gang are back for an eighth go-around the track with The Fate of the Furious. It might not be as great as the last few installments, but it’s still just good old summer popcorn flick fun (in April), with plenty of exhilarating car chase sequences, an evil villain (Charlize Theron) and some cheekiness (courtesy of Jason Statham).

Here’s my Happy Hour review, sipping on an F8 cocktail called the Fury. Check it out!

The Movie Kit Happy Hour Review: ‘Ghost in the Shell’

For all the criticism surrounding Ghost in the Shell — and there is plenty — the film pretty much accomplishes what it sets out to do. It’s a techie, visually alerting  live-action take on the classic Japanese manga series, with kick-ass action star Scarlett Johansson, front and center. 

The story revolves around the Major, a female cyborg living in a world where everyone can get enhanced robotic parts, if they want to. She, however, is the first of her kind — a fully formed, very skilled robot solider, who also happens to have a very human brain. The Major is part of an elite special forces unit, operated by Araimaki (Takeshi Kitano), whose job it is to track down mastermind criminals.  When they are tasked to find out who is killing key scientists working for the top robotic company in town (and the ones who created the Major), a can of worms is opened up for the Major when she starts to uncover details to her mysterious past. 

Ghost in the Shell received backlash, even before its release, with the casting of Johansson in a role that could have easily been played by an Asian actor. Calls of Hollywood whitewashing and whatnot dampened excitement about the film, while others accepted Johansson’s casting because of her global box office appeal. 

Either way, the actress knows how to handle the action, even if Ghost in the Shell could have used more of it. The film did what it was supposed to do, in my opinion. Here’s my take, as I sip a little sake for the occasion. 

The Movie Kit Happy Hour Review: ‘CHiPS’

In this week’s Happy Hour review, I’m drinking beer, eating chips and salsa and talking CHiPS, a mindless, raucous comedy loosely based on the popular ’70s TV show.

Suffice to say, the plot doesn’t really matter that much (Shepard is Jon Baker, a former motorcycle racing star turned rookie CHiPs officer, and Michael Pena is Frank “Ponch” Poncherello, an FBI agent going undercover to ferret out crooked California Highway Patrol officers). It’s really about Shepard, who wrote and directed the comedy, and Pena and their fun chemistry.

Watch my review!

The Movie Kit Happy Hour Review: ‘Kong: Skull Island’

In this week’s Movie Kit Happy Hour, I review Kong: Skull Island — a fun, popcorn monster movie — as I sip on my banana daiquiri.  Thing is, I’ve always loved King Kong and feel he’s much more than just an oversized ape, and thankfully, in Skull Island, he’s still just as lovable.

Check out my (slightly inebriated) review!

The Movie Kit Happy Hour Review: ‘Logan’

I’ve taken a little break from my blog, but I’m back with a new video series I’m calling The Movie Kit Happy Hour. In it, I’ll be reviewing a movie with an added twist: Alcohol! Each week I’ll review a movie and sip on the appropriate drink for the occasion.

This week it’s the excellent Logan, the latest in the X-Men/Wolverine canon, which takes a darker, grittier, R-rated look at one of our favorite comic-book heroes. Naturally, this calls for a short glass of whiskey… Watch!

How to Interview: 9 Things About ‘Doctor Strange’

Marvel has weaved its magic once again with Doctor Strange, perhaps a lesser known comic entity in the MCU but seemingly just important as the rest.

In this origin story, we meet Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant neurosurgeon who knows it. He is never shy to show off his considerable skills, sometimes to the detriment of his colleagues, like his former flame, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). However, Dr. Strange is taken down more than a peg when a terrible car accident leaves his hands virtually unusable, and he watches his career fade quickly away.

Desperate to regain his stature once again, he embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts – a world mostly hidden to the naked eye, but which is just as alive – and dangerous – as anything the Avengers have to face. Strange soon learns the trick of the trade by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and becomes a masterful sorcerer, as he is drawn into a battle with a rogue disciple Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), who naturally wants to end the world as we know it.

At the recent press day, I sat in on a great discussion about Doctor Strange with Marvel guru Kevin Feige, director Scott Derrickson and stars Cumberbatch, McAdams, Swinton and Mikkleson.  Continue reading How to Interview: 9 Things About ‘Doctor Strange’