Movie Review - Spider-man: Homecoming

Spider-man: Homecoming

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, and more.

Directed by: Jon Watts Screenplay by: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers Based on the Comic Book by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Cinematography by: Salvatore Totino Music by: Michael Giacchino

Premise: After getting a new suit and helping out during the Civil War, Peter is dying to help again. Unfortunately, he's not getting any callbacks. But he makes do by going out every night and helping people where he can. But after tangling with a group of robbers using alien technology, he's told to stay out of it. But Peter can't let it go. (Rated  PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Tom Holland does a nice job as Peter Parker. Michael Keaton did a fresh and cold spin on Adrian Toomes to great effect.  (His talk on the way to the prom and his picking up on things was almost creepy!) Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau brought some lovely additional dimensions to the story. Nice work by all parties.
Additional kudos to Jacob Batalon. He was adorable as Peter's friend. He brought a lot to the film as well.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects department was kept very busy in the movie. They came up with some neat human and alien technology hybrids - vulture's gear is a prime example. Toomes looked creepy in the mask and glowing green eyes. Brrr.

Tony's Spider-man suit was fab! More gadgets and gizmos than James Bond. Wait till you see all the awesome ways Tony has given him to use his web thrower. The suit is just too cool!

The cutter machine at the bank, the shock puncher, and the phase gadgets were excellent. If Toomes had been a little less messed up in the head, he could have helped bring some super amazing advances to the world.

The ferry scene and the Washington Monument scenes were great. The destruction at the bank and the deli were well done, and we even get bus wars! The group looked to have had a lot of fun with the Stark plane as well. There were some terrific bits in that sequence. Tons of neat stuff for out viewing pleasure.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: They started the movie right - with a mutated version of the cartoon theme song! Booyah! It got me right in the mood. :) Then the beginning sequence (shaky cam, but not for long - yay!) where we see Peter picked up and taken to join Tony and the others in Civil War.  Priceless!

With six people credited for the screenplay, I was amazed it came out so good. Toomes motivation wasn't well grounded but wasn't bad enough to be jarring. No way he didn't make a ton of cash from his illegal sales. You'd think he would have saved some. :P

Tons and tons and tons of adorable moments. (Guy in a chair!) The introduction of the Captain America tapes was a genius idea! This is especially so because they take the gag all the way to the end of the credits! (So stay until he shows! :P) I laughed myself silly at the last one. :P The comments from teachers and others in different parts of the movie were also rather humorous and came up when you least expected them.

I was a little puzzled that they decided to make Peter fifteen years old. That seemed a little young. Plus he didn't look fifteen. Seventeen would have been much more believable, and he would have still had all the same problems. :P Spidey is super tough, so his getting knocked out by a small tap at one point seemed a little convenient, but it was a minor nitpick.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: CGI mixed with real stunt work gave the audience all sorts of fun to enjoy.

5) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Like I mentioned before - Michael Giacchino had me at the groovy version of the original 1967 Spiderman cartoon's theme music. Some snazzy tracks and great action tracks. It added to the enjoyment of the film.

Conclusion: This Spider-man reboot is well worth seeing. All the small and fun moments truly make it a delicious film. Great effects and cool gadgets are 'frosting on the cake'. :)

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)

Movie Review - Minions

Minions

Starring: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders, Geoffrey Rush, Steve Carell, Katy Mixon, Michael Beattie, Hiroyuki Sanada, and many more.

Directed by: Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin Written by: Brian Lynch Music by: Heitor Pereira

Premise: Having evolved from one cell organism to humanoids, the one thing that has ever given the Minions purpose and long term happiness is following and serving a Big Boss. After the disaster with Napoleon, and the aftermath, the Minions find a place to make their own. But without a Big Boss, the centuries start wearing them down and they fall to depression and despair. Realizing something must be done, Kevin comes up with a plan for a few of them to go back out into the world to find a Big Boss for them to follow again. (Rated PG)

Review:

1)  Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: A ton of heavy hitters have lent their acting voices to this film. Most of the fun though comes from the multiple voice talents of Pierre Coffin.

Despite the Minions speaking an amalgamation of several languages, it is Pierre Coffin's delivery as much, if not more, than the animation of the characters that make Kevin, Bob, and Stuart easily understood anyway. Sandra Bullock was passionate as the successful yet still unfulfilled Scarlet Overkill. Jon Hamm proved a surprising foil as her genius husband, Herb Overkill. Michael Katon and Allison Janney were unexpectedly amusing as the Nelson's. Though it was probably Jennifer Saunders who had the most fun on the job - as she got to play the voice of The Queen. (You'll see what I mean when you watch it.)

Oh and having the Minions sound out the Universal theme instead of using the Universal recorded music? Priceless! (A little girl sitting by me sounded it out along with the Minions too! (*And so did I, but softly...Heh heh*)

2) Art Work/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Illumination Entertainment did a great job with the animation as always. Set in 1968 both in New York and later in London, Illumination made this a true nostalgic time capsule for older viewers. A ton of pieces of history and iconic symbols, people, music, and more will flash by on the screen - something most kids will totally miss, but which will captivate and fascinate older parents and grandparents. The whole film is an explosion of late 60's pop culture and social issues.

There were many instances I wished I'd had a pause button just to get a better look at, and possibly a chance, to make the connections with all that was being thrown at us from the past. The mob of villains running in the London streets alone was chucked full of 60's comic book, book, TV, and film references. (Nixon, Conan, The Saint, The Beatles, The Monkees, The Dating Game, James Bond, the list goes on and on.)

Amazing attention to detail as always. And a ton of visual gags by the Minions for the kids.

Make sure to sit ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CREDITS! Some musical goodness as well as a ton of 3D fun at the very end. :)

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: Rather than just do a straightforward tale, the film is done in the manner of a documentary - the narrator filling in information for the audience here and there. This works rather well, and even helps get in translations of what's going on at the beginning in case the Minions voices and the animation don't get certain points across to the younger viewers. (Truly, though, they do such a great job, it seemed a little superfluous. But better safe than sorry.)

The only real issue with the story, which can be easily overlooked, is Scarlet's need to have hired help steal the British Crown for her. With her husband's amazing inventions and her own outstanding physical prowess and skills, I doubt it would have even presented her much of a challenge to steal them herself. But the character does prove to be a slave to her desires, and molded certain dreams that could never happen as she envisioned or fill the wanting void in her soul (one much like the Minion's own need to serve, yet her is too specific and devouring to ever be satisfied for long...).

The most applaudable part of the plot was the theme of breaking molds and expectations. The 60's were a time where the youths of the world fought against convention, against being forced to be things or be boxed in by expectations - Scarlet, Bob, the Queen, the American family the Minions hitch a ride with, all of these and others break out of the assumptions and roles we assume to be theirs as viewers. So even the characters are used to embody the revolution of the times.

The incorporated music of the 60's from both sides of the Pond will definitely delight. In many ways this film is more for the adults than the kids.

Make sure to pay close attention when the Minions first get to Villain-Con. If you blink, you'll miss it, but a vendor there is not only a piece of their future but a tie in the unexpected, yet totally pleasurable ending of the film.

Conclusion: Minions has lots of delightful subtext and a ton of pop culture references from the 60's. Great music is brought in from the past, and some is even presented in unexpected ways. Older adults might end up enjoying Minions more than the kids! (And watch ALL the way to the end of the credits!)

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - RoboCop

RoboCop

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K Williams, K C Collins, Samuel L Jackson, Marianna Jean-Baptiste, Aimee Garcia, John Paul Ruttan, Zach Grenier, Patrick Garrow, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, and more.

Directed by: José Padilha Screenplay by: Joshua Zetumer Based on the Original 1987 Screenplay by: Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner Cinematography by: Lula Carvalho Music by: Pedro Bromfman

Premise: Getting too close to criminal Antoine Vallon and the cops covering up his crimes, Alex Murphy inadvertently puts himself in the line of fire and is almost killed by a bomb. Omni Corp is trying to find a product that will appeal to the American public and help them bypass the current laws forbidding the sale of robots to law enforment, so they decide to try to make a cyborg, so all parties will get what they want. All they need is a worthy candidate, and Alex Murphy is the perfect candidate for their project. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: There were so many unexpected but wonderful actors in this film. Joel Kinnaman was well cast as Alex Murphy/RoboCop; he showed great range in his emotions as Alex struggled to reconcile himself to his new way of life. Abbie Cornish did some marvelous work as Clara Murphy. Her distress, sorrow, and anger as she attempts to deal with what has happened to her husband were palpable. Gary Oldman as Dr. Dennett Norton was fun to watch as the philanthropist got dragged down the moral ladder due to pride. Michael Keaton was a blast as Raymond Sellars. (I especially enjoyed the in-joke reference to Batman with his preference of black.)

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects work on the film was great. And they stayed faithful to the 1987 film giving homage throughout. The first time Murphy gets up and does the signature turn with the matching sound effects, I almost squealed in delight. Even keeping the big OCP ED 209 robots and making them look close to the originals. Yet it's the image of Alex Murphy when they strip away all the parts of his exoskeleton that will stay with you - a horrifying and yet totally fascinating sight. The little touches with the lungs but especially the throat make it very believable.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Based on the original script of the 1987 film, in many ways they definitely improved it, but in others they didn't do as well. A lot of what made the first film were the little things in the background, the advertisements, the news commentary--they more than anything spoke of the decline of society and the type of world Murphy lived in. Not a lot of this is seen in the remake, though they did use the character of Pat Novak to get a lot of the same ideas across, even using it to poke at some of what we see right now in our own lives.

Plot wise though, there were many improvements. The seduction of Dr. Norton to the 'dark side' was one of them. Letting us see more of what Clara and David went through was another. Watching Sellars and his dream team wiggle around putting out fires or coming up with ideas was fun, too. The only cheap shot on the plot was the way they set up to have to drop Alex's humanity. Who in their right mind would decide it's a good idea to dump terabytes of information and video into someones brain five minutes before a televised conference? Especially since it's never been done before? But aside from that, I very enjoyed how they changed the script.

I also give them extra kuddos for daring to have someone change their minds and yet not stupidly say so to the bad guy's face and thus avoid painting a giant target on their chest.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: I'm not a fan of shaky cam, but at least they kept its use to a minimum. I'm happy to say it never became an issue. The stunt work looked good regardless, which is always a plus.

5) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Special thanks to the music department and Pedro Bromfman for using the original RoboCop theme and weaving it in and out of the film's score. Just as eclectic as the original soundtrack, this one has a lot to love about it.

Conclusion: RoboCop is worth watching by both fans of the original films and those new to the franchise. Plenty of nostalgia is sprinkled throughout the film for those who saw the 1987 version. Lots of good mental fodder to ponder afterwards. Also check out Omni Corp's website. Loved the Keynote.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again.)