Tag: Review

REVIEW: Latest ‘Mission: Impossible’ excels at action, stumbles elsewhere

The “Mission: Impossible” series has always made its protagonist juggle his commitment to completing his objective while protecting those close to him. The first “Dead Reckoning” is certainly no exception.

This time around, IMF Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is informed about a dangerous artificial intelligence system, as well as a set of keys that can gain control of the program or shut it down. Hunt is ordered to recover it for the United States to give the country an advantage, but he goes rogue, believing it’s better to shut down the dangerous system rather than use it at all.

In his mission, he’s joined by fellow IMF teammates Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg). However, they’re far from the only ones after the keys, as several other powers are after them, including a foe from Hunt’s past. Additionally, a renowned thief, Grace (Hayley Atwell), comes into play as she’s hired to get the keys by one of the many seekers.

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REVIEW: ‘Teenage Kraken’ makes modest use of fun concept

Ruby Gillman is the latest kraken to enter pop culture, joining the rum, the hockey team and the krakens from “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Clash of the Titans.”

Ruby (Lana Condor) is the protagonist of “Teenage Kraken,” a blue-skinned water creature that lives on land with her parents and brother. Though they come from the sea, the family fits in on land, pretending to be regular people, and manage to pull it off for the most part.

However, Ruby still struggles to fully fit in and that’s compounded by being an awkward teenager. She starts to come into her own, though, when she uncovers a family secret: that she can become the giant sea creature of legend, something that only those in her bloodline can do.

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REVIEW: Lawrence helps ‘No Hard Feelings’ punch above its weight

It’s nice to see a straightforward, R-rated comedy on the big screen again, and it certainly helps that this one features an Academy Award winner.

That Oscar recipient is of course Jennifer Lawrence, who plays the character Maddie in “No Hard Feelings.” Short on cash and wanting to prevent her late mother’s house from being taken by the bank, Maddie is trying to make money as an Uber driver. Unfortunately, she wakes up one morning to see her car being repossessed.

Needing a new ride, she follows up on a Craigslist ad from two parents offering a car in return for dating their shy, awkward son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), who’s going to Princeton in the fall. Maddie initially balks at the idea, but ends up going for it out of desperation. At first, she just reluctantly agrees, but as time goes on, Maddie starts bonding with Percy.

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REVIEW: Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ is a miss for the studio

Pixar movies can often turn on the water works or leave a person fired up when the credits roll. Surprisingly and disappointingly, “Elemental” doesn’t do either.

The studio’s latest film, “Elemental,” is set in a sprawling metropolis inhabited by beings made of air, water, plants and fire. Most of the different elements stick to their own kind, though, especially the fire people, who are the most recent immigrants to the city and reside in a more dilapidated part of town.

In their community, though, residents have found success, such as Ember (Leah Lewis) and her parents who operate a small convenience shop that she plans to take over. That plan hits a road block, though, when a water being named Wade who works for the city lets Ember know the shop isn’t up to code. However, in a twist of fate, the meeting actually brings the two together.

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REVIEW: UnfasTEN your seatbelts, ‘Fast X’ shows the ride is over

Didn’t you watch the last movie, meathead? Hell, you’re doing the same thing that it did.

In the 11th movie in this franchise, the audience learns that the villain this time around was wronged by the heroes during the heist in part five. In the present day, the Fast crew is still going on spy missions for the secretive Agency, with the latest taking place in Rome.

The antagonist Dante (Jason Momoa) makes his presence known to the family during said mission, though, and nearly destroys Rome in the process. From there, the Agency basically has the Fast crew take the fall, which puts them on the run not only from the relentless Dante, but law enforcement as well.

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REVIEW: ‘Guardians 3’ is a bit of good, a bit of bad, and a bit of both

Director James Gunn has given us one last ride with the “Guardians” before he ships off from Marvel to DC.

It may not be on the level of the first two, but it’s nice to see these characters again.

This time around, the crew is setting up a new shop on the world Knowhere. Well, most of the crew is. The captain of the Guardians, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), is in a rough spot. While it’s been some time, he’s still mourning the death of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who was killed in the Infinity War.

Peter is thrust into action quickly, though, when an unknown being attacks, specifically targeting crew-member Rocket (Bradley Cooper). Rocket is severely injured and to save him, the Guardians have to take on a powerful foe who is connected to the raccoon’s history. As part of the mission, the Guardians get help from an alternate Gamora, who came from a different timeline.

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REVIEW: ‘Chevalier’ gives insight to important musician, but does so generically

A story during the era of the French Revolution that’s gone largely untold is given a spotlight in this film.

It’s an admirable effort, although there’s a feeling it could have been stronger.

The movie centers on Joseph Bologne, the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner who was raised to become a great violinist. Because of his skills, he finds himself in France’s high society, and is named Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

The movie picks up with Queen Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) giving Joseph the opportunity to lead an opera house via a competition with another composer, to see who can write the best one. During that process, Joseph begins an affair with a married woman, Marie-Josephine (Samara Weaving). As this is happening, there are rumblings of revolution, and it will all come to a head.

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REVIEW: Deal-making in ‘Air’ has sufficient drama for a watch

The story behind how Michael Jordan chose to wear Nikes before winning six NBA titles and defeating the Monstars in “Space Jam” is revealed in “Air.”

Starring in the film is Ben Affleck, who also returned to the director’s chair for the project, teaming up with first time screenwriter Alex Convery. The film centers on talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), who works in the basketball division for Nike, operated by CEO Phil Knight (Affleck).

A smaller company at that point, Nike doesn’t appear to have the ability to go after a ton of up and coming NBA players for shoe contracts. However, Vaccaro says Nike doesn’t need to go after a whole bunch of players, and instead, the company should give it their all to sign NCAA Champion, future Chicago Bull and eventual Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.

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REVIEW: ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is not quite super

The “Super Mario Bros.” movie was a bit of a frustrating experience.

Not as frustrating as some of those secret “Super Mario Sunshine” levels, but still frustrating nonetheless.

In the animated film, the titular brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) set off on a new adventure, which is opening a plumbing business. Their first job doesn’t go well, but determined after a setback, the brothers decide to take another job, fixing a major pipe leak underneath Brooklyn.

In the process, they enter one pipe that shoots them to a whole other world. There, Mario finds himself in the Mushroom Kingdom and meets its ruler, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is determined to stop the invasion of the evil Bowser (Jack Black). Mario decides to help, as Luigi has fallen into Bowser’s clutches.

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REVIEW: ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ offers quite the fun quest

Not that it’s a high bar or anything, but yes, this is better than the 2000 film. Much better.

In “Honor Among Thieves,” Chris Pine stars as Edgin, a man who formed a band of outlaws with his best friend Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) to steal from the wealthy. One such mission, though, was not to steal treasure, but instead an artifact that could bring back his wife who was killed years ago.

That mission went awry, causing Edgin and Holga to wind up in prison. By the time they get out, Edgin’s daughter has been taken in by a man who double-crossed the protagonist and taken over a kingdom. To get his daughter back and get some gold in the process, Edgin and Holga bring the band back together for another quest.

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